This documentary hits close to home as my Great Great Uncle was John Goska on my mothers side of the family who was one of the last hold outs to keep his farm as it is talked about and with newspaper articles about him and his fight to save his home/farm. I remember my mother and grandmother telling us kids about Uncle John's farm and how hard he worked to make it into something and to have the State of New Jersey take it from him. When i was 13 years old i was on summer vacation at my grandparents house we went over to see Uncle John and his family, he had long since moved from New Jersey to Arkansas and had a farm there. I can still remember to this day nearly 52 years later my grandmother asking her uncle John ( My Great Great Uncle) about the farm in New Jersey, he just sat there and said nothing, i watched tears come from his eyes as he sat there. Uncle John has been gone since 1993 and is at rest with his family and my grandparents in Arkansas and i still think of him and what he went thru. I grew up in Somerville, NJ and visited Round Valley many times when i lived in NJ and i often found myself staring out on the water and thinking about Uncle John and what he had lost.
@@damienwilliams7681 Why in the hell would i lie about something like this. FYI I have My Great Great Uncle's Oringinal Deed to the property and the paperwork he received from the Sate of New Jersey when the took control of it. It was given to my Grand Mother ( My GGUs) Niece who passed it down to me as part of our family history. I can prove my family's history with Round Valley and you can NEVER Disprove it.
I had a wonderful Uncle John. I hope wherever your Unccle is, he has his property back and just the way he wanted it. That had to really be hard. Our farmers don't get the support the should have and credit. God bless them all ! ❤ 🙏
I never knew this and lived in NJ all my life. I went there a few times and just thought it was a natural lake. My heart goes out to all the families that lived there.
HAve you gone to the ones where the native Americans usero live there? The empty cabins you can feel spirits and eyes looking at you. Never got in the lake tho
Same here. Lived in NJ my whole life and went to the reservoir several times with friends and even once on a school outing and no one ever shared the story of how it became a reservoir. I’m guessing teachers and the state weren’t to thrilled with the way it happened and didn’t want to boast to children of condemning peoples farms for water that wasn’t wanted due to corrupt politics. They aren’t gonna put that on a plaque outside the park!
Thank you for telling this story. I had read about the history of Round Valley but seeing pictures and video of the homes, farms and residents bring the story to life.
The same thing happened in Wales after the village of Llanwddyn was moved out and the area filled with water and is known as Lake Vyrnwy. In the summer time you can see the remaining parts of houses foundations.
I grew up on the Stanton side of the valley. The view at 7:22 of the video is exactly the view from what became our front lawn. It is not in the valley. It shows the Prostak farm, still there today. My school bus went through the valley and I remember the platform of milk cans. Paul Rigo's daughter was in my class at the Clinton Township School, and her older sister was in my sister's class. I remember her pride in telling me that her father was the boss of the project. I also remember seeing a house being moved across an open field, something I didn't think was possible. A number of our friends and new neighbors were from the valley and they carried that sadness. A commenter below mentioned Haver's Lawn Mower Hospital. Boy, did that bring up a flash of the past!
Thanks for the response! Do you happen to have any pictures from your childhood that shows the area, by chance? We're always looking to collect and incorporate more material.
This was SO amazing to watch..I cried! So sad, we usually go here for hiking and swimming, its a beautiful place, never knew the history of this, so glad that they made a doc out of this, very inspiring..great history.
Thank you for bringing this story to us its really sad and I know how hard it was for those people who lived there all their lives it breaks my heart but I understand the it needed to be done. God bless all those people 🙏 that live there and the souls of who already die 🙏
Same thing happened in Massachusetts in the thirties and forties great documentary there was four times about 17 miles across kicked everybody out filled it up and now they call it the Quabbin Reservoir does really some good documentaries on that one too
I'm from NJ but don't recall ever hearing about this. Good information, and a sad story. I wish it had gone into why Newark backed out in a little more depth. And the narrator spoke too softly (or was recorded at too low of a volume) to understand everything said. But still, very enjoyable.
WOW! This is an incredible documentary about Round Valley. What a great local history lesson for sure, albeit a bit sad. I think it is incredibly well done!
Born in 2002. Knew there was a town below Round Valley but never knew about it until now. So fascinating to read the comments. Thanks for sharing the memories and keeping the town alive everybody. It’s important we preserve the history of our home
I used to go to one of the farms that are now under water. Great Memories of my childhood. Swimming in one of the small rivers that ran thru the farm land. I was sad to see it gone
I never knew Round Valley had this history to it. I used to live in Kingwood in the early 80s and worked at the A&P in Clinton!, visiting Round Valley and Spruce Run many times in the summer during that time. Last time I was back there, it was mid 90s and the feeling there wasn't the same.
My family had to move our home in 1990 as my father was dying from heart failure. It did devastate us. He died in January, only six months after we built a road and got moved. The place was never the same. Even though it was the same house it wasn't the same home. It is now abandoned and rotting away.
Wow, which house. My family moved their house as well. That's my Mom in the beginning talking and pictures of my Dad and brother all in this movie. I wasn't born yet. Always a very sad part of my family's life.
During my childhood years (1971-1986) I lived in Stanton, NJ. Our house was 3 miles south of Round Valley Reservoir. My family swam at the beach area at Round Valley's west shore, stayed at the campground at the east shore, and went to the retreat center on the south side. In the 1970's we went sledding on the steep dam embankments on the north side, but that was later outlawed. As a child I was fearful that the dams would break. We were told the flood waters would reach Flemington, 9 miles south, and our house in the valley between Stanton Mountain and Round Mountain would be destroyed. I didn't enjoy swimming in the reservoir because of rumors about mysterious disappearances, drownings, and the village that was flooded. We did our boating at Spruce Run rather than Round Valley because it was shallower and had more shoreline. Round Valley is a beautiful spot during the changing seasons of Central New Jersey, but it definitely had a creepy reputation.
there is absolutely no houses in the reservoir !!! I used to ride thru the middle after all the houses were moved out and they brought in the tanks and military equipment to level out and clear out the bottom. It is a beautiful place to visit, and sad that they chased all those people out of their homes. But most of the houses were moved out and put up on the hill nearby.
