Military Road (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
The Military Road was a roadway built in the present-day U.S. state
of New Jersey
during the French and Indian War
connecting Elizabethtown
(now Elizabeth) with a string of fortifications along the Delaware River
in modern Sussex
and Warren Counties
in northwestern New Jersey. The road was conceived and built under the order of Jonathan Hampton, Esq., an Elizabethtown merchant and surveyor who was appointed as Victualer
and Paymaster to the New Jersey Frontier Guard
by an act of the New Jersey's colonial legislature.
Most of the route has been converted into roads within the federal, state and county highways system, and into a few local, municipal roads. A one-mile (1.6 km) segment of the original road, traveling from the village of Walpack Center in Walpack Township, New Jersey
to the terminus of the route at the Delaware River within the bounds of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
is maintained by the National Park Service
in its original condition. Several shorter segments are unmaintained, and often parallel the modern roadways which evolved from the route.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
connecting Elizabethtown
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
(now Elizabeth) with a string of fortifications along the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in modern Sussex
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
and Warren Counties
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
in northwestern New Jersey. The road was conceived and built under the order of Jonathan Hampton, Esq., an Elizabethtown merchant and surveyor who was appointed as Victualer
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
and Paymaster to the New Jersey Frontier Guard
New Jersey Frontier Guard
The Frontier Guard was a military unit organized by New Jersey's colonial legislature in 1755 to man a series of frontier fortifications along the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey.-History:...
by an act of the New Jersey's colonial legislature.
Most of the route has been converted into roads within the federal, state and county highways system, and into a few local, municipal roads. A one-mile (1.6 km) segment of the original road, traveling from the village of Walpack Center in Walpack Township, New Jersey
Walpack Township, New Jersey
-Local government:Walpack Township is governed under the Township form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election...
to the terminus of the route at the Delaware River within the bounds of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service, preserves almost of land along the Delaware River's New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores, stretching from the Delaware Water Gap northward almost to the New York state line...
is maintained by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
in its original condition. Several shorter segments are unmaintained, and often parallel the modern roadways which evolved from the route.
History
Hampton followed the Minisink Trail for a large segment of the Military Road.Modern routes
- U.S. Route 206U.S. Route 206U.S. Route 206 is a long north–south United States highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States. Only about a half a mile of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford-Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the Delaware River into New Jersey, where it is the remainder of the route...
- New Jersey State Route 10
- County Route 521 (New Jersey)County Route 521 (New Jersey)County Route 521 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends 43.71 miles from High Street in Hope Township to the New York state line in Montague Township....
- County Route 519 (New Jersey)County Route 519 (New Jersey)County Route 519 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Daniel Bray Highway in Delaware Township to the New York state line in Wantage Township...
- County Route 626 (New Jersey)
See also
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation AreaDelaware Water Gap National Recreation AreaDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service, preserves almost of land along the Delaware River's New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores, stretching from the Delaware Water Gap northward almost to the New York state line...
- Essex County, New JerseyEssex County, New JerseyEssex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
- French and Indian WarFrench and Indian WarThe French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
- History of New JerseyHistory of New JerseyThe history of New Jersey began at the end of the Younger Dryas climate, about 10 millennia ago. Native Americans moved into New Jersey soon after the reversal of the Younger Dryas, which had made the area uninhabitable and, during the preceding ice age, unreachable.European contact began with the...
- Morris County, New JerseyMorris County, New JerseyMorris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
- New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
- New Jersey Frontier GuardNew Jersey Frontier GuardThe Frontier Guard was a military unit organized by New Jersey's colonial legislature in 1755 to man a series of frontier fortifications along the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey.-History:...
- Old Mine RoadOld Mine RoadOld Mine Road is a road in New Jersey and New York said to be one of the oldest continuously-used roads in the United States of America. At a length of 104 miles, it stretches from the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to the vicinity of Kingston, New York.Among the theories regarding the...
- Stokes State ForestStokes State ForestStokes State Forest is a state park located in Sandyston Township, Montague and Frankford Twp. in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. Stokes comprises of mountainous woods...
- Sussex County, New JerseySussex County, New JerseyThe County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...