Parvin State Park is located at 701 Almond Rd., Pittsgrove, NJ
It is one of my favorite parks and in general, I am there hiking with my dog and a friend once a week or every two weeks - more often in the winter. The trail we take is about 3 miles, or one hour. The people are friendly, the rangers helpful and it is a perfect length of trail (and there is a good bathroom!).
My friends and I usually bring a picnic lunch and there are tables. If you want to camp there, you can rent cabins, shelters or spots for tents. There is a lake and a beach too.
Along the trail you'll find a display of information boards on the Civilian Conservation Corps. The workers dredged (BY HAND) Thundergust Lake which was Filled up with fallen trees and debris. They re-built the bridge, and they built the Ranger Station. There is much more information available - I think the Ranger Station even has an essay they will let you read if you show interest.
As you may be aware, there are NO natural lakes in South Jersey, all of them are man-made in regard to shipping of products from the mills and in regard to running the mills themselves from water power. You can see the dam that creates Thundergust Lake at Parvin. Many of the products shipped on the waterways involved cutting the forests. The trees were cut for fuel to run the iron and glass industries, to make charcoal and the wood was cut for building supplies.
Just yesterday while 3 friends and I enjoyed a day in Millville, I was reminded via Captain Dave Sherer's lecture on his boat trip down the Maurice River, of how much cutting of the trees took place. The very landing where Captain Dave's boat is moored was once called 'shingle landing' because all the cedar trees were cut for housing shingles and great boat loads went up the river on schooners called coasters because they could lift the center boards to manage the shallow draws of inland rivers.
So we can thank the Civilian Conservation Corps for replanting the trees harvested from our original forests, and we can doubly thank the far seeing individuals who saved those patches of forest we have left.
Happy Labor Day - I promise I will get to pay honor to Peter J. Maguire's grave sometime this weekend!
Happy Trails, Jo Ann
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
CCC Begins, March 31st 1933 & Peter J. Maguire Memorial
From the Sithsonian Magazine, March, 2008, Page 18
"On March 31, 1933, FDR signs on the CCC. . . 3 million men ages 17 - 28 plant 3 billion trees, lay 97,000 miles of road an drain 84 million acres of farm land in 9 years."
I've lost this copy of the magazine and tried to find it on-line with no luck. I found a March issue for that year but there was nothing listed in it about the CCC, so I started to doubt myself about which issue it was - no matter, the facts remain.
I have mentioned that I have a book called Utopia, New Jersey: Travels in the Nearest Eda, Perdita Buchan. I heard her speak at the Samuel Azziz Museum in the synagogue at Woodbine one summer and bought the book which I seriously enjoyed. You can get this book at amazon.com second hand for $5.
. Albert Einstein was a supporter of the program and the town which was named Roosevelt after President Roosevelt died in 1945. Artist Ben Shahn painted a mural which can be seen in the local public school, though I haven't visited or seen it myself. I'd like to, some day.
There was opposition from the Garment workers Union as well as the usual political fighting over spending and the project faltered. Today about 800 people live in what has become seomthing of a small artists' colony. It is in the National and NJ Register of Historic Places and I understand there is a dvd documentary from 1983 about it. I have not been able to find the flm in vhs or dvd format. Images of the mural can be found on the internet however!
Next blog entry will be on Parvin State Park!
Today my friends and I are off to Wildflowers for Vegan lunch (the Black bean burger is delicious) then to the Maurice River Boat Cruise with Capt. Dave. Hope you have a fun plan too! If not, look through my blogs and you'll be sure to find a fun day trip to start off the Labor Day Weekend.
We have not only fairer Labor practices thanks to Peter J. Maguire, a pioneer in the Labor Movement, but the Labor Day holiday we celebrate this weekend. Peter J. Maguire's grave is in Arlington Cemetary, Pennsauken, NJ and there is a nice memorial setting. In years past, I've made it a point to visit his grave during Labord Day and perhaps this year I'll get over there too!
Happy Trails, Jo Ann wrightj45@yahoo.com
"On March 31, 1933, FDR signs on the CCC. . . 3 million men ages 17 - 28 plant 3 billion trees, lay 97,000 miles of road an drain 84 million acres of farm land in 9 years."
I've lost this copy of the magazine and tried to find it on-line with no luck. I found a March issue for that year but there was nothing listed in it about the CCC, so I started to doubt myself about which issue it was - no matter, the facts remain.
I have mentioned that I have a book called Utopia, New Jersey: Travels in the Nearest Eda, Perdita Buchan. I heard her speak at the Samuel Azziz Museum in the synagogue at Woodbine one summer and bought the book which I seriously enjoyed. You can get this book at amazon.com second hand for $5.
. Albert Einstein was a supporter of the program and the town which was named Roosevelt after President Roosevelt died in 1945. Artist Ben Shahn painted a mural which can be seen in the local public school, though I haven't visited or seen it myself. I'd like to, some day.
There was opposition from the Garment workers Union as well as the usual political fighting over spending and the project faltered. Today about 800 people live in what has become seomthing of a small artists' colony. It is in the National and NJ Register of Historic Places and I understand there is a dvd documentary from 1983 about it. I have not been able to find the flm in vhs or dvd format. Images of the mural can be found on the internet however!
Next blog entry will be on Parvin State Park!
Today my friends and I are off to Wildflowers for Vegan lunch (the Black bean burger is delicious) then to the Maurice River Boat Cruise with Capt. Dave. Hope you have a fun plan too! If not, look through my blogs and you'll be sure to find a fun day trip to start off the Labor Day Weekend.
We have not only fairer Labor practices thanks to Peter J. Maguire, a pioneer in the Labor Movement, but the Labor Day holiday we celebrate this weekend. Peter J. Maguire's grave is in Arlington Cemetary, Pennsauken, NJ and there is a nice memorial setting. In years past, I've made it a point to visit his grave during Labord Day and perhaps this year I'll get over there too!
Happy Trails, Jo Ann wrightj45@yahoo.com
Thursday, August 29, 2013
CCC in New Jersey, Part 2 - State Guides
One of the most interesting projects in the WPA, to me, is the State Guides series. A troop of writers and photographers were sent all around to all the states to document local history and what each village, hamlet, town and city was like at that point in time.
You can still buy THE WPA GUIDE TO 1930'S NEW JERSEY, from amazon.com for $25 used, and for many other states as well. It is a veritable treasure trove. Mine has two dozen page markers sticking out the side and it is riddled with highlighter markings and margin notes. I've found so many interesting places in it and so many interesting facts and observations about other places as well. When I was doing African American History for the Underground Railroad in SJ, a presentation I did costumed as an Abolitionist for several years for Camden Co. Hist. Society, I discovered Gouldtown and it engendered a whole mystery and research project which I wrote about in this blog - "Did she or didn't she?" regarding the controversy around Salem proprietor Fenwick's granddaughter and her African American husband..
One of the interesting things I read in the Guide was the difference between the 1st printing and the 2nd. The 1st talked about the Labor dispute at Seabrook Farms. It was intentionally left out of the 2nd printing, then explained in subsequent printings.
The book was so interesting, I wrote a novel based on it. My characters are a writer and a photographer traveling around SJ working on the State Guide.
I'll be presenting on the CCC in NJ at the Salem County Genealogical Society on December 10 at 7:00pm at Friends Village, Friends Drive in Woodstown, Nj and I'll be selling my book there that night, if you are interested. Also, if you'd like to buy the book, it is $10 (about what I paid to print it) and you can contact me by e-mail wrightj45@yahoo.com
Part 3 in this series will talk about Dorothea Lange, Depression Era photographer, and NJ resident, as well as WPA worker.
