Tag Archives: Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ

Day Three Hundred and Seventy-Seven Walking through Brooklyn in the Wintertime January 31st, 2026

Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, Exploring Brooklyn, Exploring Brooklyn Block by Block, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Historic Hudson River Valley in New York State, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Historic New York City neighborhoods, Interesting Bakeries in New York City, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), MywalkinManhattan Experiences, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New York City, Walking around Brooklyn, Walking around Manhattan, Walking in Brooklyn, Walking in Lower Chelsea, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Who says there’s nothing to do in the cold months? It all depends on how much you want to bundle up and enjoy the outdoors.

The last weekend of the ‘Monet & Venice’ showing at the Brooklyn Museum brought me out to Brooklyn on a sunny but chilly Saturday afternoon recently. I knew there would be crowds at the Brooklyn Museum as everyone was probably thinking of doing the same (at the end of the visit I found this to be true) so I got to the museum by noon and got tickets to the first slot open at 2:30pm.

Since I had a couple of hours until my tour of the exhibit, I decided to tour the Brooklyn Botanic Garden next door. There were no walking tours that day and the gardens were under a foot of snow from the recent storm. There was a quiet beauty of all the snow and the way it fell and shined in the sun all over the gardens. There were no lines or crowds (like the recent lightshow a few weeks earlier), so I had the gardens pretty much to myself.

The first stop on my walk was the Japanese Gardens, which has I had visited recently for the lightshow and experienced the fantastic musical display. The pond now sat under snow and ice and still it was impressive looking.

Walking through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden next to the Japanese Gardens

The Japanese Gardens in the early afternoon

The inside of the Japanese Gardens in the middle of winter. It was such a spectacular view of the pond.

The beauty of the snow covered pool

Another view of the Garden

I never realized how beautiful the Japanese Gardens were in the winter. The sun shines so nicely on the snow covered trees. It was just as beautiful snow covered as it is in the Spring and Summer when the garden is in full bloom.

The fountain in the Shakespeare Garden

I then walked through the entire gardens stopping in various gardens to see what they looked like topped with snow. My first stop was the Shakespeare Gardens and I marveled at the elegance of the snow covered fountain I like so much in the Spring. The variety of the colors of this garden are waiting just under the snow for the warmer months.

The view of the snow covered gardens

I then walked around the paths to the back of the gardens along the watershed lawns that were under a foot of snow and still impressive.

Daffodil Hill in the winter. In two months this will be covered by hundreds of brightly colored daffodils

The Magnolia tree court and sun dial

In the Spring, this is my favorite part of the garden with the hues of pinks and whites of the Magnolia trees and the yellows of the daffodils.

My favorite fountain just off the Magnolia Court on the stairs leading to the Lotus polls

The snow covered fountains by the Lotus pools

The snow covered Lotus pools shined in the sun

I then got out of the cold weather and entered into the warmth of the Tropical Garden Collection. This series of gallery of plants is a series of greenhouses at various degrees of temperatures that display a series of themed gardens. They don’t just display plants but also keep you warm in a cold day.

The indoor tropical gardens

The Tropical Garden collection

The first room I visited wasabi the Bonsai Museum room. The temperature controlled room was perfect for a stroll.

The Bonsai museum

These beautiful tiny well pruned trees lined the tables with their elegance and been so well maintained.

The Bonsai trees lining the tables in the galleries

The beautiful bonsai

The flowering bonsai

The beautifully shaped bonsai

The Cherry blossom bonsai in the middle of the winter

The other trees in the gallery

The video tour of one side of the Bonsai Gallery:

The video tour of one side the Bonsai Gallery:

My video of the gallery tour

The Tropical Room

The tropical room

I then toured the Tropical Garden collection with its series of flowering plants and palms. It was so nice and warm inside and a break from the cool temperatures outside.

A video tour of the Tropical Gallery:

The walk is amazing

The Tropical Room

Colorful tropical flowers line the walkway in the dead of winter

The blooming Lotus

The real White Lotus

I then walked through the second tropical room in the rain forest and there were more beautiful plants to see and experience. There was a wedding garden shoot going on so I was not able to tour the complex.

The flowering tiers of plants in the Tropical room

The flowering plants in the Tropical gallery

The beautiful violets

I then began the tour of the Desert Gallery and the beauty and warmth of the room made me very happy.

The Birds of Paradise in bloom

Along the walls of the gallery, more flowering plants were placed.

Flowers in bloom in the winter

The climate controlled Desert collection was filled with cactus and other plantings the defied the weather. They have a pretty extensive collection of desert flowers and cactus in the room.

