Hike #938; Morris Canal; Paterson to Woodland Park

Hike #938; Morris Canal: Paterson to Woodland Park

5/22/16 Metrotrails Morris Canal; Newark to Woodland Park and more with David Campbell (Captain Soup), Jim “Uncle Soup” Campbell, Dan Lurie, Jennifer Berndt, Edward DiSalvo, Tom Vorrius, Kenneth Lidman, Alyssa Lidman, Euin Gonzalez, Serious Sean Dougherty, Justin Gurbisz, German Marchand, Rich Kowal, David Li, Gregg Hudis, Rich Rockwell, Terri Allen, ?, Brian Miller, Gail Ingham, Monika Kwiecinska, Neil Washington, James Quinn, and Kevin Gondek.

This next hike would be the third in the Morris Canal series across the state again, and one of the best we’ve ever done in such a series thanks to the cooperation of several key players.
Several came together to make this truly something special, and what I understand to be the first time an organized group has had access to some of these lands in over seventy years.

The group at the Collins House

I had worked hard for weeks to secure permissions from a few different properties to get through. Special thanks are in order to Rich Rockwell who opened gates and restroom facilities for us all along the way, and provided historic photographic documentation, also included here.
More thanks in order to Mike Brunnell of the Upper Montclair Country Club NJ for allowing passage across their private club to trace the historic canal route, and to his manager, Sean Blatz who actually escorted us through.
We also have the New Jersey State Police to thank once again for allowing passage through their otherwise off limits barracks road where the canal once passed, and for keeping a presence to make certainly we safely passed through the obscure section. The commanding officer had someone meet us at the road and watched as we passed through to the golf course property.
A final thanks to security at the Woodland Park lot where we met in the morning. Things were not looking up so much when we arrived to start the day.
Upon arrival, a security guy had told us we did not have permission to park there, but I had been on the phone with a girl who worked at the facility who told us it would be fine. I didn’t get her name, and didn’t think it’d be an issue. The security guy made some phone calls to the property managers and owners and secured us permission on the spot for the day. I was thinking we were going to have to move, and when permission was secured everyone gave an applause to the security guy who helped us out.

Yard sale distraction

Once we had all of this ready, we were good to head out. In addition to this craziness, we had our typical self imposed craziness in the form of strange attire. This hike’s theme was nurse’s scrubs. Justin secured us something like twenty pairs he’d obtained somewhere, and so many in the group put on the dark navy blue ones. A friend gave me a pair of light blue ones I wore, and Ken had one he’d worn out from the hospital when his daughter Alyssa was born, and he’s since used them as a pajama top!
We shuttled to the Staples I think it was in Woodland Park, which was several blocks west of where the canal was. I figured we’d just walk to that point from there. We ended up walking the parking lots and a few side roads for a while before getting onto the former route.
We walked a few blocks east to Belmont Ave, then to the Silver Lake Light Rail Station. To the east, the light rail is built in the canal, but not at this point. We cut to the right along the station walkway to Franklin Street, which we’d walk to Branch Brook Park.

Former canal, now Newark Light Rail

We allowed ourselves to be distracted by a yard sale (more like a lot sale) on the way there, but I found nothing. Two ladies opted to turn back before even walking a quarter of a mile. It was a good thing they drove to the start and didn’t need a ride back. We weren’t even walking too fast and they had to turn back.
When we reached the overpass of the light rail where the road became Heller Parkway, I gave the history of the canal, and how the city of Newark purchased the land for light rail shortly after the abandonment of the canal around 1927. We continued across from there into the park, and turned left along the grass closely parallel.

Former Morris Canal berm

We really didn’t keep to the paths in Branch Brook, but rather close to the canal. I’ve always felt that at the north side, the large berm with the old trees was probably part of the berm of the old canal, which was where the road is now.
In the past, members of the Canal Society of NJ disagreed with me that this berm had anything to do with the canal. Historic Aerials website today proves I was 100% correct! We remained along side Franklin Avenue to a parking area on the right. This parking area was also the canal, and I pointed out the berm curving away from Franklin Ave. The canal crossed just ahead of this point, and goes onto a private tract. There is now a concrete walkway going up, which I thought perhaps was a new canal trail route, but it went nowhere but the parking lot. We had to walk up Franklin Avenue to Mill Street and turn left.

