Batsto Village

From 1766 to 1867, Batsto was a center of bog iron smelting and glassmaking; during the Revolutionary War the remote village supplied iron to the Continental Army. Today the village in Wharton State Forest has 33 historic buildings, including the mansion, a gristmill and sawmill, the general store, workers’ houses and the post office. Workers were paid in company scrip, which they spent at the store. The forest is part of the Pine Barrens and, at about 125,000 acres (50,000 hectares), is the largest state forest in New Jersey. It is named after Joseph Wharton, who began buying about 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares) of land in 1873; the state bought the area in 1954.

Allow two to three hours for the buildings; a visitor center with a museum is on site. The village sits on the edge of a vast network of routes: the forest has more than 500 miles (800 km) of unpaved roads, ten campgrounds, and hiking and canoeing routes on the Mullica River. Trails circle Batsto Lake, and two canoe launches lie about a quarter mile (400 m) west on Route 542. If you have a large motorhome, it is best to avoid the sandy tracks.