The Desert Collection gallery

The flowering cactus family

Walking back through the rainforest

Walking back through the Desert Gallery before exiting to tour the snow covered gardens

Video tour of the Desert Gallery:

There was still a foot of snow on the ground when I visited the gardens that day, which did not make it popular with people wanting to visit the gardens but I found a quiet elegance in just walking the paths and admiring the snow covered plantings. It was like they were waiting to awake again in the near future.

I walked through the gardens which while under a blanket of snow still offered the most beautiful views. I was one of the few people walking through the gardens that afternoon so it was quiet and you could just enjoy watching nature.

Walking past the Children’s Garden in the Winter

Walking over the bridge in the Watershed lawn

I saw this little squirrel holding on to the tree looking cold

The geese feeding on the Watershed lawn

The Cherry Blossom lawn in the winter

The Rose Garden Fountain in the winter

Walking through the Cherry Blossom lawn

Walking back through the Magnolia garden

Taking one last walk around the Lotus Pools

Before I left the gardens that afternoon, I stopped in the Gift Shop for some warmth and see the items they were carrying. They have such beautiful selection of flowers and gifts and the perfect place to warm up on a cold day. Everything is so colorfully displayed.

The Gift Shop at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Everything was in full bloom and really colorful

Everything was so beautifully displayed here

Before I left for the Brooklyn Museum to start my 2:30 pm tour, I stopped at one of my favorite sandwich shops down the road from the museum, Bahn Mai Place at 824b Washington Avenue for lunch. I love their sandwiches and drinks.

I ordinarily try a restaurant a few times before I recommend it for my dining website, DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com, but I had the most amazing sandwich for dinner a few years ago and I had to share this place with the world.

Banh Mi Place at 824B Washington Avenue

https://banhmiplacebk.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d8530850-Reviews-Banh_Mi_Place-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=69573

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/tag/banh-mi-place/

There are also all sorts of rice dishes on the menu, Pho (soups) and salads on the menu as well most priced around $10.00. On the Beverage menu, there is a selection of Hot, Iced and Milk drinks to choose from as well as a selection of Bubble teas and smoothies.

One sandwich I can recommend on a cold day is the Grilled Chicken Banh Mai. I had the sandwich with a mild hot sauce on a cold wintery day. The warm bun and crunchy fresh vegetables with the spicy sauce really warmed me up on a cold afternoon in Brooklyn.

The Grilled Chicken Bahn Mi with a mild spicy sauce

The grilled chicken with fresh veggies

The mild spicy sauce really brings out the flavor of the grilled meat. With a little plumb and chili sauces, it really brings out the flavor of the sandwich.

The chicken was spicy and moist

It was the perfect lunch

The service was very quick and very friendly. The woman who made my sandwich pushed my order ahead of someone else’s who ordered the same thing as me so I could be on my way which I thought was very nice of her.

After lunch, it was off to the Brooklyn Museum and the tour of the ‘Monet & Venice’ exhibition. I was so lucky that I got to the museum early and got the tickets. The show was completely sold out by the time I left.

The Brooklyn Museum at 200 Eastern Parkway

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/

My review on TripAdvisor:

The museum was seriously packed that afternoon, not just for the show but all over the museum. I have been coming here for over twenty years and I had never seen it so packed. Every floor was filled with people.

The entrance to the ‘Monet & Venice’ exhibition

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/monet-venice

The description of the show

(from the Brooklyn Museum website):

Claude Monet once claimed that Venice was “too beautiful to be painted,” a challenge he embraced by creating an extraordinary sequence of works depicting the Italian city. Monet and Venice is the first exhibition to focus on Monet’s luminous Venetian paintings—a radiant yet underexplored chapter in the artist’s late career—since their debut in 1912 (Brooklyn Museum website).

New York’s largest museum show dedicated to Monet in over 25 years, the exhibition features more than 100 artworks, books, and ephemera. Two masterpieces, the Brooklyn Museum’s own Palazzo Ducale and The Grand Canal, Venice from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, are presented alongside selections from throughout Monet’s career—including 19 of his Venetian paintings (Brooklyn Museum website).

The artist’s singular vision of Venice is also set in dialogue with portrayals of the city by renowned artists such as Canaletto, Paul Signac, John Singer Sargent, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Where others focused on Venice’s busy streets and canals, Monet’s interpretation is hauntingly devoid of human presence. Instead, he captures the interplay of architecture with color and light, enveloping viewers in the city’s distinctive atmosphere. Sonic installations by Niles Luther, the Museum’s composer in residence, and other immersive elements will further transport you to this fabled place (Brooklyn Museum website).

