Hike #902; Port Colden to Changewater Mountain
12/13/15 Port Colden/Port Murray/Rockport/Penwell/Point Mountain with Eric Pace, Rich Pace, Jim “Uncle Soup” Campbell, Jennifer Berndt, Rob Anders, Doug DeGroff, Teun Ott, James Quinn,
Our next hike would be another traditional point to point, one of the two holiday hikes I do annually. The more popular one is always the holiday NY City hike, but the one that’s closer to home, and very much home themed is this one.
Since 2005, I’ve been arranging one of the hikes around Christmas time to end or at least pass by to visit my grandfather’s house in Lebanon Township. We always do different variations of the hikes, trying to cover new ground each time.
Historic structures in Port Colden
This time, we met at my grandfather’s house on Mountain Top Road in the morning. This was one of my two homes growing up. I spent Friday through Sunday there, as well as Wednesday nights, and the rest of the time in Port Colden. I spent about half my time in each place, and had bedrooms at both.
We greeted my grandfather in the morning, and he left or church, after which we headed to Port Colden, to the site of where my house used to be before it burned down in 2010.
My house in 2009 before it burned down
We all parked out in the rear of the yard near where my home used to stand. The house was built in the early 1800s associated with the construction of the Morris Canal. It was an original frame, with the small addition on the right added by 1874.
What my house site looks like now, photo by Pete Wilcox
It’s still strange for me to go back and see the site of the house. It seems like it should still be there. At times, I find myself making the turn off of Rt 57 thinking I’m going home, forgetting that the house is gone.
I realized when we arrived, that half of the group did not know me when the fire happened. Some didn’t even know it had happened. I reiterated some of the story to everyone.
In August of 2010, a fire broke out in the early morning hours in the back room of the house, which rapidly spread. I was asleep, but Jillane woke up and saved us. She got out quickly, but when the door opened, the new oxygen source pulled the flames out the front door and up the stairs. I passed out immediately from inhalation. When I came to, I was on the floor of my bedroom, and could not see. I crawled around and found that I could no longer get down the stairs, and had to open a window, then jump from the second story.
Photo taken by a paper delivery man in the early morning hours.
I was taken away in an ambulance, and spent a week in intensive care. Later, first respondents told me I was not expected to survive. I received a life time’s worth of smokers’ lung in only a few minutes.
The fire was one of the most traumatic things that could happen, which I’ve had to come to terms with. We were fortunate to have a great deal of support to get us through the ordeal.
The house was a total loss, and almost everything was burned. I was able to save a few things here and there.
After the fire, I spent time living at my grandfather’s again, in Mount Olive, in Hardwick in a county house, in Great Meadows, and finally Washington again.
Historic view of Port Colden
Apart from the story of my house, I went over the history of Port Colden, how it was laid out by Mr. Dusenberry in anticipation of the commerce of the Morris Canal, which started in the 1830s. The canal was only successful for a few years, and the first railroad to arrive in Washington was the Warren Railroad in 1856. The town center focused around that, and Port Colden (named for Cadwallader Colden, first President of the Morris Canal and Banking Company) was considered a failure.
Historic view of Port Colden Manor
My half brother Bobo and his dad Mark were not next door at their house when we arrived. I was hoping they’d be there to say hello. Their house was formerly the Mineral Springs Hotel near New Village, dismantled and supposedly put on that site by Mr. Dusenberry.
Across is the Port Colden Manor, formerly the manor house that was to be used as a hotel for either those traveling by way of Morris Canal or for those passing by on the Easton-Morristown Turnpike which is present day Rt 57. The manor house was later used as a school and as other stuff including office space when I was growing up. My mom was caretaker there at night for a while. I used to walk through the building with here, and the upper level has small areas built into the walls where slaves were kept. They used to have chains still in them when I was little.
Port Colden Manor today
The historic view on the collage of Port Colden buildings is far different than it appears today. I remember the building being completely redone in the 1980s when there was some sort of day care in there, but today it looks deplorable, with it’s porch leaning as if it’s ready to fall off of it’s commanding Federal style frame.
