Landing, NJ - The historic fountain at Hopatcong State Park in Landing is once again functioning, ceremoniously gushing 12 feet back into life on Tuesday, July 16, 99 years to the day after it was originally made operational.
It took an army of people and organizations working over the last decade to get the fountain back to its glory.
Built to steady the flow of water from Lake Hopatcong into the Musconetcong River after the dismantling of the Morris Canal, the fountain became a favorite bathing location in the 1950s and 1960s. By the 1990s bathing was prohibited and when maintenance became an issue, the fountain was deactivated.
Marty Kane, president of the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum, led the charge, coordinating state and local officials, securing grant money and enlisting a handful of professional and student volunteers to see the project through.
More than 200 people attended the ceremony.
“What a wonderful turnout. Today is really all about two things. It’s about community and it’s about collaboration. The fountain, for this community, it means a lot,” said Kane during his opening remarks.