February 10, 2016
The borough of Oradell, New Jersey, originally was founded as the borough of Delford in 1894. A referendum on November 12, 1920, officially changed the name to a two-part portmanteau—“Ora” honors the Hackensack Indian Chief Oratam, a prominent peacemaker from 17th century New Jersey; and “del” refers to the borough’s initial name. The patch of the Oradell Police Department mirrors the borough seal. A bust of Chief Oratam is at the top, joined on either side by figures representing early European settlers. In the center is a bisected crest—the lower portion shows the Oradell Reservoir and Dam, while the upper part depicts a Gemini space capsule. The latter pays homage to Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., one of NASA’s original seven astronauts, who grew up in Oradell.

The borough of Oradell, New Jersey, originally was founded as the borough of Delford in 1894. A referendum on November 12, 1920, officially changed the name to a two-part portmanteau—“Ora” honors the Hackensack Indian Chief Oratam, a prominent peacemaker from 17th century New Jersey; and “del” refers to the borough’s initial name. The patch of the Oradell Police Department mirrors the borough seal. A bust of Chief Oratam is at the top, joined on either side by figures representing early European settlers. In the center is a bisected crest—the lower portion shows the Oradell Reservoir and Dam, while the upper part depicts a Gemini space capsule. The latter pays homage to Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., one of NASA’s original seven astronauts, who grew up in Oradell.