My Ben

Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance (HLTA), in partnership with the New Jersey Green Acres Program, Hunterdon County and the Borough of Stockton protected a 92-acre tract known as the My Ben property located in the Borough of Stockton and in Delaware Township.

The parcel, which consists primarily of woodlands, is located on the bluffs overlooking the Delaware River. In acquiring the land, the partners protected the threatened species habitat, water resources and historic resources located on the land from the impact of development.

Prior to the acquisition, the site has received preliminary site plan approval from Stockton Borough for a 44 lot subdivision and was in the final site plan approval process for the subdivision HLTA negotiated with the landowner to preserve the property.

Such development would have adversely impacted the water quality of the Delaware River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which provides 75 million gallons of water per day to New Jersey residents. The My Ben property drains to the Hollow Brook, the Delaware and Raritan Canal, and ultimately the Delaware River. The New Jersey Landscape Project identifies the property as containing habitat suitable for State-threatened species including the Barred owl and Bog turtle.

A cultural resource inventory identifies the My Ben property as a pre-Columbian Native American dwelling place, and stated that American Revolution war hero Captain John Anderson purchased the property in 1792. The newly preserved property is located directly behind Stockton Elementary School, New Jersey's oldest, smallest continuously operating three room school house. The schoolhouse is now under consideration for National Historic status. The Borough of Stockton hopes to provide natural and historic resource interpretation to park visitors.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection?s Division of Parks and Forestry will manage the property for passive recreation as part of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park.