Hutcheson Memorial Forest
Encyclopedia
The William L. Hutcheson Memorial Forest is a 500 acres (202.3 ha) natural preserve at 2150 Amwell Rd. (Route 514
) about 3/4 of a mile east of East Millstone
in Franklin Township
, Somerset County
, NJ. It is known for its untouched stand of old growth forest
. The Forest was declared a National Natural Landmark
in December 1976.
by Dutch settlers in 1701. The old forest was retained by descendants of the original settlers until the mid-1950s. Reportedly, no timber has ever been cut and the ground ever tilled within the forest. The forest canopy is dominated by White Oak, Eastern Black Oak, and Northern Red Oak
. American Beech
, White Ash
, Shagbark Hickory
, and Pignut Hickory
are also present. The average age of oak trees in the forest is said to be approximately 235 years. Some trees that have died recently have been found to be as old as 350 years.
In 1955, after the wood's owner, Thomas Mettler, considered selling the property, the Citizen's Scientific and Historical Committee for the Preservation of Mettler's Woods raised funds from a variety of sources, including a significant contribution from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
to purchase it. It was turned over to the care of Rutgers University
and The Nature Conservancy
after being named for the union’s recent president, William L. Hutcheson
. Franklin Township
and the New Jersey Green Acres Program have also worked in partnership with the caretakers to help preserve and protect this locally rare and important natural resource.
at 732-932-9349.
County Route 514 (New Jersey)
County Route 514 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from US 202 in East Amwell Township to Bayway Avenue in Elizabeth...
) about 3/4 of a mile east of East Millstone
East Millstone, New Jersey
East Millstone is a census-designated place and historic district within Franklin Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It is a small rural community that grew and prospered with a small industrial base in the 19th Century, centered around the Delaware and Raritan Canal at...
in Franklin Township
Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
-Communities of Franklin Township:The following are census-designated places, unincorporated enclaves, and historical communities located within Franklin Township...
, Somerset County
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
, NJ. It is known for its untouched stand of old growth forest
Old growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
. The Forest was declared a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
in December 1976.
History
The area that includes the 65 acres (26.3 ha) virgin old growth forest earlier known as Mettler's Woods was acquired from the local LenapeLenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
by Dutch settlers in 1701. The old forest was retained by descendants of the original settlers until the mid-1950s. Reportedly, no timber has ever been cut and the ground ever tilled within the forest. The forest canopy is dominated by White Oak, Eastern Black Oak, and Northern Red Oak
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra, commonly called northern red oak or champion oak, , is an oak in the red oak group . It is a native of North America, in the northeastern United States and southeast Canada...
. American Beech
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia, also known as American Beech or North american beech, is a species of beech native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario in southeastern Canada, west to Wisconsin and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida in the United States. Trees in the...
, White Ash
White Ash
For another species referred to as white ash, see Eucalyptus fraxinoides.Fraxinus americana is a species of Fraxinus native to eastern North America found in mesophytic hardwood forests from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, south to northern Florida, and southwest to eastern...
, Shagbark Hickory
Shagbark Hickory
Carya ovata, the Shagbark Hickory, is a common hickory in the eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large deciduous tree, growing up to 27 m tall, and will live up to 200 years. Mature Shagbarks are easy to recognize because, as their name implies, they have shaggy bark...
, and Pignut Hickory
Pignut Hickory
Carya glabra, the Pignut hickory, is a common but not abundant species in the oak-hickory forest association in the Eastern United States and Canada. Other common names are pignut, sweet pignut, coast pignut hickory, smoothbark hickory, swamp hickory, and broom hickory...
are also present. The average age of oak trees in the forest is said to be approximately 235 years. Some trees that have died recently have been found to be as old as 350 years.
In 1955, after the wood's owner, Thomas Mettler, considered selling the property, the Citizen's Scientific and Historical Committee for the Preservation of Mettler's Woods raised funds from a variety of sources, including a significant contribution from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
to purchase it. It was turned over to the care of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
and The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
after being named for the union’s recent president, William L. Hutcheson
William Hutcheson
William Hutcheson was the leader of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America from 1915 until 1952. A conservative craft unionist, he opposed the organization of workers in mass production industries such as steel and automobile manufacturing into industrial unions...
. Franklin Township
Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
-Communities of Franklin Township:The following are census-designated places, unincorporated enclaves, and historical communities located within Franklin Township...
and the New Jersey Green Acres Program have also worked in partnership with the caretakers to help preserve and protect this locally rare and important natural resource.
Hours
The preserve is open from dawn until dusk by appointment. Also, the public is welcome on the regularly scheduled tours given approximately every third Sunday at 2pm throughout the year. The tours are led by Rutgers University faculty volunteers and can run from an hour to two hours in length. Tours are free for groups of less than ten members. For more information, contact Rutgers UniversityRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
at 732-932-9349.