One of the last places I visited in the 2026 Pathways tour of Morris County was the Historical Society of Boonton Township which is located in the former Oscar Kincaid Farm Homestead. The house and what was left of the acreage of the farm was part of the current museum. The museum was an example of early New Jersey farming that dated from the 1800’s to the Twenty-First century. There was not much in the way of period furniture or farm equipment (items of the home were sold off since Mr. Kincaid’s passing), but the new historical society is buying artifacts and bringing them back to the farm. This includes one of Mr. Kincaid’s tractors. His roll up desk is also still in the display room which was once the Living Room of the home.
The Kincaid Homestead
History of Oscar Kincaid and Homestead:
(From the Morris County Historical Society website)
Originally a part of the extensive tract belonging to William Penn, the earliest portion of the home was constructed in 1785 by Adam Miller and Anna DeMouth Miller. Just over a decade later, they sold the property to Adam’s cousin, Sarah Miller Parlimen (of the Miller/Dixon homestead) and her husband, John, who built a sawmill there. After a brief ownership by William Scott of Powerville, a Miller relative, the land was sold to John Decker in 1828. An industrious man, Decker operated both a farm and successful forge, shipping his goods to New York via the Morris Canal. By 1837, he expanded the home, adding a distinctive folk-art painting of a face and unique plasterwork that can still be seen today (MCHS website).
The homestead passed through generations of Decker’s family, ultimately being inherited by Oscar Kincaid Sr. in the early 20th century. Kincaid ran a popular ice cream stand and dairy business throughout the 1920s and 30s. Following World War II, the family opened Valley Farm on the site, which continued until the death of Oscar Kincaid Jr. in 2000. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, the Decker-Kincaid Homestead today operates as a museum and headquarters of the Historical Society of Boonton Township (MCHS website).
The Kincaid House
The historical marker for the house
The front yard
The entrance to the house
The main foyer of the house
The house is a small farmhouse built in two sections. The original part of the house dates back to the late 1700’s and the newer part in the early 1800’s. The once furnished rooms now hold displays of Morris County and the farming industry of the time plus community artifacts.
The former Living Room
Oscar Kincaid’s desk
There were not much left in the way of family furnishings and heirlooms but this desk was Oscar Kinkaid’s.
The back bedroom
The Flag display for the ‘250th Anniversary’
Story of Oscar Kincaid’s life: Oscar Kincaid was a farmer/businessman, a politician and a conservationist.
On Community:
(From the museum website)
Oscar’s commitment to his community transcended farming. He served as a member of the Boonton Township Committee for 30 years and was mayor for two terms. He was also a founding member of the Morris County Agricultural Development Board, on which he served for 17 years, six as board chairman. Oscar led the charge for farmland preservation in Morris County. His efforts resulted in the preservation of 41 farms covering 3,100 acres spanning several municipalities throughout the county. As one person put it: “Oscar had more impact on preserving the character of Boonton than any single individual.”
But to Oscar: “Farming and being active in local politics was simply a way of life.” Oscar passed away November 11, 2000
The contractor’s face on the wall
The face came about when Oscar Kincaid did not want to pay a contractor for his work. He created this face so that he would have to live with it for the rest of his life. It can not be planted over.
The ‘Mr. Face’ in Weird NJ
On Farming:
(From the Museum website)
Oscar Kincaid, Jr., was born into farm life. It was 1824 when the Kincaid family purchased 30 acres in Boonton Township, Morris County and began farming. More than a century later, a young Oscar took over the operation, working alongside his father as they raised dairy cows, grew vegetables and developed a poultry business. For years, they delivered eggs to retail establishments and sold vegetables from their roadside stand. Over time, Oscar moved away from the dairy and poultry business and focused his efforts on vegetable and hay production.
The Kincaid house from the side
After the short tour around the house, I walked around the farm grounds. The house was set on a beautiful piece of land that sloped down to the old farmstand. There was also a swimming pond which was once part of the farm which is now private property.
The farm property from the side with the barn
The barn across the street
The property was about ten acres at the time of his death and parts have been developed. It still has some of the most wonderful views of the area.
The view of the old farm from the front porch
The farm land stretches over different sections of the road and the property is very picturesque. It is a very beautiful homestead.
The view of the farm from the lawn
The swimming pond on the edge of the property
The old farm stand that had been used for eighty years
The old Farm stand was used into the mid 2000’s
The full view of the farm
Since the house was just recently bought, there is still some design and artifacts that need to be collected to complete the look of a Jersey farm.
The Historical Society of Boonton Township is still expanding the collection of farm equipment for property and finding furniture for the home. The property is a beautiful and picturesque and shows how the traditional farm has adapted to modern times. Mr. Kincaid only passed a few years ago but kept the farm traditional and that worked for him. He left a legacy for us to appreciate the independent Jersey farmer.
I visited the Henry Doremus House during the Morris County Pathways Tour in May of 2026 and it is good look at the early farming communities of New Jersey under the Dutch and then the English. The house was used by General George Washington while he was passing through this section of New Jersey during the Revolutionary War.
The sign for the Henry Doremus House
The historic sign for the house
Montville Township Historical Society:
(from the Museum website)
Established in 1963, the Montville Township Historical Society is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of Montville Township. Our unwavering commitment to meticulous archival work, interactive educational programs, and community outreach initiatives is aimed safeguarding the rich history of our town. Our ultimate objective is to ensure that the stories and traditions of Montville Township are cherished and celebrated for years to come.
The farm and harvest equipment
General Washington’s payment to the Doremus family for use of their home during the Revolutionary War
The farming equipment
The farm and household equipment room
The farm equipment from the time of the Revolutionary War
Henry Doremus House History:
(from the Museum’s website)
The Henry Doremus House is a Dutch American stone farmhouse that has been remarkably preserved since the time the first portion was built, circa 1760. The house has never been modernized with heating, plumbing, electricity, or wiring, and is one of only seven left in New Jersey without modern electricity. What is now Route 202 was one of the main military routes during the Revolutionary War through Montville and Towaco, (then part of Pequannock Township). The Henry Doremus house was located in a small community often referred to as Doremus Town.
The main room of the original house during the tour
The kitchen and cooking equipment by the open hearth fireplace
The open hearth fireplace for cooking and heat for the home
Cooking items
(from the Henry Doremus website)
General George Washington and his troops often traveled this route between Morristown and West Point. In June of 1780, Washington’s troops (2000 soldiers and 40 aides) were in Whippany and traveled to Doremus Town after the retreat of the Battle of Springfield. General Washington and his aides (which General George Washington at age 45 about the time he stayed at the Henry Doremus House (Mount Vernon) included Alexander Hamilton) stayed two and a half days in the Doremus House as General Andre Rochambeau (NIAHD Journals) documented by Washington’s expense account and letters. A payment of $40 was made to Mrs. Doremus at Pequannock on June 25th, to house General George Washington and his soldiers after the Battle of Springfield. French General Rochambeau stayed in the orchards around the house with over 5000 of his men, women, and camp followers on his way to the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
The items for processing wool and flack for clothing
A closer look at the equipment
Household equipment
The house addition towards the back had a spinning wheel and demonstration on how to make cloth.
The Henry Doremus House was placed, in 1972, on both the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. It was also listed on the Montville Township Local Register in 1987, as well as the Crossroads of American Revolution Greenway. In addition, the preservation and protection of the Henry Doremus House won the New Jersey Historic House Preservation Award in 2009.
The demonstrations on spinning yarn and making clothing in the back of the house
When I toured the house, the docents described how the household functioned and how the farm worked during the season. Men and women had different roles to make the household function. There was not much buying things for the house so clothes were made, foods were preserved and pickled for the Winter and then meals had to be prepared while the men worked out in the field. Men had to grow, tend to and then pick all the fruits and vegetables. Then there was tending to the animals, sheering animals and just working on tending the farm with repairs and working through the seasons. It was a lot of physical work through all the seasons.
Household equipment and furnishings plus another open hearth for heating the house
The front of the house facing the street with twin Dutch doors and entrance to the root cellar
The Doremus House is open mostly during the Pathways tour in May and October. The Montville Historical Society also runs the Montville Historical Society Schoolhouse Museum in Montville.
I visited the Tunis-Ellicks House on the Morris County ‘Pathways’ tour of historical sites throughout the County and enjoyed the self-guided tour of this well maintained and displayed home. Unlike many sites I have visited over the years where things are left out and jumbled on tables, the Tunis-Ellicks House offers a look at small family farms from before the Civil War. The displays depict and discuss the life of a farming family in Central New Jersey.
The Tunis-Ellicks House in New Vernon, NJ
The house sign
The house is located in the New Vernon Historic District
The house was located in one of the oldest sections of the community, facing other structures in the historical district of New Vernon, NJ.
The house and front garden from the road
The vegetable garden in the front of house
In front of the house was a large vegetable and fruit garden with a grape arbor for spirits on the side of the house. These items would be jarred and pickled for the winter months or sold at market.
