I was recently traveling around the Newfield, NJ area, where a small museum dedicated to Matchbox cars was located. I had enjoyed playing with them and collected them when I was little and it sounded fascinating to have a whole museum dedicated to them.
They were not open that day but arranged to visit the museum when I was in the area on my next trip. A few weeks later I arranged a private tour of the museum and got a very interested and detailed tour of the collection, the history of Matchbox cars and the owner of the collection and his collection.
The museum sign at the front of the museum
The rows and rows of cars and trucks
The museum houses one of the most extensive and complete collections of Matchbox cars from not just the collectibles but cars that were part of their promotions in Happy meals and in boxes of Kellogg cereal.
The rows and rows of the collection
The collection also extended out to toys from the company that manufactured the cars from Universal Toys to Tyco Toys to the current owner, Mattel (Wiki.com).
The first car created as part of this vast collection
The collection contained some of the original die cast cars from the first set that were created.
All the cars are so neatly organized
We went row by row and room by room and I was fascinated by the detail and extensive knowledge the docent had on the collection and the history of Matchbox cars. This is a great museum to take kids on just for the sheer collection and for toy collectors who are interesting in Matchbox items.
Our Story, Our Passion
(From the museum website)
The concept of Matchbox Road Museum was formed out of a life-long interest in miniature automotive perfection. The personal collection turned into a well-renowned museum of the preservation of the rare, discontinued and historically important die-cast models. Every item in our assortment symbolizes the art, nostalgia, and cultural impact of the small cars over time.
The inside of the Galley
We think such miniature cars are not just collectibles but narrators of innovations, design and childhood fantasy. By means of professional conservation, careful exhibitions and devotion to authenticity, we give our visitors and collectors an experience that is informative and inspirational.
The Matchbox cars in Happy Meals
The cars available in cereal boxes
The models of Queen Elizabeth II coronation carriages that helped start the company
We have a very easy mission to fulfill, which is to secure the legacy, celebrate the history and make sure these small cars keep on telling big stories in the coming decades.
The Legacy of Matchbox Cars
(From the museum website)
Since its inception in the year 1953, Matchbox cars have changed the way we view toys as well as the toy industry.
They were not only iconic in size but storytelling. Real-world vehicles. Authentic detail. The palm of your hand Dreams at affordable prices.
These small masterpieces attracted the minds of millions of people during decades. Nowadays, they are not just toys, but a part of history, art of engineering, and culture.
We celebrate that tradition at Matchbox Road Museum.
Video on the tour
The museum also has an extensive collection of toys and playthings on display.
Walking around the extensive collections of cars
About the Founder
(From the museum website)
Every great collection begins with a single spark.
A childhood obsession turned into a lifetime goal – retain the heritage of miniature car perfection to the generations to come. The creator of Matchbox Road Museum devoted several decades to the collection of rare, discontinued, and historically important models.
This museum is not constructed using shelves of cars.
It is built on passion. Dedication. Obsession with detail.
And now that heritage open to you is there.
The museum is open for private tours that can be arranged in advance. The tour will take about an hour and you will see a lot. I was taken in by the sheer collection and the walls filled with rows and rows of cars. I really is a fascinating museum.
It is the week of Halloween in New York City and the Museum of Modern Art opened its door for a Members get together.
The MoMA was haunted on a pre-Halloween Night and members of the museum were looking for a fright!
On October 28th, the Museum of Modern Art held their annual Members Night with a Halloween theme “It’s Alive”. They asked members to dress up and carried the Halloween theme throughout the museum with entertainment, refreshments and art lectures on spooky looking art. It was a fun evening out on a warm October night.
The Costumed guests at the Museum of Modern Art
The guests were greeted at the museum with a DJ playing and a pumpkin carving display being created. On the second floor, there were arts and crafts for adults and children, while a spooky silent film played in a darkened hall. The theme of the evening was “It’s Alive” and the museum came to life with each member arriving.
Members mingling among the ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night
The sign welcoming us for the Members Evening “It’s Alive”
Many of the museums were having their Members Nights before the start of the holidays but nothing beats a night at the MoMA before Halloween night. This was no ordinary night of Trick role Treating at the museum. There was a costumed DJ spinning tunes as we entered and the whole lobby was filled with people in costume.
The lobby was the heart of the party
I love the art in the lobby
There was a pumpkin carving demonstration on the first floor when we walked in
The museum planned an array of activities to enjoy from the DJ spinning to the to the dancing and music on the first floor. Pumpkin carving and artwork to enjoy with our creative side to a spooky silent film to watch and then tour the haunted halls of the museum looking for sinister art. Movies and music on the patio as the sun set and the moon rose in the night sky.
Our directory of the evening
My first stop was the outside patio and it was just beautiful this evening with the weather warm at 65 degrees and such a pleasant night to be outside. The cool weather finally gave way to a warm week leading into Halloween. Surrealist movies were playing on the screen while the Beauty of Midtown lights gleaned in the background.
The patio was busy with people chatting and enjoying the nice weather
My video on the patio
The patio fountains were lit for the evening
I then made my way to the second floor to watch a silent horror film, ‘The Cat and the Canary’
The beginning of the film
The movie in full
The silent film “The Cat and the Canary”
Watching the silent film
The silent film “The Cat and the Canary”
While we were watching the film, the tables were set with play dough and paper to create what inspired us. I created my version of Mr. Bill. It was fun being a kid again!
The table setting our spooky instructions
The spooky instructions
My version of Mr. Bill doing the scream
My creative artwork
After my time with the arts and crafts , I sat down to watch the full film which had lots of twists and turns on it.
I needed a drink after the film was over and with it being Midterms week at work, I really needed one to relax me. I eyed the Blood Orange Margarita and watch it get mixed. They even put a small gummy eye at the bottom of the drink.
The Blood Orange Margarita sounded good after a long week of running around
The margarita looked cute but not for $17.00. I thought it was a bit small with too much ice. The candy eyeball was cute though.
As I was enjoying my drink and listening to the music, the museum laid out trays of Halloween candy like M & M’s and Tootsie rolls, which got devoured quickly. As I walked around the lobby, the main floor turning into a dance floor of witches and ghosts and many costumed characters.
The make shift dance floor on the first floor
The party continued on the first floor
I continued the evening walking the galleries of the Fifth Floor looking for Halloween art. There were talks and tours all night and I joined other members on the Fifth Floor and I found many ‘haunting’ objects in the halls of the MoMA.
Artwork on the Fifth Floor
The spider like Alexander Calder piece
The colorful surreal pieces of the Fifth Floor
A missing mysterious magician
A headless Spector rooming the halls
Colorful art dominating the Fifth floor
The party continued into the later evening with the dance floor going strong.
The costumed characters on the dance floor on the first floor
I took a break from the festivities and relaxed on the patio enjoying the warm night and admiring the lights of Midtown. With everything going on in the world today, the MoMA tricked us in for a real treat at the museum that night.
Relaxing in the patio at the end of the evening
The haunted pools of the patio relaxed me that evening.
All good things come to an end and the museum started to close down by 9:00pm. I could tell many of the party goers did not want to leave but out into the darkness we went only to be treated by the array of lights to Midtown Manhattan.
Looking at the MoMA from a distance down Seventh Avenue
Decorating for Halloween has become a big business and all signs of the Fall were around us. Unfortunately with Halloween on Saturday I was already seeing the signs of Christmas lurking in the background. Designers were putting up pine displays and decorations you could see just waiting for Halloween night to end. Still for tonight, Midtown was a haunting display.
Pumpkins lining an office building on Sixth Avenue
The Fall leaves are falling along the sides of West 55th Street
Looking down 8th Avenue at night
It was fun to walk around the City on this warm October night and enjoy the pre-Halloween festivities. Trick or Treat everyone!
I can’t believe that a whole year passed and I am back to Wildwood for the NJ State Firemen’s Convention. Time just keeps zipping by each year.
Just before the Convention, I left a couple of days before and visited my mother and her partner since I will not see them again until the Christmas holiday. This is when I give them both the first part of their Christmas present and take them to dinner at a restaurant of their choice. They chose Blue Coast in Rehoboth Beach as their present, the same restaurant we celebrated Mother’s Day. The food was really good but the service was a little off. I do not think they had enough help that evening. Still we had a very nice time.
Blue Coast at 30115 Veterans Way in Rehoboth Beach, DE
The food at Blue Coast is always wonderful and I am glad they made the choice. With the Christmas holidays here before you know it, getting one Christmas present out of the way makes things easier. Plus we had a ball!
My mother and I at dinner for her ‘early Christmas’ present
The Fried Calamari we shared
The food was really a standout. My mother’s partner and I shared the Fried Calamari, which they make really well and was perfectly cooked and not greasy and for my main entree, I had the Fried Shrimp with French Fries. I had not eaten this much fried food in one sitting in a long time and I considered it a rare treat.
The Fried Shrimp entree
Before I left my mother’s house for the Convention, she prepared an amazing French Toast breakfast for me while they enjoyed all the doughnuts and pastries I brought from Mills bakery. My mother still likes to spoil me at my age. This is when it is fun to have parents who care!
Having breakfast with my mother before the Convention and we talked through the meal
The Raison Bread French Toast was delicious
The it was off to the Lewes-Cape May Ferry Terminal for my annual trip from Lewes, DE to Cape May, NJ. The trip takes about an hour and forty-five minutes and on a nice sunny not only is quicker but the views are amazing. Dolphins traveling along side of us made the trip more interesting as the whole ferry moved to one side of the boat every time they passed by. I think they just wanted the attention and know what we were doing.
The Lewes Cape May Ferry Terminal on the Lewes, DE side of the ride
It was a beautiful day that morning and many of the patrons were either at the bar or eating an early lunch at the restaurant. It was also enjoyable to listen to music at the bar. I think many of the locals enjoy eating here just for the views and watching the ferries coming and going.
The restaurant and bar were really busy that afternoon
The ferry looks so graceful as it enters the port in Lewes, DE
My video on the ship arriving
I swear everyone makes a B line to the concession stand for snacks when I get on one of these ferries. During the holidays when I take the ferry over to Cape May, I have enjoyed their egg sandwiches.
They really stock this place and have a nice selection of snacks
Depending on the weather, it can take between an hour and a half to get to Cape May from Lewes or when the water is rough like in December, two hours. The views are beautiful
Entering the Cape May coastline during the late summer of 2026
The concert continued into the early evening and the end of the Summer brought darkness earlier in the evening. I could not understand why it was getting dark around 7:30pm. I was used to it at 8:30pm. The crowds kept getting busier as the evening wore on.
The Ramble in the evening
The audience really grew
The Ramble
I loved the performance of ‘Let My Love Open the Door” at the Howard Street Rumble
I was not hungry after such a big breakfast and a snack, so I just wanted a slice of pizza but not much was open this late at night so I walked around the beach after the concert was over and found Blue Moon Pizza open late. It was really quiet and it must have been quiet for a while because the counter guy and the owner/pizza maker looked bored.
My dinner that night and the Cheese pizza was quite good for a slice that was warmed
The strange part of the meal was it was about 10:00pm when I finished and it looked like the restaurant had been quiet for a while. While I was eating a party of four came in and ordered a large pizza, then another gentleman walked in and ordered four slices to go and then another couple came in and ordered another four slices and they needed to make another cheese pie for the case. When I left, there were seven people eating in the pizzeria and another couple walked in as I was leaving. The owner came out into the dining room to see what was going on and then gave me a big smile like I brought all these people into his pizzeria. Even I was surprised by all this at this time of night.
I just walked along the shore line for the rest of the evening and then through Washington Mall (Cape May’s Downtown) before going to bed. I was exhausted both from work and the trip and needed a little R & R. When I got back to the hotel, it was later in the evening and it had that creepy, ominous look about it. Sometimes it looks like ‘The Overlook Hotel’ from ‘The Shining’.
The Chalfonte Hotel at night after ‘The Ramble’ was finished.
I was staying in one of the back rooms on the second floor. I felt like I was walking down haunted halls.
Especially with old pictures of the hotel and faded bathing beauties line the walls of the hallway. Late in the evening, you feel like you are in the “Overlook Hotel” in the “The Shining”
Touring the Haunted halls of the Chalfonte Hotel
My comfortable room for the next three days of the Convention
I slept like the dead that night and even if there were a ghost haunting the halls they could not have woken me up. I slept for a solid eight hours and woke up to a beautiful sunny morning.
The morning of the Convention I got up at eight and got ready to head over to Wildwood. I had time before our 11:00am meeting a so I decided to treat myself to breakfast on the Veranda at The Magnolia Room, the hotel’s signature restaurant. It was a beautiful, sunny morning so it was perfect to eat outside.
Dining on the Veranda of the hotel on the first morning at The Magnolia Room
They have a nice but limited breakfast menu. I miss their breakfast buffet
I ordered the Challah bread French Toast with bacon
Though I miss the old Breakfast Buffet at the Magnolia Room before COVID, the breakfasts on the porch are part of my first day meetings ritual. On a nice warm morning, there is nothing like it and the French Toast was really good.
It did not look like a lot but I was stuffed after breakfast
The French Toast was excellent and I highly recommend ordering it
It was nice to just sit back and enjoy breakfast on this warm sunny morning before a long day of meetings. With all the grading, scheduling and driving and running around between the prior week and this week, I needed this break.
This is the way to dine in the morning
I got to the Convention Center early and checked in and wondered into the empty Convention Hall before the meeting. To start the meeting, the Wildwood Fire Department Honor Guard and the Bergen County Pipe and Drum performed to open the meeting along with a very loud and heartfelt ‘Pledge of Alliance”. You have never heard it recited until you are with over a thousand firefighters reciting it all at once.
The start of the meeting as the Wildwood Color guard entered with the Bergen County Pipe and Drum
The video of the Pipe and Drum and Color Guard
One of the main speakers was Donna Busch’s, whose husband the Buschio Exam is named after who helps so many firefighters with full medical exams.
