Folks gathered in Union Square for something new: the lowering of an historic steam whistle as the clock struck midnight. Watch video
Phillipsburg may have started a new tradition this New Year's Eve.
Folks gathered in Union Square late Saturday in a countdown to midnight that didn't feature a crystal ball.
Instead, organizers lowered an historic steam whistle from the Phillipsburg public works department bucket truck.
The ceremony was a nod to the Warren County town's industrial history. The steam whistle had been used for decades to signal shift changes at Ingersoll-Rand, now a brownfield slated for redevelopment along Phillipsburg's border with Lopatcong Township.
Two heavy-duty air compressors were used to power the air to sound the whistle. About 100 people were on hand.
Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.