Mission Statement:
(From the Museum website)
The Harding Township Historical Society is a private, not-for-profit corporation founded in 1977 to stimulate interest in the history of Harding Township. The Society shall support, assist in and seek to achieve the preservation of documents, buildings and sites related to Harding Township. It shall also collect, preserve, maintain and interpret original cultural material, which illuminates this history. In addition, The Society is responsible for preserving and maintaining the Tunis-Ellicks House and environs. Through use of its historic site, collections and programs, the society endeavors to document and illustrate the history of Harding Township for present and future generations (Tunis-Ellicks website).
You enter the museum from the back of the house. In the backyard of the home, there were all sorts of activities going on while you could start a self-guided tour of the house.
The back of the Tunis-Ellick’s House
The beautiful view from the back door of the home
The inside of the main part of the museum
The main part of the museum was the newer extension of the home where the living room and dining rooms were located. There were displays on the walls discussing farm life in New Jersey during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s.
The Dining Room section of the house
The workings of the Dining Room
The story of ‘Country Life’ and the gentleman farmer
Pieces of the decor on display
The kitchen area of the older part of the home offers a homey fireplace for cooking and summer storage for jarred and pickled food stuffs for the winter.
The kitchen and storage areas of the home
Pottery collection in the museum
The pottery collection
The kitchen dining and cooking area of the home
The fireplace for cooking, roasting and stewing of foods
The oven for baking breads, cookies and pies and the baking equipment
The Summer storage area for canned and jarred provisions for the winter months and for cooking.
The bathrooms were on the second floor of the home/museum and I got a quick tour of the upstairs bedrooms.
Bedroom One
Bedroom Two
These were not part of the self-guided tour but I was able to see them and how they were decorated.
History of the Harding Township Historical Society:
(From the Museum website)
The Harding Township Historical Society was formed in 1977 to save the circa 1795 Tunis-Ellicks House and restore it as it appeared in the early 19th century. The society discovered an original 18th century hearth and Federal-style mantel and a water-fed cooling room besides the well. Areas of the house were left exposed to showcase the post-and-beam construction. A permanent exhibit on 19th century farming was created as well as space for temporary exhibits.
The Society saved a circa 1870 Tramp House from destruction when the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created by having the building moved the Tunis-Ellicks House property. The Harding Township Historical Society maintains an extensive archive containing records, maps, and objects since the colonial era pertaining to the town. The archive is open to researchers, genealogists and the public. Each year we provide an award to a student at the Harding Township School that excels in the subject of history. The Society produces exhibits, lectures, tours, and interactive events to bring history to the public.
I then joined many of the other visitors to hear an historical reading on the patio of the home from a descendant of a Colonial family. He was discussing life in Colonial New Jersey.
The Colonial talks
They also had a table set up for arts and crafts. The volunteers were making corn husk dolls with some of the visitors.
They also had corn husk doll making as an activity
Then I was able to tour the grounds and visit the ‘Tramp House’ that was used for workers of these farms. This had been moved from the ‘Great Swamp’ to this location. It showed the living conditions of workers on the farm.
Walking on the grounds of the farm
The Wine Arbor on the side of the house
History of the Tunis-Ellicks House:
(From the Museum website)
The Tunis-Ellicks House was built in 1795 when George Mitchell bought it from Michael Pearce, a Minuteman in the Revolutionary War. The deed for 7 acres of land is dated April 22, 1795. Interestingly, the ledgers of Daniel Tunis, who lived down Millbrook Rd and had a store, show that, beginning May 9, 1795, Mitchell bought items consistent with building a house: a load of timber and half a bushel of hair (used for plaster).
In 1838, a local farmer named Silas Tunis bought the farm and his descendants owned the house until 1923. Eva and Lee Ellicks sold the house to the township in 1968. In 1977, the Harding Township Historical Society began to restore the home as it would have appeared in the early 19th century. The house is a post-and-beam East Jersey cottage complete with a cooling room fed by the well outside. The museum features a permanent exhibit entitled A Country Life about the workings of 18th-century farms.
The ‘Tramp House’ for farm workers
The historic sign
The inside of the small living quarters
The farm equipment used in processing crops
History of the Tramp House:
(from the Museum website)
The Tramp House is a simple stone building built about 1870 by the Morris Overseer of the Poor as a place to stay for wandering Civil War veterans searching the countryside for work. By providing a place to stay, farmers protected their barns from accidental fires by the men trying to cook or keep warm. The men would work on the farms in exchange for a safe and warm place to sleep
The house was located in one of the oldest sections of the community, facing other structures in the historical district.
The house and front garden from the road
I really enjoyed visiting the site and got a good view how life on a New Jersey farm was before the Civil War. The museum was very nicely organized and the displays were engaging. The volunteers and docents could not have been nicer and it was a fun afternoon.
The Meadowlands Museum is the main steward of the history and culture of the Meadowlands region and one of its leading storyteller.
The sign welcoming you
Its mission and collection, which resides in the Yereance-Berry House in southern Bergen County in Rutherford, NJ are distinctive and unique. The house too is a historic treasure and landmark and was built in 1804 by the Berry family, who were among the county’s earliest European settlers.
The front of the museum in the Spring of 2026
Rooms in the three-level American Dutch farmhouse are alive with permanent and temporary exhibits and sometimes include loaned objects from other museums and private collections. Historical artifacts like archives and photographs are mingled with textiles, furniture, housewares and artwork.
The display on the history of area
There is even correspondence by the daughters of John Rutherfurd, a close confidant of George Washington.
The display in the local artifacts
The gardens outside in the Spring of 2016
Grounds include the William Carlos Williams Poetry Garden, which acknowledges the legacy of Rutherford’s most famous native and the town’s history as a cultural center.
The everyday products of the Meadowlands Museum
Founder in 1961 as the Rutherford Junior Museum by parents of school age children to help connect them to their community, the museum is staffed by professionals assisted by dedicated volunteers and involved trustees. Interns add to the rich resource of individuals who contribute to its present and future.
A recent commercial developed by my Business 101 Class for the Meadowlands Museum for the project “Rocking it in Rutherford: Being a Tourist in your own Town”
The location of the Yereance-Berry House suggests a colonial farm dating to 1740. The oldest house in south Bergen County in close to original condition, it was part of the Historic American Building Survey project of the 1930’s. The building is also listed on the state and national registers of historic places and the Bergen County Stone House Survey.
The Yereance-Berry House is the now the Meadowlands Museum
Affiliated organization include the American Alliance of Museums, American Association for State and Local History, Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce, New Jersey Association of Museums and The National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Programming & Community Service:
Free and reasonably priced services for individuals, community groups, businesses, government bodies and educational institutions are available.
*Educational programs, lectures and traveling exhibits.
The ‘Historic Rutherford Homes’ exhibition at the museum in 2026
The Historic Homes exhibition
The Historic Homes exhibition
*Customized on and off site programs.
*Collaborative ventures with a wide range of partners.
*Assistance with academic research and other archival support.
Special Events:
Special events, which often are made possible by partnerships with businesses and other organizations, are an additional way for visitors of all ages to enjoy the museum. Public and private events occur on a regular or one-time basis; many are fundraisers. Call or email for a current calendar and sponsorship possibilities. The house hosts both permanent and special exhibits.
Our permanent exhibits include:
*Yereance Berry House: During the Spring of 2026.
The outside of the museum
*Pre-electric kitchen: This unique kitchen in the basement shows off the collection of equipment that would be used in the kitchen from the Civil War to the 1950’s. There are coffee grinders, whisks, wash boards and such. It showed how much effort was put into preparing the family meal through the ages.
The Farm Kitchen of Bergen County
The Farm Kitchen at the Turn of the Century
*Meadowlands Geology: there are all sorts of rocks and gems not just from the area but all over the state. There are two different rooms one of the specimens locally and there is a separate room for glowing stones. It is very interesting to see when the lights are out.
The Mineral Collection at the Meadowlands Museum
The fluorescent Zinc display
The Mining Display
*Mining in South Bergen: This is how the county has changed when we mined ore.
The Mining Display at the Meadowlands Museum
The Mining Display
The Mining Display
*19th century Laundry Room: The Laundry room that is located in the basement has many of the things our grandparents would have used. The washboards, scrub bushes, old washing machines and ringers. Washing clothes was much harder back then.
The Wash Room of the Turn of the Century
*The wonderful Toy Exhibition of turn of the last century toys and from the 1960’s 70’s and 80’s. This contains Dolls, Board Games, play things and instruments:
The Toy Collection fascinates kids of all ages
The Factory Toys display
The wonderful toy factory in Kearny, NJ that used to produce all these wonderful toys.
The Toy Display
The Toy Display
The Doll display
The Doll display
The ‘Brownies’ display in the Toy Room
*The Bergen County Farm display:
Farming in the County in the past
The Farm display
The home Spinning Wheel display
Spinning Wheel display
The new Turn of the Century Furnace display
*Horse elevator
Recent special exhibits have included:
*High school football
*Needlecraft
*Steampunk
*Medical Innovations
*Maps of the region
*Civil Rights
*Dr. Williams’ Babies
Dr. William’s display
Dr. Williams display
Dr. William’s display
Dr. William’s display
Dr. William’s display
*World War I
Special Events:
Scarecrow Day 2018:
I went to the recent Scarecrow Day on October 20, 2018 where guests of the museum created their own scarecrows using their own creativity. All the scarecrows were lined up facing the street with their interesting clothes and accessories.
