| When you think of "Paramus" do you | | | | Mountain, now called Garrett Mountain. |
| automatically think, "shopping malls?" If you | | | | Acquackanonk Township was an earlier name for |
| do, you are not alone. On a recent trip to | | | | Clifton, which at one time also included the |
| the west coast, I was asked, "where in New | | | | cities presently called Passaic and Paterson. |
| Jersey do you live?" When I mentioned near | | | | Acquackanonk was part of Essex County until |
| Paramus, the person nodded her head in | | | | its residents, unhappy, with the preferential |
| recognition. She knew that the town was a | | | | treatment Newark was receiving, asked to |
| shopping mecca on the east coast.Paramus' | | | | leave the county and be joined to Passaic |
| origins and even recent history, belie the | | | | County.In Essex County, the name Bloomfield |
| shopping mecca label. As recently as the | | | | suggests bucolic farmland. While the farmland |
| 1960s, the borough was dotted with farmland; | | | | part may have at one time been true, |
| indeed Paramus is derived from the Lenni | | | | Bloomfield was named for a New Jersey |
| Lenape name Perampsus, meaning: "where there | | | | governor who served from 1803-1812; Gov. |
| is worthwhile or fertile land." Where there | | | | Joseph Bloomfield also served as a U.S. |
| was fertile land, maize or corn was grown and | | | | Senator. The present day township of |
| wild turkeys were also found in abundance. | | | | Bloomfield was originally part of Newark, |
| Thus, the meaning of Paramus . . . "A fertile | | | | which was settled in 1666.Matthew Keegan is |
| land where corn was grown attracting wild | | | | the owner of a successful article writing, |
| turkeys". For kicks, go to the Paramus Park | | | | web design, and marketing business based in |
| Mall and observe the Indian riding the turkey | | | | North Carolina, USA. He manages several sites |
| [Route 17 entrance near Macy's]. It looks odd | | | | including the Corporate Flight Attendant |
| to the visitor, but with your new knowledge | | | | Community and the Aviation Employment Board. |
| of Paramus' name origin, it explains | | | | Please visit The Article Writer to review |
| much.Clifton could easily be called Cliftside | | | | selections from his portfolio. |
| or Underclift due to its proximity to Weasel | | | | |