Walking through the galleries admiring the art

These were some of my favorite pieces from the show. These also were a favorite of Monet himself to the City of Venice.

The paintings of the Grand Canal

The views along the coastline of Italy

One of Monet’s famous ‘Water Lilly’ collection

Views from the Grand Canal

Walking around the gallery

Another view of the Grand Canal

I could not believe how packed the exhibition got behind me as I double backed through the gallery on the way out. Not only did the crowds grow in the exhibition but the line outside the exhibition was over a hundred deep and wrapped around three galleries on the Fifth Floor. It was so busy on the floor, I decided to walk around other exhibitions.

My favorite painting in the American Wing of the Mountain House Hotel in the Catskills

Then I walked down to the Middle Eastern Wing with the Assyrian and Egyptian Art, one of personal favorites in the museum. Unlike the Met, the Egyptian Wing of the museum is not overwhelming and is easier to view as the exhibits are not as packed with artifacts.

I started first admiring the Assyrian panels of the genies gracing the walls of the famous palace. It blows my mind that these are almost over a thousand years old.

The panels of genies along the walls of the old palace

The panels of genies along the walls

The different versions of genies along the walks

I have been visiting the Egyptian Wing of the museum since I attended the opening of the renovation with my father over a decade ago. It has an iconic entrance to the wing of the museum.

The entrance to the Egyptian Wing of the Brooklyn Museum

Walking through the Egyptian Galleries

Admiring the art on the wall

Walking through the Mummy display

The details on the Mummy coffin

Finishing the tour of the Egyptian galleries

I had a nice time at both the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and at the Brooklyn Museum. There is more than enough to see and do at both cultural locations in the heart of Brooklyn.

It was a wonderful walk around neighborhood and even with all the snow on the ground, it was easy to maneuver around the sidewalks and streets. The snow may have covered the ground but was a backdrop for the beauty that it displayed. The recent storm did not keep us inside but brought us outside to see how it looked and enjoy its beauty.

Places to Visit:

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

990 Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY  11225

(718) 623-7210

http://www.bbg.org

Open:  Sunday and Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm

Admission: Depending on the time of year/please check the website

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60827-d103900-Reviews-Brooklyn_Botanic_Garden-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

Brooklyn Botanic Garden 990 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

Brooklyn Museum

200 Eastern Parkway

Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 638-5000

Open: Sunday 11:00am-6:00pm/Monday-Tuesday Closed/ Wednesday-Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm

Admission: Adults $20.00/$30.00 Ticketed Events/Seniors-and Students Over 21 $14.00/Children Under 19 and Members Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

Places to Eat:

Banh Mi Place

824B Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11238

(718) 552-2660

https://banhmiplacebklyn.com/

Open: Sunday 11:30am-9:00pm/Monday-Thursday 11:30am-9:30pm/Friday & Saturday 11:30am-10:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60827-d8530850-Reviews-Banh_Mi_Place-Brooklyn_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/tag/banh-mi-place/

Union Cemetery 316 Darlington Avenue Ramsey, NJ 07446

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Graveyards and Cemeteries, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring Ramsey, NJ, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic Churches of New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, Walking Downtown Ramsey, NJ, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Union Cemetery

316 Darlington Avenue

Ramsey, NJ 07446

(291) 327-3879

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1680177/union-cemetery

https://www.countyoffice.org/ramsey-union-cemetery-ramsey-nj-4cf/

Open: Sunday-Saturday Dusk to Dawn

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Union Cemetery of The First Presbyterian Church of Ramsey, NJ

History of the Cemetery:

(from the church website)

Union Cemetery is a religious cemetery located at 316 Darlington Ave. in Ramsey, NJ. The cemetery is owned and managed by the First Presbyterian Church in Ramsey. As a religious cemetery, the cemetery is restricted under New Jersey state law and is not open to the general public. Only members of a Christian church and their immediate relatives may be interred at the cemetery.

The historic cemetery from the road. To the left is the oldest part of the cemetery

Entering the cemetery from Darlington Avenue

The newer part of the cemetery is to the right of the driveway

I was visiting the Union Cemetery in search of veterans of the Revolutionary War and found an interesting cemetery with a deep history in Bergen County. Many first families of Bergen County are buried here and veterans not just from the Revolutionary War but the Civil War all the way up to today are buried in this active town cemetery.

The older part of the cemetery is to the left of the driveway. These tombstones are from the early 1800’s.

