September 21 - 28

eQuality!

Eco-dye prints by Lisa Madson are on display at the Somerset Environmental Education Center in Basking Ridge, with an artist reception this Saturday.

As the sun heads south across the equator, Northwest New Jersey will prove itself a popular stage for arts, crafts, natural and historical celebrations all season, as autumn arrives tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 22, 4:02pm) with a schedule of colorful programs. Soft and mellow autumn days can be intoxicating. For now, at the equinox, day = night, but the balance begins to tip! So make sure to keep an eye on our calendar for this and coming autumn weekends. And pick from a multitude of daytrip itineraries!

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Down To Earth

The fluorescent minerals, second- to-none in the world, are one of the feature attractions in the Franklin Mineral Museum. You'll understand why Franklin is known as the Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World!

When operators in the first Franklin zinc mines turned on the power, miners noticed that the rocks around them burst into color. It was the spark that emitted from the switch’s contact, rich in ultraviolet light, that exposed their fluorescent quality for which Franklin would become world famous. By the late 1950s, collectors had begun to gather at mineral swapping events sponsored by the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. In 1960 the Franklin Kiwanis Club decided to install a permanent exhibit in an old powerhouse. The exhibit was the beginning of the Franklin Mineral Museum, which opened its doors in 1965. More...

This 61st Annual Franklin-Sterling Hill Mineral and Gem Show takes place on Saturday and Sunday (9/23-24). You'll find a bonanza of gems, jewelry, fossils, stone carvings, fluorescent mineral exhibits and collections, and the traditional swap/sell-- all at the Littell Community Center, 12 Munsonhurst Road in Franklin.

While you're in town, make sure to include a visit the Franklin Mineral Museum. For more info click or call 973/827-3481.
Then head over to the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg and take the fascinating Underground Mine Tour. You’ll be amazed at what lies beneath your feet. 30 Plant Street, Ogdensburg. Call 973-209-7212 or click to find out more!

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Denville Detour

Even today, if you needed a natural hideout—a really good one—Jonathan’s Woods could work. This six hundred plus acre pocket of undeveloped property, speckled with high and low ferns and Indian paintbrush, crossed by slender streams and marked by sharply rising rocky outcroppings, lies not far from one of Morris County’s busiest highways: Interstate Route 80. And yet the tract offers unexpected isolation. You could, as they say, get lost here!

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Both Sides Now

Follow the narrow, twisting back roads along both shores of the Delaware River -- from Phillipsburg south to Milford in New Jersey, and Upper Black Eddy back north to Easton in Pennsylvania -- through countryside rich in local history and lore, old hamlets of which little trace remains, past quaint homes and natural wonders along the way.

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Rooms With A View!

Camping doesn't have to end with the summer. In fact campgrounds make a perfect home base for most outdoor fall activities such as leaf peeping, bird and wildlife watching, hunting and fishing, simply because they've got "location, location, location."

• Camp Taylor Campground
  
  
  Camp Taylor offers a wilderness atmosphere with the security and services that public areas often lack, with access to a swimming lake and trails that lead hikers through strikingly beautiful forest to mountain laurel atop a 1600 foot ridge. Seasonal Sites, Tenters, RV rental, Cabins near the Delaware Water Gap. Home of Lakota Wolf Preserve. 85 Mt. Pleasant Rd., Columbia, 908/496-4333
• Harmony Ridge Campground
  
  Outstanding family facilities near Culver Lake and Stokes Forest. There are over 200 sites and many activities to choose from; a large pavilion, playground, game courts, swimming pool, paddle boats. The friends and memories you make here will last a lifetime. 23 Risdon Drive, Branchville, 973-948-4941
• Triple Brook Family Camping Resort
  
  Park yourself on a 250 acre farm tucked away in the legendary Kittatinny Mountains. Spend the season steps away from an Olympic size pool, heated whirlpool spa, private lake, tennis courts, and fully stocked camp store. You'll have time to explore all the natural attractions in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation a few miles away, or the Pocono Mountains. There's also an open air pavilion available for weddings, picnics, retreats. 58 Honey Run Rd., Hope, 908/459-4079.
• Kymer's Camping Resort
  
