Oral Histories of Franklin Lakes

By The Franklin Lakes Journal

Published: July 21, 2009

Oral Histories of Franklin Lakes
Now Available on the web, on DVD, and in print!

Oral histories provide an opportunity for those of all ages to have a greater and more personal connection to their community and the world, and to the history that creates their society. In an effort to create an oral history of Franklin Lakes and Bergen County, Franklin Lakes Public library and Franklin Avenue Middle School have been involved in an ongoing, collaborative project to preserve personal stories and accounts that make up much of the area’s local history. With the supervision of Gerry McMahon, Library Director, Samantha McCoy, Local History Librarian, and Kate Vasilik, Teen Librarian, secured a grant to assist in the documentation of personal interviews. As a result, funding was made possible in part by the Bergen County Department of Parks and the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State, through grant funds administered by the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs. Face-to-face interviews with senior members of the community were conducted by students from Franklin Avenue Middle School, under the guidance and assistance of teachers Sharon Milano and Randy Freedman.

It is the hope that this project will encourage an ongoing dialog with the community and create history that is accessible to all. An interactive website with interview clips and transcripts is available at www.franklinlakeslibrary.org, and DVDs and print and Braille transcripts of the interviews are also available at Franklin Lakes Public Library. It is the hope that this project will not only allow for historical preservation through personal memories, but that it will also provide a truly meaningful account of Franklin Lakes and Bergen County history to young and older residents of the area, as well as interested educators and historians.
Any member of the community interested in being a part of this project in the future can contact Franklin Lakes Library at 201-891-2224. Stop into the library or access the website for more information about the completed interviews.