by Erin Feith, Coordinator of Research & Visitor Engagement
November 4, 2025
James Dixon Farm: Attracted by the Township’s agrarian landscape, the Miller and Dixon families purchased and developed land in the Rockaway Valley area beginning in the late 18th century. Among the first settlers, Frederick Miller erected the oldest structure on the property, a house constructed of sandstone, in 1760. Through marriage, the Dixon family came to own the land, adding several buildings, many of which still survive. In 1830, James Dixon replaced the original grist mill (c.1800) and constructed a pond. Recognizing economic opportunity, he also set up a forge behind the house and a blacksmith shop. Accompanying this, a forge keeper’s house (c.1840), a dwelling for one Cyrus Dixon (c.1856), and two barns (c. 1864 and 1898) were built. While the surviving structures have each experienced remodeling over the generations, the overall aesthetic of the property has largely remained unchanged, contributing to its significance as an example of the area’s early industry. Today a private residence, the James Dixon Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
Decker-Kincaid Homestead (top photo): Originally a part of the extensive tract belonging to William Penn, the earliest portion of the home was constructed in 1785 by Adam Miller and Anna DeMouth Miller. Just over a decade later, they sold the property to Adam’s cousin, Sarah Miller Parlimen (of the Miller/Dixon homestead) and her husband, John, who built a sawmill there. After a brief ownership by William Scott of Powerville, a Miller relative, the land was sold to John Decker in 1828. An industrious man, Decker operated both a farm and successful forge, shipping his goods to New York via the Morris Canal. By 1837, he expanded the home, adding a distinctive folk-art painting of a face and unique plasterwork that can still be seen today. The homestead passed through generations of Decker’s family, ultimately being inherited by Oscar Kincaid Sr. in the early 20th century. Kincaid ran a popular ice cream stand and dairy business throughout the 1920s and 30s. Following World War II, the family opened Valley Farm on the site, which continued until the death of Oscar Kincaid Jr. in 2000. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, the Decker-Kincaid Homestead today operates as a museum and headquarters of the Historical Society of Boonton Township.
Rockaway Valley Methodist Church: Built in 1842, the church quickly became an integral part of the local community. Builders of the clapboard structure benefitted from the nearby Morris Canal, as construction materials arrived by boat at Powerville from Newark. They were then carted to Rockaway Valley with the help of early church trustee, John Decker, who further advanced the church’s construction by opening his home to carpenters working on the project to board. Indeed, many well-known families attended services and were ultimately buried in the adjacent cemetery. Demonstrating the congregation’s growth over time, a banquet hall, social room, and 12 stained glass windows honoring early parishioners were added by the early 20th century. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, the Rockaway Valley Methodist Church continues to serve the Boonton Township community.
For more historic sites, check out these blogs:
Pequannock, Part 1
Mine Hill and Wharton
Madison, Part 1
Long Hill
Boonton, Part 1
Parsippany, Part 1
Chester Township
Hanover Township, Part 1
Mendham Township
Florham Park, Part 1
Dover, Part 1
Morris Township, Part 1
Washington Township, Part 1
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