  Trailer and cabin rentals and trailer and tent campsites with water, electric and cable TV hookups on 200 scenic acres. 69 Kymer Rd., Branchville, 800/543-2056
• Delaware River Family Campground
  
  Enjoy raft, canoe, kayak or tube trips, trailer and tent campsites as well as trailer and cabin rentals. 100 Route 46, Columbia, 800/543-2056
• Panther Lake Camping Resort
  
  Camp on a private 45-acre lake on 160 scenic acres where you can enjoy swimming, boating, fishing or just relaxing on a sandy beach. 6 Panther Lake Rd., Andover, 800/543-2056

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Plan Ahead!

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Don't Miss A Thing!

The Brook Hollow Winery, in Knowlton Township, looks out over the vineyard, then beyond to the Delaware Water Gap.

No doubt, fall is the most precious season. It looks good, especially with Northwest New Jersey's usual spectacular crop of fall foliage. And it tastes even better, thanks to the efforts all kinds of farmers. You never really know when autumn's gonna end, but you absolutely know what's coming behind it... SLUSH!
Don't miss a thing this fall. It comes and goes so fast, so keep an eye on our calendar and watch out for our virtual efforts to keep you informed.

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Bushels of Fun

An apple orchard in autumn radiates a particular security. A walk among ageless trees laden with the mythical fruit is a trip through a special kind of garden. Apples come in many varieties, each cultivated for its own purpose. All have one thing in common; they are good for you. Visitors are often content to roam traditional orchards. Some include wagon rides to the picking area and shops filled with baked goods. Others sell local cider, and a few places make their own, just like in the old days. More than half of New Jersey's apples ripen in September, so its time to pick yours! Check here for locations and more information.

• Ochs Orchard.
  
  One of the best! Cider made on site from Red Delicious for sweetness, Winesap for tang, McIntosh and Empire for body. 4 Ochs Ln, Warwick, NY, 845/986-1591
• Brook Hollow Farm.
  
  PYO apples, several varieties including semi-dwarf trees (great for kids). Peaches from our orchards, farm market. Near the beautiful Delaware Water Gap, you’ll be glad you found us! Frog Pond Rd., Columbia, 908/496-4577
• Riamede Farm.
  
  Pick your own apples and pumpkins at our 250 year old farm. Simple, authentic and without the carnival. Thirty varieties of apples, traditional, heirloom and your modern favorites. Free hay rides on weekends through the scenic old orchards out to the pumpkin patch. Cider, donuts, jams, local honey & more. 122 Oakdale Rd, Chester 07930, 908/879-5353

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Barn People

This property is private, however the road is quiet, and you can stop and get a good view across an open equestrian exercise area.

Keep your eyes open on your road trips this fall, and you might notice something like this classic Dutch-American barn just north of Oldwick village. Dutch barns are a rare breed; there are probably fewer than 700 of them still intact--a good portion of those in our backyard. For barn people, when so powerful an agent as a barn leaves the land, that thing that evokes so many feelings and sentiments of times gone by, such an event can even make us feel sadness.
One thing that most people are not aware of, not even native New Jerseyans, is that our part of the state has the greatest diversity of barn types perhaps in the entire North American continent. More than 150 years ago, they went truly ballistic with all kinds of barn building expressions. We are lucky to have this diverse collection of architectural history in our midst. Take some time, learn and enjoy them before they are lost. More...

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Skylands Prime

The High Point Mountain Motel is a pet-friendly, AAA-rated motel that offers all the comforts of home on seven country acres on a spectacular hillside location minutes from High Point State Park and Appalachian Trail. Cozy, warmly decorated rooms with up-to-your-door parking offer free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, plus microwaves and minifridges. Kids age 12 and under stay for no extra charge. This fall, take your whole family, including the dog, to the Top of New Jersey--and not spend an arm and a leg! Click or call 973/702-1860. 1328 Route 23, Wantage.

