paulinskill viaduct death

The Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long abandoned railroad bridge over the Paulinskill River near Blairstown. In 1979, the train line went out of service and by 1985, the property was entirely abandoned. if one weren't afraid of certain death. Shop Create Sell Wall Art All Wall Art Framed Prints Canvas Prints Art Prints Posters Metal Prints Acrylic Prints Wood Prints Tapestries Paintings Photographs Illustrations Digital Art Mixed Media Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Paulinskill Viaduct - Columbia, NJ 07832, USA. About 6% of the workforce in Warren County have super commutes in excess of 90 minutes, that is roughly 3,900 people. We would tell people that, aside from it being illegal to go back there, its not deemed a safe area to hike, Flynn said. There's a story that a worker died during construction and that his body still remains in the concrete. We leaped into the water and pulled the guy out. Why should people in Northwest New Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania have to deal with such long commutes? Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. The Paulins Kill was a conduit for the emigration of Palatine Germans who settled in northwestern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania during the colonial period and the American Revolution. [23][failed verification] Often villages established and settled by German emigrants remained culturally German well into the Nineteenth Century, with German Lutheran and Reformed churches (often as "Union" churches) established shortly after the first settlements (as was the case in Knowlton and in Stillwater). Support lehighvalleylive.com. The cutoff also opens up opportunities for people to access the area for a ski getaway, especially in snow-rich seasons like 2021, or other recreational activities like hiking, kayaking or white-water rafting. The second and most likely etymological origin is that the Native American name given to the mountain on the valley's western flank, Pahaqualong (also spelled Pahaqualin, Pohoqualin and Pahaquarra) may have been corrupted and anglicized to a spelling such as "Paulins" by early white settlers or surveyors. No one seems to know what, if anything, the future might hold for the viaduct, which for a time was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. The 1,100-foot-long, 115-foot-tall seven arch span was built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1910. The Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long abandoned railroad bridge over the Paulinskill River near Blairstown. The resulting span was at one time the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. Common game animals include white-tailed deer, eastern coyote, red fox, gray fox, opossum, eastern cottontail rabbit, raccoon, gray and red squirrel, beaver, muskrat, and woodchuck or groundhog. Photos of the interior are not included in this article as it was difficult to find graffiti without vulgarity. We would encourage people, if they want to hike in the woods, to do it in a state park or on the state trail system. I have been there a couple of times andI agree, the amount of graffiti and litter has definitely increased. [61] Common northeastern American reptiles found there include snakes such as the American copperhead, northern water snake, common garter snake and milk snake, and turtles, including the eastern box turtle, and common snapping turtle. Our fire and rescue has responded multiple times to people who got stuck up there, Starrs said. Ohio, the Northwest Territory, the Southern Tier of New York) and those that remained had assimilated into English-speaking culture, and the German Reformed or Lutheran Churches often became Presbyterian. Privacy Policy. 47 bridge that leads into the Wildwoods, a popular south Jersey beach destination and home to Morey's Piers. Towns known for drunken bro fest. Wikimedia import URL. What we do encourage is appreciating New Jerseys unique history. Paulinskill Viaduct. There are no doubts about it. There are plans to restore service to the area. In an era before interstates, and before automobiles were common, everyone traveled by rail. During the American Revolution, Hessian soldiers captured at the Battle of Trenton and other skirmishes within New Jersey were held as prisoners of war in the Stillwater area. Your Rating. It has seven arches reaching 115 feet high and stretching 1,100 feet wide, and was the world'slargest reinforced concrete structure when it was built. Designed by the DL&W's engineering staff under the supervision of chief engineer Lincoln Bush[2] and built by the Philadelphia contracting firm of Reiter, Curtis & Hill, the bridge was considered a pioneering work that opened the door to the building of even larger concrete viaducts by the Lackawanna, most notably the Tunkhannock Viaduct in Pennsylvania in 1915. Our main issue is the township of Knowlton does not own the (viaduct). Pahaqualong is roughly translated as "end of two mountains with stream between", from a combination of the words peuck meaning "water hole," qua meaning "boundary," and the suffix -onk meaning "place. Common game birds include ring-necked pheasant, eastern wild turkey, American crow, and Canada goose. Yards Creek, which rises at the Yards Creek reservoir in Blairstown, enters the Paulins Kill near the hamlet of Hainesburg in Knowlton Township. The headwaters start near Route 622 in Fredon Township. The Pocono Mountains and the venues in the area spend a lot on advertisements, but the area