Question/ Favor: Rustic Knolls Residents

I believe there are a few people who live in Rustic Knolls, who are regular posters here. I have a favor to ask you. I've heard that there is a home for sale on the Trail, and I was wondering if you could confirm this? And if so -- is there a realtor's sign out front with contact information?

Also - is it forbidden for anyone who does not live in the community to drive in? I don't want to trespass, and was wondering...

Thanks so much.

Rebecka Rebecka
Jan '11

Here's the listing on Realtor.com

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3-North-The-Trail_Hackettstown_NJ_07840_M61743-11882

trekster3 trekster3
Jan '11

I don't know of any houses on The Trail that are for sale, but there are 2 parts to The Trail. There is The Trail, which is on the upper part of RK. The Trail South is down by the river. I live near the upper parrt and rarely go down to the river. I will take a walk down today to see if any for sale signs are posted.

Yes, the roads are private and it would be considered trespassing. But if you're not speeding (speed limit 10 mph) and just looking at the neighborhood, few people will bother you. I will say, the residents of RK know what cars "belong" here and we really watch out for one another.

You can pm me if you have other questions. Hope this helps.

Slade Slade
Jan '11

Slade - no need to go down to the lower part of the trail, the contact info for the realtor is in the link trekster provided. Thank you for offering! How do you like living in RK?

Thank you, trekster, for the exact listing! :-) I didn't know how to look up real estate listings.

Rebecka Rebecka
Jan '11

Rebecka-pm me if you want additional info. on the "Knolls". I lived there for 10 years; my parents for 15 and while it is beautiful and private the "maintenance" of the road is a bit scary.

2Cents 2Cents
Jan '11

Thanks for saving me a walk down the hill Trekster. I forgot about that house. Knew it was for sale last year.

What I enjoy about RK is that it is out of the way, quiet and I have wonderful neighbors. I agree with 2Cents that the road maintenance becomes an issue at times. But it is a dirt road so we are at the mercy of the weather more so than paved roads. Also, we have yearly dues solely for the maintenance of the roads, but not everyone pays. That cuts into our ability to adequately care for the roads. What bothers me are the people that move here and immediately start complaining about the roads. Didn't they notice the pot holes on their way to look at their home?

As I mentioned, I have great neighbors and this area is not transient. Most of the people here have lived here for at least 5 years. Very little turnover.

Slade Slade
Jan '11

the lower trail is now all HOGS property now

Caged Animal Caged Animal
Jan '11

This site has tons of information...

http://www.trulia.com/homes/New_Jersey/Hackettstown/sold/620639-3-The-Trl-N-Hackettstown-NJ-07840

Tidy
Jan '11

Rustic Knolls is a Private Community. The speed limit is 10 miles an hour. Anyone is able to come in and out. There are 2 or three homes for sale at this time. There is a yearly due to maintain the road of $250.00.

The road is plowed early in the morning. Depending when snow falls and how much snow. It usually done before you have to go to work.

The house on Trail North, there two hills to get to the end of the trail. But, most of the homes are along the River. You will hear the sound of the river during the night.

It is a dirt road, during weather that we are having the road starts to get pot holes.

Residents of Rustic Knolls voted and what to keep the dirt road. So, if you are planning to have peace and quit and enjoy the trees, wild life and river. Rustic Knolls is the place to live.

blue bird blue bird
Jan '11

Minor corrections: the lower trail (North/South) on the river is not owned by HOGS at all. But HOGS does own two of the properties in RK.

Wendy Wendy
Feb '11

My Grandparents built a home in Rustic Knolls back in the early 1930's. They bought several acres from Joe Paddock.

After my Grandfather died in 1960's, my Grandmother stayed for several more years, but the house was grossly overtaxed and she was eventually forced to move.
One story I remember, the Tax Assessor came to the property for a look. In 1933, my Grandparents had built a rough lean-to for some shelter of their tools. Now, in the early 1970's, the Assessor stated that the lean-to added over $3500 value to the property.
Being a very practical woman, she burned it down while he stood there.

The City wanted her water and told her she "had to" tie into City water. It was quite a big issue. She told them, "You bring your pipe to my property line first, then I'll run my pipe". The project was scrapped because the City could not afford it. They were actually trying to get her to pay for the several miles of pipe the city needed.

I still have many pictures of the house, the property, the river, and of many great times with big gatherings with all the neighbors and relatives. The fireplace in the house was covered with sea shells and I wondered why. Apparently my Uncle served in the Navy during WW II. The sea shells were from all the islands where he managed to get ashore. They included every major battle in the Pacific. Hope they are still there. I do have a picture taken of the original living room which was built in 1933-1935, showing the fireplace and shells.

