Virtual History Room

Bronx News 12 01/12/22 - "Camp Midvale in Ringwood is a ski area built in the 1920s by a group called the Nature Friends of America. The tow rope was operated by an engine from an old Ford Model A."

Suburban Trends 06/26/22 - Campers travelled six hours to Ringwood to escape

New York Times 06/13/64 - Pacifists to Operate a Vacation Center at Camp in Jersey

Weis Ecology Center (1974-2012)

Virtual History Room and Archive

Digital Archive for Documents, Records, and Artifacts

E.B. Woodruff to Samuel Carragan

Explore the Weis Ecology Center Website (Pre 2002)

Explore The New Weis Center Website (Since 2014)

WEIS ECOLOGY CENTER TO BE PERMANENTLY CLOSED AS OF 12/31/2012
We regret to inform you that the Weis Ecology Center is scheduled to be closed on December 31, 2012 and will be transitioned to other conservation entities. The decision to close the center did not come easy and was not a reflection of the great work done by the center staff and volunteers. It was a financial decision and part of our restructuring plan to keep New Jersey Audubon sustainable in the new era. The current economic climate has challenged many non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses alike to make changes like this in order to keep financially viable. While we are saddened at the loss of the Weis Ecology Center, you can be assured that New Jersey Audubon will continue to help make New Jersey a better place for people and wildlife. By uniting our forces into three regional centers, we will be better able to continue our mission of connecting people and nature and stewarding the nature of today for the people of tomorrow through a more integrated and efficient approach.

- From the Weis Ecology Center website - 2012

The New Weis Center for Education, Arts & Recreation (2014-Present)

Main Building 2002

Albert D. Winfield (b. June 21st 1845 d. April 9th 1901) - Reported to have been born in Mount Olive, NJ. Through 1880 he worked in silk manufacturing as reported by the census. His second marriage was to Hannah Salmon on August 11th 1897 in Paterson, NJ. Winfield only had one son with his first wife, her name and date of death are unknown. Bought the Winfield Farm in 1897 to raise racehorses, the foundation of which can be found along the Otterhole trail. He was a former Passaic County Clerk who died in office and was replaced by John J. Slater to finish his unexpired term. He is buried next to his wife at Laurel Grove Memorial Park in Totowa, NJ.

May Weis's Letter to Metropolitan Recreation Association -

"In our turbulent world, so full of cross-currents, we have found a tiny haven, a place to give a demonstration of how life begins, continues, and with the wonderful interaction developed eons of years ago, recreates itself and goes on in peace and beauty."

~May Weis, May 19, 1974 - From 2000 Snapshot of NJ Audubon W.E.C. Website