More lodging and dining...

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Plan Ahead!

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Primetime!

In Northwest New Jersey, there's so much going on in September, we need to add a few more days to the end of each week. Otherwise you'll have to make some choices! Keep an eye on our calendar and watch out for our virtual efforts to keep you informed.

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Three Hundred Years of Solitude

Now vacant, the Solitude House stands as a testament to our collective history as a new nation, as well as testament to all those who persevered in the face of overwhelming odds to succeed.

The Hunterdon County Borough of High Bridge would on its face appear little different than any of the other many municipalities in New Jersey. However, the sign, “Settled in 1700”, which welcomes those who pass through this sleepy little town, implies a long abiding heritage: a story of the longest continually operating iron and steel company in United States and the workers who helped shape our country's history and destiny. Read about the Union Forge and walk the Taylor Steelworkers Historic Greenway...

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Hikes, Bikes, and Tykes

Together, Allamuchy Mountain and Stephens State Parks include 9,600 acres in Morris, Sussex and Warren counties. Allamuchy Mountain State Park lies mainly on the uplands, rising to over 1,100 feet, while Stephens lies in the valley below, along the Musconetcong River. Despite being bisected by Interstate Route 80, there is plenty of space to find your own special spot in this picturesque and diverse landscape. Or immerse yourself in any of the fascinating historical aspects of the park that range from pre-historic to the industrial eras. More than 36 miles of old roads and trails connect these sites, weaving a tapestry of natural features that beckon any lover of the outdoors. More...

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Eyes Wide Open

Should you traverse any stretch of woods, or even your backyard, alert eyes are usually rewarded. Coyotes have become commonplace, and more and more people are reporting bobcats in their presence! Check the reports at the end of our story and you'll see how widespread they've become, thanks to persistent conservation efforts. Or, to follow the Wiley One, click here. And watch out below for turtles!

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Pick Your Own!

 

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Field Guide

The Wattles Stewardship Center in Port Murray, is New Jersey Audubon's model for blending environmental awareness, wildlife habitat, and agriculture. The trails, woods and fields are also delightful places to walk!

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Path to Discovery

Stonebridge Road in Stillwater.

Strolling along the Paulinskill Valley Trail is a fine way to spend a late summer day. With access points and parking spaces in many places along this 27-mile soft dirt-cinder path, you can stroll at leisure or pick up the pace as you wish. You can also explore off trail and discover hidden gems of nature, history and the early culture of coal, commerce and railroads. The trail is flat, easy and comfortable for walkers, bicyclists, horse-back riders.

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Meant For Meandering

The sheer volume of towns and municipalities in New Jersey is often cited as our state's major burden. But each of our 566 "domains" has a history that never fails to fascinate. Driving down the Mountain Lakes Boulevard through one of America's most expensive zip codes, 07046, is certainly dazzling. But for those who choose to explore, there is a story waiting -- one of plain old human fragility. More...

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Skylands Prime

Built in 1905 by the Justice of the Peace of Stanhope, the Whistling Swan Inn, a Queen Anne Victorian home, was restored to its original glory and converted to a bed and breakfast in 1985. Beautiful tiger oak fretwork and columns frame the two Victorian parlors, and perfect craftsmanship continues throughout the inn's nine luxurious guest rooms. A variety of romantic packages make the Whistling Swan the perfect getaway, close to Waterloo Village, Lake Hopatcong, Chester, Andover and Lafayette, horseback riding, hiking and biking. 110 Main Street, Stanhope. 973/347-6369

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Wings and a Prayer

Bats are a fascinating group of animals. They've been flapping through the skies for more than fifty million years and are still the only mammals on Earth that can truly fly. But they are largely misunderstood, and have had very hard times of late. In a big way, the White-nose plague swung the door wide open to understanding and appreciating bats. Even grade school kids now know that bats are important insect-eaters. And bats save crops from corn earworm moths, potato beetles, cucumber beetles, even stink bugs, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Those are rather good reasons to want bats around. Read more!

