The train itself remains a distant memory, even if the Paulinskill Viaduct - aside from the graffiti - looks much as it did from more than a century ago. As a kid, I used to go there a lot. In recent decades, the dams have been breached or no longer impede the flow of the river. Neither do we. Now you have cell phones, said Walsh, who runs the Lackawanna Cut-Off Historical Committee Facebook group. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Murdered Music Major Haunts College of NJ (Trenton State) It was on September 4, 1977, that an aspiring young music major was brutally murdered while practicing piano in an empty auditorium at The College of New Jersey (then known as Trenton State College). The passenger train known as the "Phoebe Snow" is seen heading west on April 8, 1951, with the Paulinskill Viaduct in the background.John Treen, from the collection of Mike Del Vecchio / Tri-State Railway Historical Society. 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[52][53][54] In addition to these state forests, the Paulins Kill valley is host to a variety of common coniferous and deciduous trees, which have been harvested for lumber in the past, including: white oak and black oak, buttonwood, eastern red cedar, eastern hemlock, American chestnut, black walnut, tamarack larch, spruce, and pine. For more information, please see our To this day, the murder is unsolved. Paulinskill Viaduct Facts Total Length 1,100 feet. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. The most elevating feature of the Viaduct is that on top of the arches, beneath the rail bed, are a series of step ladders. All rights reserved (About Us). [39] In 2000, a public sewer and water project in Branchville, New Jersey, was suspended out of concern for dwarf wedgemussels (Alasmidonta heterodon), an endangered species, and restarted in 2002. An adventurous (and illegal) trek by two young women from Mendham, N.J., turned into a full-scale rescue Thursday when one of them fell down a manhole in the Paulinskill Viaduct, an abandoned. Paulinskill Viaduct My first view of the viaduct is from the south side along Station Road. He said he doesnt favor restoring the rail line. [61] Common northeastern American reptiles found there include snakes such as the American copperhead, northern water snake, common garter snake and milk snake, and turtles, including the eastern box turtle, and common snapping turtle. In 1910, the Lackawanna RR finished this route using the Netcong cutoff to connect Binghamton, NY to Hoboken, NJ Without a single grade crossing. They were jumping off the middle of the bridge on the south side, Walsh said last year. [13][14] However, the fact that the name Paulins Kill is present on maps and surveys dating from the 1740s and 1750stwo and three decades before the Revolutionnegates the veracity of this tradition. if one weren't afraid of certain death. The state, working together with agricultural development boards in Sussex and Warren Counties, and with the Ridge and Valley Conservancy, a local nonprofit land trust, share land acquisition costs to enter tracts of real estate into the program. Both Shafer and Windemuth were married to Bernhardt's daughters. . and our Memoirs and Reminiscences: Together with Sketches of the Early History of Sussex County, New Jersey. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. At one time, it was the world's largest reinforced concrete structure. Jul 13, 2018 - Discover Paulinskill Viaduct in Columbia, New Jersey: Once the world's largest reinforced concrete structure, this abandoned bridge now beckons urban explorers. In 2016, it took a lengthy rescue to free a 20-year-old women who fell down a manhole cover and injured her ankle. This route could very well be one of NJTransits most scenic and historic routes. For at least two decades, there has been talk of reviving rail service along the Lackawanna Cutoff, which ran for 28 miles between Roxbury in Morris County and Slateford, Pennsylvania, and utilized the viaduct. As you go down the road you dont see it, then all of a sudden theres this massive bridge towering above you out of nowhere. The preceding article is an excerpt from Weird NJ magazine, Your Travel Guide to New Jerseys Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets, which is available on newsstands throughout the state and on the web at www.WeirdNJ.com. Spanning 1,100feet (335m) across the Paulins Kill Valley, the Viaduct rises 115feet (35m) above the valley floor, and opened for rail traffic in 1911. The N.J. Department of Transportation, which owns the right of way that includes the Paulinskill Viaduct, did no immediately respond to a request for comment on possible future uses. It flows north from its source near Newton, and then turns southwest. The service was mixed between passenger and freight throughout the years, however for its