1903 Booklet on Hackettstown on eBay...
I cannot believe there were 6 other people who wanted this, and that it went to $78 in bidding! We were going to buy it, peruse and enjoy, and then donate it to the Historical Society. Who in the world bought this for $78??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160727937976?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
If it was YOU, you've gotta let DH and I have a looksee, please?? It seemed like quite a fun read. ;-) Seriously, anyone know who won it, and why they wanted it $78 worth??
nonny I'd love to see the rest of that book as well. I hope the town's historical society was the one who bought it.
Rich 
CentProf Because it's so rare the book does not circulate, but I would be happy to make you a copy and copies for anyone else who would like to see it. I'll be there this afternoon (Fri.) and will leave some copies at the front desk. Just ask the clerk for the photocopy of the Hackettstown book.
years ago I bid on one that went to $128
Will try to swing by and grab a photocopy. I am a Cent Grad, so which Prof are you?
I have a few guesses!
muffin There are two copies at the Circ. desk. Our original is in excellent condition so I had to copy it carefully.
Hint: I'm the College Historian. When you come by, come down to the archives and say hello.
I would love to see if there is a plate in that book of our home. Our house was built in the 1870's and I am searching for a clean picture of it prior to 1960. I have seen two images that have it in the background, but it is not very clear. One from the blizzard of 1888, where 30 inches of snow make everything hard to decipher, and another of a revival tent blocking most of the house from around 1906.
CentProf is that book available to the public? I would love to look at it.
Just saw your offer of copies. How late is the library open? Are you open on Saturday?
Agust Agust - The library is open daily. See website for hours.
http://www.centenarycollege.edu/cms/en/library/
Calico696 Library is open both Saturday and Sunday. I may or may not be around, but the copies will be there at the front desk. Guess I need to make a few more!
To Agust:
The original is not available to the public because of its rarity and it's pretty fragile. If I'm here I would be glad to show you the original. As for a photo of your house--If you email me (I'll attach a business card to the book copy) and give me your home address I will see what we have in the archives. If your house is close to campus there's a chance I might be able to find a photo.
Sorry guys--make sure you go to the LIBRARY front desk, NOT the front desk in the main building. There are 5 copies at the library right now and I would be happy to make more by request.
I would LOVE to have a copy of this.....the house I grew up in was built in the late 1800's and I wonder if it is in the book. Even if not, growing up in town and spending alot of time as a kid visiting friends (who also lived in old houses) or riding my bike EVERYWHERE the other photos will be very familiar to me. Thank you Historian! You are very generous to do such a thing!!!
LVMomOfBoys CentProf: Thank you for the copy of the 1903 Booklet of Hackettstown. I was one of the HLers that went first to the front desk in the Main Bldg. and then got my "afternoon walk" to the Library. My husband was born and raised in Hackettstown and I have lived here most of my adult life. We also have acquired a nice collection of Hackettstown memorabilia that I have found mostly on Ebay. Note: The Hackettstown Historical Society has a book for purchase on the History of Hackettstown as well.
This was a very nice gesture, Centprof, and I thank you so much!!!
Joyful To Joyful:
You are very welcome. I am working on a new history of Centenary College that should be published and available by early fall. Feel free to email me (that goes for others as well) if you have any Hackettstown history questions that I might be able to answer. But also do check out the Historical Society--Ray Lemasters and the members there do a wonderful job of preserving Hackettstown's history!
CentProf is awesome! He teaches a History of New Jersey class you all should take and does some lectures around the state. Professor post the info for your presidents day presentation in morristown, you may have some people here who would want in.
Thank you so much for your kind words. Here's the link:
http://www.centenarycollege.edu/cms/index.php?id=1645&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1497
Me4Me4 - do a search on this forum for Sully or Sully's Grove. Something should come up - there was a long thread and Sully's was discussed. Too much to sum it up here - very interesting history.
Cent Prof, perhaps you can answer my question originally posed on HackettstownLife many months ago: are Seber's and Sully's Groves one in the same?
I don't think anyone knew the answer to that inquiry.
Rebecka: Asking my husband he said that Seber's and Sully's Grove were across the river from each other and Seber's was privately owned.
CentProf, Have all the copies you made been picked up? What are the library hours on Mondays? Would you be able to have another available there Monday? I have also been looking for photos of the old Thomas farm back behind the college. Do you have anything that covers that area? What is now Robins ct? I have a couple old photos of when it was Centenary lake (Now the upper hatchery area) way back and a distant view of one of the houses and barns looking from the lake. I'm hoping someone might have more detailed views of this area (Barns, houses etc..) before the Hatchery Hill school was built and the housing developments. I have seen the ones posted on the hatchery 100th thread.
