Hibernia mines
Encyclopedia
The Hibernia mines are a series of iron mines in northern New Jersey
, worked from pre-Revolutionary
times until 1916. An exploratory shaft was drilled in the 1950s but was not worked, and the shafts and adit
were partly or totally sealed in 1972 and 1989.
After its closure, the mine became the largest bat
hibernaculum
in New Jersey, with as many 30,000 bats each winter. In 2010, less than 10% that number was found in the mine following an outbreak of white nose syndrome
.
, extending at least 2 miles (3.2 km) in length. Where it cropped out of the south side of the hill at Hibernia
it was operated by Samuel Ford, Stirling
and those who preceded them, and adjoining to the northeast the "Ford mine" was operated, as we have seen, by Jacob Ford and his lessees and grantees. But those operations were small compared with the mining of the last thirty years. Taking them in order, the mine to the southwest is the Beach mine, owned by the New Jersey Iron Mining Company, formerly by Conrad Poppenhusen
, who purchased of Dr. C. Beach. It was first opened about the close of the war, and is now being operated by the Andover Iron Company. Next to this is the "Theo. Wood mine," the oldest opening of them all, and covering the vein on the side and foot of the Hibernia hill. It formerly belonged to the two sons of Benjamin Beach, Chilion and Samuel Searing Beach. The share of Chilion was bought by his son Columbus, and Thomas Willis, of Powerville, purchased the other half. Dr. Beach and Willis sold the mine, January 11, 1853, to Theodore Wood for $14,000, which was supposed to be an excellent sale; but in 1865 it was sold to Conrad Poppenhusen for five times that amount. It belongs now to the New Jersey Iron Mining Company, which leases it to the Andover Iron Company. With the other mines owned or leased by the latter company it is under the management of Richard George. Next in order is the Old Ford mine, now owned by the Glendon Iron Company. This company, being the lessee of the mines beyond, has not driven its Ford mine so rapidly as those leased by the company, holding it in reserve. Next to this mine are the Crane mine, belonging to the estate of Mrs. Eliza A. Crane, one of the daughters of Colonel William Scott, and the De Camp mine, belonging to the heirs of Mrs. Augusta DeCamp, wife of Edward DeCamp and another one of the daughters of Colonel Scott. Both of these mines and the Upper Wood mine are and have been for many years leased and operated by the Glendon Iron Company, whose general superintendent and manager is George Richards, of Dover. The Upper Wood mine, so called from having once been owned by Theodore T. Wood, and to distinguish it from the one under the hill, formerly belonged to Elijah D. Scott, a son of Colonel William Scott. Beyond the Upper Wood mine is the Willis mine, which was once the property of Araminta Scott, another of the daughters of Colonel Scott. It is now operated by the Bethlehem Iron Company and belongs, as does also the Upper Wood mine, to the New Jersey Iron Mining Company.
An underground railroad has been constructed from the foot of the hill northeast upon or in the vein through the bowels of the mountain, which brings the product of all the upper mines to the terminus of the Hibernia Mine Railroad
, on which all the ore of the Hibernia mines goes to market. The tonnage of this road, almost entirely made up of the product of these mines, was 99,123 tons in 1879.
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...
, worked from pre-Revolutionary
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
times until 1916. An exploratory shaft was drilled in the 1950s but was not worked, and the shafts and adit
Adit
An adit is an entrance to an underground mine which is horizontal or nearly horizontal, by which the mine can be entered, drained of water, and ventilated.-Construction:...
were partly or totally sealed in 1972 and 1989.
After its closure, the mine became the largest bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
hibernaculum
Hibernaculum (zoology)
Hibernaculum plural form: hibernacula is a word used in zoology to refer to a place of abode in which a creature seeks refuge, such as a bear using a cave to overwinter. Insects may hibernate to survive the winter. The word can be used to describe a variety of shelters used by various kinds of...
in New Jersey, with as many 30,000 bats each winter. In 2010, less than 10% that number was found in the mine following an outbreak of white nose syndrome
White nose syndrome
White nose syndrome is a poorly understood disease associated with the deaths of more than a million bats. The condition, named for a distinctive fungal growth around the muzzles and on the wings of many affected animals, was first identified in a cave in Schoharie County, New York, USA, in...
