Let’s get hitched: Morristown’s forgotten hitching posts, carriage steps, and pebbled postal mounts al

 

By Keith Seminerio

Since the semi-quarantine began, I’ve noticed an explosion of walkers sauntering throughout Morristown. And if some of these said walkers visit this site, I have some interesting historical relics they might want to visit.

Now, I am not talking about well-known Revolutionary War and other sites such as the Green, Ford Mansion, Vail Mansion, the Morris County Courthouse, the Thomas Nast House, or the Historic Presbyterian Graveyard.

I’m not even speaking of some lesser-known sites such as the Sansay House, or the Admiral Rogers House (as great and interesting as all of them are).

No, I’m talking about some really obscure history—the kind of history that may not be noticed even if you live on the same block. I’m talking about history you can walk past only inches away and not even look twice at.

I’m talking about history you can physically touch, examine, and in some cases, even step on! I’m talking about the forgotten hitching posts, carriage steps, and pebbled post-mounted mailbox posts of Morristown’s bygone eras.

I’m not entirely sure why I’m drawn so much to these seemingly insignificant pieces of stony history. Most likely, it’s because they’ve stood the test of time and have survived the onslaught of “development,” and I respect that.

For these pieces, there are no official historical declarations, there are no historical markers touting their history, and they surely are not a focus of any walking tour.

However, they sit in the spots where they have always been like stalwarts, forgotten and abandoned, watching the decades float by as no mind is paid to them. They are incongruous with their modern settings yet somehow still are lost in their surroundings.

So, I will give what little due to them I can here, and, by doing so, I hope to encourage a few Morristownians to visit them and consider the part they played in history, as well as those people who utilized them, long ago.

(All of these artifacts can be found on public sidewalks, and in one case a cemetery, so visiting them close-up is not a problem.)

---

THE HITCHING POSTS

Hitching posts were in use in the 1800s and early 1900s. Obviously, cars were not used back then, so people traveled by horse; either riding on them or in carriages pulled by them.

Many houses and businesses had hitching posts out front, for the owner to tether his or her animal to prevent it from straying. The posts needed to be extremely secure in the ground due to the strength of a horse.

However, a lot of them were constructed from wood (especially out West) and have since disappeared. The ones still standing are of stone which is why they survive today. Following are nine posts I’ve located in Morristown. There may very well be more, so keep your eyes peeled.

Hitching Post #1 – Wetmore Ave.

This one is a great example. The iron ring is fully intact and it stands quite straight with a pleasing cone shape. This is the first one I noticed in town, which spurred me to keep an eye out for others.

Hitching Post #2 -Wetmore Avenue.

This one is just two houses down from Hitching Post #1. You can clearly see the variety in which they were carved and how different this one is. The iron ring is gone from this one, but you can see the “dimple” where it used to be.

Hitching Posts #3 and #4 – Near Colles and Wetmore avenues.

The two posts belong to the same residence. Clearly, the family that would have lived here when these were in use were well-off. Not only is the house of considerable size, but few families had two hitching posts on the same property.

Once again, you see the variety. These are more of an obelisk shape and the rings are in a fixed position on top instead of being hinged. In addition, it appears that the rings may be copper since they have a greenish patina to them. One of the rings is fully intact while the other one is missing a decent part of it.

Hitching Post #5 – On Miller Street.

This post is a bit farther away from the Downtown area, off of Western Avenue in an unassuming neighborhood. Another good example, this one was tougher to spot because it’s more “hidden” on a hilly side street.

Hitching Posts #6 and #7 – Franklin Street. (behind Town Hall)

Here we have another pair of twin posts in front of the same house. The trend of being wildly distinctive shines through here. You can see how the stone of each is not smooth but textured. They also have significant water stains from the years of rain making contact with the iron rings and running onto the lighter-colored stone.

Hitching Post #8 – Ogden Place 

This one was the last one I came across; it’s almost “camouflaged.” The post wasn’t solely meant to be a hitching post, as it is one of two posts at the end of an old wall flanking either side of a driveway.

The hitching rings cleverly were incorporated into these. If you look, you can see an iron hook with the hinged ring attached to it, leaving no doubt as to its original purpose. If one doesn’t gaze directly at the ring from close range, it would be impossible to identify this as a hitching post, unlike others which can be spotted from a distance.

Hitching Post #9 – The wall of the Historic Graveyard of The Presbyterian Church in Morristown (across the street from The Green)

Technically, these are not posts; they are hitching rings attached to the wall of this historic graveyard. A number of these rings still line the wall. A couple of them still have rusted chains attached. How cool is that?

These would have been utilized for members of the congregation attending church services or visiting their loved ones interred in the graveyard. (As an aside, if you haven’t visited the graveyard itself, please do so. The amount of history there is staggering.)

---

THE CARRIAGE STEPS

Whereas hitching posts might be fairly well-known to many people, most probably haven’t heard of carriage steps. So what are they? They were curbside concrete slabs used as a step by those entering and exiting a horse-drawn carriage or buggy.

On many, the family’s name would have been engraved on the front facing the street. But it doesn’t look like this was the case with the ones found in Morristown. In addition to having a practical use, they were also a status symbol, since only the wealthy could afford to have them in front of their homes.

They would have been in use the same time as hitching posts, and would have been located near them. As of now, I have found two in town. Certainly, fewer of these are around today than hitching posts.

Carriage Step #1 – Farragut Place (on MacCulloch Avenue)

This one is located on a busy road and passed by hundreds or even thousands of people per day. It did/does belong to a grand house, which demonstrates its role as a status symbol. Due to its proximity to a busy thoroughfare, it’s pleasantly surprising that it’s survived in its original spot for this long.

Carriage Step #2 – Wetmore Avenue.

Not far from the first carriage step is the second one. (Why are there so many old relics on Wetmore Avenue?) You can see how these also were made in varying shapes. It might appear as a pretty boring concrete slab sitting on the ground, but it undoubtedly must have quite an impressive history attached to it.

---

THE PEBBLED, POST-MOUNTED MAILBOX POSTS

These posts belonged to the old United States Postal Service post-mounted mailboxes, which have vanished from our world. These were not residential mailboxes, but the collection boxes which people would have mailed a letter from. They were replaced by the larger, blue receptacle bins in use today. Below is a drawing of what I’m referring to.

Mailbox Post #1 – At the intersection of Maple Avenue and James Street

This post still stands proudly at a busy intersection. A big chunk of the metal bracket with which the mailbox itself would have been attached still remains. Apparently, the years in which these posts were erected were engraved on their sides. This one is engraved with “1936.”

Mailbox Post #2 – At the intersection of Maple Avenue and Dehart Street

A different color and a little shorter than the first one, this one is lost in the shuffle on this cluttered street corner. You can see the two holes where the metal bracket would have been, and the “1937” clearly marked on the side indicates this one is a year younger than the first one.

Hopefully, talking about these humble pieces has ignited at least a little interest in some of the lost history of Morristown. And going on a scavenger hunt for them may add a dash of spice to your daily walks or drives.

Keith Seminerio lives in Morristown with his wife and three children. He enjoys history, the outdoors, and exploring anything offbeat or unusual. He is a teacher in Chatham, and a frequent contributor to Weird NJ.

MORE ARTICLES BY KEITH SEMINERIO