Historic Hendricks mill view

We passed by the site of the Belleville Copper Rolling Mill no the right. The place had been demolished in favor of a housing complex. I noted there was an abutment to a former spur of the Greenwood Lake Railroad that would have crossed the road to an industry.
The Belleville Copper Rolling Mill was active from 1813 until 1938. It was owned by five generations of Hendricks family, and supplied sheathing for the “Demologus”, the first US Steam powered war vessel in 1814, the “Savannah”, first steam vessel to cross the Atlantic in 1818, and “old Ironsides”, famous early locomotive built by Mathias Baldwin in 1832 (not to be confused with the ship).

Morris Canal route

We followed Mill Street to Maple Ave and turned left. At the end is an obscure section of Morris Canal Greenway that few know about. The canal went along the end of the street here, but we could turn right through the grass, separated by high fences of yards, and then emerge between more fences on Brighton Ave. We turned right here for about a block, then right onto Harrison Street. The canal hooked to the right away from Brighton and then parallels Mill Street again from there. There is a small park that identifies that the canal was at that point on the corner of Harrison and Mill. We turned left on Mill again.

We continued along Mill Street just a little bit of time, and I pointed out Morris Apartments or something, which I think used to be called Morris Canal apartments. A bit past that, we turned off to the left where there is an opening in the fence to get to Wright’s Field, a local ballfield where the canal used to pass. They have now delineated a path for the canal greenway, which wasn’t quite in place the last time I walked through with Ron Rice and the group back in 2009. Rich Rockwell was there to meet us when we arrived. He had brought keys and was able to open up restrooms that would not otherwise be open for us!

Former Morris Canal at Wright's Field

While there, he showed us some great historic photographs of the canal through the area. He had stuff from the mill right on to what we’d be seeing as we walked ahead.
There were jokes going around about the restrooms, and when James used the lady’s room, whether it was accidentally or knowingly, the group of course had to make fun of him and try to trap him inside.
The next section of the canal ahead was far different than the last time we had come through. It was a site of some controversy that I had detailed in my hike journal from the time, because it had a very unique piece of history.

Poor James

The road bridge that carried Berkeley Avenue was the last remaining active road bridge that was built specifically to span the Morris Canal. It’s remained in place because it also spans the Second River, which the canal ran beside at that point.
Sadly, the bridge had been ripped out since the last time I had been there, but Mr. Rockwell told us that he had worked with local planners to have a bridge put back in place that would at least to some degree emulate the ambiance of the earlier bridge for historic purposes.
The original bridge that spanned the canal at that point of course was made of wood, and at some point later was replaced by the steel structure, probably around the turn of the century.

Original Berkeley Avenue Bridge

Because the old bridge was recently torn out, the entire area was now fenced off with chain link, but thanks to Rich Rockwell we were able to walk through for historic interpretation.

The second bridge to span at Berkeley Avenue historic view

There was a gravel path about where the canal used to be, and we walked between construction equipment out to the former bridge site. The abutments were still there, as well as the concrete bases for the piers.

Berkeley Avenue Bridge shortly after canal abandonment

The area changed a lot in the 1930s. As I had stated, the canal was abandoned about 1927, and after that the Second River was channelized in a WPA improvement project which basically erased evidence of the canal.

Berkely Avenue Bridge on my previous hike on the canal here in 2009.

The scene was now totally different than even what it was when I walked through with my group in early 2009. We continued on past the equipment, and Mr. Rockwell opened the gates for us at the other side so we could pass through.

Former canal today

We continued from here along the Second River a bit, and then reached where there was a former canal aqueduct over top. Nothing is left of this former site because of the channelization project that occurred in the 1930s.

Berkeley Ave bridge on my 2009 hike

There is now a footbridge across the river at about the site of the former aqueduct, and so we crossed here. We walked Walnut Street to the north.

Berkeley Ave Bridge site today

We followed Walnut Street from the footbridge to Montgomery Street. The canal moves off to the west of Walnut Street and is in people’s back yards, therefore inaccessible.

Morris Canal Second River Aqueduct historic view

At Montgomery Street, we turned to the left for a bit. Just before West Street, there is a parking lot built over the former canal, where the route is visible on both sides of the road. We turned right to cross the parking lot here.

