Entry No. 76 — the New York City file — filed under: mines

Ringwood Iron Plant Mine

Dating back to the 1700s, this historic 500-acre iron mining district once supplied raw materials for the American Revolution before closing in 1931. In the late 1960s and 1970s, the Ford Motor Company used the abandoned mine shafts to dump millions of gallons of toxic paint sludge and industrial waste. Today, the heavily contaminated site remains a notorious EPA Superfund area plagued by toxic soil, polluted groundwater, and dangerous sinkholes.

The move: Avoid this hazardous area entirely and instead visit the nearby, safe historic ruins of Long Pond Ironworks State Park or Ringwood Manor to learn about the region's iron-mining history.

📍 Before you go The site is an active EPA Superfund cleanup zone with severe chemical contamination, toxic groundwater, and a high risk of sudden sinkholes opening up over the abandoned mine shafts.

• 📍 Ringwood
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Ringwood Iron Plant Mine, Ringwood, NJ 07456, USA

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · justice.gov · sciencefriday.com · njspotlightnews.org

last checked: 2026-07-20