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Wildlife Tracking

When you go for a walk, seek the not-so-obvious. Examining scat and peering through "runs" in the bush, listening to the warning calls of birds, or locating the area where deer slept the night before are the kinds of things that make a hike worthwhile. You need no destination or deadline, just wander. Look closely and you'll feel like you have lived an entire day in a single hour. More...

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A Bubblin' Crude

Discovering oil in New Jersey is not usually the happy occasion it may be in other parts of the world. Most often, it means trouble. But the problems discovered a few years ago in Newfoundland, had an interesting history. The first major oil pipeline in the United States, built by the Standard Oil Company, ran from Olean, New York to Bayonne, crossing Sussex and Morris Counties in the New Jersey Highlands, with a total capacity of over 50,000 barrels a day. More...

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The Shape You're In

AT hikers look out over Warren County.

Got a couple of days coming to you? How about walking the Appalachian Trail through New Jersey? You can do this!

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Bringing it all back home

Smadar English, Judy von Handorf, Hannah Hobbs, McKenna Oettinger, Sister Miriam MacGillis, and Linda Keirnan at Genesis Farm in Blairstown

Women make up twenty-two percent of New Jersey's 15,936-plus farmers, and their rate is steadily increasing (USDA Census). They come with ideals and energy to make the world a better place. They earn a living being outdoors doing what they love, and they come to educate. They all come with grit, knowledge and spirit. Meet a couple...

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Farm and Function

Main gallery and event space downstairs in the farmhouse.

Adaptive reuse of historic structures that otherwise may have long disappeared from our landscape is gratifying. Farmstead Arts, located on the grounds of the Kennedy Martin Stelle Farmstead, is much more than a vestige of Bernards Township’s rural past. Today, the eighteenth century farmstead, which is listed on the Federal and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places, is a vibrant arts center and serves as a model for adaptive reuse of an historic treasure. The schedule of concerts, theater, workshops, and other special events is sure to provide ample reason for a visit! 450 King George Road in Basking Ridge, 908/636-7576.

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Rock A Bye Baby

The Rockaway Valley Railroad was about 25 miles long and lasted for about 25 years. It was constructed primarily to ship peaches, and although it also saw other freight and passenger traffic, Hunterdon County orchard owners were responsible for the railroad's commencement in 1888. Record peach crops kept the railroad afloat in the 1890s, even as the financial picture for the company clouded. Unfortunately, before the little railroad had an opportunity to turn a profit, the peaches were infected with blight, and the Hunterdon orchards passed their prime. The Little Railroad That Couldn't lives on, if only for hikers, cyclists and patrons of local lore. Take a walk and imagine the slow moving locomotive rocking back and forth on its way through the countryside.

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Skylands Prime!

A Bedminster destination for 31 years (formerly Lamington General Store) located in a restored 1890's general store, Lamington Lifestyles offers two floors brimming with home decor, unique gifts, women's apparel, baby gifts, jewelry and artwork... some designed by over 80 American artisans. The store specialty is custom farm tables. 285 Lamington Rd., Bedminster, 908/ 439-2034.

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Mothers of Invention

The Van-Bunschooten Museum in Wantage

Since the turn of the 20th Century, New Jersey's Daughters of the American Revolution have been inventing ways to preserve our heritage. In Morristown, the Schuyler-Hamilton House is where Alexander Hamilton courted Betsy Schuyler during the War for Independence. On Saturday (July 15), Patricia Sanftner, a member of the local D.A.R., and curator of the Schuyler-Hamilton House, will guide a walking tour through Morristown visiting sites associated with Alexander Hamilton’s stay here in 1777 and 1779-80. The tour is one of several planned for this summer by the Morris County Tourism Bureau.
For the past forty-three years, Sussex County's D.A.R. chapter has been concerned with the renovation of a house built around 1787 as well as its preservation as the Van-Bunschooten Museum.

