As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our internet community. We will continue to grow this piece as information becomes available. If you have a comment or photo, feel free to post at the bottom of this page or drop us a note.
Mr. Local History Project
This piece has been released to the public in hopes that it will continue to be updated based on the ongoing online dialogue that originated from a Facebook post and a Meryl Streep photo.
Facts Uncovered
Meryl Louise Streep (born Mary Louise Streep in 1949) is undeniably one of the most accomplished actresses in film history. If you’re a fan or from the Somerset Hills area, you probably know that she graduated from Bernards High School in Bernardsville in 1967. This announcement formally establishes to the world media that Meryl Streep grew up in Basking Ridge. Yes – BASKING RIDGE.
A few things have come to light, including that Meryl Streep attended Cedar Hill Elementary School in Basking Ridge. During an NPR interview, Meryl discussed her first public performances at a Christmas Concert at Cedar Hill in December 1960. She sang ‘O Holy Night’ in French to the dismay of the audience and her family.
Then, on April 27, 1962, while attending Oak Street Junior High School, Meryl made her first public acting debut in the play The Family Upstairs as Louise Heller.
Verifiable Proof
If anyone has verifiable proof of the yellow areas (e.g., class photos etc.), please get in touch with us.
Photo Slideshow
The early years of Meryl Streep in Basking Ridge and Bernardsville. Click any image for a slideshow with descriptions:
#Digninthearchives is a Hit
History is strange and typically based on where you hear the story.
Every week, Facebook hosts a contest called “Diginthearchives” to honor Throwback Thursday (TBT). The contest asks what people can tell you about a posted photo, the year it was taken, and any stories they have about the image. Recently, a post was uploaded of Meryl Streep when she was a young student in Basking Ridge (she’s probably 14 or so). Most locals got it immediately. They not only identified the photo, but the stories started pouring in.
This formally informs the world that Meryl Streep grew up in Basking Ridge. Sure, she graduated from Bernards High School, but she spent more time in the Bernards Township School system at Cedar Hill Elementary School and Oak Street Junior High School than in Bernardsville.
We want what’s rightly owed to us—a tagline that Meryl Streep grew up in Basking Ridge and moved to Bernardsville in 1963. Basking Ridge is rightly entitled to a piece of the bragging rights to Meryl’s legacy.
Meryl, if you’re out there, we hope you’ll comment and let all these people know the truth!
Facebook Fun
Here’s how history research can be fun. After all, it’s called “Social Media” for a reason!
Great Quotes:
Eileen Wall Mundorff In 7th grade at Oak Street Jr High, we had a substitute teacher one day in American History class. Meryl leaned over to me and said, “Let’s talk in funny accents and say we’re not from here, and we don’t know American History.” Meryl used a French accent, and I tried to sound German or Slavic. Mrs. Helmke sent us to the principal’s office. We were detained for a few days and had to handwrite pages out of the dictionary. My claim to fame: “I’ve acted on stage with Meryl Streep.”
Lawrence Peach And Harry Streep III, better known as “Thirty”. My Mother used to play bridge with Meryl’s Mum and tells the story that once when she arrived at the house (which was, of course, in Basking Ridge and NOT Bernardsville at the time) Merrl was up in a tree and her family couldn’t get her to climb down! She was a bit of a tomboy. 🙂
Marion M Raiser I have a scar on my left eyelid from Dana in 2nd grade. Big sister Meryl in the picture…
Thomas King Dana Streep’s sister….
Lawrence Peach: I have no idea what the Bavarian outfits were all about. Chris Sullivan (the tall lad with the green cap, I think) has IDed most of these players on another thread. The only one I recognize besides Meryl is my Bro, Greg (to Chris’ right). Most of these kids would later be in the Ridge High class of ’67.
Eileen Wall Mundorff They lived on Oak Ridge Road across from our classmate, Ed Lincoln.
Connie Ash Lawrence Peach My mother played bridge with Mary Streep too, and my mother remembers her talking about how her daughter wanted to be an actress, but she would always end with, “Well, I don’t know….” Well, now we do!!!
Susan Castrilli, a friend of Streep’s from Bernards High School in Bernardsville, N.J. “Funny story, she went out with J. Geils from the J. Geils Band,” said Castrilli. “He was a senior at Bernards High School when we were freshmen. And it wasn’t a serious dating relationship, but she hung around with him, and he — seniors were allowed to drive to school. And he drove her. … So you know, and it was kind of like a — senior dating a freshman, whoa. It was almost scandalous, you know? … I honestly think she could pick whoever she wanted to have a relationship with.”
Barbara May Could be. My mother told me that Norris Birnbaum (Ridge High School) would never give her a good role in the plays, so they moved to Bernardsville, where she starred in the plays and musicals.
Jim Felter Meryl was an exchange student at Dartmouth in the fall of 1970. She also attended Fellowship at Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church.
Gina Kalvin Meryl went to Cedar Hill School in Basking Ridge for 4th & 5th grade. I went to Oak Street School for 6th through 8th, which is also in Basking Ridge. Moved to Bernardsville for all four years of high school at Bernards High.
Eileen Wall Mundorff Gina, I disagree with 6th grade. I remember being at Cedar Hill for 6th with Mr. Brostoski.
Jane Cullinan Meryl sang “Oh Holy Night” (under the memorable Paul Grossman’s direction) at Oak Street Jr. High, not Cedar Hill. Grade 7 was there then.
Further Evidence
Harry W. Streep was born Oct. 3, 1910, in Newark, N.J. He grew up in Newark and Madison, N.J., and later lived in Basking Ridge and Bernardsville. He graduated from Madison High School in 1926 and later attended Brown University and Rutgers University.
He is survived by two sons, Dana David Streep of New Canaan and Harry Streep III of South Nyack, N.Y.; a daughter, Mary L. Gummer, popularly known as Meryl Streep, of Salisbury; and ten grandchildren. His wife, Mary W. Streep, died before him. Private graveside services were held in Basking Ridge, N.J.
Special Thanks
A very special thanks go out to the people who follow the Facebook game #diginthearchives every week. But a note to you all in the “You Know You’re from Basking Ridge Group” – the original post posted on the Historical Society’s is where we’d love to have you post your comments…..this way, it stays as a historical record. Your group is great, but only the YKYFBR group sees it. We’d love to share your wisdom with the world! And a special extra thanks to Doug Sloss, who put me on this journey when he told me his mother used to babysit Meryl in “Basking Ridge”. Thanks, Doug!
Additional Information
- Did you know Meryl Streep dated Jay Geils, founder of the J. Geils band in high school? All true. Read More
UPDATE:
The Bernardsville house was FOR SALE again!
Yes, it’s true. In July 2021, the Bernardsville News reported that the house Meryl Streep grew up in, 21 Old Fort Road, Bernardsville, is for sale.
More Fun Local Jersey History
Additional Stories:
#911neverforget-Somerset Hills Family Friends and Neighbors & Their Stories
Jersey’s Jared Isaacman – Ridge High School Dropout Who Went to Outer Space (AGAIN) Now Tagged to Lead NASA
New Jersey Provincial Governor – Francis Bernard’s Actual 1758 Job Description
The History of Bernards Township Street Names