Second River Aqueduct site today

At the end of the parking lot where there was a fence, we had to turn left out to a frontage road on the Garden State Parkway, then turn left to head up to Liberty Street. We turned left there to cross the parkway.

Was this photo the crossing at present day Beach Street?

The canal crosses over where the Garden State Parkway is now just before Liberty Street. Once we were across the highway, we reached John F. Kennedy Drive South where we turned right. There was a marker at the corner that denoted this as the site of the Morris Canal, and there was even a good deep cut parallel with the road that would have been the canal prism. The present road in this area must have been the towpath. We continued on the road south to Beach Street, at which point the canal and the highway become one. Just ahead, the former Montclair Railroad crosses over John F. Kennedy Parkway.

Montclair Railroad historic underpass view

The wide through style girder railroad overpass was another bridge that was constructed to span the canal, and it was kept in place when the highway was built on it. It’s likely the historic photo was taken from Beach Street, as is mine.

Montclair Railroad underpass today

As previously stated, when the canal was abandoned in 1927, some sections, like the Newark one, were taken over by a new rapid transit plan. Just such a plan was supposed to happen in this section, part of the town of Bloomfield.

1930s view of the Montclair Railroad overpass

Bloomfield had a plan for a rapid transit train, a sort of trolley, that would be built on the right of way, and so they took it over, but it remained inactive and a grown over mess through the 1930s as seen in the photo.
Eventually, the route was redeveloped as a new highway that was dubbed the “Morris Canal Parkway”.
That name was short lived for the highway, as it was renamed in honor of John F. Kennedy shortly after his assassination. The JFK Parkway follows the historic canal route from around Beach Street all the way to it’s northern end at East Passaic Avenue.
We walked beneath the bridge, and switched to the right side which I believe would have been the towpath side to continue on.
We soon reached Foley Field. Mr. Rockwell left us near Wright’s Field, with the plan of rejoining us at this point. Again, he was there to open up restrooms for the group and to share more historic photos, some of which are presented here.

Historic view of foot bridge at site of today's Foley Field

I was surprised to learn that the present day foobridge over the John F. Kennedy Parkway is actually on the site where there was always a footbridge over the canal. Quite an interesting place for comparison!

Present day footbridge at Foley Field

Serious Sean also joined us at this point. He saw us when we were walking the road a little bit further back, and was able to find some on street parking to catch up with us, then “spilled some for his homies” when he arrived!

Historic Bloomfield mill photo

We checked out some more historic photos when we got to the park.
There were some of the old mill structures, and Mr. Rockwell explained that the present site of Foley Field was once a large pond.
Once everyone had had a good break, we continued south following the side of the road.
On my previous trip, we crossed the footbridge rather than continue along the edge. I didn’t realize it was possible to do. This put us closer to the former towpath and in a better place to get comparison pictures where the bridges used to be.

Original James Street canal bridge

I gave Mark Sceurman a call while we were waiting at Foley Field, because he said he’d like to meet up with us when we got to the next historic sites. He’s also been involved with the historic preservation of Bloomfield and was recently recognized for his contributions, not to mention he’s founder of Weird NJ and Weird U.S. franchise!

Later incarnation of the James Street bridge

The area ahead is a really interesting historic interpretation site because there were so many canal related structures in one tight area. There are many historic photos of the James Street Bridge over the canal in Bloomfield.

Present day James Street bridge

We turned right up the exit ramp to James Street, and we walked across briefly because I wanted to get some more comparison photos with views that had been taken from the bridge, and because Mr. Rockwell wanted to see if we could catch a view of some old stonework still in place along the Third River. There was once an aqueduct here to carry the canal across.

Historic canal view from James Street Bridge

We couldn’t see any of the stone work among the heavy vegetation on this occasion. We recrossed the bridge and turned left on East Passaic Ave to the north for about a block.

Present view of former canal on James Street Bridge

We turned left on Baldwin Street and headed back across JFK Parkway. From the top there, we were looking at the former site of the canal’s Inclined Plane #11 East.

Power house for Inclined Plane #11 East at Bloomfield

The Morris Canal, I explained, was the greatest climber of the world’s canals. In addition to using the traditional system of lift locks, the Morris Canal implemented Inclined Plane technology, whereas boats could be towed in cradles up short sections of portage railroads to overcome greater elevations. Although canals in Europe and Asia utilized these to a certain extent, no other canal has ever overcome such great elevation. It was also the first canal to utilize the scotch turbine, which works on a principle similar to that of a sprinkler system. Each plane had a power house, head and tail race with a penstock through which water would enter the turbine and cable pulleys.
The Scotch Turbines were first used after the final upgrade of the Morris Canal in 1842. Prior to that, the inclined planes were a much slower process, powered by simple overshot water wheels.

