Category Archives: Historical Towns of New Jersey

Kearney House (Blackledge-Kearney House) Alpine Landing Alpine, NJ 07624

This unique historic site is at the bottom of a very steep hill so be careful.

The house has some fun special events that are free to the public but please take your time traveling to the house as it is dark in the park as the seasons change and it can be dangerous going down the hill if you drive too fast.

The Kearney House at the Alpine Boat landing

Entertainment and Refreshments can be had at the Kearny House

The park in the Fall of 2024

The Summer of 2025:

In the summer months, the house was open on Thursday nights for music, games, and summer refreshments. The event ‘Behind the Times at Mrs. Kearney’s Tavern’, was an evening of touring the house and grounds, musically entertainment on the lawn and story telling to end the evening.

Entering the Palisades Interstate Park

The Hudson Riverside and beach area

The park on the Hudson River

The park is breathtaking in the summer months, and everything was lush and in bloom. The views of New York clear as day and the boat basin was busy with people entertaining on their boats and coming in and out of the small harbor.

The park during the Summer of 2025

The park in full bloom that evening

The history of the Kearney House history

The Kearney House and lawn area

The Kearney House was open this evening for one of their many Summer special events. All the windows were open to take advantage of the cool breeze and air the house out on this hot July evening.

The Kearney House from the front lawn

The house getting ready to arriving guests

The tiny barn shed off to the side of house

The waterfall in the back of the house

The tiny shed and hilly woods behind the house

The side of the house and the vegetable garden

The garden with vegetables and herbs

The Vegetable Garden was growing all sorts of vegetables and herbs of the time period and some flowers as well.

The outhouse on the property

The river view of the house

The front of the house with the windows open for river breezes

The inside of the house was cool and welcoming. The hosts of the event had both icy water and Lemonade for guests and slices of sweet watermelon. We were welcomed and offered our choice of beverages and then just relaxed and enjoyed our refreshments that cooled us down for the evening.

Our hostess graciously greeted us and welcomed us to the house

The kitchen set for guests to the tavern

Enjoying summer refreshments

Talking with other guests

It was so nice to just sit back and relax and enjoy the cool breezes coming off the Hudson River. The lemonade really hit the spot.

The cool breezes from the back window

After my snack in the tavern, I toured the upstairs. The two upstairs bedrooms are Mrs. Kearney’s bedroom and the guest room on the other side of the hall.

Mrs. Kearney’s bedroom

The guest room was once used for visitors now holds all their artifacts

This bathing beauty greets you on the second floor

The attic area was far too hot to tour but I had visited it last winter after I had attended visited for a post holiday tour. I did get to tour the upstairs patio and enjoy the breezes outside.

The patio on the second floor

What a view of the river!

The view as the entertainment was about to start

Outside, Thaddeus McGregory started his concert on the front lawn

Thaddeus McGregory singing ‘ Beautiful Dreamer’

Then the Revolutionary War era games took place out on the lawn outside the lawn.

The lawn outside the Kearney house

The beautiful flowers in the lawn

The actors playing ‘ Toss Across’

A video of the games

It was a very nice evening outside with cool breezes and the seeing the concert.

The outside gardens in front of the home

The outside of home

The views from the home of the Hudson River at twilight

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Kearney House (Blackledge-Kearney House)

Alpine Landing

Alpine, NJ  07624

(201) 768-1360 ext. 108

https://www.njpalisades.org/kearney.html

Open: Most weekends & holiday afternoons from May to October

Fee: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g29743-d19332567-Reviews-Kearny_House-Alpine_New_Jersey.html

I took my first trip down to the Kearney House in Alpine, NJ and was able to walk the grounds, visit the Alpine Landing and see the amazing views of New York and of the Hudson River. This spot gives you breathtaking views upstream of the surrounding Hudson River.

The house was closed but the vegetable gardens were full of late Fall produce and the gardens could have used some weeding. I will have to wait until the house opens up again.

I recently visited the Kearny House of their Fall event “Punch & Pie at Mrs. Kearny’s Tavern”. That was an interesting night. First let me say that it is pitch black in that park. The Alpine Basin…

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Atlantic County Historical Society 907 Shore Road Somers Point, NJ 08294

Don’t miss the interesting exhibitions at the Atlantic County Historical Society.

The Atlantic County Historical Society at 907 Shore Road

The entrance sign

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Atlantic County Historical Society

907 Shore Road

Somers Point, NJ 08294

(609) 927-5218

https://www.atlanticcountyhistoricalsocietynj.org/

https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticCountyHistoricalSociety/

Open: Sunday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday-Saturday 10:00am-3:30pm

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46825-d24142996-Reviews-Atlantic_County_Historical_Society-Somers_Point_New_Jersey.html

The Atlantic County Historical Society at 907 Shore Avenue

The Atlantic County Historical Society

I recently visited the historical sites of Somers Point and took my time to tour the Atlantic County Historical Society, which tells the story of life in Atlantic County from the beginnings to today with a major concentration the early history of the County with the Native American Lenape Indians and into the late 1700’s and 1800’s with the founding of the town, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, shipbuilding, fishing and the start of the Victorian Age. Each floor has interesting displays that sometimes have been over-decorated with too many objects.

