133-615: The Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project is a New Jersey Transit and Amtrak effort to restore passenger service to the Lackawanna Cut-Off in northwest New Jersey. Started in 2011, Phase 1 of the project is extending NJ Transit 's commuter rail service 7.3 miles (11.7 km) from Port Morris Junction in Morris County to Andover in Sussex County , with the latter seeing its first passenger trains for
266-580: A nursing home operation that abutted the roadbed. Conrail refused to sell the isolated Andover parcel, but offered to sell it if Turco would acquire all of the L&;HR right-of-way from Sparta to Belvidere , a total of 32 miles (51 km). Turco said that it was during this time that Conrail offered the Cut-Off, which crosses the L&HR on the Pequest Fill near Tranquility, New Jersey , to create
399-434: A $ 32.5 million plan to rehabilitate the tunnel and right-of-way to its east and west. The 2008 approval made the project eligible for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding for engineering and design work. By 2009, the environmental assessment for the remainder of the project to Scranton was completed, with a "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Full funding for
532-478: A female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.24. In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
665-402: A fleet of 175 locomotives and over 1,200 passenger cars. NJ Transit has a fleet of over 1,100 passenger cars. The fleet and examples are described below. NJ Transit provides passenger service on 12 lines at total of 165 stations, some of which are operated in conjunction with Amtrak and Metro-North (MNCW). Sussex County, New Jersey Sussex County ( / ˈ s ʌ s ɪ k s / )
798-606: A light suburban atmosphere, instead of the sparsely populated rural region it once was, especially in the eastern half of the county. Around 450 million years ago, the Martinsburg Shale was uplifted when a chain of volcanic islands collided with proto North America. These islands slid over the North American plate, and deposited rock on top of the plate, forming the Highlands and Kittatinny Valley. At that time
931-725: A low of 17 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.86 inches (73 mm) in February to 4.76 inches (121 mm) in June. According to the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service soil survey , the area receives sunshine approximately 62% of the time in summer and 48% in winter. Prevailing winds are typically from
1064-909: A maximum elevation of 1,803 feet (550 m) at High Point , in Montague Township. Between Kittatinny Mountain and the Delaware River is the Wallpack Ridge , a smaller, narrow ridge spanning 25 miles (40 km) in length from the Walpack Bend near Flatbrookville north to Port Jervis, New York . Wallpack Ridge encloses the watershed of the Flat Brook and its two main tributaries Little Flat Brook and Big Flat Brook , and ranges in elevation from 500 to 900 feet (150 to 270 m) and reaching its highest elevation at 928 feet (283 m). The Kittatinny Valley lies to
1197-410: A median income of $ 50,395 versus $ 33,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 26,992. About 2.8% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2006–2010 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 3.6% of county residents were living below the poverty line which
1330-425: A medical practice, but is largely known for his interest in mineralogy which led to his developing commercial uses for zinc and for discovery of several rare minerals (chiefly various ores of zinc). Many of these zinc minerals are known for fluorescing in vivid colors when exposed to ultraviolet light . Because of both the rich deposits and many of these minerals are not found anywhere else on earth, Franklin
1463-412: A package deal. Turco eventually accepted the deal to purchase both rail lines, acquiring nearly 60 miles (97 km) of right-of-way for roughly $ 2 million. Shortly thereafter, Conrail sold the remaining 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (2.4 km) parcel east of Sussex County Road 602 to developer Burton Goldmeier of Hopatcong, who reportedly wanted to use that section of the Cut-Off as an access road to
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#17327731379431596-572: A proposed housing development. (Conrail would remove the tracks from the L&HR in 1988.) The removal of the rails and the sale of the right-of-way to private developers made restoration of the Cut-Off more challenging. Then they got worse when Turco announced plans to remove fill material from the Pequest Fill and other large Cut-Off fills for the Westway Project in New York City and to dump garbage and construction materials into
1729-466: A relatively rural and forested area. In the western half of the county, several state and federal parks have kept the large tracts of land undeveloped and in their natural states. The eastern half of the county has had more suburban development because of its proximity to more populated areas and commercial development zones. With its location at the top of New Jersey, Sussex County is the only county to neighbor both New York and Pennsylvania. Because it
1862-599: A ridge along the county's eastern flank. Sussex County's rivers and watersheds flow in three directions; north to the Hudson River , west and south to the Delaware River, and east toward Newark Bay . Historically, these rivers and streams were used to power various types of mills (i.e. grist mills, fulling mills, etc.), transport goods to market, and later to generate electric power (after 1880). Today, these rivers are chiefly used in local recreational activities —including canoeing and fishing . The Fish Culture Unit of
1995-505: A stop at Delaware Water Gap. On March 22, 2023, Amtrak published a study of its proposal to operate passenger trains between New York Penn Station and Scranton, Pennsylvania . The service would initially provide three round-trip trains per day, estimating a 136-mile (219 km) trip time of 2 hours 50 minutes. The most significant capital costs for the project would be related to the upgrading of track in Pennsylvania; reactivating
2128-626: Is estimated that NJ Transit commuter service could transport 6,000 passengers a day to jobs in northern New Jersey and New York City. Amtrak is expected to perform its own ridership estimates which would be based on both commuter and non-commuter (recreational and tourist) passenger volumes. In October 2015, a study to update the 2007 data was requested by the FTA as a prerequisite for project funding west of Andover. The Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration – Commuter Rail Study, released in December 2019, found that
2261-433: Is further reflected in the number of dairy farms and milk cows in 1982 as compared to 2002. In 1982 there were 137 dairy farms; by 2002 the number had decreased to only 30. In 1982 there were 6,406 milk cows; in 2002 the quantity had fallen to 1,943. According to county agricultural statistics, 17.3% of all crop sales ($ 1.4 million in 2002) were in hay. Nearly 80% of tilled farmland, or 21,195 acres (8,577 ha), on 43% of
2394-555: Is known as the "Fluorescent Mineral Capitol of the World." Fowler, who later briefly served in elected political office, operated the local iron works and bought several abandoned zinc and iron mines in the area. Shortly after his death, two companies were created to exploit the iron and zinc deposits in this region; they acquired the rights to Fowler's holdings in Franklin and nearby Sterling Hill . These companies later merged to form