The older part of the cemetery dates back to before the Revolutionary War

Many of the early family plots are located here with well known names like Hopper, Christie, Ackerman and the town’s namesake, the Ramsey family, whose family plot is in the oldest section of the cemetery.

The grave of Hannah Jane Ramsey in the Ramsey family plot

Part of the Ramsey family plot

The Ramsey family plot

The Union Cemetery to find the graves of Revolutionary War veterans and found some but not all of them. The tombstones are so worn after over two hundred years that they either had disappeared or were so worn you could not read them.

The oldest section of the cemetery where many veterans both from the Revolutionary and Civil War are buried. It was hard to read many of the tombstones. Some the veterans were buried in their family plots, others with their spouses separately. The burials were concentrated in the oldest part of the cemetery. Most of the veterans have been honored with American flags.

The first tombstones I found were from Ackerman family members

https://www.njgsbc.org/files/familyfiles/g0/p10.htm

The grave of veteran John Ackerman

The grave of veteran James Ackerman

I could not make out the name of this Ackerman member but I figured it was one of the brothers wife

The grave of veteran John P. Post

The Post family history:

(from the Saddle River Historical Society website)

The Post family was of Dutch descent. The first Post was a soldier, who came here to protect the new settlements along the Hudson. They soon turned to milling; the name Post is attached to several mills in Bergen and Rockland Counties. Joseph Post, born in 1775, built a mill on the west branch of the Saddle River about 1800. He also opened a tavern and store on what is now West Saddle River Road, just north of Parker Place, across from the entrance to the mill.

The graves of members of the community at that time including the grave of John P. Post

The grave of veteran William Vanderbeck

The grave of a member of the Van Blarcom family, who was married to James Ramsey

I was not too sure who this was but by the veteran’s flower I am assuming the grave of veteran John Van Blarcom

The grave of Hannah (I believe Ackerman)

The Christie family plot

The Hopper family plot

The Hopper Family history:

(from the Saddle River Historical Society website)

The Hopper family is one of the oldest of European descent in Bergen County. Andries Hopper came from the Netherlands to New Amsterdam in the 1640’s. His widow and her son Hendrick were in the Polifly area (Hackensack) by the late 1600s. There was land to be had in the unsettled areas of what became Bergen County. Hendrick’s two oldest sons, Andries and Jan settled in the HoHoKus area (part of Paramus) around 1712. The Hopper name appears on many old homes and mills on early maps of the area. It was two of Andries’ children, Abram and Jan, who settled sometime around 1730 along the Saddle River in what is now Upper Saddle River.

Union Cemetery (Van Blarcom Burial Ground) 151 Franklin Avenue Wyckoff, NJ 07481

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Graveyards and Cemeteries, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Exploring Wyckoff NJ, Exploring Wyckoff, NJ, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Union Cemetery (The Van Blarcom Burial Ground)

151 Franklin Avenue

Wyckoff, NJ 07481

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/688580/union-cemetery

https://www.facebook.com/people/Wyckoff-Historical-Society/100064722099119/

Preserving History: Wyckoff Historical Society’s Efforts at Union Cemetery

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/13650290?m=19905

The historical sign for the Union Cemetery at 151 Franklin Avenue in Wyckoff, NJ

The marker sign put up by the Wyckoff Historical Society

The walled garden just outside the cemetery in bloom

The Union Cemetery was originally the resting place of the Van Blarcom family and the right hand side of the cemetery has the Van Blarcom family plot

One of the descendants of the family, Ethel Van Blarcom Green donated money for the preservation of this family plot.

The Biography of Ethel Van Blarcom Green:

(From the Wyckoff Historical Site)

If you at all familiar with the Wyckoff Historical Society’s recent activities at Union Cemetery, you may know that the 250 year-old site was the original Van Blarcom burial site. The name can be traced to the early 1700s when the first Van Blarcom family settled in New Jersey. The oldest legible headstone dates to 1764.

What you may not know, is that Ethel Van Blarcom, a direct descendant, bestowed a significant financial contribution to the Society beginning in 1978, with her wish that her beloved family cemetery be maintained. Although she lived in California for most of her adult life, Union Cemetery obviously held a special place in her heart, and she wanted to see it survive. The Society has Ethel’s hand-written letters that confirm her generous donation. She also continued to renew her Society membership until 1984.

However, it wasn’t until 2019 that the current trustees decided it was time to use the funds for its intended use, and honor Ethel’s wishes. Several headstones were repaired, new fencing is being installed, and yearly grounds maintenance is conducted, thanks, in part, to Ethel’s generosity.

