Manufacturing in early Hackettstown
I remember the hosiery factory, but much earlier than that, wasn't there a toy factory and a hat factory?
OnlyChild I used to work on Stiger St and remember being told that the building was originally used for manufacturing hoisery I think. Is that what you are talking about?
Firefly 
the building had an earlier incarnation as the Bergen Toy & Novelty Co...making toy soldiers...Hackettstown also had horse drawn sleigh and carriage factories...and a hat factory { picture included}...there was also Lackawanna Leather and Middletown Leather...they used tan cowhides to make leather for car seats among other things
oldman 
heres an ad for The Bergen Toy & Novelty Co...there was also Triump machine Co...on Willow Grove Street
Yes, Firefly.
Oldman, once again, fantastic photos...thanks for confirming to me, I had thought a couple of my relatives had mentioned at working at the toy company and
My grandmother talked about a hat factory. I take it that the Bergen family ha d quite the influence in town. Lakawanna Leather was located on Valentine Street. Isn't a carriage house present today behind Harpers?
yes there is a building behind Harpers...there was also a still back there for brewing strong booze...and lets not leave out Essex Specialities/ Pyronics...that was at the end of Stiger street...they manufactured explosives there for many years...
If I recall there was a hosiery factory on Stiger street years ago, Firefly, and they used to have a outlet store where you could go and buy some of the things besides hosiery that they made there.
Joyful Manufacturing in Hacettstown? How about the two fireworks plants, one became quite famous, during WWII, converted to full operation, end of Stiger street, supplying aerial flares to the airforce. Then there were two airplane factories, one actuallly produced a small plane, Buildings still in use; one a single bungalow and the other an apartment house.
oldsoldier What about the brewery Liberty and Franklin, also became a homesite. Correction; Lackawanna Leather was on Grand Avenue. After transfer, survivors took over and Middleton Leather moved to Middletown NY, Also what about Hershey Ice Cream plant, which moved to Hillside.
Forgot about Middletown Leather, Old Soldier...I worked for a while in the old Lackawanna Leather building and my hometown is Middletown, New York.. Good memory!
Bob R.
the hat factory was located just off of Miller street...right behind where the present firehouse stands...the hosiery factory on Stiger street was Elizabeth Undergarment...they lasted until at least the 1970s...the pyrotechnics factory spoken of here was the Essex Specialties Co. they manufactured parachute flairs during WW2...my late mother worked there...the plant was also the scene of several large explosions...one of which caused the deaths of 5 employees...and broke windows for miles around...body parts from the explosion were found on the property of Centenary College...the plant later became Pyronics...which manufactured explosive devices also...Pyronics went out of business...in the late 60s ...or early 70s...the bottling works at Liberty and franklin was owned and operated by Thomas Grogan...the larger brewery on Buck Hill was operated by the Harvey family...later to become Mitchell&Co...before ceasing operations in the 1880s...enclosed is a picture of the Grogan Bottling works
'Hackettstown also had horse drawn sleigh and carriage factories"
I have been told the building I live in was a carriage house. I tried researching it a little but didn't get to far. I did talk to the people at the historical society but couldn't find it on the maps. I have said before( in another topic?) I believe it was also a "file" factory, where metal files were made for filing wood? Somethime they still surface from the ground in my back yard...talk about eerie...
Cherie nothing eerie...local factories did not pay to have their waste products hauled away...they dumped it on the premises...you can still find old files and rusted tools at the site of the long abandoned Pequest Furnace...and Bergen Tool also...the file remains you have been finding could also have been used in horse shoeing...and blacksmithing...
Elizabeth Undergarment was located on Valentine Street......my mother worked there 25 yrs.....was located on right. Down in that complex which Hoskings Limo is part of, only EU was down bellow road level in the portion of the building toward the Main Street side.
the Elizabeth Undergarment factory I went to was on Stiger street...right next to the Auction Market...went there many times...my mother and her friends bought things there...all the time...
Remember as a kid there was large brick building long since collapsed behind & up the tracks a little bit on Grand Ave from Hoff's Auto - if you made the right into to Hoff's & went up the tracks that is where the building stood.
Also wasn't there some type of Mill on the Musconetcong upriver from where the Nelson Hoyt Field is - think the ruins are still behind the developement across from the hospital.
& the site of the old Central House i believe was a carriage manufacturer not sure what is there now a real estate office or something on the corner of Main St & not sure the name of the street there.
I still am friends with the last owners of EU, I'll contact them and ask when the move from Stiger to Valentine took place....I only recall the location my mother worked from...interesting. My mother worked in the factory and their sales room, waiting on the public.
Remember the other Tannery on Buck Hill Rte 6 & 46, Was converted into a large
good fashionable Tea Room, now a residence? Take this theme on town places further; who remembers a town of 2 skating rinks, 3 bowling alleys, and two pool halls, all at same time! Not forgetting 7 taverns, incl 3 or town borders. Like oldtimers input - great.
heres a picture of the Old Tannery Restaurant...what about due to blue laws the sale of alcoholic beverages was forbidden in Hackettstown on Sunday...thats why on just about every road leading out of Hackettstown there is a tavern just over the borderline...
Oldman, your collection is wonderful...I remember having a delicious meal at that restaurant with my parents when I was a child and to this day I remember how delicious the cole slaw was that day... I pass by this building (now a residence) every day.
Oldman, I did get an opportunity to speak with the son of the former owner of Elizabeth Undergarment.......as long as they owned the business it was at the Valentine Street location. They bought the building in 1950 ish and moved the Elizabeth Undergarment business up here from Newark area. I remember going in the Hosiery factory which was located near the Auction market. Speaking of the Auctiion market, how long has that been there? .... am surprised there is still business for it these days.
Auction market was founded in 1939 (same time parking meters were introdced on Main St). Same town committe worked on both projects. Location selected as well out of town! One member of joint commission still resides in town.
Oldman, I was wondering if the Small homes that were burned behind Kevel Chevey might have been abandoned (cottages,maybee homes). I seem to remeber as a kid, probly mid-to late 1960 , those dwellings being burned to the ground.
I can still remember as a kid, finding pots and pans scattered around the ruins.
I wonder if you ever checked it out. You do seem to remember alot of the same things of this once Great town as I do .
I remember my parents calling them Squatters, but back then I had No Idea what the word ment Just Wondering........
Could they have been previosley employeed by a local bussiness?
there was a squatters camp there...and further up along the railroad tracks was a hobo camp...in the woods near the switch for the Mars factory...Saxton Falls had hundreds of squatters shacks at one time...they lived along the river...
At the livestock auctions near the old Pyronics Plant who was selling to whom; was it farmers selling and buying with other farmers or was it mostly selling livestock to food buyers? Always wondered exactly what was taking place. Was it just mostly cows ? or other livestock ?
OLDMAN: Saxton Falls thru Wintermutes (Elsies Tavern); Squatters? For shame! Was known as Little Phillipsburg. Knew that area better than Hackettstown / Beatystown section. Great Depression area late 20' early 30's. That area ( as well as Mountain Lake) settled as second home by {Phillipsburg personnel) land grants
from State assured ownership, better than life long rental residency in P'Burg. 2 = 3
families would share transportation. Many eventually located in Hacketttstown area.
Squattters no - citizen builders yes.
oldsoldier heres a picture that dates from the time of the Morris Canal every picture tells a story
Oldman: where was the Old Tannery Restaurant located? This is fabulous stuff to read. Thanks for posting so much!
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