After several hours in the meeting, we finished for the day and I walked down the Boardwalk for lunch. I knew where all wanted to go and made a beeline to Franconi’s Pizzeria on the Boardwalk.
Walking on the Boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ after the first Convention meeting
What really surprised me that afternoon was how quiet the Boardwalk was for lunch. Normally the Boardwalk is bustling with people but for some reason only the restaurants closest to the Convention Center were busy and that was it.
Walking around the Morey Piers whose staff was preparing for that evening when it opened at night
The second bend of the Boardwalk was very quiet that Friday afternoon
What was crazy was the number of restaurants loaded with food on their cases and extra staff all sitting around with cellphones waiting for people to come. I had never seen this before at a Convention meeting afternoon.
There was not a lot of people on the Boardwalk and when I got to Franconi’s Pizza. I was one of three customers at the restaurant after hundreds of guys had just attended meeting down the Boardwalk.
Franconi’s Pizzeria at Oak Avenue and the Boardwalk
I stopped in for lunch after the first set of meetings. I did not want to have a huge lunch because I had plans for dinner. So I thought I will just order sausage calzone. Big mistake, the thing was huge!
When the waitress brought it out, I thought she brought me the large one. This is the small!
I wondered how I would finish this thing
This calzone was the size of a small pizza
The calzone was filled with lots of cheese and sausage and came with the restaurants delicious red sauce. This could have fed two people.
It was delicious and what a lunch
After a meal like this, I needed a long walk on the Boardwalk and then walked the length of the Boardwalk to North Wildwood and back. When I walked back it seemed emptier than before.
I took a pit stop through Douglas Candies on the Boardwalk when I saw the candy demo in the window and the festive Halloween displays.
The one product I really like at the store is their candy bars especially their milk chocolate. They are a bit pricy but a once in a while treat is a good thing. You can always taste the richness in freshly made chocolate and their chocolate bars are the best. Their moi taffy was delicious too when they were sampling it.
The delicious taffy and assorted candies
The decorated Candy Apples
Each counter has a different type of candy and even in early September, the store was being decorated for Halloween. This smiling witch greeted customers at the door. There was all sorts of products being packaged for the Halloween when I was there and the store was creatively decorated for the holidays.
The store decorated for Halloween
The store was decorated early for Halloween
After I was finished with my walk of the Boardwalk, I planned on coming back later in the evening after dinner. I just wanted to get back to the hotel and relax for awhile.
When I got to Cape May, I put my feet in the ocean and enjoyed my walk along the beach. It was one of those beautiful sunny late afternoons. The water was a little rough as a Nor’easter was supposed to be heading up the coast later next week but for now the perfect late Summer afternoon.
Walking along the beach in Cape May
My video of the shore
The beach was perfect and the water was so warm and because most of the kids were back in school at this point it was quiet on the beach.
The waves were so relaxing
My video on the waves
The Ravioli House at 102 East Bennett Avenue in Downtown Wildwood, NJ
For dinner that evening I kept with my annual tradition on the first night of Convention and it was a trip to the Ravioli House in Downtown Wildwood. I dined there for a late dinner and ordered the Lasagna with a side of meatballs and came with bread and a House Salad. The meal was excellent.
The House Salad with fresh bread that I enjoyed before my Lasagna dinner
The Lasagna at Ravioli House is the type you might find in the Emilo-Romano section of Italy. It is layered with two different types of meat, two different types of cheese and slices of hard-boiled eggs baked between the homemade lasagna sheets and then topped with their homemade red sauce. It is decadent and delicious. They served it with two homemade Pork Meatballs that were excellent.
The Lasagna dinner also came with two homemade meatballs
They give you a sizeable slice of Lasagna loaded with meats, cheese and sliced hardboiled eggs
Yum!
The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year so I planned on dining here both nights of the Convention.
I was so stuffed from dinner, I had no interest in dessert and more interested in a long walk on the Boardwalk to work off both lunch and dinner. The lights had come on and the whole Boardwalk takes on a fantasyland look to it.
The Boardwalk was busier in the evening
The Boardwalk was much busier in the evening than it had been in the afternoon but still not what it once was in years past. It’s a sign of the times with this economy. I am used to it being much more crowded with families.
It got busier by the Morey Amusement Piers, where the park was celebrating Octoberfest
The Morey family extends their season for the Firemen’s Convention and the park was pretty busy that night with the young families. All the rides were full force and there was such an energy on this part of the Boardwalk. It is almost bittersweet because after this weekend, the piers close until next May.
The piers were lit like a fantasyland that evening
Video of the pier at night
The rides were so colorful on that Friday night
The Garage bands they had that evening were good but not great. Some of the singers were a bit off key but still some of them brought energy to the park and it was a lot of fun that night. They really had the crowd moving around the dance floor in front of the stage.
The opening of ‘Octoberfest’ that evening
My video on the concert with the group singing “I’m a Believer” by the Monkeys
I stayed until about 9:00pm and then wanted to head back to the hotel. We had voting in the early morning and then after that I had to head up to Vineland to visit the Vineland Historical Society Museum in Downtown Vineland, NJ. So I had some running around to do the next day.
It was another good night’s sleep at the hotel and then back to Wildwood for breakfast and voting. It was another beautiful sunny morning and I love the drive between Cape May and Wildwood through the marshes.
The Chalfonte Hotel in the early morning. The wedding party who were in house the night before had filled up the patio for breakfast.
The drive between the two towns is beautiful in the late summer with the tall grasses and green trees. Fall had not hit yet so the last vestiges of Summer were still here. You have stop and look at their gracefulness. You can see all the birds digging for their breakfast.
The local highway between the two towns along the shoreline
The marshes in the late Summer
The views of the marshes are spectacular in the early morning
I got to the Convention Center for voting at 8:00am and was able to take a picture of the Wildwood Boardwalk when it was quiet.
The Boardwalk and the beach are quite beautiful in the early morning
I got to the Convention Center which I could not believe was that busy that early in the morning. I guess everyone else had the same idea to vote early and start their day as well.
The entrance to the Wildwood Convention Center in the morning
After I left voting and got back to the Boardwalk to go have breakfast, everyone on the Boardwalk stopped as they played the National Anthem at 9:00am sharp. If you want to see patriotism, watch hundreds of firefighter s and their families stop, remove their hats and sing ‘God Bless America’. It is quite a site.
Everything stopped for the National Anthem
I have to say that I was very impressed and proud to be a member of the fire service. With all the problems we have in this country, it is nice to see that some people still believe in it. The whole Boardwalk stopped for this.
This led to two more patriotic songs and then everyone went back to their morning. I walked down the Boardwalk to Franconi’s Pizzeria, who was having their annual Firefighters specials for breakfast.
I loved the Lorax sign on the Boardwalk
I love coming to Franconi’s for any meal. The food is so reasonable, the service always so welcoming and meals excellent. In all the years I have been coming here, I have never had a bad meal.
Franconi’s Pizzeria at 3300 Boardwalk on the second bend of the Boardwalk
The lunch was so good that I stopped in for breakfast the next morning. I had one of the Firemen’s Special Breakfast’s that had three eggs, your choice of bacon or sausage, hashbrowns and two blueberry pancakes (I paid three dollars extra for these but well worth it).
The Firemen’s Special of Three Eggs with Sausage and Hashbrowns and two large Blueberry pancakes
They did not skip on the blueberries in the Blueberry Pancakes
The Scrambled eggs were excellent and everything on the plate was perfectly cooked and spiced
I don’t what it is about Franconi’s that makes it so special to eat here. Maybe it is the location on the boardwalk so close to the beach and the sea air or the sounds of the ocean and the boardwalk or just people enjoying themselves.
What a breakfast!
I walked the Boardwalk for a bit since it was such a beautiful morning and then headed out to Vineland, NJ for a visit to the Vineland Historical Society Museum. The Museum Director had reached out to me about a year earlier to come for a visit and everytime I tried to go, it just did not work out. Before I left for Wildwood, I had Googled the museum for hours and it just happened to be open the weekend of the Convention so off I went up the back highways to Downtown Vineland, NJ.
I had not been to Vineland since my father had worked for Vineland Industries back in 1974, so it had been a long time and I hardly remember it. Downtown Vineland is still vibrant in some ways but could use some more businesses. The historical society was located just off the downtown area and located in a beautiful building that had been built for the museum around the turn of the last century.
The front of the Vineland Historical Society Museum at 108 South Seventh Street in Downtown Vineland, NJ
On my off time from the Firemen’s Convention after voting, I had planned to visit a group of small museums in Cumberland and Glouster Counties in New Jersey. Most of the small ones were closed or had changed their hours online but the Vineland Historical Society was open for touring and was having a speaker that day. I had been invited to come by the President of their Board of Directors about a year earlier so I was glad that I was able to visit this weekend where the schedules matched up.
What an interesting museum with its focus not just on the history of the Town of Vineland but of the surrounding communities and the impact that Vineland had and has on Urban Design, Farming, Manufacturing and Inventions that contribute to the whole country.
About the Museum:
The museum had been designed as a Historical Museum for community leaders who wanted to share their love of historical objects and the past history of the community. This is what built the collection over the years. Each section of the museum tells a different part of Vineland’s history from the community events like its “100th Anniversary” of the town, the history of the Police, Fire and Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the community who contributed to Women’s Suffrage and to the number of everyday products we use like Grape Juice and Marshmallow Fluff that were invented here. Each section of the museum tells an interesting story.
The museum is a stop on the Woman’s Suffrage Tour
The Mission of the Museum:
The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society is the oldest local historical society in New Jersey and its museum is the oldest purpose-built museum in the State of New Jersey. The Society is dedicated to collecting and preserving artifacts and records related to Vineland and the South Jersey region, and to sharing that material with visitors through exhibits, programs and other appropriate venues. Vineland has a rich, culturally-diverse past that is reflected through our collections. To learn more, please contact us or make an appointment to visit.
The Rain Garden outside the museum
The Rain Water Garden sign
The Rain Water Garden outside the museum was in full bloom at the Summer and you could see that the garden was trying to attract butterflies and other insects that would help pollinize the garden. It must be very colorful during the Spring.
The first floor of the museum is the lecture room, the library and the gift shop along with local artifacts and the Glass Manufactured Gallery
The main gallery was set for a lecture later that afternoon. On all sides of the museum tell the story and the timeline of Vineland and the surrounding communities. There is the City of Vineland and Vineland Borough and Landis Township in 1952. So you see the artifacts of the farming communities and those of the developing City (Wiki).
The early views of the museum with the original heating unit and turn of the century shell art
Historical community information
The First floor collection of artifacts
The bust of Charles K. Landis, who founded the town
The display of the early Women’s Suffrage Movement in town, which helped women earn the right to vote. New Jersey was an early pioneer in the Movement.
The photo of Portia Kellogg Chase, an early leader in the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Vineland, NJ
Made in Vineland: A Celebration of Local Inventors and Their Creations:
The exhibition highlights the remarkable people and ideas born right here in Vineland. From everyday household items to groundbreaking innovations in transportation, food, tools, and telecommunications, this special 2026 exhibit tells the stories of local inventors whose creations shaped daily life far beyond our city. Visitors are invited to explore these inventions and the fascinating individuals behind them during our Open House held every third Saturday of the month.
The ‘Made in Vineland’ exhibition:
The inventions of the Flower vase, the Woodruff Train Car and the Self Adjusted Plane
The inventions of Angel Food Cake Marshmallow fluff
The inventions of the Grape Juice industry and Skee-ball game
The post office desk from the turn of the last century
Just off the side of the main room is the Blown Glass Room. The area is known for special sand that is used for glass making. This made the State of New Jersey one of the leading manufacturers of glass in the country at the time.
Each of the cases displays glass for different purposes and for different industries made by different companies. The museum has a very extensive collection of glass.
The Blown Glass Room
The Blown Glass Room
Since the other museums closed around 1:00pm, I decided to head back to Cape May. I would have to visit these small local museums on my next trip to the area. Both the Matchbox Road Museum at 15 Pearl Street in Newfield, NJ and the Clayton Historic Museum at 29 East Avenue in Clayton, NJ both had limited hours that I missed on my trip to the area. For the next time.
The Matchbox Road Museum at 15 Pearl Street in Newfield, NJ
Along the local highway coming back from the Clayton Historic Museum, I passed Twin Kiss, a small restaurant and ice cream stand that looked like time had passed by. One of these little establishments that dot parts of New Jersey that once well travelled roads.
The Twin Kiss Drive Inn at 25 South Delsea Drive in Clayton, NJ
Twin Kiss Drive In, at 25 S. Delsea Drive, has been a Clayton icon since 1955, when George W. and Mary Lillian “Lilly” Kasper opened the ice cream franchise. The couple borrowed $5,000.00 and bought into the brand-new Twin Kiss franchise, opening several locations throughout Pennsylvania, coming to CLAYTON opening that stand on May 19, 1955 .
In 1959, when Twin Kiss developed a sandwich unit, Lilly joined George full time, and they worked side by side for over 40 years. They ran it for 46 years until retiring in 2001. New owners, John and Stacey Chamberlin, took over in 2001.
Twin Kiss Drive Inn and their Mission Statement:
(from the restaurant website)
Welcome to Twin Kiss Drive-In, a beloved local staple in Clayton, New Jersey, where great food and classic drive-in charm come together.
Proudly owned and operated by Stacy and John Chamberlain, Twin Kiss Drive-In is built on a simple idea: serve quality food, create a welcoming atmosphere, and give the community a place to gather and enjoy. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick bite, bringing the family for a casual night out, or reliving a bit of nostalgia, Twin Kiss offers an experience that feels both timeless and uniquely local.
For years, Twin Kiss has been known for its friendly service, classic American favorites, and that unmistakable drive-in vibe. Stacy and John are hands-on owners who take pride in maintaining the tradition while continuing to make the space feel fresh, inviting, and community-focused.
