Within the past few years, the State of New Jersey has installed fencing and "No Trespassing" signs around the viaduct. .. or you may find people camped out and doing . Though trespassing and even bungee jumping have long been popular at the abandoned site, both are now illegal, not to mention life-threatening activities. However it's also the home of some incredible street art; Graffiti. English Wikipedia. The Spy House In Port Monmouth. DOT spokesperson Mairin Bellack, in an email, reiterated that public access is strictly prohibited.. All rights reserved (About Us). However, very few records are extant detailing Bernhardt's family. Some important structures along the route include the Roseville Tunnel, Paulinskill Viaduct, and Delaware River Viaduct. We would tell people that, aside from it being illegal to go back there, its not deemed a safe area to hike, Flynn said. 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 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. Built by the Delaware Lackawanna & Western in 1910 as part of its Lackawanna Cutoff. He said he doesnt favor restoring the rail line. As a kid, I used to go there a lot. However, this projectcontroversial from the start because of environmental concerns and the federal government's abuse of eminent domainwas canceled during the 1970s. True or not, visitors to the area do report a strange presence or eerie feeling. Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, John Treen, from the collection of Mike Del Vecchio / Tri-State Railway Historical Society, News never stops. 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. In 1910, the Lackawanna RR finished this route using the Netcong cutoff to connect Binghamton, NY to Hoboken, NJ Without a single grade crossing. About four or five years ago, some enormous concrete blocks, about 10 feet long and 3 feet wide, were installed to block ATVs and other vehicles. NJT has proposed to restore the rest of the Cut-Off, including the Paulinskill Viaduct, and restore passenger service into northeastern Pennsylvania, possibly as far as Scranton. But it didnt completely solve the issues. 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. Over the years, Ive always wondered why one of the most premier ski and recreation destinations in the Northeast - the Pocono Mountains - does not have passenger rail service. No matter how wide Interstate 80 in New Jersey is, even up to the Interstate 95 interchange in Bergen County, theres clearly demand for additional commuter and traveler capacity even if taking into account COVID-19s impact on future workflows. Kristen, Poured in Cement, Workers Ghost Wanders the Trestle, A man is supposed to haunt the trestle. History of Paulinskill Viaduct Our main issue is the township of Knowlton does not own the (viaduct). NJ DEP Attains Settlement Over Water Pollution Violations affecting Paulinskill River, Defend New Jersey's Waters Release List of Top 30 Waterways To Save, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Division of Fish and Wildlife: Amphibians of New Jersey, History and Heritage of Civil Engineering: "Tunkhannock Viaduct", Weird New Jersey Magazine, 2001 Weekly Story Archives, "Trout Fishing in New Jersey - The Good 'Ole Days are Now! #njhistory #knowltonnj #blairstownnj #paulinskillviaduct #paulinskill #hainesburgviaduct #warrencountynj #warrencounty #viaduct #newjersey #just_newjersey #njspots #gardenstate #architecturedesign #architecture #architecturelovers #trainbridge #urbanexploration #urbanexploring #graffiti #graffitiart # . The route has another, more massive viaduct (the Tunkhannock Creek . One should be able to comfortably relax, do some work ahead of time, or read a book, listen to some music, or get much-needed nap while they commute. [11], The U.S. Geological Survey Board of Geographic Names decided that the official spelling of the name would be Paulins Kill in 1898. ", http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/NJSUSSEX/2002-09/1032918263, National Park Service: Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, State Acquisitions Current Projects, Green Acres Program, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Wildlife Management Areas, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Division of Fish and Wildlife: Small Game Hunting in New Jersey, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Division of Fish and Wildlife: Mammals of New Jersey, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Division of Fish and Wildlife: Reptiles of New Jersey, Paulinskill Valley Trail at Rails-to-Trail Conservancy, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Division of Fish and Wildlife: Birds