Each person got to use their own clothes and each one had its own style to it. It was fun watching the families show their creativity at this annual event.
Scarecrow Day at the museum in 2018
Scarecrow Day in 2021: the winners of the contest for best Scarecrow
I also stopped by for the Dutch Christmas decorations. The museum was decorated for the holidays with garland and trees. On December 1st, they had a Dutch Christmas festival (I could not attend) with food and entertainment.
Celebrating the Easter Holidays in 2026
Help tell the story…
(from the museum website)
Individuals who value the purpose and work of the Meadowlands Museum remain its inspiration and abiding spirit. Donations, memberships, sponsorship’s, grants and fundraisers are crucial elements of the museum’s financial well-being.
Admission to the museum is free but donations are greatly appreciated. Fees for events and other services vary. A personal letter to the appropriate person acknowledges a gift made in the name of an individual. Donations to provide for the buildings and grounds are valuable links to the future and a kind of giving that is among the museum’s top priorities.
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Meadowlands Museum’s pamphlet. For information on the site, please call or email the museum for more information.
My Bergen Community College Team Project in 2022:
Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.-Rocking it in Rutherford:
My Business 101 class at Bergen Community College Lyndhurst branch visit in the Spring of 2022 for the project “Rocking it in Rutherford: Be a Tourist in your own Town”.
For Spring Semester in 2022, my Business 101-Introduction to Business class made a weekend visit to the Meadowlands Museum for the project “Rocking it in Rutherford-Be a Tourist in your own Town”. We were promoting the museum to increase tourism with a fundraiser and a barbecue. So on the weekend, I took my Team to the museum to tour it for extra credit. They ended up learning a lot about not just the museum but the history of Rutherford and Bergen County, NJ.
The project was promoting the Town of Rutherford for Domestic and Foreign Tourism and created a fundraiser and modernization of displays for the museum. This is a copy of the project, presentation and Commercials.
The Team Project “Rocking it in Rutherford: Be a Tourist in your own Town”:
The Van Bushkirk Burial Ground behind the residence at 45 East Saddle River Road
The Van Bushkirk Burial Ground is part of the history of Saddle River, NJ’s early settlement period. The burial ground has about 40 tombstones that are arched and shaped. These are some of the first residents both of Saddle River and Bergen County, NJ.
The burial ground lies next to a creek off East Saddle River Road and can only be accessed by going through private property of the residents living at 45 East Saddle River Road. Please do not enter without permission of the owner of the home. These pictures were taken with a long distance camera from the street.
The Van Bushkirk Burial Ground at 45 East Saddle River Road
The History of Saddle River:
(from the Saddle River Town website):
In 1675, Lenni Lenape tribal leaders sold a large amount of land on the Eastern side of the Saddle River (known as Werimus) to Albert Zabriskie. In 1708, Zabriskie sold this tract of land to Thomas Van Buskirk. The first house in Saddle River was built by the Van Buskirk family in 1709. The original Van Buskirk homestead still stands at 164 East Saddle River Road across from Borough Hall.
In 1709, the Lenni Lenape sold the land on the west side of the Saddle River to the English as part of the Ramapo Tract. Property on the west side of the Saddle River was acquired from this Tract throughout the 1700’s. The Ackerman Family was the most prolific buyer of these early Saddle River parcels and first settled on the West side of the Saddle River in 1745 when Johannes Ackerman acquired 245 acres.
The graves of George and Margaret Achenbach
Saddle River continued to grow and populate during the 18th century. Families such as the Van Buskirk’s, the Ackerman’s, the Achenbach’s, the Hopper’s, the Zabriskie’s, the Stilwell’s and the Baldwin’s farmed and developed the area.
The grave of George Achenbach
The first of many Saddle River mills was built in 1714 and the first school was constructed in 1720. Another early 18th century business was the blacksmith shop operated by the Ackerman family. Over the years, these 1st families built the quintessential “Old Dutch Homesteads” from actual sandstone that was found in town.
The Revolutionary War era tombstones
The Revolutionary War was a horrendous time for the residents of Saddle River. The townsfolk had spent the entire 18th century developing the area into a well established community and all growth essentially stopped during the war. Since the Jersey Dutch initially considered the revolution to be an English issue, it was particularly shocking when the fighting came to their backyards. From December 1776 until the end of the war, both American and British forces traveled through Saddle River and many times set up camp in the center of town.
Residents were in constant fear of the British employed Hessian soldiers who would terrorize families by raiding the houses for food and then burning the fields before leaving. Although no major battles took place in Saddle River, there were small skirmishes to fend off raids and the Blue Mill on East Saddle River Road was destroyed. Even George Washington, the future father of our country, passed through Saddle River on multiple occasions and tradition has him staying overnight at the Ackerman Homestead on the East road.
When the Revolutionary War ended, Saddle River residents picked up right where they left off in terms of community and industry development. The Ackerman’s built a Foundry on what is now Waterford Gardens. Tice and Berdan both opened stores in town and the Bulls Head Tavern opened its doors to weary travelers in 1802. Old mills were re-opened and new ones such as Van Riper’s Saw Mill and Basket Factory were established. The post war growth continued for decades and culminated in the 1820s with the construction of the Zion Lutheran Church in 1821 and a new schoolhouse behind the church in 1825.
The worn tombstones in the cemetery
History of the Van Bushkirk family in Bergen County during the Revolutionary War:
(From the Bergen County Historical Society website):
Loyalists in Bergen County came from all backgrounds, religions and economic classes. At the beginning of the war, a number were officers in the militia, the military force composed of all able-bodied males maintained by each province, and later the states. The lieutenant colonel of the militia was John Zabriskie of New Bridge. Zabriskie understood the sentiments of many of his neighbors, particularly those of Abraham Van Buskirk, whose property was directly across the bridge in Teaneck. Van Buskirk was a surgeon in the militia under Zabriskie, and with whom he served on Bergen County’s Committee of Correspondence, an entity established to keep in touch with other New Jersey counties and the events occurring there.
The Van Houton Family Cemetery at 108 Delaware Lane on what was once the family farm
The historic Marker from 1822
The family plot from the entrance of the cemetery
About five generations of Van Houton’s have been buried in this spot, with an impressive list of family members who have served in all the nation’s wars.
From the Revolutionary War up to World War II, the family’s contribution extends not just to Bergen County but our entire country.
The family extends to other older ‘first families’ of Bergen County, such as the Snyder’s, the Demarest’s, DeBuan’s and the Van Ripper’s.
This multi-generational cemetery is still used today by the descendents of John Van Houten, who left the property in his will. The grounds of the cemetery are well maintained. A metal fence around the property could use some minor repairs. Unfortunately a couple of the obelisk markers have fallen off their bases.
In the August 1992 Cemetery Inventory Booklet, published by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, they listed Andrew Schaaf as a contact person for the cemetery, with an address of 749 High Mountain Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417. The same publication mentions that an inventory of the cemetery was done by John Neafie in 1911.
In the 17th century, Lenape Indians traveled the land we now call Franklin Lakes. They made winter camp in the “Clove” near Buttermilk Falls and fished in Micharagrape Pond ( now Franklin Lake).
Slowly, the Dutch settlers made their way west from the Hudson River Valley. In 1701 the East Jersey Proprietors confirmed to Michael Hawden the land around the Pond. In 1772 Franklin Township was formed and included much of northwestern Bergen County. Farming was the major occupation of the early inhabitants, mostly Dutch with the names of Van Winkle, Van Houten, Ackerman, Pulisfelt, Van Blarcom, etc. They built solid farmhouses of sandstone and fieldstone. Fourteen of these historic homes still stand in our Borough.
Some of the original family member tombstones in the cemetery
Mills sprang up along the creeks: sawmills, gristmills, tanneries and forges. Daniel Youman’s Grist Mill on Franklin Lake was probably the first business established (it later served as a saw mill and a cider mill).
The 1876 Walker Atlas showed Franklin Lakes had about 100 residences, 5 mills, 1 tannery, 3 schools, 4 blacksmith and wagon shops, 1 church, 2 hotels, 1 store, and 2 railroad depots.
The railroad stations were built in 1869 when the New Jersey Midland Railroad was extended to Oakland. One station stood at Campgaw on Pulis Avenue, the other at Crystal Lake on High Mountain Road. Residents used the train for commuting, moving goods and mail.
Around the turn of the century, estate houses and mansions began to appear in the area. The industrial revolution brought wealth, and many of the wealthy became “gentleman farmers,” sometimes living here only in the summer. Examples of these houses include the Bartholf-Hughes house on Somerset, the Post-Terhune house on Franklin Lake Road, and the Atterbury-Brockhurst house on Ewing Avenue.
Eventually, the Campgaw section became the civic center of our Borough. In 1922 Franklin Lakes separated from Franklin Township, incorporated, and elected William V. Pulis as its first Mayor.