More than just a place to eat, Twin Kiss Drive-In is a part of Clayton’s story—a spot where memories are made, from summer nights and after-game stops to everyday moments worth savoring. We’re grateful to be part of this community and look forward to serving you.
The front of the restaurant
The ice cream and dessert menu
The sandwich and sub menu
The delicious Salted Caramel with Pretzel Ice Cream I had that day and this was a small!
Twin Kiss Drive Inn is one of those classic New Jersey restaurants that every town should have in them. After my visit to Twin Kiss for dessert, I drove back to Cape May through the back roads, visiting towns that I had never been to and driving down roads that once had been the major highways in this region.
The funny part about traveling some of these local highways is that I felt like I wasn’t even in New Jersey anymore. I felt like I was in small towns in Alabama or something. This is the way I feel sometimes when I visit small towns in the Hudson River Valley.
Once you leave the more ‘popular’ tourism towns like Rhinebeck, you visit these more ‘local’ towns and you feel like you are visiting the place that time forgot. I will have to make a special road trip back next month to visit some of the local museums.
I got back to Cape May with plenty of time to walk around. Unfortunately the hotel was hosting another wedding and I just wanted to get away from that. Cape May was really busy that night now that the Convention meeting was over so couples and families were running around the town.
I changed my clothes and went back to Wildwood for dinner and to walk the Boardwalk to work off meals. My goal was to go to the Ravioli House for dinner one last time because I knew it would be closing in two weeks.
The town had quieted down since the Firemen’s Parade was over and I think a lot of people had headed home. I just wanted another night at the shore to relax now that my work was done. I had another excellent evening.
I was so happy with dinner the night before, that I decided to have dinner there again my last night at the shore. The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year.
What I really enjoy about the restaurant is starting with their house salad with homemade dressing
The salads are so crisp and fresh
Dinner was the Shrimp Scampi with homemade linguine
After several days of fried foods and heavy sauces, I decided to order something lighter and ordered the Shrimp Scampi, which came with a lemon and wine sauce. It blended in wonderfully with the fresh cooked pasta. The sauce had a creamy consistency.
The jumbo shrimp were perfectly cooked and were sweet and tender
The meal was delicious and the seafood was so fresh
After dinner was over and I was thoroughly stuffed from both the meal and dessert, I enjoyed another night of walking the Boardwalk and enjoying the lights.
I watched part of Michigan State-Notre Dame football game on the big screen TV at the Morey Pier. They kept it on low and I watched enough to goal at Notre Dame’s last touch down against us. It was depressing but we held our own for a team that is going through a rebuild.
The lights dazzled my last night on the Boardwalk
Before I left the Boardwalk that evening. I stopped by the Douglass Pavilion for some ice cream. I had never noticed this before and when the menu, it carried such unusual flavors.
The store has a complete ice cream store to compliment the sale of the pints of ice cream in the Douglass Candy store across the Boardwalk. This way you can taste the flavors before you buy them. The store was getting ready for the Halloween holiday season so it was all about pumpkins and Jack-0-Lanterns.
The Douglas Creamery is across the Boardwalk from the store
The menu and flavors of the ice creams that you can choose from. The ice creams are homemade and themed with some of the candy items in the store
I loved the selection of flavors and some included the candies that they sell in the store. The flavors were also geared toward the Fall with Pumpkin and Apple Cider Doughnut flavors.
The tables and the store were decorated for Halloween
I chose the Molasses Paddy (which is a candy they are known for) and the Apple Cider Doughnut ice cream
The ice cream is rich and delicious and they give you nice sized scoops
The store is getting ready for Halloween
I got back to the hotel as the wedding broke up and the hotel had that eerie late evening look to it. I love the look of this old hotel. It looks like the ghosts from the past still visit it.
The Chalfonte Hotel on my last evening
I woke up the next morning like I slept for a year. I got nine hours of sleep. It was overcast that morning and I was still full from dinner and the ice cream the night before. Since I didn’t foresee coming back to the shore, I decided to just have a piece of pastry at the Ravioli House Pastry Shop, take another quick walk on the Boardwalk and then head home.
The Wildwood Boardwalk on the last day of my trip
The Morey Pier was quiet in the early morning and I believe was closed for the season
My video of watching the Ferris Wheel
I stopped at the Ravioli House for breakfast on my last morning of the Convention. I was getting tired of Pancakes, Bacon and Eggs and wanted something different. I had seen pastries in the case I had always wanted to try so I returned one last time before I headed home.
The Ravioli House Bake Shop has a wonderful assortment of bakery treats
The seating area in the pastry shop allows people to talk amongst themselves
Since my dinners were so filling, I never got a chance to try two of the desserts I had wanted in the last two visits to the restaurant so I stopped in the bakery and had breakfast here ordering a Cassata Cake and a Napoleon with fruit. I could just about finish the Cassata Cake because the pastry was so large and very sweet that I brough the Napoleon home.
The Napoleon and the Cassata Cake with some hot tea with lemon
The Cassata Cake at Ravioli House is very dense and rich and should be shared
The dessert is filled with a mixture of cake, nuts and liquors
The Napoleon I saved for later
I was on a major sugar high on the way home that morning. I knew this would be going on the three hour trip home. I was surprised how quickly I got home that afternoon. I figured everyone else had checked out the day before.
It was another successful trip for my Fire Department Convention work and my blogging for all the Travel sites. I got a lot accomplished this weekend. We got the voting for the Convention done that we wanted and I had another set of museums that I had visited or planned to visit in the future. Now on to Halloween.
Author and Fire Fighter Justin Watrel with his novel, “Firehouse 101” on sale at IUniverse.com.
Exert from my Novel “Firehouse 101” Chapter “A Trip to the Firehouse”:
In 2005, just as I was interviewing to become a Hasbrouck Heights Fire fighter, I published my novel, the second in a New York City Trilogy (that I am still working on), titled “Firehouse 101”. I had been writing the book since January 2002, inspired by my best friend who had survived the Towers that tragic day.
This was the story of Alex Livingston, a Honolulu Hotel executive, who moves from Waikiki to Brooklyn, NY when the Marriott hotel he works at transfers him when business declined at his hotel in Hawaii a year after the attacks.
While living in Brooklyn, Alex befriends Ryan Callahan, a member of the FDNY and a third generation firefighter. Ryan’s survival the day of the attacks still haunt him over a year later and Alex sees a community still reeling from the attacks.
Firehouse 101: available for sale on the following platforms:
From the Chapter “Visiting the Firehouse” storyline:
In the novel, Alex goes to Firehouse 101 located just off Boerum Hill, Brooklyn to assist Ryan in cooking a monthly family breakfast that has occurred every month since the attacks to bring families together with the current firefighters families so they do not feel forgotten. This is when Alex, a Hotelier and Culinarian with the Marriott Metrotech, realizes that Ryan can’t cook.
I have posted darker excerpts of the book online but this is one of the funnier parts of my novel. To read the rest of the story to see what happens next, you can buy the book through IUniverse.com, my publisher, Amazon, Walmart, Barnes & Nobel or any other online book company. “Firehouse 101” is a print on demand book and an eBook.
“A Visit to the Firehouse”:
Saturday night Alex went to bed early. He could not believe he had to get up this early to cook with Ryan. Who even heard of a guy that couldn’t cook? An Italian guy at that? This was the twenty first century and people have progressed on. Leslie had told Alex that Ryan’s life was similar to a 50’s sitcom. Was that why Leslie and Ryan broke up? She did not see herself in the 50’s? Or was it the other way around and Ryan could not leave his secure world for the unknown? Some people have a tough time letting go of what they’ve lived their whole life.
After 9/11, the outside world had finally seen inside the fire fighters world. It had opened people’s eyes. They found it fascinating, like a new stage play. But as Leslie pointed out, fame is fleeting. It was Andy Warhol’s term “15 minutes of fame”. Leslie said the media makes something a hot topic and it stays that way until the next hot topic comes around. Alex turned and went to sleep. That night, he had that dream again about running down the stairs as fast as he could, this time hearing crashing noises above.
Alex got up at five the next morning and decided to get to the firehouse early. He was groggy, but knew that after working many a breakfast at both Marriott’s and Hiltons, it pays to be early and set up. It was still dark outside as Alex walked down the quiet streets of Boerum Hill. He relished the silence. Alex paused and looked at the tree lined side streets. It really was a beautiful neighborhood, full of character. It was a special neighborhood; he could see why the association worked so hard to protect it.
The door to the firehouse was open, Alex was glad as he wasn’t sure of how else to get in. One of the guys was downstairs manning the radio. Alex looked out of place with his chef’s whites and checked pants. When business got slow in Hawaii, just like in New York, Alex worked in the kitchen, honing the skills that he had learned at UNLV. The Marriott gave him the uniform to keep just in case.
“Hi,” Alex said softly to the guy at the radio. “I’m a friend (was he?) of Ryan’s. I’m helping him out this morning with breakfast. Where can I find him?” “Yous helping Ryan?” the guy yawned. He had the thickest Brooklyn accent Alex had ever heard. “He’s upstairs in the kitchen, top of the stairs and turn left,” he said and went back to work. Another firefighter walked down the stairs as Alex went up. He stared at Alex and said, “Are yous catering or somethin’?” “I’m here to help Ryan out with breakfast,” Alex said. “Thank God, his food tastes like shit,” the guy grumbled as he passed Alex. I love the way New Yorkers phrase things. There is no holding back, Alex said to himself as he finally found the kitchen.
It was not very impressive. The equipment seemed old but functional. There were two ovens, a stove, and a griddle with enough room to work with on the side. It wasn’t a huge kitchen but it would do. Alex wondered if it fit all the guys in the house at one time. The building was old. Alex wondered if these walls could talk what would they say? About losses and triumphs of the past? Tales of fires big and small and stories of probies (probationary officers) past? There was a lot of history here. Alex pondered the past. He was so deep in thought that he didn’t see Ryan enter.
“What? Are you okay?” Ryan asked. “Sorry, I was thinking of something. So what are we doing this morning? What did you want to make?” Alex asked, rubbing his hands together. Ryan told him that there would be more people than expected. “How many?” Alex asked, “Fourteen, fifteen?” “Are you kidding me? Try twenty six!” Ryan said. Alex looked surprised and said, “Twenty six? Jesus Christ, we have to get to work,” Alex said collecting himself. He would kill Ryan later. “Okay, what do we have to do first?” Alex looked at the clock, it was now six. How was he going to pull this off?
With so many people, everything was going to be served buffet style. Thank God, Alex thought, for the old buffet line. “So what are we making?” Alex asked. “Bacon, eggs, toast, potatoes, French Toast, sausage, muffins, and we have some melons,” Ryan replied. “Okay, so what has been done?” Alex asked. “Nothing,” Ryan said innocently, pointing to several bags of groceries. Alex looked incredulously at the bags and yelled, “Nothing?! I can’t believe it, when does all this have to be done by?” “Between seven thirty and eight,” Ryan replied. “If I weren’t in a rush, I’d kill you now. Let’s get to work,” Alex said, emptying the bags as fast as he could. Alex suggested Ryan peel the potatoes and put them in water so they didn’t brown. He would get the muffins started. Alex asked where the muffin pans were and Ryan pointed to the bags again. Ryan was surprised as he heard Alex mutter a few swear words in Italian that he had picked up from his grandfather. So that’s when the Italian shows, Ryan said to himself.
As they unloaded the bags, Alex looked Ryan square in the eye and said, “I’ll get you for this.” Ryan peeled the potatoes and put them in the water, while Alex preheated the oven and read the directions on the muffin package. These were easy, two eggs and water and mix. The muffins would only take twenty five minutes. Alex cut the four loaves of bread for the French toast and asked, “Why are there four full loaves with so much other food?” “You’ve never been in a firehouse for breakfast before have you?” Ryan asked, taking his time to peel the potatoes. He was not doing that great a job.
Alex finished slicing the bread and put it aside. He cracked several eggs in a bowl and mixed it with milk and vanilla. “Ryan, I’ve told you about my pancake breakfasts with my mother’s cousin up in Greenwich. Now where is the cinnamon and nutmeg?” Ryan pointed at a spice rack and said, “Alex, serving people at a pancake breakfast and cooking for a group of fire fighters are two different things.” “Ryan, please,” Alex said stirring the cinnamon mixture with sugar and putting it into the refrigerator to cool and said, “How much can people possibly eat?” “Just wait,” Ryan said with a smile. Alex started to get the bacon ready on sheet pans to put under the broiler, and then realized that the muffins weren’t done yet. He looked at the time, shit it was getting late.
“Ryan, can you speed it up a bit with those potatoes, it’s getting late.” Alex dropped a pound of butter in a pot for clarified butter for the potatoes and the buzzer finally went off for the muffins. Damn these things come out perfect Alex said to himself. Why do people even bother making them from scratch? Alex threw the bacon in the broiler and set the griddle for the sausage and French toast. He looked at Ryan, who was still peeling potatoes and said to himself, he’s worthless in here. Alex was ready to kick him out of the kitchen.
Didn’t this guy know the meaning of the words “Mise en place”? (Everything in its place). Alex cut the sausage into patties and put them on the griddle. On the other side of the griddle, he started the French toast. Ryan finally finished peeling the potatoes. “The best thing to do now is cut them in sixths and we’ll make them with the onions you have over there. Then crack the eggs, we can scramble them last,” Alex said as he turned the bacon over, flipped all the sausage and finished the first batch of French toast. Alex stopped for a second and wondered who was in charge here? How come Ryan wasn’t moving faster?
Ryan finished cracking the eggs and scrambled them with milk as Alex got the bacon out of the oven and drained it in batches. There was some commotion in the other room as the men started to get up. All of sudden a little boy burst into the kitchen and caught Alex off guard. He almost dropped hot bacon on the kid.
