Historic Places in South Jersey

Historic Places in South Jersey - Places to Go and Things to Do

A discussion of things to do and places to go, with the purpose
of sharing, and encouraging exploration of South Jersey.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Batsto and Atsion, Sister villages of the Iron industry

On Saturday, July 11, 2015, Barbara Solem, author of Batsto:  Jewel of the Pines, Ghosttowns and other Quirky Places in the NJ Pinebarrens, and The Forks, gives a lecture on Atsion and its relatioship to Batsto.

Atsion Mansion was only recently opened for tours on Saturday and now on Sunday as well, thanks to the efforts of Barbara Solem in cooperation with the Batsto Citizens Committee and the State parks administrators.  Barbara has been gathering a group of loyal tour guides to help her, although in the beginning, she did it every Saturday on her own!

With the help of volunteers and photographer Albert Horner, she created a handsome brochure which describes an Atsion walking tour with three or four interesting sites, in addition to the Atsion Mansion, and the Company Store (now a park office).  Along Quaker Bridge Road which was once the Tuckerton Stage Road which ran from Cooper's Landing in Camden, to the coastal port of Tuckerton, the third largest port in New Jersey from the Atlantic to Philadelphia, you can see the church, built in 1828 and still in use as a church, the old school built in 1872 by Maurice Raleigh, and the cottage, oldest building in the village, near the ruins of the cotton mill built in 1852. 

Not far is the abandoned railroad and the site where the train depot once stood.  Ation functioned as an iron forge, and later, as a cotton mill, turning raw cotton into yarn.  The firplaces in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia were cast at Atsion. 

It is a great place to tour, hike, and if you get there early or during the week, to swim in the lake.   There are also cabins to rent for camping.  Recently Pinelands preservation acquired a canoe rental property near the lake and cabins for Pinelands Adventures, to help acquaint people with the beauty of our state heritage.  For information call 609-561-0024 or 609-268-0444

Friday, July 3, 2015

Places to Go Things To Do

Yeaars and hundreds of posts ago, I started this blog for friends who were retiring after long long career and wondered what to do with all their new free time.  There seemed to me to be an endless number of interesting places to visit and thing to do in wonderful South Jersey, that I decided to let them know about the ones I found.

I'm not driving around to far off locations as I did when I first began, but I find wonderful places and things to do close at hand too.  A place I like to eat lunch is Maritza's in Maple Shade, NJ, on Main Street.  It i a simple old fashioned and homey luncheonette.  When my family moved to New Jersey from Philadelphia when I was 12, we lived in Maple Shade.

On Thursday, a hiking buddy and I headed over to Maritza's for lunch but they were closed for a week summer vacation, so we stopped in at MAIN STREET ART.  Which is a n Art studio run by an old college buddy of mine.  She offers, not only Art Classes for all ages, but summer Art Camp for the kids and a variety of "break out and try something new" art experiences for adults including jewelry making.  My buddy Barb and I each bought unique bracelets there and I may contact her for small studio experience events for myself in the future.  I paint and have an Art degree, but sometimes it's hard to get yourself inspired and group work helps.  Also, I have a very rooted in realism style and always wanted to expand and try a looser, more impressionistic style.  Maybe she can help with that.

In any event, head on over and check it out.  She also offers hand-made soaps and many other interesting objects you might want to buy for home or for gifts.
Stop in, the Studio is at 18 Mains Street, next door to Canal's Liquor Store.  Call 856-979-5356 for information, proprietor, Ms. Diane Paul, graduate of Rutgers, the State University.  Stop in and see her beautiful paintings too!
Learn something new - expand your possibilities, enhance your brain!

Happy Trails,
Jo Ann

Places to go, things to do

Main Street Art, 18 Main Street in Maple Shade, NJ not only offers art classes for adults or children, but Art Summer Camps as well.  You can also buy unique jewelry, hand made soaps and other art objects for your home or for gifts, or you can simply enjoy the beautiful paintings on display both by the proprietor, Ms. Paul, or by her student.  The paintings are also for sale. 

They say learning something new is good for the brain!  If you've always wanted to learn here is the chance, close and reasonable, or if you know how and just want some group support and a nudge to expand your vision, try Main Street Art!

856-979-5356 Diane Paul, Proprietor (a classmate of mine from Rutgers the State University.)