2527-585: Is largely formed by sedimentary rock . The New York-New Jersey Highlands , or Highlands region, located in the county's eastern section is older. An extension of the Reading Prong formation stretching from Pennsylvania to Connecticut, the Highlands were created from geological forces created from when a small continent went over the North American plate. This rock created the highlands of Sussex County. Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rock approximately 500 million years ago. The watersheds within
2660-472: Is planned. Additional non-revenue trains (deadhead moves) would run in each direction to move equipment to and from Port Morris Yard. The project would build a station on Roseville Road in Andover Township with 55 parking spaces and a 200-foot (61 m) high-level platform. Located about 1.1 miles (1.8 km) from U.S. Route 206 and about 0.9 miles (1.4 km) from Sussex County Route 517 ,
2793-424: Is roughly 19.6% of the county's land area. The county-wide total agricultural product sales in 2007 was $ 21,242,000, up from $ 14,756,000 in 2002. Total county market value of land and buildings in 2007 was $ 888,955,000, an increase from $ 520,997,000 in 2002. The average market value per farm was $ 838,636 (2007), up from $ 505,823 (2002). This results in a per acre price of $ 13,625 (2007), up from $ 7,136 (2002). With
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#17327731379432926-495: Is shaped roughly like a diamond or rhombus with its point matching the cardinal points of the compass, its boundary lines are roughly oriented along the ordinal or intercardinal directions . Because of its location in the higher elevations of northwestern New Jersey's Appalachian mountains, Sussex County has a cooler humid continental climate or microthermal climate ( Köppen Dfb) which indicates patterns of significant precipitation in all seasons and at least four months where
3059-773: Is the Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny, New Jersey. Other major yard facilities are located at Hoboken Terminal . Amtrak's Sunnyside Yard in Queens , New York serves as a layover facility for trains to New York Penn Station . Additional yards are located at outlying points along the lines. These include: NJT has a fleet of maintenance crews and vehicles that repair tracks, spread ballast , deliver supplies and inspect infrastructure. There are eight non-revenue work diesels used for these purposes. NJT utilizes numerous moveable bridges : NJ Transit, operates
3192-843: Is the dominant geological feature in the western section of the county. It is part of the Appalachian Mountains , and part of a ridge that continues as the Blue Mountain in Eastern Pennsylvania, and as Shawangunk Ridge in New York to the north. It begins in New Jersey as the eastern half of the Delaware Water Gap , and runs northeast to southwest along the Delaware River. Elevations range from 1,200 to 1,800 feet (370 to 550 m) and attains
3325-488: Is the northernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey . Its county seat is Newton . It is part of the New York metropolitan area and is part of New Jersey's Skylands Region . As of the 2020 census , the county was the state's 17th-most-populous county , with a population of 144,221, a decrease of 5,044 (−3.4%) from the 2010 census count of 149,265, which in turn reflected an increase of 5,099 (+3.5%) over
3458-479: Is the rock of soil material transported or deposited by glacial ice. In this case, the most recent glaciation (i.e. the last ice age ), the Wisconsinian continental glacier , deposited a till plain composed of ground and recessional moraines . This glaciation reached its maximum extent roughly 22,000 years ago. Glaciofluvial deposits (or "outwash") are rock and soil materials that melting glaciers deposit as
3591-475: The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad (DL&W) to speed service between Hoboken, New Jersey , and Buffalo, New York , the 28.45-mile (45.79 km) Lackawanna Cut-Off was the last main line built in New Jersey. The line was considered an engineering marvel—a "super-railroad", in the vernacular of the day—with deep cuts, tall fills, and two large viaducts that allowed a mostly straight route through
3724-461: The NJ-DEP and NJ Transit over the proposed location for Andover Station. (Federal regulations governing projects that receive federal funding forbid tree and brush removal from April 1 to October 31 due to the mating season of the endangered Indiana bat .) Efforts by Byram Township's council and a local community group called North Byram Concerned Citizens to slow the project were unsuccessful, and
3857-882: The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks these waterways each year with various species of trout . Some of these rivers—especially the Flat Brook, Paulins Kill and Pequest—have become well known as trout streams and for their suitability for fly-fishing . The Flat Brook and its tributary the Big Flat Brook are regarded as the state's premiere trout stream. According to the Natural Resource Conservation Service , Sussex County soils are derived from parent materials that are largely till and glaciofluvial deposits , alluvium , and organic matter deposits . Till
3990-539: The New Jersey Transit proposal to rebuild the first 7.3 miles (11.7 km) of the Cut-Off between Port Morris Junction and Andover. Phase 1 would reopen one track on the once-abandoned line with a speed limit as high as 80 mph (130 km/h) for trains made up of existing NJ Transit diesel locomotives and coaches. Eight eastbound and eight westbound trains to and from Hoboken Terminal and/or New York Penn Station would run on weekdays. No weekend service
4123-512: The New Jersey Zinc Corporation (today known as Horsehead Industries ). At this time, Russian , Chilean , British , Irish , Hungarian and Polish immigrants came to Franklin to work in the mines, and the population of Franklin swelled from 500 (in 1897) to over 3,000 (in 1913). Declining deposits in the Franklin area, the expense of pumping groundwater from mine shafts, tax disputes and misdirected investments by
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4256-657: The Ordovician period and Appalachian orogeny — by a continent striking North America the creating Kittatinny Mountain, Blue Mountain, and the Appalachian Mountains . This physiographic province occupies approximately two-thirds of the county's area (the county's western and central sections) dominated by Kittatinny Mountain and the Kittatinny Valley. This province's contour is characterized by long, even ridges with long, continuous valleys in between that generally run parallel from southwest to northeast. This region
4389-695: The Paulins Kill watershed and Pequest River watershed flowing southwest. This valley floor consists of shale and slate (part of the Ordovician Martinsburg Formation ) and of limestone (part of the Jacksonburg Formation). Several parties have argued about the possibility of natural gas extraction in the region's Martinsburg and Utica shale formations, similar to the Marcellus Shale formations to
4522-554: The Paulinskill Viaduct and the Delaware River Viaduct , as well as for the 1.4 miles (2.3 km) of right-of-way in Pennsylvania, which was later acquired by Pennsylvania's Monroe County Railroad Authority. In addition to these corporations, Turco created holding companies to oversee these other corporations: Sussex & Warren Holding Company, Inc. and OLC, Inc., (OLC, Old Lackawanna Cut-Off). On
