Lower Squankum, New Jersey

Lower Squankum, New Jersey
Unincorporated community
Approaching CR 547 on Herbertsville Road (CR 549) in Lower Squankum
Lower Squankum Location in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of county within the state of New Jersey Show map of Monmouth County, New Jersey Lower Squankum Lower Squankum (New Jersey) Show map of New Jersey Lower Squankum Lower Squankum (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°09′31″N74°09′25″W / 40.15861°N 74.15694°W / 40.15861; -74.15694
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Monmouth
Township	Howell
Elevation	43 ft (13 m)
GNIS feature ID	877973 [1]

Lower Squankum is an unincorporated community located within Howell Township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ^[2] The settlement is situated along Lakewood-Farmingdale Road (County Route 547) at its intersection with Herbertsville Road (CR 549) and Old Tavern Road (CR 21) on the eastern side of Howell Township. It is just south of Interstate 195 exit 31 and borders Allaire State Park. ^[3]

History

The name "Squankum" derives from a Lenape term meaning "place of evil ghosts" or "place of evil spirits," a common naming convention among Native Americans in the region. ^[4]

During the 19th century, Lower Squankum developed around an agrarian economy and milling industries. The Lower Squankum Mill, located on the Manasquan River, served local farmers by grinding grain into flour. The site was historically owned by Solomon Wardell, one of Howell’s early landowners. ^[5]

Landmarks

Lower Squankum Mill Site

The remnants of the 19th-century Lower Squankum Mill are located at the junction of CR 547 and CR 549. The site is considered a significant example of rural industrial history and was the subject of a cultural resources survey by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. ^[6]

Lower Squankum Friends Burial Ground

This historic Quaker cemetery is located in the median of CR 547. Established in 1778, it contains an estimated 130 to 150 marked and unmarked graves, some of which belong to Civil War veterans. ^[7]

Geography and Environment

Lower Squankum is located adjacent to Allaire State Park, a protected natural area that includes hiking trails, the historic Allaire Village, and access to the Manasquan River. ^[8]

Transportation

Lower Squankum is served by:

• CR 547 – Lakewood-Farmingdale Road
• CR 549 – Herbertsville Road
• CR 21 – Old Tavern Road
• Interstate 195, with Exit 31 nearby

Bus service is provided along Route 9 and nearby arteries by NJ Transit and Academy Bus Lines, offering commuter access to New York City and Trenton. ^[9]

See also

• Squankum, New Jersey
• List of place names of Native American origin in New Jersey
• Howell Township, New Jersey

References

1. "Lower Squankum". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
2. "Locality Search". State of New Jersey. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
3. Aerial view of Lower Squankum (Map). Retrieved August 19, 2016.
4. Brinton, Daniel G. (1885). The Lenâpé and Their Legends. D.G. Brinton. p. 215.
5. "The Lower Squankum Mill Site: Rise and Fall of a 19th-Century Agricultural Enterprise" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. July 2005. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
6. "The Lower Squankum Mill Site: Rise and Fall of a 19th-Century Agricultural Enterprise" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. July 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
7. "Historic Howell: Friends Burial Ground". Flickr (Historical Documentation). Retrieved May 27, 2025.
8. "Allaire State Park". New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
9. "NJ Transit Howell Township Service". NJ Transit. Retrieved May 27, 2025.