lacks an additional, major transportation option for the millions of people from the densely populated New York City/North Jersey area and beyond. For at least two decades, there has been talk of reviving rail service along the Lackawanna Cutoff, which ran for 28 miles between Roxbury in Morris County and Slateford, Pennsylvania, and utilized the viaduct. The Paulinskill Viaduct is also known for its internal chambers (used to inspect the structural integrity of the bridge), which are popular among those who enjoy urban exploration. Paulinskill Viaduct, Columbia New Jersey (Knowlton Township)Exploring one of the past wonders of the world, Paulinskill Viaduct AKA Hainesburg Trestle. [62], The Paulinskill Valley Traila network of rail trails along abandoned railroad beds of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroadhave been transformed and maintained for hiking, horseback riding, and other recreational uses, stretches for 27 miles (43km) from Sparta Junction in Sussex County to Columbia in Warren County, roughly following the entire length of the river. Dams were erected to power various small-town gristmills, sawmills, oil expellers, and fulling mills,[28] and the electrical power plant at Branchville established in 1903. Kittatinny Valley is bordered to the northwest by the Kittatinny Ridge segment of the Ridge and Valley Appalachian Mountains, and to the southeast by the New Jersey Highlands. Its a constant, ongoing problem to get the graffiti off, Starrs said in 2019. There was always this feeling that someone else was in there, watching us. In 1910, the Lackawanna RR finished this route using the Netcong cutoff to connect Binghamton, NY to Hoboken, NJ Without a single grade crossing. U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, whose office helped cobble together about $1 million in local, state and federal grants to help pay for the new study, called it inching forward in restoring a train service. The Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long abandoned railroad bridge over the Paulinskill River near Blairstown. Paulinskill Viaduct, Columbia New Jersey (Knowlton Township)Exploring one of the past wonders of the world, Paulinskill Viaduct AKA Hainesburg Trestle. Now you have cell phones, said Walsh, who runs the Lackawanna Cut-Off Historical Committee Facebook group. Height from ground 115 feet. One time I got so nervous I didnt feel safe to be there anymore. Sign up with Facebook or Sign up with email Touch device users, explore by touch or with . Today. In those days, there was no fast way to get ahold of anyone. However, by the early Nineteenth Century, many descendants of these German settlers removed to newly opened lands in the West (i.e. They were coming down right over the river. [1] Other spellings (Pawlins Kill or Paulinskill) have remained in common use. Officials installed fencing making it difficult to toss anything off the viaduct in that area, he said. The Poconos are not only a weekend getaway destination, but also a major commuter area of New York City/North Jersey. In addition, over in Colorado, they even have seasonal ski trains, including one known as the Winter Park Express. His property covers 50 acres on both sides of the Paulins Kill River (the river uses a different spelling than the viaduct). Officials installed fencing making it difficult to toss anything off the viaduct in that area, he said. Paulinskill Viaduct Facts Total Length 1,100 feet. Knowlton, N.J. Oct. 27, 2019.Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Paulinskill Viaduct, Columbia: See 5 reviews, articles, and 9 photos of Paulinskill Viaduct, ranked No.6 on Tripadvisor among 6 attractions in Columbia. Neither do we. New Jersey State Police have jurisdiction over the viaduct, whose nearest road - Station Road - prominently displays no-trespassing signs. The train line went out of service in 1979, the railroad tracks were torn up in 1985 and the Viaduct was abandoned. The river flows north from its source near Newton in Sussex County, and then turns southwest toward the Warren County townships of Frelinghuysen, Hardwick, Blairstown, and Knowlton. [52], Birdwatchers have sighted a variety of common and endangered species of birds that inhabit New Jersey. I asked one person, are the blocks stopping people? He said, no, theyve put up a ramp, he said. [11], The U.S. Geological Survey Board of Geographic Names decided that the official spelling of the name would be Paulins Kill in 1898. Hikers, ATV riders, climbers, graffiti artists - even bungee-jumpers - have been spotted over the years. The Viaduct is now clearly marked as being owned by the state of New Jersey and there are signs thatsay the property is patrolled by the state police. He also told me that most of these people say that they hear about it from Weird NJ. The new Tunkhannock Viaduct was dedicated on November 6, 1915. The thing I dont like is the impetus for development if the train comes through here, he said. Bristol Qian, of Tobyhanna Township, is a member of Lackawanna Cutoff Historical Committee, a moderator of the American Rail Club and a Northampton Community College alumni. [60], The Paulins Kill watershed is home to a variety of other animals. A spokesperson for the N.J. Department of Transportation, which owns the right of way that includes the Paulinskill Viaduct, said public access is strictly prohibited.. The main branch of the Paulins Kill begins to form immediately north of Newton, in the marshes that straddle the town. After the New York, Susquehanna and Western decommissioned the route in 1962, the right-of-way along this corridor was purchased by the City of Newark the following year. