The First Newsletter
Welcome to the first newsletter of the Pohatcong History & Heritage Society. I would like to thank everyone who has been supportive of the efforts of the Society since our first meeting back in November 2002. All of those involved have helped to bring our community just a little bit closer together while working with each other to preserve our past. Our volunteers have worked hard and both the Calvary Bible Fellowship Church and the United Methodist Church in Finesville have been kind enough to host our meetings. We have come a long way in a very short time and the next several months of events, projects and talks should build up our community spirit even more. With everyone’s help we are moving forward but always remembering to look back. Michael Margulies, President
Meeting Schedule
Meetings are held at the Calvary Bible Fellowship Church in Finesville, New Jersey, the second Thursday of each month at 7:30pm.
August 12, 2004
“Traditional Masonry with a Brogue”, guest speaker Ian Cramb, 5th generation Scottish stone mason talks about traditional masonry and his past projects.
September 9, 2004
Preparations for the Riegelsville Roebling Bridge Centennial Celebration, final planning/volunteer sign-up for the September 18th event “Saving the Vannatta Farmstead”: a talk about Harmony Township’s quest to save the unique, historic site.
October 14, 2004
Preparations for the 10th Annual Pohatcong Historic House Tour, final coordination before the October 16th event
November 11, 2004
“Infrared Photography”: come see photos of historic buildings taken with film that sees what the human eye does not.
December 9, 2004
“Timber Frame Construction”: the basics of the traditional building practice
January 13, 2005
“House on the Move”: follow the disassembly and relocation of an historic house from Hunterdon to Warren County
Pohatcong Officially Recognizes Historic Districts
In July, Pohatcong Town Council voted to officially recognize significant historic districts in the Township. Although the names of the historic districts are well known to local residents, the districts simply never officially existed on paper. The Township Historic Preservation Commission compiled the district list based on the Warren County Historic Resources Survey from 1992 and input from local residents. The districts included are: Carpentersville Delaware River Cottages Finesville Hughesville Hunt’s Meadow Kennedys Riegelsville Shackletown Shimer Siegletown Springtown Still Valley Warren Glen Paper Mill The main purpose of the recognition is to strengthen public awareness. Other benefits include laying a foundation for protecting the districts from over-development. The recognition can also help with Historic Register listings and historical grant applications. On the whole, the historic district recognition is a step forward for historic preservation and for keeping our Township’s heritage alive.
Historic Districts of Pohatcong
Pohatcong The original inhabitants of the lower Musconetcong Valley were the Leni Lenape, who arrived here about ten thousand years ago. Their campsites and farms dotted the valley, and they annually burned off the low meadows to maintain grasslands for their hunting. The first white
occupation dates to about 1720, and by the mid 1700s the Lenape had left lower Pohatcong due to being adversely affected by their contact with European settlement. Pohatcong Township First settled in the early 1700s by pioneers of European descent who were attracted by the rich land for farming and the waterpower to drive the early industries such as gristmills, sawmills, and iron forges. Pohatcong was originally a part of Greenwich Township, but was separated from it and established as the township of Pohatcong in 1881. Hunt’s Meadow Patriot Edward Hunt settled here on his father’s 600 acres of land prior to 1772. In 1778, sixty cavalry horses belonging to the Continental Army were wintered here, and “returned in spring in excellent condition.” Before the Revolution, Edward began digging the mill race here. It is 8/10 mile long and once powered a sawmill and the gristmill that became the Riegel Paper Company. Riegelsville Originally known as Hunt’s Ferry, this was also the site of a gristmill built by the Hunts in the late 1700s. In 1823 it was purchased by Benjamin Riegel. His son, John L. Riegel, took over the mill and converted it to a sawmill, and then to a paper mill. In the late 1850s, the BelvidereDelaware Railroad came through and shortly after that the general store was built. It housed the Musconetcong Post Office until the early 1970s.
Finesville Finesville began as Chelsea Forge, circa 1751, a charcoal/iron forge on the Musconetcong River. Phillip and John Fine, brothers of German descent, purchased the land and forge in the late 1700s. They built a damn, and soon after built an oil mill, gristmill and sawmill. The gristmill burned but was rebuilt as a paper mill and later became the Taylor-Styles Knife Factory. Seigletown In 1793, Benjamin Seigle, a captain of the militia during the Revolution, purchased land here and built a home and a pottery, and produced items of red clay known as Seigleware. The Seigles built a gristmill, clovermill and blacksmith shop. They owned a hematite mine and were also farmers. The pottery operated for more than one hundred years. Hughesville By 1765, Philadelphia lawyer, Hugh Hughes, had taken possession of the Greenwich Forge, which had been flourishing here since the 1750s. Using iron from the Durham Furnace in nearby Pennsylvania, the forge did extensive business until after the Revolutionary War. Hugh Hughes built his stone home here in the mid 1700s, and it has housed many of his descendants. In the 1800s James M. Long converted the forge to a gristmill which was eventually consumed by fire.
