Wickatunk is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

located within Marlboro Township in Monmouth County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, United States. Elevation above sea level is . It was founded in 1695 by three Scottish servants from the community of Toponemus (no longer in existence in Marlboro Township). Originally surveyed by George Keith, in a letter he states: After the initial settlement, the plan in the early 1700s called for a village center with small town lots surrounded by plantations. However, that plan was not workable as it did not allow for townspeople to have farming land. Research suggests the name derives from the Delaware ( Algonquian) "wikwetung", meaning "the fishing place".

Farming and produce

Known for the potato harvest from nearby farms,"Monmouth Farmers Have a Banner Year", Asbury Park Press, September 24, 1914, Page 2 in 1923 the town hosted Representatives from "all the potato seed raising sections of the country" and Canada. In addition to the potatoes, the area was also well known for Stayman and Rome apples - winning state awards and registered

Holstein Friesian cattle Holstein Friesians (often shortened to Holsteins in North America, while the term Friesians is often used in the UK and Ireland) are a breed of dairy cattle that originated in the Dutch provinces of North Holland and Friesland, and Schleswig-Hol ...

Squab In culinary terminology, squab is an immature domestic pigeon, typically under four weeks old, or its meat. The meat is widely described as tasting like dark chicken. The term is probably of Scandinavian origin; the Swedish word ''skvabb'' mean ...

were also raised on farms in the area. The area was also known for manufacturing liquor and many area farms were raided for violations of the

Volstead Act The National Prohibition Act, known informally as the Volstead Act, was an act of the 66th United States Congress, designed to carry out the intent of the 18th Amendment (ratified January 1919), which established the prohibition of alcoholic d ...

in the late 1920s and early 30s.

Transportation

Railroad

A central feature of the community for years was the Wickatunk shipping point, part of a single track railroad line from Matawan to Freehold, New Jersey. Having been included on the list of most dangerous railroad crossings by the

Automobile Club of America The Automobile Club of America was the first automobile club formed in America in 1899. The club was dissolved in 1932 following the Great Depression and declining membership. History On June 7, 1899, a group of gentlemen auto racers met at the W ...

in 1908 the station and crossing were demolished in the 1970s. The rail station was on tracks formally owned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey. Currently, the

Henry Hudson Trail The Henry Hudson Trail is a rail trail in western and northern Monmouth County, New Jersey. The trail is named for Henry Hudson, who explored the harbor at Atlantic Highlands and the Raritan Bayshore coastline in the early 1600s. The trail is no ...

uses this right of way and passes through Wickatunk.

Roads and highways

The major state road passing through the center of Wickatunk is Route 79. County Routes 3 and 520 also serve as major roads around Wickatunk.

Points of interest

Old Scots Burying Ground

On the list of

historic History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

places, the town has a burial ground dating back to 1685."Scottish Clans to Gather to Play Highland Games", Asbury Park Press, September 3, 1936, Page 21 At that time the Presbyterians built the oldest Presbyterian church, starting with a crude structure of logs in 1692. By 1705 a refined church was reconstructed and by 1730 the congregation had grown and the church was removed to Freehold Township. Adjacent to the church was the

Old Scots Burying Ground The Old Scots Burying Ground is a historic cemetery located on Gordon's Corner Road in the Wickatunk section of Marlboro Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 15, 2001, for ...

. The cemetery has at least 100 known graves. In 1895, seven hundred pilgrimages of the Presbyterian Synod came to the burial ground grave location of the first Pastor of the church ( Rev. John Boyd) at Old Scots Cemetery to commemorate his life and the start of church at that location. A defining feature of the cemetery is the tall monument of Scottish and Vermont granite and Irish Graystone, surrounded by Scottish thistle carved in the granite With a spire which was lost in the 1950s. The spire was refurbished in 2002. The monument was erected in memory of Rev. John Boyd, the first pastor of the church. In 1915, The Presbyterian Synod added John Tennent's name to the monument.

Robert Collier Estate

In 1901, Robert J. Collier built his summer home in Wickatunk, bought from State Assemblyman John D. Honce. Used for many years as the location of personal parties and celebrations including the township Decoration Day celebrations, it was later donated and eventually became the Collier High School. Spanning many farms and properties, the area was also widely used for an annual fox hunt of the "Monmouth County Hounds" which started in East Freehold and ended at the Collier Estate.

General Store and Post Office

In the late 1920s, a general store and post office was constructed on Route 79. Passing through many hands since then it is currently a bike store. The Post Office obtained some notoriety when the Post mistress, Sadie S. Smock died in February 1928. Her husband "carried on the business for over a year" before an issue developed which brought a postal inspector who discovered the situation. William T. Smock was later sentenced to 60 days in jail for embezzling postal funds.

Yellowstone Buffalo

In the early 1900s, a buffalo brought from

Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowst ...

by Richard W. Herbert was kept on his farm for all to see.

Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital

Starting in 1928, were eventually purchased by the State of New Jersey. Some of the land was in Wickatunk for the construction of

Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital was a public hospital in Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, which was operated by the State of New Jersey. Construction of the hospital began in 1929. It first opened in early 1931, with ...

. The hospital's original working name was "Hillsdale asylum at Wickatunk". It was later known as "The Hilldale Development" before becoming known as "Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital"."New State Hospital", Red Bank Register, June 19, 1929, page 29

References

{{Monmouth County, New Jersey Marlboro Township, New Jersey Unincorporated communities in Monmouth County, New Jersey Unincorporated communities in New Jersey New Jersey placenames of Native American origin