4655-653: The Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority and the Lackawanna County Department of Planning and Economic Development. The scope of work included: assessments of the condition of the Paulinskill and Delaware River Viaducts; conceptual evaluation of a rail station and parking garage layout at Delaware Water Gap; a desk-top assessment of track geometry and rail operating speeds along
4788-517: The U.S. Department of Agriculture 's National Agricultural Statistics Service , Sussex County has 1,060 farms totaling 65,242 acres (26,403 ha; 101.941 sq mi) out of New Jersey's total 10,327 farms managing 773,450 acres (313,000 ha; 1,208.52 sq mi). This is up from 1,029 farms in the 2002 Census estimate. However, acreage dedicated to agriculture declined by 13.6% from 75,496 acres (30,552 ha; 117.963 sq mi) in 2002. Note though that 102,547 acres—roughly 30% of
4921-657: The third-busiest commuter railroad in North America and the longest commuter rail system in North America by route length . The lines operated by NJ Transit were formerly operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad , Central Railroad of New Jersey , New York and Long Branch Railroad , and Erie Lackawanna Railroad , most of which date from the mid-19th century. From the 1960s onward, the New Jersey Department of Transportation began funding
5054-569: The $ 61.6-million Phase 1 was reiterated by the New Jersey Transit Board of Directors on July 21, 2021: a federal earmark grant of $ 18.1 million plus funds from FTA and the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund (NJTTF). The work of removing brush and general preparations to restore trackage between Port Morris and Andover got underway in early 2011, after a disagreement was resolved between
5187-532: The 131st-highest per capita income of all 3,113 counties in the United States (and the ninth-highest in New Jersey). Average per capita income was $ 49,207 and was 23.2% above the national average. As of the 2000 Census, the median household income was $ 65,266 and the median family income was $ 73,335. Males had a median income of $ 44,544 compared with $ 32,487 for females. The per capita income for
5320-493: The 144,166 persons at the 2000 census . Based on 2020 census data, Vernon Township was the county's largest in both population and area, with a population of 22,358 and covering an area of 70.59 square miles (182.8 km ). The county is part of the North Jersey region of the state. In 2015, the county had a per capita personal income of $ 55,497, the ninth-highest in New Jersey and ranked 220th of 3,113 counties in
5453-508: The 1720s, spreading north into Sussex County in the 1740s and 1750s as additional German emigrants arrived. Also during this time, Scottish settlers from Elizabethtown and Perth Amboy , and English settlers from these cities, Long Island , Connecticut and Massachusetts , came to New Jersey and moved up the tributaries of the Passaic and Raritan rivers, settling in the eastern sections of present-day Sussex and Warren counties . By
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5586-468: The 1750s, residents of this area began to petition colonial authorities for a new county to be formed; they complained of the inconvenience of long travel to conduct business with the government and the courts. By this time, four large townships had been created in this sparsely populated Northwestern region: Walpack Township (before 1731), Greenwich Township (before 1738), Hardwick Township (1750) and Newtown Township (1751). On June 8, 1753, Sussex County
5719-471: The 1880s and consolidating their assets. He developed a process of crushing and milling iron-bearing minerals and separating iron ore from the material through large electromagnets , and built one of the world's largest ore-crushing mills near Ogdensburg. Completed in 1889, the factory contained three giant electromagnets and was intended to process up to 1200 tons of iron ore every day. However, technical difficulties repeatedly thwarted production. However, in
5852-536: The 1890s, richer soft-grade iron ore deposits located in Minnesota 's Iron Range rendered Edison's Ogdensburg operation unprofitable and he closed the works in 1900. Edison adapted the process and machinery for the cement industry and invested in producing Portland Cement in other locations. In the early 19th century, Samuel Fowler (1779–1844) settled in Franklin Furnace (now Franklin) to open up
5985-689: The Atlantic City Line. Below is a list of NJ Transit lines and freight lines that operate on them: NJTR also owns several lines not used for regular passenger service. These lines were purchased by the New Jersey Department of Transportation in the late 1970s for railbanking purposes, with ownership transferring to NJ Transit upon its creation in 1979. These lines are either leased for freight/ tourist service, interim rail trail use, or remain derelict: NJT owns most of its tracks, infrastructure, bridges, tunnels and signals. The exceptions are: NJ Transit's main storage and maintenance facility
6118-571: The Congress ordered two colonels, Benjamin Flower and Thomas Maybury to take possession of the iron works at Andover in order to equip General Washington's army. During the middle of the 19th century, under the management of Cooper and Hewitt, the Andover mine produced 50,000 tons of iron ore each year. The firm manufactured railroad rails and the country's first structural steel , which and led to
6251-478: The Cut-Off at Port Morris on October 5, 1984. Wooden ties and rock ballast were left in place, which was unusual since Conrail's standard abandonment practice involved removing all components (rails, wooden ties, signals, poles, rock ballast) when dismantling a railroad. With track removal complete, the 27 miles (43 km) of right-of-way west of County Road 602 (Brooklyn-Stanhope Road) in Hopatcong, New Jersey ,
6384-414: The Cut-Off by condemnation . In any case, the proposal helped galvanize support for preserving the Cut-Off. In November 1989, New Jersey citizens voted on a $ 25 million state bond issue for acquiring abandoned railroad rights-of-way. After they approved it overwhelmingly, NJDOT instituted eminent domain proceedings against the corporations that Turco and Goldmeier had established in New Jersey for
6517-405: The Cut-Off near Port Morris Junction. In April 2015, environmental permits were issued for the non-Roseville parts of the project and NJ Transit acquired 3.53 acres of wetlands mitigation credits to compensate for the loss of wetlands in building Andover Station. No further permits are required, although NJDEP officials, citing computer models, determined that a theoretical 100-year flood required
6650-468: The Cut-Off. For liability purposes, Turco had established separate corporations for the parcels of right-of-way in each municipality that his section of the Cut-Off ran through: Knowlton , Blairstown and Frelinghuysen townships in Warren County ; Green , Byram , Andover and Stanhope townships and Andover borough in Sussex County . In addition, separate corporations had been set up for
6783-460: The Cut-Off; additional stations and signals in Pennsylvania; and additional locomotives and passenger cars dedicated to the route. No estimates for building and operating any intermediate phases were made at the time. This full build-out to Scranton would include: All stations would have high-level platforms and would comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Service would be scheduled to Hoboken and New York City . By 2030, it