When you walk in the door, you enter the library where people study the history of the town and…

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Somers Point Historical Society 745 Shore Road Somers Point, NJ 08244

The Somers Point Historical Society is an interesting look into this shore community’s past.

The Somers Point Historical Society at 745 Shore Road

The sign that welcomes you

There’s lots to do and see at this small historical society dedicated to the Town of Somers Point, NJ.

Displays to ship building and fishing industries

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Somers Point Historical Society

745 Shore Road

Somers Point, NJ 08244

(609) 927-2900

http://www.somerspointhistory.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/239626702903267/

Open: Sunday-Wednesday Closed/Thursday 7:00pm-9:00pm/Friday Closed/Saturday 10:00am-1:00pm

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Somers Point Historical Society at 745 Shore Road

I visited Somers Point, NJ recently to see the historical shore town and explore their small museums. The Somers Point Historical Society differs from its neighbor down the road, the Atlantic County Historical Society in that its concentration is on the Town of Somers Point and not the entire county.

The Somers Point Historical Society started in 1987 as part of the “Save City Hall” campaign to save the historic City Hall building. The plan was to highlight the history of Somers Point and its place in the community and to save some of the older buildings in the town.

The City Hall was saved and it was renovated for the new library. The…

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Somers Mansion 1000 Shore Road Somers Point, NJ 08244

The Somers Mansion is the oldest home in Atlantic County NJ and was home to five generations of the Somers family. The old mansion looks over The Great Egg Harbor.

The Somers Mansion at 1000 Shore Road in Somers Point, NJ.

The historic plaque

The Somers Mansion and estate

The welcoming sign

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Somers Mansion

1000 Shore Road

Somers Point, NJ 08244

(609) 927-2212

https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/historic/somersmansion.html

Somers Mansion

Open: Sunday 9:30am-3:30pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 9:30am-3:30pm

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46825-d5970174-r844645596-Somers_Mansion-Somers_Point_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Somers Mansion at 1000 Shore Road

(There is no indoor picture taking allowed)

I visited the Somers Mansion, the three story former home to five generations of the Somers Family. The mansion sits on a buff overlooking the bay and the bridge to the barrier island where Ocean City is located. The original part of the house was built in 1725 and in 1920 the last family members moved from the home and deeded it to the town. The modern additions of the home have been stripped off so you see the original house.

The historic marker of the home when it was donated by the family

I have to say that I was very disappointed with the condition of both the house…

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Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church & Cemetery 54 West Avenue South Bridgeton, NJ 08302

Don’t miss this interesting and historical cemetery on the edge of downtown Bridgeton, NJ.

The Broad Street Presbyterian Church and Cemetery at 54 West Avenue

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church & Cemetery

54 West Avenue

South Bridgeton, NJ 08302

Check website

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Broad_Street_Presbyterian_Church_and_Cemetery

Broad Street Presbyterian Church

Open: From Dawn to Dusk every day

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46324-d24140698-r844174571-Old_Broad_Street_Presbyterian_Church_Cemetery-Bridgeton_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church at 54 West Avenue

When I was traveling to Salem and Cumberland Counties to visit historical sites, this was the last one on my list the first day of exploring. The Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church sits in the middle of a declining downtown in Bridgeton, NJ like a ghost of its former self. This graceful and elegant church is not used much anymore and sits like a majestic building overlooking a city that has passed it by.

The church was built in 1792 for the growing Presbyterian congregation who was living in Bridgetown as it was called at the time. The brick walls and roof were completed but…

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The Greenwich Tea Burning Monument Ye Greate Street and Market Lane Greenwich, NJ 08323

Don’t miss this important piece of New Jersey history during the American Revolution.

The Greenwich Tea Burning in 1774 (NJ Historical Society)

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

The Greenwich Tea Burning Monument

Ye Greate Street and Market Lane

Greenwich, NJ 08323

http://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/greenwich-tea-burning

Open: 24 Hours/Outdoor Monument

Admission: Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46477-d24137215-r844112153-The_Greenwich_Tea_Burning_Monument-Greenwich_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Greenwich Tea Burning Monument in Greenwich, NJ

I am a firm believer in that you learn something new everyday and on a recent trip to visit historical sites of Southern New Jersey I came across this one in a guide book. I never even knew this monument existed let alone that we had our own version of the Boston Tea Party right here in New Jersey. It really showed me the significance of the Revolutionary War and how people from the past fought for the freedoms that we have today.

On the night of December 22nd, 1774 forty people from the community took possession of tea chests and piling them together burnt them in protest of the Tea Tax that had been imposed…

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Quinton’s Bridge at Alloways Creek Route 49 at Quinton-Alloway Road Salem, NJ 08079

Add this site to your list when visiting Historic Salem and Cumberland Counties in Southern New Jersey.

