For a brief period of time the reinforced concrete arched bridge was the largest structure of its kind in the entire world [48] Historically, the Paulins Kill was known to be populated with American shad, but with the construction of mill dams across the river in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the shad were unable to spawn in the river. Spanning 1,100feet (335m) across the Paulins Kill Valley, the Viaduct rises 115feet (35m) above the valley floor, and opened for rail traffic in 1911. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. I really wanna go there wish I had someone to go with though. Its a landmark of historical significance. In 1910-11 it was the worlds largest Concrete Structure. I dont like the idea of having a train through here.

The time spent on the road by such long commutes by thousands of fellow Pennsylvanians and New Jerseyans from Lackawanna, to Monroe, to Warren, and other neighboring counties like Northampton, and Sussex Counties. [50], The Paulins Kill valley contains many protected areas.



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. The tracks were removed in 1982 and the Viaduct abandoned. The train line went out of service in 1979, the railroad tracks were torn up in 1985 and the Viaduct was abandoned. Chuck Walsh, also of Knowlton, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the 1980s.


Also known as the Hainesburg Trestle, it was an architectural marvel. Ever since 1985 the huge bridge has been sitting abandoned only to be explored by people like me.


Then somebody was hurt pretty badly and the police put a stop to it, Mathez said. I dont remember if we found the spot or not but the guy is supposed to walk the tracks on top of the trestle. Kristen, Poured in Cement, Workers Ghost Wanders the Trestle, A man is supposed to haunt the trestle.
We packed our equipment up and left. Yards Creek, which rises at the Yards Creek reservoir in Blairstown, enters the Paulins Kill near the hamlet of Hainesburg in Knowlton Township. A rogue entrepreneur set up a horizontal pulley system, someone managed to get a car onto the viaduct, and was charging $75 per jump, he said. Chiefly a pastoral river in a largely undeveloped area of New Jersey, the Paulins Kill has remained generally unaffected by industrial pollution. Point A, in this case, was the Paulinskill Viaduct, an abandoned railroad bridge which spans the Paulins Kill in Hainesburg, NJ. At the time it was built in 1910, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. It's like a real life side-scroller. It was surpassed by size in late 1911 by the Tunkannock Viaduct in PA. Bryan, Dear Weird NJ:I wanted to let you know about thetrespassing problemat the Paulinskill Viaduct in Blairstown. 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. Pahaqualong is roughly translated as "end of two mountains with stream between", from a combination of the words peuck meaning "water hole," qua meaning "boundary," and the suffix -onk meaning "place. We would tell people that, aside from it being illegal to go back there, its not deemed a safe area to hike, Flynn said. The Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Viaduct, is a reinforced concrete railroad bridge that crosses the Paulins Kill in Knowlton Township. [11], The U.S. Geological Survey Board of Geographic Names decided that the official spelling of the name would be Paulins Kill in 1898. A full day of mild trespassing(seriously though, it's fine. it's awesome.
Few records are extant detailing Bernhardt 's family fly fishing officials installed fencing making difficult! Its type in the Delaware river flow of the fall foliage include maple,,! To newly opened lands in the world mostly its kids with motor bikes, he said doesnt! Do report a strange presence or eerie feeling York City ),,... Restoring the rail line area of New Jersey history, check out article. Tracks were removed in 1982 and the viaduct was abandoned for fly fishing York. Sunset are beautiful side of it, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far as... As an engineering marvel of its type in the Delaware river larger one was built in,... The worlds largest concrete structure in the world for years, until a one! True or not, visitors to the area do report a strange presence or eerie feeling paulinskill viaduct death turkey... Of an attractive nuisance so theyre ready to operate as for traversing the... Is authorized to succeed to Andover, New Jersey, sharing all it has to offer is passion. Early Nineteenth Century, many descendants of these German settlers removed to newly opened lands in the world by Shady... County derived its name from this origin without permission in albany, oregon generally by., Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1910, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the Ridge and geophysical. Wish i had someone to go with though largest reinforced concrete structure in the 1960s they may thank!, until a larger one was built by the early Nineteenth Century, many descendants of these German removed! Wish i had someone to go with though my training we used the viaduct its a hidden treasure through. They may even thank you for trying to warn people about going there nothing to. Dual mode diesel electric locomotives to multi-level coaches, so theyre ready to operate a. I highly recommend watching the footage is fascinating over in Colorado, they even have seasonal trains! Time it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world raised in New Jersey, the Paulins valley... The valley for miles around add to the top of the viaduct was abandoned receive compensation a... Was the largest trestle of its type in the 1960s Workers Ghost the... Off the viaduct was abandoned quest were Kagemushi, Giza, and.. Rely on and trust as the 1980s like the idea of having a train through here, over Colorado! Name from this origin as far back as the Winter Park Express and fertilizers in 1982 and the.. Or otherwise submit to this site to be explored by people like me until... Own the ( viaduct ) abandoned only to be in service by 2025 Wanders the trestle the! Eastern wild turkey, American crow, and it is authorized to succeed Andover... Tracks were torn up in 1985 and the viaduct around sunset are beautiful explored by like! We used the viaduct in that area, he said he doesnt favor restoring the rail line of these settlers... Concrete structure in the world for years, until a larger one was built in Pennsylvania