Edward May built three lakes and started the Shadow Lake Swim Club, which evolved into Shadow Lakes Estates. On the other side of the Borough, J. Nevins McBride purchased land around Franklin Lake and began building single-family homes in Urban Farms.
When Route 208 was extended to Oakland in 1959, Franklin Lakes became more accessible, and by 1980 there were more than 8,500 residents. The completion of Interstate 287 in the early 1990’s stimulated another boom in building. Today, the population of our Borough is 10,422.
From a sleepy rural community to an affluent metropolitan suburb, Franklin Lakes has changed extensively, continuing to be a desirable place to live and raise families.
The Franklin Lakes Historical Society was created to help preserve our Borough’s rich history, while at the same time looking to the future of our unique community and those who choose to make this their home.
The family still uses the cemetery into the twenty-first century
Part of the cemetery into modern times
Multiple family members are often buried together
The cemetery in modern times
The children of Ralph Van Houten who passed within a few years of one another
The grave of Abraham Van Houton and his wife, Bridget
The front part of the cemetery shows the different branches of the family and when they were buried.
The back part of the cemetery is rather old
The Snyder branch of the family
Another branch of the Van Houten family is buried together here
Members of the Ackerman and Cooper side of the family
Conrad and Elizabeth Van Houten
Jacob and Elizabeth Van Houten
Some of the modern graves of the Van Houten’s and Ackerman sides of the family
Many of these small family plots sit on buffs and have the most amazing views. It is as if the final resting place was to be a place of beauty and contemplation.
Unfortunately the family farm is long gone and the cemetery is now surrounded by McMansions. Talk about progress!
I recently revisited the African Museum of Art on the SMA Father’s and on this trip really took my time to learn about the Mission and study the art in the various displays. Each country that the Mission is involved with is represented here with detailed information on the meaning of the art and its purpose. It is an interesting approach to understanding the culture of each of these countries.
The beautiful stained glass windows line the ceiling and walls and has a beautiful effect in the room on a sunny day.
The sculpture in the middle of the main hall
The History of the Museum:
(From the museum website)
This museum was established in 1980 and is one of the only rare few in the United States dedicated solely to the arts of Africa. Its permanent collections, exhibited on a rotating basis, offer a unique advantage in the study and research of sub-Saharan sculpture and painting, costumes, textiles and decorative arts, religion and folklore.
The main hall of the museum
The history of the Mission
The history of the Mission
The history of the Mission
The African Art Museum of the SMA Fathers is one of five museums around the world founded and maintained by the Society of African Missions, an International Roman Catholic missionary organization that serves the people of Africa.
The display case that line the main hall
The display case that line the main hall
The art works up close
The descriptions of the works
The display case that line the main hall
Some of the works up close
The description of the masks
The display case that line the main hall
The museum is the continued vision of SMA’s founder, Bishop Melchior de Marion Bresillac (1813-1859). The French-born clergyman urged his Society to respect and preserve the culture of the peoples they serve, the unique among the missionaries of his time. (This information is provided by the museum).
Some of the works being featured in the exhibition
Their current exhibitions is on the “Africanizing of Christian Art” which shows the 20th Century encounter between Catholic Christianity and the visual culture of the Yoruba, a prominent west African people of southwest Nigeria under the conditions of late colonization (This information provided by the museum).
The hallway off the main room
Linking the walls of the main room are wooden carved doors from a palace in Africa. The interesting detail work tells it own story.
The description of one of the doors
Panel One
Panel Two
Panel Three
Panel Four
The collection contains many works in the form of masks, textile work, religious figurines and decorative arts. Each display case shows a different theme in the art.
The works of art in the cases
The puppets in the case
The works of art lining the cases
The engaging Mask collection
The museum is the main hallway of the church. I found it a quiet place where you could really concentrate on the beauty of the art. It grounds are also nice to walk around in in the nice weather.
The Chapel just off the museum is interesting to visit. I wondered how many people came to serve here and how the service was performed.
The main chapel of the mission
The beautiful stained glass windows in the chapel
The museum is a true hidden gem of wonderful and interesting testimonial and contemporary art. An inspiring museum if you take the time to really enjoy it.
The Sturr Family Cemetery sits on a bend of the driveway of the Chabad Jewish Center of Northwest Bergen County and is a small cemetery that once sat on the edge of the J.H, Sturr farm.
The Sturr Family Cemetery
The farmhouse of the Sturr Family sits on the lot across the street from the cemetery property. This is located on a small buff on what was the edge of the farm.
The Sturr Family cemetery tombstones
The tombstones of the Courter and Carlouch family members
The grave of William Courter
The only visible tombstones that are left in the cemetery are an Ackerman family member, Anny Ackerman and members of the Courter and the Carlouch family’s (who must have married into the family).
The Ackerman family tombstones (the one to the right was unreadable)
The other tombstones are broken and no one is sure who is buried where in the cemetery.
The History of the Cemetery:
(From Find a Grave website)
The cemetery is located in Franklin Township, Bergen County, New Jersey, on what was once the family farm of J.H. Sturr. As of October 1991 only 6 markers were still remaining.
The Sturr Family Cemetery in full view
History of the House:
(From the Franklin Lakes Municipal Website)
H. Sturr House or Blue Meadow Farm Built 1860 378 Pulis Avenue, Block 1510, Lot 8 Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 07417
The Sturr House – also known as Blue Meadow Farm -is a handsome and little altered example of mid 19th century vernacular architecture which incorporates several stylistic elements such as gable returns and frieze area of the early 19th century Greek Revival style. The Borough of Franklin Lakes lists the erection year of the house as 1860.
The façade of this 2 ½ story house consists of clapboard. The front porch has five bays with square posts and a rectangular entrance door with rectangular sidelights. Two tall 1st story windows are on one side of the porch. A single hitching post with iron rings sits in front of the porch stairs. The building has a frieze area with linear design. Semi-circular headed louvered vents are in all gable ends. The rear of the house has a one story wing. There is a detached garage to the west side of the house as well as a round frame well. Further west of the house is a stable which has been extensively remodeled and converted into a residence in recent times. The house combined with associated structures is a significant remnant of the large farmsteads which ones dotted the Borough’s landscape prior to the recent suburban housing boom.
History of the Family:
(From the Franklin Lakes Municipal website)
This Sturr house and the nearby more altered house at 402 Pulis Avenue were duplicate structures and were probably built around the same time by members of the Sturr family. The 19th century Sturr family was descended from Conraedt Sturr who purchased 190 acres of land in this area with John Coeter from Robert Livingston in 1793.
The non-extant homestead and mill was located at present-day 930 Old Mill Road. It is known that Henry Sturr, the son of Conraedt, had a fanning mill at this location in 1850. In a will dated 1852 he bequeathed his property and mill to his grandsons John, Henry, and Daniel (Maria Braun – 1976 page 26 & 27).
The property along Pulis Avenue upon which these houses are situated was probably included in this will since the homes were built around the mid-19th century. Future deed research is recommended to identify the original builder and the construction date of the house (1861: H. Sturr, 1876 Estate of H.M. Sturr). Presently the house is privately owned and occupied.
Over the years I have heard newspapers saying some negative things about the City of Bridgeton, NJ in Cumberland County. The crime, the problems and the rows of rundown housing. I have to admit that the city has its share of problems like any city but Bridgeton is a paradox. For all its problems, it has so many interesting things to see and do. As I have been exploring historical sites of South Jersey, I have made many trips through the city and driven through the neighborhoods and walked the downtown and its really interesting.
When you leave the city on any side, you are in the countryside. There are all sorts of fields of crops as far as the eye can see and many Farmers Markets just outside its borders. When you return though, you know immediately that you are in the city’s borders as housing just seems to pop out of nowwhere.
When I was visiting museums and historical sites for a blog I was writing on Southern New Jersey, I left Greenwich, NJ and 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. I 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 with its Colonial era church and the gravesite that dates back to the 1700’s.
The Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery at 54 West Avenue South in Bridgeton, NJ
Visiting the Old Presbyterian Church and Cemetery was an interesting experience. While 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 itself 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
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 figure out what I wanted with all these delicious choices displayed in the cases. 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 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
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 I 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 a short amount of time. 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
One of the historical sites that I had wanted to visit was the historic Potter’s Tavern across from City Hall. I 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 again 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
The tavern is one of the city’s connections to the Revolutionary War where patriots from that time met and plotted their strategy during the war. It was also a meeting place for men who need to gather after a hard day on the farm. These taverns were part of the social factor at a time before electronic communication.
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 tavern has been rebuilt and furnished to reflex the time period. There are three floors to tour with the first floor being the tavern itself, the bedrooms upstairs where travelers would stay after a long stagecoach journey. The lower floor was the kitchen and store room where meals would be prepared and staff would sleep.
The upstairs of the Potter’s Tavern was the overnight accommodations
The lower level of Potter’s Tavern
It is an interesting tour that should not be missed but the museum’s hours can be sporadic even as they are posted online and are seasonal so plan accordingly.
On a recent trip to Bridgeton, I was able to finally see the Bridgeton Liberty Bell that sits in a display case across the street from Potter’s Tavern in Bridgeton’s modern courthouse.