@@kardsufur2966 The people who said they saw the tops of buildings are the ones who are full of it. Most of the buildings were hauled out and can be see on . The rest dismantled by the national guard and the debris was removed. You can see the houses on nearby Valley Crest Rd.
Round Valley is my backyard! I am glad that this documentary was made. Always heard stories that people were drowned to death there but now I know to truth
A friend was told a highway was going through her home..all houses were to be bought ..no choice...10 years later no highway and they were offered their house back..ruined as it had been left empty then rented..but to put salt in their wounds..for the price the Govt brought it for 10 years prior.
I remember writing a school paper about the TVA in the 1960's and it still makes me so sad. That was when I first started wondering about how our gov treats people.
Its gorgeous and beautiful. I miss up north terribly. It makes me angry. Being surrounded by woods and nature is relaxing and calming and soothing. It's a lifestyle that you miss and is different. People call it "trailer trash" etc .. I call it something different.
My father lives near this place we would usually go hiking there and there is still remnants of of thing such as stone walls, pipes and what looks like a corner of an iron wheel borrow in one the foot paths.
This is eerily similar, if not the exact same thing that happened to the sleepy valley village of Scammonden, West Yorkshire, UK. A decision was made to level much of the houses and flood the valley, to turn it into a reservoir. Villager's complained but lost the battle with the council. The village of Scammonden became Scammonden Reservoir. And on rare occasion when water levels are really low, there can be traces of the old demolished building walls seen emerging from the water
I see New Jersey’s planning hasn’t changed. So nice to do this to the people then think about how to get it to Newark that’s such backward thinking guy deserved jail time
@@Media523 thank you for letting me know. I live in the South, where TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) did something very similar, although I'm really not aware that it was to this degree. Makes one wonder exactly if "progress" was worth the cost.
Although tragic as it was to the residents of round valley they weren’t forced out with violence and fire as the was the case of lake Lanier and lake Martin where former slaves developed an entire community.
The last time I was at Round Valley the water level was about 361 feet above sea level and it was looking quite low. I think the system they have of releasing water into the South Branch for water companies to draw from downstream is very wasteful. They have to keep the river level high enough to draw from and a lot of the water just flows out to sea. I feel real bad for the residents of Round Valley who had their homes and farms taken from them. This was a very good video. I always wondered what that clearing up the hill on the west side near the campers parking lot area was. I thought it was an old road. It was where they hauled the houses out. So sad...
I remember my Dad taking me there when I was a kid to see it before they filled it with water. There were still standing buildings in the middle of the hole at the time. I have fished there many times and always seems a little strange.
We are born primal... conceived with the impulse to fight for what we desire... it's written in our genes, it's engraved in our souls... but we traded the wilderness for pavement, trees for skyscrapers, we lost touch with our instincts with what we are... we have fallen from nature's grace
Arable land is absolutely necessary. We need to preserve farmland. Decades ago, the German government made expansion onto the countryside illegal. Only pre-existing working farms are allowed. "Developers" are mobbed up Mafia scum, viz this documentary . In the U.S., it was only after the riots in the 60s that caused "white flight". Drive through Patterson and see bars on people's windows and high chainlink fense topped with wire. Eminent domain is an awful thing. I've witnessed first hand farmland condemned to make way for a "super" Wal-Mart. It put all of the mom&pops in the *village* out of business. And, of course, no more farm, the dairy gone and all. What exactly IS progress?
I can't imagine. I've about lost my mind fighting my small village government on land issues that only benefit one landowner. We don't stand a chance against the village or the county gvt on protecting us.
If you can afford to fight a crusade then why not. If you can't afford to fight a crusade then why would you. Unless your stupid or your led by your ego. Either way your destiny is to be destroyed. Good luck as you go under for the last time.
This is an excellent documentary. Those who made it deserve some serious kudos. I do have a question though. The lady who lived there said that the engineers pumped water into the res. using massive water pumps. What where they tapping into to fill it? It was obviously years after the two droughts, so I'd assume there was plenty of water around, but even then 55 billion gallons of water had to be found somewhere. Where did they find it? Also why did the various cities who contracted out for it, pull the contract? Was it all some sort of grifting scam by the mayor of Newark?
They pump water into Round Valley from the South Branch of the Raritan River (west of the reservoir) there's about 10 pumps that move the water uphill to the south tower (south dam)
WOW ! I (started) to grow up in Hunterdon County (Annandale) My Mom (Jeannette Bonnell - Norton - Gill - Lance) married Wesley L. Lance ~ 1971 Round Valley Reservoir is all I remember - The Town was gone. I remember Wes telling me; Jim Gill, The Earth-Fill Dam off of Molasses Hill Road, at Round Valley Reservoir, was built on Limestone. It could Fail. I said to Wes; Okay then. I won't go in the caves across the road from the Dam. About 13 years ago I purchased a collection of glass plate negatives. The PHOTOGRAPHER was Willis W. Vail of Quakertown, NJ "Willis was A Quaker Man from a Quakertown" Anyway, one of negatives, is a View across Round Valley - It's Really Beautiful. I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico now. Hunterdon County was a Really Beautiful Place, until Route 78 got plowed through the middle of it. The Property Taxes are Astronomical ! The Traffic is Really Bad. I Ain't gonna split firewood on Kruger's Farm No More - No more Ice Skating on Headley's Pond - No more climbing in the waterwheel at the Red Mill at Clinton : ( Change is inevitable - Just the way it is. - Jimmy Gill -
We have done that same thing loooong time ago like 80yrs in Germany, go with the flow, you can not never ever beat the Government anyway. So fight and get max pay-out and shut up, because you can not win.