“Uncle Ryan,” the child yelled as he grabbed Ryan’s leg and hugged him. “Alex, this is Patrick Jr.,” Ryan said with a big smile as he reached down and hugged the child. Alex looked at the time and panicked. Crunch time. “Hi Kiddo,” is all Alex could mutter. The sausages were being drained, the bacon was now done and the next batch of French toast was on the griddle. “Patrick is my friend Patrick’s son. He’s four years old,” Ryan explained. Alex stopped in his tracks. This was Patrick’s son!? Patrick had children? Alex looked at the little boy; it was so sad that he left such a charming son behind.
“Where are you’re sisters?” Ryan asked. Sisters? “They’re outside with everyone else, come with me,” Patrick Jr. said. “Do you mind?” Ryan said and he followed Patrick Jr. out the door, leaving Alex alone in the kitchen. He was lucky that no one went into the kitchen. He grabbed the four platters and ran through each dish one by one.
He lined the platters with paper for the bacon and the sausage and put them in the warmer, finished the French toast and put the platter in the warmer. He placed the muffins on a platter off to the side. He then took two sheet pans and started the toast. He thought about what Roger had said. Was Ryan using survivor guilt on him?
Two more children burst into the kitchen and yelled, “We’re hungry! Who are you?” as they gave Alex a strange look. Alex looked back, not knowing how to explain it to two little kids and said, “I’m a cook.” They looked at one another, as if Alex was a Martian. They asked together, “Can we have something to eat?” “No. You’ll ruin your breakfast,” Alex tried to say. “Whahhhhh, we’re hungry!” they screamed. “Okay, okay,” Alex said giving them some muffins and quickly turned over the toast. “Here you go, now make like bananas and split,” Alex said shooing them out of the kitchen. “He’s just like my mom,” one kid said to the other. “Yeah, bossy!” the other said as they ran out the door with their muffins. All Alex could think was that these kids had inherited their parents’ way of speaking. It was funny to hear these accents on seven year olds.
Ryan came back into the kitchen as Alex turned over the toast one more time in the broiler. “Where have you been? It’s like the attack of the little kids in here,” Alex said pulling the toast out. “I forgot to tell you the wives bring their kids,” Ryan said. “So I found out. I had to bribe two little kids to get them out of the kitchen. They told me that I acted like their mother,” Alex said out of breath.
“They’re typical kids,” Ryan said. Alex heard a lot of talking in the dining area. “Are the guys up?” Alex asked throwing the potatoes on the grill with some chopped onions and butter. “Yeah, some of the guys are greeting their wives that showed up for breakfast,” Ryan said as he started to cut up the five melons. Alex flipped the potatoes. “Do you have a brush?” Alex asked. “For what?” Ryan wanted to know. “The toast! Honestly Ryan, I don’t get you. You plan all this out and you act like you don’t know what to do. How did you ever do this in the past? Magic?” Alex said flustered. Ryan looked down at the floor and said, “I always had Patrick with me and he knew what to do.” Alex immediately went quiet.
He looked at Ryan for a second like he was ready to cry. “I’m sorry. I just want this to come out right,” Alex said. Ryan controlled himself and said, “I’m sorry for leaving you in the kitchen.” He saw the brush they used to make barbecued chicken and handed it to Alex, who at this point was suffering from a massive guilt complex.
“Thanks,” Alex said taking the melted butter and brushing it on the toast, cutting it and putting it on another platter. Ryan finished cutting all the melon cut and put it on another platter. “Oh, I forgot to make the cawfee,” Ryan said to Alex who then burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” Ryan asked. “The way you said it “Cawfee”, I want some cawfee and cake, like a true New YAWKA,” Alex said shaking his head (no matter how Alex tried, he just liked to make fun of Ryan). Ryan was fed up with Alex’s criticism of the way he talked and walked up to him and said in a serious tone, “Alex, I would cut the crap with this accent stuff. All the guys in the house talk like this. This is Brooklyn. No one speaks your perfect lockjaw ‘Connecticut English’. Did you know you sound funny to us?” “Hey, you want me to leave?” Alex said, “I don’t seriously need this crap on my day off.” Alex was exhausted and still had a batch of potatoes and the eggs to finish and Ryan was no help with any of it!
“I’m sorry, but watch it,” Ryan said, “some of the guys won’t appreciate it.” Alex put this into perspective. The idea of twenty guys with easy access to fire axes shut him up. “I’ll keep quiet,” Alex said turning the last batch of potatoes as Ryan arranged the melon on the platter. They were in the home stretch when two guys in jeans and ‘Firehouse 101” tee shirts walked into the kitchen. “Ryan, when the hell are we going to eat? We’re starved!” they yelled. They stopped in their tracks and looked at Alex.
They looked at Ryan and said, “Who the hell is this? You had to hire a cook to help you?” Alex held back from cracking up again and just smiled. “This is Alex; he works over at the Marriott…”Ryan started to say. “How did he get here?” one of the guys said. “We live in the same building and Ryan asked me for help,” Alex said, “we’ll have everything out in five minutes. I promise,” Alex said professionally. “Okay, but this better be good,” the other guy said. As they headed through the doors, they yelled in the room, “Hey everyone, Ryan’s got a chef in here!” Alex looked at Ryan and said, “I hate you”.
The only thing left were the scrambled eggs. Alex said, “I’ll finish the eggs. Why don’t you get all the rest of the stuff out so it does not get cold and those kids don’t come back in here,” Alex said as Casey and two new probies came into the kitchen. “Who’s the cook?” a probie said as he saw Alex putting the rest of the rest of the potatoes on the platter. “What’s he doing back here?” Casey asked pointing his finger at Alex, “don’t you have a home to go to?” He and the guys laughed. Alex had enough and said, “Look why don’t you shut up and be helpful. These platters aren’t going to walk out on their own, so get them out.” He had put up enough with this shit. “Fine, you don’t have to yell at us,” one of the probies said. Alex handed each of them a towel and a platter and said that the platters were hot. They let the room grumbling. “Ryan, could you take the French Toast out. I don’t want to over cook it,” he said as he powered sugared it, “it’s too bad we have no orchids. They look great on platters.” “Huh?” Ryan questioned.
“In Hawaii, we put orchids on out platters,” Alex said, “it makes a nice effect on the presentation.” “You are truly weird,” Ryan said as he took the French toast and bacon out. Alex cleaned the griddle and started the eggs. Thank God they are quick. Alex looked at the time. It was 8:10 am. They were just a little behind schedule. Alex put the eggs on the platter, picked up the platter of potatoes and walked out the door. He was not expecting a crowd watching him.
Alex walked into the dining area. There were about thirty people sitting around laughing. They took one look at him and everyone went silent. Alex stood there with the platters in hand when one of the little kids said, “That’s the guy who gave us the muffin. See, he does exist, Mommy!” Alex said “Hi, here are the eggs, Ryan. I’ll have the toast out in a minute,” and darted back into the kitchen. God, that was embarrassing. They looked at him like he was from Mars.
As he finished the last platter, Ryan came back into the kitchen. “You made a splash,” Ryan said. “Shut up and take this platter out,” Alex said tired. “Are you coming in to eat?” Ryan asked. “I’m fine. I had a piece of French toast. I can’t eat this much this early in the morning. You go with your guests and the rest of the guys and I’ll clean up,” Alex said. “You sure?” Ryan asked. “I’m fine, unless we need more food,” Alex kidded. “We’ll be okay for right now. I’ll keep you posted,” Ryan said as he went back into the dining area. ‘I’ll keep you posted?’ Alex thought to himself as he started to clean up.
As Ryan exited, Captain Giovanni entered the kitchen. Alex looked up and thought to himself, ‘oh this just keeps getting better’. “Hi Carmen,” Alex said innocently as he was wiping the table down. “Alex, what are you doing here? Can’t get enough of the firehouse? I told you, you can get sucked in,” Carmen kidded. “Carmen, Ryan asked me to help him with the breakfast,” Alex started to explain, “I hope I’m not crossing any boundaries.” Alex was still afraid he was trespassing. “Don’t worry about it, Alex. It’s just funny to see you in our kitchen,” Carmen said looking over the mess that Alex was cleaning up. “You are staying to clean up, right?” Carmen asked. “Will all be done soon,” Alex said getting back to work.
As Alex washed the sheet pans, dried the utensils and neatly stacked everything, he couldn’t believe the looks he got from the people outside. Alex felt like he was in a fishbowl. In Greenwich, those visits were like visiting someone’s house. He never felt this uncomfortable at those pancake breakfasts but then he was a little kid whom the guys would throw over his shoulder. As he thought harder, he always wondered why Alex Senior had not done the same. Other guys talked about playing horsy and the piggy-back rides their dads gave them as kids. At his house, it was golf, swimming and tennis lessons at the club. The world changes as you get older and the things that you did as a child differ from those as an adult. Alex cleaned up the rest of the kitchen and put everything away.
Alex tied up the garbage and as he finished mopping the floor, Ryan walked in. “Thanks for leaving me here to clean up,” Alex said. “You said to go outside and join the guests,” Ryan said defending himself. “I’m sorry, I’m tired. Where does the trash go?” Alex asked. Ryan grabbed the trash and dropped it out the window. He looked out the window to see two garbage cans with the tops off. The garbage bag went directly in. That’s convenient Alex thought to himself.
Alex asked if they had enough food. Ryan laughed and told him they just made it. The last muffin had been grabbed as he walked into the kitchen. “You’re kidding me, right?” Alex said almost shocked, “Ryan that was three pounds of bacon, three pounds of sausage, ten pounds of potatoes, two loaves of bread and that was just for the toast, not to mention the French Toast, muffins and three dozen eggs.” “You forgot the melon,” Ryan smiled. “Who the hell can eat all that food so early in the morning?” Alex questioned. “Look outside the kitchen,” said Ryan. It was too much for him to eat so early. He preferred brunch where you could eat later. Having those waffles the other day with Leslie was even a stretch for him.
“Alex, these are fire fighters and their families. Trust me, these guys can eat. You need the strength for the job,” Ryan said. “To do what, lift an elephant?” Alex said. Although Ryan and a few of the other guys were in good shape, most of the guys looked like Casey, slightly over-weight with a small gut hanging over their pants. I guess they just work it off Alex thought and shrugged it off.
Hasbrouck Heights firehouse chef:
Art imitates life. Me cooking the last Engine One barbecue before I left for Grad School. Me setting up the buffet for dinner June 2022.
Author and Bloggers Note:
You can see what happens next by reading the novel “Firehouse 101”.
Retired Fire Fighter Justin Watrel, 19 year veteran of the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ.
The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the August Barbecue
The picnic grounds
The grounds of the NJ State Firemen’s Home were in full bloom and the lawns were perfectly groomed for the afternoon. The skies were blue and the temperature at 80 degrees. Perfect for an outdoor event.
The barbecue grill
We had a wonderful menu planned for the residents and their guests. We were serving Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers, Hot Dogs and Bruck Wurst, Barbecue Ribs and Chicken, Baked beans, Mac and Cheese, Fresh Watermelon for dessert along with home baked desserts made by a member’s wife. A wonderful menu that residents and their families enjoyed.
The front gardens in the morning
The memorial fountain
The grounds in front of the home
Setting up the grill for lunch
Chef Prince working his magic at the grill that afternoon
Our Grill Master today was Chef Prince from the NJ State Firemen’s Home, who created this feast for all of us down to the homemade mac & cheese and the baked beans with honey and cinnamon. Everything was delicious!
The food was amazing that day
After we finished eating, the men of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association took our annual group picture. I wanted to thank this very dedicated group of men for making this event possible.
The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association after a job well done
A big ‘Thank You’ goes to our dedicated Executive Board who works so hard to make this organization what it is today. Hats off to Tom Simpson, John Kinner and Roy De Young Jr. for everything they do to make this organization the success it is today.
The Executive Board of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home after the picnic was over Tom Simpson, Justin Watrel, John Kinner and Roy De Young Jr.
I had a five week break from the college when my first Summer class was cancelled. So I concentrated on traveling through New Jersey and New York, both the City and Upstate for my blog. I wanted to revisit many historical sites that I had seen during the holiday season (was Christmas six months ago?) or in the past. There were places like Central Park, where I had not seen certain sections in the Spring. This lead to me being part of many walking tours of gardens during the month of June.
With all the wet weather we had in the Spring, the gardens in June were lush with flowers and flowering trees and plants. Pathways lined with color and walled gardens beautifully laid out. It was interesting to see how these were planted, designed and maintained.
The entrance to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in June 2026
All the rain we had in April and May and the warm days of early June had awakened the Cherry Blossoms and I visited as many locations to see them in full bloom.
Please read my blog on visiting the Cherry Blossoms:
Once they were finished, gardens came to life all over the tri-state area and many historical homes and parks came to life in a sea of color and smells that showed the power of Mother Nature to make things beautiful. I was impressed with the work of many volunteer staffs and their dedication in taking care of these sites for all of us to enjoy.
Visiting to Amour-Steiner House for the Spring Garden Tour:
The Amour-Steiner House the day of the Garden Tour
The beds were in full bloom when we toured the gardens
The colors of the flowers were patriotic red, white and blue
In between the hedges, there was elegant statuary and potted urns with colorful flowers blooming with bright hues.
The urns were filled with bright colors of the season
Statuary representing the arts and music lined the hedges
The flowers were so brilliant that afternoon
I enjoyed looking at the statuary
The gardens were so beautiful with the house in the background
As we left the gardens, I admired the ornate Fox and the Glove gate on the way out
We then crossed the lawn to tour the greenhouse, where many of the flowers were and still are grown for decorating the house both inside and out.
The landscaping has a romantic spin on it as the property was planted to accent not just the property but the house as well giving it a natural but balanced look to it.
Touring the formal greenhouse
Even the working greenhouse had a romanticized look about it that reflected the house
The inside of the greenhouse. Each side of the counters seasonal flowers are grown for the property. This greenhouse is used all year long supplying the house with a steady stream of flowers.
In the middle of the greenhouse was a beautiful Victorian aquarium that was lined with more flowers. There were no fish at this time.
