Boonton’s Grace Lord Park is easily best known as the home of the 36-foot Boonton Falls. Aside from the falls, Grace Lord Park is also home to the remains of the Boonton Ironworks, a substantial iron manufacturing plant. Two notable, but relatively unknown, remains of the industrial activities that once took place at the park are a railroad trestle crossing the Rockaway River and the remains of a hand-powered railroad turntable.
Most people never make it to these two sites, as the trail from the main area of the park (featuring the waterfall) to the trestle and turntable has been closed for more than a decade. Despite this trail closure, access to the turntable and trestle is incredibly easy. Continue reading to learn how to reach these historical landmarks.
Background
Grace Lord Park partially sits on the site of the Boonton Ironworks. Established in 1831, the ironworks relied on the waters of the nearby Morris Canal both to power its operations and to transport materials in and out of the facility. The ironworks was successful for the next few decades and helped spur the growth of Boonton Township.
Despite its early success, the ironworks faced several setbacks in the 1870s, including the economic panic of 1873, a fire in the same year, and the discovery of more accessible iron deposits in the west. By 1876, full production had ceased. Some reduced work continued over the next several decades, but the ironworks ultimately closed in 1911.
One of the remaining features of the site today is the railroad trestle spanning the Rockaway River, constructed in 1906. This steel bridge replaced an earlier wooden trestle built in 1867, which had been destroyed by a flood in 1905. The trestle carried an industrial spur of the Morris & Essex Railroad, importing raw materials and exporting finished products, similar to the role of the Morris Canal. Even after the ironworks shut down, the bridge remained in use until 1970, supporting other industrial activities on the site. It is notable for being a rare surviving Double Intersection Warren Truss bridge.
Adjacent to the trestle’s south end lies a historic 54-foot diameter turntable. The turntable once accessed a now-removed engine house.
More information can be found on the very detailed and dense National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for the site.
Visiting the Ruins
Reaching the ruins is incredibly easy, and they are located mere feet from the seldom-used parking area off Morris Ave. From the parking lot, follow the obvious marked trail into the woods from the back of the parking lot. Almost immediately after leaving the parking lot, you will be on the former rail line, which still features tracks.
Straight ahead, you will see the tracks cross the 215-foot trestle. The bridge itself is fenced off, but you can still get very close. I do not recommend climbing over the fence, the bridge is in very poor condition.
Almost adjacent to the tracks is the remains of the 54-foot diameter hand-operated turntable. You can still see the circular remains and stone teeth on the interior. Nature has begun to take over the turntable, and there are some impressively large trees growing out of the center.
From the turntable, you will see an unmarked path leading down to the Rockaway River. Take this path to get the best views of the trestle.
If you look upstream, you can see a few small rapids on the river.
Further upstream are significantly more impressive rapids and the Boonton Falls. The trail connecting the waterfall to the trestle and turntable has unfortunately been closed since 2011 after severe erosion on the steep hillside caused by Tropical Storm Irene. Repairs have been in funding limbo since. The closed trail is currently fenced off.
If you have not already, I recommend visiting the end of Grace Lord Park on the other side of this closure and visiting Boonton Falls and the Boonton Ironworks next. Click here for information on visiting the other side of the park.
Review
The trestle and turntable are interesting quick stops, but they are exactly that: quick stops. Since you cannot cross the trestle, and since the trail connecting to Boonton Falls is closed, you can easily see everything in 5-10 minutes unless you have a passion for railroad history. I highly recommend visiting the other side of the park, featuring the waterfall in addition to the trestle and turntable, to make your visit more worthwhile.
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