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#17327731379436916-663: The FRA accepted New York–Scranton into its Corridor Identification and Development Program established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act . The move allocates money for planning and prioritizes the route for future funding. In January of 2024, Amtrak announced that they would not be stopping in Andover. In 2007, the estimated cost of a full build-out to Scranton was $ 516 million ($ 758,200,000 today) with an annual operating cost of $ 26 million. This would include track, stations, signals, and bridgework on
7049-710: The Highlands provide fresh water resources for millions of residents in New Jersey and the New York City Metropolitan Area. Because of this, the region was protected by the New Jersey Legislature and Governor Jim McGreevey under the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act enacted in 2004. This act sought to protect these water resources from development by promoting open space and farmland preservation, creating new recreational parks, and consolidating
7182-648: The Highlands region range from 1,000 to 1,500 feet (300 to 460 m). Officially, the county's lowest elevation is approximately 300 feet (91 m) above sea level along the Delaware River near Flatbrookville. However, local authorities claim unofficially that the mine adit descending 2,675 feet (815 m) at the Sterling Hill Mine in Ogdensburg is the lowest elevation in New Jersey. Because of its topography, Sussex County has remained
7315-783: The Hudson and Delaware rivers. The Munsee spoke a very distinct dialect of the Lenape and inhabited a region bounded by the Hudson River , the headwaters of the Delaware River and the Susquehanna River , and south to the Lehigh River and Conewago Creek . As a result of disruption following the French and Indian War (1756–1763), the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and later Indian removals from
7448-585: The Lackawanna Cut-Off between Andover station in Andover Township, New Jersey and Slateford Junction , Pennsylvania ; and the cost of purchasing two or three Airo trainsets for Amtrak. The study noted that federal funding agencies were still choosing among various proposed rail projects but suggested that service could begin as early as 2028. This study was initiated in July 2021 when Amtrak entered into an agreement to formally assess
7581-727: The Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for replacing 43,000 railroad ties on 40 miles (64 km) of the line west from the Delaware Water Gap past Tobyhanna. The funds are half the required amount and allow the authority to apply for the remaining dollars from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The replacement is part of track upgrades needed to allow passenger trains to travel up to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h). In December 2023,
7714-553: The New Jersey Transit Board of Directors to move the culvert away from the property. In April 2018, the Andover Township Committee announced that it had reached a tentative agreement with Hudson Farm to buy the land on which the original culvert was located; the purchase was consummated two months later for $ 115,000. As of 2022, about 4 miles (6.4 km) of rail had been laid in four discontinuous sections between Port Morris and Lake Lackawanna , as described in
7847-485: The New Jersey side of the Delaware River Viaduct on June 8, 1984. Even as this was taking place, Morris County Transportation Department director Frank Reilly made last-ditch attempts to delay track removal in New Jersey. In addition, the dismantling was hampered by saboteurs who replaced railroad spikes removed by the crew. These efforts proved to be in vain as the last mainline trackage was removed from
7980-860: The Paulinskill River, the Flatbrook, which drain into the Delaware River, the Wallkill River which flows north to the Hudson River. There are many smaller creeks that drain into these water sheds. Sussex County is located within two of New Jersey's physiographic provinces: (1) The Ridge and Valley Appalachians , and (2) the New York-New Jersey Highlands regions. The features of the Ridge and Valley province were created approximately 400 million years ago during
8113-419: The Revolution years before. As deposits were depleted, the iron mining industry began to diminish by the mid-19th century. During the late 19th century, prolific American inventor Thomas Edison began to explore the commercial opportunities of processing poor-quality low-grade iron ore to combat the growing scarcity of iron deposits in the United States. He began to purchase mining companies in Sussex County in
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#17327731379438246-402: The United States. As of 2010 The Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having the 131st-highest per capita income ($ 49,207) of the 3,113 counties in the United States (and the ninth-highest in the state). The county was established in 1753 from portions of Morris County and named after the county of Sussex in England. The area of Sussex County and its surrounding region
8379-431: The West in Pennsylvania and New York. Of special interest is Rutan Hill , a 440-million-year-old patch of igneous rock known as nepheline syenite . This site, north of Beemerville in Wantage Township, was once an ancient volcano —the only extant dormant volcano site in the state. Dividing the Kittatinny Valley (and the Ridge and Valley Province) from the Highlands region is a narrow fault of Hardyston Quartzite. Many of
8512-407: The area was first a tundra with lichens and mosses. After a few thousand years, coniferous forests began to grow. As climate grew warmer around 8000 B.C., deciduous forests began to grow with nut trees such as oak, and maple. Around 3000 B.C. other nut bearing trees began to grow such as hickory, butternut, walnut and beech. This allowed the Paleo Indian populations to increase. The county is drained by
8645-506: The average temperature rises above 10 °C (50 °F) This differs from the rest of the state which is generally a humid mesothermal climate, in which temperatures range between −3 and 18 °C (27 and 64 °F) during the year's coldest month. Sussex County is part of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6 . During winter and early spring, New Jersey in some years is subject to " nor'easters "—significant storm systems that have proven capable of causing blizzards or flooding throughout
8778-429: The building of railroads and commercial development in the county. Iron from the Andover mines was fashioned into cable wire for the bridge built at Niagara Falls and for the beams used to rebuild Princeton University 's Nassau Hall in Princeton, New Jersey after a fire undermined the structure in 1855. During the American Civil War , Andover iron found its way into rifle barrels and cannonballs just as it had during
8911-433: The capital costs for reactivating the railroad from Andover to a new station at Delaware Water Gap would be about $ 288.93 million. The figure, which included the cost of reinstalling about 21 miles of tracks, upgrading two major bridges, and other related work, is roughly half the 2006 estimate of $ 551 million, largely because it excludes building the new stations, maintenance facilities, and other upgrades included in
