Last chance! ✨ you only have a few more days to Last chance! ✨ you only have a few more days to get your copy of the Winter Guide before they’re gone! Have you grabbed yours yet?
We love Speakeasy Art! Did you know that they offe We love Speakeasy Art! Did you know that they offer private art classes as well as framing services? The perfect gift for the art lover in your life! ✨
Each of our Guides contains an Advertisers’ Inde Each of our Guides contains an Advertisers’ Index at the end—a great perk for advertisers and a great way for readers to get direct access to the businesses seen throughout! Make sure to flip to the end to support your local shops.
Did you happen to see our Q&A with Loaves and Fish Did you happen to see our Q&A with Loaves and Fishes in the Winter Guide? They are a wonderful community asset and we stopped in to learn more about them. You can visit lfcfp.org to learn more about their mission, their hours, volunteer info, and more. ✨
It’s a beautiful, snowy day in Boonton ❄️🥰 how are you choosing to stay warm and cozy?
Is it too early to be thinking about lunch tomorro Is it too early to be thinking about lunch tomorrow? If not, Don’s Sandwich Shop has us (and you) covered! Pictured here is the Turkey & Roast Beef Sloppy Joe and the Turkey & Ham on a Multigrain Roll. Not only are their sandwiches absolutely delicious, they’re so big that they’re sure to fill you up for the entire day! Are you hungry? Cause now we’re hungry 😋
The Boonton Holmes Library sure is lookin’ extra The Boonton Holmes Library sure is lookin’ extra pretty nowadays! We admit, we were a little sad to see the green go, but this blue sure is growing on us 😍
These BBQ spare ribs from Woks were so tender and These BBQ spare ribs from Woks were so tender and juicy, and their dumplings are also our new favorite go-to in the area… 😋 Did you know today is Lunar New Year? It’s the Year of the Water Rabbit! It’s said to be the luckiest animal of all 12, and it represents peaceful and patient energy. ✨
Have you stopped by Urbane Gypsy Arts yet? With a Have you stopped by Urbane Gypsy Arts yet? With a beading bar, canvas painting, wood crafts and more, you’re sure to find something for everyone to enjoy! She also offers parties and lessons, and there is plenty of space inside to fit a few kiddos for a fun event. Next time you stop by, don’t forget that she also sells second hand art supplies! ✨
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Maps + More · August 1, 2022

When the Iron Works Bell Stopped Ringing

By Peter Zablocki

If one stops on their walk alongside the picturesque ruins of the old Boonton Iron Works and closes their eyes, they can almost experience what the area was like when their forefathers walked Boonton’s streets. Before the 1906 fire destroyed the industrial complex that once gave life to Boonton in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Iron Works were very much part of the locals’ life experience. Monday through Saturday, the glow of furnaces lit up the sky as the smoke billowed into the skies above them. Loud clank noises were the norm, as were the sharp exhausts of drill engines. The boatman’s horn called the direction on the Morris Canal, and the buckling sound of pulleys and ropes pulling fully loaded plane cars away complemented the already rich array of noises. Yet on Sundays, like today, the Iron Works were quiet—broken only by the sounds of the nearby river and the birds chirping in the trees above. Also missing on Sundays was the famous Boonton Iron Works Bell.

Boonton Iron Works in Boonton, NJ - boontonguide.com

The large bell in the dome above the Works entrance signaled the workday’s beginning, middle, and end for all to hear. Its other usage was to notify the people of Boonton of any fires, accidents, or unusual happenings in the town. Any unscheduled loud bell sound often sent the townspeople to the mill to discover the cause of the excitement. The last time the people of Boonton heard the mill bell above the Boonton Iron Works was on October 15, 1906. It rang relentlessly as men and women below it labored to contain a massive fire that had erupted within its walls. With the structural supports weakened, the mill toppled to the ground. The following day—and like any Sunday—the people standing near its ruins could hear only the sound of the nearby river and the birds chirping above. It was Tuesday, October 16, 1906— but it might as well have been today.

Boonton Iron Works in Boonton, NJ - boontonguide.com
Peter Zablocki - boontonguide.com

Peter Zablocki is a local historian, author, and educator. He can be reached at peterzablocki.com.

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Last chance! ✨ you only have a few more days to Last chance! ✨ you only have a few more days to get your copy of the Winter Guide before they’re gone! Have you grabbed yours yet?
We love Speakeasy Art! Did you know that they offe We love Speakeasy Art! Did you know that they offer private art classes as well as framing services? The perfect gift for the art lover in your life! ✨
Each of our Guides contains an Advertisers’ Inde Each of our Guides contains an Advertisers’ Index at the end—a great perk for advertisers and a great way for readers to get direct access to the businesses seen throughout! Make sure to flip to the end to support your local shops.
Did you happen to see our Q&A with Loaves and Fish Did you happen to see our Q&A with Loaves and Fishes in the Winter Guide? They are a wonderful community asset and we stopped in to learn more about them. You can visit lfcfp.org to learn more about their mission, their hours, volunteer info, and more. ✨
It’s a beautiful, snowy day in Boonton ❄️🥰 how are you choosing to stay warm and cozy?
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