remaining years, only freight was running through the corridor. That seems to have abated, Mathez said. For at least two decades, there has been talk of reviving rail service along the Lackawanna Cutoff, which ran for 28 miles between Roxbury in Morris County and Slateford, Pennsylvania, and utilized the viaduct. U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, whose office helped cobble together about $1 million in local, state and federal grants to help pay for the new study, called it inching forward in restoring a train service. Artifacts (often of stone, clay or bone) of the Native American culture are often found in nearby farm fields and at the site of their ancient villages. It was abandoned by Conrail in the late 1970's. Today New Jersey Transit is conducting studies to restore the cutoff and restore passenger trains between Hoboken, Newark, Stroudsburg, the Poconos, and Scranton. The height can be dizzying though, looking down at the tops of tall trees, and several of the guardrails are not longer in place to separate the adventurer from the abyss. Bryan, Dear Weird NJ:I wanted to let you know about thetrespassing problemat the Paulinskill Viaduct in Blairstown. At a total length of 1,100 feet and with a clearance of 115 feet, the New Jersey. Our main issue is the township of Knowlton does not own the (viaduct). Islander lasted a few years before closing up; it was left abandoned and is now home to some trailers and the reminants of the park . Content titles and body; Content titles only Mostly its kids with motor bikes, he said when asked what he typically sees up there. The Paulins Kill drains an area of 177 square miles (460km, This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties, Labelled "Tockhockonetkunk or Pawlings Kill" on an untitled map of Jonathan Hampton (1758) in the collection of the New Jersey Historical Society, Newark, New Jersey; also. The haunted location got its name from a legend that says revolutionaries gather intel by getting the Redcoats . [21][22], Typically, early European settlement along the Paulins Kill was by Palatine Germans who had emigrated to the New World via the port of Philadelphia from 1720 to 1800. One time I got so nervous I didnt feel safe to be there anymore. One should not have to try to battle for a parking spot in New Jersey in order to cut down their commute times into New York City. Several of these Hessians are alleged to have deserted the British and taken up residence in Stillwater because of the village's predominantly German emigrant population. Building began in 1908 and by the time the structure was completed, it was considered the Eighth Wonder of the World. . After attending Montclair State University, she continued her education online, obtaining certifications in social media management. It is time to restore the Lackawanna Cutoff Rail Service. Our main issue is the township of Knowlton does not own the (viaduct). After their death, the castle passed down through many owners until it met its demise at the hands of arsonists in the 1960s. [49] Shad can still be found in the Delaware River. After the New York, Susquehanna and Western decommissioned the route in 1962, the right-of-way along this corridor was purchased by the City of Newark the following year. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Built by the Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western Railroad, the seven arch span is an awesome 1,100 feet long, and towers 115 feet above the Paulinskill River. Shop Create Sell Wall Art All Wall Art Framed Prints Canvas Prints Art Prints Posters Metal Prints Acrylic Prints Wood Prints Tapestries Paintings Photographs Illustrations Digital Art Mixed Media For a while, viaduct visitors were throwing stones into the Paulins Kill, but sometimes their aim was off and the rocks were landing on Station Road. For a thrill you can go . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The bridge is more than 100 feet high and presents significant hazards to any trespassers, DOT spokesperson Brian Ahrens said on Nov. 19. [62], The Paulinskill Valley Traila network of rail trails along abandoned railroad beds of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroadhave been transformed and maintained for hiking, horseback riding, and other recreational uses, stretches for 27 miles (43km) from Sparta Junction in Sussex County to Columbia in Warren County, roughly following the entire length of the river. Search. [41][42][43] It was the largest concrete viaduct in the world until 1915,[citation needed] when the Lackawanna Railroad opened the Tunkhannock Viaduct in Nicholson, Pennsylvania, spanning over twice the Paulinskill Viaduct's length. The Viaduct is now clearly marked as being owned by the state of New Jersey and there are signs thatsay the property is patrolled by the state police. He also told me