200 Years of History
By R. Richard Willis
- The Berkshire Valley Presbyterian Church was founded on November 16, 1803.
- The founding fathers of the Berkshire Valley Presbyterian Church were some of'the founding fathers for the Township of Jefferson.
- The meaning for Espanong: according to the Central Railroad of New Jersey's historian is raccoon.
- Great Cove was once known as Chamberlain's Cove.
- Lake Shawnee was called in the earlier days as Duck Pond.
- Hurdtown was once called New Partners.
- Lake Hopatcong was once two separate lakes. They were called Big Pond and Little Pond.
- Ringling Manor, on Manor Drive was the home of Alfred T. Ringling and family.
- There was a bridge that connected the main land to Raccoon Island that dated from 1890 o 1899.
- The Raccoon Island Transportation Corporation runs the ferry between Prospect Point and Raccoon Island. Ferry service was started in 1932.
- The Consumers Coal and Ice Company, (Brady Brothers) owned the four icehouses located in Jefferson Township, their locations were: a. Nolan 's Point the largest. b. In an area near the Lake Forest Yacht Club, c. Callaghan 's Cove d. Duck Pond (Lake Shawnee)
- There was one other commercial icehouse located in the Landing section of Roxbury Township, behind the Nixon School.
- On both Raccoon and Halsey Islands there were hotels. One on each Island.
- Jefferson Township has an airport. It was located on the fields of Firemen's and Lake Side fields.
- Minisink Road is believed to be an old Indian trail, if you notice it appears in many towns in New York and New Jersey.
- Louis Kraus and his wife ran Camp Village on Prospect Point before he built the California Lodge at Bertrand's Island. By the early part of the twenties he developed Bertrand's Island Amusement Park.
- The Charter for the Township of Jefferson was signed on February 11, 1803.
Preferred Reading and References for the History of the Township of Jefferson:
(1)-1739 History of Morris County, NJ 1882, by W. W. Munsell & Co. 36 Versey Street, New York
(2)-Abandoned Iron Mines of Jefferson Township, Morris County New Jersey 1977 and 1992, published by the State of New Jersey, Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Workplace Standards, Office of Safety Compliance, Trenton, NJ
(3)-A History of Morris County New Jersey, Embracing Upwards of Two Centuries 1710—1913 Volume 1 & 2 Lewis Historical Publishing Co., New York and Chicago 1914.
(4)-History of Jefferson Township 1804-1976
(5)-Jefferson Township on Lake Hopatcong, Book, Book by Lorraine C. Lees and R. Richard Willis 2001 Published by Arcadia Publishing. Available at Barnes & Noble Book-Stores, Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum, Landing, NJ and Jefferson Township Historical Museum.
(6)-Iron Mine Railroads of Northern New Jersey, by Larry Lowentnhal, 1981
(7)- El Escribano, The St. Augustine Journal of History 1991 "Great History of William J. Harris" by Robert R. Goller Editor, El Escribano, 271 Charlotte Street, St. Augustine, Fl 32084
(8)-Jefferson Township Historical Museum
(9)-Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum
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