Old Waterloo Village
I know its been shut down but does anyone know if your aloud to walk through it? I would like to walk around that whole area again.
the fisherman 
Greg Greg, are you still involved with WLV? I've been wondering what's going on with the property and what will happen to it in the future.
justintime 
Firefly 
I am currently working with Wayne McCabe from the "Friends of Waterloo" on a Civil War Weekend for the fall of 2013, bringing 100's of reenactors and living historians to the village over 3 days. Hopefully it will be a major fundraiser to help with the restoration of the village.
Currently the general store, blacksmith shop, and the gristmill have been restored. The mule bridge that crosses the river is next on the list for restoration. The church and canal society museum are also open.
There is also a music fest (postponed from this year to 2013) also scheduled as a major fundraiser.
For more info on "Waterloo - Fire On The River" (our Civil War Event) please check out our website at: www.27thnewjerseycompanyf.org
John C Fisherman - I have walked through it during the daylight hours. It's a beautiful place. Many people walk their dogs there. Just know that it can, for some reason, attract a sketchy element sometimes. Nothing to really "fear," just a heads up. :-)
Rebecka The better half and I walked there about a year ago and the park ranger passed by and told us to leave we were trespassing.... Has anyone crossed paths with any rangers during their walks?
GarminHi it is lovely place. Please if you do bring your dog keep on leash. There is a lot of wildlife living there .
Now please also do not start with the usual chastising dare I say mean comebacks. Because I suggested a leash.
i wish i had to money to open the concert area back up, so many awesome bands have come through there, just hope some day it will reopen!
Deadhead great news john c - I'm so happy to hear that they will restore the bridge. For YEARS I've been trying to figure out a way to access that portion of the morris canal that's landlocked between rt 80 and the river.
honey badger The concert field will never re-open like it was. All the neighboring towns got together with the state after the fatality that occurred at one of the last concerts held to prohibit large rock concerts.
One of my very favorite local places. I have chaperoned many school trips when my children were young. I even volunteered in the Canal Museum at one time. I would love to see it re-open. It was always so beautiful.
Mindy'sMom I'm sure it's just me but not sure what a "sketchy element" person would be like. If it's ok to go solo as a woman or perhaps a young child I would like to walk the grounds. Does anyone know if there is anything off limits? Also, do people still live there..any of the up-keepers? I would be mortified walking around a building or house and peeking in the windows.
nena There was a person killed before a Phish concert from what i remember. I think they fell off the back of a pickup truck.
Bryan He was actually riding on the front fender of a car. They only had 2 busses to ferry people from the trade zone parking and with 100's people waiting, well........
I was surprised they still left Waterloo Road open to traffic.
nena - several people from this forum went once on a walk and encountered a "sketchy" group. There is a thread about it somewhere. I think it was a group making an adult film - right there in the open. I would not recommend it for a young woman (say 16 or 17) alone. It's too isolated. All this being said, I don't hesitate to go, myself. Not for the film making scene, mind you, but because it's usually so tranquil and lovely. I'm pretty sure the whole place in unoccupied, except on Sundays when Mass is held.
John you are correct as it was considered a motor vehicle accident. He fell off the front of the car while moving in the traffic back up during the Phish concert. Terrible.
As an aside while several local communities raised concern as a result of that incident at Waterloo, the concerts and festivals did continue in the field. What we did was to be sure we complied with the Mass Gathering Act in every aspect. We included the surrounding towns in setting the guidelines as required by the act and also expanded the lines of communication with the local officials as needed. For the record Waterloo had always met the criteria set forth the the MGA prior to this incident. Waterloo had held many, many events for years prior to that show. The Phish concert was an anomaly as the promotor as well as Waterloo were caught off guard as it related to the expected crowd. The promotor and Waterloo always had a good handle on expected crowd size based on advance ticket sales, the current average attendance of an act on tour as well as several other industry tools. The simple fact was the Grateful Dead was touring in New York state and was off. The crowd that travels with the Grateful Dead also follow Phish hence the huge influx of people catching everyone by suprise. I can tell you that never happened again!
