By Cathy Miller

Jeremy Onorato, a para-professional at Warren Hills High School, is a lifelong Lopatcong resident. He has worked in multiple schools as a teacher and a janitor. He is also something of a local historian, more akin to “Weird New Jersey” than any “Chronicles of Warren County.”

Jeremy admits, “I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up.” That didn’t pan out due to health considerations. He added, “I was always good at writing poems,” but pragmatically pondered, “How can poetry make a car payment?” He enrolled in college explaining, “I was a journalism major and then I was not! The whole journalism thing didn’t make sense at the time” – a case of expectations versus experiences.

Though less frequently, Jeremy still writes poetry, and said, “If I’m going to do anything artsy now, it’s with photography.” By the way, he was a stand-up comic, too!  Admittedly, he considers himself a jack-of-all-trades (not his exact words).

Currently he’s back in college studying to become a history teacher. “I’ve passed the praxis. I feel I have enough concentrated knowledge of history to make sense to someone!”

Jeremy says that he enjoys “working with kids and young adults. I’d like to teach actual history to high school students. Nobody has called me a historian, but that’s really what I know best.”

Regarding Jeremy’s impressive command of Warren County’s hidden histories, he explained excitedly, “I like exploring around here. When you look back in records, Asbury’s history, especially, is so important and rich. A lot of it has to do with the Mill on the Musconetcong River. It’s crazy, the amount of history this area presents.”

Here’s a synopsis of just a sampling of Jeremy’s observations:
     • The first mass murder that ever happened in this country happened in Asbury.
     • Aleister Crowley’s ashes were scattered somewhere near Asbury.
     • The Morris Canal, which traversed Warren County, was one of the greatest technological achievements humans ever made.
     • Under the Phillipsburg-Easton Bridge, leaving Pennsylvania and looking towards Jersey, you’ll see two gigantic doors where barges were moved from the canals in Pennsylvania, over the Delaware River, then hoisted up through these doors, to continue on.
     • On Route 22 via the Bridge into Pennsylvania, look for an island to your right – there used to be other islands, too, where executions were carried out – this was where the last hanging took place.
     • Farther up the Delaware River is Dildine Island, not too far from King Cole Grove in Belvidere. At its peak, it was the “paramount source of tourism.” There was a huge mansion on it with a casino, all of which burnt down, he says.
     • In the 1700s, according to a news article, a pit was found in the middle of a Lopatcong farm and it was said at the bottom of the pit was “metal and glowing stuff.”
     • Prehistoric Native American artifacts found in this area suggest they were able to tell time with the stars.
     • In Asbury, behind the cemetery on School Street, there’s a large prehistoric Native American burial ground.
     • Native Americans followed a trail along Route 22 to Bloomsbury and into Quakertown to trade. Along the route there’s a sign (near Route 78) marking a mound as an old burial ground. Arrowheads can sometimes still be found in the vicinity.

What sparked Jeremy’s interest in such obscure knowledge? “I wanted to be an archaeologist, but math was, and still is, hard. Ten years ago I became obsessed with mines. I’ve always been interested in Egypt. After watching ‘Apocalypto’ I was blown away by inaccuracies in the film. That inspired me to buy a metal detector and conduct my own search for things left by ancient tribes around here.”

Has he considered writing a book about his findings? “It would be better if somebody wrote it all down for me,” he explained. “My knowledge feels fractal – I have much information on many diverse things. Most of those local history books are about places that people already know. I seek out ‘strangeness’ [locations off the beaten path] on a satellite map,” Jeremy said. His map is studded with pinpoints on the sites he’s already explored and the many more he plans to investigate.

Thanks to Jeremy Onorato for sharing the discoveries and historical tidbits he’s provided about Warren County through his personal research and experiences. As he said, “That’s why people like me exist, to inform other people.”

Photo Credit: Cathy Miller