*This blog is based on the pamphlet “South Jersey Early America Historical Trail”-Over 300 years of history in three South NJ Counties-Cape May, Cumberland and Salem Counties”
https://capemaycountynj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5498/Historic-Trail-Map
I started my adventure exploring South Jersey in the Summer of 2022 and since then I wanted to visit every museum, cultural site and interesting park between the three Counties of Cape May, Cumberland and Salem. At first I followed the Historical Trail map of the historical spots that dealt more with the Revolution and Civil Wars but it has since expanded to really exploring each County on its own. Since this blog covers all four seasons and several years, it jumps around from County to County. Join me on exploring Southern New Jersey.
Honoring my father on Father’s Day:
The one thing I refuse to do on Father’s Day is to spend the day at the cemetery. I know that is some people’s idea of honoring one’s family members but it is not mine. I went on Friday and paid my respects to my father (whom this blog is dedicated to) and spent time remembering some of the good times we had in past. I dropped some cut flowers from our gardens (some of which he planted) and said a small prayer. Then I left.
My idea of honoring my father and spending Father’s Day with him is to do something that we would have shared together. We were always running around somewhere and exploring something new and doing something fun. That is how I wanted to honor him. By being active and giving him a toast at Sunday dinner.
The original trip has led to many visits over the years:
Since that initial visit on Father’s Day a few years ago, I have revisited the three counties of Salem, Cumberland and Cape May and followed the map of the South Jersey Early America Historic Trail, visiting every site in the pamphlet. With that, many restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and stayed at many hotels and B & B’s along the way. This part of New Jersey is steeped in history from before the Revolutionary War to its role in the Underground Railroad and through Victorian times and WWI. There are so many fascinating things to do and see and experience that the list just keeps getting longer.
I had gotten a pamphlet, the Historical Sites of Southern New Jersey, on the historical sites of Salem, Cumberland and Cape May Counties last summer when I was visiting Cape May County and the Jersey Shore for the NJ Firemen’s Convention that is every September (See blogs on Trips to Cape May for the NJ Firemen’s Convention and for the Christmas Holidays-the other historical sites are noted there).
This had led to many trips down to these three Counties, exploring their architecture, attending their special events at all the holidays and exploring their historical homes and museums. There is so much to see and do when you take the highway from Cape May to Pennsville and back again. Don’t blink your eye or you will miss something. I always seem to start in Cape May, one of the most beautiful towns on the Eastern Seaboard. This starts with an overnight at the Chalfonte Hotel on Howard Street.
The Southern New Jersey Historical pamphlet has taken me to historical sites all over the three counties, many of them open only at certain times of the year and for special occasions and private tours. This blog is dedicated to many trips throughout Salem, Cumberland and Cape May Counties over the last five years. I hope you enjoy touring me these wonderful sites from the Summer months through Halloween and Christmas.
The historic Chalfonte Hotel at 301 Howard Street in Cape May, NJ
My review on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g46341-Cape_May_Cape_May_County_New_Jersey-Hotels.html?m=19905
I had to have to the famous Fried Chicken Dinner at the hotel on my last visit
The homemade Snow Pie dessert made by the owner’s wife
The Magnolia Room at the Chalfonte Hotel should not be missed for breakfast or dinner
An overnight stay at the Chalfonte is a wonderful experience and then a quick walk to the beach to hear the relaxing waves it a treat
Many historical sites visited in Cape May County are mentioned on these blogs:
(This includes the Cape May Historical Society-Colonial House Museum, The Cape May Lighthouse, The Cape May WWII Tower, Sunset Beach, The Harriett Tubman Museum, Cape May Fire Department Museum, Emlen Physick Mansion Museum, Historic Cold Spring Village, Cape May Zoo, Wildwood Historical Society, Stone Harbor Museum, Avalon Historical Society Museum and the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse. More are always being added).
Day Two Hundred and Eleven: Christmas in the Blink of an Eye:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/20283
Day One Hundred and Forty-Four: Revisiting Cape May and Narrowsburg, NY:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10049
Day One Hundred and Twenty: Visiting the Chalfonte and Cape May:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/7804
Day One Hundred: Christmas in Cape May, Rehoboth Beach and Rhinebeck, NY:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/7142
Day Three Hundred and Sixty: Visiting for Firemen’s Convention to Historic Cape May and Atlantic Counties and Rehoboth Beach, DE:
I thought what might be a nice trip is to explore the southern part of New Jersey and spend some time learning about the history of this part of the state. There were so many sites to visit and they spread from Pennsville, NJ in Salem County to Cape May in Cape May County. There would be too much to try to see in two days plus I wanted to take a trip to see Woodstown, NJ, a small town that had an interesting looking historical downtown when I visited it two or three years ago.
I had seen almost all the sites in Cape May County (The Cape May Firemen’s Museum, the Cape May Historical Society/Colonial House, the Cape May Lighthouse, the Cape May Zoo, Cold Spring Village, WWII Tower, Sunset Beach, The Emil Physick Estate and the Wildwood Aviation Museum) with the exception of a few smaller places and figured that I could see them during my time at this year’s NJ Firemen’s Convention after the meetings were over at 1:00pm. Over the years I have visited many of these sites multiple time. It is tough sometimes as their hours can be sporatic.
Downtown Cape May is rich with small historical societies and museums and no lack of things to do. The Cape May Colonial House at 653 1/2 Street is one of those unassuming little museums that has a lot to see. They have now opened the whole house for touring and when it is open, it is a great little site to visit.
The Cape May Historical Society in the summer of 2023.
What an interesting visit I had to the Cape May Historical Society’s Memucan Hughes Colonial House. This tiny museum is only open between June 15th-September 15th and after that only for special events.
It is an fascinating little home that was built somewhere between 1730 to 1760. The original house no one is too sure if it had been built for the original owner or had been there and added on to as the records for the age of the house are unclear.
The welcoming sign at Christmas
The sign in the summer of 2023.
The home consists of two small downstairs room filled with period furniture and decorations and there is an upstairs with three small rooms that have just opened up to the public. The front room Mr. Hughes used as a tavern that he kept open until almost the 1800’s. He had catered to a growing whaling industry that needed some form of entertainment in this quiet town that was isolated from the rest of the state.
The Pub in the front room of the house for meals and conversation.
The Front Room of the house served as a pub for visiting travelers.
The room was set up for dining and amusements. The Lincoln Crib is in the background.
The Lincoln crib was built by Abraham Lincoln’s father.
The Arrowhead and Pipe collection in the Pub Room.
The front of the house is decorated as tavern to greet guests. There were tables filled with games and items that would have catered to the trade but still you knew you were in someone’s home. There are vintage card tables, board games and some household items.
The Living room at the Cape May Historical Society
The back room is a closed off kitchen with a fireplace and spinning wheels and wash tubs, all the things to run a household. There were also children’s toys, kitchen and garden gadgets and family items to personalize the house.
The narrow stairs lead to the upper bedrooms and the attic loft.
The upstairs bedrooms and the attic room were open in the summer of 2023, and I got to see the whole house. The upstairs is supposedly haunted, but I did not see anything. What I did see was how large the house really was and why the family of eight were able to live in this small house.
The upstairs bedroom
The upstairs bedroom
Right down the block is the Cape May Fireman’s Museum and that is a nice part of the history of Cape May with all the historical equipment and artifacts to see and visit. During the Firemen’s Convention, this little gem at 643 Washington Street is always popular with firefighters and their families.
The museum in the summer of 2023
When I was in Cape May, NJ recently and came across the Cape May Fire Department Museum when walking around the town. It is interesting little museum that tells the history of the Cape May Fire Department.
The museum decorated for Christmas 2022
The museum showcases the history Cape May Fire Department since its creation in the late 1880’s. There have been some serious fires over the years that have destroyed sections of the Cape May resort community.
Hotel fires displayed at the Cape May Fire Museum
Some of the resorts oldest and grandest hotels that were made of wood have been leveled by spectacular fires. The department has framed the articles around the building.
The inside of the Cape May Museum
There is also large collection of patches from fire departments all over the country, displays of equipment from all eras of firefighting and some displays that are dedicated to retired firemen from the department with their equipment.
Patches and Bunker gear
Some fascinating old fire equipment is on display as well. All of this is marked accordingly along the walls. In the middle of the museum there is an antique pumper to admire that has been fully restored. All the pieces of equipment are dated and described so that you can see the transition in fire fighting over the years.
The Chief’s desk
On the other side of Cape May is the Historic Cape May Lighthouse at 215 Light House Avenue had some of the most amazing views and has been part of the fabric of the town since 1859.
The Cape May Lighthouse
This historic site has been restored and administered by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities in conjunction with N.J. Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks & Forestry.
The Cape May Lighthouse: Climb the 199 steps of this 1859 vintage tower for a breathtaking view of the Jersey Cape, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The History of Lighthouses in New Jersey
Over the past 30 years, MAC has totally restored the Cape May Lighthouse. A fully accessible Visitors Center is located in the adjacent Oil House as well as a Museum Shop stocked with lighthouse and maritime must haves.
The view of the beach from the lighthouse
The Cape May Lighthouse
Lighthouse information story boards
Lighthouse FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the Cape May Lighthouse:
*How Tall is the lighthouse? The lighthouse is 157 feet 6 inches tall from the ground line to the ventilator.
*How many steps are there to the top? There are 217 steps from the ground to the top with 199 steps in the tower’s cast iron spiral staircase.
The staircase going to the lighthouse lens
Looking down the stairs on the way back down
* How old is the Lighthouse? The Cape May Lighthouse was built in 1859 and is the third fully documented lighthouse to be built at Cape May Point. The first was built in 1823; the second in 1847. The exact locations of the first two lighthouses are now underwater due to erosion.
*How thick are the brick walls? The Lighthouse actually has two separate walls. The outside wall is cone-shaped and is 3 feet 10 inches thick at the bottom and 1 foot 6 inches thick at the top. The inside wall is a cylinder with 8.5 inch thick walls which support the spiral staircase. The walls were designed to withstand winds several times above hurricane force.
The view on the way up the lighthouse
*Is the beacon still working? Yes, The Coast Guard continues to operate the light as an active aid to navigation. The light is visible 22 miles out to sea and flashes every 15 seconds. A lighthouse’s flash pattern is called its ‘characteristic’, every lighthouse has its own light characteristic and exterior paint scheme (called a daymark) so that ship captains can tell them apart.
The lighthouse lens
The lighthouse lens
*What were the two small rooms on either side of the entrance hallway used for? They were storage rooms that held tools, implements and fuel for the lantern before the Oil House was built. The keeper also used one as a small office.
The lighthouse office
Another site in Cape May that is interesting to visit when it is open during the season is Cold Spring Village. This site shows what life was life was like in the early 19th Century. It has a lot things to do during their special events.
Historically clothed interpreters demonstrate blacksmithing, pottery, printing, basket weaving and more! Visit an Early American schoolhouse, take part in hands-on activities and crafts and sample historic games and horse-drawn wagon rides on weekdays.
The Visitor’s Center at Historic Cold Spring Village
The village is also home to an organic farm complete with a horse, chickens, sheep and more! Visitors will also find a Welcome Center, Country Store, Bakery, Ice Cream Parlor, Cold Spring Grange Restaurant and Cold Spring Brewery.
The Map of the Village
Historic Cold Spring Village is a non-profit, open air living history museum dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of southern New Jersey. During the summer months, interpreters and artisans in period clothing preserve the trades, crafts and heritage of “the age of homespun.” From October-May, the emphasis is on teaching history through school trips to the Village, classroom visits by the education department and interactive teleconferences with schools throughout the U.S.
The Visitor’s Center exhibition is open in off season.
Our Education Program relates the history of the region to the broader scope of New Jersey, American and World History. Historic Cold Spring Village offers programs for students of all ages and programs can be adapted to any grade level. Please contact the Village for a more detailed description of each program.
Historic Cold Spring Village’s educational offerings are designed to comply with the 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Social Studies as established by the New Jersey Department of Education.
The Visitor’s Center exhibitions at Historic Cold Spring Village.
I wanted to visited more of the historical sites along the barrier islands in the towns of Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Avalon, and Stone Harbor. I started my journey at the top of the barrier island at Ocean City, NJ.
When I was visiting Ocean City recently, I got to visit the US Life Saving Station 30. What I asked myself was why it was so far inland from the ocean and the tour guide immediately told me this was the result of storms that hit the barrier island over the last 100 years and now it sits three blocks from the sea. That is the Jersey shore for you.
The front of the museum
The front sign of the building
Short History of the Museum:
(from the museum website)
Also known as the U.S. Coast Guard Station No. 126, this is the only life-saving station (now museum) of its design in NJ (1 of 6 in the country) still in existence. The designer and architect was James Lake Parkinson in a Carpenter Gothic style. This building is one of 42 stations built in New Jersey. It was also the workplace of the brave surfmen who were the beachfront First Responders of the day.
The anchor outside the building
The historical plaque outside the building
The History of the Building and Museum:
(from the State of NJ Historic website)
The U.S. Life Saving Station in Ocean City is significant as an example of a significant type of life saving station and for its association with the activities of the U.S. Life Saving Service. The building was constructed in 1885 in what was referred to as the “1882 type.” There were 25 life-saving stations constructed in this style. In 1905 the building’s footprint was expanded to nearly twice its original size. The expansion was done in a style unique to New Jersey Life Saving Stations.
In 1915 the U.S. Life Saving Service and the Revenue Cutter Service were combined to form the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard continued to utilize the building until it was decommissioned during the 1940s and sold. It was used as a private residence until the City purchased it in May 2010.
The first room inside was the formal dining room where guests who visited or who had been rescued had dined. It was a rather formal affair.
I visited the museum on a weekend day to learn of the rescue procedures and the job these men did on a day to day basis. The first thing I learned was how shifting tides can change an island.
This building which now sits about four blocks inland was once at the shoreline a hundred years ago. Talk about change and Mother Nature’s role in this.
The first room I visited was the formal dining room in the newer extension of the building. This would be where the officers and men would entertain guests and visitors to the building. It could be a casual or formal affair.
The first floor formal dining room
The entertainment for the evening was either board games or a music box
Some of the items salvaged from the sea
The Life Guard officer formal outfit was worn for formal affairs
The officers would be dressed formally to receive guests
The next room over was the Rescue room and door where the boats and other equipment would be held when the alarm sounded.
The docent discussed how the doors were opened and the boats needed to be pulled out on a stormy night. Everything you needed had to be close by, in good shape and ready to go.
The rescue boats and pulleys that would be used in the sea
The ropes and pulleys used to assist in the rescue
Another wonderful museum to visit in Ocean City Is the Ocean City Historical Museum which is located in the Municipal Building at 1735 Simpson Avenue. The museum really discusses in depth the history of the resort and its development not just as a resort but as a vibrant beach community.
The entrance to the museum is inside the Municipal Building and Library 1735 Simpson Avenue
The original map of Ocean City, NJ
I made a trip to many of the beach towns at the Jersey Shore recently visiting the small historical societies that explain the history and development of these small towns. It is amazing to see how they have developed in just 150 years from Native American fishing villages to thriving vacation spots and permanent residential districts. Ocean City, NJ itself has an interesting history.
The entrance gallery with the history of the town
As you enter the museum from the back of the library, you are warmly greeted by a docent who will explain the museum to you. Then you will follow a semicircle through the exhibitions in a genealogical order from when the town was founded to modern times and events.
The first exhibition is called “From Hunting Ground to the Modern Resort:
The early history from the time the Native Americans used the shore line for fishing and hunting to the history of the Miller family who owned parts of the island. The exhibit explained how the Miller family owned this section the island and how it was developed. These were the early years of the island until the coming of the Methodist colony.
The original map of the barrier island and artifacts of the local Native American tribes
The second Exhibition was “The Founders and the Early Years”:
In 1879, four Methodist ministers came to Ocean City to develop a Summer Colony and resort for their members based on Christian values. This lead to the development of the “Blue Laws” in which some traces are found today. The displays discussed the how the resort moved into modern times and how this development shaped the resort as it is today. There are interesting pictures of the development of the Camp in the turn of the last century.
The early growth of the island as a resort
Early Motel sign
The early Bathing exhibition
The third Exhibition was “The Boardwalk”:
The development of the first Boardwalk in 1887 to give access to the shoreline lead to early development around it. You could follow the developments of many versions of the Boardwalk over the years due to storms and development. There were displays of old movie theaters that used to dot the Boardwalk along with other family businesses that opened over the years. Old hotels that have since closed or being used for other uses had their histories told. The Flanders Hotel’s history was displayed.
The Boardwalk rebuilt into its present form
The Boardwalk in the beginning
The Beach Patrol display
The Beach Patrol sign
The Ocean Patrol exhibition and artifacts
The forth Exhibition was “The Sindia”:
The Sindia was a shipwreck off the coast of Ocean City that ran aground in 1901. It still lies off the coast but many of the artifacts of the wreck are displayed here. There is all sorts of bottles, dishware and other household and decorative items displayed here. There is also an interesting display of model ships.
The Porcelain artifacts
The model ship display
I next visited the small beach town of Sea Isle City and the Sea Isle City Historical Museum.
The Sea Isle City Historical Museum is located inside the Sea Isle Library at 4800 Central Avenue just off Downtown Sea Isle City, NJ
I set out to visiting many of the historical societies that tell the histories of these towns and how they have progressed from small Native American fishing villages to the resort and residential towns of today. Each of these small beach towns had their own story to tell.
The entrance of the museum from the hallway of the library
The Sea Isle City Historical Museum at 4800 Central Avenue is located in the back of the Municipal Building right next to the Sea Isle City Library. This small museum that is manned by volunteers is packed with local historical artifacts, pictures and exhibitions of the items in the museum. You have to walk to the back of the building to find the museum just off the library entrance.
The entrance of the museum
When you walk into the museum, you are greeted by an exhibition of ‘Wedding Dresses through the Ages’, created by curator the late Marie Thompson Stafford, which shows various styles of wedding dresses from 1880 until current day that were worn by brides from Sea Isle City, NJ. Each dress was accompanied in most cases by the owner on her wedding day and gives a unique view of the changing of styles over the last century.
“Wedding Dresses through the Ages”
The back part of the museum is broken down into sections. Part of the museum is an on-going library of the history of the families have lived in town over the generations. What I thought was interesting about this was that each family had their own notebook binder to contribute family history and pictures of the family events. They could update their notebook by coming into the Historical Society and personally adding to the book. There have been 30 years of donations to the museum according to the volunteers.
The main gallery of the museum
The family history binders and the hat collection of the museum
There were also shelves of books on the Sea Isle City School district, the fire department, the police department and the Municipal departments of the town. These featured old pictures of the departments, artifacts over the years and documents of what happened in the town.
The Sea Isle City Police Department history
The Sea Isle City Fire Department history
There was a section on the old hotels and restaurants of Sea Isle City at the turn of the last century until today. Various clapboard Victorian hotels used to line the shores here but many had succumbed to either fires or beach erosion. Several of the old restaurants like Cronecker’s Restaurant had just closed over time.
The founders of the Croneckers Hotel
There was an interesting exhibition on the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol and the members who made up the squad. This is a very important part of the culture of the shore towns and their competitions are a very big deal. You can see the bragging rights of the towns over decades of summers. These lifeguards take their jobs very seriously.
The Beach Patrol display
The next beach community was Avalon, NJ and a visit to the Avalon History Center. This small museum is packed with information on the community of Avalon and the surrounding beach towns.
The Avalon History Center is at 215 39th Street in Downtown Avalon, NJ
These interesting little museums are packed with information on the history and development of these towns. The progress of these towns from fishing and hunting villages for the Native Americans to the modern day resorts and permanent residence’s have a fascinating history.
