A College Comes to Mahwah: Ramapo College, 1965-1975
A College Comes to Mahwah: Ramapo College, 1965-1975
A 2020 – 2021 Mahwah Museum Exhibit
When the State of New Jersey decided to build a new college in northern New Jersey in 1965, few towns wanted anything to do with it. Fears of radical students, traffic, and lost tax revenues dogged early efforts in other northern New Jersey towns. When local realtor Bill Dator proposed the Birch Estate as a potential site, Mahwah became the frontrunner.
Designed to be Different – Under the leadership of its president, George Potter, the College embraced a non-traditional structure that stressed interdisciplinary study, a close relationship between faculty and students, and a stress on learning both on and off the campus. Its faculty were young and willing to take chances and its students were looking for something new.
The Museum conducted a survey of Ramapo alumni, gathering recollections, photographs, documents, and artifacts that form the basis of the exhibit. Students recalled the challenges and the opportunities that came with the creation of a new college, from makeshift dorms to the incessant mud from construction and the occasional rattlesnake!
Open during regular visiting hours. Museum admission is free to members and children under the age of 18, $5 for non-members.