Lost Hamlet of Byram marker is lost

The Byram Township Historical Society continues its celebration of all things Byram as the town reaches its 225th birthday this year.

Events kicked off last fall and continue with a Founders Day get-together Sunday, April 2.

Now, the historical society is asking the public for help in solving a mystery about the Lost Hamlet of Byram; more specifically, it needs help locating its historical marker.

The Lost Hamlet of Byram was a series of historically significant industrial and residential buildings along the Morris Canal towpath and on the slopes of Allamuchy Mountain.

The buildings were constructed between the 1830s and 1860s during the canal’s heyday, separated by the Sussex Railroad tracks from the Lockwood section of the township, which sits along present-day Route 206.

Records from the 1860s show that the Lost Hamlet had a boardinghouse, hotel, weaver, waxworks, sawmill and a Brussels carpet factory, among other businesses and residences.

Like many hamlets and bustling spaces along the Morris Canal, the decline of the canal eventually led to the abandonment of the village. The foundations of some of the buildings are still visible along the Morris Canal Greenway and Towpath trails.

In 2021, the historical society received an in-kind grant from the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners and used matching funds from the town’s open space grant to purchase a historical marker for the Lost Hamlet of Byram.

The sign was erected last fall at the Morris Canal Greenway trailhead on Waterloo Road, just northeast of the Morris County line.

By Dec. 15 - mere months after its placement - the marker was gone. It was reported knocked down by a vehicle, and when Sussex County road department officials went to retrieve it for repair, it had vanished without a trace.

The historical society’s president, Frank Gonzalez, would love to find out what happened to the marker, which cost more than $2,500.

“If someone has information, we’d appreciate it if they could get in touch with us,” he said. “We worked hard to be awarded the county funds for the marker and had to match the rest. It’s not easily replaceable.”

Founders Day

Gonzalez also invites the public’s help in celebrating the 225th anniversary of the township’s 1798 founding.

Limited tickets remain for the Founders Day event from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 2 at the Waterloo Village Meeting House. Each $45 ticket includes catered hors d’oeuvres, soft drinks, coffee and dessert. There will be a cash bar, and attendees are encouraged to dress in period clothing.

“We’ll be joined by an impersonator of the town’s first elected moderator, Jephthah Byram,” Gonzalez said, “He’ll speak to the gathering about how the Byram family came to this part of New Jersey and began building the township.”

The society has other events planned, including a family campout at the Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation and participating in the Greater Byram and Morris Canal History Day at Waterloo Village, both in June. Details about the events and the cociety’s efforts to preserve the past are online at www.bths.us

“All these events are designed to get the town together,” Gonzalez said. “The township covers such a vast area, and we want people to get to know their neighbors and learn about and celebrate the history of our beautiful home.”

To submit a tip about the whereabouts of the Lost Hamlet of Byram marker, send email to info@bths.us