Mahwah Resident Joyce Kilmer Voted "Bergen County Legend"

Joyce Kilmer, the poet patriot who wrote the famous poem “Trees” in his Mahwah house along with other admired poems, was chosen as a “Bergen County Legend” by the Bergen County Historical Society in its first list of 10 ”extraordinary individuals“ who lived in the county.

Mahwah’s Les Paul, the musician who pioneered the solid body electric guitar and multi-track recording, also was among the outstanding people placed on the list.

“Bergen County now has its first group of official superstars,” said the Record newspaper.

The Society will hold the awards banquet on Oct. 15 at the Venetian in Garfield, an event that is part of the Society’s celebration of New Jersey’s 350th anniversary.

The 10 were voted from a list of 56 nominations submitted by the public and committee members. Kevin Wright, a former Bergen County Historical Society president who served on the 17-member nominating committee, said four of the 10 were born in Bergen County while the rest were transplants from counties or states.

“We selected people who had a strong Bergen County connection -- not necessarily born here, but whose careers were associated with Bergen County,” Wright said.

Wright said the final cuts were made in a 3-1/2 hour session during which each winner had to win votes from at least `2 of the 17 committee members. He said the Society will add to the list in the future.

Kilmer wrote some of his most-loved poems while living in Mahwah, including ”Trees,” on February 2, 1913. The verse remains on favorite lists as one of the most popular in the English language. He also penned ”The House With Nobody in It,“ ”Memorial Day,” ”The Twelve-Forty-Five,” ”Mount Houvenkopf,“ ”Delicatessen,” ”The White Ships and the Red,” and “Dave LIlly” while living in Mahwah. He died in France in World War I in France in 1918, the most distinguished American killed in the war. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for courage under fire.

Beside Kilmer and Paul, the others voted to the list included author Mary Higgins Clark of Saddle River; actor James Gandolfini, who grew up in Westwood and Park Ridge; Astronaut Wally Schirra, who lived in Hackensack and Oradell; John Borg, owner of the Bergen Evening Record; “Sesame Street” actor/singer Bob McGrath of Teaneck: Bill Parcells, New York Giants football coach who lived in Englewood, Hasbrouck Heights and Oradell; Oratam, leader of the Hackinkasacky Indian tribe who died in 1666; Elizabeth Cady Stanton of Tenafly who wrote the first volumes of ”The History of Women’s Suffrage.“