They could have explained a little bit more about the mafia connection. How could the demand for the water turn away so fast? Where are the pipes going, are there pipes at all? The mafia should be killed off. Guess this criminal got a pension no matter what. Thank you Italy.
They never built a pipeline to the cities in the east. They release water from a pipeline at the north dam it goes along Railroad Avenue east and discharges into the South Branch Rockaway Creek >>> Rockaway Creek >>> Lamington River >>> North Branch Raritan River >>> Raritan River . Water companies draw water from the Raritan River. The residents of Round Valley were royally screwed and the project was never completed as it was supposed to be (pipeline to Newark & Elizabeth)
That's the government for ya! They're making "everything better for everyone ". B.S. They're making things easier for themselves, they're not worried about the common person or the history.
They displaced about 50 homes to provide water to 1.5 million people and countless farms and businesses, supporting a large portion of people who make up the metropolitan area economy that is the backbone of the US. Of course a few people tried to exploit it for their own gain, and yeah, it definitely sucks for the people who lived there, but the net positive still far outweighs the negatives.
I wish I had the chance and opportunity to go on vacation etc and go sightseeing and experience different countries etc. I will never get that chance unfortunately.
Just sucks. I went fishing there and took a canoe out. I look into the water and saw the tops of trees and was like WTF. Rangers told us there is probably some building down there. So sad
I never quite understood the need for water on coastal states, the investment of desaltinized sea water facilities as opposed to the millions of buying out homes and lands?
Here's the thing, though, today, like the beautiful wooded area that was once Whitehouse Lake, which most people alive today who live there wouldn't even know of, (You could call it Whitehouse Air Conditioning Sump because that's what it is, now, literally, thanks to greedy developers who destroyed that land) Round Valley today would not be a serene peaceful farming community. It would be some nightmare of a crowded condo community wherein the view out your window is the wall of your neighbor's condo developed by some outsider just like the rest of NJ. People today prefer to live in crowded holes. Pathetic.
I found it ironic that the lady who said that was so embittered by the NJ government taking their homes and land, but she displayed this disturbing lack of empathy for the native people.
@@thebandit666 agreed. Just like the ppl that had no choice but to sell after they did they exact same thing to the indigenous tribe they ousted in the same manner
Im from New Brunswick nj and I always go there and last year i came across this and remembered about it when i went there this summer , its too relaxing
1-04-2023.. I read the small book that was published then sold out of the Library in White House Sta. an number of years ago. today was told of this film. More info needs to be told of the political and criminal actions of this story. The lack of any political clout in this area was the major down fall. will have to watch the above mentioned series ( I may have spoken too early).
Very sad that people were disbanded & relocated, but my heart is torn more by poor refugees after WWII that would have given anything to (after generation after generation of farming) move up a hill close by!
No I don’t think all we do is for the greater good. We don’t always pick the best spots. We don’t always think things through. We say that to salve our conscience. Then we stop and think hmmm maybe we should have done something else but it’s too late. Yes. We need to prepare for droughts but it would be nice to plan and develop without payoffs
May not be worth the comment, but the NJ national Guard had a weekend training while I was a member. It would have been before "68. I had no idea where we were. In later years I realized that we were where the water would be. The damn was built, but no water pumped in.
"...The benefit to the state outweighed the imposition of the hardships imposed on them." Spoken like a true mindless bureaucrat. Jeff. The water is currently being used for nothing except fishing, boating, and as a cheap place to party on weekends for Hispanics who can't afford NJ's beaches. It's not being pumped out to anyone now. So, exactly how did the state benefit from the hardships it imposed on those it displaced?
The purpose of round valley is to act as a backup storage water in the case of an emergency drought. spruce run is the primary source, round valley is backup to spruce. It doesn't get used very often because its very expensive to refill since it is filled by a force main, not river fed. If the state was in a severe drought and spruce run couldn't provide enough water to the raritan, round valley is the saving grace to the millions in central jersey that rely on raritan river drinking water. So yes, the benefits to the state absolutely out weigh the cons. I've worked on round valley reservoir for years now.. this is how i know.
I grew up in a beautiful valley. Oh how i miss it. Then one night in heavy rain.. It was gone. A dam or something gave way up stream. I remember only being able to see the peak of my uncles bar sticking out of tge water. The government made every one clean as much mud and utems out of their homes. Then knocked every house down. Dug holes. Lite the rumble on fire then pushed the dirt back over the houses. I still sit and cry to this day. I took still pictures and filmed some of the stuff that went on durning that time. Yet can bring my self to look ir watch any of it again. God bless anyone that has lost their homes to fire, flood, tornados, hurricanes of other ways. Just remember. Everthing happens for a reason. You will always have the memories, happy or sad. Try to go with the happy ones.
the movie oh brother where art though has a flooded town in it, someone swam in it and it was eerie and scary, i always thought it was a made up thing, but this is the second instance of this ive recently heard of recently due to youtube. the dust storms in the 1900s also seems made up if you didnt know it was true.
your parents might have told you the natives SOLD their land, but it is a LIE! Native Americans didn't believe the land was OWNED by them. Therefore, could not be SOLD by them! TO this very day, there is money in a bank for the Lakota tribe. For the land where Mount Rushmore was carved. But the land was not theirs to sell. And they did not have permission to do the carving. Just one proof that the Native Americans did not SELL THEIR LAND! The SAME GOVERNMENT that TOOK THE LAND from the Natives, and SOLD it to YOU, TOOK it FROM YOU! What goes around, comes around!
That opening narration... I had a hard time feeling bad for her as I'm sure many indigenous people have the same story. And then this doc goes and talks about the original inhabitants leaving due to "expansion". When was this shit made?
The natives who were forced out were long dead when the valley was flooded. And she was born into that childhood, owing no reparations for what was beyond her doing. There's no such thing as collective responsibility. And for crying out loud, pick something topical next time you ignorant jackass.