I loved the beautiful flowers that lined the counters
The Spring colors were breathtaking
We then started the tour of the house starting with the outside veranda that held more urns and planters of fresh flowers
The beautiful veranda lines the entire house
The beautiful colors from the potted and hanging plants
The veranda decorated for the upcoming ‘250th Anniversary of the United States
The hanging plants
The potted plants
We even admired the birdhouse that matched the house
We then went inside to tour the house. It would be interesting to see the house without all the Christmas decorations that I saw the last time I toured the house.
The triangle room off the foyer once used as the Receiving Room
The beautiful foyer to the second floor
The main Parlor/Living Room used for entertaining
The formal Dining Room
The decorative sideboard
The other decorative sideboard
The Dining Room table set for a Spring dinner
We then started the tour of the second floor which started in the game room at the top of there landing. I remember the big Christmas tree being here when the house was decorated for the holidays.
I liked the room was the way it is here
Then we toured the bedrooms which were not that elaborate but functional and comfortable as they are today.
One of several bedrooms on the second floor
The bathroom which is considered normal today was ahead of its time with flushing toilets and hot and cold running water
The office off the side in one of the Octagon corners
The Egyptian Room was the height of fashion with travel and new discovers in Egypt at the time.
The ceiling and decorations of Egyptian Room
The decor of the Egypt
The beautiful porcelain in the room
Then we toured the Curio Room. I thought the room was a lot of fun with small objects that people would have collected from their journeys at that time.
The shelves, counters and walls were filled with all sorts of interesting objects
Many types of object’s
The Victorian Terrarium that was becoming fashionable at the time
The fold out desk with small objects in each slot
A Victrola and Terrarium
The last part of the tour was of the newly renovated kitchen. The shelves were lined with a collection of shiny pots and pans.
The ‘modern’ Victorian kitchen
When the tour was over, I visited the gift shop and looked over the kitchen once more. It is interesting to see how ‘modern’ back then is ‘contemporary’ today. Victorians set the tone for the modern American home of today and the expectations of the American dream.
Before I left the grounds, I visited the gardens once more. It was such perfect weather to walk around and I enjoyed the beauty of these gardens. Mother Nature creates this all this.
Walking around the grounds of the home
I enjoyed walking around the gardens that day
I found this tour one of the most relaxing I have taken in a long time. The beauty of both the house and the gardens was wonderful. Just sitting on the veranda and looking over the grounds was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.
Taking the Clermont Garden Walking Tour 2026:
I returned in the Spring of 2026 for the an updated walking tour of the gardens “Gardens and Grounds: Evolving Landscaping of Clermont”, where the State of New York horticulturalist who had just been hired to maintain the gardens, explained to us the developments and goals that the State wanted for the direction of the landscaping on the property. They wanted it brought back to the 1930’s blueprint of what Alice Livingston had originally envisioned for the estate when she returned from Europe.
Arriving to the Clermont estate at 1 Clermont Avenue in Germantown, NY
We started the tour with a history of the house and Alice Livingston’s return from Europe to create her famous gardens
The front of the mansion in the Spring of 2026
We started the tour at the Walled Garden which was just finished being restored. The back wall had just been finished and the site’s main horticulturalist explained that she was working with a group of volunteers to maintain the gardens.
The Walled Garden designed by Alice Livingston
The Walled Garden in the Spring of 2026
The inside to the entrance of the Walled Garden
The back part of the Walled Garden
The next garden we toured was the Wilderness Garden which included wildflowers and a fish pond
The Wilderness Garden sign
The back part of the Walled Garden leads to the Wilderness Garden
The entrance to the Wilderness Gardens
The lecture on the design and plantings of the Wilderness Garden
The colorful wildflowers that line the grass paths
The fish pond in the Wilderness Garden
We then followed the path and walked up and toured the Cutting and Children’s Garden. These colorful gardens once supplied the house with an assortment of fresh flowers. It also taught the Livingston girls the attributes of gardening.
The Cutting Garden and Greenhouse sign
The main Cutting Garden
The Cutting garden
The Cutting Garden in the late Spring
The in season flowers in the Cutting Garden
The Children’s Playhouse and Garden is next to the Cutting Garden
The Children’s Garden in the Spring
Touring past the old Greenhouses
Part of the former greenhouse
The tour through the grounds with my group
The pathway back to Clermont
Touring along the river
The former roadway between the house and the river
The South Spring Garden
Our last garden toured was the one closest to the house and that was the South Spring Garden of which Alice could see from her window. When the porch was removed from the home and Alice developed plans for other gardens, this garden went ‘native’.
The South Garden
The South Garden in bloom
The views from the South Garden
The flower planters near the South Garden
The planters filled with Spring geraniums
Walking back after the tour was over and looking at the beautiful grounds
Ending the tour that day with a walk along the river
It was a beautiful day to walk the gardens and the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Each time I take a tour of the gardens, I am amazed how different they seem. I love the different times of the year and how it changes these gardens.
I returned to Manhattan the next week and as I was working in Inwood and Washington Heights neighborhoods, I took a tour of Isham Park with the Bruce Reynolds Gardens and Fort Tyron Park with the Heather Gardens, when they were in full bloom. It was breathtaking with the back drop of the Hudson River on a sunny afternoon.
In Isham Park, I toured the Bruce Reynolds Gardens, which is in the center of the park. They were in full bloom when I walked around the gardens and relaxed under the shade trees.
The new Bonnefont Restaurant is open for lunch and brunch
The restaurant was closed that afternoon but I was able to look at the menu online and it is an interesting menu. The cuisine is a mixture of French and Contemporary cooking.
Walking back through the gardens to the Fort Tryon location
Walking to the Fort Tryon site
The Fort Tryon site
Visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Garden before Rose Night in 2026:
I got an email from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden saying that the Cranford Rose Garden was at its peak of blooming and that I should see it while it was at its prime. I was busy at work and was able to travel down to down to the gardens a few days later. Talk about perfect timing as the petals just started to fall.
The Cranford Rose Garden at peak is one of the most beautiful sites. The colors and the fragrances are just amazing. I could not attend “Rose Night” in 2026 because of a prior commitment plus it would be a gloomy night with the threat of rain. So I went the Friday afternoon before the event, which would be held the next Wednesday. By that point, the flowers would be out of peak.
The Cranford Rose Garden in bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The Cranford Rose Garden is amazing from every angle and the views from the top of the hill overlooking the garden shows the extensive amounts of roses planted and the array of colors.
The beds of roses of all colors and species
The entrance to the Cranford Rose Garden is full of an array of different types of colorful flowers
The beautiful and diverse flowers in the Cranford Rose Garden
The beauty of flowers up close
All sorts of roses line the trellis borders of the Rose Garden
What I love about walking around is that you can see the diversity of the roses. The garden is planted with different species so they bloom at different times giving the beds an array of colors at different times. Along the beds and trellis everything bloomed so vibrantly.
The beautiful orange roses that lined the trellis
The colorful trellis pathways
The reds and pinks in full bloom
Roses lining the lamppost
Admiring the beds of roses at the Cranford Rose Garden
Purple reins supreme
Walking through the trellis pathways of red
The beauty of the trellis
The back part of the garden
The back terrace of the Cranford Rose Garden
The elegant statuary of the rose garden and the sun dial
The back Terrace area
The back of the Cranford Rose Garden is lined with all sorts of flowering plants having a rainbow of colors.
Walking through the terrace gardens
The beautiful roses in the back of the garden
The roses in the back of the Cranford Gardens
Walking out the back of the gardens
The back path of the Cranford Rose Garden
The fountain in the back of the Cranford Garden
Visiting the Cranford Rose Garden when it flowering is one of the most interesting collection of colors and scents. This is why I try to time my visits around the blooming of the flowers.
The Tour of the Gardens at The Cloisters in the Spring 2026:
One of my favorite places with in the Metropolitan Museum of Art to visit is The Cloisters in any season. One of my favorite places when it is decorated for the Christmas holiday season, the Spring and Summer offer such beautiful displays of historical plants that try to match the theme of each Cloister and its historical background.
The docent led a very large group of us through each Cloister and told us of the way the curators plant the gardens to represent what may have been planted during the Medieval era for medical and nutritional functions of those peoples lives.
(From the Museum website)
The gardens of the Middle Ages included both real and ideal gardens. Poets and artists delighted in the depiction of fantasy gardens like the Garden of Love or of Paradise, but no real garden of the time remains to us. Historical records are rare and incomplete; the ninth-century plan for the monastery of St. Gall, with its carefully drawn and labeled garden beds, is unique. Archaeological excavations are yielding valuable new evidence, but we still know more about infirmary gardens of medicinal plants and aristocratic pleasure gardens than we do about humble kitchen plots of potherbs and vegetables (Met.org).
The gardens of the Museum, planted in reconstructed Romanesque and Gothic cloisters, evoke those that provided sustenance and spiritual refreshment within the medieval monastery. Designed as an integral feature of the Museum, the gardens have been a major attraction of The Cloisters since its opening in 1938, enhancing both the setting in which the Museum’s collection of medieval art is displayed and the visitor’s understanding of medieval life. The gardens are designed and maintained by a horticultural staff actively engaged in researching and developing the living collection (Met.org).
The Cloisters at 99 Margaret Corbin Drive in Fort Tryon blooming in the late Spring
We walked through the Cloister discussing how plantings were determined by medical and religious purposes
The flower beds in the Cloister
The view of the Hudson River was amazing
The flowers in bloom
Flowers in bloom
Flowers in bloom
Flowers in bloom
We moved the next Cloister looking over the medical plants and flowers
The Cloister in bloom
Walking around the Cloister
The plants around the sills of the Cloisters
Touring the Cloisters and admiring the flowers
Everything in bloom
We toured the last Cloister while the tour guide explained the plantings
The last Cloister we toured
The garden in full bloom
The growth of the hops growing on a trellis
The hops planting up close
The flowers in bloom in the Cloister
Video on “Art and Gardens at the Met”
We ended the tour admiring the art in the Tapestry Room and having a discussion about the use of plants and flowers in Medieval art.
‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’ tapestry discussion
I then visited the ‘Creatures of Myth and Imagination-European and the Americas’ exhibition.
This exhibition was an interesting look at mythical beasts of the era of great exploration from European to the Americas. It reminded me of the book “In Search of Ancient Astronauts” with many golden creatures that look like they are visitors from another planet, Ancient Gods to worship and one civilization’s outlook on the unknown. The artwork was a cross between mysticism and respect.
The exhibition sign for “Creatures of Myth and Imagination: Europe and the Americas”
Set in the evocative atmosphere of The Met Cloisters, Creatures of Myth and Imagination: Europe and the Americas sheds light on a selection of works created on either side of the Atlantic Ocean between 500 and 1500 CE. The exhibition’s exploration of hybrid creatures deepens our understanding of their apparent necessity among diverse peoples. In the Americas, a complex gold pendant by a Tairona artist of northern Colombia, depicting a confrontational figure with hands on hips, a crocodile-like head, and an enormous headdress, would have reflected and expressed the wearer’s status and power. In Europe, ferocious dragons such as the one depicted on a monumental fresco from the monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza, Spain, took center stage to convey a multiplicity of meanings both sacred and profane (Met.org).
The exhibition gallery
Unusual mythical creature
(From the museum website)
For as long as humans have told stories, we’ve imagined creatures that transcend the natural world. Fantastical beings combining the features of animals, humans, and even plants appear across cultures, emerging in the most ancient myths and enduring in contemporary epics. The widespread presence of these supernatural beings, possessing the power to transform and be transformed, reflects a global impulse to make sense of both known and unknown worlds. Visual artists have given form to these imaginary creatures, resulting in some of the most fearsome, beloved, and extraordinary works of art ever made (Met.org).
Small gold ancient Gods
Ritual Knives
Double pendants
Earth Deity
I took one last tour of the museum gardens before I left for the afternoon. On the balcony overlooking the Hudson River offered beautiful views and beautiful potted plants.
Walking out of the back Cloister
The back Cloister
The beautiful white flowers
The balcony overlooking the Hudson River
The potted plants by the doorway
The view of the Hudson River
Looking north up the Hudson River
The tour of the Gardens was amazing and the exhibition on the Pre-Columbian art interesting. It was a wonderful tour of the Cloisters.
I had a private function at the Museum of the City of New York across the street from the Central Park Conservatory Gardens. When the event was over, I took a walk around the gardens when they were in full bloom.
The gardens just went through a major renovation and each of the paths had rows of colorful flowers that were beautifully taken care of and designed to bloom at different stages of the growing season so there was always color in the gardens. The effect was amazing.
The entrance of the Central Park Conservatory lawn and fountain
The fountain and the geometric garden
Central Park Conservatory gardens at the entrance
The entrance of the gardens from the Harlem Meer area
The entrance to the flower gardens from the Central Park Conservatory lawn
The Central Park Conservatory garden beds
The gardens in full bloom in the Summer of 2026
The flower beds in the central of the gardens
The Central Park Conservatory Fountain and Lotus pools
I walked behind Hippo Park in Central Park one afternoon to discover a beautiful floral garden that was the 91st Street Garden that I had missed on previous walks in the park. The Garden did not look like this in the Fall.
The 91st Street Garden in the Summer of 2026
Then I remembered the scene in “You Got Mail” and remembered that this was the garden where they met. I always thought it was closer to Riverside Drive than it was here in the park.
The sign for the garden
As I passed the garden, I remember this was the garden in the last scene of the movie, “You Got Mail” when Meg Ryan realizes that her secret email pal is Tom Hanks. It was such a great scene and the perfect end to a great Rom-Com.
The end of the movie “You Got Mail” with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks
The Gardens from the front
The flowers in full bloom
The flowers in full bloom in July 2026
All I could think about was this scene as I walked around the garden. The funny part is this was the first time I had ever visited this garden as I did not know where it was located. I knew it was on 91st Street but could never figure out where. You have to walk on the path behind the Hippo Playground and follow it to the other path.