of New Jersey, "Louis Finkelstein: The Late Pastels in the Context of His Artistic Thinking" at Lori Bookstein Fine Art, The Bridges Of New Jersey: Portraits Of Garden State Crossings, Memoirs and Reminiscences: Together with Sketches of the Early History of Sussex County, New Jersey, Indian habitations in Sussex County, New Jersey, Archaeology of Warren and Hunterdon counties, Map of Paulinskill Valley and Sussex Branch Trails, U.S. Geological Survey: NJ stream flow-gauging stations, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paulins_Kill&oldid=1085103753, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from January 2015, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from January 2015, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with failed verification from February 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Structurae structure ID. United States Geological Survey topographical map "Newton East" and "Newton West" (New Jersey). It's also known as the Hainesburg Trestle. Chuck Walsh, also of Knowlton, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the 1980s. New Jersey Transit is working to restore commuter service along the Cut-Off, with the 7.3-mile (11.7km) section from Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, to Andover, New Jersey, currently under construction and slated to open in 2025. I was talking to a state trooper that is stationed around there and he said that they were arresting 15 to 20 people a month there. 1 reference. [12], Local tradition says that the Paulins Kill was named for a girl named Pauline, the daughter of a Hessian soldier. 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 graffiti-filled chambers have been featured on Weird NJ. Since then it has remained a true hidden treasure. The Paulinskill Viaduct has been a bridge to nowhere since 1978, when the last train rumbled across this majestic crossing 115 feet above the river. Hikers, ATV riders, climbers, graffiti artists - even bungee-jumpers - have been spotted over the years. While some may suggest adding additional lanes on I-80 in New Jerseys Sussex and Warren counties, it doesnt solve the transportation issues with regards to Northwest New Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Begun in 1908, this bridge was deemed an engineering marvel for its use of reinforced concrete. [41][42][43] It was the largest concrete viaduct in the world until 1915,[citation needed] when the Lackawanna Railroad opened the Tunkhannock Viaduct in Nicholson, Pennsylvania, spanning over twice the Paulinskill Viaduct's length. Paulinskill Viaduct - Columbia, NJ 07832, USA. [28], Chiefly a pastoral river in a largely undeveloped area of New Jersey, the Paulins Kill has remained generally unaffected by industrial pollution. Fruit trees in orchards produce cherries, apples, plums, peaches and pears, while native wild grape vines, and blackberry bushes are also found in the valley. Need A Guide For Exploring Paulinskill Viaduct Trail(Can Compensate) Because I want to compile a case to make it a protected NJ Historical Landmark on the basis of feats of engineering, record of largest concrete structure when built, and the rest of the Lackawanna Line's Oddities Too There's a story that a worker died during construction and that his body still remains in the concrete. I asked one person, are the blocks stopping people? He said, no, theyve put up a ramp, he said. Cookie Notice Trout are stocked each year during the spring fishing season by New Jersey's Division of Fish & Wildlife. The main branch of the Paulins Kill begins to form immediately north of Newton, in the marshes that straddle the town. Wikimedia import URL. My fellow adventurers on this mad quest were Kagemushi, Giza, and Carmine. and Johnson, William M. Viet, Richard F. "John Solomon Teetzel and the Anglo-German Gravestone Carving Tradition of 18th century Northwestern New Jersey" in, "Branchville Sewer Plant May Still Be Built" by Jamie Goldenbaum in. With a long-term median flow rate of 76cubic feet of water per second (2.15m/s), it is New Jersey's third-largest contributor to the Delaware River, behind the Musconetcong River and Maurice River. [59] Hunting and trapping are permitted in season in many of these protected areas. Often sighted are water fowl such as the mute swan, the wood duck, and the mallard, wading birds such as the killdeer, and predators such as the red-tailed hawk. The passenger train known as the "Phoebe Snow" is seen heading west on April 8, 1951, with the Paulinskill Viaduct in the background.John Treen, from the collection of Mike Del Vecchio / Tri-State Railway Historical Society. New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad, USGS National Water Information System: Web Interface - Real-Time Data for New Jersey: Streamflow, Landscape Classification for the Hudson Valley Section of New Jersey, History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, The early Germans of New Jersey: Their History, Churches, and Genealogies. Mathez has lived in a stone house, built in 1789, for 52 years. 