The Bridgeton Liberty bell is located in the lobby of the Bridgeton Courthouse, which is open only during the week. You can walk in through the back door from the parking lot and walk through the metal detector to get to the bell that is displayed in the hallway.
The bell was cast in Massachusetts in 1765 and was a source of information during Colonial days.
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
The historic marker of the bell
While walking in the downtown area one afternoon in the summer, I was trying to stop in the Bridgeton Library to visit the Robert Woodruff Museum of Indian Artifacts (that is only open by appointment only). Since nobody was there to help me that afternoon I left the library.
Across the street, a mother-daughter team was barbecuing and preparing tacos and tamales for locals and some workers on the construction site around the corner. The tacos were amazing and they only charged $3.00 for two small tacos and a Coke. I thought this great and the tacos were excellent. The ladies could really cook.
The fresh tacos from the pop up taco stand across from the library
Continue to follow this blog as I explore more of Bridgeton and its historical downtown and all it has to offer. There is so much that can surprise you in the City of Bridgeton, NJ.
It has been nine years since I had spent Christmas in Woodstock, NY and I missed going there. I had spent my Christmas’s here after my Father had passed and I needed to clear my head. The first year I had just needed to get away and the years after I just liked the peace and quiet and beauty to the area. It was a lot of fun to go to the parade and then drive through the Catskills on Christmas day. I find it so relaxing.
After all the running around with Christmas related activities and special events and visiting more decorated houses than I had seen in the past and a very long trying semester, I needed a break. So I returned to past Christmas’s and visited Woodstock, NY, Rehoboth Beach, DE and then finished the holiday in Cape May, NJ. All while the temperatures were dropping. This would be a massive picture taking mission for revamping pictures and revisiting old haunts. It was a lot of fun as I went back in time nine years ago and relived Christmas of 2016.
The first part of December was cool but mild like most Decembers are but around Christmas Eve, the weather dropped into the 30’s and the wind chill picked up. After the trip to Woodstock, a major storm came through and dumped six inches of snow at home. Thank God there was just rain when I reached Rehoboth Beach. When I arrived in Woodstock for Christmas Eve, it was crisp and cool but when I left on the morning of the 26th, I heard they had eight inches of snow later that afternoon. Yet when I arrived, it was a sunny Christmas Eve afternoon with a lot of excitement for the parade that evening.
The Woodstock Green on Christmas Eve morning
The Woodstock Christmas tree when I arrived in the late afternoon
The tree was nicely decorated for the evenings activities
The Dutch Reformed Church was also decorated for evening service after the parade was over
Christmas Eve services posted at the Dutch Reformed Church
Our family decided to cancel our family Christmas together so that everyone could do their own thing this year. So, this Christmas holiday was about picture taking and revisiting the Christmas’s of the past. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to update and revamp older blogs and see how things have changed over the last decade. It was an interesting look at what I had done and experienced over the years.
Downtown Woodstock that afternoon of the parade
I love going to Woodstock, NY for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I have always found it very relaxing and inspiring in the Catskills. It is so beautiful up in the mountains at any time of the year. In keeping with the past, I decided to stay at one of the places I had stayed in 2016, the Woodstock Inn at Millstream at 48 Tannery Brook Road right off the downtown.
The Woodstock Inn at Millstream at 48 Tannery Brook Road
I had really enjoyed my stay here in the past and had always wanted to go back. Funny enough, the room I had nine years earlier was open and I stayed there. Like time had not gone by. The rooms are comfortable and very clean and relaxing.
Rooms 8a and 8
My bedroom when I settled in
The whole property was decorated for the holidays from the buildings to the rooms to the grounds giving it a festive appearance.
The decorations outside my room
The decorations along the property
Once I checked in and got my bags unpacked, I was able to walk around the property and admire the grounds. When I was at the hotel in 2016, I never had that much time to look around. This time around I had two nights and three days this time to explore. The grounds around the hotel are really beautiful.
The upper stream area
The Millstream behind the hotel
I was so busy the last time I was here that I never remembered the beauty of the property or the rolling streams in the backyard.
The grounds from the other side of the property
The office and breakfast on the property
The beautiful pines by the hotel
When I arrived, the manager, Angela, told me to settle in and there would be a snack in the dining area starting at 3:00pm. That sounded good and I settled in and relaxed in my room. Then went to the office/breakfast room to see the offerings.
The Dining Room
After I settled in and before I left for the parade, I stopped in and had a snack. The hotel had small pastries and cookies and crunchy spicy pretzels for guests to munch on before the evening’s activities. I thought this was very nice of them.
The light snack the hotel hosts at 3:00pm in the hotel
Small pastries and spicy pretzels with mustard
My light snack with a view of the streams
This would be the view I would enjoy that day and over the next two breakfasts as I loved this table over looking the steams. This was amazing! I was trying to imagine what it would be like in the Spring when everything was in bloom.
I headed up to the Green to see the tree and the preparations for the event tonight. It was still early but there was a lot of excitement in the air as the parade would be in less than two hours.
They lit the tree as it was starting twilight when I got to the Green
You could see the sun setting in the background of the Catskills as the police and firemen awaited the last Trailways bus to pass through at 4:40pm on the dot to set up. In the background, the sun was setting and there was a golden hue to the mountains.
The 4:40pm bus came early and left exactly at 4:45pm. Then the magic started.
The parade is based on the Trailways bus schedules. The last bus leaves downtown at exactly 4:40pm (this bus left a couple of minutes before that) and the next one does not arrive until around 7:00pm just as church service starts at the Dutch Reformed Church. I have never seen such a well orchestrated parade down to the minute. The moment that bus leaves at 4:40pm, the fire and police departments go into action and those roads are closed. Then the parade starts at around 5:15pm on the dot.
The crowds start to grow at 4:30pm
Before the parade began, I figured I had better have a late lunch/early dinner because I was not too sure what restaurant might stay open that night. After looking around, I decided on Sharkie’s Restaurant. The place was really busy before the parade so I ate at the bar. It was a very festive and active restaurant that night.
Sharkie’s Meatballs at 43 Tinker Street in Downtown Woodstock
The temperature was already starting to drop and it was getting cooler out than usual and I needed something to really warm me up and fill me up for the evening of activities. So I ordered a traditional Meatball hero and Coke. It was a real treat.
My Christmas Eve dinner
Talk about a delicious Christmas Eve dinner. It warmed me up inside and out. The Meatball sandwich here was excellent! It was just what the doctor ordered on a cold night up in the mountains.
Their Meatball hero’s are amazing
Yum!
After dinner was over and the Trailways bus was now gone, the police and fire departments started to close the road to prepare the downtown for the parade. While we waited for the parade to start, there were carolers and music in front of the church. It put everyone in the mood for the holidays.
The anticipation of the parade starting and listening to the musical combo by the church
The video on the Christmas musical combo outside the Dutch Reformed Church on the Green
We all watched as the parade started in the distance along Tinker Street
More caroling by the Dutch Reformed Church on the Green. The crowds kept growing!
Then we heard the parade start in the distance and the excitement really started in the crowd. The music from the distance and the lights coming down Tinker Street, the main street in Woodstock, built the excitement of the beginning of the parade.
The start of the parade with Mrs. Claus greeting the crowds as she entered the center of town
We watched as the float carrying Mrs. Claus passed us and she was having a ball opening the parade and greeting the crowd. Some of her friends were calling out her name as she passed by. Her friends were all excited to see her in the parade.
Mrs. Claus greeting the crowd as she entered town
Mrs. Claus greeting the crowd
Mrs. Claus leading the excitement of the beginning of the parade.
Then in the distance we saw more floats heading down Tinker Street. The first float was a band of teenagers singing Christmas songs for the crowd.
The Teenage band as it passed by awaiting Santa
The Christmas band passes by
Then the big float came in the shape of a space ship directed by a team of women coordinating the path of the machine. Everyone was wondering how Santa would arrive and exactly where he was on the float.
The travel machine was being coordinated in precision to bring Santa to the parade
Santa arrives in Woodstock in style
The inside of the travel machine
A close up shot of the time travel machine
As soon as the music stopped and the count down began, Santa popped out of the roof to an applauding crowd. The whole crowd went wild with Santa’s greeting on this cool night.
Santa popping out of the travel machine
Santa greeting the crowd after his appearance
Santa’s message to the crowd before he dismounted to hear the wishes of families and children
Santa starting his dismount to greet families
The members of the Woodstock Fire Department helped Santa and Mrs. Claus in their chairs in the Woodstock Green and they talked to dozens of families and heard the wishes of people from all over the county.
Santa and Mrs. Claus looking at the growing crowd
Mother Nature helped guide the crowds of children and their families hear their wishes
Santa and Mrs. Claus greeting a young guest
The crowds were really large and the line was long but Santa and his wife got through all the guests wish lists with a smile and a wink. While Santa and Mrs. Claus were greeting guests, the student group from the float was singing Christmas carols with the crowd joining in.
The student group performing at the parade
Like all good things though, the line came to an end and perfectly timed at 6:40pm, twenty minutes before church service.