Shackletown This was once a part of the area known as Kennedys, but when the Lehigh Valley Railroad came through in the 1850s, a foundry was built at the foot of Silver Hill to cast the shackle bolts for the coupling-links that were used to fasten the railway cars together. Springtown The many springs flowing here attracted early settlers by the 1750s, and several mills were built along the Pohatcong Creek. Some still stand today. In 1825, the Inn at Springtown became a stagecoach stop on the Trenton-Easton Road. In 1881, the newly-named township of Pohatcong was directed by the New Jersey Legislature to hold its first committee meeting here. Carpentersville Named for the first settler, Jacob Carpenter, who emigrated from Switzerland about 1748. A ferry was operated between here and Raubsville, Pennsylvania, by the mid-1700s. There was a gristmill here, and a general store through the 1800s. In 1854, Carpentersville became a station form the Belvidere-Delaware Railroad. Jacob Carpenter left many descendants who built several of the fine homes still standing in the area. Shimer Peter Scheimer of Northhampton County, Pennsylvania, son of a French & Indian War soldier, by 1800 had purchased for his son, John L. Shimer, a 200-acre farm here in New Jersey for $2,600. John, being frugal and industrious, soon owned six farms. His son, William, built the mansion (still standing) in 1850.
By Dan & Marty Campanelli
Sources: Boyer, 1931, Early Forgers & Furnaces in New Jersey Snell, 1881, History of Warren County Bertland, 1976, Early Architecture of Warren County Cummins, 1911, History of Warren County Leary, 1981, Pohatcong: the Prologue McCarthy, 1852, Map of Warren County, New Jersey Wacker, 1968, Musconetcong Valley of New Jersey Schrabisch, 1917, Archeology of Warren County Warren Manufacturing Company, 1923, The First 50 Years Jesse Sinclaire, 1895, Hunt Family Genealogy
Municipal Information
Wanda L. Kutzman, Acting Township Clerk/Registrar Township Council - Stephen Babinsky, Mayor
Richard Forbes, Councilman Anthony Vangeli, Councilman Ken Schick, Councilman Samuel Souders, Councilman work session 7:00pm 1st Tuesday of month work session 7:00pm regular meeting 8:00pm 3rd Tuesday of month Land Use Board - John Gardner, Chairman workshop meeting 2nd Tuesday of month 7:30pm regular meeting last Monday of month 7:30pm Environmental Commission - Robert Frey, Chairman meeting 3rd Monday of month 8:00pm Industrial Commission - Mary Van Lieu, Chairwoman meeting 2nd Wednesday of month 7:30pm Historic Preservation Commission - Mark Lathrop, Chair meeting 4th Wednesday of month 7:30pm
PHHS Officers & Trustees
President …………………………….Michael Margulies Vice-President …………………………..Beverly Weihz Treasurer ……………………………………Mark Fluck Trustees ……………………………….Barbara Groogan Amy Hollander Jessica Margulies
The Steam Train Comes to Pohatcong
The Black River & Western Railroad, in conjunction with the Town of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, is pleased to announce the startup of the new tourist passenger train. The “Delaware Turtle” and the NYS&W Steam Locomotive #142 will operate on the tracks of the Belvidere & Delaware River Railway between Phillipsburg and Carpentersville in Pohatcong, NJ, making a leisurely one -hour round trip between the stations. The Black River & Western Railroad was started in 1961 and has operated steam and diesel tourist trains between Flemington and Ringoes, New Jersey continuously since 1965. Passenger trains are operated by a dedicated group of Volunteers which are always glad to share their passion for railroading.
SCHEDULE
May-October 2004 Saturdays & Sundays and Labor Day Trains Depart Phillipsburg* 11:00 AM, 12:01 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM
*Additional trains will operate during peak periods and for special groups and charter. Trains will also operate Thursdays & Fridays during August.
For information visit: BRWRR.com 877TrainRide.com or call (908) 454-4433
The 10th Annual Pohatcong Historic House Tour
This year’s Historic House Tour will be held on Saturday, October 16 from 10am 4pm.
Currently we are looking for volunteers to help out at the event. The Tour Guides work in two shifts, either 10am-1pm or 1pm-4pm. Volunteers are given complimentary tickets to visit the other sites during the day and are invited to both a pre-event coordination party and a post-event party. Also, although not required, it is encouraged for volunteers to dress up in historical clothing. Locations where tickets can be purchased include: Alba Winery, Pohatcong Alpha Liquor, Alpha The Bachman Public House, Easton, PA The Blissful Home, Stewartsville Chelsea Forge Antiques, Pohatcong Euphoria Studio, Frenchtown The Rose Cottage, Belvidere Thorpe's Country Corner, Milford For information, to sign up as a volunteer or to order tickets by phone call 213-6206.
Historic House Tour Program Advertising
Ads for the Tour Program are now being accepted.
The program is an 8.5”x11” book and includes photos and descriptions of the houses and places of interest. Call 995-9697 for more information. business card size.............$25 1/4 page............................$50 1/2 page............................$75 full page.............................$100