Historic view of the Collins House

The Collins Family, Mr. Rockwell explained, helped to work on and build the inclined plane at Bloomfield, though they were not officially the plane tenders. A plane tender was a person who lived on site and worked like a lock tender, also on site, to work and maintain the function of these structures.

Present view of the Collins House

Our next point of interest was the visit the historic Collins House. Mr. Rockwell has access to the site which will hopefully one day serve as a local historic museum.
When I last passed through the area, there was an effort to Save the Collins House in Bloomfield, but I was told that it was in all likelihood going to be torn down. I was very happy when I found out after posting a photo on Metrotrails that it just might be saved.

Candidates supporting Morris Canal Greenway in Bloomfield

It was great to see that the municipality had not only sprung for a new roof for the place, they went with the more expensive, but longer lasting and more historically accurate cedar shakes on the roof.
Mark Sceurman showed up while we were there, and we chatted about the history of the place for a while. We couldn’t go inside at this time because the building really isn’t stable. We were told there was once a corner stone that dated back to the 1700s, but had gone missing. It’s not believed that the house dates back that far, but it was probably built on the foundation of an earlier building. It is most certainly canal related and from the early days of the same. Venezia for Bloomfield we were told were the most supportive of the Morris Canal Greenway plan, and so we made a post citing this.

Morris Canal at Passaic Avenue and Hoover Ave

Mr. Rockwell told us that they are working on having the Morris Canal Greenway in Bloomfield go from the Collins House parallel with the JFK Parkway up hill to keep it off of the road an next to the canal. This time we had to go down and around.

Present view of Morris Canal at Passaic Ave and Hoover

We turned right up Hoover Ave to where the canal used to cross, and then followed Passaic Ave north. The far left side of the road was wider with a grassy swath because it used to be the canal.

Old Canal Inn

It was nice to see that the Old Canal Inn was back open and in business this time. It had just recently closed when we hiked by in 2009, and it’s fate looked uncertain. I would have liked to go in and have a drink to check it out, as would have probably most of the group, but we were already behind schedule getting to the country club portion, and I didn’t want to keep them waiting for too long.
The Old Canal Inn was actually opened after the demise of the canal, but it is surrounded by local lore, and his home of “The Death Seat”. They have live music and food, and we’ll visit there on another hike.

Historic canal view

We remained on Passaic Avenue north, and crossed the Garden State Parkway on the bridge. The canal was either on the left of the road, or obliterated by the parkway in this section. We stayed on the road until we got to Pilch Street.

Morris Canal Greenway in Bloomfield

At Pilch Street, we turned left to a footbridge over the Parkway. This is both the official Morris Canal Greenway as well as the Lenape Trail, a long distance hiking trail that is part of both the Liberty Water Gap Trail and the 911memorialtrail. We’d be doing this section the following week.

Plane 12 in Scientific American

On the other side, the former canal moves away from the Garden State Parkway and is now a newly developed greenway section heading north. The path was really nice, with wood chips cut and laid down. It had historic photos secured to the fences for interpretation and a nice kiosk.
Mr. Rockwell showed us that Inlined Plane #11 East was also featured in a famous issue of Scientific American way back.
We were able to continue from this spot onto a really good section of new Morris Canal Trail. I was able to bushwhack some of this section before, but now it was much better.

Bloomfield!

The trail went off into the actual canal prism, but there were opportunities to make a little loop here. Another path, on or close to the towpath, followed the right side but was closer to the Garden State Parkway fence. We opted to remain in the canal prism because it is a much more pleasant walk.
We were able to follow the former canal route all the way up to Watchung Ave. From that point, we had to do something differently than we did in the past. I had walked the bit north of there, which was one with the Third River at that point. We simply figured we’d walk down the Third River between the points, but a guy came after us with a baseball bat. We didn’t want to have any problems like that again, so we crossed to the other side of the Parkway on Watchung Ave.

