"The Ramapo Reformed Church succeeded two German Lutheran Meeting houses, ca. 1720-1739. The area was called the 'Island'. Dutch Calvinists came at mid-century and in 1785 organized 'The Dutch Reformed Congregation at Ramapough in Bergen County." in 1798, the Dutch Reformed and Lutherans built the present church. They shared it using '1 lock and 2 keys' until the Lutherans left in 1848 to build a church at Airmont, NY. The 'Island' was the center of Mahwah until the coming of the railroad in the mid-1800's. The Ramapo Reformed Church ('Island Church' or 'Community Church') is the oldest of two wood-frame Federal period church buildings remaining in Bergen County, and the only surviving early church building in the county with a history of shared ownership and use. In 1985, the Ramapo Reformed Church celebrated 200 years of continuous ministry."

Photograph Copyright © 2001, Richard Hrazanek