Farmingdale and Squan Village Railroad

The Farmingdale and Squan Village Railroad was a shortline railroad in New Jersey. The railroad was formed under a special law of New Jersey, on April 3, 1867. On May 21, 1879, it was one of three railroads consolidated to form the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad Company. Its former right-of-way, along with a portion of the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad's right-of-way, has become the Edgar Felix Bikeway.[1]

During its service life, the primary economic advantage provided by the F&SV was to move farm produce and seafood products from the fertile central Jersey coast to major rail corridors providing direct lines to Philadelphia (P&NYRR) and New York (NJ Southern RR). The F&SV Railroad served the Allaire Iron Works during its peak production days. The Allaire works was an innovator in iron casting and produced propellers and steam engine parts for some of the largest steamships of the period.

When the F&SV was under control by the New York and Long Branch Railroad in 1875, service was provided to the following locales:[2]

F&SV Milepost F&JA Milepost Notes
Sea Girt 28.0
Squan Village 0.0 27.0
Allenwood 3.0 24.0 located near the Old Squan Bridge about three miles from Manasquan
Allaire 5.5 22.0 5.5 miles from Manasquan; was an early thriving village due to the Howell Iron Works established by James P. Allaire
Farmingdale 8.5 19.0 Intersected NJ Southern RR
Fairfield 12.5 15.0
Howell's 13.5 14.0
Freehold 16.5 11.0
Battle Ground 9.0
Manalapan 19.5 8.0
Englishtown 20.5 7.0
Tracey's 5.0
Hoffman's 3.0
Jamesburg 27.5 0.0 Terminus of F&J; Junction with Camden & Amboy Railroad
Dayton Dayton was first known simply as The Cross Roads, where James Whitlock built a tavern on Georges Road around 1750. Early enterprises included a brick manufacturer and large nursery. In 1866, the name was changed from Cross Roads to Dayton, in honor of William L. Dayton, an attorney for the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad. Dayton had helped settle disputes arising from the location of a railroad right-of-way. He was later a U.S. Senator, Vice Presidential nominee, and Minister to France.
Monmouth Junction Monmouth Junction was created as the junction of three rail branches, the New York division of Pennsylvania Railroad, the Rocky Hill and the Jamesburg and Freehold.
Kingston Kingston's location on the Lenape Assunpink Trail where it crossed the Millstone River was the prime factor in its early prominence. Kingston was by far the most active and important village of South Brunswick, being situated on both the heavily traveled King's Road and Milestone River, combining commercial activities of both mills and taverns.
Rocky Hill In 1839, the Camden & Amboy Railroad Company constructed the first railroad line

located in the vicinity of Rocky Hill. It was a single track railroad extending from Trenton, and generally followed the winding contour of the Delaware and Raritan Canal to Princeton and Rocky hill, then east to Monmouth Junction.

Brief Connection to NY & Long Branch RR

In 1875, S. Leonard Thurlow owned all of Sea Girt and occupied the Mansion House of the late commodore Richard Stockton. Thurlow was eager to have the railroad, which had been built from Farmingdale to Manasquan (Squan Village), extended to Long Branch. (original account difficult to read - under study).

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References
  1. Edgar Felix Bikeway web page
  2. "The Pennsylvania Railroad: Its Origin, Construction, Condition and Connections"; Sipes, W.B.; The Passenger Department, Philadelphia, 1875
  • History of Monmouth Country 1664-1920, Volume II, Lewis Historical Pub Co., 1922
  • Freehold: A Hometown History, Arcadia Publishing, Barbara Pepe, 2003; ISBN 0-7385-2418-2
  • Kobbe, Jersey Coast and Pines, 1889


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