The early history of Avalon display with the development of the hospitality industry in the town
When you enter the building, the rooms are broken down in section by display. The Avalon Police Department has a wonderful exhibition of the history of the department. There are all sorts of police gear, mannequins with old uniforms and all sorts of police gear and pictures of the department through the ages. Near that is the Brendan Borek High Tide Memorial Fund.
The Early Avalon Room contains the history of the many hotels that used to dot the town during the Victorian era that have either burned down or succumbed to the ocean currents. Of all the hotels that existed only the Sea Lark B &B (See my review on TripAdvisor) still greeting guests. There are all sorts of dishware from the old hotels, menus and silverware that show the opulence of the time when pleasure travel lasted longer than present day.
The history of the Hotel Industry in Avalon with artifacts like menus, china and wonderful pictures of the old hotels. One of the hotels, the Sealark Hotel, still operates as a bed and breakfast. I had stayed there in 2017 for the Firemen’s Convention and had a excellent stay.
My review on TripAdvisor:
There was a section on the Founding of the town and its development over time. The town used to be Native American place to fish and hunt to the Victorian resort it became with the railroads. There was extensive history of the Railroad system that was so important to the growth of these shore towns. This was until 1937 when the rail system became obsolete with the advent of the automobile. There was a nice display of the old Avalon Pier.
The detailed display of businesses that made Avalon the place to go and party
The Mascot for Pudgie Pelican
The back of the building was dedicated to local businesses that have since closed, This shows old signs, pictures and menus of watering holes that were popular for generations. There was an interesting display from the Avalon Hotel’s ‘Phil’s Bongo Room’, a popular place for bands.
The artifacts from Jack’s
Memories from a forgotten bar scene
On the other side of the front of the museum is an interesting display on the Avalon Shore Patrol, a much dedicated group of men and women that play such an important role in a shore community. The museum displayed an restored patrol boat surrounded by other artifacts. Pictures of generations of Beach Patrol members proudly line the walls.
The Beach Patrol display
The Beach Patrol display
The last community I visited on the barrier island of the Town of Stone Harbor. For a small beach community, it is packed with cultural sites and historical museums. The first museum I visited was the Stone Harbor Museum which is located in the downtown area.
The entrance to the Stone Harbor Museum at 9410 Second Avenue
On a recent trip to the Jersey Shore, I took an long drive down the coastline visiting small historical museums of the shore towns and they gave me an interesting perspective of how these towns were developed from the time of Native American fishing and hunting villages to the advent of railroads and Victorian hotels to the modern development of the town today. Stone Harbor, NJ has had an interesting path since its development in the late 1800’s.
The Stone Harbor Museum display from the Women’s Civic Club of Stone Harbor
The Stone Harbor Museum was founded in 1996 by a group of involved residents who wanted to showcase their town’s history. The current museum was opened in 2016 and has many different exhibitions going on, some permanent and others are seasonal and keep rotating within the museum. When you walk in, the museum is divided by sections and displays of their museum.
The Stone Harbor Museum Historical Window
Leading into the entrance, there was a very interesting exhibit on “9/11” for the Twentieth Anniversary of the event by a Chief from the Stone Harbor Fire Department. It was a series of articles from local and national papers, some artifacts and information on the fire service. It was a very touching reminder of what fire fighters did that horrible day.
The Stone Harbor Fire Department display in 2024 (the 9/11 exhibit closed a year later)
There were many displays on the history of Stone Harbor with the Stone Harbor School System and the Borough of Stone Harbor exhibiting artifacts. Interesting pictures and items of the Stone Harbor Beach Patrol were proudly displayed which I noticed from my many stops at various historical societies on the Jersey Shore is very much a part of the town culture. These teams take their competitions amongst the towns very seriously with events like boating and swimming.
The Stone Harbor Beach Patrol display
There were many pictures of old homes at a time when the town was a Victorian beach resort and people came to the Jersey shore for extended vacations. You could see the progression of the town over a century from a seaside resort to a permanent residential town. The architecture has significantly changed over the years to slightly smaller homes but no less impressive all over the town.
The Stone Harbor Hotels
There were extensive pictures and displays of the importance of the rail system and the role it played in the growth of the area and to all shore communities. Its history pretty much ended with the advent of the Model T and the growth of cars to the Jersey shore. Soon the modern highways made the rail system obsolete.
Still there are many displays of ‘fun in the sun’ and the growth of beach activities and recreation with the growth of sun bathing, swimming, boating and fishing. People’s leisure time was growing and the Jersey shore filled their time with sun bathing and swimming. The changes of attitude in swimwear have been tremendous especially from the one piece and hats to the modern bikini in just 80 years.
Swimwear at the turn of the last century
There were pictures and artifacts from various shipwrecks off the coast of the town. It showcased the maritime history of the town and of the Jersey shore in general. It showed the importance of the town in a era of trade that is long gone. This shipping lines too became obsolete as rail service replaced them.
The main gallery of the museum
There was a interesting collection of items entitled Church and Faith of all the churches in the town that played such a important role in the social life of the turn of the last century. This was a time before TV, radio, the advent of movies and especially the Internet. This was at time when people’s social life revolved the social life of places of worship.
The Office Display
In the center of the museum there is an extensive library with shelves lined with notebooks full of pictures and historical details neatly bound. This is the records of the town and the citizens who have lived here over the years.
Artifacts from the town
The two big displays right now for kids has been the Taylor Swift, the famous singer, display of items that her family donated to the museum. It seems that she summered here as a child and played in the local clubs. The other was the dinosaur bone display of items found locally in the area and around New Jersey. The museum has a popular scavenger hunt for the kids where they have to find items on display.
The new Taylor Swift display on the years she vacationed here
The Taylor Swift exhibition
The next site I visited in Stone Harbor is just off the downtown district and closer to the shore is the Stone Harbor (Tatham) Life Saving Station Museum which also serves as the American Legion Post 331.
The Stone Harbor Life Saving Station at 11617 Second Avenue
(From the Stone Harbor Museum website)
American Legion Post 331 represents both Avalon and Stone Harbor, but also includes many members from outside the area. The Post occupies the old Tatham Life Saving Station, the oldest building in Stone Harbor, and is dedicated to the memory of PFC Stephen C. Ludlam, of Stone Harbor, New Jersey (1925-1945). Stephen was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross (our nation’s 2nd highest award) and Purple Heart for heroic action during the Battle of the Colmar Pocket in World War II (Stone Harbor Museum website).
The historic Life Saving Boat
The historic signs
The historic signs
The historic signs
The museum is open for limited hours Monday-Wednesday and on Fridays from 10:00am-2:00pm during the summer months and then by appointment only during the rest of the year. The building is used for the local Veterans VFW meeting place so the building is used all year round.
The outside painting of the rescue team on the outside of the old bay
(From the Stone Harbor Museum website)
Murals in the building depict the history of the building, use of life saving equipment during the 1900s and honor to our fallen soldiers. All murals were created by artist and member Mr. James J. Thompson. Memorabilia available includes the life saving surf boat, steering oars, historic photos of the Life Saving Service and wall panels describing in detail the various aspects of life saving operations. The murals, wall panels and surfboat restoration were funded by the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Also of interest is the view from the tower which presents an excellent panorama of Stone Harbor, the ocean, Hereford Inlet and the bay (Stone Harbor Museum website).
The second painting
I took a guided tour on a recent Friday and one of the veterans gave me a very though tour of the museum and all the displays. If you like this depth of the history of both the Coast Guard, the Jersey Shore Rescues and this history of all the wars especially WWI and WWII, this museum shows that history in depth with artifacts from both local residents and members of the military from New Jersey.
The Rescue painting from the old rescue bays
We started the tour on the first floor with the history of the building, how the Jersey Shore Rescue units worked and the early formation of the Coast Guard from the earlier Rescue Units.
The painting in the lobby is rescued
The beginnings of the US Coast Guard
The building is named after local resident , Stephen Ludham. The memorial to Private First Class Stephen Ludham is located in the first room.
The memorial Stephen Ludlam
The picture of Stephen C. Ludlam
(From the American Legion Post 331 website)
The American Legion Post 331 was chartered on March 30, 1946. At the time of our organization, we received permission from Mr. and Mrs. Jesse D. Ludlam of Stone Harbor to name the new post in honor of their son, Private First Class (PFC) Steven C. Ludlam. PFC Ludlam was killed in action at the age of 19 near Ostheim, France on January 23, 1945. For his heroic action on that date, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, an award second only to the Medal of Honor. His brother, John Ludlam an Army Air Corps member, was a charter member of the new post (American Legion Post 331 website).
Post 331 is unique primarily because it is fortunate enough to have been able to purchase and restore a deactivated U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) station that was formerly an 1895 U. S. Life-Saving Service (USLSS) station as its Post building. The building not only serves as a meeting place for legionnaires, but it also houses a life-saving museum on its first floor and a military museum on its second floor. The building’s tower offers a panoramic view of the southern part of Seven Mile Island (formerly Seven Mile Beach). American Legion Post 331 and Sons of The American Legion (S. A. L.) Squadron 331 members provide free tours of the historic building five days a week during the summer (American Legion Post 331 website).
Post 331 is also unique among many Posts because it services the summer resort communities of Avalon and Stone Harbor whose populations, to include active legion members, drastically fall during the off-season months. As a result, the Post is closed during the months of February and March. The Post has a membership of over 200 members. Our membership is comprised of past and present members of our nation’s military services: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force and in the future US Space Force. As members of The American Legion, they carry out our goal of veterans helping veterans and our local communities (American Legion Post 331 website).
The main room on the first room where the VFW meets, there is all sorts of artifacts and pictures along the walls.
The main meeting room of the building
The beach live Guarding stations in this part of the shore district
The Rescue Stations used to line the coastline along a certain amount of miles that could be covered by Teams with the technology of the time. As modern rescue practices were developed after WWI, we saw the formation of the current US Coast Guard.
The uniform and the award to Charles M. Wright, along with his memos.
What the site looked like in the early part of the last century before Stone Harbor grew up around it.
The next memorial was to Seaman Stephen Tieser along with his uniform.
The memorial to Stephen Tieser
Stephen Teiser’s Sailor’s uniform
The uniforms and the group shot of the ‘Manning Station’, the men of the life guarding station
Down the road from the Life Saving Station is the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary at 11400 Third Avenue, which along with the Wetlands Institute on the road out of town are the two natural sites in Stone Harbor. These take some walking but give you a perspective on the natural preserves in the town.
The sign welcoming you
The History of the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary:
(from the park’s website)
The Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary is a wonderfully preserved microcosm of what the barrier islands of New Jersey looked like hundreds of years ago. As you walk along Sanctuary paths, it is easy to imagine the Lenni-Lenape Indians wandering through the maritime forest, crossing wind swept sand dunes, past groves of white cedar, birch, pine, holly and sassafras trees, taking time to drink water from a spring fed freshwater pond and then, fishing in the salt water meadows surrounded by herons and songbirds.
As early as the 1870’s and 1880’s, the Sanctuary area was recognized as a “veritable paradise of birds” for ornithologists. The primary attractions were Little Blue Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, Green Herons and egrets. Once the 96th Street Bridge opened in 1911, those who wanted to study, hunt or collect the eggs of birds no longer had to walk across four miles of marsh. Easy access to the heronry was a boon to birders but also a threat to birds whose plumes and eggs were valued.
In 1941, the Stone Harbor Bird Club was organized in the home of Lillian R. Leuallen. The Bird Club was renamed in 1946 as the Witmer Stone Club to honor Witmer Stone, one of the first ornithologists to document birds in the Sanctuary area. With considerable foresight, the Witmer Stone Club proposed early in 1947 that the Borough of Stone Harbor establish a “sanctuary”. In October of 1947, the Borough Council passed Ordinance #208 which preserved 31 acres of land as a wildlife sanctuary. Subsequent to expert study in 1961 which demonstrated that no birds were nesting on the beach side sanctuary acreage, the Stone Harbor Borough Council sold ten acres to the east of Second Avenue. The remaining 21 acres bounded by Second Avenue to the East, Third Avenue to the West, 111th Street to the North and area between 116th and 117th on the South represents the Sanctuary as we know it today. The Sanctuary remains one of the few bird sanctuaries in the world that are completely within municipal boundaries.
One can’t overstate the foresight and commitment of the residents and Borough officials to conservation as well as the preservation of open space and wildlife in 1947, 1961 and every year since. This commitment was reinforced by the United States Park Service in 1965 when it designated the Sanctuary as a National Natural Landmark.
Over the years, the Sanctuary has been home to thousands of birds and visited by more than a million people representing all fifty states and most countries in the world. It has been estimated that Sanctuary visitors spend more than $5 million each year, locally. Although some like the New York Times in 1960 glorify the Sanctuary, referring to it as “The Everglades of New Jersey”, Stone Harbor residents think of the Sanctuary as a symbol of the character of this quiet, single family town which respects the nature and wildlife that surrounds them while placing a premium on livability, aesthetics and serenity.
The front of the sanctuary from 3rd Avenue
I took a walk when I was in Stone Harbor through the town’s Bird Sanctuary to hopefully view some rare birds. While I did not see much, I heard a lot of singing and scrawling as I walked the path through the trees.
The front gardens in the sanctuary
The gardens were still in bloom in the late Summer and many colorful wildflowers attracted all sorts of butterflies and other insects.
The sign greeting you about the experience
The front path of the sanctuary
You head over the bridge to the paths that take you into the woods
Walking down the pathways through the woods
The path takes you into a deep wooded area in the middle of the town and by the time you get to the middle of the path, you can hear the mating calls of many birds. It’s funny to note that we are a couple of blocks from the shore.
Walking through the pathways
Reaching the middle of the beach woods
The middle of the bird sanctuary noisy with bird calls
When I left town the last time I was in town, I left town by Stone Harbor Boulevard to get to the Garden State Parkway and came across the Wetlands Institute. Entering from the highway, I was surprised at this interesting place of nature and how the Institute is not just part of the community but how it integrates itself into the fabric of helping understand how Mother Nature plays a part in benefiting everyone in this shore community from cleaning the water, sustaining wildlife and preventing flooding.
The front of the Wetlands Institute at 1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard in Stone Harbor, NJ
The back of the Institute from the salt marshes
The sign that welcomes you inside
You would almost miss the Institute without the sign
The beautiful gardens in the front during the summer months
The Institute’s gardens in the front of the building during the summer months
The History of the Wetlands Institute:
(From the Institute’s website)
The Wetlands Institute was founded by Herbert Mills in the late 1960s, thereby fulfilling his life-long vision of creating a world-class research, education and conservation center at the Jersey Shore that would educate people of all ages about the beauty and wonders of the coastal environment, and the importance of that environment to their daily lives. His dream was to inspire everyone to want to conserve and sustain that environment forever.
Herb loved birds and nature all his life. In fact, he joined the National Audubon Society at the age of seven. Many of his maturing years were spent as an executive in the glass and canning industries of South Jersey. During those years he further developed his abiding interest in conservation issues, so much so that he left the business world in 1967 to became the Executive Director of the World Wildlife Fund. In 1969, under his leadership, the World Wildlife Fund purchased 6,000 acres of salt marsh in Middle Township. 34 of those acres became the site of the Wetlands Institute’s facility. The rest were held by the World Wildlife Fund until being transferred to New Jersey’s Green Acres Program. Herb also raised the funds for the design and construction of our main building which was designed by Malcolm Wells, a world-renowned and environmentally-oriented architect.
Our building was officially dedicated on September 16, 1972. Herb Mills’ friend and the international president of the World Wildlife Fund, Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands was the keynote speaker (the Institute website).
The bird exhibition at the entrance of the Institute
The other bird exhibition in the hallway
Later History:
(from the Institute Website)
In its earliest years the Institute was run by Lehigh University under a dollar-a-year lease. That relationship continued beyond Herb Mills’ untimely death at the age of 62 on October 21, 1972 while addressing an ornithology meeting at Cornell University, barely a month after the Institute’s dedication ceremony.
After a few years, however, the Institute and Lehigh parted company amicably. The late Marion Glaspey, a shy but very determined woman, succeeded Herb Mills as Chairman of the Board and guided the Institute for several difficult years as the Institute struggled to become a self-sustaining, independent entity, and garner and maintain the kind of financial support that is vital to any nonprofit organization. In addition to being totally dedicated to the Institute, Marion was a talented artist and photographer, teaching classes in both subjects, and–most significantly–she was a passionate gardener (she’s the “Marion” for whom our Marion’s Garden is named). She remained on our Board of Trustees until her death in 2000.
Through Marion’s leadership and that of her successors, the Institute has evolved to become a leader in coastal environmental education, research, and conservation. At present the Institute is supported almost entirely by funds from private sources, receiving only an occasional government grant for a special project.
My visit to the Institute in the Summer of 2024:
The first stop on the tour of the facility was walking up to the observation deck at the top of the building to view the salt marshes below. It gave an overview of the area that the Institute is trying to protect. The top floor observation gives a clear view of the marshes that surround the town of Stone Harbor and how these acres of area help both the natural population as well as the human population both residing in this beach community.
The view of the Wetlands between the barrier islands and the mainland
The Wetlands closer to the main road
The view of the front of the building and its colorful gardens
The Wetlands that line the highway out of Stone Harbor
I continued this journey through all four seasons going back and forth between Cape May County through Cumberland County and then on to Salem County, stopping at every cultural site and part that covered the three counties. This covers a lot of area and the roads are mostly one or two lane highways in this part of the state. I just kept researching and trying to find when they were all open. It has taken many years to see everything.
Trying to find a hotel room for one night during the college graduation season was trying at best. Most of the chain hotels like Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn and Fairfield Inn by the Turnpike which I expected to choose from had gotten horrible reviews online as dated and dirty so those were out. There were no Airbnb rooms anywhere in south Jersey and the only two B & B’s in the immediate area were both booked for the weekend.
I was ready to give up until I Googled small hotels in South New Jersey and I found The Salem River Inn (formerly the Inn at Salem Country Club) at 91 Country Club Road, a small inn that was just south of Downtown Salem, which was my starting point for the tour that weekend. I called the innkeeper, Yvonne that afternoon and was surprised that the room that I wanted, The Meadow Room, was open for Saturday night and was listed as $125.00 a night. I immediately booked the room and planned the trip.
The Salem River Club at 91 Country Club Road in Salem, NJ
My review on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g46799-Salem_New_Jersey-Hotels.html?m=19905
The one catch was they were hosting a graduation party at the inn and could I check in on Friday morning. That was perfect for me as I wanted to start my trip visiting Woodstown, NJ and walk around the downtown. So, finishing all my projects at home, off I went at 7:00am in the morning for my trip to South Jersey.
I had decided to get off the New Jersey Turnpike earlier and head down the local Route 45 and take it down to Woodstown and drive through farm country. It was such a spectacular sunny and clear morning that I decided to make a few stops along the way with enough time to check in.
My first stop was at Rosie’s Farm Market Stand at 317 Swedesboro Road in Mullica Hill, NJ. This small farm stand has everything you need for the perfect picnic or to bring to someone’s home for a party. There are all sorts of fruits, vegetables and snacks and beverages to choose from. It has that classic “Jersey Market” look even though it is now surrounded by development.
Rosie’s Farm Market at 317 Swedesboro Road
https://www.rosiesfarmmarket.com/
https://www.facebook.com/rosiesfarmmarket/
The wonderful baked goods at Rosie’s
The colorful and fresh Jersey product is prominent at Rosie’s
Rosie’s was getting ready for Halloween when I visited in 2024
All the wonderful things offered at Rosie’s stand
The farm was getting ready for Halloween
After I walked around Rosie’s looking for something I could not find in our own farmstands in Bergen County (same items), I headed down the road, turned the corner and headed south down Route 45. I drove through the cute little town of Mullica Hill. I did not have time to stop and explore the town but noted to come back this way so that I could walk around the downtown.
