Entry No. 88 — the New York City file — filed under: ruins
Ruins of Lincoln Blacksmith Shop
Dating back to the early 18th century, this roofless sandstone ruin was once an active blacksmith shop and iron forge. It was operated by Abraham Lincoln, the great-great-great-uncle of the 16th U.S. President. Today, only the crumbling, roofless stone walls of the structure remain standing near the roadside.
The story
Long before the 16th president set foot in the White House, his lineage was swinging heavy hammers in rural Monmouth County. In the early 18th century, the Lincoln family—specifically Abraham Lincoln, the president’s great-great-great-uncle—operated an active sandstone blacksmith shop and iron forge on this patch of Cream Ridge ground, working local iron into tools, hardware, and horseshoes.
What stands today is a sheer skeleton. The roof, timber framing, and forge hearth have long burned or rotted away into the topsoil, leaving only roofless, crumbling sandstone walls standing open to the sky. It is a strangely blunt, unpreserved fragment of early American labor hiding along a quiet backroad, untouched by gift shops or velvet ropes.
What it's like
Do not attempt to step past the tree line—the stone ruin sits strictly on private property at the corner of Burlington Path Road and Harvey Road. You do not need to trespass to see it, though; the crumbling walls sit mere feet from the road. Pull off carefully onto the shoulder along the Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Byway, stay on the public right-of-way, and take in the view. It is a three-minute roadside stop, best enjoyed as part of a longer rural drive.
The move: Go for a scenic drive or bicycle ride along the Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Byway, stopping to safely view and photograph the historic stone ruins from the roadside.
📍 Before you go The ruins are located on private property at the corner of Burlington Path Road and Harvey Road, but they are clearly visible from the public roadside.
- 📍 Cream Ridge
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 136 Burlington Path Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Craftsman Ave — Knife Forging — After inspecting the roofless ruins of the Lincoln family forge, pick up a hammer and shape glowing steel yourself at this hands-on Brooklyn workshop.
- Ruined Military Structures of Fort Hancock — Keep the New Jersey decay theme going by heading northeast to the rotting military fortifications and battery bunkers at Sandy Hook.
- Nitro Girl (Werbany Tire Town) — Trade 18th-century presidential stonework for 1960s roadside bizarre by visiting an 18-foot fiberglass giantess looming over a tire shop in Blackwood.
Good to know
Can I walk inside or touch the ruins?
No. The ruins sit on private property at 136 Burlington Path Road, so you must view and photograph them strictly from the public roadside.
Which Abraham Lincoln worked at this shop?
This forge was operated by Abraham Lincoln, the great-great-great-uncle of the 16th U.S. President.
How do I spot the ruins from the road?
Look for roofless sandstone stone walls right near the intersection of Burlington Path Road and Harvey Road in Cream Ridge.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com · findagrave.com · co.monmouth.nj.us
last checked: 2026-07-20