Quinton’s Bridge in Alloway, NJ

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Quinton’s Bridge at Alloways Creek

Route 49 at Quinton-Alloway Road

Salem, NJ 08079

No Phone Number

https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/quinton_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=88443

Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46799-d24137890-r844180359-Quinton_s_Bridge_At_Alloways_Creek-Salem_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

Quinton’s Bridge at Alloway Creek

If you blink your eye, you will pass this bridge along the Alloway Creek just outside of Alloway, NJ, a sleepy little town just outside the County seat of Salem, NJ. What may seem like just a bridge with an historical marker once held a big place in the history of the Revolutionary War for this part of New Jersey. This was once a major travel and transport point during the area’s heyday of the farming industry in the early part of the country’s history, supplying food for the Philadelphia and lower New Jersey area.

Today the Alloway Creek is used more for fishing and recreation from I saw the afternoon I visited the site but once upon…

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Alan E. Carman Museum of Prehistory 1461 Bridgeton Road Greenwich, NJ 08323

Nice little museum for children and adults alike. Great for people who like Native American objects and fossils.

The Museum of Prehistory at 1461 Bridgeton Road

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Alan E. Carman Museum of Prehistory

1461 Bridgeton Road

Greenwich, NJ 08323

(856) 455-8141

Click to access prehistorical.pdf

Admission: Free

Open: Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

I stopped in at the Museum of Prehistory after a tour of several other historical sites in the area and this little museum is packed with interesting artifacts.

One section was dedicated to the Lenape Indians who lived in the area. There was a many artifacts such as arrow heads, spears, pottery and an assortment of fishing and cooking materials. The Native Americans had an interesting system of living that adapted to nature. They developed a sophisticated system of living that was mobile and came with them as they moved around during the seasons.

There is an extensive fossil collection that includes trilobites, shark teeth, crabs, lobsters and they even had a foot print of a dinosaur. What I thought was…

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Hancock House State Historic Site 3 Front Street Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

I spent an long weekend visiting historic sites in southern New Jersey studying the Revolutionary War. Don’t miss this area as it is steeped in history of the Revolutionary War and the country’s founding.

The Hancock House at 3 Front Street

jwatrel's avatarVisiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical

Hancock House State Historic Site

3 Front Street

Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038

(856) 935-4373

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/historic/hancockhouse.html

https://www.facebook.com/FOHHNJ/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_House_(Lower_Alloways_Creek_Township,_New_Jersey)

Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday-Saturday 10:00am-12:00pm/1:00pm-4:00pm

Admission: Free but donation suggested

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46491-d14113448-Reviews-Hancock_House-Hancocks_Bridge_New_Jersey.html

The Hancock House

I took an extensive tour one weekend of historical sites of southern New Jersey to see how the lower part of the state was inpacted by the Revolutionary War and one of the most important sites was the Hancock House. The family was extremely prominent not just in Salem, NJ but in New Jersey politics as well.

The house once stood on an very busy road between Salem and Bridgeton and where most commerce passed by. When I was taking the tour, you could see that the house was built in two parts. When I was listening to the lecture I found that the side of the house that faced the road had once been…

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Blue Café (formerly Lucky Larry’s) 273 Valley Boulevard Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075

Don’t miss the hearty breakfasts in this local Wood Ridge, NJ establishment. The food is consistently delicious.

The Pancake Platter is enough for two people especially with a side of sausage.

The Cheese and Bacon Omelet with Hashbrowns is delicious

The Blue Cafe at 273 Valley Boulevard in Wood Ridge, NJ

jwatrel's avatarDining on a Shoestring in the New York City area and beyond.

Blue Café (formerly Lucky Larry’s Luncheonette)

273 Valley Boulevard

Wood-Ridge, NJ  07075

(201) 438-1515

http://www.luckylarrysluncheonette.com

https://www.facebook.com/LuckyLarrysLuncheonette/

https://bluecaferestaurant.business.site/

Open: Monday-Friday-6:30am-3:00pm/Saturday-7:00am-2:00pm/Sunday-9:00am-2:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

My TripAdvisor review of Blue Café:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews?src=815895779&m=19905

My TripAdvisor review of Lucky Larry’s:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46937-d6821815-Reviews-Lucky_Larry_s-Wood_Ridge_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

My visits to Lucky Larry’s:

I have been to Lucky Larry’s Luncheonette, which is one town over from me, for both breakfast and lunch and I have to say that the food, service and atmosphere are very homey and down to earth. It is a real neighborhood spot, one of those places that the locals hang out to meet one another and catch up on town gossip.

Lucky Larry's VIII

The Lucky Larry’s logo

Blog under the old Lucky Larry’s:

It is more of a deli than a restaurant so there is limited seating but that does not stop the crowd of diners from eating and relaxing there. They will even bring your order to the…

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