You can still buy THE WPA GUIDE TO 1930'S NEW JERSEY, from amazon.com for $25 used, and for many other states as well. It is a veritable treasure trove. Mine has two dozen page markers sticking out the side and it is riddled with highlighter markings and margin notes. I've found so many interesting places in it and so many interesting facts and observations about other places as well. When I was doing African American History for the Underground Railroad in SJ, a presentation I did costumed as an Abolitionist for several years for Camden Co. Hist. Society, I discovered Gouldtown and it engendered a whole mystery and research project which I wrote about in this blog - "Did she or didn't she?" regarding the controversy around Salem proprietor Fenwick's granddaughter and her African American husband..
One of the interesting things I read in the Guide was the difference between the 1st printing and the 2nd. The 1st talked about the Labor dispute at Seabrook Farms. It was intentionally left out of the 2nd printing, then explained in subsequent printings.
The book was so interesting, I wrote a novel based on it. My characters are a writer and a photographer traveling around SJ working on the State Guide.
I'll be presenting on the CCC in NJ at the Salem County Genealogical Society on December 10 at 7:00pm at Friends Village, Friends Drive in Woodstown, Nj and I'll be selling my book there that night, if you are interested. Also, if you'd like to buy the book, it is $10 (about what I paid to print it) and you can contact me by e-mail wrightj45@yahoo.com
Part 3 in this series will talk about Dorothea Lange, Depression Era photographer, and NJ resident, as well as WPA worker.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Civilian Conservation Corps (in New Jersey) 80th Anniversary
I mentioned in a previous post that I met up with a friend of a friend to offer my slight research on the CCC in NJ for a possible book. Reading over my Power Point Presentation again, in preparation for the visit, it came to me that it would be a good thing to share on this blog. I created the presentation five years ago for the Pinelands Preservation Heritage Series of lectures. My talk was given in conjunction with a bus trip and the whole was called "Heart of the Pines - A Depression Era Tour.
When I handed over my research to Wes Hughes, a volunteer at Batsto Village, he asked "What got you interested in this topic in the first place?" The answer was my father. My father served in the Civilian Conservation Corps on the Skyline Drive when he was 16 years of age. My father, Joseph Wright, had lost his father that year, and his grandmother, Catherine Young, had suffered a stroke in Ocean City. Dad's mother, Mabel Wright, went to Ocean City to take care of her paralyzed mother and my father was left more or less on his own. WPA Recruiters came to Phladelphia, to a site near where my father lived and so he joined up.
He was sent to live in barracks like buildings in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and it had a profound influence on him and the rest of his life. He didn't talk about it much, but he kept his certificate from that experience in his fireproof safe and I often looked at it and the picture of him at that age. He said it was bitter cold and hard hard work, all by hand. Once a week they would take them to a nearby town for R & R, but the locals didn't like them much. I had the impression that my father found it a great adventure, and it hardened him up for the next phase which was that he followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Merchant Marines after his CCC enrollment was up.
So, this will be a series of about 20 postings on the CCC in NJ. My next experience with the CCC was hiking with a freind probably ten years ago and coming across the remains of tiled floors and other building elements in the middle of the woods. We found out it had been a CCC camp. Since I knew what that meant from my father's experience, I became more interested. My knowledge was close to nothing. For all I knew, the CCC had been the Skyline Drive period. I began to do some research.
As you may be aware, the Civilian Conservation Corps was part of a broader program called the Works Projects Administration, or WPA, pushed into life by the efforts of President Roosevelt in the 1930's. It served many purposes: it jump started our Depression economy by putting men to work and giving them income, and it used the surplus of labor to complete many public programs to improve our nation, the repair of bridges, the reforestation of wantonly ruined woodlands and rivers, the documentation of historic buildings, and a myriad of other projects. Writers captured slave narratives before the last of our citizens to suffer that himan rights tragedy departed this earth. Artists made mosaic murals on public buildings. Visionary social architects designed and populated Utopian towns and villages such as Roosevelt, NJ and Woodbine, in order to save Jewish people in Russia and Eastern block countries from pogroms and other atrocities committed against them. The vast scope of the enterprise beggars the imagination. It made us what we are today and reminded us of what we were. You see the evidence of this effort all around you today, in 1930's black and white framed photographs on municipal building walls, preserved historic sites, local parks with walkways where swamps existed before. Also it prepared our young men for the coming of World War II.
Next blog entry I'll talk a little about the State Guides series, and in following blogs, I'll give you the names and locations of state parks where CCC history is preserved. At the end of the series I'll offer a bibliography for further research.
Happy Trails! Jo Ann
wrightj45@yahoo.com
When I handed over my research to Wes Hughes, a volunteer at Batsto Village, he asked "What got you interested in this topic in the first place?" The answer was my father. My father served in the Civilian Conservation Corps on the Skyline Drive when he was 16 years of age. My father, Joseph Wright, had lost his father that year, and his grandmother, Catherine Young, had suffered a stroke in Ocean City. Dad's mother, Mabel Wright, went to Ocean City to take care of her paralyzed mother and my father was left more or less on his own. WPA Recruiters came to Phladelphia, to a site near where my father lived and so he joined up.
He was sent to live in barracks like buildings in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and it had a profound influence on him and the rest of his life. He didn't talk about it much, but he kept his certificate from that experience in his fireproof safe and I often looked at it and the picture of him at that age. He said it was bitter cold and hard hard work, all by hand. Once a week they would take them to a nearby town for R & R, but the locals didn't like them much. I had the impression that my father found it a great adventure, and it hardened him up for the next phase which was that he followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Merchant Marines after his CCC enrollment was up.
So, this will be a series of about 20 postings on the CCC in NJ. My next experience with the CCC was hiking with a freind probably ten years ago and coming across the remains of tiled floors and other building elements in the middle of the woods. We found out it had been a CCC camp. Since I knew what that meant from my father's experience, I became more interested. My knowledge was close to nothing. For all I knew, the CCC had been the Skyline Drive period. I began to do some research.
As you may be aware, the Civilian Conservation Corps was part of a broader program called the Works Projects Administration, or WPA, pushed into life by the efforts of President Roosevelt in the 1930's. It served many purposes: it jump started our Depression economy by putting men to work and giving them income, and it used the surplus of labor to complete many public programs to improve our nation, the repair of bridges, the reforestation of wantonly ruined woodlands and rivers, the documentation of historic buildings, and a myriad of other projects. Writers captured slave narratives before the last of our citizens to suffer that himan rights tragedy departed this earth. Artists made mosaic murals on public buildings. Visionary social architects designed and populated Utopian towns and villages such as Roosevelt, NJ and Woodbine, in order to save Jewish people in Russia and Eastern block countries from pogroms and other atrocities committed against them. The vast scope of the enterprise beggars the imagination. It made us what we are today and reminded us of what we were. You see the evidence of this effort all around you today, in 1930's black and white framed photographs on municipal building walls, preserved historic sites, local parks with walkways where swamps existed before. Also it prepared our young men for the coming of World War II.
Next blog entry I'll talk a little about the State Guides series, and in following blogs, I'll give you the names and locations of state parks where CCC history is preserved. At the end of the series I'll offer a bibliography for further research.
