East Jersey Water

More about the ‘Ghost Bridge’ of Oak Ridge Reservoir – Part 2

| Paul Havemann

(This is a continuation of the original post that you can find here.)

I found this line drawing in an 1891 journal titled Engineering Record, in an article titled Construction of the East Jersey Water Company’s Aqueduct and Reservoirs.  It’s a lengthy account of the massive undertaking of building five reservoirs in north Jersey for the benefit of Newark. 

So this line drawing is described thus: “Figure 3 is a view of the three-arch bridge carrying the new highway across an arm of the Oak Ridge reservoir. At full stages of the water these arches will be completely submerged.”  

Which, of course, they are, as per the first blog post. If you’re lucky to be there during a drought, you too can see it… even walk on it, if you dare.

Ghost Bridge illustration (1891)
Ghost Bridge illustration (1891)

The “new highway” wasn’t all that new; it was the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike, first chartered in 1806 and improved over the years. At the time the Oak Ridge reservoir was under construction, the roadway ran right along the shore of the river. But since the reservoir would flood the valley, the roadway would have to be moved to higher ground, which it was, sometime around 1927.

Looking north on the east shore of the Oak Ridge Reservoir, late 1890s. On the right is the railroad. (Click image for full-sized view.)

In this postcard photo we see the original route of the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike (also known, at that time, as Route 8) which followed the eastern shore of the reservoir. The ridge supporting the railroad is visible on the right, well above the roadway.

And if you examine the photo closely (or click on it to open it up full size), at lower left is the old bridge that led to the village of Oak Ridge.

Where the original roadway was not far above the water line, today’s highway is elevated several yards higher — almost level with those railroad tracks — to prevent any flooding issues. The highway was also straightened, such that it proceeds nearly north (to the left) of the roadway here, and very close to the bridge. Today, if you park on Route 23 South near the bridge, you look down on it, over a very steep incline, and from a much closer vantage than shown here.

Here’s a 2022 photo taken from about the same vantage as the late 1800s photo above. You, too, can trod on the original route of the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike. (You would actually be trespassing. Go at your own risk; Newark Watershed patrols can be cranky.)

View of the reservoir, and Route 23, from just about the same vantage point in 2024. Click to see full size.

The next post in this series shows the reservoir practically dry, during the epic 1960s drought, in a truly impressive aerial photo.

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The ‘Ghost Bridge’ of Oak Ridge Reservoir – Part 1

| Paul Havemann

The Oak Ridge Reservoir was constructed in the 1890s to help supply Newark’s burgeoning populace with a supply of fresh water.  It was one of several reservoirs in north NJ built at about the same time. (The others are Canistear, Charlotteburg, Clinton, and Echo Lake.)

A really good photo by Ron DuPont (c 2014)

Ghost Bridge of Oak Ridge Reservoir (2014)
Click for full-sized article

The rural village of Oak Ridge was, unfortunately, right where the reservoir was planned to be — so Oak Ridge, and a smaller village known as Wallace Corner, had to be eliminated. Today, their locations are underwater. (If anyone knows of a map of the original villages, please let me know.)

But, as this article notes, an old three-arched stone bridge that once connected Oak Ridge to the main road — known then as the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike — was spared, because it was useful in the construction of the dam. So, when they were finished, they just let it be; there was no point in wasting manpower to tear down a bridge that would soon be submerged forevermore.

But every so often, when a drought hits the area, the water level  drops enough for passers-by to see – and even visit – the bridge.

According to the article,

“You can locate this bridge (or at least, the spot of water it’s under) by travelling on Route 23 about a mile south of its intersection with Canistear Road. At this spot, southwest and right next to the highway, a narrow tongue of Oak Ridge Reservoir snakes its way up along the base of the mountain. This follows the original route of the Pequannock River.”

 I’ve been there, and seen, the “ghost bridge” a few times. If you think you can find it, refer to the aerial photo.

Aerial view of Oak Ridge Reservoir showing the bridge.

Local historian Beth Willis has been there as well, and has more interesting details to share on her Facebook page.

There’s more to the story of the ghost bridge — see Part 2.