Fountain Turned On Again 99 Years To The Day Since It First Opened

The iconic fountain first opened to the public on July 16, 1925, serving as a popular cooling spot for lake visitors and offering photo opts to families for generations before it was closed in the 1990s due to clogging issues.  A restoration effort began in 2014 through funding approved by the Morris County Board of County Commissioners (then called “Morris County Freeholders”), helping the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum in conjunction with the Lake Hopatcong Foundation to complete the work.

“This project brought the fountain back to being operational for the first time in more than two decades. It revitalizes our community spirit, provides much-needed aeration for the Musconetcong River, and returns a beloved asset to the community to enjoy for another 99 years,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw.

He presented Marty Kane, President of the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum, with a Morris County Historic Preservation plaque that will be affixed to the fountain.

Senator Anthony Bucco, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, Morris County Surrogate Heather Darling, and John Cecil, Assistant Commissioner of State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), also spoke at the event.

How We Did It

In total, $286,981 in Historic Preservation Trust Fund grants supported restoration of the fountain including:

• A 2014 grant for completing a Preservation Assessment.
• A 2021 grant for creating Construction Documents related to the preservation and stabilization of the structure.
• A 2022 grant for the repair of the plumbing system, installation of fencing, and addressing the hydrology and filtration of water from Lake Hopatcong to the fountain.

The water took about 15 to 20 minutes to fully flow from the restored fountain after the public officials and many guests took turns cranking a valve at the headwaters exactly 67 rotations to get things started. The nearly 100-year-old hydraulic system behind the foundation was restored and improved through a project undertaken by engineering students from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Lake Hopatcong, the largest lake in New Jersey, was created by the Morris Canal and was the highest point and largest source of water on the canal. The fountain, designed by engineer Cornelius C. Vermeule Jr., is one of the most important structures that remains from the Morris Canal abandonment process.

“This restoration would not have been possible without the support of the County Commissioners and the Historic Preservation Trust Fund,” said Kane.

Since the inception of the Morris County Historic Preservation program in 2003, the Commissioners have awarded 533 grants totaling more than $50 Million to aid in the preservation, protection and restoration of 123 historical properties in 34 towns throughout the county.

** article courtesy of morriscountynj.gov