History of Montague Township

Sussex County, New Jersey

Some Communities in Montague Township:

Brick House ( a.k.a., "Village of Montague")

Millville

Tappentown/ Duttonville

Pre-colonial times – the Minsi [Lenni Lenape or Delaware tribe] lived in the area.

The Dutch West Indies Co. probably had trading posts here.

1664 – the English take over from the Dutch. New Jersey shared one royal governor with NY until 1738.

The early settlers came from Esopus (now Kingston, N.Y.) and their settlement was known as Menissink.

Thomas Quick built an early mill in the Millville area, before he moved to Pennsylvania.

By 1701 – what became Montague Township was settled, when its people were ordered to vote in Ulster County, NY.

1704 – the 1704 Minisink Patent from Queen Anne included what became Montague Township and included property in present day NY up to Station Point (near Cochecton, NY).

1736 – early town records note a Precinct of Menissink under Orange County.

1737 – the Minisink Dutch Reformed Church organized with its first building about 1/2 mile south of present site.

1738 – NY recognized the Precinct of Menissink.

French & Indian War – forts erected along the river.

1755 – Menissink came under Sussex County, NJ.

1758 – the treaty of Easton freed NJ from further Indian claims to land in the area.

1759 – a petition from Abraham VanCampen and other citizens of Sussex county to create the Township of Montague was laid before the council by Gov. Bernard. Montague was formed from Wallpack.

1759 – Menissink was renamed the Precinct of Montague. It is not known who is the Montague in Montague Township.

1769 – the compromise boundary between NJ and NY was settled at the fork of the Delaware & Neversink River.

1775-1782  --  Revolutionary War.

Revolutionary War – Indian raids continued through this war. The "Old Mine Road" was the early route used for trade and troop movement and was visited by Mohawk chief, Joseph Brant, and Count Pulaski.

1776 -- the Brick House hotel built on River Road where 206 now crosses the Delaware River. The house served as a stage stop. The house was later demolished to accommodate the realignment of Route 206.

1820 to the Civil War – many went West.

1827 – the Minisink Dutch Reformed Church moved to the River Road location.

c. 1829 – river crossings were by ferry until the bridge to Milford was built.

Montague Township was largely an agricultural community.

1850 – the population was 1010.

1860 -- Haney's Mill (about a mile north of Flatbrookville in the center of Walpack Township) had a gristmill and a sawmill, a lime kiln and a few houses. Jack Haney was the last mill operator.

1861-1865  --  Civil War. 

1899 – the current Minisink Dutch Reformed Church moved to the River Road location.

By the early 1900's – boarding homes and hotels included the Rock View and High Point Inn.

c. 1905 photo -- waters from Mashipacong Pond powers a mill in Montague Township.

1920 – the population reached bottom at 534.

1953 – the Brick House Hotel razed.

1955 – the present K-6 elementary school site on Route 206 began with only 3 classrooms.

Around 1960 – land developers purchased large farms for housing developments for weekend and vacation use. Holiday Lakes became Canyon Ridge (and is now the High Point Country Club).

There were plants to build a Tocks Island Dam. Resistance put the project on hold and the land became part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Many old and historic homes were lost.

1960 – the population was 879.

1990 – the population was 2836.

Sources:

A.C. Batko 1/98. History of Montague. http://www.montaguenj.org/march/history.htm

Wayne T. McCabe. 2003. Images of America: Sussex County. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Press.