Eden Wood Realty donates land for Patriots Path growth.

Eden Wood Realty Company, developer of the 750,000-square-foot River Park Business Campus, has donated 22 acres to Hanover Township, New Jersey, to continuously link the historic Patriot's Path from Hanover Township to Morristown. The donated land and an easement will give area residents public access to a portion of the 88-acre property located off of Eden Lane which features natural wooded areas, a lake and the Whippany River.

Patriot's Path is a gradually developing network that includes more than 40 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trials and green open spaces linking dozens of federal, state, county and municipal parks, watershed lands, historic sites and other areas of interest. Patriot's Path was conceived more than 30 years ago as a greenway project to help protect the Whippany River. The concept of the path has grown over the years to become a countrywide amenity. "By granting an easement negotiated through the township for this vital tract of land, Eden Wood Realty has made a unique commitment to preserving the important Whippany River corridor. The company has already established itself as a good neighbor and a responsible member of the community," said Mayor Ron Francioli of Hanover Township. "The Patriot's Path has historical significance and by preserving the public open spaces, residents will be allowed to enjoy the many scenic sights right in our own backyard."

"This property within the River Park Business Campus is very important because it is at the crossroads of two branches of the path system," added Albert Kent, Patriot's Path coordinator for the Morris County Park Commission. "River Park Business Campus has allowed us to connect the western part of Patriot's Path leading from Morristown, to the eastern section running along the Whippany River, and a more northern one leading to Bee Meadow Park and Old Troy County Park. Ultimately, there will be more than 80 miles of continuous path within the trail system."

Currently, the path runs in part along the corridors of the Whippany and Black Rivers, and the south branch of the Raritan River. The land parcel at River Park Business Campus will serve to connect the Patriot's Path recreational trail and greenway extending across Morris County, from East Hanover to Mount Olive, to Essex County's Lenape Trail in Roseland and the State Park Service's Sussex Branch Trail in Sussex County. Trail surfaces vary from paved surfaces or crushed stone and gravel, to bare earth or woodland paths. Several sections follow the railbeds of abandoned railroads. The parcel lies across Eden Lane from Central Park and will add to Hanover Township's inventory of green open space and wildlife habitat.

"Eden Wood Realty supports Hanover Township and the Morris County Park Commission's goal of preserving the remaining natural woodlands along the Whippany River," said Amy Neu, vice president. "We welcome our township neighbors and invite them to enjoy leisurely outings at our scenic Patriot's Path location."

Eden Wood Realty Company is a subsidiary of Neu Holdings Corporation, a privately-owned company founded more than 50 years ago. Eden Wood Realty Company, which is headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, has developed and owns more than 3 million square feet of office and industrial space in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and California.

The land deeded to the town by River Park Business Campus marks a formal, permanent agreement between Eden Wood Realty Company, Hanover Township and the Morris County Parks Commission. It designates a specific land tract for the path, which was named for its historical s significance by, noted historian John T. Cunningham. Nearby landmarks include the pre-Revolutionary Hanover Historic cemetery; the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township; the 1796 Tuttle House on Route 10 in Hanover Township; the Ford Mansion in Morristown where George Washington was headquartered during the winters of 1777 and 1779-1780; Speedwell Village, a restored farm where Samuel F. B. Morse perfected the telegraph; and the Speedwell Iron Works where parts of the first trans-Atlantic steamship were cast.