I Remember Dad: My Father’s Many Talks About Life Along The Old Morris Canal

By Richard Mabey Jr.

One of the fondest memories that I have of my dear, belated father is that of his talks that he would give at the Lincoln Park Museum. Dad gave many talks about the history of Lincoln Park in that dear old museum. But I remember his all-time favorite subject was that of talking about his remembrances of life along the still, murky waters of the historic Morris Canal.

My great grandfather, William Mabey, had built an icehouse along the banks of the Morris Canal. It was located deep in the woods at the end of Mabey Lane. At one time, Mabey Lane extended from Route 202, in Lincoln Park, and traveled all the way down to the banks of the old Morris Canal. Today, there is a housing development where the once wooded portion of this country lane proudly hailed.

My grandfather, Watson Mabey, served as the Chief Engineer of Incline Plane Ten East, which was located right at the border of Lincoln Park and Towaco. By the time my dad was a boy of about seven years old, the Morris Canal had ceased its operations. Still, it didn’t stop Dad and his younger brother, Carl, from exploring and hiking along the old tow path. You see, Dad was raised in the home at the end of Mabey Lane. The very home that his father had built.

What I loved so much about the talks, that Dad gave about the old Morris Canal, was the high degree of heart-felt feeling that would fill Dad’s voice. At times, during his many talks, I would catch a bit of sadness in his eyes. A kind of melancholy feeling.

My father loved Lincoln Park. When he was a boy, some of the town’s people still referred to the little valley hamlet as Beavertown. I confess that at times, I took Dad’s talks for granted. There were times when I felt that my father was going to live forever and never stop giving his little talks about life along the old Morris Canal. Sadly, I was all so mistaken.

I would give the sun and the moon to hear just one more of my dad’s landmark talks. For even just five minutes, to see the expressions of joy, happiness, sadness and nostalgic melancholy fill Dad’s face as he presented his talk. It’s all so strange, what a person once took for granted becomes a