Rockaway Township

Rockaway Township developed as an iron-mining district in the 1700s. The history of the area is tied closely to iron, dating from the days early in the 18th century when the Lenape Indians showed settlers succasunna, or "black stone."

The iron industry in Rockaway Township helped to further this country's industrial independence from England prior to the American Revolution. By 1776, there were numerous forges and two blast furnaces, one at Hibernia and one at Mt. Hope. During the Revolution, shovels, axes, cannons, cannon balls, grapeshot and other supplies were produced by these forges and furnaces.

The Growth of Mining

The iron industry continued to flourish in the 1800s and into the 1900s. As people came to work in the mines, mining communities developed in different areas of the town. Each area had its own stores, schools, churches and homes.

The miners had a hard life. Pay was poor and the hours were long. Many miners and their families moved from mine to mine just to keep working. They were a hardy group of people of all ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs.

In the late 1800s, iron ore was discovered in the Mesabi Range near Lake Superior. This ore was much more accessible than the ore in Rockaway. In fact, it could just be stripped from the surface (a practice known as "strip mining"). Because of this competition, the iron industry in Rockaway began to dwindle. In the early 1900s, the mines slowly began to close down and people moved away to other areas.

The Development of Modern Rockaway Township

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, cities began to grow rapidly. City dwellers then looked for vacation areas within commuting distance. They wanted to enjoy clean air, beautiful scenery and crystal clear lakes. Rockaway Township provided all of these, and city people came to areas like Green Pond, Lake Telemark and White Meadow Lake to vacation.

Back to top