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The nature of preservation

The eight miles of trails at the Schiff Nature Preserve in Mendham Township are generous with beautiful vistas, challenging terrain, and a variety of natural habitats. The preserve, which encompasses over 300 acres in this historic river valley, has a history as vast and expansive as its terrain. Knowing the stories of those who walked these trails before - from Native Americans, to Revolutionary War heroes, to Norman Rockwell and the Boy Scouts of America - will embellish your trip. And visitors can be confident in the stewardship at the preserve that will usher it into the future.

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Skylands Prime

This magnificent sculpture, entitled Migration of Golden Plovers, is carved from walnut, and 37 inches long. The carvers, Dave and Mary Ahrendt of Hackensack, Minn., are two of dozens of world-renown wildlife artists represented at the Decoys and Wildlife Gallery in Frenchtown. The hundreds of original paintings and carvings that reside at the gallery comprise a collection that invites personal presence, rather than casual on-line review. Skylands Prime! 55 Bridge Street, Frechtown, 1-888-996-6501

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Northbound

Father and son look out from Sunrise Mountain.

Chances are, you're going to find yourself traveling on Rt. 206 through Sussex County on the way to your favorite campground, park or event sometime this summer. Slow down long enough for a brief detour through the old-time borough of Branchville, a bit above Newton. Just one-half square mile large, it is packed with history and interesting people -- where contemporary meets traditional. Surrounded by mountains and glacial lakes, farms, wineries, campgrounds, state parks and forests, Branchville and its nearby country pleasures are worth a visit.

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The restored Jacobus Vanderveer House

The Pluckemin Cantonment tells one of the great overlooked stories of the American Revolution. Hidden atop Shley Mountain, in Bedminster until the summer of 1966, the story of General Henry Knox and America's first military academy is now documented in his restored former home, the Jacobus Vanderveer House. Read more...

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The Mighty Musky

The Asbury Mill will soon be restored as an interpretive center for the Musconetcong Watershed Association.

The Musconetcong River runs forty-two miles down from Lake Hopatcong to the Delaware River. But in that brief distance, the river and its valley describe, for better or worse, the evolution of modern American culture in the advance of agriculture, transportation and industry. Exploration of the valley is never short on delightful surprises, and deserves to be on your summer itinerary. The village of Asbury is a good place to begin.

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Short Walks on the Long Trail

The Appalachian Trail, which stretches over two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine, enters New Jersey at the Delaware Water Gap, heads north along the Kittatinny Ridge to High Point, then east through the Pochuck Valley. The 72-mile New Jersey section is mostly undeveloped, and striking panoramas -- comparable to those in the Blue Ridge, Berkshire, and White Mountains, even the fabled Great Smokies -- are not uncommon along this rugged and remote section of trail. You can explore the midsection of New Jersey's Appalachian Trail as it traverses two of our most celebrated state parks — High Point and Stokes Forest — and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, along a 45-mile route along the Kittatinny Ridge through Sussex and Warren counties. Country lanes or park roads every few miles intersect the entire stretch so that you can plan any number of modest day hikes along the AT. Or take a couple of days to walk the whole distance. Elevation in this section ranges from 350 to 1,685 feet, and, if you prefer to walk downhill most of the time, hike north to south. You can conquer the Trail by taking these suggested day hikes.

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Skylands By Saddle

Riding is a partnership!

In a land crisscrossed by interstates, punctuated with traffic lights, and clogged with cars, it’s easy to overlook how much northwestern New Jersey territory you can still cover on a horse. Through warm summer months and into fall, you can explore rivers, streams, fields, and hills and enjoy remote views and vistas—all from the saddle. Across the Skylands region, a horse can take you where no car can—faster and sometimes farther afield than your own two feet. Exercise? Certainly. But also the pleasure of working with a 1,000-pound companion who can handle the footwork. Saddle up!

