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Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2003
PAULINA, 33.1 miles (780 alt.), is marked by a dam across Paulins Kill,
a few straggling houses and roadstands, and the only industry within a
radius of some miles. This is a STEAM LAUNDRY (R), which washes the
clothes and bedding of the students of Blair Academy.
At 34 miles is the junction (L) with a concrete road.
Left on this road is HOPE, 6 miles (470 alt., 200 pop.), a village with twisting
streets that follow the contours of the hill on which it stands. Hope is stamped by
the handiwork of Moravian colonists from Bethlehem, Pa., who settled here in 1774
after buying 1,000 acres from an earlier settler who lived in a log hut. Using native blue limestone, the Moravians built substantial houses, two mills, a brewery, a
distillery, a tannery, a public inn, and a church – all that was needed for a
self-sustaining community. Bachelors and unmarried women lived in separate houses.
A peace-loving people, their conscientious refusal to fight in the Revolutionary War
for a time labeled them as Tories; but they later won esteem by their devoted care
of sick and wounded Revolutionists. A smallpox epidemic crippled the community
in the early 1800's, and the colonists returned to Bethlehem in 1808, leaving many
of their band in the village cemetery.
Many of the stone buildings are still standing, in restful contrast to newer structures of frame or concrete blocks. The MORAVIAN CHURCH (R) has been remodeled
as a bank; the GIRLS' SCHOOL (L) enjoys summer trade as the American House, a
hotel. Most interesting of all is the OLD MILL, with stone walls that have survived
two fires since they were laid in 1768. Water power is used to grind grain for farmers, but the old wooden water wheel and the millstones have been replaced by an
iron wheel and steel grinding machinery. A belt-drive system steps up the power
from the great water wheel from 17 revolutions a minute to 2,000 revolutions at
the grinder. Milton J. Vusler, the miller, is proud of the old raceway that the Moravians chiseled through solid slate to a maximum depth of 22 feet in order to
straighten the course. He is also proud of the 1,200 bushels of corn that he harvested
from his own 7 acres in 1937. The approach to the mill, down a hill from the center of Hope, crosses a stone viaduct built by the indefatigable Moravians.
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