Who We Are
From our roots in Bridgewater to our expansion into Flemington in 2018, we have stayed true to the same simple promise. Great food. Fair prices. Friendly service. The story continues in 2025 with our Whippany location opening soon, bringing The Rock to even more friends and families.
The Rock Timeline
1825
Bridgewater Mining Company is incorporated, followed by other copper mining companies, bringing more Dutch settlers and other immigrants seeking to avoid discrimination in New York City.
1836
A tavern license is approved for James B. Brown of Martinsville,
who owns land adjacent to Chimney Rock and the quarry where
the Inn now stands.
1838
Population of Bound Brook reaches 566.
1863
First evidence of the existence of what was once called the
Chimney Rock Hotel appears in an advertisement placed in the December 17 edition of the Somerset Messenger. The advertisement
was placed by the proprietor, Michael Best, thanking the public for
their patronage in what was most likely following the first year of his ownership. At this time the Chimney Rock Hotel was a bed & breakfast serving liquor, oysters, and cigars to its patrons, who consisted mostly
of those traveling from New York to Philadelphia.
1873
By this time Francis Smith had taken ownership, making the establishment a restaurant, store and ice dealer using the old barn opposite the Inn to store and cut the ice.
1886
German immigrant William Haelig purchases the Chimney Rock Hotel and the adjacent property, the Chimney Rock Gorge, to form the Bound Brook Crushed Stone Company, which would provide the stone to make all of the roads in the area. Haelig built a dancehall in the rear of the building and the upstairs was used for Sunday School. The butcher shop and grocery store at the north side of the building remained from the previous ownership. By this time Haelig’s Hotel (as it was sometimes called) had become quite popular, because there were so many things going on there-the store, the Sunday School, the Inn and church picnics - not to mention the dancehall in the evenings.
1955
Chimney Rock Pizza makes its’ debut.
1974
Floods plague the surrounding area and washed through the Chimney Rock Inn after a fallen tree broke through the door. Massive restoration followed to bring the Inn back into shape.
1995
After 68 years, the DeFrancesco family sells Chimney Rock Inn
to current owner Chimney Rock, Inc.
1924
There was an attempted robbery at the nearby Bound Brook
Crushed Stone Company, which results in the first New Jersey State Trooper killed in the line of duty.
1927
A summons is issued to the Chimney Rock Hotel and new owner
Nick DeFrancesco to search the premises for four barrels of mash whiskey and three stills for producing alcohol. However, the search came up empty and no arrests were made, suggesting that the intent of the search was purely for show. Despite Prohibition laws
a good number of people in Somerset county, including prominent townspeople, still imbibed privately, but publicly upheld the appearance of law abidance.
1954
After a century of existence, the original Chimney Rock Hotel is
torn down, and Chimney Rock Inn is built on the lot next to it.
2000
Chimney Rock Inn is expanded and updated to prepare
for the next century.
2002
Launch of the Chimney Rock Inn website.
2003
Chimney Rock Inn trademark established.
1999
Hurricane Floyd buries Bound Brook under 14 feet of water;
the Inn is not affected.
2005
Gillette undergoes major alterations.
2007
Gillette renovations completed.
2014
Celebrating 150 years of serving the community.
2004
Chimney Rock Innacquires Sestri’s in Gillette, formerly Linda’s Firesite.
2018
Chimney Rock Inn opens its first ground-up prototype in Flemington
to serve the Hunterdon County Community and beyond.
2020
Acquiring existing VFW on Route 10 in Hanover, NJ
for new ground-up restaurant.
2025
The Chimney Rock Inn family is set to grow again with a new location
in Whippany slated to open. Plans for this fourth location have been in development since 2020, and its opening in 2025 will extend Chimney Rock Inn’s legendary hospitality and thin-crust pizza tradition to the Whippany community.
2017
Flemington property is acquired and construction begins.