9044-1401: The commuter lines. By 1976, the lines were all operated by Conrail under contract to NJDOT. The system took its current form in 1983, when NJ Transit took over all commuter service in New Jersey. NJ Transit Rail Operations is divided into the Hoboken Division and the Newark Division. The two networks were not integrated until the opening of Secaucus Junction in 2003, which enabled passengers to transfer between lines bound for New York and Hoboken. As of 2022, NJ Transit's commuter rail network consists of 12 lines and 165 stations, primarily concentrated in northern New Jersey, with one line running between Atlantic City and Philadelphia . Operations are in two divisions: Although NJ Transit itself does not carry freight, NJTR allows freight service to be operated over its lines via trackage rights agreements with several railroads. Conrail Shared Assets Operations (CSAO), CSX , Norfolk Southern (NS) and several short lines ( Cape May Seashore Lines (CMSL), Dover and Delaware River Railroad (DD), Morristown & Erie Railway (M&E), and Southern Railroad of New Jersey (SRNJ) currently have trackage rights contracts to operate freight service on NJ Transit lines. The Morristown & Erie Railway can only use NJT trackage to get between its owned trackage; it cannot serve customers on NJ Transit trackage. A similar situation exists for Conrail on
9177-425: The company led to the abandonment of the mines. Today, both the Franklin and Sterling Hill mines are operated as museums. Beginning in the 1950s and 1960s, construction or improvements of Interstate 80 , Route 181 and Route 23 triggered rapid growth to Sussex County. Since 1950, the population nearly quadrupled from 34,423 people to 130,943 people in 1990. This has caused Sussex County to begin developing into
9310-472: The corridor; desk-top assessment of signaling and Positive Train Control needs in the corridor; assessments of the existing track, drainage and railroad bed condition in the corridor; conceptual layout of a bridge to carry Slateford Road over the restored passenger line; underwater inspection of the three river piers of the Delaware River Viaduct; and conceptual and updated cost estimates for the anticipated improvements. The total conceptual construction costs for
9443-473: The county was $ 26,992. About 6.30% of families and 8.40% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.50% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over. The median value of all homes in Sussex County as of Q4 2021 was $ 323,687, up 12.1% from the prior year. As of 2010 , there were a total of 54,881 households enumerated in the 2010 census, with a reported median household income of $ 84,115, or mean household income of $ 96,527. Males had
9576-417: The county's gross domestic product was $ 4.6 billion in 2021, which was ranked 20th in the state and was a 3.9% increase from the prior year. As of the 2010 Census, the county's unemployment rate was 11.0%. The Census Bureau reported a population of 118,420 persons (above age 16) available for the labor force of which 82,449 (69.6%) were actively employed in civilian labor, and 35,971 (30.4%) were not in
9709-579: The county's annual crop revenues but account for 30% of crop production. Despite the decline of dairy farming, it is still the largest contributor to the county's annual agricultural revenues. According to the Sussex County Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan (2008): Dairy production has steadily trended downward since 1971, when the county produced 138 million pounds of milk. By 2005 this quantity had fallen to 38.4 million pounds. The decrease
9842-407: The county's land area—are under farmland assessment for the purpose of calculating property tax levies. This decrease is total acreage is due, in large part, to " suburban sprawl " as farmers capitalized by converting to commercial and residential development. The average size of a farm in 2007 was 62 acres (25 ha) acres, down from 73 acres (30 ha). The 2007 acreage dedicated to agriculture
9975-402: The county. The population density was 277 inhabitants per square mile (107/km ). There were 56,528 housing units at an average density of 108 units per square mile (42/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 95.70% White , 1.0% Black or African American , 0.11% Native American , 1.20% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.74% from other races , and 1.14% from two or more races. 3.30% of
10108-560: The culvert work. NJ Transit service to Andover is projected to begin in 2026. No phases have been defined beyond Phase 1 (Port Morris Junction–Andover). Proposed future phases would extend the line west of Andover to Delaware Water Gap , Scranton (88 miles (142 km) west of Port Morris), and possibly Binghamton, New York , based on funding availability. A 2020 Amtrak service expansion map, updated in May 2021, included restored service between New York and Scranton. The proposal did include
10241-441: The earlier study that involved work on the additional 55 miles (88.7 km) of railroad between the Delaware Water Gap and Scranton not covered within the scope of the study. The 2019 study cost about $ 1 million, funded by local, state, and federal grants assembled by the office of U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright . It was prepared by Greenman-Pederson, Inc. of Scranton, PA (supported by sub-consultant Gannett-Fleming, Inc.) for
10374-581: The early 1960s for the construction of Interstate 80 .) Efforts to preserve the Cut-Off began almost immediately upon the route's closing. In November 1979, Amtrak operated an inspection train between Hoboken and Scranton to investigate intercity rail service between the two cities. Dubbed the "Pocono Mountain Special", the train left Hoboken and ran west on the Morristown Line on November 13, 1979, reaching Port Morris shortly after 9 a.m. With
10507-576: The east of Kittatinny Mountain and ends with the Highlands in the east. It is largely a region of rolling hills and flat valley floors. Elevations in this valley range from 400 to 1,000 feet. It is part of the Great Appalachian Valley running from eastern Canada to northern Alabama. This valley is shared by three major watersheds—the Wallkill River , with its tributaries Pochuck Creek and Papakating Creek flowing north; and
10640-733: The eastern United States, the main Lenape groups now live in Ontario in Canada, and in Wisconsin and Oklahoma in the United States. As early as 1690, Dutch and French Huguenot colonists from towns along the Hudson River Valley in New York began permanently settling in the Upper Delaware Valley (known as the " Minisink "). The route these Dutch settlers had taken was the path of an old Indian trail and became
10773-592: The ex-New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Poughkeepsie Bridge. The conveyance of EL into Conrail on April 1, 1976, gave Conrail excess east–west trackage, however, and service on the Cut-Off ended in January 1979. (Conrail officials later said they might not have abandoned the Scranton Route, including the Cut-Off, if the EL had not severed a section of the Boonton Branch near Paterson, New Jersey , in
10906-415: The farms in the county is dedicated to hay production. Much of hay is grown for feed on livestock farms — especially dairy farms — and never makes it to market and is therefore not included in federal agricultural census data. In 2002, 4,059 acres (1,643 ha) were dedicated to corn cultivation, the majority of it used for feed on the same farms. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture compiled by
11039-575: The federal government at 3.25 percent per annum and issued bonds to cover the rest of the purchase price plus additional unspecified costs to restore the line. The deal would have allowed Conrail to remove about 40 miles (64 km) of track with an option for Pennsylvania, through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), to purchase the second track to Moscow, Pennsylvania, for operations out of Scranton's Steamtown National Historic Site . The agreement stipulated that
