Samuel Ford built the Hibernia furnace in the 1760s, and during the Revolution it supplied shot and ordnance to the Continental Army. The Hibernia mine went on to yield more than five million tons of ore, the fourth largest producer in the state, before the last ore came out in 1913. A railroad once ran from the Morris Canal at Rockaway to the mines. After mining ended, the land was sold off to local residents and summer visitors, and homes filled in the slopes along the roads.
That history is written into the ground. Hibernia sits on old Highlands bedrock, and lots here can have thin soil over ledge, boulders and steep grades. A septic system needs a certain depth of suitable soil below the field, so rocky lots often push engineers toward raised fields, pump systems or a field placed well away from the house. An excavator may need to work around rock, and that can add time to a repair or replacement.
Hibernia Brook runs from the Lake Telemark lakes south through the area toward the Rockaway River. Lots that slope toward the brook can be damp at the bottom, while uphill lots deal with rock. Septic tank pumping every few years keeps solids from clogging a field that would be hard to replace, and the township's Division of Health also warns owners not to drive over the field or pour grease and harsh chemicals down the drain.
Many Hibernia homes also draw water from a private well drilled into the same fractured rock the septic drains into. Ask the contractor to note your well before digging so equipment stays clear of it, and test the water after any septic failure on your lot or next door. Keep a simple sketch showing the house, tank, field and well with rough distances, which saves time on every future visit. For well questions, the township Division of Health can be reached at 973-983-2848 and can help interpret lab results.
Worth knowing in Hibernia
Samuel Ford built the Hibernia iron works in the 1760s; the Hibernia mine yielded more than 5,000,000 tons of ore, and the last ore was mined in 1913.
rtlibrary.orgThe Hibernia furnace made shot and ordnance for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.
morristourism.orgHibernia borders Lake Telemark to the south, and Hibernia Brook flows south from the Lake Telemark lakes toward the Rockaway River.
en.wikipedia.org
Questions from Hibernia homeowners
Why might a Hibernia septic replacement need a pump?
When rock or slope leaves no suitable soil near the house, the field may have to go uphill or farther away. A pump chamber then lifts the effluent to the better soil. It adds an alarm and a pump to maintain, but it can make a difficult lot workable.
Who do I call with well questions in Hibernia?
The Rockaway Township Division of Health at 973-983-2848 fields private well questions and can help interpret lab results. Testing itself is done by a certified laboratory.