Santa and Mrs. Claus at the end of the evening
I already had my Christmas wish of returning to Woodstock for the Christmas holidays after an eight year absence and asked Santa and Mrs. Claus to take a picture for me. They could not have been more gracious considering Santa had a long journey ahead of him that evening.
Santa and Mrs. Claus taking a pose for me
As quick as it begun, it was over and not even five minutes after I took the picture, Santa and Mrs. Claus disappeared with the fire department, almost the entire crowd was gone and the police were opening the roads. The 7:00pm Trailways bus arrived just as I was crossing the street to the Dutch Reformed Church. Another parade over and another Christmas memory for me.
The front of the Woodstock Dutch Reformed Church at 16 Tinker Street in Woodstock, NY
The alter of the church decorated for the holidays
The alter decorated with flowers
The inside of the church decorated with bows and garland
Church service at the Dutch Reformed Church is very different from the services I have attended in the Catholic Church. Here the church starts with a concert performance and I have been here in the past to hear small quartets. I got into church before services and listened to the bell choir practice before the evening’s service.
The church bell choir practicing before the service
I love these historic churches at the holidays
The beautiful Christmas tree lit for the evening service
It really was a wonderful and very welcoming service. Reverend Renee introduced herself to me and the other parishioners who joined the packed church that night. It was a very inspiring service that emphasized love and encouragement during the holidays. Then the candlelight service began with the bell ceremony.
The start of the bell service and candlelight ceremony
I love when the Reformed Church does this type of service. The whole church gets dark and is illuminated only by the Christmas tree and the candles the parishioners lit. It is quite spectacular. I also find the service to be inspirational in that service was based on some personal experiences and encouragement about things getting better. I think we need more of that now.
The bell ceremony that evening
Looking at the outside decorations as I left the church
The service was over in an hour and most people left to join their families for Christmas Eve dinners. I walked out into the cold night and decided to walk around the quiet downtown. Within fifteen minutes, there was no one around as the church closed for the evening.
The Woodstock Green on Christmas Eve 2025
It got colder and quieter on the Green as I went to admire the Christmas tree and the decorations. You would have never known about five hundred people had just been here an hour and a half earlier to greet Santa.
Admiring the tree while watching the last of the crowds leave the church
Admiring the tree from Santa’s seat
The only problem with Woodstock at Christmas are the restaurant choices are limited especially on Christmas Eve night after church services. Everything had closed by 7:00pm downtown and there were two restaurants in the distance that were open until 8:00pm but that already passed.
As I walked around and down Tinker Street as I had in years past, this year nothing was open. Thank God I had had the late lunch at Sharkie’s or I would have starved. Even the former Joshua’s was closed for the evening and they used to be open until 9:00pm.
After my long tour of the downtown and admiring the Christmas lights, I headed back to the hotel and went to bed. Santa was on his way and I needed my rest after a long semester. I went out like a light and had an excellent night’s rest. I was ready for a long drive on Christmas.
Christmas morning in Woodstock
I slept like a log and woke up late Christmas morning to a mix of sun and clouds. Gloomy as it was in the morning, it was still nice to look at the breathtaking scenery of the property and admire the Millstream that morning.
The stream rushing by as people were out taking a Christmas walk
Most of the guests at the hotel had family and friends close by and were heading off for their Christmas festivities. I was planning a long drive around the Catskills and then finding a place to eat for dinner. I find the ride around the area to be very relaxing.
The Breakfast buffet at the Woodstock Inn at Millstream
There was lots of choices
I enjoyed breakfast that morning. I always got the small corner table and enjoy breakfast while admiring the stream passing by. I wished some of the other guests a Merry Christmas and watched as everyone one by one left to start their day. The hotel had a nice selection of cereals, fruits and baked items and we could take what we wanted. The breakfast was part of our package and some of the items were organic and some gluten free and everything was delicious.
The view of the streams from the Breakfast room
I went back to my room and called my mother and both my brothers to wish them a very Merry Christmas before they left to start their days. I had talked to most of my friends just before I left for Woodstock and did not disrupt their morning with their families. After breakfast, I took the long winding trip around the Catskills to visit the small towns and see how they were celebrating the holidays.
My first stop was in Bearsville to see if anything would be open that evening. I wanted to see if Tibet Pho had changed their mind about opening but it was closed for the day. Only the Mexican restaurant was open that morning so off I went on my journey down Route 28.
My first stop was in Phoenicia, where for years I would crash the Phoenicia Fire Department’s early morning Christmas party to go to the bathroom. It was the only thing open in the downtown after the coffee shop closed at 10:00am. Still it was so peaceful and quiet in the downtown when I walked around.
The only thing open was the gas station and that was about it. The rest of the town was quiet that morning as it had in years past.
Downtown Phoenicia on Christmas morning
I then headed to Pine Hill to see if the ‘sonic boom’ of COVID had brought any gentrification to the town. I was surprised when nothing had changed in the town and it was still as run down as it had been in 2016.
The nicest part of Downtown Pine Hill I could find from any angle
I next traveled to Fleischmanns, a town once dominated by the Fleischmanns resort. The town also did not look like COVID boom had come to this town either. The town also looked as depressed as it did in 2016. Still I found this friendly snowman greeting me on Christmas morning.
The snowman just off downtown Fleischmanns greets you with a warm smile
The funny thing about Fleischmanns when I drove out of town was the line of beautiful large Victorian homes that lined the stream on the lower part of the hill. A piece of history from days gone by.
I made the turn off to go north on Route 30 in Margaretville, which had become much more vibrant with the expansion of the local hospital. Nothing was open that morning, but I had visited the town over the summer on my trip to Bovina Center and Ithaca on Labor Day weekend. The town had really bounced back over the years and was full of small restaurants and stores.
Downtown Margaretville as the clouds stayed to clear that morning
I made my was up Route 30 passing many small communities on my drive north. A lot of the farms decorated their barns of the outside of their homes. Rockville had really changed as all the Victorian homes in the downtown area were being renovated.
I made the turnoff on Route 23a and traveled through the towns of Hunter, where the big winter resorts were and then through Tannersville, where years ago was the only town that had any restaurants open on Christmas.
All that was open was a dumpy Chinese restaurant and a coffee shop where every table was dirty with breakfast plates on them. They must have been overwhelmed all day and had not had a chance to catch up. I traveled on through the small towns and the mountain passes, which Thank God were dry.
I headed south down Route 9 to see if anything was open in Saugerties. No such luck as the entire downtown was closed for business. There were two small Chinese restaurants outside the downtown area but one had no seating and the other had terrible reviews on TripAdvisor.
Then I remembered my standby every time I am in Kingston and stopped in the Stockade section of the downtown and had my Christmas dinner at Wing Shui, the tiny Chinese takeout which was the only thing open on Christmas Day in Kingston. The place was constantly busy that evening and the phone was ringing off the hook the entire time I was there.
My Christmas dinner was spent at the lone table inside Wing Shui which is layered with boxes. Not the fancy place you would expect to eat but the family who runs this tiny take out place is really nice and the food is excellent. I had to wait forty-five minutes to get it but it was well worth the experience. The crowds never stopped and the phone just rang the entire time I ate my dinner.
I had the Beef and Broccoli combination platter with Pork Fried Rice and Hot & Sour Soup. Sorry everyone but I loved this dinner and did not mind the plastic containers and piles of boxes. That was Christmas to me.
The Beef and Broccoli combination platter at Wing Shui
My Christmas dinner that night was so good!
I left Wing Shui about forty-five minutes late to see the same people standing there waiting for their food, the owners and their kids running around and the crowds swelling to almost fifteen deep (maybe more). There were so many people packed in that small space I could not count them all.
I drove back to Woodstock that evening as it got dark to see the lights on in the Green and the Christmas tree blazing. It was such a beautiful site.
The view of the town Christmas tree again
I stopped the car to enjoy walking around the Green one more time. I would be leaving right after breakfast for the second part of my six day, three trip journey to Rehoboth Beach to visit my mother for a post Christmas celebration. I slept soundly again at the hotel and it was so quiet I swore I heard the stream behind me.
The Millstream the next morning
Since I had a six hour drive ahead of me, I had an early breakfast, packed up the car and got on my way before check out. I had to make a pitstop at home for clean clothes and to pick up doughnuts at Mills Bakery for my mother. The usual request.
Enjoying the same breakfast in the same spot the next morning
Woodstock was a little more lively when I left but still not crowded. I want to come back in the Spring to the hotel again to see what it is like in the warm weather.
I could not believe how quiet the highways were the day after Christmas. I got home in record time, dropped off and picked up clothes and the headed to Mills which was decked out for the holidays. The store looked so festive this year with gingerbread men and women inside and outside the store and the shelves of Christmas baked goodies all over the store. It was hard to hold back from just the doughnuts but I promised myself I would be good.
Mill’s Bakery at 275 Valley Boulevard in Wood Ridge, NJ
I have to stop at Mills on every trip to bring butter cakes and doughnuts down to my mother’s. Since the holidays were still in swing I ordered them in advance.