I get my information from Sgt Charlie Zweigle pf the Stanhope Police, whom is also a member of my civil war group. The roads into the concert field are not built to handle the traffic of a major rock event, nor enough local officers available to police such events. The neighboring towns passed ordinances that limit support of such events with Byram leading the pack.
Greg, I got your email but I'm away on assignment so I'll get back to you soon. Anything about the bridge work should go to Chairperson Susan Zellman or Wayne McCabe.
One thing i know from first - hand experience .... When the State took it over and said they would " take care of things " ( Just like when they controlled Old Mine Road " Tocks Island " and let 200 yr old houses fall down, Colony Road - same kinda thing, NJ State Transportation Museum in Phillipsburg - what happened to that ? ). Top people in the State Goverment and bottom people too went through Waterloo Village and looted, pillaged, plundered all the good antiques for their own homes.
Byram (Townhall/Administration) is full of a bunch of cry-babies!!! They missed out on a lot of $$$ - ratables - boost to the local economy...but nooooo the music was too loud and it disturbed the one spotted owl living in the area!
Question - were these big concerts (Phish, Lolapollooza, etc) held where that big stage still stands out in the open? I always assumed that's where they were. I know there is a different field in between where i think they held bigger shows up until a few years ago. All the shows i saw at Waterloo were in that big tent within the actual village.
Bryan-Yes all of the larger shows were on that stage in the field. The concert tent in the village is the only other location concerts were held. The other large field is just across the river from the main concert field on Kinney road used for parking. We called it the airplane field as there has been a model airplane club leasing a strip of land smack in the midle of that space for their hobby for close to 30 years now.
I once made a list of all the artists that graced the concert field stage dating from the late 1980's. It is staggering when reading through it. We also compiled a list of all the performers that had ever been to Waterloo dating back to the late 1960's. For the most part it is tough to name an artist regardless of genre, that has not played at Waterloo. I enjoy looking at many of the old photos from those events...
I understand why the concerts are no longer held there, but I have many fond memories of going and enjoying a variety of bands and performers under the tent and on the field.
I was in the group that saw the "sketchy" stuff. Feel free to PM me if you want the story(or anything). I would not suggest someone go alone, as We've encountered hunters in the area too, so bring a friend and go and enjoy it.
alpha1beta Thanks Greg. Yeah it's amazing to think of all the great bands that have played at Waterloo over the years. It's a place basically in the middle of nowhere but right in our backyard. It was amazing while it lasted. Hopefully it can start up again.
It is too bad they could not make a go of it. I understand the hardships of bigger concerts, but I saw some under the roof and they were good shows. If Centenary can build a stage, if Country Players and PAX Amicus are still going ---- too bad. It was a natural asset and a thing of beauty.
And yes, Tccks Dam and Old Mine Road is a tragedy. Oldest farmsteads in the region, our humble beginings --- destroyed by stupidity. A few are being saved but most are gone. Our canal seems to suffer a similar fate. In Georgetown MD up to the Antietam battlefield, the C&O is a mecca, a park, a walking trail around 100 miles long. We used to picnic and ice skate along portions of the Erie Canal. Ours is mostly sludge or overgrown.
Hate to see natural assets wasted.
mistergoogle I hike all of Waterloo Road.. so many spots... and 5 minutes from my apt. The best road and area in town.
Pepper Cat Anyone have pictures from any of the concerts, field or tent? I was a stagehand for most of them from 75 to the 90's
bill@entsyscorp.com
Bill Cronheim I was wondering if some of these proposed rule changes specific to Allamuchy might open things up again to concerts at all?
http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/proposals/20120716a.pdf
I feel like starting concerts up again could be a big money generator. As someone who regularly uses Allamuchy, Stephen's, Deer Park, KVSP and sometimes Hacklebarney... we have such great access to fantastic parks around these parts. Would be nice for Waterloo VIllage to get back to what it was.