Happy Trails! Jo Ann
wrightj45@yahoo.com
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Blacksmith at Batsto
It was our great good fortune to be hiking at Batsto on Sunday when the Blacksmith, Toby Kroll was working with an apprentice in the Blacksmith building near the Wharton mansion. We had hiked the nature trail, my friend Barb Solem, her dog Oskar and my dog Trixie, and I. And we had enjoyed our picnic lunch in the shady picnic area adjacent to the parking lot. We decided to walk through the village next and we stopped at the outbuildings. I wanted to see my favorite the Stagecoach, and Barb was interested in what they had in general as she is writing a book on Batsto.
Toby was very generous with his time, attention and also very informative. It is hard to remember all you hear when you visit historic places and take the tours, or speak with the docents. I'm often interested in what bits of information stick with me. I have a notably poor memory. This time one very interesting thing that Toby told us was that there had been, in early days (18th and 19 centiuries) quite a few women blacksmiths.
He said so many men were taken for war that father soften introduced their daughters to the art of blacksmithing and also, wives often took over when husbands were taken for service. Toby talked to us about appreenticeship and the 'secrets' of the trade, how blacksmiths were closed mouthed about their trade secrets. Also he talked about how the Blacksmith shop was often a gathering place for men waiting for things to be mended or horses to be shod.
If you are interested in this ancient art and would like to learn more, you can visit or contact:
Three Cedars Forge
Alloway, NJ
toby@threecedarsforge.com
Toby attends events and works at various reenactment sites. He used to come to our big October event at Red Bank Battlefield before the untimely demise of our former Curator, Megan Giordano.
Next Up - The Civilian Conservation Corps in New Jersey
Some 5 years ago, I did a presentation on this topic for the Pinelands Preservation Alliance out of the Historical Society building at Egg Harbor Twp. I still have my Power Point Presentation and I'm sharing the information with a Batsto docent named Wes Hughes, so I thought I would do a series on this blog about that topic as this is the 80th anniversary of the CCC. That will be my next blog entry.
As always you can contact me at
wrightj45@yahoo.com
Happy Trails! Jo Ann
Toby was very generous with his time, attention and also very informative. It is hard to remember all you hear when you visit historic places and take the tours, or speak with the docents. I'm often interested in what bits of information stick with me. I have a notably poor memory. This time one very interesting thing that Toby told us was that there had been, in early days (18th and 19 centiuries) quite a few women blacksmiths.
He said so many men were taken for war that father soften introduced their daughters to the art of blacksmithing and also, wives often took over when husbands were taken for service. Toby talked to us about appreenticeship and the 'secrets' of the trade, how blacksmiths were closed mouthed about their trade secrets. Also he talked about how the Blacksmith shop was often a gathering place for men waiting for things to be mended or horses to be shod.
If you are interested in this ancient art and would like to learn more, you can visit or contact:
Three Cedars Forge
Alloway, NJ
toby@threecedarsforge.com
Toby attends events and works at various reenactment sites. He used to come to our big October event at Red Bank Battlefield before the untimely demise of our former Curator, Megan Giordano.
Next Up - The Civilian Conservation Corps in New Jersey
Some 5 years ago, I did a presentation on this topic for the Pinelands Preservation Alliance out of the Historical Society building at Egg Harbor Twp. I still have my Power Point Presentation and I'm sharing the information with a Batsto docent named Wes Hughes, so I thought I would do a series on this blog about that topic as this is the 80th anniversary of the CCC. That will be my next blog entry.
As always you can contact me at
wrightj45@yahoo.com
Happy Trails! Jo Ann
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Higbees Beach, Cape May, NJ Dog Friendly!
The spcial day trip of the week was to Higbee Beach, near Cape May, New Jersey
West End of New England Road, Cape May, NJ
Phone: (609) 628-2436
www.njfishandwildlife.org
Higbee Beach is famous to "Birders" because it is in the migratory corridor of spring and fall migrating birds . Of course, this is the end of summer, so we were there for another reason, Higbee Beach is a place you can take your dog! My friend, Barbara Spector and I, along with my canine companion of 8 months, Trixie, drove down on a lovely day to enjoy the beach and the view of the ferries going between Delaware and New Jersey. We stopped to pick up my cousin Patty on the way to the beach. The water was very warm - so warm it made me nervous, not to mention the large quantity of dead creatures floating in it like a seafood stew, baby horshoe crabs, jellyfish, and even a baby turtle!
Nonetheless, we enjoyed wading, and watching the big boats and it was Trixie's first trip to the seashore.
There was no traffic because we went on a weekday. Also, it is not a crowded beach and the people are friendly.
My cousin Patty, by the way, lives in the Villas, formerly known as the Milman estates in the 1920's when first built. They are little gems and very reasonable in price and taxes. You couldn't do better at the seashore. And, neither my cousin, who has lived there for 3 years nor her mother, who lived there for about 15 years, has ever experienced storm damage or flooding, though my cousin has been evacuated twice.
Tomorrow, I'm off to hike at Batsto. I've missed the woods and I'm meeting a friend, Babara Solem, and an aquaintance, Wes, a volunteer at Batsto. He is interested in some research I did for a presentation on the Civilian Conservation Corps in New Jersey. I gave the presentation a couple of years back in the summer lecture series of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. I'm happy for my work to be of use to someone. I believe Wes may be considering a book on the CCC in NJ - a valuable and fascinating topic!
Happy Trails, Jo Ann
West End of New England Road, Cape May, NJ
Phone: (609) 628-2436
www.njfishandwildlife.org
Higbee Beach is famous to "Birders" because it is in the migratory corridor of spring and fall migrating birds . Of course, this is the end of summer, so we were there for another reason, Higbee Beach is a place you can take your dog! My friend, Barbara Spector and I, along with my canine companion of 8 months, Trixie, drove down on a lovely day to enjoy the beach and the view of the ferries going between Delaware and New Jersey. We stopped to pick up my cousin Patty on the way to the beach. The water was very warm - so warm it made me nervous, not to mention the large quantity of dead creatures floating in it like a seafood stew, baby horshoe crabs, jellyfish, and even a baby turtle!
Nonetheless, we enjoyed wading, and watching the big boats and it was Trixie's first trip to the seashore.
There was no traffic because we went on a weekday. Also, it is not a crowded beach and the people are friendly.
My cousin Patty, by the way, lives in the Villas, formerly known as the Milman estates in the 1920's when first built. They are little gems and very reasonable in price and taxes. You couldn't do better at the seashore. And, neither my cousin, who has lived there for 3 years nor her mother, who lived there for about 15 years, has ever experienced storm damage or flooding, though my cousin has been evacuated twice.
Tomorrow, I'm off to hike at Batsto. I've missed the woods and I'm meeting a friend, Babara Solem, and an aquaintance, Wes, a volunteer at Batsto. He is interested in some research I did for a presentation on the Civilian Conservation Corps in New Jersey. I gave the presentation a couple of years back in the summer lecture series of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. I'm happy for my work to be of use to someone. I believe Wes may be considering a book on the CCC in NJ - a valuable and fascinating topic!
Happy Trails, Jo Ann
Monday, August 19, 2013
Vercchio's and a Compliment August 19, 2013
My daughter visited my blog today. She is the filmmaker I mentioned in an earlier blog who is traveling the country filming interviews and music with contemporary museicians and tying it into the roots of our music world. It is called "The 78 PROJECT." She sent me an update from their expedition to Louisiana, then she visited my blog and sent this comment:
"I checked out your blog. That's an amazing picture of the cranberry harvest. Is that new? I'm really impressed with your page views, too. You've got a lot of people looking at your work, you should definitely keep up the pace on it! It's going to stand as a great document on the preservation of culture in New Jersey (it's something we talk to EVERYONE about while we're out filming. what are the people in their world doing to integrate history and their heritage into their day to day lives. In Louisiana, all the young people are learning French again and speaking it at home. Love,Lavinia"
That gives me such inspiration.