The greeting from Rosie’s in the Summer of 2024
This is a great little farm stand
Then I continued the drive down Route 45 on my way to Woodstown and then onto Salem. Route 45 is one of the most picturesque roads that I had been on with its rolling farms and lush landscapes. Things were just beginning to grow, and you could see the fields of corn and plants with an occasional winery popping up here and there. It shows that crops are changing in New Jersey farmland. With all the TV and movies, you see about New Jersey, this is the part of the state that they never show. You can forget sometimes how rural the state really an hour from my house.
I reached Downtown Woodstown, NJ by 9:00am and stopped to look around. I had driven through Woodstown when I went to visit mom after the Firemen’s Convention and thought it a unique and interesting little town with all the Victorian architecture. I walked around the downtown businesses and walked around the neighborhood admiring the care families have renovated these old homes.
Downtown Woodstown, NJ in the Fall
https://historicwoodstown.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstown,_New_Jersey
I walked through some of the businesses that opened early like the flower shop and independent bookstore. The owners were super friendly, and they were explaining their businesses to me. I thought that was very nice of them. Most of the restaurants with the exception of the diner were closed. It was nice to see all the beautiful homes and cultural sites so close to the downtown.
On the edge of Downtown Woodstown, I saw the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society that sits on the very edge of the business district. It was closed when I visited in June and September when I visited the area both times but in September is opened up on the promised Saturday and I toured the house with Trudy, who was one of the board members of the historical society and she gave me a personal almost two hour tour of the home.
The Samuel Dickeson House
The Mission of the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society:
To preserve and advance interest in and awareness of the history and heritage of the Borough of Woodstown and Pilesgrove Township by properly procuring, preserving and maintaining the art, artifacts and documents that relate to the cultural, archaeological, civil, literary, genealogical and ecclesiastical history of the local community. We welcome researchers and provide them with any available material.
On the site is the 1840’s one room schoolhouse that was moved from Eldridge’s Hill in the 1970’s and is open for touring during museum hours. The organization hosts quarterly presentations and participates with the Candlelight Tour on the first Friday of December.
Touring the house is a wonderful experience and I got an excellent tour from a member of the Board of Directors who took me on a full tour of the house and grounds. She explained that the volunteers take a lot of pride in the home, the displays and the artifacts and antiques that make up the décor of the house. The tour starts in the Library which is to the right of the entrance. This is where people can research their families and the towns’ histories. The house was originally owned by the Dickerson family and had changed hands many times over the years.
The Library:
This display has the portrait of John Fenwick and the family tree
The Library:
The Library:
The collection of books and manuscripts is held in the library of the home. Patrons can do their research on their family trees and on the local towns here.
The Living Room:
The Living Room:
The Living Room:
The Living Room:
The Living Room of the old house.
When I visited Woodstown in December, most of the special events and open houses were over by that point. The big tour for Christmas was on the first weekend of December. Still the historical society was decorated for the holidays and looked very festive.
The Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society at Christmas time.
The Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society during the Christmas Walking Tour
The Upstairs of the Historical Society decorated for Christmas
The upstairs decorated for the Christmas Walking Tour
The Historical Society decorated for Christmas during the walking tour
Down the road from the Woodstown Historical Society is the historic Shrivers House, which is open by appointment only or when the town has a special event. I got a private tour by the home, Gregg Perry and he gave me a very thorough tour of the home.
The front of the Shivers House Museum at 68 Main Street from across the street
https://www.salemcountyclocks.com/the-big-red-house
https://www.instagram.com/samuelshivershousemuseum/?hl=en
I got a personal tour of the Shivers House Museum and the Sign of Key Tavern, which is attached to the main house of the Shivers Family. The first part of the tour was of the Sign of Key Tavern, which consisted of The Hearth Room, where all the cooking took place and the Cage Bar room, where meals would be eaten and used for socialization.
I could see that the family business was very popular at the time when transportation was slower and these areas in the early 1700’s were barely populated. So this became the focal point of the communities. These taverns were part of the communication and transport systems of the country up until the Revolutionary War.
Later, family members built the the main house of which the tavern would be attached and thus began the home’s transformation to modern times. The house from the outside has a more symmetrical appearance but these changes on the outside altered the historic inside.
The History of the Shivers House:
In 1668, John Shivers at the bequest of King George of England was given thousands of acres to promote the hamlet development with what was then known as West Jersey.
Upon arrival, Shivers constructed on the property, utilizing Native American labor, a dam and saw mill on what would become Woodstown Lake. From here he milled the timber for his tavern. The tavern, The Sign of the Key, operated for 65 years on the corner of what is today Routes 40 and 45. Travelers could sleep, eat meals, communicate and trade furs from the area. After Shivers death, it was moved to its present location by his son, Samuel, as an addition to the current house.
The Shivers family owned the house through marriage through the Nineteen century.
The outside sign of the house
The first part of the house tour I took was of the old tavern section of the house. This had once been in a different area and moved here by the family and connected to the newly built house around 1726 when Tavern owner, John Shivers died.
The Cage Bar/ Dining room
The Dining Room area
The pewter materials in the Dining Room
The tavern was open in 1669 for business. The tavern has been here open for business from 1669 to 1720 until John Shivers died. The first part of the building served as the Kitchen area with an open hearth for cooking and serving. Meals were prepared here as well as keeping the building warm for guests who might stay overnight upstairs.
The second part of the building served as the Dining Room for the old Tavern. Visitors would have their meals served here and converse and socialize in this room. There is a rebuilt Cage Bar for serving alcohol. The old Tavern section of house has since been restored and has period furnishings and decorations.
The Cage Bar in the Tavern Room
The Tavern kitchen
The Hearth of the Kitchen is eleven feet wide by three feet deep by five feet high in opening containing two mobile cranes. The back firebox bricks are laid in a herringbone style pattern. A tavern hearth of this dimension would have allowed the cook to have multiple fires going in the firebox (Gregg Perry research).
The Kitchen of the Tavern
This is the room where all meals were prepared and served. It was also used as the central heating for the tavern in colder weather. It is decorated in period furnishings and pewter ware decorates the walls. This would have been used in serving at that period in the 1700’s.
The pewter materials
For the price of a penny today, a patron could have his choice of a tankard of ale or hard cider and a plate of whatever the entree was of the day as well as have the option to spend the night on the floor of the second floor with a burlap blanket. They could also have the horse fed and boarded if needed. The tavern had been in business in one form or another until the 1930’s when it closed for business during the Great Depression (Gregg Perry research).
The Main Part of the house was build 1723. This section of the home was built by John Shivers, whose portrait sits above the mantle.
The Grand Reception Room
The Grand Reception Room was built to impress visitors to the house and for entertaining for this prominent family. As the family accumulated wealth and social prominence in the area, the house was meant to impress people with its large fireplaces and tall ceilings.
The Portrait of John Shivers in the Grand Reception Room
The Grand Room
Much of the period furniture of the room has been restored back to its original form and the woodwork to the room is from the original house. Period clocks and decorations are from that period and part of the owners collection. The tour was really interesting and the house was an excellent example of early Colonialism.
The town of Woodstown was decorated all around the downtown area and the homes surrounding the Society were especially beautiful.
The historic bank building in the middle of downtown with the Santa waving at people.
The beautiful Victorian Homes just outside of downtown.
The Victorian Homes of Woodstown, NJ decorated for the holidays.
Downtown Woodstown, NJ decorated for Christmas.
Snowmen lined the downtown district.
The snowmen gave such a cheerful welcome to Woodstown.
The Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society Christmas House Tour:
(check out my blog on the event under the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society blog)
During Christmas of 2024, I decided to visit both Woodstown and Salem for their Annual Christmas House Walking Tours, which I highly recommend. The owners of the houses and the businesses involved could not be more generous showing off their homes and providing refreshments to visiting guests. The places are so beautifully decorated for the holidays and the atmosphere could not be more festive. The problem was it really cold out those two days and when the sun went down it got colder (See my write up on the event on the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society blog):
Santa and I at the start of the Woodstown part of the tour at the Creekside Inn Visitors Center:
I started the tour at the Creekside Inn where we had to check in and then take our 3:00pm bus tour into Pilesgrove to see some of the historic houses and estates. While I was at the Visitors Center, I had time to talk to Santa about some things that were bothering me about society today. I have to admit after talking to him, I really do still believe in him.
The tour started at the Seven Stars Tavern home which was once part of the stagecoach line to Bridgeton
Inside the Seven Stars Tavern
The Christmas tree inside the Seven Stars Tavern house
Touring the Catalpa Farm
The Dining Room decorations at the Catalpa Farm
The Zigo Farm when we arrived:
The decorations from Zigo Farm’s stables
Arriving back in Woodstown to tour that evening was a delight of lights and decorations and homes so festive for the holidays. I only had about two hours to tour the houses and businesses downtown but it was still fun to talk to the home owners as the evening progressed.
The decorations at houses in Woodstown
The Video of the Christmas tree lights on the side of this house:
I joined the rest of the crowds on the walking tour of town and all the beautiful historical homes that were decorated for the Christmas holidays. Each one was nicer than the other, some open and some were not. Even though, some people just sat outside socializing with each other even though it was so cold.
The Bobbitt House was beautifully decorated for the holidays and very popular on the tour
The inside of the Bobbitt House
One of the houses decorated for the holidays in Downtown Woodstown
This home was not open for the tour but had this welcoming Gingerbread man in the front and a young woman playing the piano on the porch many Christmas songs. Here she is playing “Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas”:
The last house I visited that evening before I had a quick dinner was the Bowdin House which was decorated to the hilt by its owner, who just happened to be an Interior Designer.
The Bowdin House decorated for the holidays
The Bowdin House Christmas tree
If ever there were events that put you in the holiday spirit, it was both the Pilesgrove/Woodstown Christmas House Walking tour and the Salem Yuletide Holiday Walking Tour. The homes are so beautifully decorated, the hosts so friendly and generous with both their time in their homes and refreshments and just the sheer beauty of these historic homes during Christmas. Santa would never miss these houses.
Downtown Woodstown at Christmas
Downtown Woodstown at Christmas after the tour was over
In June when I visited, I planned on coming back later that weekend, so my next stop was downtown Salem. Again you go from a downtown area to farmland again and it is so scenic along the highway with the large fields and watching cows’ feed. Here and there you see new construction but for the most part the area has not changed much since my initial visit six years ago.
The funny part of Downtown Salem is that it just jumps out at you when you cross the bridge. It goes from farmland to the small city of Salem. When you drive it, you start to see all the beautiful historical homes and architecture that reflex the city’s past. Most of the homes are either Victorian or Federalist in design but as you drive past City Hall and the government buildings, you see how run down the city really is now.
The last time I had been here was about four years ago on my way to see my mother and it is still rundown. If Salem was located in Bergen County, you could not touch these homes or any of these buildings for under a million dollars. People all over town assured me that this was not true here.
Downtown Salem, NJ by the Salem County Historical Society is the nicest section of the Downtown
I could not believe that the town still looked this bad when I drove through it to get to the inn which was located by the Delaware Bay. When you drove through the south side of the downtown, the further you got away from the downtown core, the better the neighborhoods got until you hit farmland and marshes closer to the bay. Off a very obscure road I found the Inn at the Salem Country Club at 91 Salem Country Club Road.
The Inn at the Salem Country Club at 91 Salem Country Club Road
The view from my room in the Fall
https://salemcountryclubnj.com/
I have to say that I was impressed by the entire stay at the Inn from the check in to the check out. My host, Yvonne, could not have been more welcoming and friendly and made the early morning check in easy. I got the key, got my luggage into the room, let her know that I would return after the party planned that evening was over and went on my way for the afternoon. It would an afternoon of a lot of running around. The one piece of advice she gave me was NOT to eat in Downtown Salem. She recommended either Pennsville or Woodstown for dinner that evening. I would discover later that evening what she was talking about.
The view from the porch of the hotel at breakfast time
After settling everything in at the Inn, I headed back up to Downtown Salem to my first three sites that I wanted to visit on the historical listing, The Friends Burial Ground and the Oak Trees, The Salem County Historical Society and the Salem Fire Museum plus I wanted to walk around the downtown area to see any progress in gentrification (there was none).
When I stayed in the area again in the summer of 2023, I could not get into the Inn and I stayed at the Barrett’s Plantation House in Mannington, NJ just up the road from Salem. The B & B is an historical home on one of the sleepy back roads just outside downtown Salem and the host could not have been nicer and more hospitable to me. The home was antique filled and I had a wonderful time. They said that the house was haunted but if there were any ghosts in the house, I must have driven them crazy because I was up so late working.
The Barrett Plantation House at 203 Old Kings Highway
http://barrettsplantationhouse.com/
I really had a nice time at the B & B. The hosts invited me downstairs for a drink and light snacks while we talked in front of a fireplace. The room was a step back in time. Over a glass of white wine, I found out that my hosts were very involved in Salem and the Salem Historical Society.
The meat and cheese tray with a glass of wine starts the conversation with the hosts in the evening in front of a cracking fire
It was ironic that my host played one of the characters on the ‘Ghost Walk’ I had taken the previous year.
We relaxed in the Living Room of the old Plantation house.
The Dickerson Suite where I stayed. I did not see any ghosts.
After drinks, I headed upstairs and worked until one in the morning on paperwork and projects for both school and work. The only time I ever felt anything was when I put my bags on an empty chair. Like someone who was watching me jumped up. Then the feeling went away, and I never felt anything after that. I guess the ghosts could not stand me working all night.
The Dining Rom where I ate my breakfast by candlelight and by the fire.
The next morning, I had the most amazing breakfast by myself in the Dining Room by candlelight with a fire going in the fireplace. My host made me a Cheese Omelet with fresh eggs from a local farm and cheese from a local dairy. The pepper bacon came from a farm not too far away and there was fresh banana bread. It was a nice way to cap off my visit before a long day of touring more historical sites.
The start of the breakfast feast, fresh fruit with local honey.
The fresh banana bread with hot English tea.
The Cheese Omelet with fresh Pepper Bacon and a ripe Jersey Tomato.
I really enjoyed my breakfast, but it was a little lonely being the only guest at the B & B that night. It would have been nice if the host’s had eaten breakfast with me. I had to get on the road quickly if I wanted to get back down to the East Point Lighthouse and work my way back up again before getting the Lower Alloway’s Historical society’s special event, the Machine Engine display. Before I left that house, I toured the gardens and enjoyed the nice sunny morning on the property.
The outside gardens of the Barrett Plantation House before I left that morning for touring.
When I stayed at the Barrett Plantation during the Christmas Walking Tours in Salem and Woodstown, not only did I get to tour the whole house but they had musicians in the main room entertaining us. It was a really nice evening.
(Check out my blog on the Salem County Historical Society for all the details and pictures of the tour)
The Violinist
The Barrett Plantation House during the Salem ‘Yuletide Walking Tour’
Touring the Barrett Plantation House during the walking tour
When the tour was over, I got my things and relaxed with my hosts and the other guests. Gayland, one my hosts, prepared a nice Shrimp Cocktail and a Roast Beef sandwich with Red Potato Salad for a snack when I arrived.
This time around I stayed across the hall in the Dickerson Suite and there were not ghostly happenings here. I slept well until the alarm awoke me at 4:00am by mistake and since I had to be at the Alloways Historical Museum at 8:00am, I just got up and did some work. Still the bed was so comfortable I did not want to get out of it.
This time around I stayed in the Dickerson Suite; No ghosts here!
The Dickerson Suite for Christmas in 2024
Breakfast was wonderful when I came back from the museum. We had a later breakfast because everyone wanted to sleep in while I was at the museum. It was nice to eat a little later and what a nice breakfast we had that morning.
We started with a wonderful fresh fruit salad with local honey and freshly squeezed orange juice
Then we were treated to Amish Honey Bread
The main dish was a Sunday Casserole with a side of hash browns that was excellent
It was such a relaxing morning, I did not want to leave. Between the Barrett Plantation House and the Salem River Inn, I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time. It was such a long semester and I needed this weekend of touring to just clear my mind.
In the Summer of 2024, I was back at the Salem Inn Country Club but this time because of a problem with the reservation and a mix up, the Inn put me up in the bigger Tower Room this time and the room and its views are spectacular! I highly recommend booking this room and splurging.
The Inn at Salem Country Club in the Summer of 2024
The Tower Room is a really treat to stay in when you visit
The most wonderful bed to relax in for the overnight stay
The most incredible views from the deck that you will see
The view of the sunset from the back lawn
The beautiful view of the sunset of the backyard at the Inn
The best part of the stay at the Inn at Salem Country Club that is included the next day. The table is set for you with a beautiful view of the bay. In the warmer months, this is a real treat. The breakfast of a Egg and Cheese Omelet with fresh Jersey tomatoes, juice, fresh fruit and Hot Tea is a nice way to spend the morning. You will never want to leave!
Breakfast on the deck is the way you should spend any morning
My breakfast that morning
This was a real treat!
The best part after breakfast was visiting the neighbor’s pet goats who make a lot of noise in the morning greeting you. They are so excited to make new friends and could not have been nicer to me.
The neighbors goats are so friendly and welcoming. They acted like humans!
This little guy became my new best friend
All these wonderful hotels are run with that wonderful Jersey hospitality. I enjoy staying here when I am visiting the area and then take my time visiting the local historical sites.
What surprised me was the Internet was wrong about all the hours and days. All the sites were supposed to be open by 9:00am and they were all open that day. The Salem Fire Museum which I had looked forward to seeing was not open that day, the Burial Ground’s gate was locked but I was able to walk in on the side of the cemetery and the Salem Historical Society did not open until noon. At this point it was 10:30am.
Since the cemetery I could access by the side of an old house, I was able to spend the first part of the morning walking amongst the historic tombstone and graves of the ‘first families” of Salem, NJ. As I walked amongst the headstones of each row, I began to recognize the names of the families with the names of homes in the area and streets I had just traveled down in Salem.
Friends Burial Ground at West Broadway in Downtown Salem
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1997710/salem-friends-burial-ground
The family names of Reeves, Thompson, Abbotts, Wister, Bacon, Griscom, Waddington, Sickler, Lippencott, Goodwin, Bullock, Woodnutt and Bassett were arranged by family plots and neatly buried in rows. Many families were buried by generation so that you could the transition from father to son and mother to daughter. It was sad to see so many children who passed before their parents.
The Salem Oak Cemetery in the Fall
The old Oak Tree that once dominated this cemetery fell in 2019 and all that was left of it was a stump where it once stood. Smaller offshoots of the tree that are now about 200 years old still line parts of the cemetery and hold their own natural elegance in its place.
The Salem Oak before it fell
I finished walking through the cemetery and walking through this part of the downtown (Downtown Salem is so impressive but totally falling apart), I still had an hour before the other museums opened. Having not eaten since 6:00am that morning, I needed another breakfast.
The family tombstones at the Salem Oak Cemetery
I stopped in the Salem Oak Diner at 113 West Broadway is a small diner across the street from the cemetery. I thought it looked a little dumpy from the outside, but it is the traditional diner experience when you go inside with the loud waitresses and the big menu.
The menu was reasonable, and the waitress was really nice. I ordered the French Toast and Scrambled eggs which was delicious. The eggs were scrambled in clarified butter and had that rich flavor to them. They gave me three big slices of French Toast which was loaded with Cinnamon and caramelized perfectly and served with plenty of butter and syrup. God, it hit the spot and I devoured the whole thing. I think the waitress was impressed on how fast I ate it.