Why is it that they don't do shows there anymore? I don't think in today's age you run into the 15k+ showing up without tickets.. like the Phish incident. I guess with all the buildup in the area and the disaster that is 206 any largish show could wreak havoc in terms of traffic, but you could host much smaller affairs. Bring a local band like From Good Homes or Todd's other project Railroad Earth with a few other acts along that vibe could be great. RRE earth hosts a fantastic festival (actually they are hosting 2 this year)with bands that draw a very family friendly, low-key crowd.
I remember when the HORDE tour visited Waterloo in its 3rd and 4th year.. those shows were a blast. I believe it was 94 and 95. In '95 there was that protest about that deadly scourge of the earth called "WEED," because of the Black Crowes involvement with NORML... then a HS student died form a peanut allergy and that was all preceded by the Phish show earlier that summer. Was the end there.
From Good Homes under the tent in 1999 is another great show... I have such great memories from Waterloo. The history of that place going back to even the 60's as far as I have researched is amazing in terms of the acts that have visited.
BLocal Waterloo Canal Heritage Day
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Date: Saturday, September 22, 2012
Time: 11:00 AM
Venue: Allamuchy Mountain State Park, Hackettstown, NJ
Event takes place at Waterloo Village in Allamuchy Mountain State Park. Call (908) 852-3790 for more info.
Address: 3 Old Hackettstown Rd.,Hackettstown,NJ, 07840
Website: http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/allamuch.html
redmink1 Has anyone been to the previous Waterloo Canal Heritage Days? Is there an admission fee? Are any of the buildings open to the public at this time?
We took the kids hiking at Stephens State Park last weekend since the weather was so beautiful and this looks like it would be a fun family outing too.
Snow Friendly reminder if you walk at Waterloo- NJ statewide bow hunting opens on Saturday Sept 29. Take a kid bow hunting is Sept 22. If you go, wear something bright!
hktownie 
Friends of Waterloo Village is having its annual Harvest Moon Festival October 11 to raise funds for the restoration Waterloo Village
http://friendsofwaterloovillage.com/
monkeyman Thank God the place has not been left to rot away. What a shame THAT would have been...........
Len 
Historic 19th Century Vintage Base Ball is coming to Waterloo Village this Summer/Fall 2013. You will get a chance to see what a base ball game may have looked like in 1867. First match Saturday June 29, 2013. Details to come..... Play Ball Waterloo!
Walnuts 
Waterloo- Fire on the River will be a major civil war reenactment in September 2013 with hundreds of reenactors and living historians from all over the country setting up camp in the village. All proceeds will go towards restoration of the village. Click on my name for more info.
@walnuts, please keep us updated on the baseball game, sounds like something we would like to go to.
Bessie If you click on walnuts name it will take you to the website for the league, history and schedule.
http://hobokennine.jimdo.com/2013-schedule-results/
Walnuts - any details for Historic 19th Century Vintage Baseball at Waterloo Village on 29 Jun 13? Thanks!
If anyone is interested, Friends of Waterloo is hosting one of their Sunday walks this weekend.
Canal Day is today!
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20130627/GRASSROOTS/306270012/Waterloo-Village-celebrates-Canal-Day-this-weekend
Wear a long sleeve shirt and pants as the mosquitoes are bad up there today.
The Church continues to be open. United Methodist, however All Are Welcome! Summer Hours start in July and run through September - 9:30 a.m. service during summer. 10 a.m. start time remainder of the school year. Great place for Christmas Eve Services.
Mag On Sundays for church the gate is open, follow road and make first left - the left is before the church. You can park in the parking lot.
When the gate is closed, you can park in the area between the gate and road and walk.
During activities, if the gate is open, people or signs usually guide you were to park.
I would like to see the oldies concerts return, they were the only concerts close to home for me please bring them back
J Herig Commenting is no longer available.