Meanwhile two places caught my attention today. I went to Vercchio's Produce Market on the Brooklawn Circle right off Route 130. I only needed Pine Barrens honey and some blueberries but my sister bought a huge cart of a great variety of fruits and vegetables. She has a family and she cooks . It's just me and the cats and dogs here (they don't eat much produce) and I eat mostly fresh and raw - salads and cereal, and so on. Anyhow I was struck again with the enormous bounty of our state. Such beautiful and perfect fruits and vegetables and so cheap! We live in paradise!
Along with the observation on fruit, I have been struck (not literally, but nearly) by the variety of nuts falling around us out of the trees right now. It is easy to crunch right over them in parking lots and on park trails without stopping to look at them and try to imagine what they are. I picked up 4 varieties of nuts from Big Timber Creek and a parking lot outside of the Gloucester County Historical Society Library in the last couple of days. I'm thinking of an experiment to plant them and see what comes up next spring. I may take a photo first, though.
A final note: I worked a couple of hours in the Museum Room at Whitall House at Red Bank Battlefield yesterday. It was our 3rd Sunday of the month Field Day and our theme was TEA. We had a tea expert giving a tea in the kitchen, and a table set for tea in the great room. My duty was to explain the battle in the museum room, so I didn't talk much about tea, although as we all know it was so much at the heart of the beginning of our Revolution. I'm going to check to see when the Tea Burning Commemoration at Greenwich is held this year. More on that later . We had a good crowd on Sunday.
"I checked out your blog. That's an amazing picture of the cranberry harvest. Is that new? I'm really impressed with your page views, too. You've got a lot of people looking at your work, you should definitely keep up the pace on it! It's going to stand as a great document on the preservation of culture in New Jersey (it's something we talk to EVERYONE about while we're out filming. what are the people in their world doing to integrate history and their heritage into their day to day lives. In Louisiana, all the young people are learning French again and speaking it at home. Love,Lavinia"
That gives me such inspiration.
Meanwhile two places caught my attention today. I went to Vercchio's Produce Market on the Brooklawn Circle right off Route 130. I only needed Pine Barrens honey and some blueberries but my sister bought a huge cart of a great variety of fruits and vegetables. She has a family and she cooks . It's just me and the cats and dogs here (they don't eat much produce) and I eat mostly fresh and raw - salads and cereal, and so on. Anyhow I was struck again with the enormous bounty of our state. Such beautiful and perfect fruits and vegetables and so cheap! We live in paradise!
Along with the observation on fruit, I have been struck (not literally, but nearly) by the variety of nuts falling around us out of the trees right now. It is easy to crunch right over them in parking lots and on park trails without stopping to look at them and try to imagine what they are. I picked up 4 varieties of nuts from Big Timber Creek and a parking lot outside of the Gloucester County Historical Society Library in the last couple of days. I'm thinking of an experiment to plant them and see what comes up next spring. I may take a photo first, though.
A final note: I worked a couple of hours in the Museum Room at Whitall House at Red Bank Battlefield yesterday. It was our 3rd Sunday of the month Field Day and our theme was TEA. We had a tea expert giving a tea in the kitchen, and a table set for tea in the great room. My duty was to explain the battle in the museum room, so I didn't talk much about tea, although as we all know it was so much at the heart of the beginning of our Revolution. I'm going to check to see when the Tea Burning Commemoration at Greenwich is held this year. More on that later . We had a good crowd on Sunday.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Correction & Addition - Events
The Burlington County Historians Roundtable is not on the 7th of Sept. but the 21st - no additional details as of yet.
Another event - As you may be aware, I adopted a dog from the Animal Orphanage in Voorhees in January of this year and she is the delight of my life. Along with historic places, the outdoors, and vegetarian/vegan food and ecology, I am interested in helping animals. I not only have adopted and care for five cats and Trixie, my new dog, I also donate to various charities such as the Alley Cat Allies.
On Saturday, September 21st from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m the 17th Annual Hoofstock Pet Festival will be held at John Connolly Park, 605 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, NJ near the Voorhees Post Office. Admission is $1 which goes to help the homeless pets. There will all kinds of contests, prizes, flea marketing and other experiences and you can adopt! There will be music and a Police K-9 Demo, which I look forward to seeing. For more information, visit:
www.theanmalorphanage.org
Another event - As you may be aware, I adopted a dog from the Animal Orphanage in Voorhees in January of this year and she is the delight of my life. Along with historic places, the outdoors, and vegetarian/vegan food and ecology, I am interested in helping animals. I not only have adopted and care for five cats and Trixie, my new dog, I also donate to various charities such as the Alley Cat Allies.
On Saturday, September 21st from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m the 17th Annual Hoofstock Pet Festival will be held at John Connolly Park, 605 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, NJ near the Voorhees Post Office. Admission is $1 which goes to help the homeless pets. There will all kinds of contests, prizes, flea marketing and other experiences and you can adopt! There will be music and a Police K-9 Demo, which I look forward to seeing. For more information, visit:
www.theanmalorphanage.org
Upcoming Events September 2013
Upcoming events for September - The first two that I know about and that I will be attending are the Burlington Crafts Fair on September 7th. I don't usually go in for these anymore - too crowded, too expensive, I like more room and less people, but I have to say this one is worth it. It is charming - especially on Wood Street.
The Burlington County Historican's Roundtable takes place that same day in Edgewater at the Dragon Canoe CLub. I couldn't get updated info on this off the internet - probably my fault - however you can probably try and have better luck with it. I will go with a friend who knows more about it.
Hope to see you at one of these fun events! Happy Trails, Jo Ann wrightj45@yahoo.com
The Burlington County Historican's Roundtable takes place that same day in Edgewater at the Dragon Canoe CLub. I couldn't get updated info on this off the internet - probably my fault - however you can probably try and have better luck with it. I will go with a friend who knows more about it.
Hope to see you at one of these fun events! Happy Trails, Jo Ann wrightj45@yahoo.com
Burlington City day trip
BURLINGTON,
Friday, August 17, 2013
Our plan to take the Maurice River Cruise with Captain Dave on Friday fell through. The boat
was fully booked and there were no seats left. It is our fault because we had to postpone
calling for reservations until the last minute because one of our group was sick and we didn’t
know if she’d be well enough to come along. She was not! And more
on that later.
Anyhow, we talked about alternatives and finally agreed on lunch at the Café’ Galleria
in Burlington
and a stroll through the Historic Burlington
Antiques & Art Emporium,
one of my favorite places to visit.
I usually find something to buy, but this time, I went out empty handed and one of my friends bought something.Barbara Solem bought two
books.
By the way, our lunch at Café’ Galleria was entirely
Vegetarian and almost Vegan! Gail Kerr
and I had corn pudding and fried tomatoes, which came also with grilled
zucchini, and Barbara had a veggie burger with sautéed vegetables on top. We all agreed our lunches were delicious and
I might add that along with the gorgeous paintings on the walls, and the
beautiful view of the Delaware River, the
prices were very modest. It is a superb
place to eat a meal.
We ambled on down the charming main street of Burlington unti with got
to the Antiques Emporium which was 3
blocks from the Café’. There are 85 and
more dealers in this enormous building.
