Morris County Heritage Commission Places Marker at Millington Railroad Station
Published on October 16, 2018
Long Hill Township Building is 117 Years Old
A postcard from 1908 of the Millington Railroad Station, courtesy of Frank Reilly
A Morris County Heritage Commission historic site marker has been dedicated at the 117-year-old Millington Railroad Station. The granite building, which is still in use, is located in Long Hill Township at an active railroad station that serves 500 people a day.
The marker outlines the significance of the Millington Railroad Station. Built in 1901 by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, the station's exterior and interior architectural integrity remains intact.
This historical marker calls attention to an important piece of our township's rich history, and to our continuing efforts to preserve our local heritage, said Barbara Grillo of the Long Hill Township Historical Society.
Preserving our history helps us better understand Morris County's important role in the development of our state and nation, said Morris County Freeholder Kathy DeFillippo. We thank our friends from Long Hill and the Heritage Commission for their excellent efforts on this train station project.''
The interior of the station has retained the beautiful original woodwork and ticket window. The building is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.
Officials gather around a new Morris County Heritage Commission historic site marker for the 117-year-old Millington Railroad Station.
The high-quality granite used to build the station came from the nearby Millington stone quarry, said Long Hill Township Historic Preservation Advisory Committee member Frank Reilly. He noted that before railroads came to a town, an average resident -- during her or his entire lifetime -- did not travel more than 20 miles from home. Having a railroad station in town was big news and historically significant.
For the last 25 years, the Millington station building has been adapted and repurposed as a café that serves light refreshments in an atmosphere of the early 1900s. The ticket window is still visible. Vintage photographs depicting the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad are on display in the station's interior.
Members of Long Hill Township HPAC wrote the text of the historical marker application, which was approved by Morris County Heritage Commission.
The marker reads, in part, This vernacular-style, rock-faced station with Richardsonian elements serves passengers from the Somerset hills to New York City. It also once handled freight for local industries and the Millington Quarry.
During a late September dedication ceremony, HPAC Chairman Fred Rossi thanked the Morris County Board of Freeholders and County Heritage Commission members and staff for approving the application and installing the marker between Division Avenue and the railroad station.
Larry Fast, Vice Chairman of the County's Heritage Commission said this was the first historical marker approved by the County in Long Hill Township for more than a decade.
Township Committeeman Brendan Rae, also the liaison to the HPAC, thanked the county and the HPAC members for doing all the hard work to warrant the historic site marker.
On hand for the ceremony, in addition to the above were MCHC Archivist/Acting Director Peg Shultz, MCHC commissioners Marty Kane, Kathy Fisher, and MCHC Archives Technician Amanda Hefferan. Also in attendance were Carol Prasa of the HPAC, and Phyllis Fast of the Township Historical Society.