Historian and author Walter E. Boright, Ed.D.
Several weeks ago, the Borough installed twelve new street signs commemorating over 200 years of local history. The project was coordinated by Lt. Wayne Fennes of the Kenilworth Police Department, with installations by the Kenilworth Department of Public Works.
The streets are: ARTHUR TER. for James Arthur I (1866-1931), builder of 100 houses in 100 days in 1899 and developer of the New Orange Park section of town; BORIGHT AVE. for Walter E. Boright, Sr. (1909-1981), mayor, three terms, 1956-1961; BOYD TER. for Charles C. Boyd (1850-1919), first mayor, 1907-1909, and then 1916-1919, fought for town’s independence; BRASSER LN. for John Brasser (1881-1963), jolly real estate agent active in the 1940s to 1960s; FAITOUTE AVE. for Moses Faitoute (1799-1875) and family whose 198-acre farm was along both sides of Faitoute Ave.; HALSEY AVE. for James W. Halsey (1821- 1886), farmer of the mid-1800s whose farmhouse later became the original Kenilworth Inn; 145-acre farm ran from S. 21st St. to the Rahway River; HOILES DR. for William J. Hoiles, second mayor, two terms, 1910-1913, and a third, 1922-1923; LEE TER. for resident Robert E. Lee, artist, sign painter for Blue Ridge Manor company, inventor, and great-nephew of General Robert E. Lee; LISTER TER. for William M. Lister (1884-1980), mayor, 1952 and 1953; SWENSON DR. for Swen Swenson (1901-1985), longtime planning board chairman and historical society’s first president; UPSALA CT. for Upsala College located at that site from 1899-1924; and VIA VITALE for early settling family, Kenilworth’s largest family, first members arrived in 1901.
Research and photo by Walter E. Boright, Ed. D., historian, and Historic Signs, Inc. Persons with inquiries about this or other aspects of Kenilworth history may contact Dr. Boright at drbori@aol.com or 908-256-5200.