The building had been for sale for some time, and I talked to friends in preservation business about it, and thankfully it was recently sold to Mr. Hunter who owns the closed bar in New Village as well as the Asbury Willows.
The old trolley barns, now trucking company
We made our way out to the main road and turned left parallel with the railroad tracks, former main line of the Morris and Essex Railroad (which became Morris and Essex Division of the Lackawanna, and then the main line for them).
The road we were walking was once the tracks for the Easton-Washington Traction Company, a trolley line that operated from Easton to Port Murray. It was supposed to be extended to Hackettstown, but it was never completed. We headed to where the road split, and the one to the left picked up the Morris Canal towpath, while the one to the right went along the trolley line. We got to the view of the trucking company that now occupies the former trolley barn where the cars were worked on. After the trolley line closed, it was also a 7UP plant.
Historic view inside the trolley barns at Port Colden
I had wanted to try to walk the Morris Canal since the county had recently acquired the Handlos tract at the top of Inclined Plane #6 West, but some of the other land owners don’t want anyone back there. Until we have a through route, I would rather not see anyone wandering through and back.
I have more family history dating back in Port Colden as well; my Great Great Great Grandfather, Michael Cline Allen owned property in the woodlands north of plane #6 West because he recognized the lucrative business of having timber lands where boats would need to be constructed. A lumber man by trade, Allen would bring a portable saw mill to Port Colden and sell cut lumber on site.
Morris Canal Inclined Plane #6 West
Part of the purpose of this hike was to showcase some of the new connective trail we have on the Morris Canal Greenway, but the section here is too delicate to try doing. We had to walk parallel with the tracks for a bit to get to the next point.
The Morris Canal was the “Greatest Climber” of the world’s canals. Most canals used a system of locks to overcome elevation, but the Morris traveled across the Highlands of norther NJ where the locks necessary to cross would have been the largest ever constructed.
In lieu of this labor intensive undertaking, the Morris Canal utilized Inclined Planes, short portage railroads where the boats were secured into cradles and pulled up hill to the next canal section. These inclined planes were implemented in Europe and Asia to a limited degree, but America was the first to use the Scotch Turbine, which hastened the time with which a boat could traverse the plane.
How the Scotch Turbine works
The Morris Canal was originally developed with overshot water wheels, which made traversing the planes a very slow process. The Scotch Turbines were first put into use on the Morris Canal during a major upgrade that occurred in 1842.
We followed the tracks to the other side of Port Colden where we reached Inclined Plane #6 West. We could see the driveway that is built on one of the planes from where we were. Plane 6 was one of the few double tracked inclined planes, which makes it more special.
Our next point of interest was the tail race tunnel from the turbine chamber, accessible just away from the railroad. It looks just like a simple stone wall, but the tunnel is still in place. It was badly covered over with thorns when we got there. It’s amazing to me because it’s such a cool spot. When my brothers and I were little, it was well worn to where we could walk in, but still hidden because it just looks like a wall along the railroad tracks. I went first to check out the entrance. It was surprising that not more wanted to go in and see it.
Dominic, Justin, and Uncle Soup all came in to have a look at it. Surprisingly, Justin managed to get through a good amount of it before freaking out over the cave crickets.
Tail race tunnel from Inclined Plane 6W
Justin, Dominic, and I made our way to the back first. I could see the light of day on the other side, where junk had been thrown into the turbine chamber rather well this time. Strangely, a window or something was thrown into the pile, which landed in such a way that the light can be seen on the other side. Uncle Soup soon followed. I showed everyone the shape of the stone blocks that were strewn into the tunnel, and shared my theory that these were the stone blocks that used to make up the piers that carried the flume of water to the turbine. We then headed back out of the tunnel, and checked out the turbine area itself.
Turbine chamber to Morris Canal Inclined Plane #6 West.
Rich was already on top of the turbine foundation when I got out. Matthew Davis was already out working with fellow Commissioners led by Dave Deitrich the previous weekend removing brush from the remains of the inclined plane functions, including the power house.
The Plane 6 power house was different from others in Warren County for several reasons.
First, this one was angled away from the canal more than any of the other 23 Scotch Turbine driven planes on the canal. Second, the building was a simple block structure rather than the three tier structures on the rest of the Warren County planes. This is because the original building burned down and had to be replaced later.