You’d never guess from the outside, it is down a broad alley, and then
you go inside and it is 14,000 square feet!
I have no head for such figures, I would tell you it was the size of a
jumbo Quonset hut shopping place or the size of 4 big barns, but I think you
get the picture, there are at least 4 large aisles lined with individual
shopping stalls which reflect the unique collecting eye of the owners: There are antique toys, of course furniture
(my favorite its rustic) and everything from frilly 1950’s aprons to gorgeous
hand crafted cedar canoes.
I asked my two
companions to each pick a favorite item.
Barbara’s favorite was a giant statue we all thought might be molded
plaster or some kind of fired ceramic material, def. not wood or metal. We couldn’t ell if he was a Civil War
general, or General Custer. Gail’s
favorite was a two tiered pie crust style table. My favorite item was a sleigh, a real
transportation type sleigh, not a toy sled
However, I was also entranced by the aforementioned hand
made and utterly beautiful, graceful canoes, which were about $1500 – more than
I could afford for a whim.
After strolling along the Delaware
River and talking about the mysterious island, we drove to St.
Mary’s cemetery. Barbara is writing a
book on Batsto and she has been searching for graves of the several important
families of the Batsto dynasty. More on
her book later – she is 3 chapters into it.
Now, back to the sick friend. I can’t stress enough how important it is to
wear tall socks and to spray with insecticide before hiking in the woods
especially in April, tick season, and August, chigger season. Last year I was the notable victim with the
most sever case of chiggers anyone had ever seen. This year, Barbara Spector is the victim with
a case of Lymes disease. She had headache,
aching joints and exhaustion, so she went to the doctor and had a blood test
and was positive for Lymes. She is
recovering now on antibiotics. Spray,
and if you don’t feel well, aske for Lymes test – the quicker you catch it the
better off you are. And on the subject
of bugs – I bought these nifty mosquito repellent plastic bracelets for the
wrist or the ankle from amazon.com. Very
inexpensive and a great way to keep off the mosquitos, especially now that West
Nile has reached New Jersey. So spray, and wear the repelling bracelets.
If you want to stay out of the woods, remember to hike our
charming small towns, Mullica Hill, Bordentown, Burlington, Tom’s River and many others.
Happy Trails! Jo Ann
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Maurice River Boat Cruise
Hello! Enjoying this short respite of cool weather? I spent the first half of the day at the Big Timber Creek Dog Park. Tomorrow, it is my hope that two of my friends and I will be able to take the Maurice River Boat Cruise with Captain Dave. To make a reservation, call 856-327-1530. It costs abotu $10 or $15 depending on the day and your age. We will have lunch at the Vegan Restaurant Wildflowers, too. What a splendid day. If you are new to the posts on the Maurice River Cruises, you WILL see Osprey and Eagles, guaranteed. I've taken the boat ride half a dozen times and we have always seen Eagles.
It was Captain Dave's cruise that gave my friends and I the information we followed up on to take our Maurice River Bluffs hikes recently. There is another reserve for hiking but I will have to wait till tomorrow to catch the name. This time I will bring a pen and notebook and take down some information for my next post. I highly recommend this boat trip and a day at Millville.
Other things of interest coming up:
Old Stone House Village is hosting a Civil War encampment featuring Steve Sonnen, who will be available to answer questions and offer information about our Civil War heritage. It is running Aug. 17 and 18 and the Old Stone House is worth seeing too. This is in Washington Twp. but I am sorry that I was unable to find a road address for gps locating. You can, however, call 856-981-3096 for more information.
It was Captain Dave's cruise that gave my friends and I the information we followed up on to take our Maurice River Bluffs hikes recently. There is another reserve for hiking but I will have to wait till tomorrow to catch the name. This time I will bring a pen and notebook and take down some information for my next post. I highly recommend this boat trip and a day at Millville.
Other things of interest coming up:
Old Stone House Village is hosting a Civil War encampment featuring Steve Sonnen, who will be available to answer questions and offer information about our Civil War heritage. It is running Aug. 17 and 18 and the Old Stone House is worth seeing too. This is in Washington Twp. but I am sorry that I was unable to find a road address for gps locating. You can, however, call 856-981-3096 for more information.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Vegan/Vegetarian Picnic
“An Animate, wakeful landscape” from Shambhala Sun Nov. 2011
pg. 11
One day recently, I was feeling a small weather system of
disappointment in myself for neglecting (uncharacteristically) my written and
stated goals for writing this year: my diary
of the sixties, my travel book on Revolutionary War sites in SJ, and, my family
history project. My shoulders were
drooping with guilt and I was wondering, “Well, Jo Ann, What have you got to
say for yourself? What have you done
with this year?”
The only thing I could come up with was my blog: historicplacessj.blogspot.com, which as of
today has had 29,941 page views, 1,083 last month, 43 yesterday and 33
today. Also, I have printed out a list
of my topics. There were 160 so far. I
know all this because blogspot.com (an excellent site) keeps statistics on your
site and even tells you from whence the visitor traffic has emerged.
By the way, I have completed 160 entries as of the one I am
posting today.
So, on that day of self-evaluation and disappointment, I felt
cheered up enormously by this particular project. I write two or three entries a week,
sometimes more and sometimes less.
Knowing how many people stop by is a spur to write more and write
better.
Although my topics are generally
field trips I’ve taken to historic spots, I do make forays into other
territories as well, for example, I began a thought trail in regard to vegan
and vegetarian eating awhile back. I
connected it to John Woolman, a noted 18th century religious thinker
of the Religious Society of Friends, whose house, in Mount Holly, New Jersey, I
had visited a couple of times with friends.
He was a tailor, itinerant preacher, and journalist, and an
all around wonderful human being. He
preached against slavery, cruelty to animals, and he exhorted others to live
lives filled with awareness of the origins of things, such as that colored
clothes were produced by the enslavement of people on indigo plantations, so he
wore plain uncolored linen clothes and lived a vegetarian lifestyle. He wrote about this and other concerns in his
diary and essays, a copy of which can still be purchased from amazon. com for
$8 and an additional $3.50 for shipping and handling. I’m sure Mr. Woolman would like you to buy
second hand.
Strictly speaking, the house in Mount Holly
isn’t John Woolman’s house, but his daughter’s, however, it has been preserved
in his honor and to keep a memorial to his testimonies in regard to peace,
equality, simplicity, and integrity.
Another connection to Vegan and Vegetarian eating is the
American Society of Vegans: American Vegan Society - PO Box 369, Malaga
NJ
08328 ..... Egg Harbor Township New Jersey. Which I have also visited
with friends.
My main topic for this essay for my blog
today, however, is the Compassion for Animals/Respect for the Environment CARE
Picnic which I attended on Saturday, August the 10th at Hoopes Park,
West Ashbridge Street,
outside of West Chester, Pa. I
was a passenger and my hostess was Barbara Solem, author of Ghosttowns and
Other Quirky Places in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Her other guest/passenger was Steve, a
treasurer for the Vegetarian Society of South Jersey. Contact info for this group is:
www.vssj.com
or veg@vssj.com or 1-877-www.vssj
(999-8775) They are also on facebook but
I haven’t visited that page as yet.
