Estell Manor

      Thursday, October 14, 2021: Because it was a nice day, weather wise, I decided to visit Estell Manor Park, 109 State Highway 50, Estell Manor (Atlantic County), New Jersey (609-625-1897). The first place I saw was the Warren B. Fox Nature Center. Inside, from floor to ceiling, I noticed many kinds of displays of taxidermy animals from tiny insects to a black bear, as well as different animal bones and exhibits from plants, especially samples of tree bark. In addition, I looked at a diorama of many kinds of birds and a few mammals! Meanwhile, I saw displays of pictures and texts explaining more about the flora & fauna from NJ, the USA, and the world. Another area showed pictures and texts about the former industries that were once here: a glassworks from the early 1800s and a munitions plant from World War I. After around 70 years of abandonment, nature reclaimed the area. Nowadays, it has belonged to the Atlantic County Parks system. After I left the Nature Center, I picnicked nearby on the grounds. Nevertheless, there has been a lot more to do here than visiting the Nature Center and picnicking: There were around 27 miles of trails, and some of those trails were for walking, biking, horseback riding, or driving. Along areas of the park you could see the ruins of the glassworks. Other activities included areas to practice different sports, two playgrounds, and a lake that offered its own activities such as fishing and boating. As if that were not enough, this park also had a campground. From what I saw, there was something to keep many people interested.