Historical Preservation Committee
Historical Interlaken
Interlaken was originally a farm started in 1687 by Gavin Drummond on lands “Between the
Branches of the Great Pond” now Deal Lake. Dr. Francis Wells and his wife, a wealthy couple
from Massachusetts, stumbled on the land known as the Interlaken Farm in the mid-1870’s
while visiting the Jersey Shore. Wells and his wife visited the area often and finally decided to
buy the Interlaken Farm in 1888 and establish a permanent residence and farm cattle. The
peninsular location reminded the couple of their honeymoon in Interlaken, Switzerland, earning
the name held to this day.
In 1895 Dr. Wells formed the Interlaken Land Company to develop the land as a year-round
resort community. Strict building codes allowed construction of elaborate homes which became
a deterrent to prospective land buyers. An attempt to allow the construction of humble cottages
only delayed the eventual revision of the land to the First National Bank of Boston. Many of the
original homes built by the Interlaken Land Company still stand in town today.
Word spread of this unique retreat beyond the Interlaken gates and writers, artists, musicians,
actors and entertainers, made the community complete in its variety of artistic passions. A few
notables included Frank Stick, editor of Field & Stream Magazine and first Mayor, W.H.D.
Koerner, illustrator for Saturday Evening Post, William Percy Couse, Illustrator Harper’s Weekly,
Saturday Evening Post and other Publications, Fritz Cleary Journalist, Fred Cook, author of 45
books, Ida Libby Dengrove, Courtroom artist, Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman, Hollywood Actors
and Jules Plangere & Donald Lass owners of the Asbury Park Press.
In 1910 Aviation History was made in Interlaken. The Wright Brothers held a ten day, thirteen
due to rain, event in Interlaken to promote their flying machine. Over 100,000 attended the
events and got to see the first plane take off and reach 300 feet when it began to lose altitude
and crash feet from the grandstands. The pilot and several spectators suffered minor injuries. A
parachutist attempted a jump from a ballon and fell 3,000 feet and was killed. The Wright
brothers were in attendance but did not participate in the air show.
In 1922 Interlaken residents voted to secede from Ocean Township and form a separate
independent Borough. We’re one of the smallest communities in New Jersey with only 394
homes, a mile long and half mile wide.
A project to document the history of Interlaken homes since 1895 about their former and current
residents is ongoing. If you have any questions or want to add information to the project, or
have photos to loan or collectible objects to donate, don’t hesitate to contact me at 731-397-
4475, email [email protected] or drop me a note at 410 Bendermere Ave.
Bob Waitt
Interlaken Borough Historian
Branches of the Great Pond” now Deal Lake. Dr. Francis Wells and his wife, a wealthy couple
from Massachusetts, stumbled on the land known as the Interlaken Farm in the mid-1870’s
while visiting the Jersey Shore. Wells and his wife visited the area often and finally decided to
buy the Interlaken Farm in 1888 and establish a permanent residence and farm cattle. The
peninsular location reminded the couple of their honeymoon in Interlaken, Switzerland, earning
the name held to this day.
In 1895 Dr. Wells formed the Interlaken Land Company to develop the land as a year-round
resort community. Strict building codes allowed construction of elaborate homes which became
a deterrent to prospective land buyers. An attempt to allow the construction of humble cottages
only delayed the eventual revision of the land to the First National Bank of Boston. Many of the
original homes built by the Interlaken Land Company still stand in town today.
Word spread of this unique retreat beyond the Interlaken gates and writers, artists, musicians,
actors and entertainers, made the community complete in its variety of artistic passions. A few
notables included Frank Stick, editor of Field & Stream Magazine and first Mayor, W.H.D.
Koerner, illustrator for Saturday Evening Post, William Percy Couse, Illustrator Harper’s Weekly,
Saturday Evening Post and other Publications, Fritz Cleary Journalist, Fred Cook, author of 45
books, Ida Libby Dengrove, Courtroom artist, Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman, Hollywood Actors
and Jules Plangere & Donald Lass owners of the Asbury Park Press.
In 1910 Aviation History was made in Interlaken. The Wright Brothers held a ten day, thirteen
due to rain, event in Interlaken to promote their flying machine. Over 100,000 attended the
events and got to see the first plane take off and reach 300 feet when it began to lose altitude
and crash feet from the grandstands. The pilot and several spectators suffered minor injuries. A
parachutist attempted a jump from a ballon and fell 3,000 feet and was killed. The Wright
brothers were in attendance but did not participate in the air show.
In 1922 Interlaken residents voted to secede from Ocean Township and form a separate
independent Borough. We’re one of the smallest communities in New Jersey with only 394
homes, a mile long and half mile wide.
A project to document the history of Interlaken homes since 1895 about their former and current
residents is ongoing. If you have any questions or want to add information to the project, or
have photos to loan or collectible objects to donate, don’t hesitate to contact me at 731-397-
4475, email [email protected] or drop me a note at 410 Bendermere Ave.
Bob Waitt
Interlaken Borough Historian