Morris Canal Greenway in Bloomfield

We wet out to Perry Road and turned left, and checked out a classic car parked on the way. We followed to Byrd Ave, and then were able to get up on a grassy knoll above the Parkway to avoid walking on the street much more. We then continued to West Passaic Avenue, at about the point where the canal comes back across from the other side of the Parkway. At the intersection, we stopped by John's Deli and Italian Bistro for a little lunch break. Looking at the time, they must have been getting ready to close down for the day, and along came a giant group of people, all hungry! They were very nice and accommodating, and made us some good food.
When we were getting close to finished, I made the phone calls to state police and to the country club that we were on our way.

State Police Escort at Bloomfield Barracks

An officer was sent out to meet up with us at the intersection with Passaic Avenue, and they happily escorted us along the frontage road to a gate where the Morris Canal once continued to the north. We passed through the gate and were able to walk on through the canal prism.

Morris Canal near Bloomfield Barracks

I was surprised to see just how clear the canal prism was. It was a little muddy, but not too bad. The state police facility had actually been constructed since my last visit to the area in 2009, before which passing through was simpler. The towpath at the time was actually somewhat clear, but the prism was completely impassable. Now it was the complete opposite. We continued past people’s back yards, but without encroaching on any of them. Most were well fenced off.

Entering country club with permission

When we got to the fence at the end of Upper Montclair County Club, Mr. Brunnell gave me the cell number to his manager, Sean, and so I called him as we were ready to move along. He answered immediately and told me he would be there in a few moments.

Morris Canal at the golf course

The state police remained near their property boundary in view to make sure that everyone made it sure alright, and that the manager got there to escort us. They had thought the canal was somewhere else, where the Third River flows through the fence into the golf course, so they went over their first.
Where the canal enters the golf course, there is a cart path that follows the old towpath and prism, which was filled in to level. It is still quite recognizable as the former canal passing through though.
In order to get over to the course, we had to scale a chain link fence. I think there might have even been two of them. I went over by way of a tree at the first spot, and getting onto the corner of the course itself we got lucky because some recent storm damage kept a piece of it laying a bit lower, so we just scooted over and saved some time.

Morris Canal remnants at the golf course

It took a little while to get everyone across, and just after everyone was over, Sean showed up on a golf course to escort us through. I looked over and saw one of the officers on the barracks sign, and gave an acknowledging wave. He motioned back, and we were on our way with Mr. Blatz across the course.
This was a really awesome spot because it’s a really different way to see how the former canal has been worked into the lovely landscaping of the course. Some sections are left completely watered and truly look like the canal, though not as it would have looked because there is no towpath. Other areas are narrow and are just a sort of drainage.

Morris Canal at country club

It looked like a buried water utility might have been put under the first stretch we walked, and then the berm and towpath side we could see may have been worked into the contoured landscape ahead. Sean took us across, and we held up to take some photos while we waited for a couple to play through a section. The golf course is concerned that we might get hit by errant golf balls and was concerned for their liability, for which I can’t blame them.
When people would finish where they were, we would walk on to the next sections. There were a couple of really good watered sections as we headed northeast through the course.

Morris Canal at the golf course

Everyone was great about putting this together. The state police said their was no problem so long as the golf course had no problem.
When I called up the course, I introduced myself and let them know what exactly I was looking to do, but also let them know it wasn’t a big deal, I know how to walk around the property. I just told them that I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask, and that if I didn’t ask then of course the answer is “no”!

Giant trees from the edge of the canal

The voice on the other line said:
“Well, let me ask you this....why would I say no?”
This friendly and open response from such a posh and exclusive country club took me by surprise, and everyone I dealt with there from beginning to end in obtaining permission were really nice and accommodating to deal with.
We continued across the course, passed two pond sections, and then narrower sections where the waterway was almost dry and used as drainage. Toward the north, it skirted a sort of caged driving area, then went out across a non course section of mowed grass with giant trees. These trees appeared to have once graced the edge of the canal. They were of such significant size that they were most certainly there the same time as the canal.

