Rutherford in Bergen County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Passaic River
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, May 12, 2015
1. The Passaic River Marker
Inscription.
The Passaic River. .
Route 3 Bridge at the Passaic River. The Route 3 Bridge over the Passaic River, completed in 1949, was a 7-span, 699 foot long, 76 foot wide, double leaf bascule, simple trunnion movable bridge. It consisted of a twin-double leaf main span, two flanking spans and four approach spans. The corners of the bascule span were topped with flat-roofed, moderne-style operator’s houses of reinforced concrete, railings with moderne-style posts adorned the approach spans. The bridge was unique for its internal rack, a feature found on only one other bridge in New Jersey. The bridge was determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Movable Bridges over the Passaic River. Movable bridges spanned the Passaic River from Newark Bay to Paterson to accommodate large vessel navigation. The first bridge to connect Rutherford with the Delawanna section of Clifton was the Rutherford Avenue Bridge, a Pratt truss bascule (draw) bridge completed in 1870. Further down the river, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad built the Lyndhurst draw bridge, a 439-foot long swing bridge completed in 1900. The former Route 3 Bridge, replaced the Rutherford Avenue Bridge in 1949. The present bridge replaced the Route 3 Bridge over the Passaic River in 2014., The stone beneath this marker was salvaged from the channel piers of the Route 3 Bridge.
Maritime Travel on the Passaic River. Since European settlement along the banks of the Passaic River in the late seventeenth century, the river has played a central role in commerce, transportation and recreation. Passenger ferries and schooners were the earliest commercial vessels to ply the Passaic River. In the nineteenth century, steamboats dominated river travel, hauling manufactured goods and raw materials between Paterson’s inland mills, Newark Bay and New York City. They played a significant role in the industrial development of New Jersey. Barges and ocean-going vessels were a common site prior to 1950, but maritime activity declined, due to the development of improved roads and highways. Today, the occasional tugboat or tanker still navigates the waters of the Passaic River.
Recreation on the Passaic River. From the close of the Civil War to the early twentieth century, the Passaic River was a noted attraction that drew swimmers, picnickers, sightseers, and boaters to its shores. During much of this period, the river was recognized as a premier location for championship rowing races. The “Passaic Course”, as the racing route was known, was lauded by contemporaries as one of the best in the region, and on pleasant weekends it was lined with enthusiastic crowds cheering dozens of local rowing clubs, such as the Nereid Boat Club, the Passaic Boat Club and the Triton Boat Club. Rowing on the Passaic fell off precipitously by the early 1900s as a consequence of industrial pollutants that left the river largely inaccessible to recreational users. During the 1920s and 1930s, however, rowing experienced a renaissance because of efforts by the Passaic Valley Sewage Commission to clean the river. Today, an active community of rowers, including those belonging to the Nereid Boat Club, the longest continually active rowing organization on the river, enjoy the Passaic in the tradition of those who used it nearly a century and a half earlier.
, < Lower Plaque > These granite blocks were salvaged from the channel piers of the historic Route 3 Bridge over the Passaic River built in 1949.
Route 3 Bridge at the Passaic River
The Route 3 Bridge over the Passaic River, completed in 1949, was a 7-span, 699 foot long, 76 foot wide, double leaf bascule, simple trunnion movable bridge. It consisted of a twin-double leaf main span, two flanking spans and four approach spans. The corners of the bascule span were topped with flat-roofed, moderne-style operator’s houses of reinforced concrete, railings with moderne-style posts adorned the approach spans. The bridge was unique for its internal rack, a feature found on only one other bridge in New Jersey. The bridge was determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Movable Bridges over the Passaic River
Movable bridges spanned the Passaic River from Newark Bay to Paterson to accommodate large vessel navigation. The first bridge to connect Rutherford with the Delawanna section of Clifton was the Rutherford Avenue Bridge, a Pratt truss bascule (draw) bridge completed in 1870. Further down the river, the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad built the Lyndhurst draw bridge, a 439-foot long swing bridge completed in 1900. The former Route 3 Bridge, replaced the Rutherford Avenue Bridge in 1949. The present bridge replaced the Route 3 Bridge over the Passaic River in 2014.
The stone beneath
Click or scan to see this page online
this marker was salvaged from the channel piers of the Route 3 Bridge.
Maritime Travel on the Passaic River
Since European settlement along the banks of the Passaic River in the late seventeenth century, the river has played a central role in commerce, transportation and recreation. Passenger ferries and schooners were the earliest commercial vessels to ply the Passaic River. In the nineteenth century, steamboats dominated river travel, hauling manufactured goods and raw materials between Paterson’s inland mills, Newark Bay and New York City. They played a significant role in the industrial development of New Jersey. Barges and ocean-going vessels were a common site prior to 1950, but maritime activity declined, due to the development of improved roads and highways. Today, the occasional tugboat or tanker still navigates the waters of the Passaic River.
Recreation on the Passaic River
From the close of the Civil War to the early twentieth century, the Passaic River was a noted attraction that drew swimmers, picnickers, sightseers, and boaters to its shores. During much of this period, the river was recognized as a premier location for championship rowing races. The “Passaic Course”, as the racing route was known, was lauded by contemporaries as one of the best in the region, and on pleasant weekends it was lined with
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, May 12, 2015
2. The Passaic River Marker
enthusiastic crowds cheering dozens of local rowing clubs, such as the Nereid Boat Club, the Passaic Boat Club and the Triton Boat Club. Rowing on the Passaic fell off precipitously by the early 1900s as a consequence of industrial pollutants that left the river largely inaccessible to recreational users. During the 1920s and 1930s, however, rowing experienced a renaissance because of efforts by the Passaic Valley Sewage Commission to clean the river. Today, an active community of rowers, including those belonging to the Nereid Boat Club, the longest continually active rowing organization on the river, enjoy the Passaic in the tradition of those who used it nearly a century and a half earlier.
< Lower Plaque > These granite blocks were salvaged from the channel piers of the historic Route 3 Bridge over the Passaic River built in 1949
Erected 2014.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1949.
Location. 40° 49.378′ N, 74° 7.344′ W. Marker is in Rutherford, New Jersey, in Bergen County. Marker is at the intersection of Riverside Avenue and Marginal Road, on the right when traveling north on Riverside Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rutherford NJ 07070, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, May 12, 2015
3. The Passaic River Marker
The latest Route 3 Bridge can be seen behind the marker.
More about this marker. A photograph of the old Route 3 drawbridge appears at the top of the marker.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, May 12, 2015
4. The Passaic River Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, May 12, 2015
5. Lower Plaque
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on May 12, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 607 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 12, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