11172-470: The first time in more than half a century. Service from Andover to Hoboken Terminal and New York Penn Station is expected to begin in 2026. Service to the latter will require electro-diesel locomotives (such as NJ Transit's Bombardier ALP-45DP locomotives) because the North River Tunnels cannot accommodate diesel engines. Initial steps have been taken on more phases that would rebuild
11305-456: The funding for this scenario has not yet been identified. In December 2008, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer , Democrat of New York, sent a letter to Amtrak president Joseph Boardman , expressing his support for Amtrak service between Scranton and Binghamton, New York . In April 2009, U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, Jr. , Democrats of Pennsylvania, sent a joint letter to President Barack Obama , seeking support for Amtrak service between
11438-447: The glacier recedes. Alluvium is materials that are deposited by floodwaters from engorged bodies of water—chiefly streams and rivers. Organic deposits are largely the result of decomposing plant material. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 535.54 square miles (1,387.0 km ), of which 518.66 square miles (1,343.3 km ) was land (96.8%) and 16.88 square miles (43.7 km )
11571-439: The government defined as an annual household income under $ 22,350 for a family of four. However, recent surveys indicate that in the county's town centers, Sussex Borough (15.1%), Newton (12.8%) and Andover Borough (12.7%), poverty levels reach double-digits. Of these poverty-level residents, an estimated 44% are employed, many of them underemployed despite working multiple jobs. The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that
11704-642: The infrastructure, ridership, and revenue of the route in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority , with an approximate $ 400,000 cost. At that time, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright , who represents Pennsylvania's 8th District , announced the formation of a congressional Lackawanna Cut-Off Rail Restoration Caucus focused on completing the project. The founding members were Cartwright, Susan Wild of Pennsylvania's 7th District , Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey's 11th District , and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey's 5th District . In October 2022, Pennsylvania awarded $ 3.7 million to
11837-502: The labor force. Early industry and commerce chiefly centered on agriculture , milling, and iron mining . As iron deposits were exhausted, mining shifted toward zinc deposits near Franklin and Ogdensburg during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The local economy expanded due to the introduction of railroads and shortly after the Civil War, the town centers hosted factories. However, the factories, railroads and mining declined by
11970-492: The large cuts. The Westway Project was abandoned in September 1985, but there were other projects that Turco could have supplied fill material to, but as time went on Turco apparently saw greater opportunity elsewhere. As such, it was never entirely clear how serious Turco was about his proposed Rebar Landfill or if this was simply a ploy to stir up public opposition and force the New Jersey state government to step in and acquire
12103-702: The last 50 years it is still the majority of agricultural production in the region. Trucking has replaced railroads in the transportation of milk products to regional production facilities and markets. Rising taxes, regulation and decreasing profitability in dairy farming have forced farmers to adapt by growing other products or converting their farms to other uses. Many farmers have sold their properties to real estate developers who have built residential housing . Many Sussex County farms are nursery farms producing ornamental trees , plants and flowers used in horticulture , floristry or landscaping . Christmas trees and nursery and greenhouse plants contribute to 51% of
12236-469: The late 1960s. Today, Sussex County features a mix of rural farmland , forests and suburban development . Because agriculture (chiefly dairy farming ) has decreased and that the county hosts little industry, Sussex County is considered a " bedroom community " as most residents commute to neighboring counties ( Bergen , Essex and Morris counties) or to New York City for work. Although Sussex County's dairy farming industry has declined significantly in
12369-416: The laying of track began from Port Morris in September 2011. Within three months, about 1 mile (1.6 km) of track had been installed west of Port Morris Junction, at which time a Norfolk Southern train delivered the remaining continuously welded rail to the Cut-Off at Port Morris, which will be used to ultimately reach Andover. In 2013, NJ Transit began storing retired locomotives on a short section of
12502-463: The line from Conrail, which was concerned that a competitor might try to restore freight service on the route. The Sussex County Freeholder Board in New Jersey pursued such a purchase. The Monroe County Railroad Authority in Pennsylvania was also involved, and nearly reached a deal to buy the 88-mile (142 km) section of track between Port Morris and Scranton for $ 6.5 million. The railroad authority would have borrowed $ 4.1 million from
12635-710: The line. The railroad's flagship passenger train, the Phoebe Snow , traveled via the Cut-Off until it was discontinued in November 1966, and the last regularly scheduled passenger train, the Lake Cities , ran over the line on January 5-6, 1970. After May 8, 1974, freight traffic was revived on the line after the closure of a key junction with the Penn Central in Maybrook, New York , caused by fire damage to
12768-439: The main line severed at Port Morris Junction, the special train detoured through Port Morris Yard, ran over Port Morris Wye, and then rolled onto the Cut-Off. The train ran to Scranton, where it was met by a group of political dignitaries. It was the last passenger train in the twentieth century—and the only Amtrak train—to operate over the entire route. The idea of Hoboken–Scranton service faded as Amtrak faced funding shortfalls and
12901-616: The mid 18th century, several entrepreneurial colonists began mining iron in area around Andover, Hamburg, and Franklin present-day Sussex County and establishing forges and furnaces to create pig iron and bar iron . During the American Revolution, the Quartermaster Department of the Continental Army complained to Congress of difficulties in acquiring iron to support the war effort and
13034-520: The mountains in the Highlands are not part of a solid, linear ridge and tend to randomly rise from the surrounding land as the result of folds, faults and intrusions. Elevations in the Highlands region range from 1,000 to 1,500 feet. The more prominent mountains in this area are Hamburg Mountain (elevation: 1,495 feet (456 m)), Wawayanda Mountain (elevation: 1,448 feet (441 m)), Sparta Mountain (elevation: 1,232 feet (376 m)) and Pochuck Mountain (elevation: 1,194 feet (364 m)) which form
13167-537: The mountains of the state's northwest region. Although the DL&;W was profitable during its corporate life, competition from trucks and other economic pressures after World War II forced it to merge with competitor Erie Railroad , forming the Erie Lackawanna Railroad (EL) in 1960. The EL initially shifted most freight traffic away from the Cut-Off, though it continued to run passenger trains over
13300-422: The need for significant track and station repairs in order to run passenger service on the line. The 133-mile (214 km) inspection trip marked the end of one era, and the beginning of another: a 40-plus-year effort to save and then reactivate the Cut-Off. In the beginning, finding an operator for the line was less pressing than preserving the track and right-of-way itself. Several attempts were made to purchase
