5The first Dutch settlers arrived in the area that would become Franklin Lakes in the 1600s and soon developed a strong agricultural community as a part of Franklin Township. Communities were developed around Crystal Lake and Campgaw, and by the late 1860s, a new railroad would bring further development to the growing community. Prominent families such as the Ackermans, Demarests, Pulises, Storms, and Zabriskies were leaders in the area, and their marks on the landscape of the town are evident today in the surviving homes, road names, and descendants. After Franklin Lakes became an independent municipality in 1922, new housing developments, businesses, and amenities were created. The community continues to grow and improve while retaining strong ties to its history.