I had never seen the turbine chamber like we did on this hike, because it had just been cleared. We were now able to look right down into the chamber and see the arched edges of it. Tons of junk and debris had been thrown into it over the years. It was great to finally get a clear, closer look at this historic structure after all these years.
The rest of the group must have gotten impatient, because they were taking off without us. I hurried down and started making my way toward them on the tracks. I didn’t want them getting too far ahead and miss our turn.
Old trolley bridge at Domin Lane
Everyone waited up for me when they reached the overpass for Domin Lane. The trolley bridge was still well in place over the dirt road just north of the railroad tracks. Mr. Domin’s house does not look to be occupied any more. The last time we had hiked by with a large group, he came out and gave us a mini tour of his property, showed us the trolley right of way and how he’s kept it clear, and also showed us his old bomb shelter.
We continued from here along the tracks for a bit further until we reached the bridge overpass of Hart’s Lane. We took a break here before climbing up to the road above.
Morris Canal at Hart's Lane
I had recently done work at Hart’s Lane on the Morris Canal. The towpath was growing in pretty badly, so we had to hack more of that open, as well as move more fallen trees off of it. The path was first cleared off by the Youth Corps of Warren County. It’s a great section that still retains water, and looks very much like the canal would have historically looked. We turned right onto it and followed it through lovely farmland to the east.
Morris Canal in Port Murray Preserve
The trail then enters the woods, but the canal prism (this is what we call the section that held the water) is still well intact and at times retains water.
It’s an absolutely beautiful section to walk as well. I went ahead to a deer stand made of wood, in a tree directly along the canal and took group photos from above.
The group on the Morris Canal in Port Murray Preserve
I watched for my Morris Canal trail markers along the trees, to make sure no one had stolen them. I noted a few missing, but not many.
We reached the next driveway, where the trail officially turns right and picks up the old trolley right of way. The canal itself goes too close to private homes, and so we have the trail go around the outside.
The trolley right of way in Port Murray Preserve on a nice fill
From the trolley right of way, the trail turns left sharply at the county property boundary, and makes it’s way through the woods.
Matt Davis and I cleared this new section on a few days after work, and it went really great. We now had a beautiful path with a gradual approach to the road that will be good for everyone.
Doing some bridge work; photo by Fred Hafele
When we got to where the trail turns and crosses a puncheon we installed over a spring, I saw where Matt had dropped off some of the donated scrap lumber we had acquired. I decided that since we had a lot of people out, we could utilize them to move all of the boards to where we need to construct the new little bridge. Several boards were carried by members of the group down the trail to the bridge site with ease.
The group on the Morris Canal Greenway Trail
From here, we continued on the trail to the nice new bridge that Dave Deitrich and his crew had built, then climbed on the tougher switch backs Matt and I had put in going up the hill to regain the Morris Canal. Dave and his crew had constructed a set of steps to get everyone more easily up to the former townpath, now used as a driveway.
Mr. Hannesak pulled up in his truck and said hello when we were walking by this time. He is one of the nicer neighbors we’ve dealt with, and respect him more for his treatment of me and the volunteers I bring in to do the trail work more than others. He has legitimate concerns he brings to my attention, but isn’t unreasonable or belligerent in any way.
Remains of the turbine chamber and tail race to Morris Canal's Inclined Plane #5 West
We continued along the driveway, which follows the towpath to where a stream flows beneath a concrete culvert. I explained to everyone how we refer to these as Vermuele era drainage structures, named for the last engineer in charge of dismantling and draining the canal. We then turned away from the official trail to the right, because I wanted to show the group the plane site and turbine chamber. I made it clear that the site was off limits for most hiking purposes, but that we will be working out a management plan for it in the near future.
Plane 5W tail race tunnel
The turbine and tail race had been excavated around during the Terra Cotta operation that went on, or the Pyronics Company that ran on the property. A giant section was gauged out of the side of the turbine chamber, probably to remove the turbine itself for scrap.
We made our way closer to check out the tail race tunnel, and I showed some of the group through to the turbine chamber. It didn’t really look any different than it has any other time.
