Until recently such structures were poorly documented, poorly understood, and their importance to reconstructions of regional subsistence and settlement patterns fairly neglected. This weir is still extant, and in an excellent state of reservation. This paper illustrates how recent studies on weirs and prehistoric fishing serve to shed light on its use by native Americans, and suggests how the weir may contribute to contemporary archaeological studies in the northeast. The integrity of the weir is excellent, probably owing to the lack of navigation and industrial impact on this stretch of the river. The alignment of the weir is clear, although a number of the constituent stones, especially near the center portion, became dislodged and repositioned over the years.
Local informants note that the structure was altered slightly ca.
The stones used in its construction consist primarily of glacial material almost certainly obtained from the adjacent river banks. The weir is strategically located to take advantage of favorable hydraulic conditions. By the latter part of the century, use of the term was in decline. This portion of Bergen County was thinly populated by Dutch farmers through the middle nineteenth century. There is no mention of the use of any type of weir in the area, nor is there any indication in historic records that large-scale fishing was practiced in this area during the colonial period.