MrChevy hours are on the link in the threat above. Also ask Oldman about the pictures.
Alpha1beta.. Thanks ...found them and picked up a copy this morning. I'll also inquire with Oldman... Thanks again!
I made five copies on Saturday so there should be some at the library. I will make more for anyone else upon request.
I do have several photos of the land behind the college, as Centenary had a working farm back there until about 1920, when the land and the adjoining hatchery land (then known as the "school lake") was sold. There are also two photos on the Canal Society of NJ website that were taken of Hackettstown in 1903 by a canal survey team. One is from the roof of the college looking north toward Panther Valley, and the other was taken from the Morris Canal towpath near Rockport Road behind the college. The NJ Archives gave me permission to use them in my forthcoming Centenary history book.
CentProf, Thanks... I found the canal society photos. I'd love to see the ones you have. I have a couple.. I'll post the better ones covering the area I'm looking for. This is one I'm sure you have. It gives the general view of the area. I think that might be the barns from the Thomas farms I'm referring to way back in the distance. FYI.. my first time posting photos here hopefully they will be legible.
Another of Centenary lake. I think this is standing on the Thomas farm lane facing Schooley's Mtn. Maybe someone can clarify. It appears to be what is now the path alongside the hatchery fence on the Robins Ct side.
This is one standing on the gravel lane ( now grass path along hatchery fence) leading back to what is now the hatchery. Alongside the lake facing the Thomas farm. I'm looking for any photos that might show a better view of these houses and barns off Robins ct. If anyone has any other photo's of this area I'd love to see them.
MrChevy- third picture up.. where is that hill and would I be able to go and run it or is it private property?
Activate Fitness 
the booklet was nice...I prefer...pictures like this...showing the Hackettstown Iron Works in 1903 in the foreground...with the Centenary College dome in the background...taken from the western side of Buck Hill
oldman Hey MrChevy
Great pictures/postcards. I think you are right about the middle one looking down the road to the south. With the Centennial I have been doing as much research as possible on this area. A retired F & W friend paid a visit last week and we took a walk up around that area. we were wondering if the old Superintendents house and spring house were part of the original farm. We are all wondering what the little cave/bomb shelter is along the old farm road? Thanks for posting those pics.
fishmaker1 
fishmaker1, Thanks... yes I have seen the bottom photo...I have a copy of it but to be honest I can't exactly place where it is in the hatchery... where is it located and facing? What is the building in the background? I wish I had known you were out walking last week.. would have been nice to chat a bit about the area... the old bunker you refer to (If were talking of the same thing) is from my understanding an old bunker that Mr Thomas used to store farm equipment in. It has pipes venting out the roof to exhaust fumes. Some of your crew fenced it off about 10 years ago because it was turning into a hang out for trouble. I tried to find out about the old Supers house... are you referring to the house that no longer exists where your new facility is? It had a spring house out front of it. I had a distant photo of that house but haven't located it yet and I'm not sure if this spring house is from that place or on the Thomas farm up by the bunker.
Another view down trout brook towards the hatchery.. I'm told that is a view on left of the old barns on the Thomas farm but can't comfirm.
One last one... fishmaker1... do you have this one? Can you possibly break it down as to location and angle of view?
What an interesting thread this has become. I hope some of you are contributing to our Htown Wikipedia page!
Your last photo I have and it is looking NW and the large house on the right still stands. If you are standing at the chain link fence looking down towards the hatchery buildings it is the first house on the right. We will have to hook up for a walk when we catch a nice weather day.
This is a pic of the old Superintendents house that was bulldozed in 1987, my first year working as a seasonal. It was condemned when I started and I never set foot in it. Bummer cause it looks like it would have been a great place for me to be living right now. After looking at the couple of pics you posted of Trout Brook I would guess it is part of the ranch house with the spring House just in front. You may have a better feel for it if you see it.
Oldman I've seen that picture in class, i love it cause you can see the school way off in the distance.