I feel bad for her and all that lost their land from government. The same government that took the natives' land then sold land to these people and then took it from them again. It is why that bitter "historian" justifies both. Saying the natives had nothing stolen from them and then goes to say that these people had this done to them for a greater good basically. She is just a "historian" indoctrinated by the state payed for by the government.
I really can't get over the irony of white people complaining about losing their homes when the land they were living on was taken from the Native Americans. White people: "It's really hard to lose your home." Native Americans: "Oh really?"
This is not a color thing. The same government that took the Natives' land, then sold land to these people. Then that same government took it back from them. It's what they do. And the government don't care about your race and who you are. If you are not one of the "elite" then you're a peasant or a pawn. However, "elites" come in all colors. But they sure love to push that race division by their media to all of us so we continue to fight one another down here and never fight the real enemy which is them. And that is how they continue taking advantage of all of us and doing stuff like what happened in this documentary right here.
We just wrapped up our next film , called "The Long Hair". You can view it on youtube as well: th-cam.com/video/iqqeNMDRHcI/w-d-xo.html. What subject do you think we should do next?
Anyone being forced out due to Eminent Domain should be paid 5x the assessed value of their property. This country pisses away so much money to other countries, the least they can do is minimize the effect of being thrown out of your home./property. Several times more than the assessed value would permit those to upgrade their property or house size and continue their lives not as a victim but as being rewarded for their sacrifice.
I have trouble getting worked up over this piece intended to be a tearfull tragedy story. This was a big public works project to supply water infrastructure needs of populous big cities. The total number of people impacted here was really quite small. All the other impacts were small over all as well. The lack of relocation support for the residents was downright pathetic, but compared to most infrastructure projects I know any history about, this was basically minimal impact. Almost a non event. The downside was that the reservoir was unused. But it is still in place and can meet future needs. Most infrastructure projects impact a whole lot more people and communities to a much higher degree than this one. When I was growing up, my family was impacted by the interstate freeway project. Our brand new house my folks had bought along with half the local neighborhood was appropriated less than 2 years after we moved in. We had to relocate the house a couple of years later. I grew up watching my house get moved than a freeway get built and opened and then expanded to meet capacity needs. And then, thirty years later, they came through again and took the new house location for an airport access road right of way. The house has been gone now for over 10 years, but they still have not started the new road. This 2 mile right of way has impacted several thousand people and probably over 70 small local businesses. This is part of living in our dynamic society. We moved on. These folks did too.
American Rambler yes ... projects for cities that have failed since then and thus far are only blights and eyesores in New Jersey... this wasn’t created for your tearjerker benefit ... it was for people who lived through it to tell the story to people who were intrigued and interested in it ... move along and go build an unwanted community of McMansions for the Toll Brothers
Agreed. It's incredibly one-sided and manipulative. My father was on the local planning board when this all happened and his recollection is very different from Emma Haver's.
So wait! They took your land. / bought it. Then you had to buy just your house back and then move your house to anther piece of Land that you had to buy as well?
This documentary hits close to home as my Great Great Uncle was John Goska on my mothers side of the family who was one of the last hold outs to keep his farm as it is talked about and with newspaper articles about him and his fight to save his home/farm.
I remember my mother and grandmother telling us kids about Uncle John's farm and how hard he worked to make it into something and to have the State of New Jersey take it from him.
When i was 13 years old i was on summer vacation at my grandparents house we went over to see Uncle John and his family, he had long since moved from New Jersey to Arkansas and had a farm there. I can still remember to this day nearly 52 years later my grandmother asking her uncle John ( My Great Great Uncle) about the farm in New Jersey, he just sat there and said nothing, i watched tears come from his eyes as he sat there.
Uncle John has been gone since 1993 and is at rest with his family and my grandparents in Arkansas and i still think of him and what he went thru.
I grew up in Somerville, NJ and visited Round Valley many times when i lived in NJ and i often
found myself staring out on the water and thinking about Uncle John and what he had lost.
That's very sad to hear. Thank you for sharing with everyone.
My thoughts are with you
So sad what progress does
Stop lying
@@damienwilliams7681
Why in the hell would i lie about something like this. FYI I have My Great Great Uncle's
Oringinal Deed to the property and the paperwork he received from the Sate of New Jersey when the took control of it. It was given to my Grand Mother ( My GGUs) Niece who passed it down to me as part of our family history. I can prove my family's history with Round Valley and you can NEVER Disprove it.
I had a wonderful Uncle John. I hope wherever your Unccle is, he has his property back and just the way he wanted it. That had to really be hard. Our farmers don't get the support the should have and credit. God bless them all ! ❤ 🙏
I never knew this and lived in NJ all my life. I went there a few times and just thought it was a natural lake. My heart goes out to all the families that lived there.
It puts the entire area into a whole new context.
HAve you gone to the ones where the native Americans usero live there? The empty cabins you can feel spirits and eyes looking at you. Never got in the lake tho
Same here. Lived in NJ my whole life and went to the reservoir several times with friends and even once on a school outing and no one ever shared the story of how it became a reservoir. I’m guessing teachers and the state weren’t to thrilled with the way it happened and didn’t want to boast to children of condemning peoples farms for water that wasn’t wanted due to corrupt politics. They aren’t gonna put that on a plaque outside the park!
Just to the north of round Valley is where the recent earthquake hit in New Jersey
Thank you for telling this story. I had read about the history of Round Valley but seeing pictures and video of the homes, farms and residents bring the story to life.
I do go to this reservoir often and I am glad I came across this great documentary of Round Valley. Such a great historical insight.
My Grandfather lived here when he was young. I wish that I that remembered his stories more. So I pass them on to my grandkids.
The same thing happened in Wales after the village of Llanwddyn was moved out and the area filled with water and is known as Lake Vyrnwy. In the summer time you can see the remaining parts of houses foundations.
A+
Thank You All for producing this !
Well Done !
