Editing Wharton, New Jersey (section)

==History==
In 1831, the [[Morris Canal]] was completed from [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] to [[Phillipsburg, New Jersey|Phillipsburg]], New Jersey across the [[Delaware River]] from the terminus of the [[Lehigh Canal]]. On the way, it passed through [[Boonton, New Jersey|Boonton]], Dover and Port Oram. On this route it tapped the Morris County ore fields and became a carrier for both ore and [[pig iron]]. Its main purpose, however, was as an extension of the Lehigh Canal to furnish a route for [[anthracite|anthracite coal]] from the [[Pennsylvania]] mines to seaboard. Any local traffic was a gain to supplement the through anthracite freight and iron ore and its products soon became important sources of revenue. Sites on the canal were selected for docks and industry, including iron works.<ref name=History>[http://www.whartonnj.com/index.php/wharton-borough-information Borough Information], Borough of Wharton. Accessed May 16, 2012.</ref>

On June 28, 1895, voters from the settlements Port Oram, Irondale, Luxemburg, Maryville and Mount Pleasant voted 143 to 51 to incorporate as the borough Port Oram, the largest of the communities in the area covering {{convert|2.25|sqmi}} west of [[Dover, New Jersey]]. A mayor, six councilmen, an assessor and a collector were elected to govern the new borough which had started life as an ore shipping port on the [[Morris Canal]]. These elected officials (mine superintendents, store owners, a railroad superintendent and a school teacher) represented the leaders of these settlements where iron ore was mined, smelted and shipped.<ref name=History/>

The borough was renamed in 1902 in honor of [[Joseph Wharton]], who was born in 1826 in [[Philadelphia]] to an old family of [[Quakers]]. Wharton first studied at a local Quaker school after which he worked on a farm rather than attend college because his parents wanted him to mature,<ref name=Farm>"Joseph Wharton: Quaker Industrial Pioneer", W. Ross Yates, 1987, [[Lehigh University Press]], pp 31-35.</ref> and during the winter studied chemistry at the laboratory of [[Martin Hans Boyè]] in Philadelphia. He started producing [[zinc]] and [[nickel]], and gradually bought a controlling interest in [[Bethlehem Steel|Bethlehem Iron Works]]. As his business interests expanded he purchased substantial shares of several railroads involved in the coal and iron trade, also purchasing iron mines and furnaces near Port Oram. After selling his interest in Bethlehem Iron Works in 1901 and his nickel works to [[CVRD Inco]] in 1902, he continued to actively acquire and manage a large and diverse business empire that included iron smelting in Wharton until just before his death in January, 1909. Wharton also endowed the [[Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania|Wharton School]] of the [[University of Pennsylvania]]. The town was named after him in a referendum in 1902.<ref name=History/>

In 1984, the long-time local bar The Heslin House and Hartley's Store were destroyed in a gas leak explosion, in which flames as high as {{convert|100|ft}} destroyed several area buildings.<ref>Armental, Maria. [https://archive.today/20120713022815/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/dailyrecord/access/1813083201.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+24,+2004&author=Maria+Armental&pub=Daily+Record&desc=New+state+rules+burn+firefighters&pqatl=google "New state rules burn firefighters: Deployment limits could slow response times, officials say"], ''[[Daily Record (New Jersey)]]'', January 24, 2004. Accessed May 16, 2012. "Wharton suffered one of the county's largest fires in 1984, when a gas explosion shot flames 100 feet in the air, destroyed several downtown buildings and damaged more than a dozen others."</ref>

Wharton was one of the filming locations for [[Cyndi Lauper]]'s music video "[[Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper song)|Time After Time]]" in 1984.<ref>Sampson, Peter J. for [[United Press International]]. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-filming-in-new/123629607/ "Banner Year For N.J. Film Industry Production Companies Spent $15.4 Million In '84"], ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', January 3, 1985. Accessed April 27, 2023, via [[Newspapers.com]]. "Lauper's hit 'Time After Time' was shot in Morristown, Ledgewood and Wharton."</ref>