Wayne Museum

For what appears to have been a sleepy, rural town, Wayne has a long and fascinating history. For hundreds of years before European settlement, Munsee speaking peoples lived and travelled throughout the area. In 1695, Arent Schuyler negotiated for land rights with indigenous leaders, eventually claiming 5,500 acres for colonists. This opened the door for Dutch and English families to settle, establishing farms in what was then considered part of Saddle River Township in Bergen County.

Wayne Township, part of Passaic County, was officially established in 1847. Up until the mid-20th century, Wayne was largely made up of farms, with roadside stands dotting Valley Road and Berdan Ave. However, the 19th and 20th centuries saw many local developments that helped to transform the township into what it is today. Man-made lake communities were built in the 1920s, canals, railroads, and an airport offered new forms of transportation, and speakeasies brought some drama to the farm town during Prohibition.

After World War II, the need for more housing grew, and development in Wayne was kickstarted. Many historic structures were lost, but the Van Riper-Hopper House was preserved and dedicated as the township’s first museum on June 6th, 1964. Since then, the Wayne Museum has grown to include a second historic home- the Mead-Van Duyne House. Today, the Wayne Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the township’s long history.