I grew up on the Stanton side of the valley. The view at 7:22 of the video is exactly the view from what became our front lawn. It is not in the valley. It shows the Prostak farm, still there today. My school bus went through the valley and I remember the platform of milk cans.
Paul Rigo's daughter was in my class at the Clinton Township School, and her older sister was in my sister's class. I remember her pride in telling me that her father was the boss of the project. I also remember seeing a house being moved across an open field, something I didn't think was possible. A number of our friends and new neighbors were from the valley and they carried that sadness.
A commenter below mentioned Haver's Lawn Mower Hospital. Boy, did that bring up a flash of the past!
Thanks for the response! Do you happen to have any pictures from your childhood that shows the area, by chance? We're always looking to collect and incorporate more material.
You're exactly right. Lots of sweat and tears from my family as well. My parents had just built their house and moved it up to Valley Crest Road.
This was SO amazing to watch..I cried! So sad, we usually go here for hiking and swimming, its a beautiful place, never knew the history of this, so glad that they made a doc out of this, very inspiring..great history.
Thank you for bringing this story to us its really sad and I know how hard it was for those people who lived there all their lives it breaks my heart but I understand the it needed to be done. God bless all those people 🙏 that live there and the souls of who already die 🙏
Same thing happened in Massachusetts in the thirties and forties great documentary there was four times about 17 miles across kicked everybody out filled it up and now they call it the Quabbin Reservoir does really some good documentaries on that one too
Nicely produced doc on the history of Round Valley - well researched, written, and edited! Well worth a look.
I swam in the Round Valley Reservoir recreation area as a child. I never knew this history. how very sad.
I'm from NJ but don't recall ever hearing about this. Good information, and a sad story. I wish it had gone into why Newark backed out in a little more depth. And the narrator spoke too softly (or was recorded at too low of a volume) to understand everything said. But still, very enjoyable.
tear jerker, for sure. bless them.
WOW! This is an incredible documentary about Round Valley. What a great local history lesson for sure, albeit a bit sad.
I think it is incredibly well done!
Born in 2002. Knew there was a town below Round Valley but never knew about it until now. So fascinating to read the comments. Thanks for sharing the memories and keeping the town alive everybody. It’s important we preserve the history of our home
Well done. Thank you for bringing this story to life to those of us who would never have known.
Thank you very much for the kind words!
The same happened with Spruce Run Reservior where my Grandparents family lived only a few miles away.
We've discussed the possibility of producing a similar show about Spruce Run.
@@Media523 Hope you do someday!
I used to go to one of the farms that are now under water. Great Memories of my childhood. Swimming in one of the small rivers that ran thru the farm land. I was sad to see it gone
I’m sorry
That's so sad to hear :(
I've lived here in the area for more than 60 years. Sad story. Wish I had been old enough to visit the valley before the reservoir. Great documentary.
I never knew Round Valley had this history to it. I used to live in Kingwood in the early 80s and worked at the A&P in Clinton!, visiting Round Valley and Spruce Run many times in the summer during that time. Last time I was back there, it was mid 90s and the feeling there wasn't the same.
My family had to move our home in 1990 as my father was dying from heart failure. It did devastate us. He died in January, only six months after we built a road and got moved. The place was never the same. Even though it was the same house it wasn't the same home. It is now abandoned and rotting away.
Thanks for sharing your story. Do you happen to have any pictures or anything from the time period?
Wow, which house. My family moved their house as well. That's my Mom in the beginning talking and pictures of my Dad and brother all in this movie. I wasn't born yet. Always a very sad part of my family's life.
Thanks for posting this. My great grandfather was born there in 1876.
Glad you enjoyed it
During my childhood years (1971-1986) I lived in Stanton, NJ. Our house was 3 miles south of Round Valley Reservoir. My family swam at the beach area at Round Valley's west shore, stayed at the campground at the east shore, and went to the retreat center on the south side. In the 1970's we went sledding on the steep dam embankments on the north side, but that was later outlawed. As a child I was fearful that the dams would break. We were told the flood waters would reach Flemington, 9 miles south, and our house in the valley between Stanton Mountain and Round Mountain would be destroyed. I didn't enjoy swimming in the reservoir because of rumors about mysterious disappearances, drownings, and the village that was flooded. We did our boating at Spruce Run rather than Round Valley because it was shallower and had more shoreline. Round Valley is a beautiful spot during the changing seasons of Central New Jersey, but it definitely had a creepy reputation.
this documentary is so sad. Born and raised in NJ .
What part of New Jersey? The filmmakers grew up in Whitehouse Station, near Flemington.
there is absolutely no houses in the reservoir !!! I used to ride thru the middle after all the houses were moved out and they brought in the tanks and military equipment to level out and clear out the bottom. It is a beautiful place to visit, and sad that they chased all those people out of their homes. But most of the houses were moved out and put up on the hill nearby.
that's funny cus few weeks back the reservoir was at a low and people said you can see the tops of buildings in it, so you're full of shi#
@@kardsufur2966 The people who said they saw the tops of buildings are the ones who are full of it. Most of the buildings were hauled out and can be see on . The rest dismantled by the national guard and the debris was removed. You can see the houses on nearby Valley Crest Rd.
I grew up NJ and visited Round Valley, it was beautiful but spooky at the same time..
Round Valley is my backyard! I am glad that this documentary was made. Always heard stories that people were drowned to death there but now I know to truth
+Chris Talocka - It is such an amazing place. I wish It was my backyard. I love this park.
Thank for such excellent presentation or documentary! You got a new sub 😃
A friend was told a highway was going through her home..all houses were to be bought ..no choice...10 years later no highway and they were offered their house back..ruined as it had been left empty then rented..but to put salt in their wounds..for the price the Govt brought it for 10 years prior.
Where did this happen?
@@Media523 Auckland NZ
I remember writing a school paper about the TVA in the 1960's and it still makes me so sad. That was when I first started wondering about how our gov treats people.