The Salem Oak Diner at 113 West Broadway
https://www.restaurantji.com/nj/salem/salem-oak-diner-/
After breakfast was over, I worked off the second breakfast walking this part of downtown. It was really quiet in the downtown area, and I could see why. There were no stores or other restaurants either open or there. So many store fronts in this downtown are empty which is so sad because not only is it a county seat but such a beautiful downtown.
My next stop was the Salem Fire Museum at 166 East Broadway, but it was still closed. I found out later that the museum was only open once a month on the first Saturday of the month. When I was in Salem for the December Salem Historical Society Yuletide Tour, the museum was open right before and after the Christmas Parade.
Salem Fire Museum at 166 East Broadway at Christmas time
https://www.facebook.com/SalemFireMuseum/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/17021
The Salem Fire Museum is a great way to look at the fire service at all stages of its history. The museum has all sorts of artifacts both antique and current that show how a fire department works and how it has progressed over the last two hundred years.
The main gallery of the Salem Fire Museum with the antique pumper
The second floor of the Salem Fire Museum with the headquarters offices and equipment
The entrance of the museum with an honor the Salem Fire Chief
My next stop when it opened at noon was the Salem County Historical Society at 83 Market Street which I had visited a few years before. This is such a wonderful historical society and one of the best I have ever seen. Their displays are so well put together and such interesting exhibitions. When I had visited it the first time, I have about a half hour to run around. I had plenty of time to visit on this trip.
The Salem County Historical Society at 83 Market Street
https://www.salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com/
https://www.facebook.com/salemco.history
The Society is housed in two connecting homes with an interesting core of the house that was originally built in the early 1700’s. The Society has two floors of displays and an extensive library that people use in search of town and family history (See reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).
The dress Sarah Hancock Sinnickson wore to George Washington’s Inaugural Ball
What I found impressive about the Society is the extensive number of important artifacts that the museum houses. I took a highlights tour with one of the members and he really pointed out some interesting items to look at in the collection that was on display.
They have an impressive collection of Revolutionary War items including belt and shoe buckles and a ring with a lock of George Washington’s hair. They were several artifacts from the locally prominent Hancock family including the dress that Sarah Hancock Sinnickson wore to the ball of George Washington’s inauguration.
There was an exhibition of local ice cream companies including an early Bassett family display of the family that still runs their ice cream company out of Philadelphia.
Salem Historical Society Ice Cream display
There was an early cylinder phonograph of Edison’s that still had all the cylinders.
Edison Cylinder Phonograph was an interesting addition to the museum
Upstairs there was an interesting clock display where I learned the meaning of why the Roman numerals were created for the clocks the way they were (they wanted the four to be IIII instead of IV because it looked symmetrical).
“The Keeping Room” at the Salem County Historical Society
Downstairs I toured “The Keeping Room” which was the original section of the house from the early 1700’s. This is where all the cooking and work was done for the house as it was not just the heat source for the home but the light as well during the darkest months of winter. When I had been there at Christmas a few years earlier, this was decorated for the holidays with a tree and garland.
I am just impressed with the work that the Society did during the lockdown to make this such an interesting museum. They really put a lot of effort into the displays and explanations of the artifacts.
The Revolutionary War artifact room
During Christmas in 2023, the Society does a nice job decorating the museum for the holidays. The original part of the house, the “Keeping Room” always had a beautiful tree and the outside was decorated as well.
The entrance to the Salem Historical Society doorway.
The Keeping Room at Christmas time.
The Keeping Room at Christmas time.
The Society went with a Victorian tree in 2023.
The decorated staircase at Christmas time.
For Halloween 2022, I returned to Salem for the Salem Historical Society’s Annual “Haunted Halloween Walk”. The ‘Annual Salem Walking Ghost Tour’ which tours the historic homes of the Salem Historic District and the church cemeteries of the downtown.
At each stop, we got to hear tales of the haunted houses of the district and the owners in the afterlife still are involved in their current owners lives.
We started the night with a concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church with organist Erik Meyer, who played music that we relate to Halloween.
St. John’s Episcopal Church on Market Street the day of the concert.
The concert highlights:
Traditional spooky music associated with Halloween
The “Tunes from the Crypt” concert was right before the walking tour.
The concert featured five musical numbers that are classic to all horror films. The music being played is what you might hear in a popular horror film or something to do with Halloween. It seemed a little strange to be in a church but the organist told us that a lot of churches are using this for a fundraiser.
Erik Meyer who was the organist at the concert before the walk
He dressed like a vampire which I thought was strange for a church. These concerts have brought people back to these churches and even the priest said that he had not seen crowds like this on Sundays. The church was packed that evening.
The inside of the St. John’s Episcopal Church for the concert
The beautiful stained glass windows the night of the concert
After the concert, we walked down the antique store where the tour started. We stopped at various parts of the historic district to tales of woes, travels and ghosts still haunting the homes they loved so much.
One of the decorated porches on the Haunted Walking Tour
The Historic District of Market Street
A resident of the house talking about his haunted home the night of the walking tour
No walking tour is complete with a trip to the cemetery
The cemetery during the day
The cemetery looks less creepy during the day
The walking tour really was interesting and residents talked about their experiences in their homes that they say are haunted. The tour was about an hour but is really worth the trip. It was interesting to see how Salem, NJ developed over the years. The tour takes place before Halloween every year and tickets do sell out fast. This was one of the highlights of the Halloween season.
During the Christmas season in 2023, I visited again in late December just before Christmas when visiting the Pennsville Historical Society’s decorations. The Federalist homes that lined the historic district were decked out of the holidays and the Historical Society was decorated as well.
The neighborhood had that ‘turn of the century’ feel to it and you can see the effort all the neighbors put into decorating their homes. The competition yielded wonderful results and the whole historical district looked very festive.
The Historic Courthouse was decked for Christmas.
When I visited Salem in December 2024 for the Yuletide Tour, I was able to visit the Salem Courthouse during walking tour. It was interesting to know this is the second longest utilized Courthouse in the United States.
The inside of the Salem Courthouse during the Yuletide tour
The inside of the Salem Courthouse during the Yuletide Tour
The Salem Courthouse was built in 1735 and in 1774, the courthouse was the site of a county petition to King George III to address various colonial grievances (South Jersey Early America Historical Trail pamphlet).
The Salem County Christmas Parade 2024:
What is nice about the “Yuletide Tour” is that it gives a visitor a chance to visit so many locations in Downtown Salem that are not ordinarily open during the other times of the year. I didn’t even know there was a parade held in Salem that weekend.
Downtown Salem at Christmas
I didn’t even know that Salem had an Annual Christmas Parade the day of the “Yuletide Tour” and had blocked off the streets before I got to the downtown. So I had to travel through all the back roads of Downtown Salem and park a block away from the intersection. This is when I realized what beautiful homes were in the the downtown and what potential Salem has if the right people moved in to fix all these homes up what the downtown could look like and be in the future. I was amazed all these beautiful homes were in such bad shape.
Downtown Salem, NJ during Parade Day
The Start of the Salem Christmas Parade
The Start of the Parade with the Salem Fire Department
The Salem Christmas Parade
The Salem Christmas Parade
The Salem Christmas Parade
The Salem Christmas Parade
The Salem Christmas Parade
The Salem Christmas Parade
The Salem Christmas Parade
The homes of the Historical District
Salem Historic District at Christmas.
The beauty of the historic district at Christmas time.
The beauty of the historic district in Downtown Salem at Christmas time.
Downtown Salem’s Historic District at Christmas time.
The Historic District of Salem, NJ was beautifully decorated for the Christmas holidays and people did a wonderful job showcasing their homes in 2023.
The Annual Salem “Yuletide Tour” of the decorated homes and businesses 2024:
In 2024, with Sinterklaas cancelled in Rhinebeck this year, I decided to change plans and take the two house tours, the one with the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society and then the Salem ‘Yuletide Tour” the next day. Lots of houses with garland and lights and tray after tray of Christmas cookies and hot cider.
The decorations at 24 Market Street in Downtown Salem, NJ
The decorations at 24 Oak Street
The decorations at 40 Market Street
The decorations at 40 Market Street
The refreshments at 40 Market Street. So many homes were so generous with cookies and drinks during the tours
The beautiful tree at 43 Market Street
The Bank of Art in Downtown Salem decorated for the holidays
After the Yuletide Tour was over, they had the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Downtown Salem and that was a lot of fun. It was so old out that the crowd was not that big but the group that was there was having fun. We waited for Santa who arrived on the Salem Fire Truck. As soon as he arrived, he and the Parade Queen lit the tree and led singing Christmas carols. It was so cold that this lasted about three songs and then everyone started to leave.
The Salem Tree Lighting Ceremony
The Video of Santa arriving on the Salem Fire Truck:
The Salem County Courthouse decorated that evening
The Salem Tree Lighting Ceremony on Parade night
Video of the Tree Lighting Ceremony:
The Salem Christmas tree lit in 2024 after the ceremony was over
Salem is a pretty amazing place both at Halloween and Christmas. I don’t what it is about this town that is so magical but there really a holiday spirit here that I can’t quite put my finger on when you visit here.
In the summer of 2022, after I visited the three sites in town, I went down Route 49 to my next stop driving through the outskirts of Salem, the city. I could not believe how run down the homes were in the neighborhoods. Such beautiful Victorian and Federalist homes just rotting away. The whole city looks so sad.
Just when you think you have seen everything, you cross this one road, and you are out in the farming community again. Then its rows and rows of fields and farmhouses. Talk about extremes.
Just after the turnoff to the Hancock House Museum that I was going to visit next, I stopped at the historical site of the old Quinton’s Bridge. The bridge had held an important place in transportation of goods for the area and into Philadelphia. The patriots had to hold this bridge to cut off supplies to the British. As small as the creek is today, you did not have the modern transportation of today back in the late 1700’s so controlling this bridge was important. We lost many people, but we held the bridge (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com).
Quinton’s Bridge at Alloway Creek on Route 49
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Quinton%27s_Bridge
The Quinton Creek today
Today it is just a modern bridge in an isolated place in the middle of nowhere. There is a small town just south of the bridge, but you have to use your imagination back to a time when this was the only road in the area and the major hub of transportation in a vibrant farming community.
Video on the Battle of Quinton’s Bridge
I doubled back down a few country roads and visited the Hancock House at 3 Front Street in the small community of Hancocks Bridge. The town consists of a few roads of small turn of the century homes and surprisingly no businesses in what was once downtown.
The Hancock House used to sit on the busiest road in the area as it made its way through towns like Greenwich and Bridgeton. I assume before Route 49 was built; this was the only way to travel through this area as part of the home was a tavern for travelers.
The tavern part of the house faces the road and the home itself is across the street from the old Hancock Bridge. This once vibrant home and farm was an important part of the Revolutionary War history as the family played a big role in business and politics in the area.
The house itself needs a lot of work. The State of New Jersey runs the park and it needs a good painting and plastering. It also needs someone to come in and work with the decor and displays. There are some rooms that have period pieces and the furniture matches what would have been in the house but some of the rooms are barely furnished.
There are no family heirlooms in the house and the tour could have been a little more interesting as the state tour guide could not answer my questions. When another couple came in to take the tour, I took a guidebook and walked the grounds myself. I learned more about the family this way.
The Hancock House at 3 Front Street in Hancocks Bridge, NJ
https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/historic/hancockhouse.html
The Hancock estate in the Fall of 2022
https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/historic/hancockhouse.html
I walked the grounds of the house and could see why this road was so important. Like any other area of the state, when a new highway is built, the old one and what was located on it become part of the past.
Halloween events at the Hancock House in October 2022
Outside the tourists and the people that live in the town, I am sure that no one ventures here. There was not even a restaurant in the area to eat at in town.
The Halloween Pumpkin Patch at the Hancock House at Halloween
The Revolutionary War Display at the Hancock House
The Dining Room at the Hancock House
Displays of artifacts at the Hancock House
After visiting the Hancock House, I took the small country backroads that were once a major part of transportation in the area down to Greenwich, NJ, a small town south to visit their treasure trove of historical sites and homes. There were a lot of twists and turns down these quiet roads before you get to Greenwich, a town of an interesting mix of historical homes.
The Nicolas Gibbon House at 960 Greate Street
https://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/gibbonhouse
http://cumberlandnjart.org/cumberland-historic-sites/nicholas-gibbon-house/
I was very impressed by the Nicholas Gibbon House when I took a tour one Saturday afternoon both in 2022 and 2023. There were no large crowds to deal with and the parking is perfect with plenty of room to move around (which I can’t understand because Greenwich, NJ has such great little museums and historical sites to tour).
The grounds are beautifully landscaped with all sorts of seasonal flowers surrounding the house. When I visited, I thought I was mistaken, and it was someone’s home. There was a lot of care put into both the exterior and interior of this home.
The fields around the Gibbon House.
Nicolas Gibbon was a local merchant who moved to Greenwich in 1730 and continued to live here until the 1760’s. The tour guide explained to me that the townspeople would not let him build a church here (it was a Quaker region) so he and his wife decided to move out of the area. Richard Wood and his family moved into the house in 1760 and lived in the house until the 1920’s. Over that time, parts of the house were modernized and rebuilt. The Wood family later in the generations founded the WaWa store chain.
With the exception of the Nicolas Gibbon’s nephew and his wife’s portraits, all of the furnishings are not originally from the house. The downstairs is set up with a formal dining room and parlor area fully furnished in Victorian era furniture, paintings, rugs and silver. The silver collection of the house is very elaborate and some of the pieces came from the Hershey family of Pennsylvania.
The family portraits of the Gibbon nephew and his wife.
The library and study have rare books that were used for research as well as a working fireplace that was used for both light and heat. Downstairs is the kitchen with a large hearth and all the equipment and serving items for kitchen and dining use for the home.
The Parlor of the Gibbon House.
The Library at the Gibbon House.
The tour guide explained to me that during some of the past fundraisers, the hearth was used to cook foods of the time period that were served for events.
The Kitchen of the Gibbon House was used for cooking fundraisers.
The Kitchen Hearth is quite large.
Upstairs you have an elaborate master bedroom with all sorts of formal furnishings for an upper middle-class family living in the area.
The Upstairs bedroom
The Master Bedroom upstairs at the Gibbon House.
What was the interesting part of the second floor of the home was the “Everything Room”, which contained an extensive collection of toys and dolls, Civil War historic items, period clothing, bonnets, top hats and parasols, an extensive collection of quilts and Hair Art which was a Victorian tradition of making art from the hair of the dead.
The Everything Room at the Gibbon House has all sorts of Victorian artifacts.
In the summer of 2023, I finally got to visit the Lower Alloways Historical Society for one of their rare special events when they are open. The sad part was their programming was wonderful and very interesting, but the museum is in such a remote location that many people do not visit them. It is a really great museum.
The Lower Alloways Historical Society building that is part farmhouse and part log cabin at 736 Smick Road.
Part of the house is an old log cabin with an addition added on later. Although the date of the original construction is unknown, the cabin has been restored and reconstructed in much the same manner as local Quakers would have lived in the 1700’s. Because the air had deteriorated so many of the logs, it was impossible to save the entire original structure.
The log cabin section of the house.
All the wood used in the reconstruction of this cabin came from the woods in Lower Alloways Creek that are owned by the Township. The hand-hewn logs are white oak. The wide floorboards are pine The fireplace and foundation were built from Jersey sandstone that had been donated by John Hassler.
The inside of the log cabin and hearth.
The Historical site also features a log cabin, carriage shed and barn, many antique farm implements, a two-seater “outhouse” and an old fashion hand water pump.
The Outhouse
The hearth of the log cabin
The loft section of the log cabin on the second floor of the home.
There is also an original Can House, with a working line shaft, a floating cabin, both of which were originally built in Lower Alloways Creek.
The historic Can House.
When I visited during their special event “Old time engines: South Jersey Gas Engine Club proudly presents their collection of “Hit or Miss” engines”, it was a look at how gas engine powered items around the farm at the turn of the last century. On display in both the barns, the house and on the driveway were all sorts of equipment running on these engines. It was really fascinating to see how thing ran back then.
The Farm equipment and working engines at the “Old Time Engine Day” in September 2023 was an interesting mix of old farm equipment, household equipment and everyday items run by an engine in the early 1900’s. It was a very interesting display on how we have come in manufacturing and the museum did a nice job on the displays.
The working farm equipment at the Lower Alloways Creek Historical Society
The Farm Engine equipment.
I also got the tour the farmhouse and see how people lived in the late 1880’s to early 1900’s in a rural farming community.
History of the house:
The main house is very unique. The addition to the house was built in the mid 1800’s and is furnished from that time period. This was added to the log cabin that has been reconstructed on the site.
The first-floor parlor
The Kitchen in the main house
Washing clothes in the house
The second-floor bedroom.
I visited the museum in November 2025 and got to watch the volunteers cook all sorts of goodies in the fire during “Pie Day”. It is interesting how foods were cooked and tested for doness over a wooden fire. The coordination of cooking times and temperatures.
The Log Cabin goodies that afternoon
Visitors choose from Apple or Pumpkin pies, Roasted Chestnuts, Buttery Popcorn, Chocolate Chip cookies or Stuffed Cabbage Soup, all cooked fresh in the pots on the open fire hearth which also warmed the house on a cool afternoon. The museum was even selling a cookbook, Down Jersey Cookbook on some of the recipes being used in this part of New Jersey.
Cooking pies, soup, chestnuts and popcorn in the fireplace
The pies, Chestnuts and soups being cooked in the Open Hearth
It was interesting how the pies were cooked in the cast iron equipment and then laid out to cool. They came out of the oven steaming hot and sat to cool before being sliced.
The freshly baked Pumpkin pie
Freshly baked Apple pie
Freshly baked Apple pie. Yum!
Stuffed Cabbage Soup in a cast iron pot
The thick Stuffed Pepper Soup
I finally got to the Alloways Historical Society in December of 2024 on my post-Christmas trip. This took a lot of planning and I had to get the owner of the Barrett Plantation to help me arrange this as they were both involved with the Salem County Historical Society and the Alloways Historical Society. The Alloway Township History Museum’s mission is to preserve the history and memories of Alloway, NJ (Alloways Historical Society website).
What is now Alloway was originally inhabited by Lenni Lenape Native Americans and its name is thought to be derived from Allowas, a local Lenni Lenape Chief. Located in Salem County, NJ, Alloway Township was formally incorporated as Upper Alloways Creek Township by a Royal Charter granted on June 1767 (Alloways Historical Society website).
The public is invited to come in and enjoy or collections, share your stories, photos, objects and ephemera to help maintain the history of Alloway. We welcome researchers and provide them with any available material.
The main gallery of the museum
The main gallery of the museum
When you enter the museum, it showcases the rich history of this small community. Each of the show cases tell the story of the small New Jersey community.
As you enter the museum, the displays describe the rich history of the building
The local businesses of the town are emphized
The museum displays many aspects from the community from its Native American past to its prominence in ship building, farming and agriculture and then localized manufacturing and glassworks.
Some of the businesses noted in the community
The Train display and the advent of changes this community saw with the rail system in New Jersey
The Train display
The museum displays lots of interesting artifacts from the community past from Military items to school related artifacts
During one of the six time that the house is open for special events and there will be two more before the holidays, one of them making pies in the old log cabin hearth, take time to visit the farm location and walk around the property. It is an interesting look at our rural past. The it was off to a trip to Greenwich, NJ, just south of the Alloways, to visit more historical sites.
