Ironworkings - Dec. 2001

Excerpts from Ironworkings
October - November, 2002

This is the online version of the October-November, 2002, edition of Ironworkings, the newsletter of the Friends of Long Pond Ironworks. Ironworkings is mailed to members of the FOLPI as a benefit of their membership.

IRONMAKING 2003
For many of us in FOLPI, the ironmaking demonstration last June was one of the most profound and exciting experiences that we have ever encountered at Long Pond Ironworks. For those of you who missed it, you won't want to miss the next one in June 2003.

Ironmaster Duncan Berry has spent many hours evaluating our first experiment in making iron at Long Pond and has put together an exhibit on last year's furnace project. It is now on view at the Visitors Center. Duncan is also busily planning improvements in furnace design and the air-blast mechanism. In preparation for the new furnace, teams are being called for to help construct and tend the furnace during its operation, which will again be over a continuous 30- to 50-hour period. To join one of these teams, contact FOLPI to discuss how and when you might be able to help.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR WEEKEND AND AUTUMN LIGHTS FESTIVAL
On September 14-15, FOLPI held our annual 18th Century Living History Weekend. Beautiful weather on Saturday, wonderful volunteer participation from FOLPI, and the largest reenactor turnout ever made the event memorable and smooth-running. It rained on Sunday afternoon, washing out the day's battle scenario, but several hundred visitors still enjoyed the site and the museum. The rain did reduce our fund-raising profits, but we signed up more than forty new members. Thank you, everyone, for your help!

For West Milford's Autumn Lights Festival on October 5, we hosted horse-drawn wagon rides through the Historic District. The weather was fine this year, and hundreds of families enjoyed the rides. We thank Van Dyke Assisted Living Center and the West Milford Development Committee for helping to fund the wagon rides again this year.

MEMBERS' TOURS
Special tours offered only to our membership have grown in popularity over the years. These hikes, once called "Behind the Bushes Tours," were created to offer FOLPI members a high-quality experience exploring seldom-seen aspects of the Historic District and beyond. This fall and winter, we are offering more such hikes to help our members better understand the scale of historic activity at Long Pond Ironworks.

Paul's Mine Hikes
Last fall, Paul Frost began leading hikes to his favorite mine sites in the Highlands region. On November 30, he will lead a hike to the Hasenclever Mine in Harriman State Park and to the remains of the Clove, or Orange, Furnace, which operated briefly at the outlet of Cedar Ponds (present-day Lake Tiorati). Please register by calling the Long Pond Info Line. Hikers should meet at the Long Pond Visitors Center at 10 a.m. Bring a flashlight, sturdy boots, water, and a snack.

Exploring Long Pond Waterpower
On November 17, 2002, tour guide Martin Deeks will explore the ironworks' use of waterpower along the Wanaque River. Highlights will include recently rediscovered components of the Hewitt-era waterpower system that will amaze intrepid explorers. Meet at the Visitors Center at 1 p.m.; we should return by 4 p.m. This tour will include some strenuous scrambling and bushwhacking. The tour group will be limited in size, so make your reservation early on the FOLPI Info Line.

Charcoal Walk
Do you know what a charcoal making site looks like? Join Martin Deeks for another somewhat strenuous (up- and downhill) ramble in the woods to visit coaling sites. This is an opportunity to learn how to identify these sites; you will also learn about how historic charcoaling was done. If you pass the exam at the end, you will be eligible to join the survey team that will find and record coaling sites around the ironworks over the winter. The tour will be given in January. The date and time will be announced on the FOLPI Info Line and on the Website.

Hasenclever Iron Trail
February 2003. By popular demand, last winter's hike along the Hasenclever Iron Trail from Ringwood Manor to Long Pond will be repeated. This four-mile walk through the woods retraces the Colonial road blazed by Peter Hasenclever almost 240 years ago, connecting the Manor, mines, and ironworks.

FOLPI is also planning more walking tours for the winter season inside the Historic District. We will explore parts of Long Pond you've never seen and explain some of the finer points of ironmaking, historic building construc-tion, historic preservation and village life in old Hewitt. If you've taken a regular tour and found yourself wanting more,or if you're just plain curious, don't miss these ypitd. Dates and times will be announced in the January issue of Ironworkings.

FOLPI NEWS
Election of Officers The following officers were reelected for the July 2002-June 2003 term: Rob Sparkes, President; Beth Timsak, Vice President; Joanna Stickle, Treasurer; Celeste Byrne, Recording Secretary; and Martin Deeks, Corresponding Secretary.