Its gorgeous and beautiful. I miss up north terribly. It makes me angry. Being surrounded by woods and nature is relaxing and calming and soothing. It's a lifestyle that you miss and is different. People call it "trailer trash" etc .. I call it something different.
Just as Lake Berryessa in Napa County, California. Some of the town in still under the lake.
My father lives near this place we would usually go hiking there and there is still remnants of of thing such as stone walls, pipes and what looks like a corner of an iron wheel borrow in one the foot paths.
This is eerily similar, if not the exact same thing that happened to the sleepy valley village of Scammonden, West Yorkshire, UK. A decision was made to level much of the houses and flood the valley, to turn it into a reservoir.
Villager's complained but lost the battle with the council. The village of Scammonden became Scammonden Reservoir. And on rare occasion when water levels are really low, there can be traces of the old demolished building walls seen emerging from the water
Iola, Colorado is under the Blue Mesa resivoir. A boat ramp is named after it. I suppose every reservoir has a ghost.
Unfortunately, that is correct in far too many cases.
Really great documentary!
Much appreciated!
I see New Jersey’s planning hasn’t changed. So nice to do this to the people then think about how to get it to Newark that’s such backward thinking guy deserved jail time
Very well done, albeit sad. I feel a sadness for those forced to sell and move away from everything they knew and loved. 🙏😥💔
This kind of story is all too common, unfortunately, especially in the NJ/PA area.
@@Media523 thank you for letting me know. I live in the South, where TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) did something very similar, although I'm really not aware that it was to this degree. Makes one wonder exactly if "progress" was worth the cost.
Although tragic as it was to the residents of round valley they weren’t forced out with violence and fire as the was the case of lake Lanier and lake Martin where former slaves developed an entire community.
The last time I was at Round Valley the water level was about 361 feet above sea level and it was looking quite low. I think the system they have of releasing water into the South Branch for water companies to draw from downstream is very wasteful. They have to keep the river level high enough to draw from and a lot of the water just flows out to sea. I feel real bad for the residents of Round Valley who had their homes and farms taken from them. This was a very good video. I always wondered what that clearing up the hill on the west side near the campers parking lot area was. I thought it was an old road. It was where they hauled the houses out. So sad...
I remember my Dad taking me there when I was a kid to see it before they filled it with water. There were still standing buildings in the middle of the hole at the time. I have fished there many times and always seems a little strange.
We are born primal... conceived with the impulse to fight for what we desire... it's written in our genes, it's engraved in our souls... but we traded the wilderness for pavement, trees for skyscrapers, we lost touch with our instincts with what we are... we have fallen from nature's grace
Arable land is absolutely necessary. We need to preserve farmland. Decades ago, the German government made expansion onto the countryside illegal. Only pre-existing working farms are allowed. "Developers" are mobbed up Mafia scum, viz this documentary . In the U.S., it was only after the riots in the 60s that caused "white flight". Drive through Patterson and see bars on people's windows and high chainlink fense topped with wire.
Eminent domain is an awful thing. I've witnessed first hand farmland condemned to make way for a "super" Wal-Mart. It put all of the mom&pops in the *village* out of business. And, of course, no more farm, the dairy gone and all. What exactly IS progress?
All except for the Sasquatchs
This is beautiful and well said.
I can't imagine. I've about lost my mind fighting my small village government on land issues that only benefit one landowner. We don't stand a chance against the village or the county gvt on protecting us.
If you can afford to fight a crusade then why not. If you can't afford to fight a crusade then why would you. Unless your stupid or your led by your ego. Either way your destiny is to be destroyed. Good luck as you go under for the last time.
Well done documentry
Thank you very much. We appreciate it!
The same thing happened to a bunch of towns when they built the St Lawrence Seaway in the late 50s
Man that sucks I live in warren county right next to hunterdon county I’m a good 15 mins from this
Beautiful town gone....
Gosh that heart crushing, iam so sorry.
I ❤ Documentaries !!!
That's sad how government takes land just like that similar story is the chaves ravine was over taken to build the LA Dodgers stadium.
This is an excellent documentary. Those who made it deserve some serious kudos.
I do have a question though. The lady who lived there said that the engineers pumped water into the res. using massive water pumps. What where they tapping into to fill it? It was obviously years after the two droughts, so I'd assume there was plenty of water around, but even then 55 billion gallons of water had to be found somewhere. Where did they find it?
Also why did the various cities who contracted out for it, pull the contract? Was it all some sort of grifting scam by the mayor of Newark?
They pump water into Round Valley from the South Branch of the Raritan River (west of the reservoir) there's about 10 pumps that move the water uphill to the south tower (south dam)
So disturbing, I am so sorry to all that are hurting.
If you are watching this, please consider making a donation to help the filmmakers at www.RoundValleyMovie.com
No. Doesnt affect me.. they are better off now anyway.. We should be asking them for money. PEACE.
We are from the Government, we are here to help you.
WOW !
I (started) to grow up in Hunterdon County (Annandale)
My Mom (Jeannette Bonnell - Norton - Gill - Lance) married Wesley L. Lance ~ 1971
Round Valley Reservoir is all I remember - The Town was gone.
I remember Wes telling me; Jim Gill, The Earth-Fill Dam off of Molasses Hill Road, at Round Valley Reservoir, was built on Limestone.
It could Fail.
I said to Wes; Okay then. I won't go in the caves across the road from the Dam.
About 13 years ago I purchased a collection of glass plate negatives. The PHOTOGRAPHER was Willis W. Vail of Quakertown, NJ
"Willis was A Quaker Man from a Quakertown"
Anyway, one of negatives, is a View across Round Valley - It's Really Beautiful.
I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico now. Hunterdon County was a Really Beautiful Place, until Route 78 got plowed through the middle of it.
The Property Taxes are Astronomical !
The Traffic is Really Bad.