that most of these people say that they hear about it from Weird NJ. [1] It flows southwest for the rest of its journey, through Hampton and Stillwater townships in Sussex County. His property covers 50 acres on both sides of the Paulins Kill River (the river uses a different spelling than the viaduct). The viaduct was built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad as part of the Lackawanna Cut . Police Release Additional Photos Of "Person Of Interest" In Rt 1 Christmas Death In . Paulinskill Viaduct Creepy, Decaying, Abandoned, Haunted Weird NJ, Stree. This is one of the most interesting abandoned places in New Jersey that I have visited. Our fire and rescue has responded multiple times to people who got stuck up there, Starrs said. A fantastic 7x9 inch vintage photo from 1943 depicting Locomotives of a Delaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadINVESTIGATION OPENS TODAY INTO CAUSE OF RAILROAD WRECK.BODIES IDENTIFIED.Wayland (AP) -- Twenty-two of the 27 persons who lost their lives in the wreck of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western\'s . Then somebody was hurt pretty badly and the police put a stop to it, Mathez said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Sign up with Facebook or Sign up with email 0 references. Within the past few years, the State of New Jersey has installed fencing and "No Trespassing" signs around the viaduct. Why should people settle with limited transfer points in New York City? Historical stocks and bonds, Autographs, Americana, Ephemera, Numismatics and all forms of paper collectibles specializing in Uncancelled bonds Check out our Holiday Shipping Deadlines. The name Tockhockonetcong (or Tockhockonetcunk) roughly translates to "stream that comes from Tok-Hok-Nok"Tok-hok-nok being an Indian village believed to have been within the boundaries of present-day Newton, New Jersey,[18] near which the eastern (main) branch of the Paulins Kill begins, and the Lenape roots hannek meaning "stream" and the suffix -ong denoting "place". Its a constant, ongoing problem to get the graffiti off, Starrs said in 2019. NJT has proposed to restore the rest of the Cut-Off, including the Paulinskill Viaduct, and restore passenger service into northeastern Pennsylvania, possibly as far as Scranton. Kittatinny Valley is bordered to the northwest by the Kittatinny Ridge segment of the Ridge and Valley Appalachian Mountains, and to the southeast by the New Jersey Highlands. In 1910-11 it was the worlds largest Concrete Structure. . People were bungee jumping from the top of the trestle. True or not, visitors to the area do report a strange presence or eerie feeling. 1. [46], The Paulins Kill continues to maintain its rural character through both local concern and government policy. [18], A village named Paulina located a short distance east of Blairstown on Route 94, is said to have been named "from the stream upon which it is located." The Paulins Kill continues its course southwest, entering Warren County, where it initially forms the border between Frelinghuysen and Hardwick townships. Its already one of the widest rural highways in the region. [34] This road, which crosses the Paulins Kill at present-day Baleville, in Hampton Township, was built to supply fortifications built in the Delaware valley at this time to protect New Jersey during the French and Indian War. If you park your car on the side of the road and walk up a steep hill you can climb into the bridge. The river flows north from its source near Newton in Sussex County, and then turns southwest toward the Warren County townships of Frelinghuysen, Hardwick, Blairstown, and Knowlton. By creating an account you are able to follow friends and experts you trust and see the places they've recommended. The surrounding area is used for hiking and other forms of recreation such as observing birds and other wildlife. Kristen is a writer, editor, and social media maven who loves her state. (and Johnson, William M.). History of Paulinskill Viaduct In the neighboring Monroe County, a 2017 CBS article puts the reality of East Stroudsburg Boroughs residents in perspective The roughly 20,000 residents who call the Monroe County borough home have the dubious honor of enduring the countrys longest average commute, Census Bureau data show, topping even notorious traffic magnets like Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. And that is 20,000 in East Stroudsburg Borough only. However, the Green Mountains and the Catskills are the ones getting the infrastructure improvements with rail investments on the Vermonter and Ethan Allen Services through Amtrak. Built by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad in 1910, the viaduct soars 115 feet above Paulins Kill and Station Road as seven arches carry it 1,100 feet across. 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