Changewater
The Village of Changewater is a community situated in the southern part of the Township along the banks of the Musconetcong River.During the mid-18th century, Mark Thomson established one of the early iron furnaces in the county in this area, at which time the operation was called the Changewater Forge. As early as 1769, the community was being called Changewater, referring to the separation of the Musconetcong River into its upper and lower branches at this location.
Changewater was the location of the famed Castner Murders of 1843. In the incident, John Castner and his family were killed during an apparent robbery. Joseph Carter, Jr. and Peter W. Parks were convicted of the crime and hanged at the Warren County Court House in 1845.
During the 19th century, a number of industries were attempted in this community, including a flouring mill, a picture frame factory, a snuff factory, a furnace, distillery, tannery, and a woolen factory. In 1874, the village consisted of a grist mill, store and post office, a looking glass and picture framing factory, and eight residences.
It was described in 1918 as a village of 200, with a station of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The only industry operated in the village then was the A. T. Skerry woolen mill, employing 60 persons. The village is presently a small cluster of twenty houses near the Musconetcong River.
Changewater Railroad Trestle
This bridge, built in 1856, remained in use until 1959. It served the Warren Railroad, which connected the Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western (DL&W) Railroad.
Changewater Railroad Trestle today - The removal of the track and trestle was completed in March 1959.
DL&W Railroad Station - Changewater, NJ. The station seen here in the early 1900’s was located a short distance from the Changewater trestle. Passenger service on the line ended in 1926 and freight service in 1958.