The food was marvelous: We had the usual veggie burgers but also
excellent cole slaw, a slaw that I think may have been zucchini, several grain
dishes, roasted corn on the cob, and beautifully carved fruits of many
kinds. That’s just a few of the foods
available. The deserts were delicious
and my favorites were small tarts made with ground nut shells for the crust, an
almond custard and slice of fruit on top, plus a wonderful apple pie. We were given several booklets with many
tempting recipes to try, though I tend towards simple salads in daily eating
personally.
The other great thing about this picnic was
the people. Those who care about animals
and the environment are often generally thoughtful people and these were no
exception. They were kindly, attentive,
open and friendly people. It felt good
to eat cruelty free and delicious food and to spend a sunny afternoon with
compassionate and friendly people.
The traffic, however, well, that’s another
story. We had driven out there on Route
322 which goes across New Jersey and straight
into Pennsylvania
and out into their countryside. It was
mysteriously jammed up on the way out so we took a different route going home. It was nothing however to the traffic I
encountered during our two recent storms with caused widespread flooding in my
area which is bounded by many creeks, Big Timber, Newton,
and the Delaware River, Cooper
River, and far too much
asphalt in the form of highways.
Many of my friends, in their sixties, are
health conscious. We try to eat
sensibly, exercise, and enjoy the outdoors (not just for the health benefits,
of course – we find the outdoors spiritually refreshing and enjoyable). When I opened my mail today, I saw this
interesting list of seven things to do to help outfit your home for safety in
the later years of your life. I thought
I’d pass it on:
1.Low-vision keyboard
2.Motion sensor lighting
3.Bed rails
4.Zipper Pulls
5.Safety strips
6.Tub Bars
7.Carpet tape
I’m not ready for most of these yet, but I would like indoor
motion sensor lighting!
Happy Trails to you!
Jo Ann
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Eating Out Vegan Style at the Villas
I had two interesting vegetarian/vegan experiences this week. On Friday, I drove to the Villas (a very interesting housing/architecture subject for some time in the future) to visit my cousin Patty, who is in her third summer there. After her mother passed away and left her the little house, her husband also died, so she pulled up stakes in Pa. and headed for the shore in NJ. The house is charming and the location near the Bay is beautiful. Because it is a suburb, it doesn't get clogged with traffic the way Cape May does, and we have found many interesting places to walk nearby.
I blogged about Cox Hall Creek before, it is a recovered golf course - a fascinating botanical experiment to see what grows when you let the tortured earth return to its chosen state. I hiked there eyars ago when it was still grassy and looked like a recovering golf course. Now it looks more like a natural woods/meadow. There is a beautiful lake there with a tiny island and a gazebo - very picturesque. We couldn't see the lake or much of the park last time because it was raining, but I believe I did put in a little history. I have a photo that I will post later on today when I get home from Timber Creek Park.
Another hiking family we met there told me that there is a Civil War site not far from there but it was hot and I had nothing tow write with so I will wait and hope they get in touch with me by e-mail with more info.
Or, I might try to track it down via google.
Also, for my day-tripper readers I wanted to mention a fine place to eat, Harpoon Henry's at 91 Beach drive, N. Cape May 609-886-5529. Of the many things I like about Harpoon Henry's, we sat outside on a patio where dogs were allowed. It was far far too hot for Trixie to remain in the car while we ate lunch, so this was a great benefit. And they were so kind there - the waitress brought a tin pail of water for Trixie. Whenever we human gal pals go to lunch, I always buy a special treat for Trixie at Wawa, this time it was Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs. Mainly I pick something with the kind of pkg. that she can eat from.
My friend Gail, and cousin Patty, enjoyed sharing a "half foot" of onion rings, and I had a vegetarian selection - a veggie burger. They had other vegetarian and healthful choices too, salads, and a nice selection of sides and appetizers such as a humms dish, where we vegan/vegetarians usually browse in restaurants that don't offer meatless choices. That is getting to be more and more rare, however, as my generation ages and grows wiser and eats more with a more health conscious and environmentally friendly point of view. The restaurants follow.
Tomorrow I'll post photos from Cox Hall Creek Park and also I'll post on the Vegan Picinic in West Chester that I attended with two friends on Saturday.
Off to Timber Creek Park, now. Happy Trails!
Jo Ann
I blogged about Cox Hall Creek before, it is a recovered golf course - a fascinating botanical experiment to see what grows when you let the tortured earth return to its chosen state. I hiked there eyars ago when it was still grassy and looked like a recovering golf course. Now it looks more like a natural woods/meadow. There is a beautiful lake there with a tiny island and a gazebo - very picturesque. We couldn't see the lake or much of the park last time because it was raining, but I believe I did put in a little history. I have a photo that I will post later on today when I get home from Timber Creek Park.
Another hiking family we met there told me that there is a Civil War site not far from there but it was hot and I had nothing tow write with so I will wait and hope they get in touch with me by e-mail with more info.
Or, I might try to track it down via google.
Also, for my day-tripper readers I wanted to mention a fine place to eat, Harpoon Henry's at 91 Beach drive, N. Cape May 609-886-5529. Of the many things I like about Harpoon Henry's, we sat outside on a patio where dogs were allowed. It was far far too hot for Trixie to remain in the car while we ate lunch, so this was a great benefit. And they were so kind there - the waitress brought a tin pail of water for Trixie. Whenever we human gal pals go to lunch, I always buy a special treat for Trixie at Wawa, this time it was Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs. Mainly I pick something with the kind of pkg. that she can eat from.
My friend Gail, and cousin Patty, enjoyed sharing a "half foot" of onion rings, and I had a vegetarian selection - a veggie burger. They had other vegetarian and healthful choices too, salads, and a nice selection of sides and appetizers such as a humms dish, where we vegan/vegetarians usually browse in restaurants that don't offer meatless choices. That is getting to be more and more rare, however, as my generation ages and grows wiser and eats more with a more health conscious and environmentally friendly point of view. The restaurants follow.
Tomorrow I'll post photos from Cox Hall Creek Park and also I'll post on the Vegan Picinic in West Chester that I attended with two friends on Saturday.
Off to Timber Creek Park, now. Happy Trails!
Jo Ann
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Yellow Fever
In 1793 and again in 1798, and with repeat performances at odd intervals thereafter until the 1890's, the Yellow Fever disease arrived and wiped out whole families and devastated Philadelphia. Yellow Fever is a viral disease spread by the bite of a particular kind of mosquito - Aedes Aegypti. It was brought from the Caribbean to Phildelphia with the refugees fleeing the slave rebellions and resulting civil chaos in what is now called Haiti.
Thousands of refugees and about 53 ships landed in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and New Orleans carrying the refugees and their possessions and the mosquitos that then decimated these cities.. Upwards of 10% of the population of Philadelphia died in the 1793 epidemic. I have seen and heard a couple of good presentations on this topic one was a cemetary talk at Old Christ Church in Philadelphia after which I bought the excellent book Bring Out Your Dead, which talks about the epidemic and civil attempts to deal with the outcome, the many dead to collect and bury, the mass flight of residents to the countryside and to New Jersey, where they were not always welcome because, as you must remember, at the time, no one knew what caused the disease!
Last night, August 7, Wednesday, I heard Dr. David Barnes, of the Univ. of Pennsylvania give a talk on the Lazaretto at Tinicum Island and the quarantine of ships that was one of the attempts to deal with the sick and stop the spread of the disease. The Lazaretto was a hospital building and quarenatine station. The building still stands and efforts continue to save it and preserve it and the story it has to tell about this time of our history.
We heard this talk at Whitall House because Ann Whitall, the heroine of Red Bank Battle, eventually died of yellow fever, though she did live to the impressive age of 81.
