Longport

     Thursday, August 26, 2021: I felt like I entered a different world when I arrived in Longport (Atlantic County), New Jersey. When I saw the mostly lavish homes along Atlantic Avenue, I was stunned! If a certain stretch of Ventnor Avenue in Margate was the “Beverly Hills” of Absecon Island, then Longport must be the “Bel Air” of this island—except that this town, unlike Bel Air, California, isn’t gated. I’m glad because I stopped into the Longport Public Library, 2305 Atlantic Avenue (609-487-7403). Here, I noticed a few showcases displaying old pictures of Longport, and I saw other old pictures of Longport along the walls. On the back wall I looked at a gallery showcasing the works of a local artist. When I was there, I saw photos that photographer Chris Adams took of her travels. Next door, Longport also had a larger museum, the Longport Historical Society Museum, housed in an old Coast Guard Station, but the hours were tight, and it wasn’t opened when I was there. (Nevertheless, I did see all of its eight rooms online.) Behind both buildings, I glanced at some lovely parkland, containing many colorful flowers and a gazebo, which led to a fishing area. Afterward, we drove to the end of Absecon Island in Longport where the Atlantic Ocean met the Great Egg Harbor Inlet, called “the Point.” When I was there, several people were either fishing or just hanging out at the beach.         

Margate

      Thursday, August 26, 2021: Unlike Ventnor City, Margate City (Atlantic County), New Jersey, didn’t have a boardwalk, but it has had other attractions: a giant elephant-shaped building named “Lucy,” some majestic homes along a certain part of Ventnor Avenue, and colorful homes in an area called Marvin Gardens. These and other facts I learned in the Margate Historical Society Museum, 1 South Washington Avenue, Margate (609-823-6546). Housed in the town’s historic city hall, this one-room museum presented its share of history in the form of pictures, texts, and many memorabilia exhibit items! Originally called South Atlantic City during its founding in 1885, the town later changed its name to Margate in 1909 because of Ventnor’s founding just north of Margate. (Before 1891, there was no town between Atlantic City and Margate. Ventnor was just an area of sand dunes.) In addition to this museum, Margate had what looked like a lively downtown with different shops, and like the other towns around here, the town also provided opportunities to fish—both on shore and in a boat, swim, or just relax on the beach. They also have a farmers’ market on Thursdays in summer and its share of nightlife, including Memories nightclub, owned by disk jockey Jerry Blavat.    

Ventnor

     Thursday, August 26, 2021: For years I have visited Atlantic City (AC), New Jersey, from the time I was a child when my parents used to take me there in the 1960s. Nevertheless, until the date above, I have never been to the three towns south of AC on Absecon Island in Atlantic County. The first of these towns was Ventnor, NJ, where the Boardwalk from AC extended down to this town. Unlike AC’s Boardwalk, Ventnor’s boardwalk was not commercial. I was close to this boardwalk as I stopped at the Ventnor Branch of the Atlantic County Library, 6500 Atlantic Avenue (609-823-4614). Inside one of the rooms, I entered the Ventnor City Historical Society Museum. Here, a volunteer told us about how the opening of the Carisbrooke Hotel in 1891 led to the development of the town and its official founding in 1903. I also learned about the Richards Family who helped in the growth of this town. Meanwhile, I noticed many exhibit items, mementos, pictures, and texts—all in this one-room museum! The subjects ranged from vacationing in Ventnor to the everyday lives of those in the past who lived and worked here. Afterward, a short walk on Ventnor’s boardwalk proved relaxing.   

