Wanaque Area
Local History

Welcome to Wanaque Area Local History. Presented here for your study and enjoyment find writings on New Jersey history, particularly on the early days of the Wanaque and Haskell area from the time of the Lenni Lenape, through British Colonial America, to the Twentieth Century. Read about the early European settlement of old Pompton Township, the chartering of the Borough of Wanaque, the iron mining, the railroad days, the building of the Wanaque Reservoir. Historical photographs from the collections of area residents Sam DeBenedetto and Bill Trusewicz, including some photographs from the older collections of Louis P. West and Clinton W. Ackerman, provide a window into New Jersey's history and that of the young Nation. Along with this photographic history of the early United States, you will find related historical text and some genealogy drawing upon a variety of sources as noted. Take a walk through our online trove and learn about the past of the area now home to the Wanaque Reservoir, which provides water to many of New Jersey's cities.

Above photograph shows
Freedom Furnace circa 1870.

This project was originally funded by the Technology Bond Fund administered by the New Jersey State Library. It was realized under the auspices of the Wanaque Borough Free Public Library by Richard Mariconda, Library Director.