Maintenance and Restoration
The stabilization and restoration of structures and buildings within the Historic District is a key component of FOLPI's mission statement. Unfortunately, stabilization and restoration is one of the most difficult things to accomplish. The difficulty comes from the extensive planning and patience it takes to be allowed to work on state-owned Historic Register properties. Restoration work, and those who perform it, must be reviewed and approved by the State; in this process, Trenton looks at such factors as future use of the structure, appropriateness of the plans and craftsmen for physical restoration, and consideration of the best interests of the structure.

FOLPI is now pursuing plans and permission to replace the slate roof on the Hewitt Church; a wood-shingle roof on the West-Laird House; stabilization of furnace stonework; reconstruction of the Cahill barn; and other projects around the Historic District. The process is slow and can be frustrating, but with patience and persistence, we do hope to accomplish many of these projects in the next year.

FOLPI CALENDAR
FOLPI Business Meetings are held on second Thursdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. Committee work meetings are usually held on third Thursdays, but call to confirm. Everyone welcome.

North Jersey Highlands Historical Society Meetings and history programs are held on the last Wednesday of the month, 8 p.m., Long Pond Ironworks Visitors Center: Everyone welcome.

November 2: Fall Candle Lantern Tours
Dramatic scenes from the 18th and 19th centuries. Call for reservations. All tickets are $10.00; we do not recommend for children under 10.

November 9: Long Pond Public Tours
Last public tours of the season, at 10 a.m., 12 noon, and 2 p.m. Rain or shine. $1/child; $3/adult

November 17: Members' Tour: Waterpower!
Meet at 1 p.m. at the Visitors Center. Rediscovered components of the Hewitt-era waterpower system at Long Pond will highlight this extensive exploration of waterpower. Call for reservations.

November 23: FOLPI's Annual Volunteer Appreciation Party at the Visitors Center.

November 30: Mine Hike in Harriman. Call for reservations. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Visitors Center.

December 7-8 & 14-15: Victorian Christmas at Ringwood Manor. The annual event hosted by the Women's Club of West Milford and the NJHHS. Proceeds benefit the Manor House and local scholarships. 12-6 p.m. $6/adult.

January 25-26: 18th-Century Winter Camp at Long Pond Ironworks. This date is still tentative. Call for details closer to the date.

NEW AND RENEWED MEMBERS

We welcome the following new members since August 8, 2002:
Maureen Ancona, Gary Bakelaar, Katerhine Bierwas-Fischer, C.R. Boshart, Nan Brown, Ken Carroll, Patrick Cassidy, Gregory Cockefair, Sandra Connolly, Victor & Jeanne Cotz, Steve DeSalvo, Michael Dixon, Ruth Frost, Eugene Giuliano, Bruce W. Goldstein, Paul Goll, Tom Gordon, Jr., Jacqueline Haftek, Jeffrey Harrsch, Paul Havemann, Clint Herrington, Rick Hibbert, Helen Hirtler, Anneke Hoek, Eugene A. Humme, Mrs. A.L. Jackson, Marge Katz, M. Kovalycsik, Martin Kruegel, Sue Lazzari, Vincas & Linda Liaukus, Marilyn & Tom Lichtenberg, Tom Macallen, Gloria Magriz, Kristen McFall, Aiden & Judith Metcalfe, Jan Morris, Art & June Newman, Gary & Marilyn Oppenheimer, Michael Pallien, The Panzenhagan Family, Peg Preis, Eric & Kay Richter, James Ruban, Dorothy Saunders, The Schnibbe Family, Colleen Sikora, Ruth Sisco, Susan,Smith, Andrew & Ann Solis, Pete & Ginny Steensma, James Terlemezian, The Torio Family, Cosmo Tragale, Robert & Edward Van Vlaanderen

Renewed Members since August 8:
Business: Rockport Shopping Center
Maraget R. Barth Patricia Clune, Richard & Victoria Cuneo, Janet Dirnberger, Clinton Drymon, Rosemary Dumberger, Brian & Deborah Fisk, Paul Frost, Joseph P. Havasy, David Hibbeln, Alice L. Hurley, Richard D. Kesin, Adam Maskevich, Roland B. McIntosh, The Pearson Family, Judith M. Salvatore, Leslie Schulthesis, Roxanne Hock, David & William Shifrin, Herbert Snoop, Susan C. Stevens, Nelwyn Taylor, George B. Turrell & Family, Barbara Wood

Visit the Calendar page for the current schedule of activities at Long Pond.

FOLPI Information Line (973) 657-1688 or email us.