It was at this time that Society trustees, Doris Noerr, Melanie Long, and Linda Vreeland, dove into genealogy websites and Society archives to learn more about Ethel’s life and to particularly find a photograph of her. 

“After several week of research, we obtained Ethel’s death certificate which led to contacting her niece Naomi who is now 92,” said Society president, Lynn Groel-Lynch. “To our delight, she had a photo of Ethel and her husband, Roy Green that we believe is her 1916 wedding photo.”

Ethel was born in Paterson in 1897 and lived to the age of 89. She and Roy moved to the Los Angeles, California area most likely around the time of her mother’s death in 1933. The couple had no children.

“We are still in the process of contacting a few descendants, and those we’ve spoken to have been happy to share what they know about Ethel,” said Melanie Long. “We also will install a plaque in her memory near where her father, Edward is buried in Union Cemetery. There are thousands of Van Blarcom names as they were the one of the prominent families in our area’s farming community, and after all these years, the Society is thrilled to finally honor the legacy of one very important Van Blarcom, Ethel Van Blarcom Green. As they say, ‘It’s never too late’”.

The current history of the Union Cemetery:

(Wyckoff Historical Society website)

The original Grange sign from the 1960s at the Franklin Avenue entrance of Union Cemetery was weathered and fragile. The Wyckoff Historical Society recently replaced the old sign with one that is also hand-lettered, and includes the Grange logo which was barely visible on the old sign. Two new posts display the new sign.

The Ackerman and Terwilliger families are buried to the left/northern side of the cemetery

The Terwilliger family plot

The resting place of James Terwilliger’s tombstone

To the right of the pathway around the cemetery to the south is the Van Blarcom family plot where on the oldest graves is that of John Van Blarcom, a veteran of the Revolutionary War.

The resting place of Revolutionary War veteran, John Van Blarcom

https://patch.com/new-jersey/wyckoff/birth-of-a-nation-revolutionary-officer-remembered

The original section of the Van Blarcom family plot dating back to the Revolutionary War

The later burial section of the Van Blarcom family

The resting place of Daniel and Rebecca Van Blarcom

The Terwilliger family has two sections of the family plot in the northern section of the cemetery

The Ackerman family’s plot is to the middle most northern end of the cemetery

The Mallinson/Westervelt family has the further most family plot of the cemetery

The cemetery is so peaceful and relaxing to walk around. The Wyckoff Historical Society has done a wonderful job maintaining the property. Even though it is the resting place of many family plots, it’s still a very welcoming place and you can feel it as you walk the paths. There is a respect of remembering the people of the past that can be felt here

As you walk the pathways, you visit the people who have contributed to the growth and history of Bergen County and the surrounding area. They shaped their communities from before the Revolution War to today.

My video of visiting the cemetery and the families that rest here.

The History of the Cemetery:

(From the Wyckoff Historical Society website)

The Union Cemetery on Franklin Avenue dates back to the first half of the 1700s, when Johannes Van Blarcom set aside an area of his property to become a burial place. The earliest readable stone is from 1764 and thought to mark the grave of a slave girl because there is no surname given. Johannes Van Blarcom’s daughter, who died in 1725, is alleged to be buried there also. Various community groups have volunteered to maintain the cemetery, including the Wyckoff Historical Society. In 2018, dead trees, underbrush, and poison ivy were removed.

Most are early Van Blarcom family members as the cemetery was one of the original family cemeteries.  

Demarest Family Cemetery 239 Ramapo Valley Road Oakland, NJ 07436

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring Oakland, NJ, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Demarest Family Cemetery

239 Ramapo Valley Road

Oakland, NJ 07436

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1617471/demarest-family-cemetery

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~njbergen/cemetery.html

Open: During the hours of the Nursery that surrounds it.

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Demarest Family Cemetery sits on a small embankment surrounded by trees and a cement island. You can only access it from one side and there is no stairs. Totally forgotten burial site.

The fencing and locked door with a rusty lock surrounds the cemetery. There is no way to access it. I was able to walk up the cement embankment and was able to walk around the fence. The trees have taken over the cemetery and have knocked over the tombstones.

You can see some of the fallen tombstones from neglect at the fence

The growth surrounding the burial site

Some of the historic tombstones are still standing like this one of the burial sites of Lettya Ann Demarest who was born in 1830. She had inherited the house in 1863.

Most of the historic tombstones have fallen down

The fallen and forgotten tombstones have growth surrounding them.

The historic Demarest homestead was around the corner from the nursery. The house had been in the family for 194 years almost five generations.

