Historical Research

Analysis of the historic maps (Sanborn 1910, 1920, 1931, and 1948) identified the approximate location of former brickworks structures (see investigation area map). For the following description, refer to the 1931 Sanborn Map.

Buildings A1-13 corresponded to the fire brickworks. Buildings A1, A2, and A11 housed circular kilns. The A11 kiln had a diameter of 25 feet. Building A4 was a clay mixing or processing room in 1910. Building A6 contained an engine room and a boiler room. Building A12 was labeled in 1920 as a "Clay Shed." Clay was stored in Building A13 according to the 1920 map.

The buildings marked B1-3 were the northern part of the enamel brick factory. The southern portion of Building B1 was a brick drying shed in 1920. Building B2 was a brick press room in 1931. Building B3 was labeled as a machine room in 1920 and 1931. Building C1-4 were part of the repair shop complex. Building C1 was labeled as a foundry on the 1910 map. Building C3 was labeled as a blacksmith shop. Building J may have been the company slaughterhouse according to a Research & Archaeological Management, Inc. (RAM) survey in 1990 (no evidence of use as a slaughterhouse was identified by PCI). Building E was an oil house. Building F was listed as a dwelling on the 1931 Sanborn map, but no evidence of the former structure was located by PCI. Building G was listed as an office building on the 1931 Sanborn, but PCI identified steel mounts, which suggest an industrial purpose as well as some domestic refuse (possibly associated with Building F). A portion of Building K was labeled as a coal bin in 1920. Phase II investigations suggest that there were sub-floor drying rooms in the vicinity of Buildings B1 and A8. The small rectangular structure just south of the southwest section of the project area is a mortared brick platform that was used to handle freight from a Raritan Railroad spur running in a generally northwest/southeast orientation from this point (PCI, 2002: 2-30-2-33; 5-1-5-8). (See also S & F General Views .)