The gardens from the front
Walking back up through Riverside park from the Hippo Playground
Walking in Riverside Park in the 90’s
You have to find your way through Riverside Park to find the garden but in the Spring and Summer it is worth the walk up and down the hill.
These are just some of the places that I am still visiting as the Summer season begins and there are more historical sites to see and more smaller gardens to visit. Let’s see what the rains produce in the coming months.
Places to Visit:
*Bloggers Note: the prices of these sites vary from season to season and can change from year to year. This is the same with the hours depending on what season you visit.
Fee: Adults $30.00/Seniors $17.00/Children $12.00/Members & Patrons and Children under 12 are free (prices do fluctuate). NY, NJ and CT students and NY residents Pay as you wish.
Museum Hours:
Hours: Open 7 days a week
March-October 10:00am-5:15pm
November-February 10:00am- 4:45pm
Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25th and January 1st.
*Some galleries may be closed for construction or maintenance.
Fee: Adults $30.00/Seniors/Students $17.00/Children $12.00/Members & Patrons and Children under 12 are free (prices do fluctuate). NY, NJ and CT students and NY residents Pay as you wish.
Museum Hours:
Hours: Open 7 days a week
March-October 10:00am-5:15pm
November-February 10:00am- 4:45pm
Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25th and January 1st.
*Some galleries may be closed for construction or maintenance.
I went on the Spring Garden tour at the Cloisters Museum with a discussion on Spring plantings and the use of those plants during Medieval times. The museum studied what plants were used for religious and medical practices.
We started the discussion of the plantings out in the first Cloister by the Hudson River
The Tour of the Gardens at The Cloisters in the Spring 2026:
(From the Museum website)
The gardens of the Middle Ages included both real and ideal gardens. Poets and artists delighted in the depiction of fantasy gardens like the Garden of Love or of Paradise, but no real garden of the time remains to us. Historical records are rare and incomplete; the ninth-century plan for the monastery of St. Gall, with its carefully drawn and labeled garden beds, is unique. Archaeological excavations are yielding valuable new evidence, but we still know more about infirmary gardens of medicinal plants and aristocratic pleasure gardens than we do about humble kitchen plots of potherbs and vegetables (Met.org).
The gardens of the Museum, planted in reconstructed Romanesque and Gothic cloisters, evoke those that provided sustenance and spiritual refreshment within the medieval monastery. Designed as an integral feature of the Museum, the gardens have been a major attraction of The Cloisters since its opening in 1938, enhancing both the setting in which the Museum’s collection of medieval art is displayed and the visitor’s understanding of medieval life. The gardens are designed and maintained by a horticultural staff actively engaged in researching and developing the living collection (Met.org).
The plantings of the first Cloister we visited
We walked through the Cloister discussing how plantings were determined by medical and religious purposes
The flower beds in the Cloister
The view of the Hudson River was amazing
The flowers in bloom
Flowers in bloom
Flowers in bloom
Flowers in bloom
We moved the next Cloister looking over the medical plants and flowers
The Cloister in bloom
Walking around the Cloister
The plants around the sills of the Cloisters
Touring the Cloisters and admiring the flowers
Everything in bloom
We toured the last Cloister while the tour guide explained the plantings
The last Cloister we toured
The garden in full bloom
The growth of the hops growing on a trellis
The hops planting up close
The flowers in bloom in the Cloister
We ended the tour admiring the art in the Tapestry Room and having a discussion about the use of plants and flowers in Medieval art. The artists at that time thought of the natural world with awe and respect. They admired the beauty of the natural world where in some points was still feared,
‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’ tapestry discussion
I then visited the ‘Creatures of Myth and Imagination-European and the Americas’ exhibition.
This exhibition was an interesting look at mythical beasts of the era of great exploration from European to the Americas. It reminded me of the book “In Search of Ancient Astronauts” with many golden creatures that look like they are visitors from another planet, Ancient Gods to worship and one civilization’s outlook on the unknown. The artwork was a cross between mysticism and respect.
The exhibition sign for “Creatures of Myth and Imagination: Europe and the Americas”
Set in the evocative atmosphere of The Met Cloisters, Creatures of Myth and Imagination: Europe and the Americas sheds light on a selection of works created on either side of the Atlantic Ocean between 500 and 1500 CE. The exhibition’s exploration of hybrid creatures deepens our understanding of their apparent necessity among diverse peoples. In the Americas, a complex gold pendant by a Tairona artist of northern Colombia, depicting a confrontational figure with hands on hips, a crocodile-like head, and an enormous headdress, would have reflected and expressed the wearer’s status and power. In Europe, ferocious dragons such as the one depicted on a monumental fresco from the monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza, Spain, took center stage to convey a multiplicity of meanings both sacred and profane (Met.org).
The exhibition gallery
Unusual mythical creature
(From the museum website)
For as long as humans have told stories, we’ve imagined creatures that transcend the natural world. Fantastical beings combining the features of animals, humans, and even plants appear across cultures, emerging in the most ancient myths and enduring in contemporary epics. The widespread presence of these supernatural beings, possessing the power to transform and be transformed, reflects a global impulse to make sense of both known and unknown worlds. Visual artists have given form to these imaginary creatures, resulting in some of the most fearsome, beloved, and extraordinary works of art ever made (Met.org).
Small gold ancient Gods
Ritual Knives
Double pendants
Earth Deity
I took one last tour of the museum gardens before I left for the afternoon. On the balcony overlooking the Hudson River offered beautiful views and beautiful potted plants.
Walking out of the back Cloister
The back Cloister
The beautiful white flowers
The balcony overlooking the Hudson River
The potted plants by the doorway
The view of the Hudson River
Looking north up the Hudson River
The tour of the Gardens was amazing and the exhibition on the Pre-Columbian art interesting. It was a wonderful tour of the Cloisters.
Interesting video on YouTube on “Gardens and Art at the Met”
I enjoy coming up to Germantown to visit the Clermont Mansion at any time of the year especially at Christmas time. I came for a tour of Clermont in the Christmas season of 2019 (pre-COVID) to tour the home. The old mansions of the Hudson River Valley show their real beauty at this time of the year.
The Clermont Library decorated for Christmas
In 2020, the home closed like everything else for COVID and because of extensive renovations on the property and in the home, did not open again until June of 2023. I came up finally in July of 2023 for another tour of the home. The mansion looked very refreshed and bright on a blue, sunny afternoon. The grounds were in full bloom and everything looked so green.
The views of the river when you arrive
Walking around Clermont is like walking through a history book. To think you are walking around the very rooms that family members who wrote the Declaration of Independence, were Governors and Ambassadors from our country and who owned most of Upstate New York lived is really incredible. The Livingston Family did so much for the United States in the formation of this country is a testament to the family.
Once you arrive at the Visitors Center and pay for your tour, you will have time to walk around the exhibition of the history of the family in the old stables. Here you will learn about the family who built and lived in this wonderful home. The family lived here for seven generations and like most families over time when the money depleted, they had to move out. The last daughter of the family, Honoria, sold the estate to the State of New York as a park. The upkeep got to be too much for the family.
The Visitor’s Center display on the family
The family story boards in the old stables
The history of the estate and the Livingston family in the Visitor’s Center
The history of the estate
The tour 2019 was wonderful because of the one on one conversation I had with my tour guide, Molly. It was the same in 2023 when Aaron took me on a one on one tour of the mansion. We started in the entry hallway where the family hang many of the family portraits and the long hall lead to wonderful views of the Hudson River.
The Entrance Hall of Clermont
Just off to the right of the front entrance of the home (the front entrance faces the river not the back entrance where you start the tour) is the Receiving Room. This was the room in 2023 during my summer tour of the house. The Receiving Room is where guests would wait to be welcomed by family members or people would call on the family and leave their calling cards.
The Receiving Room was also used as a Music Room as well
The Receiving Room was decorated for the holidays in 2019 with more beautiful views of the river and a very interesting clock on the mantle that there are only two in the world. This clock represented the first balloon launch in France and this was the clock where the balloon went up. In France was the other clock with the balloon going down. I thought that was pretty interesting.
Our next stop was the Library which seemed very homey and relaxing. It looked like a room that a family would want to spend their time in after a long day. The windows faced the river and the formal gardens at that time and let in a lot of light. The room was decorated with a elegant tree and looked like the family was ready to walk in and join us for the holidays.
The Library of Clermont
The Office/Library on the first floor
Next it was off to the formal Dining Room where the portraits of Margaret Beekman Livingston (a VERY distant relative of mine by marriage) and her husband, Robert Livingston hung. She had saved these along with the grandfather clock before her first house was burned by the British during the war years. It was set for Christmas lunch when the family would dine together.
In the summer months, the room was pretty plain with no set up on the table. The Dining Room has just had some renovation work so the walls and ceiling looked really nice.
The Clermont Dining Room in the summer of 2023
The Dining Room portraits
Margaret Beekman Livingston’s Wedding portrait in the Dining Room
Robert Livingston’s Wedding portrait in the Dining Room
We also toured where the food was prepared and prepped from the kitchen to the Dining Room, which was all done in organized fashion. I was told by the tour guide that for the most part the family lived here year round unlike some of the other mansions who only lived here during certain times of the season.
The Kitchen at Clermont
We took a walk upstairs to see the upstairs bedrooms and see where the third Mrs. Livingston lived. I thought it was interesting that she had two beds in her room in which neither was big enough to accommodate her. One was the main bed and the smaller one was a Day bed when she wanted to take a nap but did not want to mess up her main bed.
The last Mrs. Livingston’s bedroom until the 1960’s
We then toured what had been Honoria’s and Alice’s bedroom when they were children and then became the Guest Room. It still looked like a Children’s Room.
The Daughter’s/Guest Bedroom
Then it was back down to the formal hallway for the end of the tour. The one thing I have to say about Clermont is that it looks like someone’s home not some grand mansion like the Mills or Vanderbilt mansions that looked like they for a moment time or only for a season. This family lived here all the time.
The upstairs bathroom was one of the remodeling features
The family lived here until the 1960’s when upkeep of the estate got to be too much for the family and it was sold to the state. The New York Park is now maintained by the New York State Park system.
The Gardens:
The formal gardens were in bloom when I got there that weekend. Since the house opened in June most of the Spring plantings were already gone but the Summer plantings were in full bloom. There were three gardens on the property, two of which had been brought back to nature, the Wilderness Garden and the South Spring Garden and then the Walled Garden was well maintained and planted.
The Wilderness Garden was well-maintained and planted with natural plants
The South Spring Garden
The South Spring Garden has given way to nature
The Walled Garden was the most formal of all the gardens
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
In the Fall, I went back up to Clermont for the Ghost Tour and the foliage was amazing, but the rain knocked a lot of it off. Still the colors were glorious.
Clermont in the Fall of 2023
The formal gardens in the Fall
The formal gardens in the Fall
The gardens in the Fall.
The I toured the rest of the estate and saw the ruins of the other mansion, Arryl, that is on the other side of the parking lot and then saw the ruins of the Old House and the Root Cellar.
The Ice House
The Root Cellar
The flowers by the Root Cellar
View of the Hudson River
The History of Clermont:
The name Clermont derives from “clear mountain” in French and was inspired by the view of the Catskill Mountains across the Hudson River from the estate.
The front of Clermont that faces the Hudson River
The estate was established by Robert Livingston following the death of his father, the first Lord of the Manor was inherited by the eldest son, Philip Livingston, 13,000 acres in the southwest corner later named Clermont was willed to Robert. The original house was built around 1740.
The path leading to the main house
Robert Livingston of Clermont died on June 27, 1775 and the estate passed to his son, Robert, who was known as ‘Judge Livingston’ to distinguish him from his father. Judge Livingston was a member of the New York General Assembly from 1759 to 1768, served as Judge of the admiralty court from 1760 to 1763 and was a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress of 1765. He married Margaret Beekman, daughter of Colonel Henry Beekman. Their son, Robert R. Livingston, later known as “Chancellor”, served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Judge Robert died about six months after his father, on December 9, 1775.
Burning and Rebuilding:
In October 1777, British ships sailed upriver from New York City in support of General John Burgoyne who was north of Albany. That same force had already stormed two forts in the Hudson Highlands and burned Kingston, New York. Major General John Vaughan led a raiding party to Clermont and burned Livingston’s home because of the family’s role in the rebellion.
The history of the ‘famous’ Robert’s of Clermont
Margaret Beekman Livingston rebuilt the family home between 1779 and 1782. Robert R. Livingston became the estate’s most prominent resident. Chancellor Livingston administered the oath of office to President General Washington, became Secretary of Foreign Affairs and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase.
Margaret Beekman Livingston
He also partnered with Robert Fulton in 1807 to create the first commercially successful steamboat on the Hudson River, the North River Steamboat (later known as the Clermont) which stopped at the house on its inaugural trip.
Robert Livingston in the famous Gilbert Sullivan painting.
The home’s final Livingston owners were John Henry Livingston and his wife, Alice. They added to the home and greatly valued the homes important historical role. The Livingston’s built second mansion on the property known as Arryl House, which burned down in 1909. The ruins of Arryl House are still visible at the south end of the property.
The burnt ruins of Arryl Mansion on the other side of the property.
The Arryl Mansion in the Fall of 2023
Alice Livingston was responsible for creating many of the landscaped gardens that are continued to this day. Following John Henry’s death, Alice turned the Mansion and property over to the State of New York in 1962 so that all the people of New York could enjoy it.
The landscaping around the old Ice House
The house is now a New York State Historic Site and was designated a United States National Historic landmark in 1972. It is a contributing property to another National Historic Landmark, the Hudson River Historic District. Although locate in the town of Clermont, its mailing address is in the nearby town of Germantown.
The views from the back of Clermont to the Hudson River
(This information is a combination from the Clermont Website and Wiki and I give them full credit for this information. Please check the website above for more information on the site and its activities through their Friends site.)