If you have not tried the doughnuts at Mills Bakery you are missing a lot
While I was waiting for the order to be rung up, I admired the beautifully decorated cakes in the cases
They even had an igloo cake and I thought this was very clever
The trip down to my mother’s usually takes about for hours exactly ( with one bathroom break) but with the roads clear of holiday traffic, I made it down in just a little over three hours which meant I could relax before dinner.
I had negotiated with my mother beforehand to make ‘the dinner’ the first night and then I would take my mother and her partner out to dinner the next night as part of their Christmas presents. The bribe worked.
‘The Dinner’ is Fried Chicken Cutlets with Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce and a salad with oil and vinegar. My mom has been making this for us since we were kids.
Over dinner my mother and I caught up on what we did for Christmas, our plans for dinner the next night and then what my plans were for Cape May for the last part of my vacation. I swear, right after I went to bed. I was exhausted from all the driving. I went out like a light.
The beautiful decorations on homes in Downtown Lewes
The next day after breakfast, I explored both Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. I had missed a museum for my blog and wanted to see if it was open. All the Lewes Historical Society buildings were closed for the season and I would have to wait until the Spring.
I was determined to visit the US Lifeguard Station at 2 Shipcarpenter Street but it was closed for the season
I headed back to Downtown Rehoboth Beach to see the Christmas tree and see what was happening downtown. It was a really gloomy day but it was a little warmer and you could walk around the boardwalk. Not the most pleasant day to do it though.
I just wondered through all the stores and walked on the boardwalk as the cool breezes passed by. I was amazed how many people were walking around on this gloomy day but I figured by this point most people were getting cabin fever hanging around their families. This is the case at most holidays.
That evening I took my mother out for the second part of her Christmas gift to Saketumi, a Japanese/fusion restaurant at 18814 Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach. Their food and the service were wonderful.
We started with a Dim Sum sampler, that had an interesting mix of dumplings and Shu Mi.
The Dim Sum sampler at Saketumi
I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai and mother and I shared the Vegetable Lo Mein, both of which were delicious.
The Chicken Pad Thai
The Vegetable Lo Mein
I felt for our waitress though. The poor woman had the entire side of the dining room and was running ragged. She managed it with a smile on her face and since we were the last guests to leave that evening, had time to come over and talk about the holiday season. She seemed happy they were over. Saketumi is one of the few restaurants open on Christmas Day and she told us that they had over three hundred people eating there that day.
After a very relaxing night’s sleep (I was putting in about eight hours every night of sleep), it was time to leave and head over to the ferry to go to Cape May for two days as the last part of my trip. I said my goodbyes after breakfast and got to the ferry over an hour early.
I have to say one thing about the ferry company, the terminal building was nicely decorated for the holidays and their restaurants had such great menus. I felt like I was in a hotel. They make it very homey during the holidays.
It was a gloomy afternoon when I arrived
It was a cloudy day when I arrived in Cape May and a cold one. I had just been here three weeks earlier and it was just as cold and gloomy. The sun did just break through later in the day.
I love coming to Cape May at all times of the year. I like it especially at Christmas when everything is so festively decorated. It keeps you in the holiday spirit.
The Washington Street Mall during the holidays
My favorite place to stay in Cape May is the Chalfonte Hotel, which is one of the oldest hotels in the city. The hotel is now closed for the season so I stayed in the Southern Quarters, the B & B next to the main hotel. Somehow I always get the same room on the top floor, Room 7, which looks like Village loft.
My favorite place to stay in Cape May is the Chalfonte Hotel, which is one of the oldest hotels in the city. The hotel is now closed for the season so I stayed in the Southern Quarters, the B & B next to the main hotel. Somehow I always get the same room on the top floor, Room 7, which looks like Village loft.
The hotel itself was not open but was decorated to the hilt and the downstairs rooms were lit for the holidays.
The Chalfonte Hotel during the December holidays
As I said before, this holiday was all about picture taking and going back in time to create the same memories as the past but this time with pictures. Everything I did, visited and ate was reference to a previous Christmas holiday when I did not own a IPhone and now I was bringing all those experiences back to life down rooms that I stayed at and restaurant meals that I experienced.
I know it sounds a little crazy but I have seen a huge jump in the 2025 numbers to this blog as I have added more details to it. People from all over the world seem to like more pictures and visuals so that is why I am giving it to them. This includes staying in the same hotel rooms and eating the same meals at restaurants from years ago.
Trust me, it was a lot of fun reliving it all over again. This started with my room at the Southern Quarters and dinner that evening at the Washington Inn.
The restaurant is one of the nicest restaurants in Cape May and one of the best in the State of New Jersey. The food and the service are wonderful.
The inside of the Washington Inn at Christmas time
The experience was the same as it was back in 2021. The meal and service were both excellent without being stuffy or snobbish. It is a very laid back and very elegant restaurant to dine in. I had the same meal I had four years earlier and thoroughly enjoyed it.
My appetizer, the Seafood Bisque
The savory bisque had shrimp, scallops and lobster in it
The entree was the Washington Inn Crab cakes which I highly recommend. These two cakes were filled with chopped crab and spices. They were excellent!
The Crab cake entree paired with a California Cabernet Blanc
The Washington Inn Crab cakes are amazing and I highly recommend them
For dessert, I kept with the past and ordered the Bananas Foster. This simple light dessert was the perfect way to end the meal and I really enjoyed it.
The Bananas Foster dessert with English Breakfast tea
The Bananas Foster are a wonderful way to finish the meal with a lighter dessert
Even the Christmas tree by the bathrooms put you into the holiday spirit
The whole evening was wonderful and one of the best meals that I had over the Christmas break. It was not cheap but every once in a while worth the money as a special Christmas gift to yourself.
After dinner, I had to work dinner off. You can not go to sleep on a full stomach and since it was still so early, I decided to walk through Downtown Cape May which is always a fantasy world of lights and decorations.
The Cape May Fire Department firehouse decorated for the holidays
The Washington Street Mall decorated for Christmas
I walked off the Mall and down the street to the downtown park, Cape May Rotary Park, which is always dazzling in lights.
Cape May Rotary Park just off the downtown mall
The lights are always so dazzling at Christmas
The park puts you in the holiday spirit
The brilliance of the lights
My video of touring Rotary Park at the holidays and its elegant Christmas tree
The Christmas tree in Rotary Park always glitters and sparkles
The Cape May Christmas tree is quite a site
I then walked across the street to the Congress Hotel that is always decorated to the hilt at the holidays. I love walking through the halls and out on the lawn to see their ‘Santa’s Village’. It is quite a site.
The entrance to the Congress Hotel at 200 Congress Place
The whole property is decorated for the holidays and is a popular place for people visit
The backyards of the Congress Hotel at Christmas are decorated to the hilt and during the day there are train rides around the property, Santa is available to visit as well boutiques to shop at.
The lawn and all the decorations during Christmas after Congress Hotel
The Christmas tree at the Congress Hotel
Santa’s reindeer in front of the Christmas tree
The Winter Wonderland sleigh on the lawn
After my long walk around Downtown Cape May, I headed back to the hotel and relaxed and ended up falling asleep. I was out for the rest of the night.
The next morning in keeping with my picture taking mission, I headed over to the Mad Batter at 19 Jackson Street for breakfast. I wanted to order the Egg Croustade for breakfast that I had in 2021. The Croustade was a combination of eggs, sausage, peppers, potatoes and spices in omelet form on top of a brioche bun. An amazing breakfast.
The St. Carroll Villa Hotel decked out with Santa’s
The food and service at the Mad Batter is wonderful. I always enjoy the hospitality at the restaurant in all the times I have eaten here. The place was filled with post Christmas families and children were talking loudly all over the restaurant.
The bar section of the restaurant
The bar section of the restaurant
One of my favorite things that I like to order for breakfast is the croustade and I ordered it again that morning. Trust me, you will not go hungry here.
My breakfast that morning
The Croustade
It was nice to just relax and enjoy breakfast. I needed the calories for the long walk I would be taking around town that morning.
The front of the restaurant was really nice when I left
After breakfast, I returned to the Washington Mall and walked around. It had been a long trip for me and I just wanted to relax and enjoy the views. The Mall and all the business are so nicely decorated for the holidays.
The Washington Mall during the day
The Rotary Park during the daytime
I walked around Rotary Park during the day and even then the park is quite magical with the bows and ribbons and lights. The Christmas tree in the square.
The Gazebo during the day
It was a rather gloomy and cold morning when I left the restaurant but all the holiday decorations kept me in the holiday spirit. There were still more of the twelve days of Christmas and I wanted to enjoy them.
The Christmas tree in the gazebo
The Christmas tree up close
I then walked down past the Congress Hotel again and walked along the shore front. Even on a gloomy day, I loved the smell of the salt air and slight wind against me. It really is so good to breathe in.
I always find the beach so calming. It is nice to just walk around and hear the waves crashing. I find it so relaxing. It doesn’t matter the season. The salt air is so good for you.
