Holland Brook

Last updated
Holland Brook (NJ, USA)
Holland's Brook, Amanmechunk
Holland Brook2.JPG
Holland Brook in Readington Township
EtymologyNamed after Thomas Holland
Location
Country United States
State New Jersey
Region Raritan Valley
City Readington, Branchburg
Physical characteristics
Source Cushetunk Mountain
  location Readington, Raritan Valley, New Jersey, United States
  coordinates 40°35′19.2″N74°49′3.64″W / 40.588667°N 74.8176778°W / 40.588667; -74.8176778
  elevation372 ft (113 m)
Mouth South Branch Raritan River
  location
Branchburg, Raritan Valley, New Jersey, United States
  coordinates
40°32′56.17″N74°41′39.54″W / 40.5489361°N 74.6943167°W / 40.5489361; -74.6943167 Coordinates: 40°32′56.17″N74°41′39.54″W / 40.5489361°N 74.6943167°W / 40.5489361; -74.6943167
  elevation
64 ft (20 m)
Length7 mi (11 km)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  left Dreahook Creek, Stone Creek
Mouth of Holland Brook near South Branch MouthofHollandBrook.jpg
Mouth of Holland Brook near South Branch

Holland Brook is a tributary of the South Branch Raritan River in Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey in the United States.

Contents

Holland Brook flows through Readington and Branchburg. It is the last tributary of the South Branch Raritan River before it combines with the North Branch Raritan River.

The brook is over seven miles in length running from its headwaters near Cushetunk Mountain, [1] a plutonic intrusion of igneous rock surrounding Round Valley Reservoir, to its convergence with the South Branch Raritan River near Studdiford Drive in Branchburg. The brook is ten to twenty feet across most of its length. It changes over 300 feet in elevation from its headwaters to its convergence with the Raritan River.

Holland Brook was originally named Holland's Brook for Thomas Holland of Piscataway, who was married to Winifred Pound. Thomas Holland was a descendant of the translator Philemon Holland. [2] Holland was an early property owner along the brook, although he never resided there. The recorded Lenape name for the Brook was Amanmechunk. [3] This word in the Unami dialect meant large creek.

Greenway

From the greenway at Holland Brook Preserve in Readington, New Jersey Holland Brook from the Holland Brook Greenway.jpg
From the greenway at Holland Brook Preserve in Readington, New Jersey

The Holland Brook Greenway is a proposed five-mile greenway project in Readington and Branchburg. If both townships completed the trail, it could link another future trail on the North Branch Raritan River with the Middle School in Readington and the Lachenmayr Trail. Branchburg’s proposed section of the Greenway would fit into a larger plan and would connect with a 16-mile cross-township trail. [4] The Holland Brook Greenway trail could eventually provide access to the Raritan River Greenway and the East Coast Greenway.

The township of Branchburg would need to gain four additional properties to have public access from the Readington border to the Confluence Reservoir Park land along the North Branch Raritan River. A possible trail along this path would need to make minor crossings at South Branch Road (near a number of farms), Evergreen Drive (in a residential neighborhood) and the somewhat busier Old York Road. A fourth crossing over US-202, however, would need to be constructed to ensure a safe passage for bicycles or pedestrians. At-grade crossings with crosswalks would be possible at South Branch Road and Evergreen Drive and the trail could possibly go under the bridge at Old York Road. The Readington section still has several gaps in it and no official segments of the Greenway has been built in either township. [5]

Tributaries

The headwaters of Holland Brook road at the base of Cushetunk Mountain Holland Brook Headwaters.jpg
The headwaters of Holland Brook road at the base of Cushetunk Mountain

Holland Brook has ten unnamed tributaries in Branchburg and Readington listed on NJDEP's website. They all are categorized as FW2-NT (fresh water second level classification generally not suitable for trout). Two named ones are below:

Crossings

Readington

Roosevelt Road Bridge Roosevelt Road Bridge, over Holland Brook.jpg
Roosevelt Road Bridge

Branchburg

Schools

The first Holland Brook School was in Readington Village in the 19th century. In 1791, an act was passed "to incorporate societies for the advancement of learning". [6] On August 4, 1804, Abraham Post, Peter Quick, Isaac Berkaw, William Dalley, William Spader, Cornelius Van Horn, Abraham Smock, Andrew Mattis, Adrian Stryker, Peter Ten Brook, William Ditmars and Derrick de Mott incorporated the Holland Brook School. One of the teachers at the school was Colonel John Mehelm. [7] [8] The site of Mehelm's house on New Bromley Road, which burned in the 1960s, has a historical marker in front of it. [9] The school eventually changed names to Readington School and closed in 1897.

The second and current Holland Brook School is a primary school for fourth and fifth grades and was built adjacent to the Readington Middle School.

See also

Related Research Articles

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Readington Village is an unincorporated community located within Readington Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States, that is centered on the converging of Readington Road, Hillcrest Road, Centerville Road and Brookview Road. It is located on Holland Brook, originally named Amanmechunk, which means large creek in the Unami dialect. The area was inhabited by the Raritan prior to the arrival of European settlers. The Native Americans who lived near Readington Village travelled to the coast during the summer for fish and clams. Such a trip is mentioned in an Indian deed transferring lands around Holland Brook to English and Dutch settlers. The deed mentions two of the natives, who lived at Readington: Metamisco and Wataminian.

Dreahook, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Dreahook is an unincorporated community in Readington Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States at the intersection of CR-620/Dreahook Rd and CR 523. The name is a corruption of Driehoek, which is the Dutch word for triangle. It was likely named for the triangle created by the settlement in its relation to the early roads to Flemington, Whitehouse Station, Readington Village and Pleasant Run, which have since been rerouted. Dreahook Creek and Holland Brook both pass through the area of the former village. Dreahook village once had blacksmith shop, a school and a store. Settlers farmed the land here because of the rich soil along the base of Cushetunk Mountain. There are still numerous farms in the area, including the Readington River Buffalo Farm between Dreahook and Stanton.

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Hunterdon Plateau

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Flemington Junction, New Jersey Unincorporated community in New Jersey, United States

Flemington Junction is an unincorporated community located within Raritan Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. The area is located approximately one and a half miles (2.4 km) northeast of downtown Flemington and was the site of the junction of the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Flemington Branch and Mainline. The Flemington Junction station was listed as part of the Raritan–Readington South Branch Historic District in 1990. Today, the Flemington Spur tracks have been removed but numerous industries and commercial businesses are located in the vicinity of the crossing. In addition to the Norfolk Southern rail line, County Route 523 passes through the area.

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Readington Reformed Church Church in Readington, New Jersey

The Readington Reformed Church is a historic church located at 124 Readington Road, Readington Village, an unincorporated community located within Readington Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It was known in colonial times as the Dutch Reformed Church of North Branch. It is the oldest Dutch Reformed Church in the county. The current building was built in 1865. The churchyard is known as the Readington Reformed Church Cemetery. The church was added as a contributing property of the Readington Village Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places on June 24, 1991.

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Rockafellows Mill Bridge United States historic place

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References

  1. Archived 2006-12-31 at the Wayback Machine Cushetunk Mountain
  2. Archived 2008-09-08 at the Wayback Machine Holland Family History
  3. Dawn of Hunterdon
  4. Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine Branchburg Trail
  5. Holland Brook Greenway
  6. History of Education in New Jersey. Government Print Office, 1899.
  7. History of Education in New Jersey. Government Print Office, 1899.
  8. Messler, Abraham. "Centennial History of Somerset County". Somerville: C.M. Jameson, 1878
  9. Site of Colonel John Mehelm House Marker