A New Roof & Door for the Kingston Toll House
June 30, 2023
The park is happy to report on the completion of another much needed building improvement. With funding from from the
Canal Society of New Jersey and in partnership with the Kingston Historical Society, the historic toll house in Kingston has received new roofing and a new entrance door. Both were much needed and will help to maintain the structure until additional restoration work can be done. We are particularly pleased to see a more historically accurate, period appropriate plank door restored to the structure.
The park again extends its thanks and gratitude to Canal Society of NJ, the Kingston Historical Society and especially to Chris Riley whose expertise, workmanship and cooperation resulted in a fantastic finished product. We are beyond pleased and hope to see additional improvement to this significant piece of D&R history. This toll house/bridge tender’s station is one of five surviving such stations along the corridor.
We never tire of saying that it is partly with the help and support of our partner organizations that much needed projects such as this can be addressed. We are grateful for their willingness to help fund such projects and for their commitment to support the park’s mission of resource stewardship. Our partners are always looking to recruit new members so if you have a passion for the D&R Canal, local history or any of the natural resources and trails managed by the park then by all means consider becoming an active volunteer with one of our many affiliated groups. Get off the bench, get involved and become a D&R Canal State Park stewardship champion! New members and volunteers are ALWAYS needed and welcome!
New Interpretive Waysides at the Bordentown Outlet Lock
May 20, 2023
Park visitors who explore the trail at Bordentown will notice two new interpretive waysides at the outlet lock area. The park has the Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission to thank for this welcome addition to the park. These waysides provide information about the surviving untouched lift lock located at this entrance point along the former transportation corridor and the small but thriving community that was located here.
The signs were created by Hunter Research in consultation with our park historian. We thank not only the Commission for negotiating for this mitigation project with Jeffery Haberman of Dynamic Engineering Consultants but also the staff at Hunter Research including Patrick Harshbarger who assisted with the content, layout and design as well as Micheal Brown who handled the installation.
If you haven’t visited this area of the park consider a day trip to the historic town of Bordentown. After some sightseeing and perhaps a meal, take a walk over the NJ Transit River Line pedestrian bridge which crosses the Crosswicks Creek to access this section of the D&R Canal State Park for a walk along the towpath!
Click for the location of the Bordentown Outlet Lock
Click for more about the Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission
Click for more about Hunter Research
Farewell To Superintendent Kallesser
MARCH 17, 2023
It is with a heavy heart that the staff at D&R Canal State Park announces the impending departure of Superintendent Patricia Kallesser; her final day as supervisor will be March 31st. After a tenure of sixteen years with the park, she will be handing the reins over to the next Superintendent tasked to lead the team here. Lauren Rojewski, relatively new to NJ State Parks, and formerly of Spruce Run Reservoir Recreation Area, will step into the Superintendent position at D&R on April 1st. She has big shoes to fill! We all look forward to working with her - WELCOME SUPERINTENDENT ROJEWSKI!
Superintendent Kallesser has led the charge at D&R for the past sixteen years with enthusiasm, a keen sense of dedication, patience and flexibility. She has been an effective and successful multi-tasking project manager who worked every day in cooperation with our partner agencies, friend organizations and volunteers as well as the many municipal and county departments that interconnect/interact with the park.
Overseeing this 70+ mile linear park and the additional properties under the D&R Canal State Park’s management is no simple task. Managing a complicated park such as this can quickly become overwhelming with the many ongoing multi-agency projects, daily maintenance concerns and unexpected issues that often surface especially those repeated flood events. And yet, Superintendent Kallesser stepped-up to that challenge and always attempted to handle the load with professionalism, quick action when needed, attention to detail and thoughtful consideration.
Although the staff is sad to see Superintendent Kallesser move on, we certainly wish her well as she continues her career with NJ State Parks first at Round Valley Recreation Area this spring and summer and then at Spruce Run Recreation Area.
GOOD LUCK Patricia. We all thank you. Congratulations for a job well done! You will be missed but not forgotten and will forever be a part of the D&R Canal legacy!
Kingston Canal House Gets A Maintenance Makeover
MARCH 22, 2023
The Kingston Canal House (a former bridge & lock house) has had a much needed “maintenance makeover.” With funding from from the Canal Society of New Jersey and in partnership with the Kingston Historical Society, the side entrance door was replaced in kind, a new gutter was installed and the entire water damaged facade received several much needed fresh coats of paint. The park extends its thanks and gratitude to Canal Society of NJ, the Kingston Historical Society and Chris Riley who did a fantastic job on the repairs and “facelift” for this historic canal house.
It is partly with the help and support of our partner organizations that much needed projects such as this can be addressed. We are grateful for their willingness to help fund such projects and for their commitment to support the park’s mission of resource stewardship. If you also support that mission, then by all means consider becoming an active member of one of our many affiliated groups; get off the bench, get involved and become a D&R Canal State Park stewardship champion! New members and volunteers are ALWAYS needed and welcome!
REPAIRS TO PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER ALEXAUKAN CREEK UNDERWAY
JANUARY 12, 2023:
We are relieved to report that repairs to the pedestrian bridge over the Alexauken Creek north of Lambertville have begun. Contractors will be on-site making the repairs needed to reopen this section of the trail damaged by Tropical Storm Ida in September of 2021. Should the weather cooperate, this project is expected to be completed by the end of January 2023. Please DO NOT TO CROSS FENCES OR CONSTRUCTION BARRIERS while this much anticipated project is underway.
As always, we appreciate our visitor's cooperation and patience while we work to get this trail connection safely back online!
UPDATE - JANUARY 25, 2023:
We are happy to report that the repairs to the Alexauken Creek pedestrian bridge are complete. The crossing is now open for public use. Thank you for your patience while we worked to get this repair properly completed.