Despite the fact that the turbine area has been compromised, it offers us a very interesting educational opportunity.
When the canal was developed, the turbine and tail race was built above ground and back filled. Here, we are able to better see the construction, and also look into the turbine chamber from the outside.
Climbing into the turbine chamber
The area around the turbine is all quarried out from the Terra Cotta operation. This was the area my dad used to come to ride his dirt bikes, and then my brothers after that, with their BMX bikes followed by dirt bikes. Today, there are far fewer ATVs than there ever were in my life, probably because kids are lazier.
The site of the inclined plane itself is barely recognizable today.
Present view of Inclined Plane #5 West site
I tried as best I could to line up an historic shot with the group coming through where the plane would have been, and I think I pulled it off. It really looks nothing like it would have at all today.
Historic view of Morris Canal Inclined Plane #5 West site
We followed the old ATV trails beyond the plane site and then up hill a bit. The paths zig zag throughout the area, but we took one slightly to the left to return to the official current trail route, on the Terra Cotta Road. More of my trail markers appeared to have been removed in this area, sadly. We followed the trail to the gate at Hoffman Road, from which point we can’t follow the towpath ahead on the canal. The property was owned by Harry Pool, who passed away recently. He gave us permission to walk the canal section, but passed away before he could deed any of it to the county. There are two properties in between this point and the former canal store on Port Murray Road. We had to turn right and then left on Port Murray Road to get to the next public section of the canal.
Former Morris Canal store in Port Murray
The canal store in Port Murray looks much the way it once did, sitting along the edge of the road where once there was a bridge over the canal. The driveway along it has been widened from the original towpath width and into the prism a bit, which was filled in.
Historic view of the Canal Store in Port Murray
The official canal trail goes down the driveway, though there are no signs there right now for it. We followed it along past the last few houses. There were signs reading not to park back there, but nothing said “no trespassing”, a strategic wording to keep people from parking, but people may walk on through.
Where the driveway ends is an old turn lagoon for the canal.\
Morris Canal in Dennis Bertland Heritage Area
The next section is the Dennis Bertland Heritage Area. Bertland was the guy who put together the historic architecture book of Warren County, which I took out of the elementary school library countless times in Port Colden School between first and third grade. It was extra special for me to be in attendance and speak on the radio at the dedication with Mr. Bertland a couple of years ago.
The canal prism and towpath are in nice shape continuing from here, then the trail turns away over a little bridge and puncheon heading up to Cherry Tree Bend Road. The canal ahead of here is inaccessible currently. Stephen, Justin, and not sure who else headed off to find some geocache somewhere, while the rest of us followed Cherry Tree Bend Road onward. They eventually ran and caught back up with us.
The canal prism came closer to the road where we could at least see it soon, then we came to Hoffman Road and the Rockport Church. Service was just letting out, and we continued to the intersection. I was originally planning on walking up Hoffman Road, but decided to extend the route a little bit since we were doing okay on time, and because there is a good section of canal in Rockport Wildlife Management Area ahead. We turned away and followed the fields, and Rich and Eric followed Hoffman Road to Watters Road for the shortcut.
We ended up fighting through some crappy weeds on this canal section. The towpath was not cleared in this section, so it was a little nasty.
Parallel with the Morris Canal near Rockport, in Rockport WMA
We had to go up and down at a stream section, and many of us ended up going through some pretty rough sticker bushes. It was a really unseasonably hot day, and so Uncle Soup and I were in shorts and getting ourselves cut up ore than some of the others passing through.
Once we got to the other side of the waterway, we turned right along the edges of the fields in the WMA heading to the road across from the Borealis plastic company. This was also near to the site of one of the worst train wrecks in US history.
Rockport tain disaster
The wreck occurred on June 16th, 1925 when debris from a storm washed down hill from nearby fields, and a mishap with the switching mechanism for a siding caused the train to speed into an embankment.
Rockport train wreck
The cars doubled back on themselves, and one of them smashed directly into the boiler of the engine, sending scalding steam onto the passengers, causing many fatalities.
The unscheduled train was carrying mostly German passengers from Illinois to Hoboken NJ for a trip back to their native country.