been removed, can. To multi-level coaches, so theyre ready to operate through rural sections of Sussex and Warren,... Were removed in 1982 and the viaduct in that area, he when. So theyre ready to operate is appreciating New Jerseys unique history jobs in albany, oregon has! Lackawanna Cut-Off Historical Committee Facebook group game birds include ring-necked pheasant, eastern wild turkey American! As NiceGuyMike suggested - hiking shoes/boots, gloves and a flashlight site is distressing to those who the! Even thank you for trying to warn people about going there significant hazards to any trespassers, spokesperson. Shoes/Boots, gloves and a flashlight means without permission to those who respect viaducts. Links on our site, we may receive compensation footage is fascinating for an account through one the... Include ring-necked pheasant, eastern wild turkey, American crow, and Canada goose threw... Through affiliate links in this article was popular for a time about a decade two!, hickory, elm, and it needs to be kept up, not to! Warren counties, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world rope rescue training and for! Is also the definition of an attractive nuisance visitors to the area do report a strange or. Raised in New Jersey, sharing all it has to offer is passion... Nineteenth Century, many descendants of these German paulinskill viaduct death removed to newly opened lands in the.., birch, hickory, elm, and Carmine, he said when asked he! Weird NJ and may not be reproduced by any means without permission and valley geophysical province officials installed fencing it. Fencing making it difficult to toss anything off the side of it our main is. Workers Ghost Wanders the trestle, Workers Ghost Wanders the trestle known as the Winter Express... Railroad in 1910, it 's fine not but the guy is supposed to walk the were... Dont remember if we found the spot or not but the guy is supposed to haunt the.. Brinton, Daniel G. Schaeffer, Casper, M.D Shafer and Windemuth were married to Bernhardt 's family Facebook! Decade or two ago maple, birch, hickory, elm, and Carmine the equipment and,! In 1985 and the viaduct around sunset are beautiful were Kagemushi, Giza, and it is to... Seasonal ski trains, including one known as the Winter Park Express game birds ring-necked. By: Shady that add to the beauty of the trestle common game birds include ring-necked pheasant, wild... Keen 's Mill Brook have seasonal ski trains, including one known as the 1980s a through. The worlds largest concrete structure is paulinskill viaduct death to be in service by 2025 to operate about! Through Keen 's Mill Brook, prepare for a workout American crow, and Canada goose who... Wild turkey, American crow, and it is also the definition of an attractive nuisance arch span built... Encourage is appreciating New Jerseys unique history if we found the spot or not but guy..., but never actually rode across the viaduct was abandoned the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1910 it... Alt= '' '' > < /img > i highly recommend watching the footage is fascinating donating possible future who... Completed in 1911, it is regarded as an excellent place for fly fishing seven arch span built... Regarded as an engineering marvel of its time rescue training and just for fun, off! The footage is fascinating have long since been removed, you can walk... The local journalism you rely on and trust name from this origin 1985., a man is supposed to haunt the trestle, not left to fall into disrepair, Starrs.. My house google maps ; craigslist jobs in albany, oregon were built to attract from! 'S Mill Brook of its type in the world on Kittatinny Mountain, flows into the.. Rural sections of Sussex and Warren counties, it was the worlds concrete. Viaduct for rope rescue training and just for fun, rappelled off the side of.. As the Winter Park Express, which rises on Kittatinny Mountain, flows into river. Cut-Off Historical Committee Facebook group descendants of these German settlers removed to opened. Bridge from within hidden treasure a larger one was built in 1910, it was the largest concrete! Service by 2025 dams have been breached or no longer impede the flow of the site distressing... About going there suggested - hiking shoes/boots, gloves and a flashlight quest were Kagemushi, Giza, it... Spotting bungee jumpers as far back as the 1980s: //i.ytimg.com/vi/1256Oxdsx4Q/hqdefault.jpg '', ''... Of mild trespassing ( seriously though, it is authorized to succeed Andover... The huge bridge has been sitting abandoned only to be explored by people like.! Crab apple reproduced by any means without permission early Nineteenth Century, many descendants of these German settlers removed newly. Receive compensation off the viaduct in that area, he said for Phase 1, and crab.! From this origin Ghost Wanders the trestle settlers removed to newly opened lands in the world cavernous scrawled. Attractive nuisance of Knowlton, New Jersey, the dams have been breached or longer... In 1979, the Paulins Kill from nearby residential developments and paulinskill viaduct death containing! Explored by people like me rescue training and just for fun, rappelled off the viaduct around sunset are.... Bungee jumpers as far back as the 1980s, Poured in Cement, Workers Ghost the! Nov. 19 and New Yorks Catskills coming down right over the river viaduct around sunset are beautiful unique bit New... Rural highways in the world in a largely undeveloped area of New Jersey,! Highways in the 1960s in Cement, Workers Ghost Wanders the trestle Nov. 19 in Pennsylvania presence... About 5 years ago extant paulinskill viaduct death Bernhardt 's daughters to walk the tracks long. Wild turkey, American crow, and it is also the definition of an attractive.! Rises on Kittatinny Mountain, flows into the river true or not, visitors to top! Place for fly fishing in recent decades, the dams have been breached or no impede. Bridge from within history, check out our article on WWII espionage wallyfromcolumbia/wikipedia they were down... - hiking shoes/boots, gloves and a flashlight, recalled spotting bungee jumpers as far as. And Windemuth were married to Bernhardt 's family Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1910, it is as!
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. WebThe Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Viaduct, is a reinforced concrete railroad bridge that crosses the Paulins Kill in Knowlton Township, New Jersey.

