Dupont: Ironworks on the Wallkill
The historic iron industries of the New York-New Jersey Highlands have received considerable attention in recent years. Yet the ironworks of the nearby Wallkill Valley have received scant appreciation, in spite of the important role they played in the industrial and technological development of the region. The following is a survey of forges and furnaces that operated in the Upper Wallkill River Valley between the mid-18th and the early 20th centuries.
The Wallkill River rises in Byram, in southeastern Sussex County, N.J., near the Sparta-Andover border. From here it flows north through the towns of Sparta, Ogdensburg, Franklin, and Hamburg before entering the vast expanse of meadowlands once called the "Drowned Lands" and continuing north toward New York State and the Hudson River.
There is often confusion between a "forge" and a "furnace." An iron forge employed a massive trip hammer to beat wrought iron bars (or sometimes red-hot iron ore) into wrought iron or other products.
An iron furnace, much larger, used a furnace stack to melt ore into molten iron, which was then cast into bars or other products.
There were five (some say six) iron forges that operated in the Sparta area. One was located on Morris Lake, two in Sparta Glen below, one in Sparta village, one at Hopewell and one at a place called the "Boss neighborhood." The last two were not on the Wallkill.
The Forge at Morris Lake, also called the "Uppermost forge by the lake," was built in 1788 by Northrup & Ludlam, purchased in 1810 by Dan Hurd, and later owned by J.B. Titman. Morris Pond was reportedly built to power this forge at Sparta. In fact, it powered not only this one, but the two below as well.
Sparta Glen Forge #1, described as the "next forge below" the forge by the lake, was also described in deeds as the "washaway forge." (not surprising—Sparta Glen has always had flooding problems.) Sparta Glen Forge #2, said to be located at "the entrance to the Glen," was also known as Lennington's Forge. It operated until 1867.
Sparta Village Forge was located on the western edge of the village below the pond. It was built in 1827 by a man named Sinai., and sold in 1830 to Decker & Sherman. In 1834, it was run by the partnership of Decker, Hunt & Sherman. Hopkin's 1860 map shows this as the "Old Forge" on the Wallkill in Sparta village. It operated until 1865.
From where it crosses the dam at Franklin Pond, at an elevation of 534 feet above sea level, the Wallkill River falls 135 feet in a little over three miles before passing under Route 23 and entering the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge north of Hamburg. Beyond this point, the fall of the Wallkill is too gradual to have been of any industrial value until it reaches Denton, New York, where it powered a number of mills in the 19th century. Hence the area between Franklin Pond and the north end of Hamburg was a major place for water-powered industries on the Wallkill.
Franklin forge and furnace, which were located next to Franklin Pond (near the current Police Station) were built c.1765-70, and rebuilt in 1832. Another account claims the furnace was built in 1772. Losee Pond on Hamburg Mountain was built as a reservoir for Franklin Furnace. Hopkin's 1860 map shows "Blast" and "Cupola" furnaces at the site. Massive new anthracite steel iron furnaces were built at the site in the early 1870s. In 1894, one report describes the "forge" owned by the Franklin Iron Company at "Lehigh Junction" as "not in use." The furnaces were later demolished, and little remains at the site to tell of its 150 years of ironmaking history.
At Hamburg, Sharpsborough Furnace was built in 1768, and proved mostly unsuccessful. It ceased operations in the 1780s. Hamburg forge was built nearby in 1792. Hamburg Furnace was built on the site of the old Sharpsborough Ironworks in 1830; it ceased operation in 1850.. Another account claims the furnace was built in 1834.
Hopkin's 1860 map shows "Old Furnace" at the site. By 1894, the ironworks site was part of the Glenn estate. The water power was described in one report as "not in use."
Thus at least ten iron forges and furnaces operated from the 1760s through c.1900 on one short stretch of the Wallkill River between Sparta and Hamburg. It’s a remarkable industrial record, and one that is too much forgotten