Oldman, I have seen that photo in the past and wondered what the building was. great photo! The west side of Buck hill.... where exactly would that place the site of the iron works? Is that the remnants one sees of the slag piles and such around the railroad tracks off Grand ave bridge? Were you familiar with the Thomas and their farm? I've been trying to find out more about them and this area for about 10 years now. I did a deed search back to about 1850 but most of the deeds are so hard to read. While I grew up in the area I'm still very green on the history.
fishmaker1, That is an awesome photo. Thanks! I'm still unsure if that is the building I'm thinking of. Would the old farm lane have led back to the supers house or did you access it from the back side via the gate entering the hatchery? I will have to look this eve and try and find the one I had from the air showing the houses better. That is the first pic I've seen of the house though in all my searching. Are their still any spring houses that you have seen that match that on grounds? I'm thinking it could also be part of the barns that were torn down up along Robins ct.. ...As I stated last post I'm still quite green on the history but learning more all time. It would be great to take a walk sometime and get a better idea where and how things were laid out. I'm told just prior to moving in a year or so before they bulldozed the old farm buildings along Trout brook Grande ave end. They built the three new houses on Robins Ct on the land they stood on. I wish they would have taken pics of them before tearing them down just for reference.
CentProf - thank you SO much for taking the time to make copies of the book - its a nice piece of Hackettstown history. :)
wood duck MrChevy
After looking at the Trout Brook pictures this morning it surely looks like the old Supers house must have sat on the foot print of the old farm house or been incorporated into its building. The lay of the land and the view of the old Spring house kinda tell the story. The old lane comes right down between the house and spring house. Stop by and say Hi if you get a chance when the weather warms up a few degrees.
Are there anymore copies left that were made still at the front desk? I would like to come get one today
HliferJeff Ah.. yes that would fit just as I pictured it. It is beginning to make sense now. I'll have to sit and try to decipher all the old deeds I have of the farm and see if anything makes sense. Thanks... and yes if I see anyone around Ill give a yell once it warms a bit... are you the one who makes the rounds of the hatchery on the atv?
In the booklet... can anyone explain where the "Driving park" photo in the booklet was located in town?
The driving Park was below Lafayette St where Park Ave is now, hence the name.
That would be me on the ATV. I try and make a trip every evening on the quad around most of the hatchery. There are a couple of places that are not accessible by machine, but we are working on making better access in those places. I am going to keep my eye out for Mr Knechel up the street to have a chat with him on the old houses. I know he was born in one of the houses on site and has lived locally all his life. Are you off of College View, Robin's Court, Lawrence or Mitchell? I will see if I can find the deed with the purchase of the Thomas Farm on it. I saw a bunch of them a couple of months ago. Like you said they are very tough to read.
I am of of Robins ct... I have a bunch of deeds also but just haven't had time to really sit and go over them in detail. I thought I read somewhere the original farm consisted of about 500 acres back in the mid 1800's... when time permits I will read further into them. It would be great to hear if Mr Knechel has any more info... thanks..
Uh-oh. The library is out of copies! CentProf would you mind making more?! Thanks!!!
hillbilly MrChevy...that is one of the few pictures of the Hackettstown Iron Works...when I was a child the iron works buildings were still standing but abandoned...I actually walked inside the structures...and around the property...there are still cinder piles...and the remains of a dam on the creek that leads down from the abandoned Morris Canal...and also the last time I went out that way the 2 iron furnaces were still intact...beware...its very over grown out there
oldman, Thanks....very informative as always. Do you know if the area is on private property or not? I walked some of it in the past but didn't want to make trouble. I think you should start your own copy of Hackettstown history from the view of a person having grown up here.
Oldman - I've seen that picture before but can't figure from that angle where the Iron Works were - can you give us a modern day reference point? Looks like it had to be in or near Mansfield...
Five more copies of the Hackettstown book at the at the Centenary library (Wednesday).
Old Time Townie...the iron works were located just off of Grand Ave...if you are heading towards Mansfield..the were located on the west side of the railroad tracks about an eighth of a mile before the one car railroad bridge...the view from the canal...is facing east from about where the Cuff farm used to be...I am sure the old iron works is private property...I have never seen no trespassing signs...posted around the property
I had a really great visit today at the hatchery. A man walked into my office and introduced himself as Bob Thomas. Bob grew up on the Thomas farm, which pretty much was today's version of Robin's Court and Grand Avenue. I know MrChevy you would have enjoyed talking with him. We spoke for awhile and took a golf cart ride for a hour up through the North end of the hatchery. I definitely learned alot, way more than my brain could handle at that point. I needed a notebook or tape recorder. Couple things I learned are that the original farm house was closer to \Grand on Robins Court. The old lease/tenant house is still there just North of the "Cave", as he called it. The Cave was used on the Centenary farm as a cold storage for vegetables and they later used it to store farm equipment. The Thomas family milked 50 cows. The hatchery purchased the Springs and Centenary Lake from the College. Bob has a few old pictures that he is going to scan for us to check out. He said they were friends with Charles Hayford and that he gave them photos. Great day for me and I think Bob enjoyed seeing things after so long. Hoping to get another meeting one of these days with a couple more folks and talk about this area. Thanks Bob if you are reading this.