I Ain't gonna split firewood on Kruger's Farm No More - No more Ice Skating on Headley's Pond - No more climbing in the waterwheel at the Red Mill at Clinton : (
Change is inevitable - Just the way it is.
- Jimmy Gill -
Carter and Reagan almost did this to my town. Also named Round Valley, but it's in Northern California.
Weren’t the Lenape of Manhattan Island note.
Everybody looks so happy. Thank u 4 posting😘
I understand the need for the water but it's still sad that they had to from theirs home lands
We have done that same thing loooong time ago like 80yrs in Germany, go with the flow, you can not never ever beat the Government anyway. So fight and get max pay-out and shut up, because you can not win.
Had a nightmare dream one night similar to this!! Vehicle came back down and got stuck going up!!
So this is the lake Lanier of New Jersey?
They could have explained a little bit more about the mafia connection. How could the demand for the water turn away so fast? Where are the pipes going, are there pipes at all? The mafia should be killed off. Guess this criminal got a pension no matter what. Thank you Italy.
They never built a pipeline to the cities in the east. They release water from a pipeline at the north dam it goes along Railroad Avenue east and discharges into the South Branch Rockaway Creek >>> Rockaway Creek >>> Lamington River >>> North Branch Raritan River >>> Raritan River . Water companies draw water from the Raritan River. The residents of Round Valley were royally screwed and the project was never completed as it was supposed to be (pipeline to Newark & Elizabeth)
HAVE YOU RECORDED ASHLEY KANSAS
We haven't. What happened there?
That's the government for ya!
They're making "everything better for everyone ".
B.S.
They're making things easier for themselves, they're not worried about the common person or the history.
They displaced about 50 homes to provide water to 1.5 million people and countless farms and businesses, supporting a large portion of people who make up the metropolitan area economy that is the backbone of the US. Of course a few people tried to exploit it for their own gain, and yeah, it definitely sucks for the people who lived there, but the net positive still far outweighs the negatives.
It's taking me longer than I expected here in this town. What keeps me going too is my 2 DirecTV satellites
This is sad thats what happens when the government gets envolved
I wish I had the chance and opportunity to go on vacation etc and go sightseeing and experience different countries etc. I will never get that chance unfortunately.
Just sucks. I went fishing there and took a canoe out. I look into the water and saw the tops of trees and was like WTF. Rangers told us there is probably some building down there. So sad
I never quite understood the need for water on coastal states, the investment of desaltinized sea water facilities as opposed to the millions of buying out homes and lands?
Reminds me of that episode of "Scooby-Doo" with the submerged town.
Here's the thing, though, today, like the beautiful wooded area that was once Whitehouse Lake, which most people alive today who live there wouldn't even know of, (You could call it Whitehouse Air Conditioning Sump because that's what it is, now, literally, thanks to greedy developers who destroyed that land) Round Valley today would not be a serene peaceful farming community. It would be some nightmare of a crowded condo community wherein the view out your window is the wall of your neighbor's condo developed by some outsider just like the rest of NJ. People today prefer to live in crowded holes. Pathetic.
Yup, one of the only reasonable comments I’ve read.
Girl it wasn't 'sold' it was TAKEN
I found it ironic that the lady who said that was so embittered by the NJ government taking their homes and land, but she displayed this disturbing lack of empathy for the native people.
@@thebandit666 agreed. Just like the ppl that had no choice but to sell after they did they exact same thing to the indigenous tribe they ousted in the same manner
Lol.. yup!
That’s not what the contracts say. You should’ve stayed in school and actually gotten an education.
Exactly. Absolutely disgusting. Like they just willingly sold their land. More like give me your land or die.
I can’t believe there’s ghosts and aliens living in my state. We might as well drain the lake and get the people back to their homies
Im from New Brunswick nj and I always go there and last year i came across this and remembered about it when i went there this summer , its too relaxing
When you want big government, you get big government. It's not always for the greater good.
Kevin Renner precisely
Ya and the government take what it want cause they ** THINK THEY OWN EVERYTHING SO THEY JUST KEEP TAKEN FROM EVERYONE**
Except in this case it actually benefited millions of people while sadly displacing about 50 homes
1-04-2023.. I read the small book that was published then sold out of the Library in White House Sta. an number of years ago. today was told of this film. More info needs to be told of the political and criminal actions of this story. The lack of any political clout in this area was the major down fall. will have to watch the above mentioned series ( I may have spoken too early).
i feel bad for the woman who loved it there but 26 people cant deny the state water they desperately need ....sad but progress
Que ironía a los habitantes del Round Valley le hicieron lo mismo que a los Lenape
Very sad that people were disbanded & relocated, but my heart is torn more by poor refugees after WWII that would have given anything to (after generation after generation of farming) move up a hill close by!
No I don’t think all we do is for the greater good. We don’t always pick the best spots. We don’t always think things through. We say that to salve our conscience. Then we stop and think hmmm maybe we should have done something else but it’s too late. Yes. We need to prepare for droughts but it would be nice to plan and develop without payoffs
May not be worth the comment, but the NJ national Guard had a weekend training while I was a member. It would have been before "68. I had no idea where we were. In later years I realized that we were where the water would be. The damn was built, but no water pumped in.
Sad we never own anything.
"...The benefit to the state outweighed the imposition of the hardships imposed on them." Spoken like a true mindless bureaucrat. Jeff. The water is currently being used for nothing except fishing, boating, and as a cheap place to party on weekends for Hispanics who can't afford NJ's beaches. It's not being pumped out to anyone now. So, exactly how did the state benefit from the hardships it imposed on those it displaced?
not true at all but nice try
What you say is completely true. I live 5 minutes away.
The purpose of round valley is to act as a backup storage water in the case of an emergency drought. spruce run is the primary source, round valley is backup to spruce. It doesn't get used very often because its very expensive to refill since it is filled by a force main, not river fed. If the state was in a severe drought and spruce run couldn't provide enough water to the raritan, round valley is the saving grace to the millions in central jersey that rely on raritan river drinking water. So yes, the benefits to the state absolutely out weigh the cons.
