Vernon’s Stairway to Heaven from Route 94. (Photo by Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: You can’t top this One of my major goals when I began this column was to inform readers about the history of our area. Another was to highlight... Columns 19 Jul 2024 | 02:08
Fort Decker is the oldest building in Port Jervis, N.Y. (Photo by Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: Forts along the Delaware This past weekend we went to Port Jervis, N.Y., for an open house at Fort Decker. Port Jervis is immediately over the border... Columns 06 Jul 2024 | 08:28
Ham radio operators from the Sussex County Amateur Radio Club take part in a national amateur radio exercise June 22-23 in Newton. (Photo courtesy of Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: Amateur radio This is an article about amateur radio and Sussex County. Some of it will be technical, some historical and some club activity... Columns 27 Jun 2024 | 08:02
Kayaking on Lake Wawayanda is one summer activity. (Photo courtesy of Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: What to do this summer Hey, it’s summer. It’s time to push the keyboard away and get outside. But what to do? You live in northern New Jersey, the... Columns 23 Jun 2024 | 07:58
State Assemblyman Mike Inganamort, R-24, holds up the 21 state symbols, which now include Franklinite as the state mineral. From left are Phil Crabb, a former Sussex County freeholder, and state Sen. Parker Space, R-24. (Photos by Kathy Shwiff) Community credited with state mineral designation The community, especially local schoolchildren, deserve credit for winning passage of legislation making Franklinite the... Home 18 Jun 2024 | 05:47
TR1 Eighth-graduation at Franklin School in 1965. (Photo courtesy of Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: Our youth Mid-June is the time for graduation in our Sussex County schools. A cherished part of being in local historical societies... Columns 18 Jun 2024 | 11:25
Bagpiper at dusk at Crystal Springs Golf Resort in Hamburg. (Photo by Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: Historic events then and now This week, I have several short statements to make and events to speak about. D-Day: June 6, 1944 Taking an evening walk near... Columns 10 Jun 2024 | 05:52
An undated painting of the Delaware Water Gap by artist Louie Larsen from the book ‘Country Lanes: Portrait of a Century Past,’ by Bill Truran. Sussex County History Today: Tocks Island Dam saga During the early 1960s, when I was in eighth-grade social studies, we spoke about the Tocks Island Dam project. Here in Sussex... Columns 02 Jun 2024 | 05:47
‘Honest Ogden,’ the first book in a series by Bill Truran, will launch May 15. Sussex County History Today: My new book CORRECTION: The column published in the May 2-8 issue was written entirely by a guest historian, the well-known and respected... Columns 05 May 2024 | 04:26
Bill Truran’s latest book is a historical novel about the Hon. Robert Ogden II. Sussex County History Today: ‘Honest Ogden’ Sussex County history fans will be pleased to learn that Bill Truran, the county historian, has written yet another book... Columns 05 May 2024 | 04:20
A stone arch bridge in Sussex County. (Photo courtesy of Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: Turning rails to trails During the past 20 years, I have been an enthusiastic advocate for turning our abandoned rail lines into trails. I had the... Columns 22 Apr 2024 | 08:16
The Silver Lake YMCA Scouts camp. (Photos courtesy of Bill Truran) Sussex County History Today: The Old Turnpike, Part 2 A few weeks ago, I told of a hiking trail I’ve known my whole life that is out of the way and little used. It used to be... Columns 11 Apr 2024 | 02:40
Sussex County History Today: RevolutionNJ proclamation We in Sussex County are preparing for a great event in the history of the United States. That will be the 250th celebration... Columns 31 Mar 2024 | 12:14
The 1924 concrete mill, including the 90-foot tower/grain silo, on Gingerbread Castle Road just off Route 23 in Hamburg is being demolished. The owner also began demolition of the shorter office tower - without permission. A stop-work order was issued until it is determined what can be saved, stabilized and how. (Photo provided) Sussex County History Today: Wheatsworth Mills The Grinding Down of Wheatsworth Mills By Ron Dupont From Franklin Pond to Hamburg, the Wallkill River runs 4½ miles and... Home 19 Feb 2024 | 03:25
GB1 Greg Baty, right, with NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins. (Photo courtesy of Greg Baty) Sussex County History Today: Sparta’s Greg Baty and the NFL The dream of practically every boy who plays football is to make it in the NFL. Greg Baty of Sparta lived the dream for nine... Home 06 Feb 2024 | 12:49