Today, Saturday 1st of June, my friend Barbara Solem and I went for Walt Fest in Laurel Springs. We toured the Whitman Stafford House, which surprising to me, dated back to the 1700's. What I liked most about the furnishings was the homey style of it, as though people actually lived there, not like it was a museum, and, as our tour guide told us, all their furnishings were donated period appropriate pieces. This goes into the category of "how can you ever afford to furnish a historic house at the price of real antiques" which is something I have often discussed with my friend Barbara.
Barb is a docent at the unfurnished Atsion mansion, which she brought into being open for tours after a long long beaurocratic struggle. The house had been saved, refurbished but not electrified or air conditioned or heated) and then the idiots in charge had neglected the roof and the whole house had to be refurbished AGAIN. Finally, finished, it was just left to stand there in the park are, unused and empty until Barbara came along and gathered the help of a half dozen devoted volunteers and got it opened for Saturday tours where she and the other docents could talk about the history of the Pinebarrens Iron families like the Richards and the Whartons (of Batsto). AS I mentioned before, Barbara has written three books on Pinelands history, The Forks, Ghosttowns and Other Quirky Places in the PineBarrens, and Batso, Jewel of the Pines. Ghost towns has been reprinted more than three times and is extremely popular.
There was an art show in the grounds with at least four sizable gallery structures and outside one of them, I ran into another friend, Sharon Harris, a photographer, internationally respected for her stunning pin-hole photography. She has had article written about her, most recently in a prestigious German photography magazine, and she is working on a podcast with Princeton University. She had one of her mysterious and lovely photographs on display.
It was an altogether delightful day, nicest water in a season of lovely weather, cool, breezy, everything blossoming and fresh. The Whitman Stafford House, which was a vacation and health lodging for Walt Whitman, where he most famously edited his masterpiece, Leaves of Grass, is a large and attractive historic house with perilous steps for those of us, such as myself with tricky knees, but there was plenty to look at downstairs while I waited for my friend Barbara to tour the upper floors.
We had lunch at Local Links, my favorite location for breakfast burritos, but were sad to find out that another favorite place to eat, The Station Cafe' has closed and is up for sale. I asked around and was told it was something to do with a rising rents dispute. I will miss that cheery little cafe' where I had lunch and breakfast with some many relatives and friends over the years.
Happy Trails - And Don't forget - Next Saturday the 1st Annual South Jersey History Alliance Fair at the Gabreil Daveis Tavern!!
Jo Ann
wrightj45@yahoo.com
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