Chester, NJ

http://www.historicchesternj.com/

For the majority of the newcomers, Chester is the picturesque town at the intersection of Routes 206 and 513 in the rolling hills of Morris County.  The quaint Main Street stores and the abundance of open land within the Township are most likely what draws people to this town.  But Chester is so much more and boasts of an interesting history.

Originally, the Minisink Indians called this area, “Alamatunk” which meant “black earth bottom” for Black River, which was the original name for Chester.  By the time 1799 came, the Black River settlement was stable and prosperous.  The third and fourth generations of the early settler were living there.

Most Chester people have said that no one knows why the name “Black River” was dropped and “Chester” adopted.  Some say because Chester, England, was the home of their ancestors who had migrated to New England, and then to Southold and the Hamptons. The grandsons of those ancestors, who came to Black River, had been calling their community Chester for a good while.  It must have been a great satisfaction to the people of Black River to receive notice from the state that the wish to create their own township had been granted.  So January 29, 1799, began the business of naming the new township – Chester.  The people of Chester celebrated their towns Bicentennial in 1999.

In 1803 a new Congregational Church was built, located in the center of the Church Cemetery.  The first church had been across the road, and had been destroyed by fire.

In 1806 the Washington Turnpike Company was chartered, and Chester lay on its route.  Jared Haines of Chester, who was one of its directors, built the stone mansion on the old road to Hacklebarney.  Before 1810, after the Turnpike was in operation, Isaiah Fairclo sold land to the Drakes, and Zephaniah Drake built the Brick Tavern, now The Publick House.

Written By: Chester Historical Society