Long before Birch Grove Park became one of Northfield’s most treasured outdoor spaces, the land was shaped by both ancient waterways and a thriving local industry.
The area’s rich clay beds were formed from sediment carried by rivers that flowed east across New Jersey as long as 23 million years ago. Those heavy deposits would eventually provide the raw material for millions of bricks.
After the clay was discovered in 1847, Hubert Somer purchased approximately 300 acres in the area. The property was initially used for a lumber operation, but by 1900, it had become home to the Somers Brick Company.
Workers dug 21 large pits to extract the clay needed for brick production. At the height of the operation, the company reportedly produced an average of 80,000 bricks each day. Eleven kilns fired the bricks, while a small railway system helped move clay and finished products throughout the busy industrial site.
The brickyard was an important part of Northfield’s economy for decades, but it was unable to survive the Great Depression and eventually closed. Without workers continually removing clay, the abandoned pits slowly filled with water from natural springs and rainfall.
Over time, nature reclaimed the property. Trees, wildflowers and other vegetation grew around the former excavation sites, transforming the industrial landscape into a peaceful woodland dotted with ponds.
In the early 1950s, Northfield Recreation Commission member “Inky” Breunig recognized the property’s potential as a public recreation area. The city acquired the land and began turning the former brickyard into a park.
When Northfield held a contest to name the new park, 10-year-old Claire Kreutz submitted the winning entry: Birch Grove Park.
Today, visitors can still find remnants of bricks scattered along the park’s trails and wooded areas — lasting reminders of the industry that once operated there. The Northfield Museum and Casto House, also located within the park, preserve additional pieces of the city’s history, including displays tracing the property’s transformation from the Somers brickyard to the natural retreat enjoyed by generations of residents.
Information was obtained from the Birch Grove Park Facebook page and the city of Northfield.