Going to Greenwich, NJ is a real treat. It is not just a treasure trove of historic housing, beautiful gardens and small parks but many great historical museums. I took my chances to see if the Nicholas Gibbon House would be open and I lucked out in that it had just reopened for tours that month (See reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com). I toured the house first before moving onto the Greenwich Tea Burning Monument site, the John DuBois Maritime Museum and then the Alan Carman Museum of Prehistory. The touring the town is fun too in the summer and fall months with all their historical homes and beautiful landscaping.
Having toured the Gibbon Home first, it was off the Greenwich Tea Burning Monument and an important part of New Jersey’s past that has been long forgotten. I never knew of this historic event and I thought I knew New Jersey history pretty well.
Greenwich Tea Burning Monument at Ye Greate Street and Market Lane
https://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/greenwich-tea-burning
The Greenwich Tea Burning Monument was fascinating in that I never knew this existed or even happened. About a year after the Boston Tea Party, a small handful of citizens, including a future Governor of New Jersey from Greenwich burned a shipment of tea that was being stored in the town. I had come to find out that there were five instances of this radicalism on the East Coast.
The dignified Greenwich Tea Burning Monument
The dignified sculpture was dedicated in 1908 in honor of this heroic act before the start of the Revolutionary War. I took my time to study what happened and never realized what New Jersey’s role was in trade before the war. I opened the small gate and paid my respects to these brave men who risked a lot to protest the “Tea Tax”.
The names of those patriots who risked it all for freedom of tax.
Just down the road from the monument is the Museum of Prehistory at 1461 Bridgeton Road, which I had a small amount of time to visit before it closed for the evening. This little museum was a real surprise because it was not even on my list of places to visit.
Museum of Prehistory at 1461 Bridgeton Road
http://digilib.clueslibs.org/info/prehistorical.pdf
The sign for the museum.
I just made it to the Museum of Prehistorical History after visiting the Nicolas Gibbon House. This small but unique museum is housed in one big room of the building and each section has a different artifact featured.
The main gallery of the museum.
The was an extensive display of Lenape and Native American artifacts in one case line showing off the collection of arrowheads, spear tips and fishing and stone cooking equipment. There was a collection of fossils of fish, bone and plants and a selection of pottery. There were even fossils of dinosaur eggs.
The Dinosaur eggs and bones that were found in New Jersey.
The dinosaur eggs and nest on display at the museum.
The gentleman working there that day let me stay extra before closing and was a student studying paleontology, so he was able to give me an explanation on the specimens. From what he was telling me that the museum was looking for more space and may be moving in the future.
Another place I visited during my journey in 2023 was the newly reopened John DuBois Nautical Museum at 949 Ye Greate Street. This small museum is packed with artifacts from New Jersey’s seafaring past. From fishing to ship building, this little museum covers it all especially with the local history around Greenwich, NJ.
The John DuBois Maritime Museum at 949 Ye Greate Street in Greenwich, NJ.
I visited the John DuBois Maritime Museum when I was visiting the Gibbon House and the Carman Prehistoric Museum when I was visiting Greenwich, NJ. What a nice little museum explaining the maritime history of not just New Jersey but the local area as well.
The museum is one large gallery broken down into sections of the history of the area. The main gallery is well organized by section to explain the shipping history of the region.
The decoys and rafts that are part of the collection.
The nautical instruments to guide your way through the stars. These were part of the long voyage.
The Shipping display.
Exhibited are tools used to carve ribs, planking, masts and booms. Also displayed are many blocks, ‘deadlines’ and ‘rigging’. The museum is proud to have one of the largest collections on the East Coast of caulking tools. Videos are available to view by the New Jersey network on oyster schooners including an interview with John DuBois who donated most of the artifacts in the museum.
Also exhibited are early maritime engine parts, most from the Hettinger’s of Bridgeton, one of the first manufacturers in America of marine motors. The cases are really well organized by artifacts and themes and tells an interesting story of seafaring in our colonial past.
I passed the Historic Bethel Othello African Methodist Episcopal Church on afternoon touring around Greenwich. This had once been an important stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War, even as New Jersey was the last state in the North to give up slavery.
The sign for the the Bethel Othello African Methodist Episcopal Church in Greenwich, NJ
The Bethel Othello African Methodist Episcopal Church
https://www.facebook.com/bethelothelloame/
The church itself is built of New Jersey sandstone covered with a mortar parge – a thin coat of mortar. The belfry was added in 1885. Springtown and its Bethel A.M.E. Church were involved in the Underground Railroad and included several members who led the Abolitionist movement in the 19th century. The community was an important destination for fugitive slaves leaving Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland. Greenwich and Springtown were perfected located geographically for this purpose as they are were settled on a peninsula between the Cohansey River and the Delaware Bay providing numerous routes by water for incoming runaway slaves (Cumberland Historical Sites website).
For some it was a temporary destination before moving on while for others it was the end of their running, and their presence swelled the size of Springtown and strengthened it as a force for abolition (Cumberland Historical Sites website).
https://www.cumberlandcountynj.gov/planning
I explored around Greenwich, NJ and admired all the beautiful homes that had since been renovated and restored and could not believe how beautiful the town is and nicely landscaped the homes are in the area.
Downtown Greenwich, NJ
From Greenwich, I took a local country road that took me through the back roads and farm country to the big city of Bridgeton, NJ where I explored their now rundown downtown and then explored the crown jewel of the community, the Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery. The church stands out like a stately jewel in the middle of the town and is so beautiful and graceful at any time of the year especially in the late Spring and the early Fall when it is perfect for taking pictures. I love its historic cemetery.
The Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery at 54 West Avenue South in Bridgeton, NJ
http://cumberlandnjart.org/cumberland-historic-sites/broad-st-presbyterian-church/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Broad_Street_Presbyterian_Church_and_Cemetery
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7751
Visiting the Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery was an interesting experience. Trying to get from Greenwich to Bridgeton should have been a straight run but there were no names on the signs, and you just had to figure it out. I found the right road and it led me right to the cemetery.
The Presbyterian Church is only used now for special occasions and events but is an elegant building that sits on top of a bluff overlooking the downtown area. During the daylight hours you are allowed to roam around the cemetery looking at the gravesites (See my reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com). So many famous politicians, war heroes, founding fathers of the City of Bridgeton and entrepreneurs at the turn of the last century are buried here.
The church and the historic cemetery.
What I found interesting about the cemetery was the family plots with the generations of people buried next to one another and their stories. It was sad when the parents buried their children and then died a few years later. Trying to figure the narrative of these families can be heartbreaking.
The family plots at the cemetery
The really sad part of such a historic cemetery is that it is so overgrown. I was walking through in some parts a foot of weeds. I know that taking care of a cemetery this size must be hard, but I would think there would be more care of the dead considering this is a destination for historians.
The historic cemetery in the Summer of 2024
When I finished touring the church grounds, I took a tour of the Bridgeton Historical Downtown. It was such a waste to see a bunch of old buildings falling apart and most of the businesses closed or small run-down businesses located in them. A block away was a more modern downtown with newer buildings. The shopping district caters to the very large Hispanic population that lives here and is great if you are looking for provisions for a picnic.
The one place that did stand out for me was the Century Bakery at 525 North Pearl Street in Downtown Bridgeton. They have some of the best and most creative doughnuts around. I could never make up my mind.
Century Bakery at 525 North Pearl Street in Downtown Bridgeton
https://www.centurybakery.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The bakery just smells good when you walk in and the staff could not be nicer and more accommodating. I could barely make up my mind with all the delicious doughnuts to choose from.
I could not make up my mind with all these delicious choices. I finally decided on a Glazed Cream filled doughnut that was just mind blowing. It was so delicious. I had wanted to go back for another but did not want to ruin my appetite for lunch. For another trip.
This was like biting into a piece of heaven
When I visited Bridgeton in the Fall of 2024 for Halloween, I took the time to visit the Cohanzick Zoo and that was an interesting detour. The Zoo is part of the Bridgeton Park system like it is up in Bergen County. It is a small County zoo that takes about an hour to visit.
The zoo has an old fashioned feel with smaller rescue animals and equally not too large cages. The zoo is mostly comprised of smaller animals who were rescued from either being poached, illegally transported or had been used as pets, many of them being neglected and abused.
The sign that welcomes you to the park at the Cohanzick Zoo
My Review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/23956
Throughout the park amongst the cages of wildlife are strolling gardens and animal related statuary.
The pathways and gardens were still in bloom the afternoon that I was there and it is a nice way to spend do the afternoon.
The Elephant statuary at the entrance of the zoo
The status of how some animals found their home here
The first resident I finished was the Raccoon House, where it looked like the raccoon was taking a snooze. He really looked out of it when J passed the cage.
The Raccoon House
The Raccoon Crossing sign
This poor little guy was out like a light
The zoo is one of the smaller more localized ones that I have visited so you can see the whole zoo in about an hour. Then you can walk leisurely around the paths and revisit the exhibitions again. Some of the animals like the peacock family, just wonder around the park and do their thing.
This gorilla sculpture that greets you in the back part of the zoo
Following the walkway to the back pens where a lot of the small animal and bird displays were located
The next exhibition that I visited was the Sand Hill Crane and I read that the poor little guy had been injured. He seemed a bit more optimistic when I passed the cage. I think that the animals just want some attention.
The Sand Hill Crane display
The Crane was watching all of us as we passed his cage
The next small animal that I visited was the Fennec fox and the two that I saw were fast asleep on this warm afternoon. They must have had a busy morning.
The Fennec fox cage
The foxes that I saw that day were fast asleep
After I left Bridgeton, it was almost 6:00pm and I headed back up Route 49 to head back to Salem. I was trying to figure out where to go for dinner and taking the advice of the Inn, I planned on heading back up Route 45 to Woodstown to find a place.
Hudock’s has that old Jersey feel about it
On the ride back up the highway, I passed Hudock’s Frozen Custard stand and saw all the people outside enjoying hot dogs and ice cream and I had to stop. It was so classic Jersey that I had to see what it was all about and trust me, it is worth the stop. Their food is delicious and extremely reasonable.
Hudock’s Custard Stand at 544 Salem Quinton Road
https://www.facebook.com/Hudocks-Custard-Stand-155824314452996/
I just wanted a snack to tide me over as I was traveling around and had no lunch. So, I ordered a foot long hot dog and a Coke. Trust me, when they said foot long, they meant it. The hot dog was really big, split down the middle and grilled and they topped it with mustard and relish. It was out of this world and just what I needed after a long day.
At Hudock’s Custard Stand, a foot long hot dog is A FOOT LONG!
I took my hot dog and Coke and sat outside with all the families enjoying their meals and just sat and watched the field sway by and enjoyed the sunshine. Talk about a perfect early evening treat. The hot dog was perfectly grilled and crisp when I bit into it.
When I went back again in September in 2023 and 2024, the weather was just as nice, and I stopped again for lunch on my way to Pennsville to visit Church Landing Farm. This time I had a hamburger and French Fries with a Coke.
The burgers at Hudock’s are delicious. Crisp and juicy inside and out
The burgers are caramelized on the outside and juicy on the inside
Yum!
That hit the spot after a long day of driving. The burger was cooked fresh for me, and the fries just came out of the fryer and still sizzled. I just sat at one of the picnic benches and relaxed under the shade of a tree.
Relaxing and eating your lunch under the trees on the picnic tables at Hudock’s is wonderful!
It was nice watching the few cars drive by and admiring the farm that surrounded the hot dog stand. The restaurant is the perfect outdoor restaurant to just relax and watch the world go by. It takes you back to a time when you just stopped, ate and enjoyed the view.
The views of the farm across the street
Later that afternoon, I stopped back at the Custard stand they have and had two scoops of their homemade Peach Ice Cream. For $3.85, I thought that was very fair. You got two very large scoops of ice cream in a paper cup made with homemade peaches that were still in season. Yum! Hurry quick because Hudock’s closes the first week of October for the season.
The ice cream stand part of Hudock’s is a real treat. Don’t miss their homemade ice creams!
It was nice to just relax and watch the other people having such a nice time talking and eating. For a moment I felt like it was 1975 again and I was a teenager. This is how nostalgic the place makes you feel. When you see a free showing of “Jaws” coming soon I felt like I was stepping back in time. It was nice to just sit for an hour and just relax.
Hudock’s Custard Stand is going to become part of my visits to southern New Jersey in the future if for anything just a moment where I can just relax and eat and worry about nothing else but a warm sunny afternoon.
Hudock’s Ice Cream & Custard menu 2022
The menu at Hudock’s is very reasonable (2022 menu)
Hudock’s Ice Cream menus and specials
Hudock’s full Ice Cream menu in Fall 2024 just a week before closing for the season in October
The heavenly Peach Ice Cream with bits of Fresh Jersey peaches in it. This is one of their signature homemade ice Creams
Yum!
Hudock’s October 2024 just before closing for the season
Sitting at the picnic tables at Hudock’s October 2024
Hudock’s nearing sunset October 2024
I agreed with the Innkeeper when I got back into Salem a little after 7:00pm. It was still sunny and bright but the crowds outside both the only Chinese take-out place and pizzeria in downtown Salem looked pretty shady so off I went back up Route 45 to Woodstown and decided on Papa Luigi’s at 39 North Main Street for dinner.
I was surprised on how both the restaurant and the downtown were so quiet that night. I know it was Father’s Day weekend, but it was not like a major holiday, and I would have thought people would have been out and about.
Papa Luigi’s at 39 North Main Street in Woodstown, NJ
https://www.papaluigispizzeria.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PapaLuigisWoodstown/
The restaurant decorated for the Christmas holidays
I was the only one eating at the restaurant that evening and the waitress could not have been nicer. It was the two of us and the delivery person and one other person outside the two cooks that evening. I ordered a Cheesesteak with Cheese Wiz and one of the best I have had outside of Philly. They really loaded in the meat for me, and the Wiz is the best way of topping it. I just sat there reviewing my notes of the day and planning the next morning starting with my first lighthouse visit.
Papa Luigi’s makes an excellent Cheesesteak with Wiz
As I was driving back from Woodstown to Salem at 8:30pm, the sun started to go down and I wanted to see it before it totally set on the Delaware Bay. What was breathtaking was as I drove down Route 45, I could see the sun starting its descent over the fields of corn and wheat and the sunshine against the farmhouses. I made it back into Salem and then driving south to the bay area, I got the last glimpses of the sun as the party was cleaning up.
I stood on the lawn of the Inn watching the last of the sun peek under the horizon of the Delaware and the dazzling colors that it made. The sun fully set around 9:00pm (God, I love the Summer Solstice time) and watched as the stars started to come out. What a view! With all the craziness in the world and all the radical strife, this is what should get people to think about how Mother Nature can still surprise us with her magic.
The dazzling Delaware Bay view from the Inn’s lawn
I did not stay up too long after that driving so much during the day and slept soundly all night. I could not believe it the next morning when I had slept over eight hours which I never do. I was showered, shaved and up and adman by 9:00am and got packed and ready for breakfast. That was another wonderful part of the stay.
After I was packed up, I stopped downstairs for breakfast. Since there are no cooking facilities on the property and events are catered, they ordered in breakfast for me from the Diamond Grill at 534 Salem Quinton Road, a diner located down the highway from Salem. The order came in pretty quickly and I ate on the patio of the Inn overlooking the bay. Since there were only three rooms at the Inn and everyone else was gone, I had the patio to myself that morning.
I just had a simple breakfast of pancakes and fresh fruit with some orange juice (Yvonne lets you order what you wish off the menu provided in your room the night before) and had the table set up for me on the corner of the patio. The food was delicious, and the pancakes were large and had that nice, malted flavor. In 2024, the Inn provided breakfast which is so much nicer and the meal was delicious.
Eating on the back deck is a real treat
While I ate, I got to watch the boats pass by and birds sway over the bay. I did not leave until the check-out time of 11:00am because it was so relaxing to enjoy breakfast and not have to rush anywhere.
The view from the lawn of the bay is amazing!
I stopped in Millville, NJ to visit some sites that I had missed the last few trips I had made to the area. I visited both the Millville Historical Society and the Millville-Army Air Field Museum both gems of the community. They both show the influence and history of the surrounding area.
The Millville Historical Society at 200 Main Street in Downtown Millville, NJ
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/23661
The inside of the Millville Historical Society
The inside of the Millville Historical Society’s Dunn House which is next door to the main building
The Millville Historical Society has three buildings, the main building that was once a bank, the Dunn House next store and the Wood House, the former home of the Wood Family and the founders of WaWa stores on the other side of town and historic schoolhouse. The houses were decorated for the holidays and the Wood House nicely decorated for a recent holiday party.
The Wood Mansion decorated for the holidays
The Christmas tree in the Wood family home Parlor
I also stopped at the Millville Army Airfield Museum at 1 Leddon Street at the Millville Airport
The entrance to the Millville Army Air Museum at 1 Leddon Street
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/22892
The roots of the Millville Army Air Field Museum go back to the early 1970s. Millville Airport manager Lewis B. Finch had just completed eliminating the last apartments in former base buildings and looked forward to major industrial development at the airport. Most people in the community were aware the airport had been an army base, but knew no details of its history. This was Millville Airport when teenager Michael T. Stowe learned of some underground bunkers just south of the airport (from the museum website).
Stowe explored those bunkers and surrounding areas and later began to find related artifacts. For nearly ten years, he continued to collect artifacts and information, and in 1983 he approached city officials about a permanent place at the Millville Airport to display his collection. Stowe’s original collection of artifacts and airfield data remains the cornerstone of the Millville Army Air Field Museum (museum website).
The museum’s collection has grown through donations of time, effort, and artifacts from surrounding community and the community of veterans who served at the Millville Army Air Field. Today, both the museum and Millville Airport continue to grow and prosper through the Delaware River & Bay Authority’s management of the airport and the museum gaining recognition as a leader in World War II and post war aviation history.
The main gallery of the front part of the museum
Models of all the aircraft during the wars
The fire department brigade that protected the airport
Uniform gallery and objects from modern warfare
Artifacts from the beginning of WWII
In the Summer of 2026, I added a visit to the Vineland Historical Society Museum to my list of places that I visited. This is one of the oldest Historical Societies in the State of New Jersey.
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 decided 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.
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.
About the Museum:
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).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vineland,_New_Jersey
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
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portia_Gage
The artifacts on the start of the early creation of a local family business. Putting shovel to the ground.
Early musical instruments that were part of both home and social life
The portraits of early leaders of the community and artifacts related to their families
The portrait of Charles K. Landis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_K._Landis
https://www.cumberlandcountynj.gov/Charles-K-Landis
The portrait of Portia Kellogg Chase as a young bride
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portia_Gage
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206936062/portia-gage
The portrait of John Gage
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gage_(19th-century_landowner)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/236816796/john-gage
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
My next stop the second morning was a trip down both Route 49 to Route 41 for my first stop, The East Point Lighthouse in Heislerville, NJ at the edge of Cumberland County. The lighthouse was located on the westernmost part of the natural preserve on the shoreline. Getting to it took a lot of twists and turns down the road but at the end of the road it offered the most amazing views of the ocean.
The East Point Lighthouse at 10 Lighthouse Road
https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=372
This little lighthouse is one of the best I have seen in a long time. There is so much care put into this historical site. When I parked at the end of the street, I noticed on all sides of the lighthouse were barriers protecting it on all sides from the advancing bay.
The bunker that protects the lighthouse.
After you buy your tickets at the Gift Shop, you walk along the dunes that protect the lighthouse that are nicely landscaped with sea grass, tiger lily’s and black-eyed Susan’s. The gardens are really beautiful at the beginning of the summer. It is a short walk to the lighthouse from here. The lighthouse was closed in 2024 for some political reason but I hope for everyone’s sake this wonderful spot in open again.
The Dining Toom at the East Point Lighthouse.
The lighthouse itself is nicely furnished with period furniture and antiques and each room reflects what the family’s role was in the lighthouse function. There was a lighthouse keepers office, a complete kitchen with pot belly stove and a living room on the first floor.