Smithville

      Tuesday, August 24, 2021: Therefore, after visiting two places connected with nature, I decided to visit a quaint-looking town: Historic Smithville, Route 9 and Moss Mill Road, Smithville (Atlantic County), New Jersey (609-652-7777). The original Smithville Inn opened in 1787. By 1874, this inn grew to six times its original size, but by the early 20th century, the building was abandoned. In the 1950s, Ethel and Fred Noyes bought the building, restored it, and opened it as a restaurant. Sometime in the 1960s, the Noyes bought different historic buildings from other sections of Southern NJ, moved them near the Smithville Inn, and turned them into shops. It was in the early 1970s that my parents took me to the Smithville Inn for lunch, and we later walked around this town of shops to browse and sometimes buy something. By the 1980s, my husband and I did the same here. Then when we made a return visit in the 1990s, we noticed that there was a whole other area of buildings containing shops and other businesses called the Village Green. On this most recent visit, we viewed the shops and other businesses there as well as the attractions: arcades, an area to operate remote boats and cars, and paddle boats. Other attractions included a shooting gallery, train ride, and carousel. Anyway, it made for an interesting diversion!  

Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

      Thursday, August 24, 2021: With nature still on my mind after visiting the Marine Mammal Standing Center in Brigantine, New Jersey, we headed up Route 9 to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, 800 Great Creek Road, Oceanville (Atlantic County), NJ (609-652-1665). This wildlife refuse contained over 47,000 acres of coastal habitats and wetlands. There have been more than 322 kinds of birds and 10 locations opened to the public to view. The area most popular with the public was the eight-mile wildlife drive. Here on a one-way unpaved road, were two observations towers and an observation deck with scopes for taking a closer look at nature. There were also four hiking trails. During normal times, the Visitor Center provided displays and a video about this refuse, a gift & book store, and a member of the staff would answer questions. The date above was not normal due to covid-19, but we did see some nature on a nearby trail! Along the trail, place cards mentioned the plant life in the area, especially the pine and cedar trees. I also noticed some birds and a few mammals: squirrels and rabbits. Then, we had a picnic lunch in a wooded area with picnic tables which added to a relaxing time for us.     

Marine Mammal Stranding Center

      Tuesday, August 24, 2021: On the date above, I did the first of my daytrips in Atlantic County, New Jersey. Because Atlantic County was close to where I grew up in Camden County, NJ, I have been to a few different places in this county through the years. (I also wanted to prove that there is more to Atlantic County than Atlantic City.) Therefore, I entered the Sea Life Museum at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, 3625 Atlantic Brigantine Boulevard, Brigantine (609-266-0538). In this small museum/gift shop, one of the volunteers pointed out the displays on the ceiling, walls, and elsewhere of models of different fish, mammals, and turtles that live off the coast of NJ. She also mentioned the work that this center did in rescuing and rehabilitation of seals. (While this center also rescues turtles, they later send them to a place in East Orange, NJ, for rehabilitation.) Meanwhile, I saw, via closed-circuit cameras, the two areas where the staff kept the rescued seals until they were well and then later released back into the ocean. Other displays included bones from different sea mammals & fish and turtle shells. Other areas showed pictures and texts of marine mammals, fish, and turtles as well as a special area about ecology. Since this has been a non-profit place, items bought in the gift shop or donations have been appreciated. Outside, I noticed a “bone and shell” garden and a nearby pool containing spider crabs, hermit crabs, and fish. While this museum was small, it was unique, and the work that the staff has done has been very important! 

Columbus Farmers' Market

      Thursday, August 19, 2021: I liked farmers’ markets, even though I didn’t usually buy much there, but I do buy a few items whenever I’m at a farm market or farmers’ market. On the date above, I visited the Delaware Valley’s oldest and largest flea & farmers’ market: Columbus Farmers’ Market, 2919 Route 206, Columbus (Burlington County), New Jersey (609-267-0400). At first glance, I could see that they were not kidding: This place was huge. Inside, this market contained over 65 retail stores divided into six color-coded sections. Here, the retail stores sold many kinds of merchandise: foods, toys, and cosmetics, as well as different services, jewelry, clothing, home furnishing & interiors, electronics, luggage, etc. Other businesses included restaurants, an arcade, pet supplies, outdoor furnishings, and an Amish section. (This was my favorite section.) The Amish area had a restaurant, and they sold many kinds of foods and some crafts. As if that weren’t enough, on some days there were outdoor vendors selling their share of food and non-food items—usually at bargain prices. Another area called Produce Row, sold many different foods in addition to produce and flowers. Nearby was a gardening area, a farm equipment area, and a pallet supply company, as well as an area selling sheds, a self-storage area, and a Goodwill store. Whew! Meanwhile the only complaint I had was the lack of shopping carts. Other farmers’ markets provided them, and it helped when one was buying several items and didn’t wish to carry all of them through the market. An added bonus would be something to rest on as one’s feet and legs got tired walking through such a large shopping area. In the meantime, somebody could bring a folding shopping cart, but he or she couldn’t lean on it.    