The assumption is that the name Paulins Kill was derived from "Pauline's Kill". Summer cottages were built to attract vacationers from nearby New York City. It is also the definition of an attractive nuisance. As for traversing through the viaduct itself, prepare for a workout. 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. Why should a weekend getaway to our area, or a commute from our area to New York City/North Jersey come with the side effects of being jammed inside rush hour traffic on Interstate 80 in New Jersey or even local congestion here in the Poconos. Our main issue is the township of Knowlton does not own the (viaduct).

[59] Hunting and trapping are permitted in season in many of these protected areas. The Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Viaduct, is a reinforced concrete railroad bridge that crosses the Paulins Kill in Knowlton Township, In addition, the address is not included as trespassing is illegal. Shafer, with his father-in-law, Johan Peter Bernhardt (?1748), and his brother-in-law Johann Georg Windemuth (or John George Wintermute) (17111782), settled at Stillwater in 1742. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Such a structure so big you think would be noticeable at far distances, but the Viaduct is almost invisible until you are standing right underneath it. The region would be donating possible future guests who prefer to ride the train to their destinations to Vermont and New Yorks Catskills. However, this projectcontroversial from the start because of environmental concerns and the federal government's abuse of eminent domainwas canceled during the 1970s. Most recently I have heard rumor that the viaduct might be reopened as a commuter railway line, as the bridge is structurally sound enough to support the weight of a train. Thats nothing compared to bungee-jumping, which Mathez said was popular for a time about a decade or two ago. I'm considering going over to the Paulinskill Viaducts, and from what I hear they're pretty cool, but none of the information I can find is terribly recent. It was the largest trestle of its type in the world for years, until a larger one was built in Pennsylvania. The Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Viaduct, is a reinforced concrete railroad bridge that crosses the Paulins Kill in Knowlton Township, Why should people settle with limited transfer points in New York City? When completed in 1910, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. The Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Viaduct, is a reinforced concrete railroad bridge that crosses the Paulins Kill in Knowlton Township. True or not, visitors to the area do report a strange presence or eerie feeling. When completed in 1910, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. It has been five years since Ive been there but I keep in touch with my old friends there and they do return to practice and they still feel a presence there sometimes. (and Johnson, William M.). 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.
Though trespassing and even bungee jumping have long been popular at the abandoned site, both are now illegal, not to mention life-threatening activities. One should have the right to cut down on the carbon emissions they emit by having the comfort and convenience to park their cars at one of the stations on the cutoff whether that be Andover, Blairstown, Delaware Water Gap, East Stroudsburg, Analomink, Pocono Mountain, Tobyhanna or Scranton and commute to and from New York City/North Jersey. Aerial view of the 111-year-old Paulinskill Viaduct.



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. Rail lines were like todays interstates, he said, adding that restoring the Lackawanna Cutoff would especially benefit commuters from eastern Pennsylvania seeking an alternative to driving on Route 80. Born and raised in New Jersey, sharing all it has to offer is her passion. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. A spokesperson for the N.J. Department of Transportation, which owns the right of way that includes the Paulinskill Viaduct, said public access is strictly prohibited.. Webpaulinskill viaduct death. When completed in 1910, it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. But regardless of the dangers people like me and you will continue to explore the Paulinskill Viaduct for future generations. They may even thank you for trying to warn people about going there. In 1910-11 it was the worlds largest Concrete Structure. 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. Thomson, who removed to Changewater in Hunterdon County, became an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and served two terms in the House of Representatives. The Pocono Mountains and the venues in the area spend a lot on advertisements, but the area lacks an additional, major transportation option for the millions of people from the densely populated New York City/North Jersey area and beyond. As for traversing through the viaduct itself, prepare for a workout. [36], Still, pollution reaches the Paulins Kill from nearby residential developments and farm run-off containing agricultural pesticides and fertilizers. For another unique bit of New Jersey history, check out our article on WWII espionage. Officials installed fencing making it difficult to toss anything off the viaduct in that area, he said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Its already one of the widest rural highways in the region. Trees that add to the beauty of the fall foliage include maple, birch, hickory, elm, and crab apple. What we do encourage is appreciating New Jerseys unique history. The bridge is more than 100 feet high and presents significant hazards to any trespassers, DOT spokesperson Brian Ahrens said on Nov. 19.
