Development History Archives - Mr. Local History Project

History of Housing Developments in Bernards Township

New Jersey History Project — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:22:44 +0000

Views: 14,776 Bernards Township has a long history of being a sleepy rural town. Then, the US built the Lyons VA, and everything changed as the population grew. Then AT&T came to town in the 1970s, and everything AGAIN started to change. Demand for housing increased as people worldwide chose Bernards Township as a place… Read More »History of Housing Developments in Bernards Township

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Bernardsville’s Affordable Housing Dilemma – They’re Not Alone

New Jersey History Project — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:33:39 +0000

Views: 399 While we at the Mr. Local History Project prefer to write about history and not try to make it, sometimes history and perspective from other areas serve as indicators of what not to do, or at least give perspective to those who live in town who have to make decisions that impact the… Read More »Bernardsville’s Affordable Housing Dilemma – They’re Not Alone

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Five Landowners That Owned Half of Somerset County, New Jersey

New Jersey History Project — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:40:37 +0000

Views: 1,146 Maps are such a great source of history, and this 1766 map doesn’t disappoint those looking to learn more about Somerset County, New Jersey’s history. Completed in 1766 by surveyors Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Hills, the Morgan–Hills Map is the earliest known comprehensive landownership map of Somerset County, New Jersey. Created just ten… Read More »Five Landowners That Owned Half of Somerset County, New Jersey

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Northside or Southside – Train Determines Socio Economic Town Dynamics

New Jersey History Project — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:10:35 +0000

Views: 1,221 Part of our Mr. Local History Train Series….. For years, the Mr. Local History research team has been digging into New Jersey’s railroad history. As we traced old rail lines town by town, something curious began to appear in our notes. In community after community, the rail line seemed to divide towns into… Read More »Northside or Southside – Train Determines Socio Economic Town Dynamics

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The West Line Railroad: Fate That Created a Community Instead of an Industry

New Jersey History Project — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 20:05:02 +0000

Views: 3,546 The iron rail that brought the steel horse to the Somerset Hills.This story is as much about the railroads that were built as it is about the railroads that weren’t. As our researchers identify new pertinent information, this post will be updated, so we invite you to come back often. We felt it… Read More »The West Line Railroad: Fate That Created a Community Instead of an Industry

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The Hills Development – History of Bedminster and Bernards Township

New Jersey History Project — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 17:14:11 +0000

Views: 8,981 Additional updates will be added as MLHP researchers provide additional photos, metrics, and history. Please come back to check on the development of this piece. The origins of one of New Jersey’s most significant planned communities trace back to 1969, when the descendants of financier Grant Schley sold Schley Mountain for $2.2 million.… Read More »The Hills Development – History of Bedminster and Bernards Township

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Lutherland – Once the Poconos Wonderland Retreat

Brooks Betz — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 13:07:06 +0000

Views: 4,102 From the outset, Lutherland was promoted not only as a summer retreat but as a year-round destination for religious conferences, youth programs, and leisure activities, a place that blended the mission of Christian fellowship with the amenities of a Pocono resort. The year was 1927. Lutherland announced that, after four years of preparation,… Read More »Lutherland – Once the Poconos Wonderland Retreat

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Meet The King of the Poconos- Isaac Stauffer

Brooks Betz — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 12:46:10 +0000

Views: 2,937 Introduction In the mid-19th century, the Pocono Plateau was still a rugged wilderness, characterized by dense forests, hidden lakes, and scattered clearings carved out by loggers’ axes. It was here that Isaac Stauffer, born in 1834 near Wind Gap, would rise from a farm boy to become one of the most powerful figures… Read More »Meet The King of the Poconos- Isaac Stauffer

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Lake Naomi Icon – Rufus W. Miller, Assembly Visionary, Developer, Religious Icon

Brooks Betz — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:02:12 +0000

Views: 2,942 In the early 1900s, the quiet mountain community of Pocono Pines found its voice through the vision of Rev. Rufus W. Miller, a learned clergyman whose passion for education and spiritual fellowship reshaped the lakeside village. A genuine minister and a man of considerable organizational skill, Miller founded the Naomi Pines Assembly and… Read More »Lake Naomi Icon – Rufus W. Miller, Assembly Visionary, Developer, Religious Icon

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Retrospective: Lake Naomi, Pocono Pines and The Logan Steele Era 1963- 1986

Brooks Betz — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:27:51 +0000

Views: 4,420 While my parents caught wind of Lake Naomi in 1963, Logan Boone Steele of Summit, New Jersey, had a vision and became one of the first developers of the modern era in the Pocono Pines area of the Pocono Mountains. For a mere $400,000, Steele’s Lake Naomi Development Corporation and some private investors… Read More »Retrospective: Lake Naomi, Pocono Pines and The Logan Steele Era 1963- 1986

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The Founding Families of Bernards Township (Basking Ridge)

New Jersey History Project — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 22:54:23 +0000

Views: 36,215 NOTE: Remember that Warren, Far Hills, and Bernardsville were part of Bernards Township, so these family stories also include those areas. History showcases some of the greatest reminders of where we came from. Many people new to the area are unaware that the area’s rich history is tied to some of the founding… Read More »The Founding Families of Bernards Township (Basking Ridge)

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Basking Ridge’s Spencer Road is Important to Mr. Local History Too

New Jersey History Project — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 16:51:20 +0000

Views: 3,754 It’s always fun to hear how a story becomes a story for us. In fact, there’s always a story about a new story. History is a bit like sewing…. when you pull a thread, you never know where it will go and who is involved. This one is no different. We were researching… Read More »Basking Ridge’s Spencer Road is Important to Mr. Local History Too

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