House

its own small stove, which burned wood or coal, and the second floor was heated by a single large stove in the hall.

One of the livelier eras for this building was when it was owned by Fred Wohlfahrt in the 1930s. He kept a small zoo behind the hotel with bears, monkeys, and exotic birds. It was a popular spot on weekends; kids would pet and feed the animals while their parents enjoyed glasses of beer. There was a circular stand in the area where the park is now, and from there the owners sold peanuts, and baby bottles filled with condensed milk, for the bears.

During Prohibition, the hotel was raided at least twice (1924 and 1931) and bottles of liquor were found on the premises. On one occasion Wohlfahrt was arrested.

In the 1940s the old hotel was converted into an apartment complex. That lasted until the 1970s, when the 100-year-old building was condemned by the borough and then torn down. The Montvale veterans memorial is now located about where the Grove House stood. ❃

Kristin Beuscher is president of Pascack Historical Society.