Autumn Years Summer 2023

dry town. The pastor of the Congrega tional Church stated that when the last saloon was in operation, “It was unsafe for wives and daughters to walk on the street where drunkards resorted.” With the closing of the saloon, he said, “Now it is known as a temperance town.” That reputation likely made Closter the town of choice for the 49th annual county wide Bible Schools Convention in 1916, attracting 645 delegates. In 1893, a group of community minded citizens organized a volunteer fire company and named it the Knick erbocker Hook and Ladder Company (after the local Knickerbocker Baseball

Club). A firehouse (which also served as the Borough Hall) was built on Railroad Avenue. The hook and ladder truck, built by a local wagon-building shop, was first dragged by men to fires and was later pulled by horses. Before a fire bell was ac quired, a man would alert people, travel ing as fast as his horse and buggy would go. Fortunately, an experienced fire com pany was on hand when the downtown suffered a major fire in 1917. Buildings

The Nemo Theater.

Light industry opened, the first being the Closter Shading Company, which employed about 20 people and produced 5,000 window shades daily. Then there was the United States Bronze Powder Works Inc., which produced bronze and aluminum powder for the graphic arts and painting industries. In 1936, work ers at the Acme Braid Company tried to unionize and went on strike. When the owner shot a worker (who wasn’t even a striker), outraged members of the United Textile Workers of America planned to converge on Closter for a protest rally at the Nemo Theater. Expecting a riot, and claiming permits were not obtained, more than 50 uniformed local and coun ty police armed with riot sticks prevent ed the meeting from happening. The Nemo Theater was not Closter’s first. The first theater was built around 1914 and featured plays and movies (Eu gene O’Neill’s father performed there). The Nemo Theater was constructed in 1917 for movies, and it was state-of-the art. Open twice each week, it featured silent movies and usually six vaudeville

containing four busi nesses, the Odd Fellows’ Hall and a hotel were de stroyed, and many others were damaged. The fire was contained, and the remainder of the town was saved. THE 20TH CENTURY Closter has long been a town of civic engage ment. In 1914, when the commuters had enough

Knickerbocker Hook and Ladder Company and firehouse.

of the railroad’s filthy trains, a group called the Civic Federation formed to address the problem. The 20-member group prevented a train from leaving the station—and with mops, water buckets and cloths—washed the train! The rail road was not pleased, and hearings were called in Trenton. However, the action by Closter citizens caused a groundswell of anger against all the railroads in the county for shoddy maintenance.

Knickerbocker Baseball Club.

50

AUTUMN YEARS I SUMMER 2023