Eminent Domain Awry: Tocks Island Dam
Schedule
Tue, 19 May, 2026 at 10:00 am
UTC-04:00Location
1 Medford Leas, Medford, NJ, United States, New Jersey 08055 | Medford, NJ
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PROGRAMA disastrous Delaware River flood in 1955 led Congress to authorize a massive dam across the river just above the Delaware Water Gap, at Tocks Island. The battle against the dam raged for decades, and it was never built. However, 72,000 acres of private land were seized by the Corps of Engineers under Congress’s Eminent Domain authorization; 15,000 people were uprooted; 3,000 buildings bulldozed or moved; farms, schools, businesses and graveyards were impacted; history was uprooted. What remains is a beautiful, natural treasure protected from development in a National Recreation Area administered by the grossly underfunded National Park Service, collapsing historic buildings, roads and bridges, and considerable animosity. Jim Alexander tells the story, drawing on the memories of those who were there when it all began.
PRESENTER
Jim Alexander has been a Pathways presenter on subjects including railroad history, solid waste management, and local military installations. His programs are also available for local presentation through the Medford Leas Pathways on the Road program.
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Where is it happening?
1 Medford Leas, Medford, NJ, United States, New Jersey 08055Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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