The Next Heritage Sunday at Whitall House is August 18 and it will feature TEA. There will be the usual tours of the main house, and a presentation lasting 20 minutes in the kitchen house - two separate doors for entrance and exit.
Our next lecture in the lecture series is on Midwifery in October. In the 17 years from 1740 to 1757, Ann Whitall gave birth to nine children, of whom eight survived to adulthood. That means she was pregnant for a year and nursing for the following year, that entire time. So many babies! For anyone who has had children, the idea of giving birth to nine of them and raising eight is overwhelming. (Not to mention the idea of childbirth without pain medication!)
For information on the Whitall HOuse, Red Bank Battlefield and any of these programs, call 856-853-5120.
If you want to try dropping by, come after 1:00 Thursday through Sunday. Those are the hours if we have volunteers to cover them. Hope to see you!
Happy Trails, Jo Ann
Thousands of refugees and about 53 ships landed in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and New Orleans carrying the refugees and their possessions and the mosquitos that then decimated these cities.. Upwards of 10% of the population of Philadelphia died in the 1793 epidemic. I have seen and heard a couple of good presentations on this topic one was a cemetary talk at Old Christ Church in Philadelphia after which I bought the excellent book Bring Out Your Dead, which talks about the epidemic and civil attempts to deal with the outcome, the many dead to collect and bury, the mass flight of residents to the countryside and to New Jersey, where they were not always welcome because, as you must remember, at the time, no one knew what caused the disease!
Last night, August 7, Wednesday, I heard Dr. David Barnes, of the Univ. of Pennsylvania give a talk on the Lazaretto at Tinicum Island and the quarantine of ships that was one of the attempts to deal with the sick and stop the spread of the disease. The Lazaretto was a hospital building and quarenatine station. The building still stands and efforts continue to save it and preserve it and the story it has to tell about this time of our history.
We heard this talk at Whitall House because Ann Whitall, the heroine of Red Bank Battle, eventually died of yellow fever, though she did live to the impressive age of 81.
The Next Heritage Sunday at Whitall House is August 18 and it will feature TEA. There will be the usual tours of the main house, and a presentation lasting 20 minutes in the kitchen house - two separate doors for entrance and exit.
Our next lecture in the lecture series is on Midwifery in October. In the 17 years from 1740 to 1757, Ann Whitall gave birth to nine children, of whom eight survived to adulthood. That means she was pregnant for a year and nursing for the following year, that entire time. So many babies! For anyone who has had children, the idea of giving birth to nine of them and raising eight is overwhelming. (Not to mention the idea of childbirth without pain medication!)
For information on the Whitall HOuse, Red Bank Battlefield and any of these programs, call 856-853-5120.
If you want to try dropping by, come after 1:00 Thursday through Sunday. Those are the hours if we have volunteers to cover them. Hope to see you!
Happy Trails, Jo Ann
Monday, August 5, 2013
World War II in Millville-The Perfect Day!
Yesterday, my hiking pal Barbara Spector, my other hiking pal, Trixie the Lab, and I set off for Millville once again.
You may remember from the last Millville trip that Trixie got a piece of wood lodged in the roof of her mouth and we had to cut our Maurice River Bluffs hike short to get her taken care of. So we were eager to get back and really hike the bluffs. There are numerous trails, we had tried the relatively short blue trail and this time we took the red trail.
The red trail wound around the bluff tops and through the woods and finally we made our way down to a beach where a dozen or so family people were swimming and picnicing with their dogs. They were friendly and we chatted for awhile. Dogs are a great ice braker and people who have dogs seems to be friendlier than most. The woman who greeted us first told us to check out the World War II bunkers. We followed the trail to them and sure enough there were two enormous round bunkers and a ruin from some other structure that may have been gun emplacements. I couldn't fnd a door to the bunkers but broken plates rusted on the sides made me think there may have been ladders to a top where a drop down kind of door arrangement might have been. It made you ponder that period when our coast was in danger from invasion and the rivers leading from the Atlantic to the interior could have been used by the enemy to strike at our cities. There were emplacements at Red Bank Battlefield too, to defend the Delaware. And I visited a World War II tower at Cape May as well.
The hiking trail went up and down ravines and along the water meadows beside the Maurice River giving beautiful views. It was a super hike.
We had another delicious lunch at Wildflower Earthly Vegan Fare again, 501 N. High Street. This time we had the eggplant wraps and cole slaw. It was the best cole slaw I've ever eaten! Next, we visited Bogart's Book Store and I bought a family history memoir called "It's Been a Long Long Time" by Marianne Lods. It is the story of her search for family history and her mother's work in the Belgian Resistance. Her father served in the army during World War II. Since I do family history too and my father was also a vet, I thought it might be an interesting read, and I applaud her effort both to find her family history and to make a book and publish it!
We also strolled along the charming river walk in town. A kayak was gliding down the river and I was kicking myself for not having my camera in my pocket, but I did have it on the bluffs hike and so I can post a photo or two of the World War II bunkers.
This is a wonderful day trip that I recommend to anyone who likes the woods, history and small New Jersey towns. Have lunch, visit the books store, hike the bluffs and enjoy a marvelous day in Millville!
You may remember from the last Millville trip that Trixie got a piece of wood lodged in the roof of her mouth and we had to cut our Maurice River Bluffs hike short to get her taken care of. So we were eager to get back and really hike the bluffs. There are numerous trails, we had tried the relatively short blue trail and this time we took the red trail.
The red trail wound around the bluff tops and through the woods and finally we made our way down to a beach where a dozen or so family people were swimming and picnicing with their dogs. They were friendly and we chatted for awhile. Dogs are a great ice braker and people who have dogs seems to be friendlier than most. The woman who greeted us first told us to check out the World War II bunkers. We followed the trail to them and sure enough there were two enormous round bunkers and a ruin from some other structure that may have been gun emplacements. I couldn't fnd a door to the bunkers but broken plates rusted on the sides made me think there may have been ladders to a top where a drop down kind of door arrangement might have been. It made you ponder that period when our coast was in danger from invasion and the rivers leading from the Atlantic to the interior could have been used by the enemy to strike at our cities. There were emplacements at Red Bank Battlefield too, to defend the Delaware. And I visited a World War II tower at Cape May as well.
The hiking trail went up and down ravines and along the water meadows beside the Maurice River giving beautiful views. It was a super hike.
We had another delicious lunch at Wildflower Earthly Vegan Fare again, 501 N. High Street. This time we had the eggplant wraps and cole slaw. It was the best cole slaw I've ever eaten! Next, we visited Bogart's Book Store and I bought a family history memoir called "It's Been a Long Long Time" by Marianne Lods. It is the story of her search for family history and her mother's work in the Belgian Resistance. Her father served in the army during World War II. Since I do family history too and my father was also a vet, I thought it might be an interesting read, and I applaud her effort both to find her family history and to make a book and publish it!
We also strolled along the charming river walk in town. A kayak was gliding down the river and I was kicking myself for not having my camera in my pocket, but I did have it on the bluffs hike and so I can post a photo or two of the World War II bunkers.
This is a wonderful day trip that I recommend to anyone who likes the woods, history and small New Jersey towns. Have lunch, visit the books store, hike the bluffs and enjoy a marvelous day in Millville!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Worthy Site and Salute
I did further research on Aldine and found that I had posted the wrong site on my previous posting. The one I wanted to recommend is
http://www.westjerseyhistory.org/books/salemnames/
And here is what they had to say about Aldine:
ALDINE - At the junction of Friesburg road to the south, Daretown to
the north, Elmer to the east and Alloway to the west. Until about 1869,
the settlement was known as Nazareth. It then became known as
Watson's Corner, named after John F. Watson. Around 1880, when the
post-office was established, the name was changed to Aldine. It
formerly contained a blacksmith shop, a wheelwright shop and a shoe
shop. The Aldine Methodist Church was organized in 1841.
