Boonton Pond Bridge
Boonton Pond Bridge, 1900s
Then
The Boonton Pond Bridge pictured was a girder bridge across the Rockaway River at Boonton Pond. The pond was formed when the Rockaway River was dammed. The Morris Canal, completed in 1831, ran next to the Rockaway River through this section of Boonton. Below the dam the river flows over Boonton Falls in the gorge.
The actual town of Boonton (then named "Booneton") was located one mile east of the canal, and the area along the gorge was used by the New Jersey Iron Company, which built mills and a new town called "Booneton Falls."
The railroads led to the decline of the Morris Canal, and the Iron Company closed in 1876. The canal closed in the early 1900s. The Jersey City Reservoir forced the abandonment of the old town of Booneton (its location is now under water); the town was relocated to before the opening of the reservoir in 1903 and now occupies the area around the river and falls. Presumably this bridge was built around when the town relocated.
Boonton Pond Bridge, 2011
Now
The bridge over Boonton Pond was replaced at some point with a newer girder structure. Its construction is not unique, and little information could be found about it, other than that one will incur a penalty if found jumping off the bridge:
“It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to dive off of, jump off of, or to push himself or another or others off of the Washington Street Bridge (County Bridge No. 84) or the West Main Street Bridge located in the Town of Boonton. Penalty, $50 or 30 days for the first offense.” (Town of Boonton Ordinances)