The route of Morris Canal across Upper Montclair Country Club

The Morris Canal was 102 miles long from Phillipsburg to Jersey City NJ, and had a five mile navigable feeder canal along the Pompton River, as well as a shorter navigable feeder from Lake Hopatcong.
It was completed to Newark in 1831 and to Jersey City in 1836. The Morris Canal was leased to the Lehigh Valley Railroad for a number of years, then taken over by the State of NJ in 1922. Despite outcry to preserve the canal much like what was done to the Delaware and Raritan Canal, the state formally abandoned the Morris Canal in 1924. The infrastructure was much dismantled over the next five years. Studying the route of the former canal using aerial images is an interesting way to see how, nearly a century later, it still very seriously effects the shape of our landscapes.

Jubilee Park section of former canal

We thanked Sean for guiding us through the course and were off on the north side. Before he left he showed us some remants of the canal approaching the Hepburn Road underpass of Rt 3. I had not noticed the tiny watered section there before. He said there was also some stone work visible when their weren’t leaves on the trees. We all turned right on Hepburn Road, and then tried walking down Dianne Court which closely parallels the former canal, but I didn’t see a way through and turned around. Some of the group apparently found a gate in a fence and walked right through.
The rest of us continued up Hepburn to Allwood Road and turned left. We continued on this to the south side of Jubilee Park. This park has two paved paths, the westernmost of which follows rather closely the former canal. We stopped to climb on a block shaped building thing just before crossing to it.
We followed the park all the way to the north end. There, a power line crosses the Garden State Parkway to the west. This was the canal route. We turned back at this point and followed the path down the west side of Jubilee Park back to Allwood. We cut to the right where there were some businesses in a strip mall along the road and got some drinks and snacks. Mr. Rockwell left us around this time to head back, and the rest of us passed under the parkway, which had interesting blue painted patterns under it.
On the other side, we turned right and crossed commuter parking lots to an exit ramp, and headed to the other side of the parkway lanes. We cut down direction through woods, which I did the previous time as well, toward Tenafly Pediatrics building. The woods had a faint path through it last time I was there, which was good for walking through, but that was all gone this time. We walked the parking lot north to get to the Clifton Canal Park, where the canal went over the present day Parkway.

Clifton Canal Park

The Clifton Canal Park is rather famous for being one fo the few remaining watered sections of the Morris Canal in NJ. It has a good towpath and prism in a nice stretch of the canal. It was kind of disappointing this time because there wasn’t as much remaining water in the canal, and it was far more growin over with weeds. The towpath was still well kept, as was the entire picnic area. A rock garden that was off to the right, like one of those meditation gardens, was completely overgrown this time. We continued on the towpath to the south for a little ways, and got to where on the previous hike we had come down from the nearby road. This time, I saw a good path ahead.

Former Morris Canal along the Parkway

I was excited at first that maybe even more of the Morris Canal Greenway had been opened. The path was just too good for it not to be something official. The path led past a big tree and remained pretty much right on where the Morris Canal was. Some of the canal was overtaken by the Garden State Parkway, but there is pretty much always at least something to be seen. It actually wouldn’t be a tough section of greenway to open up truthfully. There is enough of a green swath beside the parkway as well as Rt 18 to have a good off road trail all the way nearly to Paterson.
The path continued a good while, and there was never a single “no trespassing” sign, but then we emerged at an open gate which just seemed to be a back yard. I thought it was a park at first, but then I found myself walking up a dead end street or driveway back to Broad Street. I’m to this day not sure if that was supposed to be greenway or not.
We had a very long walk up Broad Street from here. It dragged on even for me. The hike up till that point was great, but it was just getting really hot and I wished we had a swimming spot. We stopped at a convenience store along the way, which was even hotter inside, and I don’t know how they could stand it. I had to buy some ice cream.
After another little break, we continued north. We passed under Rt 46 and continued on Broad with some occasional views of the canal prism to the right in the weeds. There are brief walkable sections in there, but we didn’t bother to go down to it this time.

Canal Road on the former canal

Eventually, Broad Street took us under Rt 19, and on the other side, Canal Street followed the route of the canal. It came out from a spot where 18 was built over it, and then reached Broad where it became Marshall entering Paterson. We continued on Canal Street north, and laughed at how the exotic dancer club “The Hitching Post” ironically had another business sign appear above it, “Done Well Trailer and Body”. We continued to walk Canal Road to the north until we got to a set of steps that went down hill to Mary Street. The road ahead dead ends at 18.
Dan commented that these steps might have been an access to an old station that existed on the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad’s Boonton Branch.

