Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum

      Friday, March 17, 2023: For many years in the 1960s and ‘70s, my parents, on their way to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, would drive up Route 611 and pass by the Willow Grove Naval Air Station. The main thing we noticed while going pass this base were the different military aircraft parked behind a chain-link fence. Years later, the base closed, but not before a museum opened here in 2004: the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, 1155 Easton Road (Route 611), Horsham, PA (215-672-2277). Both inside and outside the museum building, I saw full-sized aircraft. The volunteers here explained the history of this airfield and the history behind the many exhibit items. Among the full-sized aircraft, I noticed the highlight of the collection, a 1931 Pitcairn PA8 Mailwing, the only aircraft in the museum that could still fly because its engine and other equipment remained intact inside of it. (Those who restored the other full-sized aircraft removed the engines, and they are currently for display only.) In addition to those other full-sized aircraft: planes, jets, helicopters, and auto gyros, I also looked at model-sized aircraft--many of which have been used for remote-controlled flying. The rest of the exhibits included engines, a flight simulator, and uniforms, as well as flight suits, and display cases loaded with pictures, texts, and items having to do with the history of this airfield, the people involved, and their connections with the Delaware Valley. Along with other facts, I learned how important this area was from World War II to the Gulf War. Once outside, I glanced at more full-sized aircraft. Overall, this place covered around 90 years of the history of flight in the Philadelphia area!     

Greater Bridgeton Amish Market

      Thursday, March 16, 2023: Maybe seeing a sports museum earlier that day got me in the mood for food. Nevertheless, I found a bit of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County, New Jersey: the Greater Bridgeton Amish Market, 2 Cassidy Court, Bridgeton (856-497-9810). I would not recommend walking through here on an empty stomach because you would most likely end up buying more than you intended! With around a dozen vendors, and most of them selling food, I’d suggest eating first, and then walking and browsing & buying. As for the eating part, you have a choice of the full-service restaurant there, or buying something to eat from some of the food vendors and eating at the tables around the market. Among the foods sold here, I noticed produce, candy, and cheese, as well as baked goods, deli, wine, barbeque, soft pretzels, etc. The few non-food vendors were selling crafts, furniture, and outside structures of sheds, outdoor furniture, swing sets, and so forth. (Yes, there are some Amish working here.) I found most of the people friendly and the prices moderate. 

All Sports Museum

      Thursday, March 16, 2023: I have not been a very big sports fan, but this museum sounded interesting: the All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey, 8 Richie Kates Sr. Way, Bridgeton (Cumberland County), NJ (856-451-7300). Here, a very friendly staff member took us on a tour of the museum as he explained many stories and antidotes about the people behind these exhibits of texts, pictures, and different items. Except for a few things on display, almost all of the stuff in this place has been donated by several people. All of it had to do with athletes who had some connection with Southern NJ! The All Sports Museum exhibited items from several sports: baseball, football, and hockey, as well as basketball, boxing, golfing, tennis, bowling, etc. The most valuable item displayed was Willie Mays’ 1960 Gold Glove Award. Even the street name, Richie Kates Sr. Way, has been named for the late boxer. (Yes, the museum did have items of his presented.) Overall, this museum, in about a half-dozen rooms, had displays and display cases packed with a lot of items: sports uniforms, other clothing, and sports equipment, as well as trophies, metals, plaques, pictures, news clippings & articles, etc. Even if you are not a big sports fan, I’m sure you will find something of interest here.         

Cohanzick Zoo

      Thursday, March 9, 2023: From “America’s First Defense Airport” to New Jersey’s oldest zoo, I finished my day by visiting the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton City Park, Mayor Aitken Drive, Bridgeton (Cumberland County) (856-453-1658). Opened in 1934, this zoo contained around 200 animals that included many mammals and birds. While some of the animals had been kept inside because the day I was there was a bit chilly, I did see a pretty good number of them while I walked along some wooden walkways and other areas of bamboo that tried to give an Asian effect. The creatures that stayed in my mind were a pot-belly pig, a porcupine, and a marmoset, we well as a fishing cat, cougars, gibbons, tigers, a black bear, leopards—including a black leopard, river hogs, and wallabies-including an albino wallaby. I also looked at some birds such as owls, vultures, hawks, and so forth. Meanwhile, the zoo exhibited some statues of animals as well, and I saw peacocks that had the run of the place, ducks in the nearby lake, Canadian geese, and in the trees, I noticed turkey vultures. (They gave me the creeps, but nothing bad happened!) In addition to the zoo, Bridgeton City Park in its 1,100 acres offered other things to do: walking on nature trails, fishing, and a splash park (summer), as well as a playground, basketball courts, miniature golf, picnicking, and so on. During warmer weather, this city park has movie nights, concerts, and other events.     

Millville Army Air Field Museum

      Thursday, March 9, 2023: The Millville Army Air Field Museum, 1 Leddon Street, Millville Airport, Millville (Cumberland County), New Jersey (856-327-2347) honored many military personnel in the different branches of the service: army, navy, marines, and air force (the former army air corps). From World War II to the Gulf Wars, the museum honored those people by way of displaying pictures, texts, and exhibit items, especially uniforms, badges, and medals. This place first served as an air base that gave advanced training to fighter pilots during WWII using P-47 Thunderbolt fighter planes and P-40 War Hawk fighter planes. Nowadays, this area contained many building dating back to WWII, and many of them showed murals painted on their sides presenting different aircraft. I also noticed some full-sized aircraft and parts of other aircraft that the museum displayed outside. Inside, the friendly staff were on hand to answer any questions I might have had as I looked at the show cases of exhibits, the models-sized aircrafts hanging above me from the ceiling, and the model-sized ships, as well as a Link flight trainer simulator, some recreated army bunk beds, commemorative items (I especially remembered seeing items from the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon Landing!), etc. Some of the museum’s theme areas covered servicewomen, Black servicemen, and family life during WWII: relationships, marriages, and family life. (I liked seeing the wedding dresses.) If you are in the area, I’d suggest a visit to here. Meanwhile, throughout the year, this place played host to different events, including the Wheels & Wings Air Show. More than 10,000 men and women served at the Millville Air Field, one of “America’s First Defense Airports.”        

Gloucester Premium Outlets

      Wednesday, March 1, 2023: I celebrated my birthday by visiting the Gloucester Premium Outlets, 100 Premium Outlets Drive, Blackwood (Camden County), New Jersey (856-302-0878). Back in December 2022, I visited the Jackson Premium Outlets in Ocean County, NJ, and I noticed many similar stores at the Gloucester Premium Outlets, but I wasn’t surprised because Simon Property owned both places. (Simon Property owns over 70 malls and outlets across the USA.) The main differences between the two outlet centers were in the layout. Whereas the Jackson Outlets had a roughly, u-shaped, strip-mall shopping center look with the parking lots in the center, the designers made the Gloucester Outlets in the shape of an outdoor mall with the parking lots surrounding the shopping center. Other than that, Gloucester Outlets stores offered “discounts” from 25% to 65%. If you had read what I wrote about the Jackson Outlets on this blog, you would have known what I had to say about shopping for clothes in outlet stores. (In a nutshell, about 80% of clothing for sale in outlets has been made in factories just for selling in the outlets—despite the designer label. The workmanship will not be as good as the same designer-label clothes made for department stores or boutiques.) Nevertheless, as long as you knew what you were buying, you could find bargains here. In addition to clothes, I also noticed stores selling accessories, household goods, shoes, and so forth. If you are in the area, it is worth a stop!