Fishmaker1, You get to have all the fun! Thanks for the update. That is amazing how the timing of all this is working out :) Thanks also to Bob if you read this. Very useful info. Thanks also to Rebecka for starting the thread.. who would have thought the selling of a booklet would open up so much info. I thought the house on Grand ave had to be the main house and had heard talk to that effect. Also that the one further back was the tenants. Great comfirmation. The deeds will make more sense now as I have them of the area noting the transfers from owner to college... from college to State...hopefully this weekend time will alow more reading. It will be great to see what photos he has. Did Bob mention which house he grew up in? Also did he mention if any of the houses on the Hatchery side of the fence were part of their farm? Thanks again for the update...
Oldman: I noticed there are state parkland signs posted all along Grand Ave in the area of the iron works... I'm wondering if that means the state now owns all that land or if it only covers the Grand ave side of the railroad tracks. Maybe someone has the answer and Ill do a bit of research.
I know the county owns a large section of the Morris Canal in that area...the state of New Jersey just purchased part of the old Cuff tract in that area also
You are going to love these MrChevy. Mr Thomas stopped by with a CD of 7 or so scanned pictures of the hatchery area. Here are a couple of them. The first is an aerial looking right down on what would today be Robin's Court. The huge barn is gone and I haven't seen any cows wandering around. The barn was taken down piece by piece in 1989/1990 and moved to PA. Couple other cool landmarks that I pick out are the upper hatchery dam and what is now our hatchery L shaped spring. There is also a small spring house right along Grand Ave that sat by the residence that many folks would stop by and fill water jugs from.
The second is a shot of the farm from the NW showing the Tenants house and on the far right one can see the cave.
Sorry in my haste posting those last two pics I mixed up my user name should be fishmaker1
fishmaker1, Thank you ever so much... that is exactly the pictures I was hoping for! They are amazing! Thank you for posting them..... I was hoping something like these existed... I knew this was perfect timing posting here :) Did you get my email from Saturday?
Just read your email. Sorry a few days late, but worked out well. Mr. Thomas is a great guy maybe sometime we can hook up for a walk around the park. These pictures answered alot of my questions from last week. The pics are really well scanned so you can crop in tight and see what's going on. Still a couple months before the centennial and I am going to keep the search on. Keep me posted if you find anything neat.
Yes, these photos answer so many questions. One thing I noticed that I never thought existed was the small bridge crossing Trout brook and the cows grazing on the opposite side. That is impressive to see. Have you seen any remnants of the bridge in your travels by the upper dam? Have you seen any foundations for that spring on Grand? I did think I heard something moo'ing a few times...must be a left over ghost of one of the cattle :). Also do you know when the hatchery was fenced in as it is now?Did Mr Thomas give any idea on dates oh the photos? It does show just how large the farm was and I can imagine how beautiful.
I am very excited that I will be picking up a copy of this booklet tomorrow. I called the Taylor Memorial Library at Centenary and asked if I could purchase a copy and was told there are copies made up and there is no charge. They put one aside for me.
Mindy'sMom Mr. Chevy, thanks for forwarding this thread to me. You know my passion--old photos. I love threads like this and the gathering of information. Those of you interested in the changes over the years should check out www.historicaerials.com.
Fishmaker1, it may help in seeing the development of the hatchery.
There are 13 aerials of the Hackettstown area taken various years from 1931 up until 2007. Unfortunately the quality is no where near as great as the one fishmaker1 posted, but if you drag around the area and switch between the years you will be able to see how the ponds developed. There is a street overlay so you can orient yourself to the current roads. Unfortunately the buildings aren't very clear but you can see how things change. You can see before and after Hatchery Hill School was built (cornerstone says 1968) and when various additions were made. You can see the appearance of Robin's Court, etc. You can even see the developments, Greenview Apartments and the Hackettstown Mall make their appearances.
History Fan History Fan, You are very welcome. Thank you for the link. It is very useful and informative. What an enlightening thread this has turned out to be.
I am also passionate about old photos and local history. Although I am not from Hackettstown, I live here now and find that the area has so much interesting history and I love learning about it. The aerial photos are facinating. Thank you so much for the link.
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