Dirt segment of Old Mine Road near the Van Campen Inn, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Old Mine Road is one of the oldest roads in the United States. Rumor has it that it was built in the mid-1600s when the area was still the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. However, there are no records of any such road, or even mining in the area, until the mid-1700s. Regardless, the road stretched for 104 miles from Pahaquarry (now Hardwick Township) to the Hudson River in Esopus, New York (now Kingston).
Old Mine Road runs through the New Jersey side of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area from Kittatinny Point on the southern end all the way to the northern boundary near Montague. The road is still very similar to how it was in the 1800s, though most of it is now paved. There is one dirt segment that is a little rough, but there is a paved detour around it. At the very northern end of the park it is now called River Road, and much of it outside the park has been modernized and widened as part of US 209.
Monument to Old Mine Road located near the Van Campen Inn, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Today Old Mine Road provides access to many points of interest within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area such as Worthington State Forest, Turtle Beach, hiking trails, and boat launches. It also passes ten historical buildings dating anywhere from the early 1700s to the mid-1900s. There are also a few historical sites just off the road. Very few of the buildings are open—and some won’t be standing much longer if they aren’t renovated soon–but for those who like history, a trip down Old Mine Road is highly recommended.
For information and photographs of each of the historical buildings, see the following web pages here on National Park Planner (buildings are listed from North to South)
Montague Grange (open for special events)
Foster-Armstrong House (open to the public)
Minisink Dutch Reform Church (still an active church)
Neldon-Roberts Stone House (not on Old Mine Road, but close by)
Peters Valley (now an art school community, not on Old Mine Road, but close by)
Walpack Center (not on Old Mine Road, but close by)
Van Campen Inn (on the rough dirt road section)
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Last updated on February 6, 2024