The kitchen at the East Point Lighthouse.
The second floor is the bedrooms where you can see where the family slept, and the children conducted themselves with their own social life. The rooms contained a lot of period furniture and clothing, and the children’s bedroom was loaded with all sorts of toys from different eras. There was even a handmade dollhouse with homemade furniture that decorated it and a picture of the man who made it.
The Children’s Room at the East Point Lighthouse.
In real life, no child would have this many toys in this era, but the tour guide explained to me that after they finished renovating the lighthouse, they put out the word for donations for furnishings for the lighthouse. They were over-whelmed with donations. People must have been downsizing their family heirlooms.
The famous dollhouse at the East Point Lighthouse.
Each room in the lighthouse was nicely decorated and reflected the times. On the top floors were the functions of the lighthouse and an explanation of how the lighting worked. This is still a functioning lighthouse so educational to see how it worked and how it functioned today. The tour guides are really good at explaining how everything worked.
The working light at the lighthouse.
After the tour of the lighthouse and walking the grounds (See my reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com), I left as the site was getting busier and headed up the highway to Mauricetown (pronounced “Morristown” like its northern counterpart) and headed up to visit the Mauricetown Historical Society.
The Mauricetown Historical Society like many of the spots on the historical listing is only open for a few hours twice a month so you have to plan your trip here accordingly. Make sure to take the hour-long tour as they cover not just the history of the house but how it was furnished, decorated and the story of the people who lived here. It really makes the house come to life.
The Mauricetown Historical Society
The Mauricetown Historical Society at 1229 Front Street
http://mauricetownhistoricalsociety.org/
What is interesting about the town and the neighborhood is that it was an old fishing, shipping and trade village and all the homes on this side of town that faced the Maurice River were the Ship Captain’s so the homes are bigger and more elaborate than the ones further in town. Still after driving through the town, it is a picturesque and quaint looking town with rows of historical homes and colorful landscaping.
The historical Ship Captain’s homes in Mauricetown, NJ
The tour of the Mauricetown Historical Society was very informative on the life of a sea captain and his family and the history of Mauricetown and its business functions for the area. This town was a big shipping area during and after the Revolutionary War and its location made it perfect for restocking and ship building. Sea Captains made their fortunes here and their homes reflected that affluence. This was the home of Captain Edward Compton.
The front of the Mauricetown Historical Society.
When you enter the Mauricetown Historical Society, you are greeted into the parlor area of the home and a display of military items including uniforms, weapons, and equipment used for battle. They even had one of the earliest artifacts with a pair of sharpshooter glasses that had just been developed.
The Military display at the Mauricetown Historical Society
The living room had been redecorated to reflex the time after the Revolutionary War and its changes at the start of the Victorian era. Early wallpaper had been found underneath the paneling that had been placed on top and new one had been recreated to match the original. Period furnishings and instruments decorated the room.
The Living Room/Parlor at the house
The room is so beautifully recreated by the Historical Society
The upstairs had bedrooms that were decorated to reflex the Victorian era with heavy furniture and a collection of quilts. Their collection of quilts was really interesting in that they had one they displayed with the names of the sea captains and their family members. Genealogists used the quilt so that families could trace their ancestors back to that time. They also had another quilt of all things found in nature.
The beautiful quilts in the bedroom display
There was a display to Captain Bacon, a local resident and his wife, Carolyn and their life together in town. There was another display of pictures of the town through the years and how it developed. There was a display of period clothing from the Victorian era to the 1920’s. I could see that even though it was a bit more formal, times have not changed that much.
The history of the town in the upstairs gallery
They displayed the Oyster and Fishing Industry, and they had all sorts of equipment on display including the rakes and even had the bridge key for the old Maurice River Bridge to show how they turned the bridge to let the boats through. The last display was a wonderful collection of children’s toys and dolls (all of these homes have big displays of toys) and you could tell by the quality how lucky some of these children were because these playthings were not cheap even then.
The oyster and ship building businesses in the area
The Shipping business in the town
In the backyard was a cookhouse that was kept separate from the house that was built in the 1880’s. A modern kitchen was not added until the 1940’s. Also in the backyard is the Abraham and Anna Hoy House, a small house that was considered an example of the average person’s home in the early 1800’s. Over the years it has been added to but the Society brought it back to its original early 1800’s design. You can see where the cooking facility was located and the loft sleeping space above it for the children of the house who used it in the cold months of the year.
The historical buildings on the Mauricetown Historical Society’s back lawn
The stove in the Cookhouse
The tour gave a very detailed explanation of life at that period and the tour guide gave a wonderful description of the time and life in the house. After the tour, I took time to explore the grounds around the house and of the surrounding neighborhood to admire the other old homes. It is an interesting town to explore.
The Hoy House in the backyard of the Historical Society
The Hoy House inside main room
The Hoy House inside bedroom
My favorite room at the Historical Society is still the Toy Room
The Mauricetown Historical Society is so beautifully laid out and a pleasure to tour.
On the first day of my trip in September, I stopped at the Dennisville Township Historical Society Old School House at 681 Petersburg Road in the town of Woodbine, NJ. This small one room schoolhouse is packed with all sorts of artifacts.
The Dennisville Township Historical Society Old School House at 681 Petersburg Road
http://www.dennismuseumfriends.org/
https://www.facebook.com/people/Friends-of-dennis-township-old-school-house-museum/100066513017935/
There are displays on businesses that used to be in the area such as the Mason Basket Company, who used to make all the baskets for apples and peaches for the local farms, the local shingle factory that prided itself on making the shingles for Congress Hall in Philadelphia and the local cranberry blogs.
The basket business for the farming community at the Dennisville Historical Society.
The main gallery at the Dennisville Historical Society.
There are pictures of the historic Methodist Camp that was located here, a display on local Veterans and their artifacts, pictures of home management on the farm and in rural New Jersey, an antique pipe organ and pictures of the local renovation of the Ludlam family cemetery. There is a little bit of this and a little bit of that displayed at the museum and well organized in this former one room schoolhouse. The docents were also really nice.
On my trip to the area during the Christmas holidays in 2024, I took a side trip up to Tuckahoe to visit some of the smaller historic sites in the area. I visited the J.W. Grady Farmstead and the Tuckahoe Railroad Station both of which were closed for the season. Still on the this cold December day I was able to see view what will be another trip in the Spring.
The J. W. Grady Farmstead sign
The J.W. Grady Farmstead at 26 Tyler Road in Greenfield, NJ
http://www.uppertwphistory.org/
https://www.facebook.com/UpperTwpHistory/
My review on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/13884120?m=19905
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/25171
the J.W. Grady Farmstead
When a returned for the private tour in the summer, it was a different story. The grounds were lush and in full bloom. It was really interesting to see how the farmstead was in the different seasons. Members of the board arranged it so that I could see all three sites: the Gandy Farmstead, the Tuckahoe Train Station and the Friendship School House. On each tour I got to take my time and really see and tour the properties.
The same grounds in the summer
The history of the house
The front of the house during the summer
When you walk inside the Gandy Housr on the first floor, you are welcomed into the kitchen and pantry area plus some of public areas of the house. Here meals were prepared and guests were greeted.
The pantry area of the kitchen
Wood was stored for heat and cooking and herbs were drying for the winter months for cooking and daily use.
The fire wood and herb s drying
The pantry and larders for daily cooking and baking for the daily meals. All meals were cooked from scratch and large breakfasts and lunches were part of farm life. All meals were cooked in the open hearth so meals had to be properly timed and cooking and baking had to be coordinated for the family meals.
The larders were filled with the items that were in season
Cooking over a wood burning fire was part of everyday meals in the farm kitchen. Various pots and pans were in use to cook the family meals.
The inside of the kitchen area that heated the main room
Meals were coordinated for the day with cereals and soups cooking first, baked items going into the oven when it was warm enough followed by roasts and stews.
The days cooking over a hot stove
There were early morning breakfasts on the farm and then a late lunch/ early supper when the afternoon work was done.
The other half of the main room was used for dining and the families social space. Here meals were served and the family relaxed.
Everyday family objects of the household
The front part of the room faced the road and the comings and goings of the surrounding community.
The side bench and family objects
The most interesting part of the tour of the first floor is the view of the construction of the home. Behind the glass frame showed how the home was built and of what.
The construction of the home behind the glass frame
The family quarters on the second floor show the chores that followed during the day with spinning yarn, making and mending clothes and dying fabrics.
The spinning wheels and the making of quilts
The landing and the first floor rooms
I returned two weeks later after the tour to attend the Annual Apple Festival that the Upper Cape May Historical Council sponsors every Fall. I got to the Apple Festival around noon and the parking lot was packed with people. One of the members said later that afternoon that he could not believe the consistent crowds as it was still busy at 2:15pm (the festival was over by 3:00pm).
My blog on Attending the Apple Festival and my weekend in Ocean City, NJ:
The crowds were filled with several generations of family members who I am sure were traveling from one event to another on this spectacular sunny morning. People were still arriving even as the event was winding down that afternoon.
The sign welcoming you to the event
When I arrived at the festival, the parking lot was still filling up so I had to park way in the back so I could get in and out easily.
After the tour of the car show and watching the families have fun on the trains, I headed across the street to the Gandy House for the tours and activities. There were all sorts of craft vendors, food and entertainment. The music duo was performing the James Taylor song “How Sweet it is to be loved by You” when I arrived.
The back of the Gandy Farmstead with crafts and entertainment
Entering the Apple Festival with a Farmers Market and Apple sale
The Farmers Market of locally grown produce
There was a stand that was a mini Farmers Market with locally grown apples, pumpkins, squash and tomatoes on top of other produce. It was so nicely displayed and the prices were really reasonable.
They had a wonderful duo interesting the crowds that afternoon
There were all sorts of crafts stands around where the entertainment was performing
The local crafts people were really talented and included crocheted, painters, floral arrangers and jewelry markers. There were all sorts of handmade items and there were stands to buy homemade jellies and pickles and the prices were not like North Jersey, where a jar of jam at a Farmers Market will run you $15.00. The prices here were closer to $5.00 for certain items, which I thought was very fair.
One woman sold flowers from her gardens and arranged bouquets
This woman painted her own crafts and did beautiful work for both Halloween and Christmas
Here beautiful holiday crafts
I loved this Santa tree and was going to get it for my mom
This woman had the most beautiful handmade doll clothing and knit items for the holidays
What is an Apple Festival without food? I went to the concession stand for lunch and ordered a hot dog with a glass of locally made Apple cider and had an homemade Apple Shortcake, which I found out later the members had made the night before.
The concession stand where all the food was made
Enjoying my lunch. Both the hotdogs and apple cider were locally made and that’s why it tasted so good! The apple cider was from a local farm and I wished they had sold this at the festival. I think the farmer would have sold out!
It was a wonderful family event and I told Carol, the President of the organization that I would try to return in the Spring for the Strawberry Festival. The reason I had not attending this year was it fell on Memorial Day weekend and it was a rather gloomy day and the trip would have been hard even without the threat of rain.
After the tour of the Gandy Farmstead, I then visited Downtown Tuckahoe, NJ with its small historic downtown buildings and searched for the Tuckahoe Railroad Station, which is in the middle of nowhere. I was amazed that this was once a very busy spot for travel in the area. Things do change in 100 years.
The Tuckahoe Railroad Station Museum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuckahoe_station_(New_Jersey)
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/25180
The Tuckahoe Railroad Station Museum historic sign
The Tuckahoe Railroad Station Museum historic sign
I came back in 2025 for a full tour of the train station and the grounds. The Board members of the Upper Cape May County Historical Society had arranged this enjoyable tour of all the rooms.
The station again in 2025
The train station history
The Summer of 2025:
My tour of the train station started with the history of the station and the development of the train station and transportation to the area. The coming of the railroad meant the development of the area as a resort town bringing hundreds of visitors each summer.
The tour started at the inside of the station and took me through the first and second floors of he old station house.
The first floor of the Tuckahoe Train Station
The Ticket a room is now the gift shop
The display cases of memorabilia from the station days
The classic train sets
Ticketing and travel materials
The entrance to the baggage Room
The Baggage Room
The old Ticketing Room
The Ticketing window
The old seating area in the Ticket Room. The tour guide told me that unions version of the benches was built brand new to match the antique one. I could not tell the difference.
Both the Grady Farmstead and the Tuckahoe Railroad Museum are historic landmarks in Upper Cape May Township. These sites are open for special events in the Spring, Summer and early Fall and the train station opens up for train trips with Santa around the holidays.
The last site I visited was the Friendship School House which is open for private tours only and arranged visits like mine. This tiny school house is a glimpse into a time when education was a privilege for children and not the norm. The planting season in farm country came first and families had to work together during the busy Summer and Fall seasons. This is a look into early education both in the beach and farming communities.
The front of the schoolhouse
The entrance to the property
The historic marker
The outside sign
The Friendship School was an interesting look at early rural education where students of various ages would be educated together.
The hours would vary with the growing seasons and students would be educated in the basics to educate them to the next level.
During the school day, children would have various chores to do such as gather wood, collect water, mind the fire and watch the day’s lunch. It would be a full day for both the teacher and the students.
My tour guide confirmed that nothing was easy during the school day and children had a lot of responsibility for what went on in their lives.
The tour was an interesting look at the lives of children of that period of time and the education they received.
The history of the Friendship School:
(from the Museum’s website)
This historic property contains the circa 1930 Friendship School, a circa 1900 privy, and a circa 1917 coal storage shed. The Friendship School was originally donated in 1976 by William Wells, grandson of Enoch Clouting to the Upper Township Bicentennial Committee during a time when Upper Township was particularly interested in its earliest buildings.
The historic plaques
The school’s hand pump
The committee, headed by the late Curtis T. Cordon, evolved to become the nucleus of the Historical Preservation Society of Upper Township (HPSUT) in 1977. Virginia M. Wilson was its’ first President.
The history of the Friendship School begins when it was incorporated in May of 1831 with Jonathon Corson, Lewis Corson, and Seth Young as trustees. The students’ tuition was paid for by parents in 1830, but by 1869, public funding for schools was established. In the 1862-63 school year, 52 students crowded into this 15’x 20’ structure, and of those students in the teacher’s roll book, 24 were Corsons!
The grounds of the school grounds
The school itself is standing on its fourth known location! It was originally located 6 houses southeast of its present location. It was used for classes until it was replaced with a larger building in the 1860’s.
The abandoned school house later owned by resident, Lot Corson, became known as “Lot’s Temple” because church services were held there. Then, it was moved to Enoch Clouting’s farm where a corn crib was placed on one side. It is Enoch’s grandson who kindly donated the school.
The barn on the grounds
The school building was in extreme disrepair when it was moved from the Clouting property to the corner of Ocean Ave. and Shore Road. According to an undated news article, “mere fragments of the (original) building remained” although “some of the heavier corner posts were salvaged.”
The school’s outhouse (pricey)
The historic sign
Nevertheless, restoration of this Friendship School was researched and planned by Kyle Fleetwood of Tuckahoe and James Wilson of Marmora; with assistance from Matt Unsworth, Robert Entirkin, Curtis Corson III, Somers Corson, Marshall “Ted” Behr, Guy Himmelberger, Harry “Hap” Folger and other members of the Bicentennial Committee. It was completed in 1980.
All replacement wood matched the original in size and material and great care was taken to restore it to its original appearance. Locally sourced materials for the restoration/reconstruction came from the Van Vorst sawmill in Petersburg, the Hess sawmill in South Seaville and the Brewer sawmill in Dennisville. Benches donated by Myra Clouting Biggs, were reproduced by Matt Unsworth.
The inside of the school house
The teacher’s desk is a reproduction also made by Matt Unsworth. Hardware for the building was hand-wrought by Robert Entrikin of Petersburg. Although it does not qualify for the State and National Registers listing because it retains little original historic building fabric, the building is important to the historical time line of Upper Township.
The schoolbooks and school equipment
Also on this site are two old frame buildings: a circa 1900 privy donated from the property of the Seaville School on Kruk Drive and a circa 1917 coal/storage shed donated from the Palermo School on Route 9. The coal storage shed, was donated by Wes and Doris Nickerson with Jim and Nancy Siegrist helping with its restoration. It was added to the property in 1993. Three three-seat privy (outhouse) from the old unused Seaville School was donated by Sharon Kruk in honor of her father, and was restored by Lewis Albrecht and Jim Siegrist. It is a work of art (with a French style roof), but is non-functional.
As part of the same day tour of the three sites at the Upper Cape May County Historical Society, I visited the Endicott-Reardon Family, a wonderful museum filled with the family heirlooms of two local families who married into one another, the Endicott family and the Reardon family.
The front the museum
The sign welcoming you the the Endicott-Reardon Family museum
The original Endicott-Reardon Homestead that sits in the front of the museum
The entrance to the museum dedicated to the lives of both the Endicott and Reardon families.
The family artifacts and heirlooms at the museum as you enter the museum
The Endicott family display at the entrance
The museum is a real surprise as entire set of displays is dedicated to the lives of the local Reardon and Endicott families and their family items. A fascinating look of the lives of these early New Jersey families for over a hundred years. This is the collection of Harriot Reardon Baily and her family. All these wonderful items were saved over the last 100 years and now it was time to share them with the world.
The various family items are organized by sections categorized by lifestyle and collection.
I was given a personal tour that I had arranged with the current curator who had known and worked with the owner of this extensive collection. It had been her dream to open a museum to share her collection with the public.
This beautiful, well lit and displayed collection of family heirlooms and personal items gives a glimpse of the lives of an upper middle class family in Southern New Jersey. It is organized and displayed as a household would be at that time.
The first section of the museum was dedicated to items from the kitchen and preparations.
The family Living room furnishings and decorations
The family piano that once graced their Living Room
A decorative toy car used in the Living Room
The kitchen area and artifacts of the cooking and washing done in the house
Another wonderful museum that should be open more but you have to arrange a visit is the Museum of Cape May County which has an extensive collection of artifacts not just in the main house but in the barn as well. It is an interesting look at early Cape May County history.
The Museum of Cape May County at 504 North Route 9
https://www.facebook.com/Museumofcmc/
In 2023, The Museum of Cape May County changed their hours the week before and now it is only open on Wednesday and Friday afternoon, so I had to plan to visit it another time when I was in the area. I was a little bummed because it had nice grounds that I took a moment to walk.
In the Summer of 2024, I was finally able to tour the museum’s buildings and grounds. When you get on the tour, it really is an information tour and the four buildings you will tour have an interesting collection of artifacts.
The front of the Historical home on the grounds of the Cape May County Museum
The inside of the historical home
The inside of the home’s Dining Room
The Carriage House had a interesting collection of carriages and buggies.
The history of burials and tombstones at the museum show its agricultural past
On my way back up Route 41, I debated stopping in Millville but there was no time if I wanted to get back to Pennsville to see the Church Landing Farm. I had tried twice to stop in to see the Potters Tavern in Bridgeton but then double checked the guide and found out that it is only open on Sundays in July from 1:00pm-4:00pm. Finally in the Summer of 2024, Potter’s Tavern opened for touring and is now open on Sundays. It is well worth stopping and touring this important part of our Revolutionary War history.
Potters Tavern at 49-51 West Broad Street in Bridgeton, NJ
https://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/potterstavern
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potter%27s_Tavern
The sign at the tavern
The Entrance room of the Potter’s Tavern
The Hearth in the Kitchen in the Potter’s Tavern
The Bar at the Potter’s Tavern
The upstairs of the Potter’s Tavern was the overnight accommodations
The lower level of Potter’s Tavern
On a recent trip to Bridgeton, I was able to finally see the Bridgeton Liberty Bell.