The family homestead still exists up the road around the corner from the nursery.

This tiny historical and very forgotten and neglected cemetery was once part of this branch of the Demarest family. The small cemetery sits on a small hill not far from the house. Once the farm was sold off and the town grew around it, this small cemetery sits still in its original spot in the middle of nursery.

When I talked with one of the workers there, he said the owner was very careful to built around it and let it intact. He also said that no one seems to own it. It is the final resting place of James S. Demarest, who fought in the Revolutionary War.

With all the growth, I could not find it. It has been lost to time.

Hopper Farm Family Cemetery Lexington Lane Oakland, NJ 07436

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Graveyards and Cemeteries, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring Oakland, NJ, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Hopper Family Farm Cemetery

Lexington Lane

Oakland, NJ 07436

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2247921/hopper-farm-family-cemetery

https://ldsgenealogy.com/NJ/Bergen-County-Cemetery-Records.htm

Open: Dawn to Dusk

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Hopper Farm Family Cemetery is a reminder of what happens when time passes you by and the world changes around you. I went in search for the grave of Andrew Hopper, a veteran of the Revolutionary War. I could not find it.

This historic cemetery is hidden from the road behind two large homes on a tiny hill in the back woods. The only way to access the cemetery is to walk down the utility road off the main road, walk through the woods and walk up through the bush to back of two families back yards.

You can tell by the rotting fallen fence that this cemetery was once enclosed but the fence has since fallen and the cemetery in disarray. Still there is a quiet elegance to it.

The cemetery is in desperate need of clean up and repair as tombstones are broken, fallen and discolored.

Some of the family tombstones have fallen. Still you can see members of the Hopper and Demarest families buried here.

Members of the Vanderbryck family Maryann and Rachel

The grave of David Hopper

The grave of Susan Storms, wife of one of the family members buried here.

The grave of Peter Bogart, a member of the extended family

One of the broken tombstones that I could not read

Another tombstone in loving memory of a name I could not read

The broken stone of Fredrick Storms grave

The family cemetery sits quiet and neglected in the woods. Most of the tombstones broken and discolored and hard to read.

I took one last look as I walked down the hill and said a prayer to these forgotten people. One what must have once been the family farm sits a development of extremely large and well maintained McMansions. This is the irony of this once prominent family.

The family buried at this cemetery:

(Bergen County Genealogical Society website)

Copied July 4, 1913, By John Neafie New York City.

    1.  Abraham Verbryck, d. Jan. 8, 1843 ae. 63-11-8.
    2.  John P. Ackerman, d. Feb. 24-1829 ae. 34-1-4.
    3.  Rachel, wife of John P. Ackerman, d. Oct. 4,1844
        ae. 49-11-22.
    4.  Martha Ann, d. Apr. 6, 1835 ae. 1 yr. 8 da.
    5.  Martha Ann, d. Feb. 5, 1837 ae. 2 mos. 7 da.
    6.  Rachel Ann, d. July 12,1838 ae. 6 mos.
    Children of
    Abraham and
    Susan Hopper.
    7.  Peter G. Bogert d. 5 Dec. 1859 ae. 76-6-16.
    8.  Mary his wife d. 5 April 1866 ae. 72-6-21.
    9.  David Berthoif d. 8 Jan. 1851 ae. 85-2-29.
    10. Catharine Storms his wife d. 19 June 1864 ae. 87-2-5.
    11. Peter, son of Stephen D. and Eliza Berthoif, d. 19 Nov.1843
        ae. 1-7-2.
    12. Elizer L. Ramsey (My Mother), wife of Stephen D. Bertholf
        d. 18 Dec. 1876 ae. 56-7-5.
    13. Stephen S. Berthoif (Brother), d. 28 Oct. 1875
        ae. 21-11-17.(same stone as above.)
    14. Frederick Storms d. 20 Feb. 1826 in 54th yr.
    15. Alice, widow of above, d. 6 Jan. 1859, ae. 81-6-25.
    16. John, son of Frederick and Alice Storms d. 29 Apr. 1852
        ae. 37-7-10.
    17. Susan B. Storms, wf. of Stites Miller d. at San Francisco,
        Cal. 16 Dec. 1863 ae. 60 y.
    18. Eliza, wf. of Philip Vantassel d. 10 Sept. 1830
        ae. 29 y.21 d.
    19. Samuel V. Codington b. 19 Jan. 1824 d. 30 Oct. 1834.
    20. Mary Ann Verbryck, wf. of William Codington b. 9 Sept.1802
        d. 17 Feb. 1835.
    21. Samuel Verbryck b. 15 Nov. 1780 d. 16 June 1847.
    22. Rachel his wife b. 5 Aug. 1778 d. 13 Dec. 1864.
    23. Conrod Lines d. 20 Dec. 1839 ae. 66-2-8 (footstone C. L.)
    24. Garret G., son of Philip and Jane Hopper, d. 17 Apr. 1833
        ae. 15 mos.
    25. Rachel Bogert d. 22 Oct. 1793 ae. 70 y. 22 d.
        widow of Lucas Bogert.
    26. Rachel dau. of Lucas Bogert d. 21 Feb. 1791 ae. 30-10-4.
    27. Lucas Bogert d. 2 Sept. 1777 ae. 57 y. 4 m.
    28. Maria Mandevil, wf. of Steven Bartolf, b. 26 May 1736
        d.22 Feb. 1813 ae. 76-8-27.
    29. Aaron G. son of Patrick and Sarah M. Cronk d. 25 Nov.1861
       ae. 6 m. 29 d.