13433-689: The new rail authority was to help expedite the effort to restore passenger service on the Scranton Corridor—that is, the tracks in Pennsylvania from the former Lackawanna Cut-Off to Scranton. In May 2008, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) approved funding for Phase 1—also known as the Lackawanna Cut-Off MOS Trackbed Restoration Project , or Minimal Operating Segment, MOS—of
13566-441: The northeastern United States. Hurricanes and tropical storms , tornadoes , and earthquakes are relatively rare. The Kittatinny Valley to the north of Newton, part of the Great Appalachian Valley , experiences a snowbelt phenomenon and has been categorized as a microclimate region known as the "Sussex County Snow Belt." This region receives approximately forty to fifty inches of snow per year and generally more snowfall that
13699-548: The other hand, Goldmeier's 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (2.4 km) section of right-of-way, which passed through short sections of Roxbury Township (Port Morris and Landing) in Morris County and Hopatcong Borough and Byram Township in Sussex County, was held as one parcel. By 2001, New Jersey and Pennsylvania had acquired their respective portions of the Cut-Off for a total of $ 21 million. In 2003, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) secured initial funding for
13832-405: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among those residents listing their ancestry, 24.5% were of Italian , 22.9% German , 22.2% Irish , 10.7% English, 8.1% Polish and 5.2% Dutch ancestry according to Census 2000. In 2000 there were 50,831 households, out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had
13965-413: The population were under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 32.6% from 45 to 64, and 12% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.9 males. As of the 2000 United States census there were 144,166 people, 50,831 households, and 38,784 families residing in
14098-410: The population. Of the 54,752 households, 33.5% had children under the age of 18; 61% were married couples living together; 9% had a female householder with no husband present and 25.8% were non-families. Of all households, 21% were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.14. 24% of
14231-858: The project were preliminarily estimated to be $ 288,930,000. The individual cost elements were broken down as follows: Water Gap Rail Station ($ 32,630,000); right-of-way acquisition at the Delaware Water Gap Station ($ 1,500,000); Slateford Road Overhead Bridge construction and nearby culvert repairs ($ 3,320,000); signals and Positive Train Control ($ 8,190,000); track restoration in Pennsylvania (Delaware River Viaduct to Slateford Junction) ($ 16,610,000); track Restoration in New Jersey (Andover to Delaware River Viaduct) ($ 112,600,000); Delaware River Viaduct Rehabilitation ($ 54,000,000); Paulinskill Viaduct Rehabilitation ($ 16,000,000); and design, environmental and engineering costs ($ 44,080,000). The source of
14364-630: The quartzite, and allowed it to bend, creating an uplift. as cooling occurred this cemented the quartz pebbles and conglomerate together. This is how the Kittatinny Ridge was created. The strike from this continent was from the south east, this is why the Kittatinny ridge is on a northeast–southwest axis. The Wisconsin glacier which covered the entire county from 23,000B.C to 13,000 B.C. created many lakes and streams. The glacier covered Kittatinny mountain. As climate warmed around 13,000 B.C.,
14497-582: The railroad authority invited 16 potential operators to submit proposals, and seven did so on August 26, 1983. Meanwhile, the federal regulations surrounding the abandonment of railroad lines changed; instead of a lengthy regulatory process that had discouraged railroads from abandoning unwanted routes, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) would be allowed to approve the abandonment of any track if it were not in service and had no originating or terminating shipments for two years, and
14630-534: The railroad operator would repay the loan from operational revenue. In spite of initial optimism, the deal began to fall apart, and on August 10, 1983, the U.S. Department of Transportation informed Monroe County officials that the federal loan guarantee had been revoked and would instead go to the financially ailing Detroit & Mackinac Railway in Michigan. Monroe County officials continued to press their case, hoping that Congress would provide financial support;
14763-583: The railway in Stanhope/Byram/Hopatcong and resume on the other side of the water. Beginning in 2020, NJ Transit qualified bidders for the Roseville Tunnel Rehabilitation Project; on April 13, 2022, the agency awarded a $ 32.5 million contract to Secaucus-based Schiavone Construction. NJ Transit issued a Notice to Proceed on September 8, 2022, and work began that month. Work on Roseville Tunnel followed
14896-526: The regulatory authority over land use planning in a regional planning commission known as the Highlands Council . The Delaware River forms the western and northwestern boundary of Sussex County. This region is known as the Upper Delaware Valley and historically as the Minisink or Minisink Valley. Elevations in the regions along the river range from 300 to 500 feet. Kittatinny Mountain
15029-442: The remainder of the Cut-Off to Northeastern Pennsylvania and begin train service between New York City and Scranton . In 2020, Amtrak included the route in its 15-year expansion vision. In December 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration accepted the route into its Corridor Identification and Development Program , which allocates money for planning and prioritizes the project for future funding. Built between 1908 and 1911 by
15162-414: The replacement of a 219-foot (67 m) section of underground pipe that fed water from a wetlands area into Andover Junction Brook about 500 feet (150 m) upstream from Andover Station. The pipe crossed land owned by the private Hudson Farm (which is owned by IAT Reinsurance Ltd. ), which had initially refused to allow the work. This stalled Phase 1. In August 2017, a deal was reached and ratified by
15295-562: The rest of Northern New Jersey and the Northern Climate Zone. This phenomenon is attributed to the orographic lift of the Kittatinny Ridge which impacts local weather patterns by increasing humidity and precipitation , providing the ski resorts of Vernon Valley in the northeastern part of this region with increased snowfall. In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Newton have ranged from
15428-550: The restoration of passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City . In July 2006, the final environmental review was submitted to the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The following February, the Lackawanna County and Monroe County Railroad Authorities were merged to form the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority . One of the objectives of
15561-964: The route of the Old Mine Road and stretches of present-date U.S. Route 209 . These Dutch settlers penetrated the Minisink Valley and settled as far south as the Delaware Water Gap , by 1731 this valley had been incorporated as Walpack Precinct. Throughout the 18th century, immigrants from the Rheinland Palatinate in Germany and Switzerland fled religious wars and poverty to arrive in Philadelphia and New York City. Several German families began leaving Philadelphia to settle along river valleys in Northwestern New Jersey and Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley in
