was announced that bridges and other improvements for recreational use would be made. Dam proposal There have been several proposals for easing the damage caused by heavy rains, which include damming the Rahway River, with headwaters in the reservation. History Revolutionary era Washington Rock is a Revolutionary War historic site, dating back to the late 18th century when Beacon Signal Station 9 was located here—one of 23 beacons built by General Washington to observe British troop movements quartered on Staten Island and New York City. It was from this outlook that, on June 23, 1780, Essex County and Newark Militia were first warned that the British had launched an attack westward toward "the Gap", (Hobart Gap), a natural pathway to Washington's troops encamped at Morristown. In a pincer movement designed to gain access to the Gap, Hessian troops fought bitterly along Vaux Hall Road, while the British advanced along Galloping Hill Road, until they were repelled, the Hessians at the base of the mountain and the British in Springfield. Development In 1860, wolves, bears and cougars were observed in the area, and there was a bounty on them. In 1896, John Durand, the son of Asher Brown Durand, described the mountain that includes South Mountain Reservation a wilderness, as it probably existed at the time of Hendrick Hudson, a primitive forest abounding with deer and other wild animals, and traversed by streams alive with trout. Game was plentiful—partridges, quail, woodcock, rabbits, squirrels of every species, raccoons and foxes; while occasionally a hungry bear that had trespassed on the farmyards in the vicinity would be tracked to its den and shot. The reservation was built from land purchases begun in 1895. It took a decade to untangle the deeds and assemble all the lands at South Mountain. Before he delegated design of the Essex Parks to his stepson's firm, Frederick Law Olmsted visited the newly acquired reservation. He regarded it as some of the most beautiful and promising terrain he had ever seen anywhere. The design of South Mountain was finalized by the Olmsted Brothers in stages over the years. A good deal of construction work—trails, footbridges, shelters, etc.—was undertaken by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. References External links Hike of the Week at South Mountain Reservation South Mountain Conservancy Weekly Trail Running in South Mountain Reservation Geology of South Mountain Reservation Essex County Parks System Civilian Conservation Corps