Blackwells Mills Canal House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bridge Tender's house, Blackwells Mills
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Part of | Delaware and Raritan Canal (ID73001105) |
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| Designated CP | May 11, 1973 |
The Blackwells Mills Canal House is a historic building in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. It stands right next to the famous Delaware and Raritan Canal. Across the canal is a small community called Blackwells Mills, New Jersey. This house has a long and interesting history connected to the canal.
History of the Canal House
The Blackwells Mills Canal House was built around the 1830s. This was the same time the Delaware and Raritan Canal was being constructed. The house was made for the "bridge tender." This person had a very important job. They would operate a special kind of bridge called a swing bridge. When boats needed to pass through the canal, the bridge tender would swing the bridge open. After the boats passed, they would swing it back so that road traffic could cross.
In 1932, the canal stopped being used for boats. Because of this, the swing bridges were taken down. The house and the canal itself were then given to the state of New Jersey. Many years later, in 1971, a group called the Blackwells Mills Canal House Association was formed. This group took over the house. They started to fix it up and turn it into a community center, a museum, and even a library. The nearby Delaware and Raritan Canal also became a special place. It was named a state and national historic site. Later, it became a New Jersey State Park. The Blackwells Mills Canal House Association still takes care of the house today.
Sandor Fekete: The Last Bridge Tender
One of the most interesting people connected to the house was Sandor Fekete (1879-1970). He was the very last bridge tender to work at the Blackwells Mills Canal House. Sandor Fekete was born in Hungary. He traveled across the ocean from Antwerp, Belgium, to New York City. He then joined the Hungarian community in New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey.
Sandor Fekete's son, Sandor Fekete II (1906-1983), also worked as a bridge tender. He lived in Princeton. Sandor Fekete's first job was hard work. He laid bricks and broke rocks along the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Later, he was promoted to a supervisor. He oversaw the work boats that helped repair the canal. He then became a foreman, leading a team of twenty-eight workers. In 1916, he got another promotion. He became a locktender in Griggstown, Somerset County, New Jersey.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Somerset County, New Jersey
- Bridge tender's house
