The Rising at Mahwah

Like the unhappy inhabitants of Bird in Hand, Pa., and Kissimmee, Fla., the citizens of Mahwah, N.J. were getting sick & tired of the indignities directed their way. The name was not quite as bad as Dogpatch or Skunk Hollow, but it was not even granted the same recognition. When Mahwah appeared on envelopes, mail sorters sighed patiently, made a correction and directed the letter to Rahway or Mohawk. Last week the aroused businessmen of Mahwah took a quarter-page advertisement in the New York Times to set people straight about their town.

Using two columns of print and four languages (Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and English), they announced defiantly: "That's right, Mahwah. Spelled M-A-H-W-A-H." What's more, they went on, Mahwah (from the Indian, Maa Eway --"meeting place") is a real-life township of 5,000 souls, about 25 miles from New York City. Many of the citizens commute to Manhattan every day, some work in a local plant of the American Brake Shoe Co., others grow apples and all of them have had enough from incredulous strangers. Said the ad:

"Mahwah is noted for beautiful trees--elms and tulips. And speaking of trees, one of our former residents cut quite a niche for himself writing about trees. This young man was Joyce Kilmer . . . Mahwah is one of the few places where George Washington DID NOT sleep. As a matter of fact, he used to pass through here at a good rate of speed . . . And finally Mahwah has all modern improvements . . . So we ask you what do Azusa and Cucamonga have that we don't have?"

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