The crash killed 42 passengers, 5 crewmen, and injured 23 others. We crossed the former Morris and Essex Division of the Lackawanna Railroad tracks here and continued up hill, through pleasant farm land, and then turned right to continue on Watters Road. This road takes it’s name from the generation farmers, the Watters family who still live on and operate the nice farm.
Watters Farm
I recently served with Mr. Watters on the Warren County Municipal and Charitable Conservancy Trust Commission, and I’ve been friends with his son
We continued along Watters Road with lovely farm scenes. The farm is incredibly well kept and is a boon to the bucolic nature of rural Warren County.
Michele was heading to meet up with us, so I had her park at Hoffman Road and Rockport Road by the church, then head up Hoffman to cut us off at the intersection with Watters. She showed up at the intersection just about the time that we arrived. We stopped at that intersection for members of the group to eat their lunches. While walking the road, we sang along with Jack on more songs, most notably the Fifth Dimension’s “Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In”.
Heading down from the Watters Farm to Wydner Farm Bridge on Old Turnpike Rd
We followed Watters Road on to a very nice little view of the Wydner Farm Bridge, a restored stone arch across the Musconetcong River toward the Behr Farm, on the Old Turnpike Road, former Easton-Morristown Turnpike and predecessor to Rt 57. We could see Rich and Eric on the bridge from above.
Red Trail in Point Mountain North
We all headed down to cross the lovely bridge, then made our way along Old Turnpike Road in Hunterdon County only a short distance to the parking area for Point Mountain North. This was a trail system that came in when I was working at Hunterdon County Parks Department, and one of the ones I am most proud of, because I was involved in every step of the way. In fact, I was the one who suggested the entire trail system to begin with. The parking area is at the former start of the western end of Hermit’s Lane, which is now a dead end from the other side. We got on the white blazed trail from the parking area, which has been moved slightly since I first marked it.
We headed through former pastures and then got to a woods road that ascends. We followed that to a left turn on the Blue Trail, which heads more steeply up hill on an older woods road.
Blow downs on Red Trail, Point Mountain North.
The woods road peters out and it becomes a foot path; we continued on the foot path as it switched back to a hillside, then levels off as another woods road. We regrouped at the red trail, then followed that to the left. Eric remained on white the entire time to take a short cut.
The red trail’s biggest feature is an amazing large stone row, which is haphazard on the down hill side, but vertically oriented on the up hill. Just past there, there were several blow downs that had fallen over in a domino type fashion. The red trail led us back to the white trail, which is the through route for Point Mountain North.
We headed from here onto the White Trail heading down hill toward the gap at Penwell Road.
It was a little tougher finding where the trail went in this section, and something that’s always been a point of resentment to me.
This was one of the last projects I worked on at Hunterdon before being laid off. I only marked some of this trail with paint because they went ahead with more plastic markers anyway, even though more paint had been decided on. I was out of the county before I could ever finish the project, and so all of the rest of it was marked with plastic markers, most of which have now disappeared. My paint blazes at Point Mountain though, have been in place and holding up for between five and seven years. If only I had been able to finish the project at Point Mountain North, it’d have been easier to follow. We lost the trail several times on this hike heading down hill.
Former mill site along Beatty's Brook
At the bottom, we crossed Penwell Road and then followed part of an old mill race along Beatty’s Brook. I’ve never seen any photos of the mill that used to be at this site, but the race and the likely water wheel location are still discernible.
Dan joined us here. He brought a Burger King crown for me to wear, but I put it on Dominic, so he wore it the rest of the hike.
The trail heads over to cross the brook on stones just below the mill side. This was done for us by a Scout, while the White Trail on the other side of Penwell Road had work done by Student Conservation Association.
We continued on the White Trail above the fields, and then emerged on the orange blazed Ridge Trail. I decided it best to split the group here, having some go along the ridge while the rest of us would go down along the Musconetcong River. I had already decided I was going for a swim.
Swimmin'...photo by Pete Wilcox
We parted ways and I headed down the orange trail along the fields to the blue trail. I was happy to see my trail marker post I put in over five years prior was still in place. We turned left on blue to the river side, and then started looking for good places to take a dip. This was tough because there were people fishing everywhere.
