“Ghost Bridge” – Oak Ridge Reservoir Bridge
History often fades into obscurity, lost forever—but every so often, it resurfaces, screaming, ‘I’m still here’
Due to a combination of maintenance draining and ongoing drought conditions, this early 1800s stone bridge in New Jersey has become a recent spectacle.
Nicknamed the ‘Ghost Bridge,’ this structure was submerged in the 1890s by the newly created Oak Ridge Reservoir. Its haunting name stems from its rare reappearance, faintly emerging when water levels drop.
It’s clear that this bridge was built for large loads; but what was it for, what is its history?
The reservoir was created in 1891. Before that, there were 2 villages, with a few farmsteads, which consisted of the original village of Oak Ridge and then there was a smaller village called Wallace Corner. Wallace Corner no longer exists.
Over 200 years ago, the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike was built in 1806 as a toll road to transport goods like iron, timber, and agricultural products from northern New Jersey to Passaic County’s commercial hubs. This historic route, now part of modern Route 23, saw significant improvements between 1806 and 1814, including the construction of bridges. Likely, the bridge in question dates back to this early development period.
This bridge once carried the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike over the Pequannock (Puh-kwa-nick) River, connecting the small villages of Wallace Corner and Oak Ridge. Built for heavy commercial traffic, it supported wagons loaded with farm goods, iron, and timber. However, its service was short-lived; by 1889, the City of Newark began constructing its reservoir system, demolishing everything in its path—except this bridge, likely left standing as a convenient crossing for construction crews or perhaps added an engineering benefit for the reservoir. Or, did it still serve its purpose at that time…
Today, the story of this historic bridge takes another turn. After standing as a silent witness to centuries of change, the reservoir has begun to refill, slowly reclaiming the landscape. Soon, the bridge will once again disappear beneath the water for now, leaving only its memory behind—a ghost of history, waiting for the next time it might resurface.
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