Route 8 ran from Montclair to Unionville NY. Planned spur from Franklin to Dingman's Ferry.
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Commentary from Rich Dean: "One bridge where the marking for NJ Route 8 can still be seen is on Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike spanning the Pequannock River between Butler (Morris County) and Bloomingdale (Passaic County). " Here it is! It may not be around much longer (see commentary on next picture). Photo taken |
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Commentary from Rich Dean: "The bridge is scheduled for either replacement or major rehab, one reason being that the concrete bridge walls are high, obstructing vision for Macopin Road coming from the north on the east (Bloomingdale) end of the river. " This photo illustrates the situation. There is even a round mirror on one of the poles. Photo taken |
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This is on the southbound side of the bridge. Commentary from Rich Dean: "Same style bridge. At that point the stream is the Pompton River which is formed a few miles upstream by the merger of the Pequannock and Wanaque Rivers and also by the confluence of the Ramapo River about a half mile south of that point. I know it's confusing and I've been around here all my life (family heritage back to the 1830's)." Photo taken |
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Date stamp for the bridge pictured above. Sharon demonstrates how high the bridge embankment is. We've never seen embankments this high on any of the other 1920s routes except for those on old Route 8. Photo taken |
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Old Route 8 , now the Newark-Pompton Turnpike, heading north into Pequannock. Photo taken |
| NJDOT 1917 Annual Report: "Route No. 8 Montclair to near Unionville, New York State. Beginning in Montclair and following the Pompton Turnpike to the junction with the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike at Riverdale; thence along the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike to Stockholm; thence along the Stockholm-Franklin Furnace road to Franklin Furnace; thence through Hardinstonville and Hamburg to Sussex; thence northerly from Sussex borough, on the road east of the D., L. & W. R. R. to the State line near Unionville. Surveys were made for possible changes in alignment in the vicinity of Smith's Mills for elimination of two dangerous grade crossings. No other important changes in alignment are contemplated. " |
| 1925 Official State Map: "Montclair to New York state line at Unionville, via Singac, Wayne, Pompton Plains, Butler, Newfoundland, Stockholm, Franklin Furnace and Sussex, under construction between Newfoundland and Stockholm." |
| 1926, Chap 256: "Route #8 Spur SPUR FROM ROUTE #8 TO DINGMAN'S FERRY; from Route No. 8 at Franklin Furnace, Sussex County, westward through Monroe, Lafayette and Branchville, stopping at the Delaware River Bridge at Dingman's Ferry on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, and in Sussex County." |
| Rich Dean: One bridge where the marking for NJ Route 8 can still be seen is on Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike spanning the Pequannock River between Butler (Morris County) and Bloomingdale (Passaic County). The bridge is scheduled for either replacement or major rehab, one reason being that the concrete bridge walls are high, obstructing vision for Macopin Road coming from the north on the east (Bloomingdale) end of the river. Route 8 included Newark-Pompton Turnpike through Wayne, Pequannock and Riverdale then Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike through Riverdale, Bloomingdale, Butler and West Milford. It was replaced by NJ Route 23 built in the 1930's. Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike is one of the nation's oldest thoroughfares according to the 1830 Eastern United States Road Atlas re-published by National Geographic during the mid 1990s. Rich Dean Rich Dean, Butler NJ http://members.aol.com/rldean Telecommunicator -- Borough of Butler since 1975 Member of Butler Fire Department since 1973 |
| Dave Wisneski: Dave has a very interesting and informative page about Old Route 8, and includes current photos as well as old historical pictures, some of which pre-date the state highway system altogether. It is a "work in progress," so be sure to return to Dave's site periodically to see where he has travelled to next! |
| Stephen Rojak: My 1922 map has it starting in Montclair. By 1926 it has extended down Bloomfield Avenue to Newark. (No official state documentation lists the route as extending to Newark - ed.) |
| Dan Moraseski: Newark to Unionville NY on CR 506 SPUR-CR 506-NJ 23-NJ 284. CR 506 SPUR-CR 506-NJ 23-CR 683-CR 504 thru Pequannock-CR 660 thru Pompton Plains-NJ 23-CR 511A-CR 694-CR 511-CR 698 in Butler-CR 694-NJ 23-NJ 284. |
Suburban Trends Article 7/11/2004: Our website was featured in an article in the Suburban Trends newspaper. They were doing a story about one of the old Route 8 bridges in Bloomingdale. Click these links for the article scans (thanks to Dave Wisneski for the scans!) | Article Part 1 | Article Part 2 | Photo 1 | Photo 2 |
| Robert Carlson 7/26/2004: Like you, I have always looked at the dates and highway numbers on bridge abutments, especially the old Hamburg Turnpike ( Rt. 8 ) and where it intersperses with Rt. 23. I have a 1927 road map of Sussex County and it shows Rt. 8 parallel to the railroad tracks at the Hardyston/West Milford border and turning right onto what is now Rt 515 where the old Stockholm Railroad Station was ( Victoria's Restaurant is across Rt. 515 ). It went up Rt. 515 and made a left turn onto what is now Snufftown Rd. ( just past the Hardystown Town Hall ) continued down and turned right where it intersects with Rt. 23 at Maple Tree Plaza. If you go up Rt. 23, just past the traffic light at Canistear Rd., a side road goes right uder the railroad. That is where Rt. 8 paralleled the tracks to the intersection of Rt. 515. About 100 feet or so, just before you get to Rt. 515, is the foundation of the RR Station. You cannot travel that road from the underpass to Rt. 515 because there is a bridge out just before the old RR station. In the 19th century Hamburg Turnpike continued up Rt. 515 to "Mile Marker 2" ( Vernon Twp. ) then went left all the way to the Rudetown section of Hardyston. The dirt road is still there. I used to ride on parts of it deer huntilng up on Hamburg Mountain. The road went thru the old Silver Lake YMCA Camp and is still used today to access the camp ( purchased by the State for Green Acres ) and the Saugertown section of Hardyston. |