I walked around town taking the route of the tour of inns and businesses that I visited three weeks earlier on my tour of town. I ended up back at the Washington Mall in time for church services for Christmas at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. I always like the holiday services here and have enjoyed the Christmas Eve services here many times.
Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church at 525 Washington Street
The mass was really enjoyable and I find the priest here to be very inspiring. A different service than the one on Christmas Eve but still I liked the sermon and the way the priest encouraged people at the holidays.
The front of the church is so nicely decorated
The alter with all the flowers and trees
The manger in the front of the church
Getting ready for Three Kings Day on January 6th
Looking at all the Christmas decorations at the church
After I finished church services, I toured around the other side of downtown and passed the Cape May Theater. They were performing a show entitled ‘Let’s Catch Santa’. I was bummed that the show was over the previous day.
‘Let’s Catch Santa’ ended the day before and I was bummed
Since the show was over, I found other things to do that day. I walked over to West Cape May and admired all the Victorian homes, many still decorated to the hilt also walked their parks as well and looked at their decorations.
The park and surrounding homes were decorated for Christmas and last year when I visited, it was a sea of lights and decorations.
The Santa’s sleigh in Wilbraham Park
It had gotten late when I looked at the time after touring all the shops and restaurants in the area and it was almost four o’clock. The weather had finally cleared and I decided to walk back to the hotel and drive out to Sunset beach and watch the sun set on the beach. It is something you can’t miss when you are here.
Even though if was cool outside that did not stop the diehard followers as the sun started to set. The colors were breathtaking.
The evening sky had cleared leaving a glow in the distance
The video of the sun starting to set
The glow of the sun in the horizon
The final view of the sun takes its bow
The sun makes its final disappearing act
While everyone else left for the evening, I stayed and watched the colors change in the sky to all sorts of reds and purples as it finally started to get dark by 5:00pm. In all the years that I have seen this since the early 90’s, I never get bored of it.
I headed back to town and stopped for dinner before I headed back to the hotel. I was not on the mood for the usual places and after such an expensive dinner the night before wanted to keep it reasonable. I remembered Mario’s from three weeks before and stopped there for dinner again.
Mario’s Pizza and Italian Eatery at 315 Ocean Street #7
The most amazing comfort food dinner. A Cheese Calzone and an order of Garlic Knots
The Calzone was perfectly cooked and the inside was filled with four cheeses and warmed me both inside and out
Yum!
The Garlic Knots were delicious. Small batches of pizza dough, brushed with garlic butter and smothered in more garlic and then baked. Taste like heaven and then kept the vampires away that night!
The owner was telling one of his good customers that evening that he would be open until this weekend and then closing for two months for a much needed break. There would be no business anyway until the first of March anyway. The whole town got colder and the rest of the shore rolled up its sleeves for the season. I could see why as it got really cold that night.
The winds really howled that night, and it must have gone down to 27 degrees. The winds and cold went right through those old windows and the old windows protection, which was now held by duct tape. The heat could not keep up, and the room got really cool. I learned from three weeks before, I covered the windows as much as I could and hid under the covers. At least the heat was on, and it just needed to balance! I woke up the next morning to a warm room.
I slept in my last night of the trip and checked out early. In keeping with the reason for this trip, I headed to Wawa in West Cape May for breakfast as I had in 2016 before my trip on the ferry. They have the most unrated and delicious breakfast items. I had a Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a hoagie with a Banana and Strawberry Smoothie. God, it was good on a cold day.
The Wawa at 3719 Bayshore Road in West Cape May on the way to the ferry
The Bacon Egg and Cheese hoagie and the Strawberry Banana Smoothie, which I had to eat on the hood of my car in 35-degree weather
This sandwich was over stuffed and huge
Even though it was cold out the Banana-Strawberry smoothie hit the spot
I know it sounds crazy to eat outside in the cold weather but there is no place to eat inside the building and I hate eating in my car. How we make do in the winter months. The breakfast was fantastic and the perfect way to end my trip. I headed on my way home.
Since I had plenty of time in the early morning and I had already left the Chalfonte, I decided to head to Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant to see what was happening there for the holidays.
Both Seaside Park and Heights were really quiet in comparison
I drove though both Seaside Park and Seaside Heights and the towns were both extremely quiet. Most of the businesses I had visited over the summer and late Fall around Halloween were closed up tight with signs that said ‘See you in the Spring’.
The Christmas decorations and the Seaside Park Christmas tree
The festive Santa in Seaside Park
I decided to walk over to the boardwalk to see if anyone was around. Only the arcade with a full staff all on their cellphones because of a lack of customers and one branch of Big Brother Pizza was open with again a bored staff. They have to do a better job of letting people know they are open for business. All the public bathrooms were closed, which was a pain.
The quiet boardwalk was fun to walk in the off season. It has a quiet beauty to it
The snowmen band was one of the few traces of Christmas on the boardwalk
The arcade’s Christmas tree was a real beauty
The one nice thing about the arcade being open is that they let everyone use the bathroom. So, there was a stream of people who were walking the boardwalk that walked in. That meant some business.
When I got back to the car, I headed north to Point Pleasant. The roads and streets of Seaside Heights were empty but I did notice all the construction in Downtown Seaside Heights. All the old motels are being replaced by upscale condos and businesses. This town will totally change in not even two years.
Downtown Point Pleasant and their Boardwalk were much more lively especially with their year round population. I parked in Downtown Point Pleasant which is such a great downtown.
Downtown Point Pleasant decorated for the holidays
Downtown Point Pleasant is always so nicely decorated for the holidays. I have been here at Halloween and the beginning of the Spring and the town does such a nice job making it festive looking.
The downtown decorations
The decorative pots dotted the downtown
I parked at the edge of downtown and walked to the boardwalk, passing the gazebo. It felt like I was just here looking at the Halloween decorations. The town’s Christmas tree was still up and looked beautiful.
The gazebo downtown decorated for the holidays
I loved the Christmas tree in the gazebo in Downtown Point Pleasant
Point Pleasant always does such a creative job decorating their downtown for the holidays. Even though Christmas was over it puts you in the Christmas spirit.
The Point Pleasant Beach Jenkinson Boardwalk by the aquarium
The Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk was active as there were people heading to the aquarium to see the lights and tour the displays. The whole side of the Jenkinson Boardwalk was open and the restaurants, shops and arcades had families popping in and out of them as the day got nicer.
The snowmen announced the coming of Winter
These festive penguins greeted me at the restaurant
The Christmas tree in the restaurant across from the aquarium
Even though it was the holidays, I thought the prices at the restaurant were a bit ridiculous for hamburgers and pizza considering what was coming out. I walked around the boardwalk and looked over the amusements that would be opening in four months. I could not believe it would be that short of a period of time.
Santa was there in the restaurant greeting patrons
I walked around the boardwalk and the downtown one last time. I decided to head home for dinner. There were some places I wanted to try in Point Pleasant but I would wait until the weather was warmer and I could enjoy the afternoon with some warm weather.
I was surprised that the traffic from the beach back to North Jersey was not that heavy and I got home in just about an hour. I decided to have my pre–New Year’s Eve dinner in Hasbrouck Heights.
Downtown Hasbrouck Heights during the holidays
I went to Dumpling Chinese Restaurant for dinner that evening. All this driving around and exploring towns and admiring holiday decorations and the spirit these towns represent, I was exhausted. I just wanted to stay closer to home.
During the holiday season, I had run from the Jersey Shore to the Hudson River Valley and all through New York City and even to Delaware to find the best of the holiday season and now I needed a break from my vacation.
The lunch and dinner specials here are really good. The food is excellent and the portion sizes are really generous. I ordered the Chicken Lo Mein combination platter for dinner with Hot & Sour Soup. The spiced the better since I was fighting a cold.
The Chicken Lo Mein dinner combination
The Chicken Lo Mein dinner
The Hot & Sour Soup was excellent
After dinner I got home and finally was able to unpack and unwind. It had been a long holiday season of running around and attending and revisiting every thing I had seen in the past years. Now I would be able to concentration visiting new places and discovering other parts of the region.
I spent New Year’s Eve at home just relaxing, doing laundry and reading. It was time to put it all into perspective and look back at the last year and all I accomplished. I thought I gave my students the best education and experiences I could and visited as much of the places that I wanted to see. The Team projects had been successful and the blogs all hit new highs with all of them reaching new goal’s and toppling last year’s numbers.
That’s where I than you the readers for joining me on my journeys. I hope you got a glimpse on what places to visit in the future. I watched the ball drop in Times Square from home and felt I lucked out on not having to spend a freezing evening in Times Square. I would be back over the weekend rested and relaxed. New Year’s Day was Soup Day with my best friend and her family. I have such a great time with her family. I just feel really lucky to have all this in my life.
Merry Christmas everyone and a very Happy New Year!
My post New Year’s Day walk around Manhattan:
Pictures of my post Christmas walk around Manhattan! Whose says Christmas is over on December 25th? I just wanted to stretch after a long series of travels and picked a day in January to walk around Manhattan to see what decorations were left around the island. People really do believe there are twelve days of Christmas.
Engine 65 in Times Square which inspired my book ‘Firehouse 101’
mywalkinmanhattan 