The Bridgeton Liberty bell is located in the lobby of the Bridgeton Courthouse which is open only during the week. The bell was cast in Massachusetts in 1765 and was a source of information.
The Bridgeton Liberty Bell
It was used to call people together for important news and meetings when hanging in the courthouse in the Courthouse that was built in 1760-61. It rang for liberty when the Declaration of Independence was signed and as a warning signal for the War of 1812 (South Jersey Early American Historical Trail pamphlet).
A close up look at the bell
In 2024, I made another overnight stop at the Charlesworth Hotel in Florencia, NJ so that I could spend more time exploring this part of the state. This small hotel in a small town on the Delaware Bay has the most spectacular views and the most amazing dining room with a dinner menu with the most delicious food. I had one of the best dinners I had in a long time and the prices were very fair. For everything I ate, I thought it was very reasonable.
The sign welcoming you to the Charlesworth Hotel & Restaurant at 224 New Jersey Avenue
https://www.charlesworthrestaurant.com/
https://www.facebook.com/charlesworthrestaurant/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Charlesworth Hotel when I arrived that evening
The deck surrounding the hotel on the sunny afternoon that I arrived
My room at the Charlesworth was rather simple compared to the rooms that faced the bay
The Charlesworth Hotel & Restaurant is a small hotel with only four rooms (mine was the only one that did not face the bay but was the only one that was open when I booked it) and the restaurant. It is the restaurant that everyone travels down this back and twisted roads to come and dine. Believe me, this is definitely a destination restaurant.
The Charlesworth Dining Room the night I ate dinner there
The table set for dinner
The views
The views
The food matched the views and was just another wonderful aspect of this excellent restaurant. I have not enjoyed a formal meal this much in a long time. Everything from the food to the service was top quality (that is until a new busboy took away my unfinished Lemonade with his finger in the glass but it was quickly replaced).
I had read the menu online before I had gotten there so I knew exactly what I wanted to order that evening but when I heard descriptions of other food items, I ordered items that sounded good as well. What I really liked about the restaurant was the prices were very fair for the quality of the food and service. The Charlesworth is not gouging its guests like so many restaurants are in New Jersey, New York and New York City. The first decision I made when I got there was the frozen mocktail, which was a combination of Blueberry and Mango frozen drink. After a long drive, this was very refreshing and cleared my palate to start the meal.
The frozen drink
For my drink with dinner, I wanted something non-alcoholic. I knew a glass of wine with dinner would put me under with all the driving that I had done over the past three days plus I just wanted to relax and enjoy the view. I chose the Homemade Lemonade with Cane Sugar. I had never had lemonade this good before. It was so cool, sweet and refreshing and the taste was out of this world. I ended up with three glasses of it.
The Homemade Lemonade with Cane Sugar
The rolls that were served at the beginning of dinner were made in house from scratch and served with a honey butter. You will want to devour several of these.
The freshly Baked Rolls
I love New England Clam Chowder and this soup was so thick, rich and delicious studded with the right amount of clams and cream and perfectly seasoned. Whether the weather is hot or cold, this is the appetizer to start with when dining here.
The Clam Chowder studded with fresh bacon bits and finished with cream
The Clam Chowder looked like a picture
The Clam Chowder was utterly amazing both in taste and texture!
As part of my meal, I decided rather than the traditional entrees, I would have a series of appetizers this way I could sample as the things I wanted and not break the bank in the cost of the meal. So I decided to have a Spinach Salad with Bacon and Toasted Almonds for the second course of my meal. The bacon had been freshly fried, the apples were crisp and sweet and the almonds were sweet but did not taste like candy. The spinach was fresh and crisp and it was mixed on the plate with a homemade vinaigrette. The effect was mindblowingly good.
The Spinach Salad
The Spinach Salad
To save money and be able to taste more of the menu, I ordered the Stuffed Shrimp Appetizer which had three shrimp instead of six. These were served with a crab mixture which was mostly crab. With a little bit of cocktail sauce, I can not explain how good these were and it was just enough after a soup, salad, and two rolls.
The Stuffed Shrimp with Crab appetizer
I had debated dessert because there were so many wonderful things on the menu to choose from. There was a Chocolate Chip cookie pie that looked good and the Key Lime Pie with fresh Key Lime but what was recommended to me was the Peach Cobbler with fresh local Jersey peaches with a homemade cinnamon biscuit and homemade vanilla ice cream. There was not a drop of ice cream or a crumb left in that dish when I was finished.
The Homemade Peach Cobbler with Fresh Jersey Peaches
The views from the restaurant before dinner time
The views from the restaurant before dinner time
The views of the Delaware Bay before dinner were breathtaking! You could never tire of these views
I slept like the dead that night with it being so quiet and not seeing any of the other guests. The only problem with my room was that the air conditioner could have used a good cleaning because it smelled strange. When I turned it down, it was better. The bed was soft and firm and I slept soundly.
The next day I awoke to the sound of the bay and beautiful sunny views before my travels to see other historical sites. I had to find breakfast up at the highway because there is no restaurant between the hotel and the highway. Before I left I took a series of pictures of the beach at the bay and the breathtaking views of the Delaware Bay.
The view from the deck
The view of the beach at the end of the road
The beach at the end of the road in Fortescue, NJ
The trip back to the highway I got lost three times in the twists and turns of these tiny back roads. I have to give all diners some advice about dining at the Charlesworth Hotel. If you DO NOT know the area, please spend the night at the hotel. The roads are very easy to get lost in during the day let alone in the dark even with Google Maps and GPS. Still the trip was well worth the money and time for the rest and relaxation and the excellent food. I was so happy I stayed here and extended the trip to travel properly. Now it was to WaWa for breakfast and the next set of museums and cultural sites.
Between the traffic and the distance and not being able to find the cross street, I did not get to the Pennsville Township Historical Society until ten minutes to 4:00pm and no one would answer the door. I knocked on both with four cars outside hoping that I would catch someone to give me a tour of the home but to no avail. I was able to see inside at some of the antique furnishings but that was it.
Church Landing Farm-Pennsville Historical Society sign
I was able to walk the grounds of the farm and it was spectacular. You really have to see the views of Delaware Bay and the fantastic views. The grounds have all the separate buildings on it that were closed as well but at least I got to view everything. For the next trip.
The Pennsville Township Historical Society-Church Landing Farm at 86 Church Landing Road
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=516724785104596
When I visited in September, I made it a priority to visit the museum and arranged my Sunday schedule so that the Church Landing Farm was my last stop on the way home. After lunch at Hudock’s, I made my way up Route 49 to the museum. What was nice was I was the only visitor at the time, so it was just me and the two docents touring the house and grounds.
The Farmhouse estate from the parking lot
What an interesting tour of the house and of the displays in the sheds that are on the property. The farmhouse was built by the Garrison family between 1840-1845 and was the home of lawyer and gentleman farmer, Donald Garrison. The house was lived in by generations of Garrisons until 1973 when the last living member of the family, Anna Locuson died. At this point, the house was in disarray.
The view of the Delaware River and the Delaware Memorial Bridge
In 1991, with the help of Atlantic City Electric, the Pennsville Township Historical Society was formed and has maintained the house since. The artifacts in the house are all donations and are of the period that the family lived in the house over the years with the exception of family portraits on the first floor. The upper floors are displays of a children’s room and the room of an adult. They also have a nice research library on town and family history.
On the grounds there is a series of sheds with different themes and displays to see. As they unlock each shed, they show you the magic of their artifacts. There is one shed with a Floating Fishing Cabin, one with artifacts from the fire and police departments and the military, another of high school memorabilia, another is a wash house and my favorite, one of the Pennsville Beach Park, a former amusement park that was located in the current park until 1969. It has all sorts of signs, rides and former parts of rides and attractions. These sheds were the highlight of the trip. Everything is so well maintained and displayed on the property.
The outer display buildings on the estate
I also walked the grounds again and admired the view of the Delaware Bay and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It must have been something before all these things were built and it just had a view of the bay.
At Christmas time, the Pennsville Historical Society really shines when the whole estate is decorated from top to bottom for Christmas. This is one of the nicest Christmas displays you will see around.
The Pennsville Historical Society at Christmas time.
The front of the house at Christmas time.
The Kitchen Christmas tree
The Living Room
The Music Room
(For more pictures of the Pennsville Historical Society, please check out the link below for more pictures on the site).
Not only was the house fully decorated but the small buildings with all the displays of the Historical Society as well. The Amusement and Military buildings were decorated to the hilt with trees and other decorations.
The Amusement Park building.
The Amusement Park building.
The Santa Room where Santa greeted guests.
Santa and Mrs. Claus during my visit to the Open House at Pennsville Historical Society in 2024
Me telling Santa my wishes in 2024 at the Christmas Open House
After visiting the Pennsville Historical Society in October 2024, I finally got to see the Penns Grove Historical Society in Downtown Penns Grove and that was a treat. I got to see the main exhibition “How We Used to Dress”. What a wonderful exhibition.
The Penns Grove Historical Society at 48 West Main Street
This was when the museum was decorated for Christmas in 2023
The Penns Grove Historical Society sign that welcomes you to the museum
After almost two years of trying to visit this small historical society, the trips aligned and J was able to visit the Penns Grove Historical Society and delightful and very engaging exhibitions. What was sad was that people missed this wonderful well thought out museum when visiting the area. The museum has so much charm and such interesting exhibitions to walk through.
Entering the museum and the sign for the main exhibition ‘The Clothes we Wore’
There were three exhibitions showing when I came to visit. One was “On the Waterfront” on the Penns Grove waterfront. This describes the shipping and fishing industry that the town had before the building of the factories and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Each display case has different aspects of the industries.
The seafarer and shipping artifacts
This exhibit shows how much the Delaware Bay has changed over the last 100 years.
The pictures and description of the native coastline around the Delaware River
Pictures of the Fishing Industry that was once part of the fabric of the town
The next was the exhibition, “The Clothes We Wore” was an extensive look at the retail community of Downtown Penns Grove, NJ before the coming of the malls and changes of traffic patterns into town. It is also a look at the changes in the way we dress not just to go out but how we dress every day.
When you walk the exhibition you can see the array of stores from shoe stores to hats that people used to don until the mid 1960’s and the coming of ‘Flower Power’. Each store had its specialty and catered to a specific client. It is interesting how each stores had it own display of wares and its use in our wardrobes. It also shows a very vibrant downtown that is now part of its past.
Each store had its own display along with the advertising in a time when shopping was leisurely and we took time out to try things on. Pride in appearance was a big part of who we are as people.
Dresses and suits were once part of our everyday wardrobe
The Millinery shop where hats and gloves were part of the wardrobe
Shoes shined for work every day were part of the uniform
Accessories built the character of our wardrobe
More hats that showed the personality of the wearer
The different advertising for the various merchants that made up the downtown
A glimpse of the downtown in its heyday
The infant and children’s clothing was a bit more formal even at public school
We pampered babies even back then. Their wardrobes were always special
Poland’s Department Store downtown was the place to shops before malls took over
The history of the Penns Grove School system in the exhibition “It’s Elementary”
The history of early schools in Penns Grove
The corner stone of the Penns Grove School
A classic trip to Washington DC and Mount Vernon were part of the school traditions even in the 1920’s
The trolley system between Penns Grove and Pennsville all the way out to Salem, the County Seat were part of the way people travelled before cars became part of the fabric of our society.
The old trolley system
The main gallery of the museum
The museum has a lot to offer in such a small space . It packed with interesting information on a community that no longer exists but is part of its not so distant past. It shows how a community keeps progressing and writes its own future.
After the tour of the Penns Grove Historical Society, it was time to eat and that meant the trip to some of my favorite places in Pennsville when I visit the area.
I needed to stop for a quick snack, and I noticed that on this Father’s Day Sunday not much was opened around the area. I came across Four Seasons Doughnuts, an old-fashioned doughnut shop on Route 49 and stopped in.
Four Seasons Doughnuts at 275 North Broadway
I got the most delicious sugar topped jelly doughnut and devoured it quickly. The doughnut selection that time of the day was not as big, but it was enough to tide me over until dinner. I was ready to see my last site of the day. On another visit, I indulged in a glazed doughnut.
When I took my tour during Halloween, I had to stop by again for a quick snack before dinner. I indulged in a French Cruller and it was so good when it was pulled apart with the rich layer of glaze on it. Don’t underestimate how good the doughnuts are here.
I went back again on my Christmas tour of the area in 2024 and had the Cherry Cake and Chocolate Delight doughnuts. The bakery is so reasonable and their doughnuts are always fresh and delicious. They are so much better than going to Dunkin down the street and you are supporting a local merchant.
The Glazed Doughnut at Christmas time
The French Cruller at Halloween
The Cherry Cake Doughnut at Christmas time
The Chocolate Delight at Christmas time
Four Seasons Doughnuts delicious selection of doughnuts
https://www.facebook.com/fourseasonsdonuts/
In September, I doubled back to Hudock’s to the custard stand for ice cream. It was only fifteen minutes away from the site. I ordered some homemade peach ice cream and just relaxed on the picnic tables again. It was such a beautiful day, and I did not want to leave that spot. Looking at the farms was just so nice (see prices and pictures above).
Hudock’s for ice cream is so nostalgic.
When I visited the area again for the NJ State Firemen’s Convention and toured the sites again Hudock’s was closed, so I finished my day with dinner at The Orient Chinese Restaurant at 414 South Broadway in Pennsville, NJ. I had wanted to try the restaurant in the past but I either never had the time or was too stuffed from another restaurant I tried for the trip. The food and the service were excellent at this very underrated Chinese restaurant.
The Orient Chinese Restaurant 414 South Broadway.
https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Orient-Chinese-Restaurant-100083171296875/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The food and service were excellent. I had the Beef and Broccoli combination platter with Hot and Sour Soup and an egg roll. The food was delicious, and the portion sizes were very generous. I can’t wait to come back.
The Hot and Sour Soup with noodles.
I really enjoyed my dinner, and the food was a real treat.
When I returned in October, I revisited the restaurant and the food and service are consistently delicious. It has become my new ‘go to’ for Chinese food when visiting Southern New Jersey.
You have to start the meal with their Fried Noodles. I love this old tradition
On this trip I had to try the Wonton Soup
On my second trip, I had a craving for Sweet & Sour Pork which they serve with Pork Fried Rice and a delicious egg roll
The Egg Rolls are amazing
Don’t let this little restaurant fool you from the outside. The food and the service are excellent and is a real hidden gem. The food is also very reasonable for the quality of the food and the portion size they serve. It is also close to all the historical sites in the area.
I got to Fort Mott State Park by 5:00pm and it was still bright and sunny outside. I love these long summer days when it is light out until 9:00pm. By the time I got to the Finn’s Point Lighthouse, the Visitors Center was closed but it looked like it had not been open. The stairs were overgrown, the sign on the door was dated 2019 and the fence around the lighthouse had a lock that looked rusty. So, I only got to admire it from a distance. It really is an interesting lighthouse as it slender and further away from the water than the other lighthouses that I had seen before. I read that you cannot walk in if it is too cold outside or too hot. I traveled further into the park.
Finn’s Point Lighthouse at Fort Mott and Lighthouse Road
https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=374
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finns_Point_Range_Light
The Finns Point Lighthouse Visitors Center
Fort Mott State Park was a real treat. I never knew this place even existed. I had never heard of the fort before today. Fort Mott State Park is interesting in that it was designed after the Civil War facing the State of Delaware across the bay and was designed to protect Delaware Bay. Most of the construction happened after 1897 and gun emplacements were located the below concrete and earthen embankment.
Fort Mott Welcome sign
There is also a fire tower, guard house, former warehouses and battery’s protecting the fort. By the end of WWI, the fort was considered obsolete and by 1943 was decommissioned. The State of New Jersey bought the land in 1947 and by 1951 it was opened as a park.
The Fort Mott Gun embankments
I was able to tour through the gun embankments and climb the stairs to see where the guns were once based on. The views were amazing of the bay, and it was a clear shot if boats tried to come into the bay. I passed the fire tower that was closed for tours that day and I visited what was the Ordnance Warehouse which is now the gift shop and a small museum of artifacts from the old fort. This includes equipment, pictures and photos of when the fort was in service. This part of the park should not be missed as it is fascinating to see how the fort was run and its role during the war.
The best part of the park is to just stroll along the long grass lawn that leads to the views of the Delaware Bay. The views are spectacular and on a sunny day, it is just a please to look out at the bay and enjoy the views. There are also nice picnic grounds that were full of families enjoying the early evening of Father’s Day. I spent time here relaxing before my long trip home soaking up the sunshine.
Fort Mott State Park at 454 Fort Mott Road
https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/fortmottstatepark.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mott_(New_Jersey)
After my trip to Fort Mott State Park, since the sun was still high in the sky and it would not get dark until almost 9:00pm, I decided to double back through Salem, go back up to Woodstown to have dinner and see the farmland one last time before leaving the area. It is such a scenic trip home and I wanted to see all of it one more time before leaving the area.
Fort Mott views
After Fort Mott, I stopped in Pennsville again to try the Pennsville Custard Stand at 338 North Broadway for some frozen custard. I ended up have a small dish of their homemade ice cream. Their Pineapple Swirl and Cake Batter are delicious.
This is part of the Pennsville Farmers Market, which is part of the same complex. The Farmer’s market was open but at this time of the year had very little produce on the shelves. Still, it was worth the stop for the ice cream.
The Pineapple Swirl and Cake Batter Ice creams were amazing!
The Pennsville Farmers Market has just opened for the season
https://pennsvillefarmmarketandcustardstand.com/
I stopped in Woodstown and walked around the downtown one last time. A lot was closed on Sunday, and I was surprised that more restaurants were not open. I decided on a quick slice of pizza at Gus’s Pizzeria at 14 Main Street. It was okay but I would not make a special trip to go there. There are other places to eat.
Downtown Woodstown, NJ
My last stop of the trip back up was stopping in Millica Hill, the quaint little town I first encountered when I got off Swedesboro Road to go down Route 45. I stopped and looked at all the old buildings and restaurants that they had. Most everything was closed for the day and only one restaurant was open and there was only one couple there. They also had a Historical Society in the downtown area that I noted for my next trip to the area.
Downtown Mullica Hill
My last part of the tour during my trip in December 2023, was a drive and picture taking tour of Downtown Mullica Hill. Like the rest of these small historic towns in this part of New Jersey, it was beautifully decorated for the holidays and looked so picturesque.
Downtown Mullica Hill at Christmas time.
The Downtown Mullica Hill Business District at Christmas time 2023.
The Downtown Mullica Hill business district at Christmas time.
Downtown Mullica Hill at Christmas time
When I came out for an early October weekend in 2024, the mood was just as festive for the upcoming Haunted Walk that the museum was sponsoring that evening. I was making my way through Mullica Hill that was preparing the evening of the Haunted Walk when I made a few detours.
The Mullica Hill Ghost Walk in Mullica Hill, NJ started the Halloween season
I was coming back from the Firemen’s Convention and was staying in Salem River when visiting museums for my blog and I saw the sign for the Mullica Hill Ghost Walk and back to South Jersey I went. I had to take my mind off the first month of school, so I took the weekend to get away.
As I made my way down to Bridgeton to start a series of visits to historical sites on my bucket list for my blog I took a local detour down local roads and came across Moods Farm with a very festive looking pumpkin looking at me and smiling. I had plenty of time for a detour and visit the farm. What a treat!
The farm was really active that morning with people going on hay rises through the fields, walking through the corn maze and enjoying apple cider and cider doughnuts. That last one I was planning on doing.