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Major Scales

Heading for cover off Old Mine Road. Photo by Bob Thompson

Nobody's gonna tell you they're cute and cuddly, or anything less than dangerous, but timber rattlesnakes are state endangered and protected by law. They are vulnerable animals. As part of a forest's ecology, they keep the rodent population down and in turn are eaten by hawks, owls, other snakes, and coyotes. They disappear in the hands of collectors, the jaws of predators, and the shovels of bulldozers. They die crossing roads. They die because their den becomes the home of homo sapiens. More...

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Big Bucks

If you like to hike in New Jersey, chances are you know Worthington State Forest. But few of the hikers, campers, canoeists, and nature lovers that visit Worthington realize that industrial pumps are responsible for the preserved wilderness and natural wonders that they enjoy there. Charles C. Worthington, a prominent and very wealthy New York socialite, sportsman, fisherman, and skilled rifleman, assembled this park in the late nineteenth century. He called it Buckwood Park. More...

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Hacklebarney Heaven

Hacklebarney State Park is 892 acres of glacial valley, with gorges carved by the Black River and two tributaries that feed it, the Rinehart and Trout Brooks. The dogs play and we talk in celebration of meeting in these Robin Hood woods. We stand on outcrops jutting over the river and gaze in awe at the grass, moss and seedlings living in the rocks brought here long ago. Walk on...

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High Society

Considering the social complexity of a hive, a beekeeper—a meteorologist, botanist and entomologist all at once—cultivates an appreciation for the natural world. Local honey is a treasure. Not only does it taste better than that made by commercial “big box” bees that eat one thing all their lives, but local honey also helps your immune system resist locally-induced allergies. There is a delicate light spring honey that comes from the flowers of oaks, willows and other big trees that border the fields. Darker honey comes later in the year, from late season wild flowers. Ask a beekeeper about the medicinal powers of honey, the magic of propolis, or his recipes for making mead, then sit back and listen.

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Planet Jersey!

If you come upon a wood turtle, admire that groovy carapace and those sexy red legs; and move him out of the road if you have to. But you may not take him home! Wood turtles gained designation as a threatened species in 1979 because of habitat loss and their popularity in the illegal pet trade. There ten types of turtles in our neck of the woods; all quite fascinating, but let them be! Take a closer look...
For turtles and more, take advantage of a calendar budding with intriguing things for you and your family to enjoy. Or check our Day Trip Map for good ideas for recreational enhancement! For the more aerobically inclined, the Outdoor Map shows the way to go.

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The Right Path

The Farm Barn visitor orientation center at Duke Farms.

It is difficult to see it all in one day, but a few scattered afternoons would be well spent at Duke Farms. Even if you're breezing through on a bike, some areas are accessible only on foot. Whether you enjoy wildlife watching, wildflower photography, ancient champion trees, geocaching, tracking the marks of man, or a sublime picnic, remember that Duke Farms is a park with a mission.

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In the mist

In 1959, galvanized community activists fought a proposed jetport that threatened the Great Swamp watershed. They raised enough money and support to donate thousands of acres to the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge was born. To explore the Refuge Wilderness Area, trails begin in a multitude of locations. Or, begin at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center, named after one of the key community activists in the formation of the refuge, at 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township.

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All Along the Byway

The Millstone Valley Scenic Byway is a narrow 23-mile roadway loop paralleling the western side of the Millstone River and the eastern side of the Delaware & Raritan Canal between the villages of Millstone and Kingston. Found within the Byway are eight Historic Districts containing buildings of historic and architectural importance; a twelve-mile section of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park that offers preserved vintage dwellings, albeit mostly private; an intact section of the D&R Canal with its locks and towpath; vintage bridges; and roadways over which Revolutionary War troops marched nearly 240 years ago. Outdoor enthusiasts can fish, hike, bike, jog, horse-back ride, canoe or kayak and bird-watch at various locations. A perfect road trip!