Many great memories! I would Love to move back into Rustic Knolls.

Fr Joe Fr Joe
Aug '11

Could someone please explain HOGS..just curious.

Bessie Bessie
Aug '11

Fr Joe, your Grandmother sounds awesome!


HOGS - House of Good Shepherd - :)

jennymc jennymc
Aug '11

Thanks Jenny, I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years.

Bessie Bessie
Aug '11

@Bessie
HOGS=House of the Good Shepherd thats what we who worked there call it and most of the town it sit to the left of Rustic Knolls on 14 acres of land which boarders the river and the park and willow grove street they came there in 1963 and were open by 1965 . the main structure has been added to two times .
at one time there was 14 out buldings and a pool there is a lot of history with this property be for the nurseing home moved there it was a vacation spot with cold water flats and Ice boxs built in there was a bar at the pool there even was a historic log cabin that was removed there were two swimming holes in the river .

Caged Animal Caged Animal
Aug '11

Just wondering how did the folks in RK make out with this last storm? Hope all was ok you guys are waaay close to the river, it is so beautiful on that waterfront.

GMmom GMmom
Aug '11

All that beauty is scary when it's coming right at you with the sound of a freight train. It could have been a lot worse, no homes were washed away but the Musky went over its banks so there were impassable road areas, then flooded yards, basements and crawlspaces. At least one home had water running through the first floor. Emergency management drove through on Sunday and evacuated everyone on the river due to a reported dam breech in Jefferson. But it turned out to be not so serious so property owners returned to preserve whatever they could while keeping alert for any new warnings.

Wendy Wendy
Sep '11

Re: Question/ Favor: Rustic Knolls Residents

2 Old Pictures. 1 is of the original cabin built by family. Note the knotty pine walls. Story is my grandfather and a friend were passing by the 1932 (???) Worlds Fair grounds in NY City where the workers were dismantling the baseball bleachers, which were all made from nice knotty pine. Having about $28 between the 2 of them, the Foreman allowed them to fill "1" truck load. They obtained enough wood to build the cabin. The fireplace does not yet have teh sea shells so teh picture must be pre-WW II.

The 2nd picture is relatively recent - the old swimming hole we used.

Fr Joe Fr Joe
Sep '11

Re: Question/ Favor: Rustic Knolls Residents

The 2nd picture:

Fr Joe Fr Joe
Sep '11

Fr Joe:

Great pictures! I love taking pictures of that huge rock at the swimming hole also. Is the cabin still there? Our house was once a cabin but the previous owner knocked it down leaving only the original fireplace and chimney and building the new house around them. Our fireplace is not as neatly constructed as the one in your picture and it does not have any sea shells in it so I can tell it is not the same.

Wendy Wendy
Sep '11

Love the interior picture, Fr Joe!! How cool to see the inside of a cabin at that time.

Rebecka Rebecka
Sep '11

Wendy,
You enter Rustic Knolls and take the right fork, not left which goes down to the river. Go past the 1st road, also going down to the river. Continue on a little and you will climb small hill. In my days there was a small pink cabin on the right and a very nice old cottage/cabin on the left. Just over the hill there is an intersection with only a road going to right. The cabin that was there burned down several years ago. Slim Tiner had built and improved the cabin but several years after he passed, there was a fire and now its gone. When you make the right turn, there used to be a field, about 1 1/2 acres, full of corn and vegetables belonging to Mr Tiner. Continue down that road and the 1st house was a small white cottage with red trim, the Lehr property. The next house was a fairly large white house with a rock wall along the front of the house. This one was built by my Grandfather, Hugh McMorrow.

He put in a short sidewalk that was pink/red. Apparently while in Florida one winter he saw pink/red sidewalks and liked them. The large portion of the hill that is dug out and used for car parking was hand dug by him. He used the dirt to sort of grade the small yard near the well. On the other side of the hill, now a big house, is where he had his 1 acre garden that kept us with all the fresh vegetables we needed for the entire year. He died in that field which is now someones front lawn.

From the house looking at the well, several hundred feet out, my parents had placed a small travel travel trailer and my Uncle donated to us a chicken coop in which we lived every sumer and good many winter weekends. Many great memories. Behind their house was a darker colored one that belonged to the Plaskan family and a pink one belonging to the Klarman's. Further down past the Klarman's was a house with a false log cabin front. After the foundation went in, the house was built in 1 day by a large construction crew. the Kalada's still had a great deal to finish inside but all the walls, roof, insulation, and dry wall were all put up in that 1 day.
Tiner, McMorrow, Plaskan, Klarman, and Kalada were all from Bayonne, NJ.

Many great memories. I wish....

Maybe I should start a new thread called, "Old Memories"

Fr Joe Fr Joe
Sep '11

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