The very festive female pumpkin greets you at the gate
Moods Farm Market at was very busy that morning and was even busier when I left
The entrance to the market where they were selling tickets to hay rides and the maze
The farm created such a relaxing and enjoyable environment when welcoming you. I felt like I was taking a step back to the 1970’s when there was time to stop and take a breather and enjoy a sunny afternoon. I really like the farm stand with the multiple fruits and vegetables and homemade jams.
The fruits and vegetables from the farm
There were lots of things to choose from at the stand
I was in search of a good cider doughnut. I was bummed that they were selling them by the pack. That was until I stopped and talked with the girl at the counter and she said I could buy them individually. They were just coming out of the fryer and they were warm. There is nothing like a fresh cider doughnut with fresh apple cider.
The doughnuts were just out of the fryer and were so delicious
The Apple Cider was made from Honey Crisp apples
I took my cider doughnut and my apple cider and sat at the picnic tables over looking the farm. With all the rushing around in my life, it was to just stop and enjoy a sunny morning.
I was watching the rides through the fields
While I was at the picnic tables, I read the trivia questions in the large pumpkin while watching the tractors drive by.
The Pumpkin Trivia board
The questions and answers were really cute. I thought it was an interesting game.
The questions
The answer
It was just nice to watch people on the rides and having a good time. It is nice to see all this on a sunny early afternoon.
Looking over the farm in the early afternoon
Watching people have fun on the hay rides
The wooden pens of animals for kids to play with at all ages
I took a chance on a recent visit to Elmer, New Jersey to see if there Historical Society was open and I lucked out. On a beautiful early October day, they were sponsoring their annual Harvest Festival and the museum was open. What an interesting little museum. The collection reflects life in a small rural community and how it has grown in the modern time.
The outside of the museum on the day of the Harvest Festival
The museum is housed in an old Catholic Church
The building was built in 1894 as St. Ann’s Catholic Church that was organized in 1892. The church was built Adam Kandle at the cost of $1800. The cornerstone was donated by marble cutter Joseph Gibson. In November 2017, the former church building was donated to the Greater Elmer Area Historical Society to be used as their headquarters (Society pamphlet).
The shine to Saint Ann just outside the door
The inside gallery of the museum still has a feel of the church mixed with the modern era
The town progressed from a sleeping community of hunting and fishing for the Lenape to the coming of the Dutch, French, English and various waves of new immigration to the area.
The Early Settlement sign
The museum may be small but it packed with information on the history of Elmer, the local industries and farms, the Native American population and local population. Each section of the museum has a different theme to it.
The Native American artifacts
The Arrowhead collection at the museum
It seems that many of these artifacts were found in the local farm fields. The area had been a big settlement for the Lenape tribes, who probably found the same benefits as the settlers.
The Arrowhead Collection
The museum had an interesting collection of artifacts from local businesses from the area.
Artifacts from the Native Americans
With colonization, and the growth of agriculture ( which is still strong today), the business and manufacturing communities grew in the area and prospered even before the railroads came.
Early Industries of Elmer, NJ:
The growth of the area and the progress of a small town
The businesses of early Elmer included glass making, broom manufacturing and agriculture
The artifacts of the past of Elmer, NJ
The Registration Book of the Elmer Lake Hotel shows how the area changed to add leisure as work changed
The museum had a lot of unique things to see and explore. The history of Elmer and the surrounding area was displayed here. After the tour of the museum, I enjoyed Elmer Harvest Day, an annual event that the museum hosts in town every October. With the weather being as beautiful as it was, the place was mobbed.
Elmer Harvest Day 2024: (I attended the event)
The tractors on display on Elmer Harvest Day October 5th, 2024
The streets were mobbed with residents and visitors on Elmer Harvest Day
The creativity of the crafts vendors
It was not even Halloween yet and here comes Christmas
These were some of the most unusual crafts at the festival. I loved the Mummy Bowl Fillers. Very clever!
After this relaxing detour at the farm, I continued my trip down the back roads to Bridgeton, passing other farms and fields of corn. After a trip to Bridgeton and a stop over at the hotel to drop my things off for an overnight stay at the Salem River Inn, I made my to the Haunted walk.
The museum was going to be open later that evening so I headed to the starting point for my tour at 6:20pm. That was the best time to go on the walk because I got to see the town as the sun was setting so I got the warm part of the evening at sunset and then as we got to the haunted establishments, it had gotten dark out and you could see the stars. It is funny when it gets dark earlier after a long summer. It really does throw you off.
Downtown Mullica Hill the night of the walk
The downtown was dotted with scarecrows
The foliage was just starting to change but like Octobers in the past five years it has been warmer and greener further into the month.
The tee shirts of the event being sold at the start of the tour
Our tour guide at the start of the tour
The scarecrows on the tour
We walked many stops in the downtown that was steeped in history even before the Revolutionary War.
The Hanging Barn where a worker hung himself
The history of the 12th Infantry some buried in the town
The Haunted St. Stephen’s Church downtown
The inside of the church where angels were seen
The graveyard talk in the back of the church
The Haunted House where multiple ghosts have been seen
Another haunted house
The Mullica family home is haunted
Another haunted house in town
After the tour was over, I toured the Mullica Hill Historical Society after the tour to see the new ‘Taverns and Temperance’ exhibition on the local watering holes of the 18th and 19th centuries of which only two exist.
The Last Call exhibition
The history of taverns and their purpose
The interesting artifacts from the exhibit
The ‘Last Call’ exhibition was a look on how taverns were such an important part of socialization at a time when there were no movies, internet, phones and newspapers were limited. Still there was a strong resistance to people drinking which still reflects to our Puritan past.
There was nothing wrong with having a drink but there was a sense of taking it too far. Still this attitude is reflected today. It is still interesting though how one or two of these taverns have carried over into the Twenty First century. They are still welcoming guests today and that proves the socialization of these establishments and how important they are in our lives.
After a nice dinner out, I headed back to the hotel for a relaxing evening. The next day I headed home.
As I finally got to the New Jersey Turnpike, the sun was setting in the distance. As I said before, it is so nice to have these long days to drive and explore. It was an eye-opening trip and I saw so many interesting places and got a better grasp of our state’s history and its place in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
I was an interesting and relaxing weekend and the best way to spend Father’s Day. It was a trip that my dad would have enjoyed. The weekends have also been enjoyable in the Summer months and at Halloween and Christmas. There is so much to see and do in Southern New Jersey and try not miss any of the stops.
Happy travels everyone!
Places to Stay:
The Chalfonte Hotel
301 Howard Street
Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 884-8409
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Salem River Inn (formerly the Inn at the Salem Country Club)
91 Salem Country Club Road
Salem, NJ 08079
(609) 402-8190
https://salemcountryclubnj.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
Barrett’s Plantation House B &B
203 Old Kings Highway
Mannington, NJ 08079
(856) 935-0818
http://barrettsplantationhouse.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Charlesworth Hotel & Restaurant
224 New Jersey Avenue
Fortescue, NJ 08321
(856) 447-4928
https://www.charlesworthrestaurant.com/
The Hotel review on TripAdvisor:
The Restaurant review on TripAdvisor:
Places to Visit:
Rosie’s Farm Market
317 Swedesboro Road
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
(856) 223-9252
https://www.rosiesfarmmarket.com/
https://www.facebook.com/rosiesfarmmarket/
Open: Sunday-Saturday 8:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Mood’s Farm Market
901 Bridgeton Pike
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
(856) 478-2500
https://www.moodsfarmmarket.com/
Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Saturday 8:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Salem Oak/Friends Burial Ground
112 West Broadway (Route 49)
Salem, NJ 08079
(859) 935-3381
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1997710/salem-friends-burial-ground
Open: Sunday-Saturday Dawn to Dusk
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMusuem.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7707
Salem County Historical Society
83 Market Street
Salem, NJ 08079
(856) 935-5004
http://www.salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com
info@salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com
https://www.salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Salem-County-Historical-Society-127149567413641/
Open: Sunday-Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Donation Suggested
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/1742
Salem Fire Museum
166 East Broadway
Salem, NJ 08079
(856) 935-0354
https://www.facebook.com/SalemFireMuseum/
https://visitsalemcountynj.com/places-to-see/museums-and-historical-sites/
Open: Sunday (First Sunday Only of the Month) 9:00am-4:00pm/Monday-Saturday Closed
Admission: See website
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/17021
Quinton’s Bridge at Alloways Creek
Route 49 at Quinton-Alloway Road
Salem, NJ 08079
No Phone Number
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=88443
Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 hours
Admission: None
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7716
Hancock House State Historic Site
3 Front Street
Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038
(856) 935-4373
https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/historic/hancockhouse.html
https://www.facebook.com/FOHHNJ/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_House_(Lower_Alloways_Creek_Township,_New_Jersey)
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday-Saturday 10:00am-12:00pm/1:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Free but donation suggested
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7658
The Nicolas Gibbon House
960 Great Street
Greenwich, NJ 08323
(856) 455-4055
http://cumberlandnjart.org/cumberland-historic-sites/nicholas-gibbon-house/
http://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/gibbonhouse
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Wednesday-Saturday Closed
Admission: Free but a donation suggested
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7685
Alan E. Carman Museum of Prehistory
1461 Bridgeton Road
Greenwich, NJ 08323
(856) 455-8141
http://digilib.clueslibs.org/info/prehistorical.pdf
Admission: Free
Open: Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7668
The Greenwich Tea Burning Monument
Ye Greate Street and Market Lane
Greenwich, NJ 08323
http://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/greenwich-tea-burning
Open: 24 Hours/Outdoor Monument
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7689
Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church & Cemetery
54 West Avenue
South Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Check website
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Broad_Street_Presbyterian_Church_and_Cemetery
http://cumberlandnjart.org/cumberland-historic-sites/broad-st-presbyterian-church/
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7751
East Point Lighthouse
11 Lighthouse Road
Heislerville, NJ 08324
(856) 785-0349
https://www.facebook.com/eastpointlight/
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Please check the website for seasonal dates
Admission: $8.00
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7696
Mauricetown Historical Society
1229 Front Street
Mauricetown, NJ 08329
(859) 785-0457
http://mauricetownhistoricalsociety.org/
Open: The first and third Sunday’s of each month/Check their website 1:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Free but donation suggested. See website
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7744
Potters Tavern at 49-51 West Broad Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8580
https://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/potterstavern
Open: Sundays (In July Only) 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Saturday Closed
Admission: See website
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Church Landing Farm at Pennsville Township Historical Society
86 Church Landing Road
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 678-4453
http://www.pvhistory.com/museum.htm
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-3:00pm/ Monday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday 1:00pm-3:00pm/Thursday-Saturday Closed
Admission: Donation suggested/check website
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7734
Finns Point Lighthouse
Fort Mott & Lighthouse Roads
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 935-3218
https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=374
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finns_Point_Range_Light
Hours: Sunday-Saturday (Open with Fort Mott State Park-Lighthouse Currently closed, check the website of the park)
Admission: Free when open
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7727
Fort Mott State Park
454 Fort Mott Road
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 935-3218
https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/fortmottstatepark.html
https://www.facebook.com/FortMott
Open: Sunday-Saturday 8:00am-7:30pm/Please see their website for seasonal hours
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMusum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7702
Dennis Township Old School House/Dennisville Historical Society
681 Petersburg Road
Woodbine, NJ 08270
(609) 681-1899
https://www.facebook.com/people/Friends-of-dennis-township-old-school-house-museum/100066513017935/
http://www.dennismuseumfriends.org/
Open: Every other Sunday of the Month from 9:00am-1:00pm (Seasonal-see their website)
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8758
The Greater Cape May Historical Society
6531/2 Washington Street
Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 884-9100
http://www.capemayhistory.org/
http://www.capemayhistory.org/about-us.html
Open: Colonial House Museum hours:
Wednesday-Saturday, 1:00pm-4:00pm June 15th-September 15th
Open during Victorian Weekend in October. Special exhibits at Halloween and Christmas.
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Cape May Firemen’s Museum
643 Washington Street at the corner of Franklin Street
Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 884-9512
http://capemayfd.com/custom.html?id=20402
Admission: Free
Hours: Call ahead
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
The Museum of Cape May County
504 US 9
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
(609) 465-3535
https://www.facebook.com/Museumofcmc/
Hours: Seasonal Hours Sunday-Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm.
Admission:
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8766
The Cape May Lighthouse
215 Light House Avenue
Cape May Point, NJ 08212
1-800-275-4278
Open: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm/Monday 10:00am-4:00pm/Thursday-Friday Closed
Fee: $8.00 Adults/$5.00 Children 3-12/Military Free
TripAdvisor Review:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Historic Cold Spring Village
720 Route 9
Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 898-2300
hcsv.org
Open: 10:00am-4:30pm, Tuesdays through Sundays/Monday Closed
Seasonal: June 23rd to September 2nd
Fee: $14.00 for adults and $12.00 for children 3-12. Children under 3 admitted for free.
Admission is free with membership. Please call (609) 898-2300, ext. 10 for accessibility. Pet Friendly and free parking.
TripAdvisor Review:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
Pinesgrove-Woodstown Historical Society
42 North Main Street
Woodstown, NJ. 08098
(856) 769-1886
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8884
The John DuBois Maritime Museum
949 Ye Greate Street
Greenwich, NJ 08323
(609) 444-1774
https://www.americanheritage.com/content/john-dubois-maritime-museum
Open: Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Free but donations are accepted.
My review on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/12221179?m=19905
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/15094
Lower Alloways Creek Historical Society
736 Smick Road
Hancocks Bridge, NJ. 08079
(856) 935-3666
https://www.facebook.com/LacHistoricalMuseum/
https://www.lowerallowayscreek-nj.gov/about/pages/historic-log-cabin
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm (Third Sunday of the Month)/Monday-Saturday Closed
Admission:
My review on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/12228970?m=19905
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8882
Historical Society of Penns Grove, Carney’s Point and Oldmans
48 West Main Street
Pennsgrove, NJ 08069
(856) 299-1556
https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Society-of-Penns-GroveCarneys-Point-Oldmans-116286428399994/
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-3:00pm (Seasonal)/Monday-Saturday Closed
Admission: Free but donations are suggested and recommended to help operate the museum
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8940
The Greater Elmer Area Historical Society
117 Broad Street
Elmer, NJ 08318
(609) 670-0407
https://www.facebook.com/greaterelmerareahistoricalsociety/
http://www.elmerboroughnj.com/GreaterElmerAreaHistoricalSociety.html
Open: Sunday-Friday Closed/Saturday 10:00am-2:00pm (Second Saturday of the Month)
Admission: Free but donations are accepted and encouraged to help fund the museum.
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8876
Alloway Township History Museum
49 Greenwich Street (Room 216)
Alloway, NJ 08001
(856) 981-9388
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
Cohanzick Zoo
Mayor Aitken Drive
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 453-1658
Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm
Admission: Free but donations are accepted
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Cohanzick Zoo is part of the Bridgeton Park system and can be found inside the parks grounds.
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/23956
The Friendship School
859 South Shore Road (Route 9)
Palermo, NJ 08223
(609) 628-3303
http://uppertwphistory.org/Friendship-School.htm
https://capemaycountynj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5497/CMC-Heritage-Brochure
Open: Please call for a appointment and special tour
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The Endicott-Reardon Family Museum
3036 South Shore Road (Route 9)
Seaville, NJ 08230
(609) 624-0600
https://www.facebook.com/EndicottReardonMuseum/
https://visitnj.org/endicott-reardon-family-museum
Open: Sunday Closed/Monday 10:00am-2:00pm/Tuesday Closed/Wednesday 10:00am-2:00pm/Thursday Closed/Friday 10:00am-2:00pm/Saturday Closed. Seasonal-Seasonal Please see the website.
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor”
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
U.S. Life Saving Station 30 Museum
801 East 4th Street
Ocean City, NJ 08226
(609) 398-5553
https://uslifesavingstation30.com/
https://www.facebook.com/U.S.LifeSavingStation30/
https://www.ocmuseum.org/about-us/museum-history
Open: Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Ocean City Historical Museum
1735 Simpson Avenue
Ocean City, MD 08226
(609) 339-1801
https://www.facebook.com/ocnjmuseum/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Avalon History Center
215 39th Street
Avalon, NJ 08202
(609) 967-0090
https://www.avalonhistorycenter.org/
https://www.facebook.com/avalonhistorycenter/
Open: Sunday Closed/ Monday-Friday 10:00am-4:00pm/Saturday 10:00am-3:00pm
Admission: Free but donations are appreciated
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Stone Harbor Museum
9410 Second Avenue
Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
(609) 368-7500
https://stoneharbormuseum.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stoneharbormuseum/
Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm (Seasonal) Monday-Thursday Closed/Friday and Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm
Admission: Free but a donation is appreciated
My review on TripAdvisor”
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Stone Harbor (Tatham) Life Saving Station
11617 Second Avenue
Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
(609) 368-2294
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Life-Saving_Station_No._35
Open: (Seasonal-June-Labor Day)
Admission: Free but they ask for a donation
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://visitingamuseum.com/category/exploring-stone-harbor-nj
Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary
11400 3rd Avenue
Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
(609) 368-5102
https://www.facebook.com/p/Stone-Harbor-Bird-Sanctuary-100064916130839/
Open:Sunday-Saturday 24 Hours
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Wetlands Institute
1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard
Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
(609) 368-1211
Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:30am-4:30pm
Admission: Adults $12:00/Children $10.00/Military $10.00/Members and Children under 3 Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Places to Eat:
Salem Oak Diner
113 West Broadway
Salem, NJ 08079
(856) 935-1305
https://www.restaurantji.com/nj/salem/salem-oak-diner-/
Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-8:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Hudock’s Frozen Custard Stand
544 Salem Quinton Road
Salem, NJ 08079
(856) 935-5224
https://www.facebook.com/Hudocks-Custard-Stand-155824314452996/
Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-10:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/3072
Papa Luigi’s
39 North Main Street
Woodstown, NJ 08098
((856) 769-4455
https://www.papaluigispizzeria.com/
Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Saturday 10:00am-8:30pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Diamond Grill
534 Salem Quinton Road
Salem, NJ 08079
(856) 279-2375
https://www.facebook.com/DiamondGrillNJ/
Open: Sunday-Saturday 7:00am-8:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Four Season’s Doughnuts
275 North Broadway
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 678-3800
https://www.facebook.com/fourseasonsdonuts/
Open: Sunday-6:00am-6:00pm/Monday-Friday 5:15am-6:30pm/Saturday 6:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Gus’s Pizzeria
14 South Main Street
Woodstown, NJ 08098
(856) 769-0888
https://www.facebook.com/woodstownguss/
Open: Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-9:00pm/Friday-Saturday 11:00am-10:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Pennsville Custard Stand
338 North Broadway
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 678-5834
https://pennsvillefarmmarketandcustardstand.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057451149818
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Orient Chinese Restaurant
414 South Broadway
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 678-4021
https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Orient-Chinese-Restaurant-100083171296875/
My review on TripAdvisor:
Century Bakery
525 North Pearl Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(845) 451-1616
https://www.centurybakery.com/
Open: Sunday-Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday 6:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Shivers House Museum/Sign of Key Tavern
68 North Main Street
Woodstown, NJ 08098
(856) 945-5535
http://www.salemcountyclocks.com/the-big-red-house
Open: By Appointment Only-Please call/Special Events
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Vineland Historical Society
108 South Seventh Street
Vineland, NJ 08360
(856) 691-1111
https://discovervinelandhistory.org
https://www.facebook.com/discovervinelandhistory.org
Open: The third Saturday of each month from 1:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Free but donations are appreciated
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
Sea Isle City Historical Museum
4800 Central Avenue
Sea Isle, NJ 08243
(609) 263-2992
https://www.facebook.com/Sea-Isle-City-Historical-Museum-326332320746077/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
