History
Branchville was settled in the late 18th century by settlers from Connecticut.
By 1844, it had 32 dwellings including blacksmiths, an academy, a church, several mills, and dairy farms.
History
The large number of mills gave the area its original name, “Brantown.” Its name later evolved to Branchville in recognition of its site at a branch of the Paulinskill River, a tributary of the nearby Delaware River. In 1855, a dam and two water-powered mills were built. A second dam was built that provided Branchville with its own electric power company. The railroad spurred export of local products and introduced tourists to the area and the nearby lakes and Delaware Water Gap.
Branchville’s largest employer, Selective Insurance, can trace its roots back to the 1920s when a gentleman named Daniel L.B. Smith ran a small chain of grocery stores in Sussex County. After lending a horse and carriage to one of his friends who was an insurance agent, the horse got away and wrecked the carriage. D.L.B. didn’t want the agent to pay for the damage, but when the agent left town, he gave D.L.B. some policy declarations for farms and homes in the area. From there, the D.L.B. Smith agency set up shop in downtown Branchville.
The carriage responsible for the beginning of Selective Insurance sits in the company’s headquarters
Today, the community of Branchville continues to grow and thrive, with a respectful nod to the past and an exciting eye on the future.
