The Survival of Pigeon Swamp

The name Woodsville appears on maps from the 1850s to 1876 and by 1882 Woodside/Woodsville or Pigeon Swamp were common names for the area. Local families residing here were Whitlock, Beekman, Knouse, Reed, Van Hise, Van Dyke amongst others.

Evidence early on suggested the Davidson Mill Road area was in the work to drain the Pigeon Swamp. In 1761, Catherine Pierce and Ann Pigeon conveyed land to John Wetherill extending from Fresh Ponds Road south to the Manalapan River, bounded to the northeast by Deans-Rhode Hall Road to Jamesburg.

In 1780, the first attempt to drain Pigeon Swamp was made with the digging of the Great Ditch. The drainage program received backing from the New Jersey Legislature with an act empowering local proprietors to levy tax to pay for the project.

In 1892, another legislative act allowed the reauthorization of the acts in 1780 and 1835 to drain the swamp, which we now know would have been disastrous for the wetlands.

Fortunately the area was designated a State Park and left undeveloped in its natural state. The Fresh Ponds District School #43 was opened in the 1800s. It is widely believed the school land was donated by Catherine Rue in 1840.

By 1880, 58 students were in attendance. Classes were held at this school until 1933, when the school was deeded over to chapel owners.