Whitesbog

      Tuesday, August 17, 2021: Compared to Roebling, New Jersey, Whitesbog Historic Village, 120 West Whitesbog Road, #34, Browns Mills (Burlington County), NJ (609-893-4646), was a much smaller company town. In this rural community, growing cranberries and blueberries were its biggest industries. In 1916, Elizabeth White and Dr. Frederick A. Coville developed the first cultivated blueberry here. At the time, Whitesbog was already the largest cranberry farm in NJ. In addition, the White Family built this company town from 1890 to 1925, and provided workers’ houses, a general store, and a school, as well as an office, processing buildings, and storage buildings. Currently, this village has been part of Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, and many of the buildings still stand: the general store, a gallery, an interpretive cottage, a barrel factory, and a cranberry & blueberry museum. In another area, I saw blueberry fields; a cranberry processing substation; and Suningive, Elizabeth White’s house. All of this on 3,000 acres! Because of covid-19, only the general store has been opened on certain Saturdays, and this place has started running special events again. Nevertheless, we did stop by, took pictures, and drove through the village. In time, I’m sure they will open the other buildings in the village and extend the opening days for the general store.      

Burlington Lyceum

      Sunday, August 15, 2021: This was a shorter visit compared to the day before because this museum in the Burlington County seat was a smaller museum: Burlington County Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences, 307 High Street, Mount Holly, New Jersey (609-845-3513). In this 1830s mansion, I saw four rooms. The first room’s interior looked similar to the way it might have looked when the original owners, the Langstaff Family, lived there. This room displayed a formal Victorian-styled parlor. Anyway, the next room covered the history of how important the Rancocas River was to the economy of that area via texts, pictures, and exhibit items. Another room displayed the natural history of the area. Here, I saw mastodon bones, and other items, texts, and pictures explaining more about the very distance past of Burlington County and its more recent flora & fauna. The last room was a book & gift shop, and a staff member nearby could answer questions. It wasn’t a long visit, but it was worthwhile! Meanwhile, Mount Holly’s downtown had many shops in quaint-looking buildings from the past few centuries. Combined with this museum, it could be a lively few hours.  

Roebling Museum

      Saturday, August 14, 2021: For years I would ride the RiverLine to and from Trenton, New Jersey, and along the way, one of the train stops was in Roebling, NJ. Outside the window, I would see large objects of metal in a large grassy area. Recently, I learned that this grassy field once held several buildings which functioned as the Kinkora Steelworks, once owned by the Roebling family. Around 2010, the building that was once the entrance building to the steelworks became a museum: Roebling Museum, 100 Second Avenue, Roebling, (Burlington County) NJ (609-499-7200). When I arrived, I saw a 15-minute film presentation about the Roebling Family, especially about John Roebling who invented steel cables. He started a factory for making these cables in Pennsylvania, and he later moved the factory to Trenton, NJ. When he decided to make his own steel for the cables, he needed more space. Therefore, he bought some potato and peach farms south of Trenton, cleared the land, built the steelworks, and the surrounding town. From the early 20th century, Roebling, NJ, was a company town for the workers at the steelworks. The Roebling family sold the steelworks in the 1950s, and the factory closed in 1974. Because the grounds became toxic, the Environmental Protection Agency torn down the metal works buildings—except for the entrance building, and cleared the grounds. Anyway, in this museum, in different rooms, I learned via exhibit items, pictures, and texts more about the Roebling family, their employees, everyday life in Roebling for about the first three-quarters of the 20th century, and how the Roeblings and Kinkora Steelworks contributed to many technologies. After seeing this museum, I’ll never look at Roebling the same way again! The factory in gone, but the town lives on.      