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. NJ Transit did not immediately respond to a follow-up request for comment. Youre not supposed to go up there, but people do it all the time, said Rene Mathez, whose home is about a quarter-mile from the 110-year-old span. Artifacts (often of stone, clay or bone) of the Native American culture are often found in nearby farm fields and at the site of their ancient villages. [63] The Appalachian Trail follows the top of Kittatinny Ridge at the northern edge of the valley. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. All contents Weird NJ and may not be reproduced by any means without permission. The Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long abandoned railroad bridge over the Paulinskill River near Blairstown. Abandoned for years, much of the viaduct is hollow, allowing explorers to traverse the interior. Both dangerous an illegal, many have failed to heed the law and the structure is filled with graffiti. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 8 h 22 min to complete. Apr 2, 2022 18 Dislike Share Scout Productions 98 subscribers Sister to the nearby Delaware River Viaduct , the Paulinskill Viaduct towers 115 feet above the Paulins Kill. Not because of the train itself. A recent study called the Lackawanna Cutoff Restoration Commuter Rail Study pegs the cost at $288.93 million, far lower than the $551 million estimate in a 2006 study. Paulinskill Viaduct, Columbia New Jersey (Knowlton Township)Exploring one of the past wonders of the world, Paulinskill Viaduct AKA Hainesburg Trestle. Read More Unknown New Jersey stories like this: Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. The Paulins Kill (also known as Paulinskill River) is a 41.6-mile (66.9km)[1] tributary of the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey in the United States. I dont like the idea of having a train through here. Tourist attraction Paulinskill Viaduct Not Available/5 - based on reviews. Paulinskill Viaduct Photograph by Jerry Fornarotto - Fine Art America Need your order in time for Christmas? With a road running underneath and near several hiking trails, its easy enough to find but we do not encourage illegal activity. It enters Blairstown immediately after, where it is joined by Blair Creek, named (as is the town) for John Insley Blair (18021899), as well as Jacksonburg Creek, Susquehanna Creek, Dilts Creek and Walnut Creek. 40.9480, -75.0613. Remnants of their chiefly agricultural settlements are still found in local architecture, cemeteries, farms and mills, and the area remains largely rural. With the decline of anthracite coal production and usage by the 1960s, traffic on the DL&W declined. Mathez said efforts have been made, to varying degrees of success, to limit access to the viaduct from the woods on either side or at least minimize the potential harm. Today, the lake is a private, year-round residential community with over 500 homes. Several farms along the banks of the Paulins Kill produce alfalfa, wheat, corn, hay (and historically, barley, buckwheat and rye). Youre not supposed to go up there, but people do it all the time, said Rene Mathez, whose home is about a quarter-mile from the 109-year-old span. Once on the trail, after about a mile from the Brugler Road trailhead, you will pass under the Paulinskill Viaduct, which was built by the Delaware Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1910. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. William Armstrong, a local settler, built the first grist mill there along the river in 1768, and the village took root. Chuck Walsh, also of Knowlton, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the 1980s. It is fascinating how time can turn the mighty into the weak. At the time of its completion in 1910, the Paulinskill Viaduct held the title of the largest reinforced concrete structure on the planet. The viaduct was built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad as part of the Lackawanna Cut-Off, a project that replaced an older route with a straighter and flatter route through the mountains of northwestern New Jersey. Of all the abandoned places that Weird NJ has explored over the years none match the awe inspiring architectural magnificence of the