Stanhope and Byram

INTRODUCTION

In 1798, the former Newton (once known as Newtown) Township became further divided. In the old boundaries of the colonies, before America fully became independent from the United Kingdom, New Jersey was divided into east and west territories. Newton Township was then a part of Morris County, established in 1751. That footprint now comprises current-day Morris, Sussex, and Warren Counties.

In February 1798, the New Jersey General Assembly added Newton Township onto its roster of 104 townships. By 1864, this township was fully dissolved and, after that, its territories formed other towns, among them Wantage Township (1754), Hardyston Township (1762), Frankford Township (1797), Byram Township (1798), and Sparta Township (1845). In 1864, at Newton Township’s formal dissolution, the municipalities of Andover Township, Hampton Township, and the Town of Newton were formally created.

Byram Township, known as The Township of Lakes, is now a thriving bedroom community in Sussex County. The township is known today for its scenic aspects, including those beautiful and active lake communities, its picturesque trails previously frequented by the Sussex Branch Railroad (from 1848 to 1966), and its local parks (including sections of Allamuchy Mountain State Park) and recreational fields. Byram was also known for its mining industry, including, uranium, limestone, and iron ore.

Waterloo Village is another Byram Township jewel. Once a stop along the Morris Canal, the colonial/19th-century village was preserved in the 1960s for tour groups of all kinds, especially schoolchildren, who were able to witness how the villagers lived in those days. Visitors watched those who volunteered their time by dressing in period costumes and reenacting the many roles and services that the village was able to provide to those in previous times. From a general store, to the blacksmith shop, to the mills, and more, it was an opportunity to learn about and connect with living history. At one time, Waterloo Village hosted top concert acts on its grounds.

However, after years of a private foundation managing Waterloo Village, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Division of Parks and Forestry, assumed the role of providing $600,000 toward restoration efforts in 2007. In 2010, the Division of Parks and Forestry reopened Waterloo Village for educational tours. Among the sites were an emulation of a Lenape Indian village, a log cabin on the property from 1825, and the Smith’s Store, dating from the 1800s.

The Friends of Waterloo Village, a nonprofit group, has helped with fundraising and restoration efforts. Through their efforts, the Friends have helped to host various events, including the Harvest Moon Festival, and have successfully raised monies for repairs on the gristmill and Smith’s Store roofs. The group is working toward repairs for other sections of the village, including the mule bridge.

Out of the Township of Byram emerged another community, the Borough of Stanhope. Originally an unincorporated village within Byram Township, Stanhope officially became a borough in 1904. A borough is one of a number of types of municipal government forms in New Jersey, allowing communities like this small corner of Byram Township to emerge as its own independent entity.

Stanhope’s history is reflected in one of its oldest building, which predates Byram’s official incorporation as a township. The Stanhope House, with an extensive history as a private home, tavern, stagecoach stop, post office, a historical blues club, and more, dates to about 1794. The king of the United Kingdom, George II, reportedly issued the original deed to the home in 1752 for Lord Stanhope (likely Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl Stanhope).

Stanhope Borough especially thrived in the mid-1800s, when it became a stop along the Morris Canal. The canal is now defunct, but at one time it was one of the world’s marvels in terms of canal construction. Its complex network of locks and inclined planes served as a model for other canals. The Musconetcong River became a valuable source to help fuel industry in town, as did Lake Musconetcong, which was created to feed the Morris Canal. Stanhope was known as a vital community for the iron industry. The Singer Manufacturing Company, one of the best-known companies for sewing-machine manufacture, had its facility in Stanhope.

Stanhope grew around its activities along the Morris Canal route. Tenants worked to fuel the iron furnaces in the complexes and maintained the canal. From there, Stanhope evolved, adding services in town such as stores, a school, a tannery, mills, a blacksmith shop, churches, and more.

Canal travel, however, became cumbersome, and the railroad began to make strides as a means of both passenger and cargo travel. The Morris Canal experienced its heyday from the 1820s through the 1860s, with trains outmoding canal boats by the 1870s. By 1923, the State of New Jersey assumed responsibility for it; most of the canal was dismantled by 1929.

Today, sections of the Morris Canal are being preserved and its history cherished, with celebrations along portions of the former waterway to teach locals about how life proceeded during those golden years. Many of the former mule paths have been refurbished into walking and biking routes. The waterways themselves have been cleaned in some locations, and wildlife, such as fish, turtles, and birds, now calls these waters home.

The Borough of Stanhope, like the Township of Byram, has become a bedroom community with a number of sections. Some residents reside in the historic downtown, living in quaint, Victorian-style homes that nod to yesteryear. Lake Musconetcong provides an enjoyable recreational community for its residents. Other neighborhoods and sections of the Borough of Stanhope have also sprouted up over the years along the community’s hillside, writing new chapters in the municipality’s history and further evolution into what is known as the Gateway to Sussex County.

Today, close to 8,400 residents call Byram Township home, and more than 3,600 live in Stanhope Borough.

One

THE MIGHTY

MUSCONETCONG AND

MORRIS CANAL