I finally found a good deep spot by the rocks, and before we got to the Point Mountain Bridge to go in. Only Dominic joined me for this craziness. It was cold, but not too bad because it was almost seventy degrees. I ended up finishing the rest of the hike in my boxer shorts with shirt and tie though.
This ended up being the latest in the year I’d ever gone actually swimming.
Former Point Mountain dam site, house foundation to the left barely visible.
We reached the Point Mountain Bridge and I pointed out to everyone where the historic mill and dam used to be. Part of the old dam is still visible as the berm on either side of the river, and the blue trail goes right over it.
Historic view from Point Mountain Bridge to former dam with house to the left.
Looking from the bridge today, the old house that once stood on the north side of the river is gone, but there is still a foundation on that site, clearly visible when looking hard for it. The old mill foundation is just about completely gone, having been bulldozed in many years back for some reason. The entire area along the river there was once clear and kept farm animals.
Historic view of Point Mountain Mill looking north. The Musconetcong is behind the mill out of sight.
I had recently met with Mr. Van Natta, who is a descendant of the family who built and operated the mill there, and he provided me with the historic photos of this site.
We hiked over to the bridge, and of course Justin was walking across the tops of the pony trusses.
The Pony Truss is becoming a very rare bridge type in Warren and Hunterdon Counties. These are typically smaller trusses, but open at the top rather than connected. More and more of them are disappearing from the Musconetcong, and the Point Mountain one is scheduled to be removed in 2016.
Point Mountain Bridge
I’m pretty sad about it because it’s been my favorite bridge for quite a long time.
My first ever hike at the age of three ended at this bridge. My grandfather walked me from his house to the bridge, and I sat in some wet tar and ruined my pants. I remember my grandfather saying how my grandmother was going to kill him for having me sit in the tar.
We walked on from here on the looping blue trail along the river, then back up to the parking area, passing within view of the house where my dad lived (and where I was conceived).
We then began the climb steeply up Point Mountain on the Ridge Trail.
Ascent of Point Mountain
I never tire of the steep climb up to the 934 foot peak of Point Mountain. There are always fantastic views and it’s such a great workout. I was happy with myself for still being able to get up the mountain at relatively quick pace.
The rest of the group was waiting for us at the overlook when we got there, and I pointed out what all of the mountains and such were, as I always do when we get there.
View from Point Mountain
After a nice break, we continued down the Yellow Trail to Point Mountain Road. I called my grandfather to try to pick Teun up because he was starting to have a hard time. I waited with him until he was picked up, then we continued on the yellow trail to the white trail that leads to Point Mountain South and the Wattles fields.
Along the way I pointed out the old stone spring house and busted up half century old pickup trucks parked just off the trail in the woods.
Some of the group at Point Mountain South
Some of the group got pretty far ahead of me, but most were still with me. We continued into the field section, and followed it out past some recently cut bales, with farm equipment still parked nearby. We then turned left onto Mountain Top Road.
I explained to everyone that this section of road was retracing some of the first hike I had ever taken. This particular road is lovely to walk, with almost no traffic. We got done just before dark, perfect timing.
Hanging out at my grandfather's house
We ordered some pizzas and watched my METV interview on a DVD that Dan had made.
It was just really nice hanging out, and my grandfather showed everyone the footage from the International Competition of Barbershop Choruses we attended back in Indianapolis in 1997.
This for me was exactly the kind of congregation I like to have around Christmas time. I want my best friends to see and appreciate all that’s happened, and why we have all come together.
Everyone pretty well knows that my hikes started in March 1997, but it really goes back so much farther than that. It was a family tradition, with my grandfather taking my brothers and cousins, as well as neighbors and classmates out hiking on Sundays all over northwest NJ and northeast PA, keeping alive the tradition that he had with his own father before that.
I’ve actually been hiking every Sunday for 32 years.
And so we all sat and ate together, just in the way I had throughout growing up. We hiked all day and then had pizza at my grandfather’s house, and everyone that joined has a greater understanding of the tradition I carry on and build upon.
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