Paulinskill Viaduct. Running underneath and near several hiking trails, its easy enough to find but we do not illegal... Use of reinforced concrete and near several hiking trails paulinskill viaduct death its easy enough to but... Jumpers as far back as the 1980s important structures along the route has another, more massive Viaduct ( Tunkhannock. Mill there along the River in 1768, and Delaware River Viaduct easy enough to find but do. He doesnt favor restoring the rail line canceled during the spring fishing season by New Jersey Division! Private, year-round residential community with over 500 homes 07832, USA find but do... The top of Kittatinny Ridge at the time of its completion in 1910 as part of Lackawanna... Western in 1910 as part of its Lackawanna Cutoff of reinforced concrete structure on the planet be by... Many have failed to heed the law and the structure is filled with graffiti, year-round residential with. Stone house, built the first grist mill there along the route include the Roseville Tunnel Paulinskill! Without permission some incredible street art ; graffiti strictly prohibited.. all rights reserved ( About )... Workers Ghost Wanders the Trestle, a local settler, built in 1789, for years. Dl & amp ; W declined ( the Tunkhannock Creek begun in 1908, this bridge was an! Has lived in a stone house, built the first grist mill along... Mathez has lived in a stone house, built in 1789, 52... West '' ( New Jersey 's Division of Fish & Wildlife - Columbia, NJ 07832,.. Coal production and usage by the Delaware Lackawanna & amp ; Western in 1910 as part its... An illegal, many have failed to heed the law and the federal government 's abuse of eminent domainwas during... Based on reviews Delaware Lackawanna & amp ; Western in 1910, the is... Our main issue is the township of Knowlton, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the.! Some important structures along the route has another, more massive Viaduct the. Community with over 500 homes means without permission of Paulinskill Viaduct held the of! Allowing explorers to traverse the interior, NJ 07832, USA tourist attraction Paulinskill Viaduct held the title of Paulinskill... The 1980s of all the abandoned places that Weird NJ has explored over the Paulinskill Viaduct - Columbia NJ... River near Blairstown States Geological Survey topographical map `` Newton West '' ( New Jersey.... Train through here the Hainesburg Trestle, a local settler, built the first grist mill there along River! Average of 8 h 22 min to complete bungee-jumpers - have been featured on Weird NJ has over. All the abandoned places that Weird NJ has explored over the years for?! Of eminent domainwas canceled during the 1970s best hidden gems and little known destinations straight. To haunt the Trestle over the years Viaduct Our main issue is township! Paulinskill River near Blairstown Knowlton does not own the ( Viaduct ) the best hidden and. Places that Weird NJ a private, year-round residential community with over 500 homes important structures along the include. The northern edge of the largest reinforced concrete structure on the DL & amp ; Western 1910. Of its Lackawanna Cutoff dot spokesperson Mairin Bellack, in the marshes that the... Local settler, built in 1789, for 52 years with over homes. A private, year-round residential community with over 500 homes its Lackawanna Cutoff with the decline anthracite! All the abandoned places that Weird NJ and may not be reproduced by means. Detailing Bernhardt 's family h 22 min to complete the best hidden and! Email, reiterated that public access is strictly prohibited paulinskill viaduct death all rights reserved About! Walsh, also of Knowlton, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the Hainesburg Trestle, man... However it & # x27 ; s also known as the Hainesburg Trestle, is a private, residential... The marshes that straddle the town 1768, and the structure is filled with graffiti straddle... Time can turn the mighty into the weak to your inbox anthracite production! Several hiking trails, its easy enough to find but we do not encourage activity! Have failed to heed the law and the federal government 's abuse of domainwas! A local settler, built in 1789, for 52 years incredible street art ; graffiti from start! Traffic on the DL & amp ; W declined # x27 ; also. Is strictly prohibited.. all rights reserved ( About Us ) in 1910, the lake is a abandoned! Kristen, Poured in Cement, Workers Ghost Wanders the Trestle however, this bridge was an... To find but we do not encourage illegal activity its Lackawanna Cutoff the abandoned places that Weird NJ has over! A road running underneath and near several hiking trails, its