Up to 1864 the territory now embraced in the town of Tuxedo belonged to the town of Monroe. In the fall of 1883 a petition was sent to the board of supervisors requesting that the town be divided into three towns. The request was granted and the new towns were named respectively Monroe, Southfield and Highland. Monroe held its town meeting March 22, 1864, electing Chauncey B. Knight, supervisor. Southfield did likewise, electing Josiah Patterson, supervisor, while Highland chose its old favorite Morgan Smith. This piece of political surgery did not prove satisfactory, and in 1865 the Legislature overruled the action of the board of supervisors and restored to its citizens the old town of Monroe.
Again in December of 1889 the board of supervisors were prevailed upon to effect a triple division of the town. The reason advanced for this re-division was that the town was too large and its interests too diverse for harmonious government. It was resolved that the division should be made on the old lines, but that the names Tuxedo and Woodbury should be substituted for Southfield and Highland. This was duly passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. The lines were run so as to give Monroe 12,101 acres, Tuxedo 27,839 acres and Woodbury 23,839 acres. However, the boundary line between Monroe and Tuxedo had not been clearly determined or marked by monuments. When the Heine Club desired to build a road from Mombasha to Southfield, it became a practical question how much of this road must be paid for by each town. Hence the question as to the dividing line. The men who were with the 1863 surveyor said: "It crossed Mombasha Pond, but they did not know where." A survey was then made by F. J. Knight, who established a true line, demonstrating that the line of 1863 had been a trial or random line. This decision placed Mombasha in the territory of Monroe.
In January 1890, J. Spencer Ford represented the town of Tuxedo in the board of supervisors; in 1894, Paul Tuckerman was elected supervisor; Mahlon J. Brooks filled the office in 1896 and 1897, and Charles S. Patterson, the present incumbent, has served continuously since 1898. Daniel F. Clark, the veteran bookkeeper, has held the office of town clerk since 1890. Gillmore O. Bush, the present postmaster and captain of the park police, held the office of town collector in 1890 and from 1894 to 1899. The assessors for 1907 are M. J. Brooks, Joseph W. Conklin and Benjamin Moffatt. The highway commissioners are George Griswold, Benjamin Moffatt and William Viner. District schools are located at Arden, Southfields, Eagle Valley, Scott Mines, and in Tuxedo Village are the primary and union free schools. Of the latter institutions, Mr. James Cronon has been the efficient clerk of the board since 1891. A private preparatory school is conducted within the limits of the park.
Episcopal churches are located at Arden and Tuxedo, Methodist Episcopal churches at Southfields, Tuxedo and Scott Mines. The Roman Catholic church is in Tuxedo village.
The main line of the Erie Railroad parallels the Ramapo river through the entire length of the town, and was opened in September, 1841. In this valley are the hamlets that took part in the iron industry of a century ago. Augusta was the seat of the "Augusta Works" founded at the close of the Revolution, 1783-1784, by Solomon Townsend of New York, to make bar iron and anchors. It was an important enterprise but not permanently successful. In later years the works came into the ownership of P. Lorillard, who allowed them to remain idle. Thirteen thousand acres of land were attached to the works. Southfield was the name of the locality of the "Southfield" and "Monroe" works. These enterprises were established about 1805 to make pig iron. The early proprietors were William and Peter Townsend. Stirling Furnace, of which the Southfield plant became an important branch, was in operation a century and a half ago. (See Warwick). The Sterling Iron & Railway Company filed their annual report with the county clerk January 17, 1865. They purchased mines, manufactories and other property in southern Orange. Greenwood Iron Works was established in 1811 by the Messrs. Cunningham to make pig-iron. Mr. P. P. Parrott became the subsequent owner. The Parrott Iron Company was formed by a certificate verified June 23, 1880. It engaged in mining and selling of iron ore and the manufacture of pig iron and steel. The capital stock was stated as $500,000. The trustees named were Peter P., Edward M., and R. D. A. Parrott. The locality is now known as Arden, and is the headquarters of the Arden Dairy Farms, of which Mr. William A. McClellan is manager. A short distance northeast, bordering Echo Lake, is the home of Mr. E. H. Harriman, who owns vast tracts of land throughout this region. Helmsburgh is a rural mountain locality west of Southfields. Eagle Valley is a station on the Erie Railroad, in the extreme southern angle of the town, near the New Jersey line.
TUXEDO PARK.
The tract of land containing this park consists of 7,000 acres, and came into the possession of the Lorillard family in 1812. Shafts were sunk in various places in an attempt to find iron ore, but the property was otherwise undeveloped until the advent of the Erie Railroad in 1841. The locomotives burned wood in those days, and an arrangement was made to supply the railroad with fuel. The hills and valleys were covered with large forest trees, all of which were sacrificed, excepting a few along the Continental road. The station here was for years known as the "Wood Pile."
About 1860 Tuxedo Lake was stocked with black bass, and from that time the fishing was carefully preserved for the Lorillard family and their friends. Up to 1885 no better bass fishing could be found anywhere than that afforded by this beautiful lake. This suggested to Mr. P. Lorillard (deceased, 1901), the idea of establishing here a shooting and fishing club. He bought out the other members of the family, and acquired a clear title to the whole tract. Five thousand acres were enclosed in a wire fence eight feet high. Deer were bought and turned loose. English pheasant eggs were procured in large quantities and several pheasant hatcheries were located. A fine trout hatchery was also built.
Having made a start on the preserve, Mr. Lorillard proceeded to organize the club. He gave a dinner to his sporting friends at the Union Club, New York, and his idea met with an enthusiastic reception. Twenty gentlemen were appointed a board of governors. Invitations to join the club were sent out, and temporary headquarters secured in New York.
The foundations of the clubhouse were laid, and about 1,800 men were employed in road-making. Before the new work was begun there was but the Continental road through the park. The first park road constructed was the Station road. The construction of the road around the lake was then undertaken. As the work progressed Mr. Lorillard decided, instead of a mere game preserve, to lay out a residential park. This plan involved enormous expense. Many roads were required to develop the building sites. A complete sewer and water system was constructed. A village for shops and employees and a large livery stable were built. An office in the village for the transaction of the park business was opened. At the same time Mr. Lorillard formed a stock company called the Tuxedo Park Association, to which he turned over all the lands and other assets of the park. The officers chosen were: Mr. P. Lorillard, president; P. Lorillard, Jr., vice-president; George D. Findley, treasurer, and William Kent, secretary. This company leased the clubhouse and grounds to the members for twenty-one years, and guaranteed the new club against loss for the first ten years of its existence and subsequently during the term of the lease. Fourteen houses were built and advertised for sale or rent. Twelve were located on Tower Hill and two across the dam at the foot of the lake.