Saddler’s Woods

Saddler’s Woods, in the Newton Creek watershed, contains old growth ecosystems, restored woodlands, and wetlands. It is named for Joshua Saddler, who escaped slavery on a Maryland plantation with his wife and two daughters in the late 1830’s and found refuge here. With the help of a local Quaker, Cy Evans, he acquired a small farm and home for his family. In time, he gained his freedom, and as his family thrived, word of his success spread. Other African Americans soon settled nearby, forming the settlement of Saddlertown. Determined to protect the woods, Saddler wrote into his will that no heirs could cut timber from the land. Because of his efforts, this remaining forest fragment offers a glimpse of how the area looked when the Leni Lenape lived here, long before European settlers arrived.

Westmont, New Jersey · United States