Stanhope in Sussex County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Waterloo, A Canal Town
Village of Waterloo
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 21, 2016
1. Waterloo, A Canal Town Marker
Inscription.
Waterloo, A Canal Town. Village of Waterloo. , Peter Smith was a man of vision. Knowing the Morris Canal was about to build a lock and an inclined plane at the Old Andover Forge site, Smith moved his family to the village and built a general store right on the canal. He and his extended family operated the grist and saw mills, helped build the church and supported the local school. Soon, the village had a store keeper, lock tender, plane tender, school teacher, and other residents. Smith’s canal store became the commercial center of the region. High grade iron ore from nearby mines was shipped on the canal and hundreds of boats, loaded with anthracite coal from Pennsylvania, passed through the village. Smith’s vision made Waterloo a thriving inland canal port, where boatmen picked up supplies at the store, had their mules shod, and shared news with residents before traveling on.
, < Sidebar : > , Morris Canal Greenway. The Morris Canal Greenway encompasses part of the historic Morris Canal’s alignment and is a cooperative effort of the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, the Canal Society of New Jersey, the Village of Waterloo and the Friends of the Morris Canal. The Greenway’s purpose is to preserve the remains of the Morris Canal and its associated natural environment, to interpret canal sites to the public and to offer recreational opportunities. As you walk the Greenway, you will see the remains of canal features, including inclined planes, locks, canal bed and historic industries and communities directly related to the Morris Canal’s operation., Canal Stories , Beginning in the 1890s, Charles McWilliams was the brakeman on the plane cars at Plane 3 West, a short distance east of Plane 4 West, at Waterloo. He lived in the stone house provided by the canal company with his wife and eight children. In 1908, he received a promotion to become the plane tender at Plane 3 East, at Ledgewood. He moved his entire family and house contents on a canal boat to Ledgewood. His direct descendants still live along Plane 3 East, although not in the plane tender’s house which still stands.
Peter Smith was a man of vision. Knowing the Morris Canal was about to build a lock and an inclined plane at the Old Andover Forge site, Smith moved his family to the village and built a general store right on the canal. He and his extended family operated the grist and saw mills, helped build the church and supported the local school. Soon, the village had a store keeper, lock tender, plane tender, school teacher, and other residents. Smith’s canal store became the commercial center of the region. High grade iron ore from nearby mines was shipped on the canal and hundreds of boats, loaded with anthracite coal from Pennsylvania, passed through the village. Smith’s vision made Waterloo a thriving inland canal port, where boatmen picked up supplies at the store, had their mules shod, and shared news with residents before traveling on.
< Sidebar : > Morris Canal Greenway
The Morris Canal Greenway encompasses part of the historic Morris Canal’s alignment and is a cooperative effort of the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, the Canal Society of New Jersey, the Village of Waterloo and the Friends of the Morris Canal. The Greenway’s purpose is to preserve the remains of the Morris Canal and its associated natural environment, to interpret canal sites to the public and to offer recreational
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opportunities. As you walk the Greenway, you will see the remains of canal features, including inclined planes, locks, canal bed and historic industries and communities directly related to the Morris Canal’s operation.
Canal Stories Beginning in the 1890s, Charles McWilliams was the brakeman on the plane cars at Plane 3 West, a short distance east of Plane 4 West, at Waterloo. He lived in the stone house provided by the canal company with his wife and eight children. In 1908, he received a promotion to become the plane tender at Plane 3 East, at Ledgewood. He moved his entire family and house contents on a canal boat to Ledgewood. His direct descendants still live along Plane 3 East, although not in the plane tender’s house which still stands.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Morris Canal series list.
Location. 40° 54.858′ N, 74° 45.342′ W. Marker is in Stanhope, New Jersey, in Sussex County. Marker can be reached from Waterloo Valley Road, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located in Historic Waterloo Village. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Stanhope NJ 07874, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. Portraits of Peter Smith and Mariah Johnson Smith appear on the left side of the marker. Below this is a photograph of “A fully loaded canal boat approach[ing] the aqueduct/guard lock near the Smith General Store.”
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 22, 2015
3. Marker on the Morris Canal
The Morris Canal can be seen behind the marker.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 21, 2016
4. Marker in Waterloo Village
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 21, 2016
5. Peter Smith's General Store
Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2016, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 449 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 21, 2016, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.