.
History [taken directly from Munsell's History of Morris County, New Jersey (1882) p. 65]
The Hibernia mines are upon one veinVein (geology)
In geology, a vein is a distinct sheetlike body of crystallized minerals within a rock. Veins form when mineral constituents carried by an aqueous solution within the rock mass are deposited through precipitation...
, extending at least 2 miles (3.2 km) in length. Where it cropped out of the south side of the hill at Hibernia
Hibernia, New Jersey
Hibernia is an unincorporated area within Rockaway Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 07842....
it was operated by Samuel Ford, Stirling
William Alexander
William Alexander , who claimed the disputed title of Earl of Stirling, was an American major-general during the American Revolutionary War.-Life:...
and those who preceded them, and adjoining to the northeast the "Ford mine" was operated, as we have seen, by Jacob Ford and his lessees and grantees. But those operations were small compared with the mining of the last thirty years. Taking them in order, the mine to the southwest is the Beach mine, owned by the New Jersey Iron Mining Company, formerly by Conrad Poppenhusen
Conrad Poppenhusen
Conrad Poppenhusen was a German American philanthropist, entrepreneur, founder of College Point, Queens, and founder of the first free kindergarten in the United States....
, who purchased of Dr. C. Beach. It was first opened about the close of the war, and is now being operated by the Andover Iron Company. Next to this is the "Theo. Wood mine," the oldest opening of them all, and covering the vein on the side and foot of the Hibernia hill. It formerly belonged to the two sons of Benjamin Beach, Chilion and Samuel Searing Beach. The share of Chilion was bought by his son Columbus, and Thomas Willis, of Powerville, purchased the other half. Dr. Beach and Willis sold the mine, January 11, 1853, to Theodore Wood for $14,000, which was supposed to be an excellent sale; but in 1865 it was sold to Conrad Poppenhusen for five times that amount. It belongs now to the New Jersey Iron Mining Company, which leases it to the Andover Iron Company. With the other mines owned or leased by the latter company it is under the management of Richard George. Next in order is the Old Ford mine, now owned by the Glendon Iron Company. This company, being the lessee of the mines beyond, has not driven its Ford mine so rapidly as those leased by the company, holding it in reserve. Next to this mine are the Crane mine, belonging to the estate of Mrs. Eliza A. Crane, one of the daughters of Colonel William Scott, and the De Camp mine, belonging to the heirs of Mrs. Augusta DeCamp, wife of Edward DeCamp and another one of the daughters of Colonel Scott. Both of these mines and the Upper Wood mine are and have been for many years leased and operated by the Glendon Iron Company, whose general superintendent and manager is George Richards, of Dover. The Upper Wood mine, so called from having once been owned by Theodore T. Wood, and to distinguish it from the one under the hill, formerly belonged to Elijah D. Scott, a son of Colonel William Scott. Beyond the Upper Wood mine is the Willis mine, which was once the property of Araminta Scott, another of the daughters of Colonel Scott. It is now operated by the Bethlehem Iron Company and belongs, as does also the Upper Wood mine, to the New Jersey Iron Mining Company.
An underground railroad has been constructed from the foot of the hill northeast upon or in the vein through the bowels of the mountain, which brings the product of all the upper mines to the terminus of the Hibernia Mine Railroad
Hibernia Mine Railroad
The Hibernia Mine Railroad was a railroad in Morris County, New Jersey that operated between Hibernia and Rockaway from 1863 to 1946.- History :...
, on which all the ore of the Hibernia mines goes to market. The tonnage of this road, almost entirely made up of the product of these mines, was 99,123 tons in 1879.