Bass River

     Tuesday, August 10, 2021: On his day I felt a bit of nostalgia because I visited a place where my parents used to take my brothers and me camping in the 1960s and ‘70s: Bass River State Forest, 762 Stage Road, Bass River Township (Burlington County), New Jersey (609-296-1114). This was NJ’s first state forest, founded in 1905, In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built most of the structures here, built the roads, planted many of the trees, and so forth. As a child in the 1960s and a teen in the ‘70s, I would sleep in the tent or a soft-top tent-trailer at the camp ground. Or in colder weather, I also slept in their shelters and cabins. In the summer, I would swim in Lake Absegami, go fishing & crabbing in areas near Bass River State Forest, and hike some of the trails in this park. On some nights, a park ranger near the nature center would present a slideshow about the flora, fauna, and history of this area. Those were my memories of this place! On this day, I stopped into the park office where I saw an exhibit case showing items pictures, and texts about the CCC. This place also offered plenty of free literature about this place, the NJ Pinelands, and other nearby attractions. Afterward, we drove to the main beach area and ate a picnic lunch while looking at the lake and the rest of the local scenery. Later, we drove around the different camp areas, and I noticed some changes, but for the most part, it looked like I remembered it in the late 1960s and early ‘70s.   

Pinelands Visitor Center

      Monday, August 9, 2021: The Pinelands Visitor Center, 17 Pemberton Road, Southampton (Burlington County), New Jersey (609-859-8860), has been a good place to learn about the NJ Pinelands and what it has to offer in recreation, history, and nature! Inside this 1853 farmhouse, the visitor center contained a room with books and items for sale having to do with the local area and NJ in general. Along one of the walls, I saw pictures and texts explaining the flora, fauna, history, and ecology of the Pinelands of NJ. In addition, a very helpful staff member could give advice and answer questions. Meanwhile, this center offered plenty of free literature about this area. Outside, I saw a big red barn that somebody built in the 1930s and could be rented for special occasions. I also noticed the plants and gardens on the grounds, and a nearby farm grew vegetables organically. The Pinelands are a unique part of NJ, and this is the best place to visit first to appreciate better what you would plan to see in the area.     

Valley Forge, PA

      Saturday, August 7, 2021: After about a year and a half, I have finally visited some place outside of New Jersey: Valley Forge National Park, 1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia (Montgomery County), Pennsylvania (610-783-1000). I have been to Valley Forge many times: my parents took me there as a child, a fifth-grade school trip, and about 20 years ago. Therefore, I thought that this place made for a relaxing trip on my first trip out of state in a long time. Because of covid-19, only a few of the buildings were opened to the public. The visitors’ center was one of those places. Inside, it was a work-in-progress because the video presentation would not be ready until the autumn. Thus, the visitors’ center was a shop selling books and souvenirs, and there was an information desk. They also had a smaller-screen video about the attractions in the area. Then, we drove over to the Washington Memorial Chapel and the nearby Cabin Shop. This area of the park was not officially part of Valley Forge National Park. Instead, it was run by the nearby church. Washington Memorial Chapel has been an Episcopal Church that dated back to the 1920s, and in the bell tower, the Carillion bells play chimes often. We arrived in time for lunch, and we ate it near this church as we listened to the tunes from this tower. It was a nice way to have lunch! The Cabin Shop has been the only place in Valley Forge to buy food and snacks in this park. They also had a gift, book, and souvenir shop; plus, I found many of the merchandise here to be a bit better than at the Visitors’ Center. Finally we drove through other parts of the park with its buildings: Washington’s Headquarters at Isaac Potts’ House & other historic buildings—all from the outside, and there were recreated log cabins similar to what the troops stayed in 1777/’78, as well as displays of memorials, cannons, and the lovely countryside.   