The Clermont Grounds
The Fall in the Hudson River Valley is one of the most brilliant times to visit and the foliage is so colorful. The constant rain knocked a lot of it down already but all around the house their were still signs of the reds, golds and oranges. I came up for the Ghost Tours which the mansion resumed this year to sold out crowds.
The Clermont Estate in the Fall.
The river front of the estate in the fall.
The Hudson River in all its glory.
The Ghost Tour of the estate:
The Ghost Tour took us on a tour through the house to meet the costumed characters throughout the mansion. The mansion was decorated for the Halloween and with the lights dimmed, it gave the house an eerie appearance to it.
When I arrived at the estate, the house loomed in the distance in its it glories with the golden colors of autumn.
Jack-a Lanterns lined the pathways and lit the way to the house.
We were greeted with fresh Apple Cider Doughnuts and Apple Cider from a local farm in Kingston, NY.
We were also treated to old fashioned Halloween candy with Mary Janes, Tootsie Rolls and other treats.
We started our tour at 7:00pm at twilight with the lanterns lit and the house waiting in the distance.
The hallway was decorated for Halloween.
First we met an embittered Robert Livingston (who over acted)
We stopped in the haunted Living Room to talk to the maid.
We met the ghost of Janet Livingston Montgomery in the Parlor.
Then it was off to the Dining Room to meet the last inhabitant of the house, Janet Livingston.
Margaret Beekman Livingston guarding the Dining Room.
On the way to the kitchen, we met Captain Kidd, the Livingston children and the last owners of the house on the way out the back door to end the tour. The whole tour took less than an hour.
We exited the house through the kitchen and out the door to a moon lit night with jack-a-lanterns taking us back to the Visitors Center. The night had fallen in the early evening at the mansion as we were the second to last tour of the evening and the moon had come out giving the sky a ominous and spooky look about it.
The Christmas Open House: 2024
I visited again for the Christmas Open House in early December to see the decorations. I had not been there since 2018 and wanted to see how things had changed for the winter months. Everything was decked out for Christmas. The rooms were decorated but not in an over the top way as some of the other Hudson River homes.
The Clermont Estate at Christmas time.
The Clermont Estate at Christmas time.
The Front porch at Christmas time.
The Christmas tree on the porch.
Even the logs on the porch were decorated for the holidays.
The entrance foyer from the stairs.
Upon entering the front door, you could see the beauty and simplicity of the Christmas holidays in the early 1800’s before Victorian traditions took over and the house was overdone with decorations. Garland, Holly and simple pine trees adorned the rooms and welcomed everyone to the Christmas Holiday Open House sponsored by the Friends of Clermont. The home was nicely decorated for the holidays circa 1840’s.
Entering the Front Door at Clermont at Christmas.
The wreath was beautiful on the door.
Livingston Painting in the foyer
The Sugar Spun Clermont Sculpture.
Painting in the Foyer of Robert Livingston
Portrait of Margaret Livingston in the Foyer.
The holiday display.
The Office of Clermont
The Table Top tree in the Office.
The Library was set for Christmas morning with a large tree, homemade presents from the family and a morning of Christmas cheer. The views from the windows would have shown the beautiful views of the river.
The Library at Clermont
The Clermont Library at Christmas time.
The Christmas tree in the library.
The Library decorations.
Library decorations.
The Living Room was set for Afternoon Tea and for greeting guests who would have entered through the front door right off the main hallway.
The Living Room decorated for Christmas.
The Living Room was set for Afternoon Tea.
The portrait of Robert Livingston in the Living Room.
The portraits of Alida and Robert Livingston.
The Dining Room was not set for dinner but in anticipation of the holidays. The elegant runners, china, crystal and silver were off to the side awaiting the servants to set the table and prepare for Christmas dinner.
The Dining Room decorated for the holidays.
Holiday display in the Dining Room.
The Wedding Painting of Margaret Beekman Livingston in the Dining Room.
The family’s private bedrooms were decorated with garland and a small tree in the foyer.
Heading to the Second Floor of Clermont.
The view of the foyer from the upstairs.
The Livingston girls Bedroom.
The Livingston girl’s doll adorns the room.
The Christmas tree in the upstairs Foyer outside the bedrooms.
The Gingerbread House display in the Foyer.
When touring the kitchen which is located to the side of the house, the counters and tables were filled with all the delicious foods that would have been served at Christmas. Roasts, Trifles, Cakes and Pies would have been served by the staff for holiday get togethers and dinners at the mansion.
The Kitchen staff preparing the family’s Christmas dinner feast.
Preparations for Christmas dinner for the family.
Preparing Christmas dinner in the kitchen at Clermont.
After the Christmas Open House tour was over, the Friends sponsored Marshmallow roasting on the front lawn of the mansion and refreshments and talks up at the Visitors Center.
Roasting Marshmallows over the firepit on the mansion’s grounds after the walking tour of the mansion.
Christmas cookies, Apple Cider and Classic Candies in the Visitors Center ended the tour and the Open House for the day.
After the tour was over, I toured the gardens, which were dormant at the time and the grounds along the Hudson River. The views were just amazing and the gardens awaited the coming of the Spring when flowers would be blooming again.
The Garden Tours:
In the Summer of 2024, I took a special Garden Tour of the Livingston Gardens. A new Lead Gardener had been hired by the State of New York and she was starting to renovate the gardens. So we took a tour of the four gardens near the mansion. While we toured the estate grounds, we visited the South Spring Garden, the Walled Garden, the Children’s Garden and the Cutting Garden to see how they were progressing. The staff here is doing a good job bringing these gardens back to life to how Alice Livingston envisioned them.
The first was the South Spring Garden which is closest the house. This was built when the stairs to the side of the home were built and one of Alice Livingston’s first gardens.
The South Spring Garden sign
The South Spring Garden in Summer 2023
The South Spring Garden being cleaned up in Summer 2024
The grown in wall of the South Spring Garden
The Root Cellar sign
The Root Cellar remains by the South Spring Gardens
The flowers in the South Spring Gardens
The sign for the Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden Statuary
The Walled Garden
Then we visited the Wilderness Gardens that were just beyond these and they also had been brought back to life by the gardeners. This was to be a transition from the formal gardens to the woods.
The Wilderness Gardens:
The Wilderness Gardens sign
The Wilderness Gardens
The Wilderness Gardens
The we visited the Children’s Garden and the Cutting Gardens which were the newest gardens on the estate. The Children’s Garden playhouse had just been renovated and the beds had been replanted.
The Children’s Garden with the Children’s playhouse
The Children’s Garden from the entrance
The Children’s Garden Garden
The Children’s Garden
The Cutting Gardens were created so that Alice Livingston could grow the types of flowers that would decorate the house at various points in the season. These gardens have been brought back to their original purpose and the flowers and assortments that have been planted are colorful and the fragrances are so nice. On a beautiful day, walking amongst the beds is so nice and relaxing.
The Cutting Garden
The Cutting Garden
The Cutting Garden
The Cutting Garden trellis
The bridge between the Walled Gardens and the Children’s and Cutting Gardens
The Gardens Tour was very informative. Alice Livingston’s love of flowers and how they accented the house were her pride and joy. The Cutting Garden were all the flowers that she used to decorate the house with and the Children’s Gardens taught her daughters responsibilities and knowledge of horticulture.
The biggest problem in recent years is how to maintain all these gardens. This takes a lot of effort and work to weed. plant and prune these beds and make them look nice. The new gardener hired by the State and her team of two staff and volunteers are doing a nice job cleaning out the old beds and replanting and pruning all the plants and bushes that were already there. You can tell by the pictures there is a lot more to do but the gardens are on their way back to their original look.
The Garden Tour in 2026: “Gardens and Growth-The Evolving Landscape of Clermont”
The Clermont Garden Walking Tour 2026:
I returned in the Spring of 2026 for the an updated walking tour of the gardens “Gardens and Grounds: Evolving Landscaping of Clermont”, where the State of New York horticulturalist who had just been hired to maintain the gardens, explained to us the developments and goals that the State wanted for the direction of the landscaping on the property. They wanted it brought back to the 1930’s blueprint of what Alice Livingston had originally envisioned for the estate when she returned from Europe.
Arriving to the Clermont estate for the walking tour
We started the tour with a history of the house and Alice Livingston’s return from Europe to create her famous gardens
The front of the mansion in the Spring of 2026
We started the tour at the Walled Garden which was just finished being restored. The back wall had just been finished and the site’s main horticulturalist explained that she was working with a group of volunteers to maintain the gardens.
The Walled Garden designed by Alice Livingston
The Walled Garden in the Spring of 2026
The inside to the entrance of the Walled Garden
The back part of the Walled Garden
The next garden we toured was the Wilderness Garden which included wildflowers and a fish pond
The Wilderness Garden sign
The back part of the Walled Garden leads to the Wilderness Garden
The entrance to the Wilderness Gardens
The lecture on the design and plantings of the Wilderness Garden
The colorful wildflowers that line the grass paths
The fish pond in the Wilderness Garden
We then followed the path and walked up and toured the Cutting and Children’s Garden. These colorful gardens once supplied the house with an assortment of fresh flowers. It also taught the Livingston girls the attributes of gardening.
The Cutting Garden and Greenhouse sign
The main Cutting Garden
The Cutting garden
The Cutting Garden in the late Spring
The in season flowers in the Cutting Garden
The Children’s Playhouse and Garden is next to the Cutting Garden
The Children’s Garden in the Spring
Touring past the old Greenhouses
Part of the former greenhouse
The tour through the grounds with my group
The pathway back to Clermont
Touring along the river
The former roadway between the house and the river
The South Spring Garden
Our last garden toured was the one closest to the house and that was the South Spring Garden of which Alice could see from her window. When the porch was removed from the home and Alice developed plans for other gardens, this garden went ‘native’.
The South Garden
The South Garden in bloom
The views from the South Garden
The flower planters near the South Garden
The planters filled with Spring geraniums
Walking back after the tour was over and looking at the beautiful grounds
Ending the tour that day with a walk along the river
It was a beautiful day to walk the gardens and the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Each time I take a tour of the gardens, I am amazed how different they seem. I love the different times of the year and how it changes these gardens.
Downtown Germantown during the Christmas holidays.
Downtown Germantown at the Christmas holidays.
Downtown Germantown for the Christmas holidays and church service.
After the tour in July 2024 for the Summer Garden tour, I revisited Germantown again to see what it was like during the summer months. It is a very active and historical downtown with nice restaurants and shops, a wonderful gourmet grocery store and beautiful historical churches. It is a nice place to spend the weekend when touring the mansions in Columbia and Duchess Counties.
Germantown in the Summer of 2024:
Downtown Germantown, NY in the summer
The town square and historical sign
The Inn downtown
The restaurant row of Germantown with Gaskin’s in the background
The Reformed Church of Germantown. For some reason the clouds started to roll in after a sunny day.
The church grounds across the street
Germantown is a small town that keeps changing as more people from the City move up to the Hudson River Valley. A lot of the buildings in town are becoming art galleries, furniture shops and new restaurants. With each season, there are more changes coming to the town.
I thought I knew all the farms in Bergen County, NJ and where Trey were located. I recently went to Alpine, NJ to visit an old cemetery for another blog I was writing and as I arrived at my destination, I passed the Closter Farm & Livestock Company. It was almost closing time so when I finished back at the cemetery, the gates were closed and I had to make the trip another day.
The entrance to the farm
The entrance to the farm
What I discovered was a small picturesque farm tucked in between a suburban development offering wonderful organic produce and meats. The farm even supplements what they don’t grow or produce by working with other organic farms in the area.
History of the Farm:
(From the Farm’s website)
Jon Friedland and his family spent many weekend afternoons driving from their home in Manhattan to the movie theater in Closter. They loved Closter and the community reminded Jon of the Ohio suburb where he grew up. When the farm became available they saw the opportunity to have a direct hand in creating the food, health and environmental practices they have long believed in, and to learn and participate directly as a family in the labor and care required to operate an Organic farm. It has been a massive learning experience to get the farm up and running and we are grateful to have the opportunity to continue learning and growing with the Closter community (Closterfarm.com).
The farm stand store
The Closter Farm
The fields are not just beautiful to look at but produce an assortment of produce that is organic and sustainable. On a warm Spring or Summer day, walking next to the fence and below the shade trees, you can a glimpse of the upcoming crops that will line the farm stand a few weeks in the future.
The Philosophy:
(From the Closter Farm website)
We believe that the healthiest, best tasting, most beautiful vegetables and livestock are grown when they are a symbiotic product of whole farm health. Every action we take is focused on fostering a diverse, resilient, verdant ecosystem whose natural byproduct is intense soil fertility and natural pest resistance (Closterfarm.com).
The fields of fresh vegetables growing
Equally important to us is that our approach follows sustainable environmental best practices by sequestering carbon in our soil and minimizing or eliminating the water and air pollution associated with conventional agriculture and its reliance on synthetic chemicals (ClosterFarm.com).
The fruits and vegetables grown in the farm
The selection of fresh fruits and vegetables available for sale
Honey, cut flowers, grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pasture-raised and heritage pork, Organic mushrooms, Organic and pasture raised eggs, Corn and soy-free eggs, Organic milk, cheese, kefir, as well as heritage breed turkeys for Thanksgiving.
The selection of plants for sale
The flower selection
The farm barn
The barn and the fields that support the farm
The Farm Store:
The Closter Farm store carries a selection of freshly grown products seasonally, from other organic farm proveyors and vendors who supply similar products that meet the farm’s standards.
The entrance of the farm store with a selection of fresh flowers and organic seeds
The flower sign
The selection of farm grown products
The outside meat cooler
The outside cooler of organic beef, chicken and fresh eggs
The inside of the store carries a more of the same products, nicely packaged and reasonably priced quality products. These are the type of quality you would expect from fine dining establishments in the area, which you can prepare at home.
The selection of meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products
The selection of fruits and vegetables from the farm’s fields and partner farms
A selection of fresh vegetables and flower ms and fresh pies from Noble Pies of New York State.