While on the subject of collecting history of places which are so sadly and rapidly fading from memory I want to SALUTE the quiet, humble and hard working people of the historical society community. They are the most noble people I have met. They toil away for love of history, certainly not for money or recognition, simply for the selfless joy of saving for posterity our invaluable and irreplaceable history. I have been please and honored to have spent some small time among those who have devoted their lives to this worthy cause.
Taking a ride down country roads in New Jersey, especiial in Salem and Cumberland Couties is still a surprising and pleasing experience. Go ahead, get lost in South Jersey and see what you find!
Happy Trails! Jo Ann
http://www.westjerseyhistory.org/books/salemnames/
And here is what they had to say about Aldine:
ALDINE - At the junction of Friesburg road to the south, Daretown to
the north, Elmer to the east and Alloway to the west. Until about 1869,
the settlement was known as Nazareth. It then became known as
Watson's Corner, named after John F. Watson. Around 1880, when the
post-office was established, the name was changed to Aldine. It
formerly contained a blacksmith shop, a wheelwright shop and a shoe
shop. The Aldine Methodist Church was organized in 1841.
While on the subject of collecting history of places which are so sadly and rapidly fading from memory I want to SALUTE the quiet, humble and hard working people of the historical society community. They are the most noble people I have met. They toil away for love of history, certainly not for money or recognition, simply for the selfless joy of saving for posterity our invaluable and irreplaceable history. I have been please and honored to have spent some small time among those who have devoted their lives to this worthy cause.
Taking a ride down country roads in New Jersey, especiial in Salem and Cumberland Couties is still a surprising and pleasing experience. Go ahead, get lost in South Jersey and see what you find!
Happy Trails! Jo Ann
Aldine, New Jersey - Charming 'finds' on country roads in NJ farmlands
Yesterday, Saturday, August 3, 2013, I was helping my sister out by giving her a ride to work. She does landscape design, catering, and she works in many capacities in the food and celebration industry. Her regular jobs are waitering at the Bellevue in Phila. and the Convention Center, but yesterday, she was "Grill Master" at a big picnic at Jellystone Park, the Yogi Bear Campground in Elmer, New Jersey.
First of all, what a delightful place. Happy families and healthfully occupied children, swimming, dashing in and out of the 'Splash Park" in the fragrant woods, a beautiful setting on a cool summer day. After finding Jellystone (thanks to my gps) and dropping my sister off, I headed back via Friesburg Road and passed a simple beautiful little hamlet called Aldine. It reminded me of living old New Jersey farming history. There were comfortable looking working farms, cattle, horses, goats and chickens, beautiful farm fields green and flourishing, the usual small church and graveyard, but the collection in its entirety reminded me of what most of Southern New Jersey must have looked like before the farms gave out and sold to rampant housing construction. Looking at this village, you could feel what that life was like.
When I returned in early evening, to pick up my sister after her day of running the grills for the big family party at Jellystone, I was gazing happily at the passing landscape when I saw what to me appeared to be an a very old log settlers cabin, carefully maintained, and down the road apiece, another one! Log cabins are a special interest of mine and if it adn't been going towards sunset and if I hadn't had a mission, and if I hadn't been worried about my diminishing gas reserves, I would have pulled over to have a look and take a photo. What I will do, is store it away and go back another day. I want to explore further on Friesburg Road.
On the way home, my sister told me that the people at Jellystone came from Kensington, a section of Philadelphia. She said how warm and friendly they were and how happy. They were having a wonderful time. They were all neighbors who come together to vacation at Jellystone every summer. It reminded me of my own childhood in Philadelphia and what a revelation it was to me when we came to New Jersey and drove down the old Piney roads toward the seashore. I would sit in the back seat with the window down just DRINKING that fragrant, moist, forest air, so different from the burnt, reeking air of South Philadelphia under the towers of the Publicker's Whiskey manufacturer and the refineries.
Once again, I was thrilled to live in New Jersey, and reminded of how it got it's name, 'the Garden State'.
Also, I'm newly renewing my vow to read up on Swedish Settlers in South Jersey. And I am glad I hve voted for the Grenacres initiative every time it comes up at election time. I really wish we could preserve more open space and stop planting those Mega-mansions and housing develoments in place of our forests and ponds and fields. I know I am a dreamer. However, There is something to be said for giving up on the cancerous notion of continual growth and expansion. There is merit in simplicity, satisfaction and stability.
We have in the immortal words of Joni Mitchell, "Paved paradise and Put up a Parking Lot."
Here is a very worthy site I found looking for information on Friesburg and Aldine:
http://www.westjerseyhistory.org/books/Elmer/chapter3.shtml
First of all, what a delightful place. Happy families and healthfully occupied children, swimming, dashing in and out of the 'Splash Park" in the fragrant woods, a beautiful setting on a cool summer day. After finding Jellystone (thanks to my gps) and dropping my sister off, I headed back via Friesburg Road and passed a simple beautiful little hamlet called Aldine. It reminded me of living old New Jersey farming history. There were comfortable looking working farms, cattle, horses, goats and chickens, beautiful farm fields green and flourishing, the usual small church and graveyard, but the collection in its entirety reminded me of what most of Southern New Jersey must have looked like before the farms gave out and sold to rampant housing construction. Looking at this village, you could feel what that life was like.
When I returned in early evening, to pick up my sister after her day of running the grills for the big family party at Jellystone, I was gazing happily at the passing landscape when I saw what to me appeared to be an a very old log settlers cabin, carefully maintained, and down the road apiece, another one! Log cabins are a special interest of mine and if it adn't been going towards sunset and if I hadn't had a mission, and if I hadn't been worried about my diminishing gas reserves, I would have pulled over to have a look and take a photo. What I will do, is store it away and go back another day. I want to explore further on Friesburg Road.
On the way home, my sister told me that the people at Jellystone came from Kensington, a section of Philadelphia. She said how warm and friendly they were and how happy. They were having a wonderful time. They were all neighbors who come together to vacation at Jellystone every summer. It reminded me of my own childhood in Philadelphia and what a revelation it was to me when we came to New Jersey and drove down the old Piney roads toward the seashore. I would sit in the back seat with the window down just DRINKING that fragrant, moist, forest air, so different from the burnt, reeking air of South Philadelphia under the towers of the Publicker's Whiskey manufacturer and the refineries.
Once again, I was thrilled to live in New Jersey, and reminded of how it got it's name, 'the Garden State'.
Also, I'm newly renewing my vow to read up on Swedish Settlers in South Jersey. And I am glad I hve voted for the Grenacres initiative every time it comes up at election time. I really wish we could preserve more open space and stop planting those Mega-mansions and housing develoments in place of our forests and ponds and fields. I know I am a dreamer. However, There is something to be said for giving up on the cancerous notion of continual growth and expansion. There is merit in simplicity, satisfaction and stability.
We have in the immortal words of Joni Mitchell, "Paved paradise and Put up a Parking Lot."
Here is a very worthy site I found looking for information on Friesburg and Aldine:
http://www.westjerseyhistory.org/books/Elmer/chapter3.shtml
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