I've worked on round valley reservoir for years now.. this is how i know.
very very sad ,, its now only a memory ,,, and a place used for recreation ???!!!! SAD AWFUL !
This Hispanics comment was racist and unnecessary. Nice job being an asshole. Keep goin
Sounds like they had a happy existence, despite weather problems(for the crops)l
I grew up in a beautiful valley. Oh how i miss it. Then one night in heavy rain.. It was gone. A dam or something gave way up stream. I remember only being able to see the peak of my uncles bar sticking out of tge water. The government made every one clean as much mud and utems out of their homes. Then knocked every house down. Dug holes. Lite the rumble on fire then pushed the dirt back over the houses. I still sit and cry to this day. I took still pictures and filmed some of the stuff that went on durning that time. Yet can bring my self to look ir watch any of it again. God bless anyone that has lost their homes to fire, flood, tornados, hurricanes of other ways. Just remember. Everthing happens for a reason. You will always have the memories, happy or sad. Try to go with the happy ones.
This documentary should be named.....Progress Sucks.
Round valley still exists! It’s in California Mendocino county
Has any one seen the house under the water
the movie oh brother where art though has a flooded town in it, someone swam in it and it was eerie and scary, i always thought it was a made up thing, but this is the second instance of this ive recently heard of recently due to youtube. the dust storms in the 1900s also seems made up if you didnt know it was true.
your parents might have told you the natives SOLD their land, but it is a LIE! Native Americans didn't believe the land was OWNED by them. Therefore, could not be SOLD by them! TO this very day, there is money in a bank for the Lakota tribe. For the land where Mount Rushmore was carved. But the land was not theirs to sell. And they did not have permission to do the carving. Just one proof that the Native Americans did not SELL THEIR LAND! The SAME GOVERNMENT that TOOK THE LAND from the Natives, and SOLD it to YOU, TOOK it FROM YOU! What goes around, comes around!
That opening narration... I had a hard time feeling bad for her as I'm sure many indigenous people have the same story. And then this doc goes and talks about the original inhabitants leaving due to "expansion". When was this shit made?
The natives who were forced out were long dead when the valley was flooded. And she was born into that childhood, owing no reparations for what was beyond her doing. There's no such thing as collective responsibility. And for crying out loud, pick something topical next time you ignorant jackass.
I feel bad for her and all that lost their land from government. The same government that took the natives' land then sold land to these people and then took it from them again. It is why that bitter "historian" justifies both. Saying the natives had nothing stolen from them and then goes to say that these people had this done to them for a greater good basically. She is just a "historian" indoctrinated by the state payed for by the government.
I really can't get over the irony of white people complaining about losing their homes when the land they were living on was taken from the Native Americans.
White people: "It's really hard to lose your home."
Native Americans: "Oh really?"
@FreeMann9 Actually I edited the punctuation. I stand by everything I said.
@FreeMann9 and what exactly is your argument? Do you agree or disagree with what I said?
@@katrinak902 Person is troll
This is not a color thing. The same government that took the Natives' land, then sold land to these people. Then that same government took it back from them. It's what they do. And the government don't care about your race and who you are. If you are not one of the "elite" then you're a peasant or a pawn. However, "elites" come in all colors. But they sure love to push that race division by their media to all of us so we continue to fight one another down here and never fight the real enemy which is them. And that is how they continue taking advantage of all of us and doing stuff like what happened in this documentary right here.
We just wrapped up our next film , called "The Long Hair". You can view it on youtube as well: th-cam.com/video/iqqeNMDRHcI/w-d-xo.html. What subject do you think we should do next?
Spruce run reservoir!! ❤️
Anyone being forced out due to Eminent Domain should be paid 5x the assessed value of their property. This country pisses away so much money to other countries, the least they can do is minimize the effect of being thrown out of your home./property. Several times more than the assessed value would permit those to upgrade their property or house size and continue their lives not as a victim but as being rewarded for their sacrifice.
I have trouble getting worked up over this piece intended to be a tearfull tragedy story. This was a big public works project to supply water infrastructure needs of populous big cities. The total number of people impacted here was really quite small. All the other impacts were small over all as well. The lack of relocation support for the residents was downright pathetic, but compared to most infrastructure projects I know any history about, this was basically minimal impact. Almost a non event. The downside was that the reservoir was unused. But it is still in place and can meet future needs. Most infrastructure projects impact a whole lot more people and communities to a much higher degree than this one. When I was growing up, my family was impacted by the interstate freeway project. Our brand new house my folks had bought along with half the local neighborhood was appropriated less than 2 years after we moved in. We had to relocate the house a couple of years later. I grew up watching my house get moved than a freeway get built and opened and then expanded to meet capacity needs. And then, thirty years later, they came through again and took the new house location for an airport access road right of way. The house has been gone now for over 10 years, but they still have not started the new road. This 2 mile right of way has impacted several thousand people and probably over 70 small local businesses. This is part of living in our dynamic society. We moved on. These folks did too.
American Rambler yes ... projects for cities that have failed since then and thus far are only blights and eyesores in New Jersey... this wasn’t created for your tearjerker benefit ... it was for people who lived through it to tell the story to people who were intrigued and interested in it ... move along and go build an unwanted community of McMansions for the Toll Brothers
Agreed. It's incredibly one-sided and manipulative. My father was on the local planning board when this all happened and his recollection is very different from Emma Haver's.
The Indians wanted to keep their homes as well
Shut up
Exactly 💯
Well shit they should’ve caught harder lmao home field advantage and everything
@@dlz190
Well shit, it's never too late!
Natives DESERVE to reclaim their rightful lands. Empowerment..
So wait!
They took your land. / bought it.
Then you had to buy just your house back and then move your house to anther piece of Land that you had to buy as well?