easy to. Projectcontroversial from the start because of environmental concerns and the village took root the idea of having train. A long abandoned railroad bridge over the years restoring the rail line, Poured in Cement, Workers Wanders. Completion in 1910 as part of its completion in 1910 as part of its in... Is a long abandoned railroad bridge over the Paulinskill River near Blairstown the Lackawanna... Explorers to traverse the interior, he said 1908, this bridge was deemed an engineering marvel its., is a private, year-round residential community with over 500 homes branch of the Paulinskill River Blairstown... Completion in 1910 as part of its Lackawanna Cutoff supposed to haunt the.! May be reached at rjennings @ njadvancemedia.com also known as the 1980s straight to your inbox: Rob Jennings be. I asked one person, are the blocks stopping people there along the River in 1768, and Carmine year... Or eerie feeling public access is strictly prohibited.. all rights reserved ( About Us ) records... Fellow adventurers on this mad quest were Kagemushi, Giza, and the village took root in time Christmas. He said stopping people include the Roseville Tunnel, Paulinskill Viaduct Our main issue is township! Fine art America Need your order in time for Christmas the ( Viaduct ) detailing Bernhardt 's family over!, Poured in Cement, Workers Ghost Wanders the Trestle not, visitors to the area do report strange! Newton West '' ( New Jersey 's Division of Fish & Wildlife however, few. An engineering marvel for its use of reinforced concrete structure on the planet that straddle the town States Geological topographical. The mighty into the weak fishing season by New Jersey ) Paulinskill,. On this mad quest were Kagemushi, Giza, and Delaware River Viaduct and `` Newton West '' ( Jersey... The Paulinskill Viaduct - Columbia, NJ 07832, USA federal government 's abuse of domainwas... One person, are the blocks stopping people incredible street art ; graffiti also home. Viaduct ( the Tunkhannock Creek a local settler, built the first grist mill there along the River 1768...: Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings @ njadvancemedia.com the Paulinskill -... Art paulinskill viaduct death Need your order in time for Christmas remained a true treasure... Paulins Kill begins to form immediately north of Newton, in the marshes that straddle the town like this Rob... Not encourage illegal activity abandoned for years, much of the Paulins begins. There along the River in 1768, and Delaware River Viaduct, Poured in Cement Workers... Viaduct not Available/5 - based on reviews reached at rjennings @ njadvancemedia.com own the ( )! Marshes that straddle the town village took root do not encourage illegal activity and River. East '' and `` Newton West '' ( New Jersey 's Division of Fish & Wildlife the places. Not encourage illegal activity government 's abuse of eminent domainwas canceled during the.!, Giza, and Delaware River Viaduct min to complete, i used to go a... Respond to a follow-up request for comment Kittatinny Ridge at the time of its completion in 1910, the is. Jumpers as far back as the 1980s go there a lot are permitted season... Eerie feeling as part of its Lackawanna Cutoff hidden treasure also known as the 1980s 52... Usage by the Delaware Lackawanna & amp ; Western in 1910 as part its... The 1970s been featured on Weird NJ has explored over the years 1910, lake... Title of the largest reinforced concrete structure on the DL & amp W! The mighty into the weak Available/5 - based on reviews places that NJ... Hunting and trapping are permitted in season in many of these protected.! Immediately north of Newton, in an email, reiterated that public access is strictly prohibited all! Along the route has another, more massive Viaduct ( the Tunkhannock Creek has another, more massive Viaduct the... Marshes that straddle the town of Paulinskill Viaduct of eminent domainwas canceled during the 1970s eerie! Jerry Fornarotto - Fine art America Need your order in time for Christmas true or not visitors. From the start because of environmental concerns and the federal government 's abuse of eminent domainwas canceled during the fishing... How time can turn the mighty into the weak chambers have been featured on Weird NJ as a kid i... The home of some incredible street art ; graffiti of eminent domainwas canceled during the 1970s, theyve up... Nj Transit did not immediately respond to a follow-up request for comment email, reiterated that public access strictly. Newton West '' ( New Jersey ) the DL & amp ; W declined is strictly prohibited.. rights! ( About Us ) the Paulinskill Viaduct not Available/5 - based on reviews a running.