Port Morris, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Port Morris, New Jersey
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 Port Morris, New Jersey
Location in Morris County, New Jersey
Port Morris, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Port Morris, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Morris |
| Township | Roxbury |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.36 sq mi (0.92 km2) |
| • Land | 0.25 sq mi (0.64 km2) |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.29 km2) |
| Elevation | 896 ft (273 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 754 |
| • Density | 3,065.04/sq mi (1,185.06/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code |
07850
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| FIPS code | 34-60390 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0879439 |
Port Morris is a small, historic community in New Jersey. It's known as an "unincorporated community," which means it's a neighborhood without its own separate local government. It's also a "census-designated place" (CDP), which is an area the government defines for counting people. Port Morris is located within Roxbury Township, in Morris County. Even though its name has "Port" in it, Port Morris is actually in the hills of the Skylands Region, right by Lake Musconetcong.
Contents
A Look Back at Port Morris History
The Dream of the Morris Canal
Back in the 1820s, a man named George P. Macculloch had a big idea. He wanted to build a canal to move coal from Pennsylvania all the way to New York City. This coal was super important for heating homes and powering factories.
The plan was to dig a long canal starting near the coal fields in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. It would stretch across New Jersey to cities like Newark or Jersey City, and then on to New York City.
Port Morris: A Busy Canal Stop
A big part of this project was the Morris Canal. By 1831, the canal reached Newark. Port Morris became one of the main stops along this important waterway. Boats would stop here, making it a busy place for trade and travel.
From Canals to Railroads
As time went on, new ways of transportation became popular. Railroads started to take over from canals because they were faster and could carry more goods. Even though canals became less used, Port Morris found a new purpose.
Between 1908 and 1911, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad built something called the Lackawanna Cutoff. This was a special shortcut for trains. Port Morris became a very important railroad junction, acting as the starting point for this new train route. This helped Port Morris stay an important transportation hub.
Who Lives in Port Morris?
The number of people living in Port Morris is counted every ten years by the government. According to the 2020 United States census, there were 754 people living in Port Morris.
