The Legend of Chimney Rock

Sometime in the 1600s locally there were two Indian tribes – the Raritans and the Manhataes. The Raritans occupied the area around Chimney Rock and the Manhataes occupied the New Jersey coast around New York City. The two tribes lived in pleasant companionship – hunting and fishing together. On one hunting trip together, the Chief of the Raritans spent several days of friendly companionship with the son of the Manahatae Chief. The Raritan Chief was impressed with this young athletic Manahatae prince so he promised him the hand of his beautiful daughter Chinqueka. She had been wooed unsuccessfully by many in her tribe (The Raritans). When the young Manahatae prince met Chinqueka they fell in love as soon as their eyes met. They passed the summer happily together. But there was another man in the Raritan tribe – A “Raritan Brave” who had loved Chinqueka and had long designed winning her for himself. He grew jealous and determined to avenge his loss upon the outsider who had won her heart. One night an opportunity presented itself. The “Raritan Brave” found the lovers sitting as they often did upon the ledge by the Chimney “Rock”. As the prince and Chinqueka sat in the moonlight the jealous rival darted from a clump of brush and sunk his tomahawk into the prince’s head. Chinqueka fled. The “Raritan Brave” then rolled the body of the slain prince down the cliff into the stream below. Great was the grief of Chinqueka. In the days ahead, she refused to be comforted. One night she sought out the spot where she and her lover last sat together. There she fancied that she heard him calling her to come to him. She then jumped off the cliff into the darkness and disappeared forever. When the Chief of the Manhataes heard of his son’s tragic death at the hands of a Raritan brave, his rage was great. He resolved to go to war until the spirit of his murdered son was appeased. The Raritans and the Manhataes were friends no more, but at war. Many were slain on both sides, but no decisive victory was gained.