Highland Park

 

   Friday, August 6, 2021: This was a longer trip to a farmers’ market in Middlesex County, New Jersey: Highland Park Farmers’ Market, 212 Raritan Ave., Highland Park (732-828-8444). Compared to Metuchen’s Farmers’ Market, it was larger with over 30 vendors, and many of these vendors sold other merchandise in addition to foods. One vendor offered a knife sharpening service, and others sold cosmetics, jewelry, books, and so forth. As for food, many vendors sold fresh, locally grown produce, baked goods, and meats, as well as dairy, packaged foods, and preserved foods. Overall, once I got to this market, I liked what I saw, but there was a big problem here: parking! Again compared to Metuchen, this was worse. There was limited street parking, and even though we arrived early, we still had to park a few very long blocks away. So I would advise anyone getting there to arrive early.  

Smithville Mansion

     Thursday, August 5, 2021: I have never been to this Smithville. (Not to be confused with the Smithville in Atlantic County. This Smithville is in Burlington County, New Jersey.) Anyway, Historic Smithville Park, 803 Smithville Road, Easthampton, NJ (609-265-5858), didn’t contain shops. Instead, I toured the Smithville Mansion, a mansion that the brother Jonathan and Samuel Shreve build in 1840. They also built a factory nearby that made thread and printed cotton. They called their workers’ village Shreveville. In the 1850s, they went bankrupt and the village was vacant until 1865 when Hezekiah Smith bought the grounds and renamed the village Smithville. Smith lived here until he died in 1887. On the mansion tour, my guide showed me two floors worth of Victorian interiors and furnishing for a wealthy family as she told us stories about the Smiths. Another area of the mansion, The Annex, mostly stayed unrestored with white walls inside the rooms and displays of artworks painted by local artists. This too, proved interesting! The rest of the area contained a workers’ village with a worker’s house, school house, and other buildings. As for the rest of the park, there was a playground for children, a picnic area, and hiking trails.      

Air Victory Museum

      Wednesday, August 4, 2021: For a different change of pace, I entered the Air Victory Museum, 68 Stacy Haines Road, Lumberton (Burlington County), New Jersey (609-267-4488). Located inside of a hanger at the South Jersey Regional Airport, this place exhibited a plethora of model-scaled military aircraft from World War I through the Viet Nam War. Also on display were dioramas of combat events that involved aircraft both on the ground and in the air. In addition, hanging from the ceiling above and located on the floor were full-sized aircraft, and more model-scale-sized military aircraft. Other exhibits showed aircraft engines, military uniforms, and flight simulators, as well as pictures, texts, and news clippings covering events in air and space. The staff were very helpful on answering questions about the exhibits. Overall, it was an educating and enlightening experience!   

Rancocas

      Tuesday, August 3, 2021: While still in the mood for nature, I went to the Rancocas Nature Center, 794 Rancocas-Mount Holley Road, Westhampton (Burlington County) New Jersey (609-668-5164). Although there were not as many displays in this nature center compared to Woodford, I did notice tanks with snakes, frogs, and turtles. In addition I saw stuffed animals, animal bones, and animal fur. Outside, there were about eight nature trails, a dragonfly pond, and a floral garden. I also glanced at a nearby picnic area. Along the trails, the public could view different habitats: meadows, forests, and wetlands. Therefore, between the nature center, the attractions outside, and picnicking, it sounded like a good way to spend a few hours!  

Woodford

     Monday, August 2, 2021: Giving nature a try, I visited Woodford-Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, 4 Sawmill Road, Medford (Burlington County), New Jersey (856-983-3329). Starting with the nature center, I looked at some displays of cases containing reptiles: snakes and turtles. Other displays exhibited animal bones, fur, and feathers, as well as a video about this area and a play room where children could handle animal parts, plants, and other objects, especially similar items used by the local Native Americans: the Lenni-Lenapes. There were also childrens’ books about nature and about the original natives. I mainly came to see the wildlife housing area. After I crossed a foot bridge, I saw cages of many kinds of birds, especially predator birds, and some mammals: skunks, raccoons, squirrels, and deer. Nearby were some hiking trails and a picnic area. All of this in a lovely woodland background!