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Legstretchers

At the Sourlands Mountain Preserve on East Mountain Road in Hillsborough, three trails begin at the same Trail Head across the grass from the parking lot. Grab a map in the kiosk and enter the woods for this pleasant hike in Somerset County. Take the four-mile Ridge Trail, designated with a rectangular blaze. The blazes here are carved wooden plaques in geometric shapes. Walks are always easy at the trailhead, and this one starts with a smooth gravel/dirt path under tall trees.

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In the Zone

The immense Boehm Barn, too large to move to Millbrook Village for preservation, still stands in the woods above Old Mine Road, just northeast of Poxono island.

Since the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA), observed its fiftieth anniversary in 2015, the park staff has been busy soliciting public comment in order to formulate operational parameters for the future. The plan to address the fate of seven-hundred historic structures that still stand within the park's boundary is now underway, establishing priorities for those that hold any promise for the coming years. DEWA has made a list and map available to help the public evaluate those sites, which also makes a great planner for early spring hikes. Download the map and bring it along to search out some of these places; most won't make the cut. This time of year is perfect, before the prickly invasive multi-flora rosa completely chokes the woods. But take all protection against ticks if you get off the beaten track.

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Find Your Furnace

It is not difficult to track down the Andover mine's location. But beware that the property is private and that trespassing is prohibited.

What's in a name? As far back as the early 1700s the name Andover was used by the Penns, owners of a large tract here granted to them by the Proprietors, to refer to the whole general area in Sussex County. Over the years, various sites have borne the Andover name, including local iron mines, forges, furnaces, factories and settlements with a connection with these early iron interests. More...

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Landmarks

Bill's Luncheonette, the repository and symbol of Ironia’s heritage.

In "Lower Ironia", Main Street still exists today. It is a small residential roadway to nowhere... unless one is familiar with the history. Today, the former railroad bed, from the location of the Ironia station and through to the Chester station, is part of the Morris County Park System's Patriot's Path. Additional trails connect through the Black River Wildlife Management Area and up to Bill's General Store. More...

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A Silk Purse

The four-story plant built by Pelgram and Meyer on Monroe and Lincoln Streets in Boonton employed 500 people until it shut in 1927. It is now home to Kanter Auto Products.

For over two centuries a prolific iron industry wielded huge influence over the development of many Morris County communities. In particular, the forges, furnaces, and mines of Dover, Wharton and Boonton, all located along the banks of the Rockaway River, were intimately connected from the early 1700s through the heady times of the Morris Canal and the subsequent railroads. There are sites to see; take a look around!

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Along the Western Front

This small stone building is believed to be the ruins of Fort Carmer, one of a line of forts from the French and Indian War.

Two decades before the American Revolution, the Royal Province of New Jersey prepared itself for the culmination of seventy years of bickering between the French and the English colonists. During the French and Indian War, the government was forced to take measures to protect New Jersey's northwestern frontier along the Delaware River from the increasing threat of marauding Indians, allies of the French armies. A line of forts and blockhouses were commissioned from Belvidere, in Warren County, through what is now the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, to Port Jervis, New York, with soldiers patrolling between them. Get out your hiking shoes, pump up your bike tires, or warm up the car and trace this line of forts!

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Learning Lenape

For Archaic peoples, rock shelters, consisting of natural overangs or hillside depressions, were temporary stopovers that offered protection from the rain and snow. In winter they might have been closed in with windbreaks made from skins or brush.

The native people of northwestern New Jersey had no written history. In fact, they had no writing except for the use of pictographs, some of which were carved on stone. Much of what we do know about New Jersey's prehistory is a result of work done by archaeologists, or from early accounts by explorers and travelers, along with journals kept by missionaries and settlers in the 1600s and early 1700s. For over 12,000 years the Lenape and their ancestors occupied northwestern New Jersey, successfully adapting to climatic changes in their environment. But, after a little more than a century following European colonization, only a few Indians remained. Arrowheads, stone axes, pottery and other objects are still occasionally found in a farmer's field or along a riverbank, but only a rough sketch of a robust culture remains; we know nothing of the human deeds and dramas that occurred. More...

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