Sautjes Tave’s Begraven Ground Cemetery Bogart Road & Everett Road Demarest, NJ 07627

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Demarest, NJ, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Graveyards and Cemeteries, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sautjes Tave’s Begraven Ground Cemetery

Bogart Road & Everett Road

Demarest, NJ 07627

(732) 260-7877

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

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1586040/sautjes-taves-begraven-ground

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=63548

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46390-d33256525-Reviews-Sautjes_Tave_s_Begraven_Ground_Cemetery-Demarest_New_Jersey.html

The Sautjes Tave Begraven Ground Cemetery is an example of an early Dutch Cemetery of some of the first Colonists in Bergen County with some families arriving in the early 1600’s .

The entrance to the Sautjes Tave Begraven Ground Cemetery in Demarest, NJ

The historic sign at the entrance placed by the David Demarest Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution

The inside of the historic cemetery

These early families once owned farms under royal patents of hundreds of acres and these would be passed down from generation to generation. These small family cemeteries were once located on the edge of family land that have since been replaced by modern suburbs. This is now in the middle of a traffic circle surrounded by homes. The cemetery is a wonderful shape and is nicely landscaped.

The cemetery from the south side

Generations of a Bogarts, Blauvelts, Haring, Demarest, Du Bois, Van Scivan and other prominent families all inter married into each family were buried here.

The Bogart-Bauvelt family plot

The Bogart-Blauvelt family plot

The Demarest family plot

The Demarest-Haring family plot

The Ann Marie Demarest grave

The Cornelius Demarest grave site, a Revolutionary War veteran

Patriot Douwe Talema, who was killed by the Tories during the Revolutionary War

The Daniel Van Scivan grave, another Revolutionary War veteran

The Haring Family plot

The Haring family plot

The James Haring grave

The Sophia Haring grave

The Du Bois family plot

The Cemetery view from the southern corner

My video of Touring the Cemetery and its historic roots:

My tour of the cemetery

Leaving the cemetery you can see the landscaping offers these families privacy in both life and death.

After the tour of the cemetery, I explored Downtown Demarest, NJ and discovered a beautiful little town with small local stores and a beautiful set of parks surround the streams and the train station just off the downtown.

The town of Demarest Veteran’s display

The town of Demarest has its own rich beauty and you can see this by visiting its Downtown area and its parks.

The breathtaking Duck Pond Park attracted a lot of painters who set their easels by the banks of the streams.

The Duck Pond is really beautiful

They also have a really nice railroad terminal that is now a senior center

The historic Demarest Railroad Station

This wonderful community has so many wonderful attributes.

Crooked Pond Cemetery 1115 Franklin Lakes Road Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Franklin Lakes, NJ, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crooked Pond Cemetery

1115 Franklin Lakes Road

Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

https://www.franklinlakes.org/crookedpondcemetery

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1769184/crooked-pond-cemetery

https://www.namesinstone.com/ViewMap.aspx?cemeteryId=399006

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/13620090?m=19905

This mysterious little cemetery sits on a bluff overlooking Crooked Pond in Franklin Lakes, NJ. Unless you are looking for it, it is difficult to find as there are no markers or historical signs to guide you to the path.

You have to park the car across the street, walk across a dangerous road and you come across this small set of stairs that leads to the cemetery. In the pictures online it always looks so well maintained but the afternoon I was there, it had been over grown.