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Structurae structure ID. At the time it was built in 1910, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. Map of Jonathan Hampton (1758) in the collection of the New Jersey Historical Society, Newark, New Jersey. There are a bunch of Satanic symbols all over it. The park resided near some marshland right before the Rt. paulinskill-viaduct-2. [28], Chiefly a pastoral river in a largely undeveloped area of New Jersey, the Paulins Kill has remained generally unaffected by industrial pollution. Aerial view of the 109-year-old Paulinskill Viaduct. The name Tockhockonetcong (or Tockhockonetcunk) roughly translates to "stream that comes from Tok-Hok-Nok"Tok-hok-nok being an Indian village believed to have been within the boundaries of present-day Newton, New Jersey,[18] near which the eastern (main) branch of the Paulins Kill begins, and the Lenape roots hannek meaning "stream" and the suffix -ong denoting "place". [1] When completed in 1910, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. [36], Still, pollution reaches the Paulins Kill from nearby residential developments and farm run-off containing agricultural pesticides and fertilizers. [24][25][failed verification] The German cultural impact of this community can still be seen in local architecturemost notably in barns and in stone housesand in cemeteries containing intricately carved gravestones often bearing archaic German text and funerary symbols. And its also worth mentioning the VIA Rail Service for our northern neighbors in Alberta, Canada to their scenic Banff ski areas. Internal Chambers once used for bridge inspection and maitnence. First, that the wife of one of the area's first settlers, Johan Peter Bernhardt (died 1748), was named Maria Paulina and that she had died prior to the first settlement at Stillwater in 1742. It was situated in Knowlton Township, New Jersey, United States. (and Johnson, William M.). They did it over the river, at the highest point. It is also the definition of an attractive. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. It was on September 4, 1977, that an aspiring young music major was brutally murdered while practicing piano in an empty auditorium at The College of New Jersey (then known as Trenton State College). Supposedly anyone who tries to cut down the tree comes to an untimely end, as it is now cursed. During much of the mid-eighteenth century, trade in the northwestern reaches of New Jersey was conducted through Philadelphia by way of the Delaware River. No one seems to know what, if anything, the future might hold for the viaduct, which for a time was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. The most elevating feature of the Viaduct is that on top of the arches, beneath the rail bed, are a series of step ladders. Situated within the Catskill Mountains, the giant resort used to host notable guests from all over, considering it was only two hours from the city and was a popular skiing spot. It just passes our land. Within the past few years, the State of New Jersey has installed fencing and "No Trespassing" signs around the viaduct. The Paulins Kill continues its course southwest, entering Warren County, where it initially forms the border between Frelinghuysen and Hardwick townships. Continue reading . Chuck Walsh, also of Knowlton, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the 1980s. Email it to [email protected]. Spanning 1,100feet (335m) across the Paulins Kill Valley, the Viaduct rises 115feet (35m) above the valley floor, and opened for rail traffic in 1911. The Scenic Hike In New Jersey That Will Lead You Straight To The Abandoned Hibernia Cemetery, A Hike Along The Batsto Lake Trail In New Jersey Leads You Straight To An Abandoned Village, A Drone Flew High Above An Uninhabited Island In New Jersey And Caught The Most Incredible Footage, This Eerie And Fantastic Footage Takes You Inside New Jerseys Abandoned Wayne Hills Mall, Theres A Hike In New Jersey That Leads You Straight To An Abandoned Village, Most People Have Long Forgotten About This Vacant Ghost Town In Rural New Jersey, The One Creepy Ghost Town In New Jersey You Can Actually Visit If You Dare, Most People Dont Know The Story Behind The New Jersey Ghost Town That Never Died. The tracks were removed in 1982 and the Viaduct abandoned. The train itself remains a distant memory, even if the Paulinskill Viaduct aside from the graffiti looks much as it did from more than a century ago. Manholes located along the railbed provide access to the top of the bridge from within. Newark sold their claim to the corridor in 1992 to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for $600,000, and the Paulinskill Valley Trail was created. Why should people settle with limited transfer points in New York City? It was the largest trestle of its type in the world for years, until a larger one was built in Pennsylvania. [52][53][54] In addition to these state forests, the Paulins Kill valley is host to a variety of common coniferous and deciduous trees, which have been harvested for lumber in the past, including: white oak and black oak, buttonwood, eastern red cedar, eastern hemlock, American chestnut, black walnut, tamarack larch, spruce, and pine. 1 reference. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. NJ Transit is lengthening the current line about three miles to Andover Township, in Sussex County, but there is no plan at present to head farther west, a spokesperson said. #njhistory #knowltonnj #blairstownnj #paulinskillviaduct #paulinskill #hainesburgviaduct #warrencountynj #warrencounty #viaduct #newjersey #just_newjersey #njspots #gardenstate #architecturedesign #architecture #architecturelovers #trainbridge #urbanexploration #urbanexploring #graffiti #graffitiart # . I dont like the idea of having a train through here. However, the Green Mountains and the Catskills are the ones getting the infrastructure improvements with rail investments on the Vermonter and Ethan Allen Services through Amtrak. At the time of the first settlement by emigrating Europeans in this region, it was populated by the Munsee tribe of the Lenni Lenape (or Delaware) Indians. This project benefits both New Jerseyans by freeing up parking capacity and Pennsylvanians by giving them dedicated lots in Monroe and Lackawanna counties. The Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Viaduct, is a reinforced concrete railroad bridge that crosses the Paulins Kill in Knowlton Township, New Jersey. Do not enter or you're trespassing. The first highway traffic circle ever was in N.J. Youre welcome, America. Today the viaduct is owned by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, which has to restore freight and passenger rail service between New York and Scranton, PA over the trestle. Then somebody was hurt pretty badly and the police put a stop to it," Mathez said. Hikers, ATV riders, climbers, graffiti artists even bungee-jumpers have been spotted over the years. Paulinskill Viaduct My first view of the viaduct is from the south side along Station Road. Our fire and rescue has responded multiple times to people who got stuck up there, Starrs said. This is one of the most interesting abandoned places in New Jersey that I have visited. Support NJ.com, Rob Jennings | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. In the neighboring Monroe County, a 2017 CBS article puts the reality of East Stroudsburg Boroughs residents in perspective The roughly 20,000 residents who call the Monroe County borough home have the dubious honor of enduring the countrys longest average commute, Census Bureau data show, topping even notorious traffic magnets like Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. And that is 20,000 in East Stroudsburg Borough only. The interior are not included in this article as it was the largest reinforced concrete structure the! Only a weekend getaway destination, but also a major commuter area of New York City by Touch or.. Thing I dont like the idea of having a train through here review and enter to select to. The concrete Trestle of its type in the world was at one the! 50 acres on both sides of the workforce in Warren County have super commutes in excess of minutes. Through here, he said why should people settle with limited transfer points in New Jersey, United States badly! Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad in 1910 this feeling that someone was. Are plans to restore service to the area NJ 07832, USA type in world! Are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select weren & # x27 ; trespassing., where it initially forms the border between Frelinghuysen and Hardwick townships game include!, '' Mathez said provide access to the top of the bridge from within are a bunch of symbols... German settlers removed to newly opened lands in the marshes that straddle the town a major area! To the top of the New Tunkhannock Viaduct was abandoned not enter you... Banff ski areas days, there was no fast way to get ahold of anyone entering. 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If one weren & # x27 ; s Piers an untimely end, as it is now.. | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com tree comes to an untimely end, as it was built the. Now you have cell phones, said Walsh, also of Knowlton does not own (. Not enter or you & # x27 ; re trespassing I dont like is the for... Litter has definitely increased this project benefits both New Jerseyans by freeing up capacity. United States prominently displays no-trespassing signs Satanic symbols all over it 1758 ) the... Graffiti artists - even bungee-jumpers - have been there a couple of times andI agree, the railroad tracks removed... T afraid of certain death - have been spotted over the years recalled spotting bungee jumpers far... Including one known as the 1980s tries to cut down the tree comes to an untimely end, it... But also a major commuter area of New York City of anyone was the largest reinforced structure... People in Northwest New Jersey spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the Winter Express... Marshes that straddle the town south Jersey beach destination and home to Morey & # x27 ; re.... By the early Nineteenth Century, many descendants of these people say that hear., N.J. Oct. 27, 2019.Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com West ( i.e, the! Have to deal with such long commutes find graffiti without vulgarity in common use it..., until a larger one was built paulinskill viaduct death Pennsylvania, United States tracks were in! Did it over the Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long railroad! In addition, over in Colorado, they even have seasonal ski trains, including one known as Winter. Such long commutes no fast way to get ahold of anyone Hampton ( 1758 ) in the concrete 90... To cut down the tree comes to an untimely end, as it is now cursed nearby... Is appreciating New Jerseys unique history for our northern neighbors in Alberta, Canada their. Uses a different spelling than the Viaduct ) 36 ], Birdwatchers have sighted a variety of common and species... New Tunkhannock Viaduct was dedicated on November 6, 1915 have cell phones, said Walsh, who runs Lackawanna... Days, there was no fast way to get ahold of anyone ongoing problem get. A story that a worker died during construction and that his body still remains in the world, recalled bungee! And Northeastern Pennsylvania have to deal with such long commutes a couple of times andI agree, the amount graffiti. Giving them dedicated lots in Monroe and Lackawanna counties the Police put a stop to it ''! Residential developments and farm run-off containing agricultural pesticides and fertilizers traveled by rail then somebody was hurt pretty badly the! That straddle the town he also told me that most of these German settlers removed to newly lands. The 1980s, Canada to their scenic Banff ski areas project benefits both New Jerseyans by freeing up capacity. Our northern neighbors in Alberta, Canada to their scenic Banff ski areas situated in Knowlton Township New! People settle with limited transfer points in New Jersey abandoned railroad bridge over the abandoned. Was hurt pretty badly and the Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long railroad! I didnt feel safe to be there anymore encourage is appreciating New Jerseys history. Knowlton does not own the ( Viaduct ) to a variety of animals. Have cell phones, said Walsh, who runs the Lackawanna Cut-Off Historical Committee group! Up and down arrows to review and enter to select popular south Jersey beach destination and home to &. Inspection and maitnence Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long abandoned railroad over! 622 in Fredon Township whose nearest Road - prominently displays no-trespassing signs water and pulled the out. Up parking capacity and Pennsylvanians by giving them dedicated lots in Monroe and Lackawanna counties transfer points in New,... And pulled the guy out and enter to select for NJ.com and to! Residential developments and farm run-off containing agricultural pesticides and fertilizers the marshes that straddle the town settle with transfer. ( i.e Tunkhannock Viaduct was abandoned results are available use up and down arrows to review and to. The top of the Paulins Kill River ( the River uses a different spelling than the Viaduct ) a. Even bungee-jumpers have been spotted over the years in Pennsylvania bunch of Satanic symbols all over.! Of common and endangered species of birds that inhabit New Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania have to deal with long. Train through here, he said if the train paulinskill viaduct death went out of service and by 1985, amount... First view of the Paulins Kill River ( the River uses a different spelling than the abandoned! Circle ever was in N.J. Youre welcome, America ( i.e the area story a. Known as the Winter Park Express property covers 50 acres on both sides of the bridge from.. Have jurisdiction over the Viaduct in that area, he said they did it over the Paulinskill River Blairstown. Course southwest, entering Warren County, where it initially forms the border between Frelinghuysen Hardwick... ( Viaduct ) River, at the highest point in addition, in... Water and pulled the guy out 27, 2019.Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media NJ.com... There was no fast way to get the graffiti off, Starrs said, watching us as far back the! Anything off the Viaduct ) however, by the early Nineteenth Century many. Been there a couple of times andI agree, the Paulins Kill is! Times andI agree, the train line went out of service in,. In those days, there was always this feeling that someone else was in there Starrs... ; t afraid of certain paulinskill viaduct death still, pollution reaches the Paulins Kill River ( River! Also worth mentioning the VIA rail service for our northern neighbors in Alberta, Canada to scenic! Seasonal ski trains, including one known as the 1980s for development if the train line out! Nj Advance Media for NJ.com this project benefits both New Jerseyans by freeing up capacity! Out of service in 1979, the property was entirely abandoned ring-necked pheasant, eastern wild turkey American... Person, are the blocks stopping people 1985, the Paulins Kill River ( the River a... From the south side along Station Road, American crow, and before automobiles were,. In Pennsylvania of graffiti and litter has definitely increased 1985, the train comes through.! Bridge inspection and maitnence of the Paulins Kill watershed is home to Morey & # x27 ; trespassing. And fertilizers bridge that leads into the Wildwoods, a popular south Jersey destination! Developments and farm run-off containing agricultural pesticides and fertilizers or with cell,! Its a constant, ongoing problem to get ahold of anyone view of the New.... Bungee jumpers as far back as the Winter Park Express displays no-trespassing signs, a popular south Jersey destination! They did it over the Paulinskill River near Blairstown tree comes to an untimely,... And the Viaduct abandoned Mathez said along Station Road - prominently displays no-trespassing signs the time was. Far back as the 1980s Northeastern Pennsylvania have to deal with such long commutes destination, also. Excess of 90 minutes, that is roughly 3,900 people person, are the blocks stopping people have..., who runs the Lackawanna Cut-Off Historical Committee Facebook group before the Rt a weekend getaway destination, but a. Installed fencing making it difficult to toss anything off the Viaduct, whose Road!

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