A selection of farm fresh products like fresh honey and organic products
What is nice about the Closter Farm is the picturesque environment tucked in a suburban environment. You drive through entrance and are taken back to a world of Bergen County before WWII when the County was an agrarian society.
Places for children to play without cellphones
The property reminds me of the farms in the more rural parts of Southern and Western New Jersey with their corn mazes and decorated barns. Here they have small cut outs for children’s pictures and from a distance you can see the farmhouse.
The farmhouse on the property that some of the farm hands live
The farm offers families not just quality products and welcoming service, but a chance to step back for an afternoon to a time when things were much slower and afternoons were about appreciating the experience without trying to record every moment of it.
I recently attended the Annual ‘Pathways Tour’ in Morris County, NJ to visit some of the historical sites. It was a very interesting visit to some of these sites that were over 250 years old. With the anniversary of our country coming up in two months, I can see that these sites will be getting more attention.
Having toured most of the sites in Morris County, which has a treasure trove of historical homes, parks and museums, I concentrated on the sites that are rarely open, like the Doremus House and the Florham Park Schoolhouse for my blog, VisitingaMuseum.com.
Readers reach out to me asking about these sites but no one seems to man them outside the Pathways tours. So you have to race to see them then. These small historical sites offer a glimpse into New Jersey’s rural past and the history of how our state developed.
The Henry Doremus House during the Pathway’s tour
I visited the Henry Doremus House first during the Morris County Pathways Tour in May of 2026 and it is good look at the early farming communities of New Jersey under the Dutch and then the English. The house was used by General George Washington while he was passing through this section of New Jersey during the Revolutionary War.
The sign for the Henry Doremus House
The historic sign for the house
Montville Township Historical Society:
(from the Museum website)
Established in 1963, the Montville Township Historical Society is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of Montville Township. Our unwavering commitment to meticulous archival work, interactive educational programs, and community outreach initiatives is aimed safeguarding the rich history of our town. Our ultimate objective is to ensure that the stories and traditions of Montville Township are cherished and celebrated for years to come.
The farm and harvest equipment
General Washington’s payment to the Doremus family for use of their home during the Revolutionary War. I thought this was really cool.
The farming equipment
The farm and household equipment room
The farm equipment from the time of the Revolutionary War
Henry Doremus House History:
(from the Museum’s website)
The Henry Doremus House is a Dutch American stone farmhouse that has been remarkably preserved since the time the first portion was built, circa 1760. The house has never been modernized with heating, plumbing, electricity, or wiring, and is one of only seven left in New Jersey without modern electricity. What is now Route 202 was one of the main military routes during the Revolutionary War through Montville and Towaco, (then part of Pequannock Township). The Henry Doremus house was located in a small community often referred to as Doremus Town.
The main room of the original house during the tour
The kitchen and cooking equipment by the open hearth fireplace
The open hearth fireplace for cooking and heat for the home
Cooking items
I visited Diane’s Dairy at 446 Main Road Suite 8 after my tour of the Henry Doremus House, a local ice cream store just around the corner from the historic home. What started as a place to turn around my car, I had to stop on this historical looking strip mall. When I saw the words ‘homemade ice cream’ I of course had to stop. Ice cream is one of my weaknesses.
Diane’s Dairy at 446 Main Road Suite 8
The menu of the selection of flavors
What was nice was I got to meet Diane herself that morning and she explained to me that they create and make over 92 flavors inside the store. I could tell by the quality and taste of the ice cream that a lot of care was taken in the making of her ice creams.
The section of ice cream
Diane has created many unique flavors so it was hard for me to choose but I wanted to try something different and settled on Bubble Gum flavored ice cream. It was delicious.
The Bubble Gum ice cream
The ice cream was rich and dense and had such an intense flavor of cream and cherry flavored gum. What I also liked was her prices were very fair and the portion size for a small ice cream is the size of most mediums sizes at the commercial ice cream stores. Plus I like to support local businesses. Diane has created a wonderful product and could not have been nicer.
The ice cream is do good
This ice cream was the best. Funny enough though I was her first review on TripAdvisor. I would have thought more people would have been singing her praises. After my snack, it was off to the second site on my list, the Florham Park Little Red Schoolhouse.
I visited the “Little Red Schoolhouse” Museum at 203 Ridgedale Avenue in Florham Park, which is also rarely opened. This interesting little museum showcases the town’s historical collection of items from the 1800’s and 1900’s dealing with all aspects of town life.
Schooling at the “little red frame building” prospered and so by the 1850’s, the building was “in condition of dilapidation rendering it unfit to be occupied” due to overcrowding.
The schoolhouse from the front
The inside of the museum schoolhouse display
The inside of the old classroom
The schoolhouse setting
In the back there is a small classroom set up keeping with the theme of the building. This lets students, who are visiting the building of their counterpart’s early education with desks, ink wells and chalk boards that have not changed that much over the years.
Not much has changed in the modern classroom over the years
The old schoolhouse desks
There is early century clothing, farming equipment from the town’s farming past and even Native American objects found in the town and in private collections.
The town artifacts and school items
The hitching post
Other items included decorative items from the home including dishware, home products and furnishings.
Each section of the museum is divided up by lifestyle.
The museum’s historic plaque
The docents that day explained that the items were reflect the town’s past and some came from families that have been in town for years. The museum reflects the community spirit of town’s past. It explains that times have progressed but not changed too much over the years.
The Veteran’s Monument outside the museum
History of the Little Red Schoolhouse Museum:
(From the Museum Website)
By Kat Kurylko, Research Assistant
In 1830, the residents of Columbia, now Florham Park, sought to improve their thriving farming and broom-making community by establishing a public school for the local children. Therefore, a small schoolhouse, Columbia School #5, was built on the corner of Columbia Turnpike and Ridgedale Avenue and dedicated it on February 17th, 1831.
The schoolroom display
Schooling at the “little red frame building” prospered and so by the 1850’s, the building was “in condition of dilapidation rendering it unfit to be occupied” due to overcrowding. It just showed me one thing as an educator, that the concept of modern education has not changed that much in 150 years.
I next visited the Tunis-Ellicks House 16 Village Road in New Vernon and enjoyed the self-guided tour of this well maintained and displayed home. Unlike many sites I have visited over the years where things are left out and jumbled on tables, the Tunis-Ellicks House offers a look at small family farms from before the Civil War. The displays depict and discuss the life of a farming family in Central New Jersey.
The Tunis-Ellicks House in New Vernon, NJ
The house sign
The house is located in the New Vernon Historic District
The house was located in one of the oldest sections of the community, facing other structures in the historical district of New Vernon, NJ.
The house and front garden from the road
The vegetable garden in the front of house
In front of the house was a large vegetable and fruit garden with a grape arbor for spirits on the side of the house. These items would be jarred and pickled for the winter months or sold at market.
I liked the way the volunteers maintained the gardens with fruits and vegetables that would have been used in Colonial times mixed in with a modern twist.
Mission Statement:
(From the Museum website)
The Harding Township Historical Society is a private, not-for-profit corporation founded in 1977 to stimulate interest in the history of Harding Township. The Society shall support, assist in and seek to achieve the preservation of documents, buildings and sites related to Harding Township. It shall also collect, preserve, maintain and interpret original cultural material, which illuminates this history. In addition, The Society is responsible for preserving and maintaining the Tunis-Ellicks House and environs. Through use of its historic site, collections and programs, the society endeavors to document and illustrate the history of Harding Township for present and future generations (Tunis-Ellicks website).
You enter the museum from the back of the house. In the backyard of the home, there were all sorts of activities going on while you could start a self-guided tour of the house.
The back of the Tunis-Ellick’s House
The beautiful view from the back door of the home
The inside of the main part of the museum
The main part of the museum was the newer extension of the home where the living room and dining rooms were located. There were displays on the walls discussing farm life in New Jersey during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s.
The Dining Room section of the house
The workings of the Dining Room
The story of ‘Country Life’ and the gentleman farmer
Pieces of the decor on display
The kitchen area of the older part of the home offers a homey fireplace for cooking and summer storage for jarred and pickled food stuffs for the winter.
The kitchen and storage areas of the home
Pottery collection in the museum
The pottery collection
The kitchen dining and cooking area of the home
The fireplace for cooking, roasting and stewing of foods
The oven for baking breads, cookies and pies and the baking equipment
The Summer storage area for canned and jarred provisions for the winter months and for cooking.
History of the Harding Township Historical Society:
(From the Museum website)
The Harding Township Historical Society was formed in 1977 to save the circa 1795 Tunis-Ellicks House and restore it as it appeared in the early 19th century. The society discovered an original 18th century hearth and Federal-style mantel and a water-fed cooling room besides the well. Areas of the house were left exposed to showcase the post-and-beam construction. A permanent exhibit on 19th century farming was created as well as space for temporary exhibits.
The Society saved a circa 1870 Tramp House from destruction when the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created by having the building moved the Tunis-Ellicks House property. The Harding Township Historical Society maintains an extensive archive containing records, maps, and objects since the colonial era pertaining to the town. The archive is open to researchers, genealogists and the public. Each year we provide an award to a student at the Harding Township School that excels in the subject of history. The Society produces exhibits, lectures, tours, and interactive events to bring history to the public.
When I drove to the Tunis-Ellicks House, I was really hungry and it was lunch time. I had passed the Green Village Deli at 536 Green Village Road and I read the reviews online while in their parking lot and they were excellent so I decided to give it a try. The food and the service were excellent.
The Green Village Deli at 536 Green Village Road
The sign that welcomes you to this local breakfast and lunch establishment
The Village Green Deli is a popular local sandwich shop, where the staff seems to know all the customers by name (with the exception of me) and is located in this small downtown area facing the Village Green.
I really liked the vibe of this small town deli where the owners knew everyone by name and I felt like an interloper at a private party.
The inside of the Village Green Deli
The deli has that small town feel to it, with local art and sports paraphernalia in the walls. The woman who worked the register was greeting everyone by name and the guys that worked the grill seemed happy to see me.
Looking at the menu at the grill
I looked at the extensive lunch menu of popular sandwiches and some wonderful combos. You could even still get breakfast as I saw some of the guys at the counter devouring as I decided on what I wanted to order.
The deli has a wonderful selection of sandwiches, hero’s and other delicious sounding items.
There were so many things I wanted to try that day that it was hard to choose. Was it a breakfast sandwich with local sausage? The Thanksgiving ‘Gobbler’ sandwich with turkey, stuffing and cranberry relish, that sounded so good? I decided on an Italian hero sandwich with a selection of deli meats with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion. The hero was excellent!
The Italian hero with a pickle
The sandwiches here are huge! One half of a sandwich a normal person could eat for lunch and save the rest for another meal. The sandwich was loaded with salami, bologna, ham, Swiss Cheese and fresh veggies. I could barely fit it in my mouth.
The sandwich was excellent
The food was excellent. The bread was so fresh and the cooks did not skimp on one ingredient. The vegetables were so fresh and crispy and I loved the combination of flavors of the cold cuts. I really enjoyed my lunch and would like to make a special trip back just to try more of their sandwiches. I was very happy with my lunch.
One of the last places I visited was the Historical Society of Boonton Township, which is located in the former Oscar Kincaid Farm Homestead 591 Powerville Road. The house and what was left of the acreage of the farm was part of the current museum. The museum was an example of early New Jersey farming that dated from the 1800’s to the Twenty-First century.
There was not much in the way of period furniture or farm equipment (items of the home were sold off since Mr. Kincaid’s passing), but the new historical society is buying artifacts and bringing them back to the farm. This includes one of Mr. Kincaid’s tractors. His roll up desk is also still in the display room which was once the Living Room of the home.
The Kincaid Homestead at 591 Powerville Road
History of Oscar Kincaid and Homestead:
(From the Morris County Historical Society website)
Originally a part of the extensive tract belonging to William Penn, the earliest portion of the home was constructed in 1785 by Adam Miller and Anna DeMouth Miller. Just over a decade later, they sold the property to Adam’s cousin, Sarah Miller Parlimen (of the Miller/Dixon homestead) and her husband, John, who built a sawmill there. After a brief ownership by William Scott of Powerville, a Miller relative, the land was sold to John Decker in 1828. An industrious man, Decker operated both a farm and successful forge, shipping his goods to New York via the Morris Canal. By 1837, he expanded the home, adding a distinctive folk-art painting of a face and unique plasterwork that can still be seen today (MCHS website).
The homestead passed through generations of Decker’s family, ultimately being inherited by Oscar Kincaid Sr. in the early 20th century. Kincaid ran a popular ice cream stand and dairy business throughout the 1920s and 30s. Following World War II, the family opened Valley Farm on the site, which continued until the death of Oscar Kincaid Jr. in 2000. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, the Decker-Kincaid Homestead today operates as a museum and headquarters of the Historical Society of Boonton Township (MCHS website).
The Kincaid House
The historical marker for the house
The front yard
The entrance to the house
The main foyer of the house
The house is a small farmhouse built in two sections. The original part of the house dates back to the late 1700’s and the newer part in the early 1800’s. The once furnished rooms now hold displays of Morris County and the farming industry of the time plus community artifacts.
The former Living Room
Oscar Kincaid’s desk
There were not much left in the way of family furnishings and heirlooms but this desk was Oscar Kinkaid’s.
The back bedroom
The Flag display for the ‘250th Anniversary’
Story of Oscar Kincaid’s life: Oscar Kincaid was a farmer/businessman, a politician and a conservationist.
After the short tour around the house, I walked around the farm grounds. The house was set on a beautiful piece of land that sloped down to the old farmstand. There was also a swimming pond which was once part of the farm which is now private property.
The farm property from the side with the barn
The barn across the street
The property was about ten acres at the time of his death and parts have been developed. It still has some of the most wonderful views of the area.
The view of the old farm from the front porch
The farm land stretches over different sections of the road and the property is very picturesque. It is a very beautiful homestead.
The view of the farm from the lawn
The swimming pond on the edge of the property
The old farm stand that had been used for eighty years