Former Morris Canal on Canal Street

Prior to the construction of Interstate 80 in the area, the present route was the route of both the Morris Canal and the Boonton Branch. The highway overtook both in the 1950s or so. He’s probably right about the station.
At the bottom of the steps, we continued north along Marshall Street and passed under Rt 80. The canal turned to the west around the base of Garrett Mountain there. We continued to Grand Street and turned to the left.
The official Morris Canal Greenway has two routes through this part. One route follows most closely the former canal through Paterson, just below 80 on the north. A couple of spots have where the canal comes out from under the highway.

Making friends

The other route is a footpath route which goes up Garrett Mountain, partially following the old Great Notch Path, then heads over to the other side, staying on the rocks just above the former canal route. I decided we would do both in this series, but the higher route would be the next canal hike in June.
Along the street, a big friendly cat came out to greet us. James and Jen picked him right up and most of the group stopped to pet him. He wanted to get down I think after being scared by a dog.
We continued on grand for a while, and people were all wondering what such a big group of people were doing walking through Paterson.
Some guy near a gas station shouted out to us “Y’all Christians?”. Surprised, and not knowing how exactly to respond on behalf of the group, I shouted back “Yup! Yeaaaah Jesus!”. Justin was behind me, and I shouted “Jesus, right?”! He hadn’t heard the guy addressing us first.
When we were within a mile of the cars, I posed the question to the group if anyone would want to walk just over a mile out of the way to see the Great Falls. The falls are the highest volume in the state of NJ, and one of the largest volume in the eastern US. It seemed appropriate that we visit them.

The Great Falls

Many in the group didn’t want to go, but most of us did. Unfortunately, all of the paths I usually take to get there were closed for the road we were on! I don’t know what happened there, but we couldn’t get down them. Some friendly trail neighbors allowed us to cut through their yard to go down to the next section near the reservoir and make our way over to the falls off of McBride Ave. That end of the trail was not blocked or closed at all, strangely. We walked up the road to the falls entrance and went to enjoy the scenery.
We crossed the long footbridge with the best falls view, then headed over to the lower walkway to more views. None of this was built up the last time I was there. The walkway now went at an angle it didn’t used to. This was all redeveloped with the Paterson Great Falls NHP (National Historic Park). There are plans in place to restore the area, including all of the raceways that were constructed to power the silk mills. Paterson has a rich history as America’s first planned industrial city, under Alexander Hamilton. I gave everyone some history including the silk mills, and nearby Hinchliffe Stadium, where the New York Black Yankees once played when there was still segregation in sports.
We sat for a relaxing break at the falls, and it was strange to look around and see all of the changes. I worked at the site when I was first hiked by NJ State Park Service. I had to clean up around the site where the state had been purchasing lands for this plan, including an abandoned Dairy Queen up the road bought for extra parking. Now, all of the paths I was once given the job to photograph for the plan had been cleared, and no brush was on the hillsides around the falls.

Bridge at the raceways

I had a talk with Serious Sean about how things just don’t turn out how you expected sometimes, but how it can be so much better, and how it can shape everything you do for a long time ahead. I brought up how he played “Wishing You Were Here” by Chicago and The Beach Boys on guitar the last time hiking in the area, when one of the girls had requested “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. No one expected it, but between a few of us we knew the chords, lyrics, and harmonies. It’s sort of a metaphor for life how everyone can end up on the same page and it can be something so much better. Since that time I’ve been listening to a lot of Chicago and Beach Boys again, and am really quite enjoying it.
This hike sort of came together like that a bit, just a good time with some surprises, but also well planned. I was reminded that everyone was standing around, so we moved on from here, and I led everyone back to the upper raceway, which has a path along side of it. It’s a beautiful walk, and we followed it to the old road up to the park by one of the reservoirs. Like the other path, it was not closed where we went in, but closed off of Grand Street, so we had to go around more chains again. Kind of confusing.
We turned left on New Street, where there is canal grade remnant, and I told everyone we would pick the canal up again at this site in June. We continued on New Street to the parking lot just ahead on the right.
I drove Sean back to his car, and we continued our discussion about life and how crazy it can be. He told me he was bringing his guitar on the next one, and we vowed that it would be an awesome day.

This entire experience was a great example of how different people and organizations can come together to showcase historic and ecology for a better outcome and experience for everyone involved. I look forward to more awesome events like this as we move foreward!