This set of stairs is hidden by the trees and bushes. This leads to the cemetery

This is another example of a small family cemetery

The History of the Cemetery:

(From the Borough of Franklin Lakes, NJ website-Written by Colin Knight)

Generations of Ackerman, Van Winkle, Romaine and other Dutch families are interred on top of the steep hill overlooking the serene body of water originally known as Hopper’s Pond. Owing to the geography, the local Dutch Reformed congregation assumed the name Ponds Reformed Church and established themselves in the Ramapo Valley in 1710. The early history of the Church recalls several changes in location and according to oral tradition services were held in a log cabin on the north side of the pond not far from the burial ground. 

The other end of this small plot

The resting spot sits on a bluff overlooking Crooks pond

The view of the cemetery to the pond below

Among the tombstones are the graves of many members of troops that served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

We owe a lot to these Veterans who put their lives on the line for us in the War years. These men and their families helped shape not just the foundation of Bergen County but of the Country as well. These tombstones are of some of the men who fought in the Revolutionary War.

The grave of Gerrit Van Cleve

The grave of Joseph Van Cleve

The grave of Veteran Simeon Van Winkle

These brave soldiers fought in the Revolutionary War with some of their tombstones marker as veterans as others are not.

The graves face Crooks Pond

The tombstone of Veteran Samuel Romine

Samuel Romine’s original tombstone

The Veterans of the Crooked Pond Cemetery:

(From the Borough of Franklin Lakes website-Written by Colin Knight)

The Daughters of the American Revolution stepped up and have been working to restore the cemetery to it’s rightful state. 20 headstones have been restored, and recently, the Veteran’s Administration installed two new headstones for Revolutionary War veteran Samuel Romine and another for War of 1812 veteran Ralph Benjamin Romaine. Crooked Pond Cemetery has fourteen Veterans interred within its bounds, ten from the Revolutionary War, two from the War of 1812, and two who served in the Civil War.

An incomplete list of veterans buried here are John Ackerman; John Folley and Elias Folley; Samuel Romine, Benjamin Romine, and Ralph Romaine; Gerrit Van Cleve and Joseph Van Cleve; Corniess Van Houten, Hendrick Van Houten, and Roeloff Van Houten; and Simeon Van Winkle and Epson Van Winkel.

Voorhis-Lozier-Demarest Family Burial Ground Genther Avenue Oradell, NJ 07649

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Graveyards and Cemeteries, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring Oradell, NJ, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Voorhis-Lozier-Demarest Family Burial Ground Genther Avenue Oradell, NJ 07649

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46706-d33246110-r1011336224-Voorhis_Family_Burial_Grounds-Oradell_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The historic sign of the Voorhis Burying Ground

The inside of the Voorhis Burial Ground

What is sad about these small family cemeteries is that I am sure that the families never thought to the future when the land would be sold off and the family would move on. The Voorhis and Demarest names still dot the landscape of Bergen County but these tiny plots are lost to the current generations.

The gravesite of Lucas Van Voorhis

The grave of Mary Demarest, who was the wife of James

DeWolf-Haring Cemetery 84 DeWolf Road Old Tappan, NJ 07675

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring Old Tappan NJ, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Dewolf-Haring Cemetery 84 Dewolf Road Old Tappan, NJ 07675

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/13615617?m=19905

The Dewolf-Haring family cemetery sits on a homeowners front yard

The Dewolf-Haring Cemetery is one of the most unusual of the small cemeteries in Bergen County that I have seen. It sits right in front of someone’s front yard.

The cemetery probably at one time sat at the very edge of the farmland which is now a golf club and a neighborhood of McMansions. It shows the progress of the area as the farmland was sold off.

The gravesite of John Haring

The DeWolf-Haring family; grandparents and grandson

Old Tappan Cemetery Washington Avenue North Old Tappan, NJ 07675

"A Local Journey: Exploring the outskirts of New York City, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Exploring Historic Bergen County NJ, Exploring Historic Towns in New Jersey, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the State of New Jersey, Historic Cemeteries and Graveyards in New Jersey, Historic New Jersey Towns and Neighborhoods, Historical Towns of New Jersey, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), MywalkinManhattan at the Halloween Holidays, The Bergen 250-250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Bergen County, NJ, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New Jersey, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Old Tappan Cemetery Washington Avenue North Old Tappan, NJ 07675

The oldest part of the cemetery sits on the highest bluff overlooking the woods and the street. The Eckerson family burial plot is located here with graves dating back to before Revolutionary War.

The Old Tappan Cemetery sits on a hill in the woods

The oldest part of the cemetery sits on the very top of the hill overlooking the neighborhood

The site houses the graves of the Eckerson and Haring families

The Eckerson family graves