The Boonton Ironworks Stone Arch Bridge is a pedestrian crossing over the Rockaway River in Boonton, New Jersey.
The Boonton Ironworks Stone Arch Bridge is a pedestrian crossing over the Rockaway River in Boonton, New Jersey.
In 1866, a stone arch bridge was constructed over the Rockaway River to carry a pipe that provided a continuous water supply to the Fuller, Lord & Company, informally known as the Boonton Ironworks. 1 2 The Boonton Ironworks operated until 1876, with various companies operating on the former ironworks site thereafter. 2
In 1929, the estate of James Couper Lord deeded a large park space on the south side of the river to the Town of Boonton in honor of Grace Lord Nicoll, James Couper Lord’s daughter. 1 2 The deed stipulated that the property was to be used as a public park, named Grace Park.
During the 20th century, Grace Lord Park featured a bandstand and a swimming beach. 2 By 1949, the Town of Boonton had acquired the core of the former Boonton Ironworks property, with the exception of two industrial lots.
The area encompassing the stone arch bridge, Boonton Ironworks, and a railroad bridge was purchased through Greenspace funds in the late 1970s and was added to the park. 1 In 2019, a $50,000 New Jersey Historic Trust grant helped fund a National Register nomination for the Boonton Ironworks Historic District. In 2020, a $320,000 grant from the Trust helped fund the stabilization and restoration of the stone arch bridge.
The Boonton Iron Works site was listed as the Boonton Ironworks Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places on July 14, 2023, for its significance in engineering, industry, and transportation.
Information
- State: New Jersey
- Route: N/A
- Type: Stone Arch
- Status: Active - Pedestrian
Sources
- “Boonton Ironworks Historic District.” New Jersey Historic Trust.
- Hickey, Margaret M., and Patrick Harshbarger. Boonton Ironworks Historic District. National Register of Historic Places, 13 Dec. 2022.