Home | Department of Parks and Recreation | Park Guides & Trail Maps | Union Furance PreserveSUMMARY OF RULES AND REGULATIONS
 
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ABOUT THE UNION FURNACE PRESERVE
This 97 acre nature preserve located in Union Township was named after and listed on the historic register for the colonial ironworks that flourished here from 1742-1781. During 1742, William Allen and Joseph Turner, both of Philadelphia, converted the site into the Union Ironworks. They set up two separate enterprises. One was called Union Forge in High Bridge; the other was Union Furnace. The ironworks provided employment to the local community including millers, miners, shopkeepers, and blacksmiths. Both facilities produced shoes for farm animals, farm implements, and military hardware during the Revolutionary War. Allen and Turner were both Loyalists who fled during the war. The ironworks were taken over by Robert Taylor, who founded the Taylor-Wharton Foundry. When Taylor-Wharton ceased operating in 1971, it was the second oldest business in North America, following the Hudson Bay Company of Canada. While he continued the operation at Union Forge, Union Furnace was acquired as part of the Union Farm. The furnace met its final fate in the lat 1950 when construction on Spruce Run Reservoir began. The foundation of the furnace is now under the reservoir. The County acquired the property in 1980 via a partial donation by Dr. & Mrs. Heber Donohoe, college professors who used the land for teaching college students about biology.
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 1020 ROUTE 629, STANTON, NJ 08885
Union Furnace Preserve is located on Van Syckles Corner Road in Union Township. The park is open from sunrise to sunset. No restroom facilities are available at this location. Parking is located at Spruce Run’s Fishing Access.
Directions from the Flemington Area: From the Flemington Circle, take Route 31 north 12.4 miles to Van Syckles Corner Road. Turn left and go 176 yards to Spruce Run’s Fishing Access. The entrance to the park is located on the opposite side of Van Syckles Corner Road.
Directions from I-78 Westbound: Take exit 17 (Clinton-Washington Exit) to Route 31 north. Travel 6.6 miles to Van Syckles Corner Road. Proceed as above.
Directions from I-78 Eastbound: Take exit 16 (Washington Exit) to Route 31 north and travel 6.6 miles to Van Syckles Corner Road. Proceed as above.
Additional Information:
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The Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation Department is dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources, providing safe parks and facilities, and offering educational and recreational opportunities, all contributing to an enhanced quality of life for present and future generations.
Hunting is allowed in the park to control deer numbers. Hunters must obtain a special permit issued by the Parks Department. During hunting season, visitors to the park are asked to wear blaze orange or confine their visits to Sundays. See additional information on the Hunterdon County Park System Controlled Hunting Program.
- Printable Trail Map (pdf file) - updated on 9/23/2005
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A single hiking trail runs through Union Furnace. The trailhead is located across from the Spruce Run Parking Area. Part of the trail incorporates the berm of the old mill raceway. Then it climbs up the hill and emerges onto Serpentine Drive. The trail is part of the Highlands Trail System which is a cooperative effort of the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference. Their goal is to create a trail system that will span the highlands between Hunterdon and Passaic Counties.
Spruce Run Creek cuts through the property and provides areas for fishing. A state fishing license must be displayed while fishing.
Spruce Run is maintained by the cooperative efforts of New Jersey’s Division of Parks and Forestry and the Division of Fish and Wildlife. The state park provides a variety of recreational activities including boating, swimming, hiking, and camping. The area managed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife permits hunting to control the wildlife populations. Contact the Spruce Run Recreation Area for more information at (908)-638-8572.
Union Furnace and Spruce Run offer a rich diversity of wildlife. Shorebirds are common sites along the edge of reservoir and the Spruce Run. Common Yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers have been observed at these locations. Herring and Ring-billed Gulls are also common sightings. Other bird that have been reported within the preserve include Orioles, Blue jays, and Cedar Waxwings. Union Furnace is also home to other wildlife including raccoons, skunks, opossums, and jumping mice.
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