Pottersville, New Jersey

Demographics

2020

Pottersville was first listed as a census designated place in the 2020 U.S. census.

As of the 2020 United States census, the population of the area was 467.

Education

The Purnell School, a private all-girls boarding high school founded in 1963, was located in Pottersville. In February 2021, Purnell School announced that it would cease operations upon the completion of the 2020–2021 academic year. Later that year, Pingry School purchased the 82-acre campus to use as an extension of its existing campuses in Basking Ridge and Short Hills.

History

Pottersville was first called Lamington and afterwards Potters Mills. There were mills here as early as 1756 built and owned by William Willet. One Mill still stands on the left side of County Route 512 heading towards Califon. It was originally used for weaving woolen goods and later turned into a grist mill. The first grist mill was built along the Lamington River (Black River), but no longer stands. A commemorative plaque has taken its place.

William Willet owned a day book in which he recorded sales to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. His main consideration became supplying the Continental Army. He was paid in Continental currency which around 1780 became worthless. He was ruined financially and was forced to sell both mills to Serrin Potter in 1783, which led to the community's name.

In 1887, upwards of 200,000 baskets of peaches were shipped from Pottersville and New Germantown (Oldwick) by wagons to Chester, Whitehouse and other area communities. The profitable peach growing industry led the Rockaway Valley Railroad to build a spur to Pottersville in 1888.

Black River Falls in Pottersville prompted the railroad to run excursions to the falls. The land around the glen were made into picnic grounds and an amusement park. There was a merry-go-round, dance pavilion and refreshment stand. Some visitors came from Jersey City, N.J. and usually stayed at the Pottersville Hotel. Failure of the peach crop eventually resulted in the end of the Rockaway Railroad. One town resident remembers the park open as late as 1920.

Historic district

The Pottersville Village Historic District is a historic district encompassing the village. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1990, for its significance in industry, commerce, architecture, settlement, and archeology from 1750 to 1924. It includes 44 contributing buildings, 4 contributing sites and 2 contributing structures.

Gallery

File:23 Fairmount Road East, Pottersville, NJ.jpg|Upper Mill, now a residence File:Lower Mill Site, Pottersville, NJ.jpg|Lower Mill site, with commemorative plaque File:Lamington River, Pottersville, NJ.jpg|Lamington River by Lower Mill site File:11 Pottersville Road, Pottersville, NJ.jpg|Former Pottersville Store and Post Office File:11 Fairmount Road East, Pottersville, NJ.jpg|Italianate style house File:7 Fairmount Road East, Pottersville, NJ.jpg|Federal style house File:1 McCann Mill Road, Pottersville NJ.jpg|Victorian Style House

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Pottersville include:

• Harriet Adams (1893–1982), author of some 200 books, including nearly 50 in the Nancy Drew series.

References

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau.
2. [https://data.census.gov/profile?g=160XX00US3460750 Census Data Explorer: Pottersville CDP, New Jersey], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed June 15, 2023.
3. [https://mcdc.missouri.edu/applications/geocodes/?state=34 Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey], Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed June 9, 2023.
4. {{cite gnis. 879465. Pottersville
5. [https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/tigerwebmain/Files/tab20/tigerweb_tab20_cdp_2020_nj.html State of New Jersey Census Designated Places - BVP20 - Data as of January 1, 2020], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed December 1, 2022.
6. [http://www.state.nj.us/infobank/localnames.txt Locality Search], State of [[New Jersey]]. Accessed June 9, 2016.
7. [http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/8600000US07979 DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010; 2010 Demographic Profile Data for ZCTA 07979] {{Webarchive. link. (2020-02-12 , [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed June 9, 2014.)
8. [http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html Census of Population and Housing], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed June 1, 2023.
9. "2020 Geography Changes". [[United States Census Bureau]].
10. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pottersville CDP, New Jersey".
11. {{usurped
12. Makin, Cheryl. "Pingry plans to open campus at former Purnell School in Bedminster".
13. (October 26, 2021). "Pingry completes Purnell purchase in Bedminster for $5M".
14. {{NRISref
15. (September 30, 2020). "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Somerset County". [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]] – Historic Preservation Office.
16. (January 31, 1988 }} With {{NRHP url). ["National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Pottersville Village Historic District"]({{NRHP url). [[National Park Service]].
17. [[Susan Chira