15694-561: The sessions of the county's courts, the state legislature eventually voted to divide Sussex County in two, using a line drawn from the juncture of the Flat Brook and Delaware River in a southeasterly direction to the Musconetcong River running through the Yellow Frame Presbyterian Church in present-day Fredon Township (then part of Hardwick). On November 20, 1824, Warren County was created from
15827-607: The southern territory of the Sussex County. Throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, Sussex County's economy was largely centered around agriculture and the mining of iron and zinc ores. Early settlers established farms whose operations were chiefly focused towards subsistence agriculture . Because of geological constraints, Sussex County's agricultural production was centered around dairy farming . Several farms had orchards —typically apples and peaches—and surplus fruit and grains were often distilled or brewed into alcoholic beverages (hard ciders, applejack and fruit brandies). This
15960-461: The southwest for most of year; but in late winter and early spring come from the northwest. The lowest recorded temperature was −26 °F on January 21, 1994 . The highest recorded temperature was 104 °F (40 °C) on September 3, 1953. The heaviest one-day snowfall was 24 inches (610 mm) recorded on January 8, 1996; combined with the next day, total snowfall was 40 inches (1,000 mm). The heaviest one-day rainfall - 6.70 inches (170 mm)
16093-545: The station site is the area's only land parcel of sufficient size that is at grade with the Cut-Off and near a major highway. No DL&W station has previously existed at Andover. It would also include work on the Roseville Tunnel , which has seen ice buildup within and drainage problems and rockslides just west of the tunnel bore, in Colby Cut. On April 13, 2022, the New Jersey Transit Board of Directors approved
16226-399: The table below. Most of the right-of-way between Port Morris Junction and the lake has been cleared of trees and debris. A large area of wetlands was found near County Route 605 in Stanhope/Byram/Hopatcong. A video recorded on Jan. 1, 2024, showed flooding in the nearby right-of-way. There is a break in the tracks on Brooklyn Road, then the tracks stop on one side of the flooded section of
16359-468: The time listed the Cut-Off as Number 26 in a list of unfunded capital projects. The Monroe County Railroad Authority continued to fight Conrail, with support from PennDOT and the use of a privately owned World War II tank to block any Conrail rail-removal train. Conrail eventually relented and agreed not to sever the line between Slateford and Scranton. With all regulatory and political hurdles removed in New Jersey, however, Conrail began lifting track on
16492-705: The two cities. They also cited an Amtrak feasibility study on the subject. Download coordinates as: New Jersey Transit Rail Operations NJ Transit Rail Operations ( reporting mark NJTR ) is the rail division of NJ Transit . It operates commuter rail service in New Jersey , with most service centered on transportation to and from New York City , Hoboken , and Newark . NJ Transit also operates rail service in Orange and Rockland counties in New York under contract to Metro-North Railroad . The commuter rail lines saw 57,179,000 riders in 2023, making it
16625-518: The western part of Sussex County was under a shallow inland sea. Fossils of sea shells and fish can be found west of the Kittatinny ridge. Then approximately 400 million years ago, a small, narrow continent collided with North America. Pressure from the collision, created heat in the bed rock which folded and faulted the Silurian Shawangunk Conglomerate that was under the shallow sea. The pressure created intense heat, melted
16758-471: Was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males. Sussex County is considered an affluent area as many of its residents are college-educated, employed in professional or service jobs, and earn above the state's average per capita income and household income statistics. As of 2010 , the Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having
16891-503: Was created from these four municipalities, which had been part of Morris County when Morris stretched over all of northwestern New Jersey. Sussex County at this time encompassed present-day Sussex and Warren Counties and its boundaries were drawn by the New York-New Jersey border to the north, the Delaware River to the west, and the Musconetcong River to the south and east. After several decades of debate over where to hold
17024-575: Was not required to serve any other track. This allowed Conrail to abandon the Cut-Off almost immediately. Atlantic City gambling interests also opposed restoring rail service over the Cut-Off, fearing renewed passenger service would provide a "Gambler's Express" to not-as-yet-built casinos in the Poconos that might compete with the nascent casinos of the Jersey Shore. A New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) priority list of rail projects at
17157-555: Was occupied for approximately 8,000-13,000 years by succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples . The Munsee Indians inhabited the region at the time of European encounter. The Munsee were a loosely organized division of the Lenape (or Lenni Lenape), a Native American people also called "Delaware Indians" after their historic territory along the Delaware River . The Lenape inhabited the Mid-Atlantic coastal areas and inland along
17290-607: Was recorded on August 19, 1955. The 2010 United States census counted 149,265 people, 54,752 households, and 40,626 families in the county. The population density was 287.6 per square mile (111.0/km ). There were 62,057 housing units at an average density of 119.6 per square mile (46.2/km ). The racial makeup was 93.46% (139,504) White , 1.79% (2,677) Black or African American , 0.16% (234) Native American , 1.77% (2,642) Asian , 0.02% (36) Pacific Islander , 1.19% (1,783) from other races , and 1.60% (2,389) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.44% (9,617) of
17423-490: Was sold to Jerry Turco, a developer based in Kearny, New Jersey. Turco said that he originally had no intention of purchasing the Cut-Off, but rather had learned of its availability from Conrail after he inquired about a 1,000-foot (300 m) section of the Lehigh & Hudson River Railway (L&HR) in Andover, an abandoned line that Conrail also owned. Turco said he wanted to acquire the short section so that he could expand
17556-643: Was the economic model until the mid-19th century when advances in food preservation and the introduction of railroads (e.g. the Sussex Railroad ) into the area allowed Sussex County to transport farm products throughout the region. Railroads also promoted the building of factories as companies relocated to the area at the end of the 19th century—including that of the H.W. Merriam Shoe Company (1873) in Newton. The Highlands Region of Northwestern New Jersey has proven to possess rich deposits of iron ore . In
17689-716: Was water (3.2%). It is the fourth-largest of the state's 21 counties in terms of area. Sussex County lies within the Kittatinny Mountains of Northwestern New Jersey and the overall Appalachian Mountains range. High Point , located at the northernmost tip of New Jersey in Montague Township , is the highest natural elevation in the state at 1,803 feet (550 m) above sea level. Nearby, Sunrise Mountain in Stokes State Forest has an elevation of 1,653 feet (504 m). Many mountains in
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