Haycock Township, Pa

     Saturday, December 2, 2023: This trip became a bit of a personal trip for me because my mother was born in Haycock Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1925. I wouldn’t give the exact address because since 1937, different people have lived here through the years. According to my mother and her siblings, when they lived there in the 1920s and ‘30s, the house was a two-story log cabin with a tin roof and a root cellar, and the grounds contained about 20 acres. A few times in the 1960s, my parents would drive by this location, and my mother pointed out the house, which by the 1960s had changed a lot. Recently, using the views on Google Earth as a reference, we drove by this place first on the date above, and we noticed even more changes. Then we headed to our first destination: Raven’s Nest Tavern, 625 Old Bethlehem Road, Haycock (or it is listed as Quakertown because Haycock Township uses the Quakertown Post Office), (215-536-5369). In this place that dated from the 1700s, I ate a reasonably priced lunch, and the staff seemed friendly and efficient. Afterward, we stopped at Lake Towhee Park, 800 Old Bethlehem Road (215-757-0571). This Bucks County park offered chances to go boating, fishing, and hiking, as well as a playground for children, a ballfield, and a picnicking area. Finally, I stopped at an event run by the Haycock Historical Society: Kringle Christmas Shoppe at the Haycock Community Center, 1014 Old Bethlehem Road. This has been the 20th year that the Historical Society played host to this event during the first weekend in December where I saw plenty of vendors selling different merchandise in arts & crafts, clothing, jewelry, holiday decorations, books, edible stuff, and other things. Overall, this made for a pleasant day, and it was not far from Quakertown and the Quakertown Farmers’ Market!          

Philcon 2023

     Friday, November 17, 2023: During this time of year, I went to the Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference (Philcon), Double Tree by Hilton, Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Again, as in other years, I lived close enough to commute there for each of the three days. So I didn’t have to stay at the hotel. Therefore, after I registered, I visited 1) the Dealers’ Room. Here, over 50% of the dealers sold reading materials of books, magazines, comic books, and fanzines. The rest of the dealers sold other merchandise: jewelry, costumes, and other accessories, as well as t-shirts, tote bags, games, and so forth. Then, I visited 2) the Con Suite that supplied snack foods and soft drinks as well as chances to talk with other science fiction (SF) fans while overlooking the traffic down on Route 70. Soon it was time for me to get down to the mezzanine level and attend my first panel, 3) How the Heck Do I Do This? Diane Kovalcin and Alex Welsher ran this panel to help anyone who needed help with his or her costume. That night, they talked about quilting, hall costumes vs. masquerade costumes, what fabrics worked best, and advised someone about fixing her prop spear. Next door, 4) Money, Morals, and Financial AI included a panel of the following people: Ian Randal Strock, Jeff Warner, and Gil Cnaan. This panel asked: What should be regulated? What kind of AI could make us poorer? The panel did mention that there were still things that humans could do that AI couldn’t, especially in some forms of creativity. Meanwhile, according to some people in the field, the biggest fear we have had from AIs was the reactions humans had from getting false information and acting on it. Back down on the main floor, I listened in on 5) CisLunar Orbits and Lunar Bases: What’s Coming Next? where Bob Hranek, Ed the Engineer, Tobias Cabral, Earl Bennett, and Cosplay Joe defined CisLunar Orbits (the volume of space lying between the Earth and the Moon or the Moon’s orbit). Then they discussed going back to the Moon; about the costs of these space efforts by government and private companies; and about people living, working, and visiting in space as well as the Moon. This led to the next panel: 6) What Skills Do Space Explorers Need? These panelists, Tobias Cabral, Lawrence Kramer, Dr. Jim Prego, and LJ Cohan talked about how future astronauts would have to be multi-skilled. In addition to being skilled in piloting, different sciences, and engineering, those explorers would also have to know how to do ordinary repairs in the ship, certain medical skills, psychology, even the arts—for moral. They would also have to know farming, especially in hydroponics, for food. By the time the colonies in space, on the Moon, or on Mars became more established, other groups could be specialists in a lesser number of skills. 

     Saturday, November 18: In case anybody noticed, my favorite program tracks involved space science, costuming, art, and other subjects--in that order. On Philcon’s busiest day, I started by sitting in on this panel: 7) Nuclear Fusion: Stars in a Bottle. Here, the panel, Ed the Engineer, John Ashmead, and Earl Bennett, defined fusion, mentioned how failure could be a learning experience, the care & feeding of plasma, how the moon has plenty of Helium 3 for fuel, and other similar subjects. The next event had James L. Cambias covering this subject: 8) Designing for Inclusivity in Orbit and Beyond. This would be a very important subject because in addition to people who had disabilities before going into space, healthy people could also develop some health problems in space due to no gravity. Meanwhile, future astronauts may also have to learn to read in Braille—in case the lights on the space ship went out. Therefore, the labels in the ship and any instructions could also be in Braille. Sign language would be another needed skill in the event of the ship being too noisy to hear one another. Finally, we were reminded that all humans have been at a disadvantage in space because they needed oxygen up there and radiation shielding. Still in the subject of space, 9) Inge Heyer showed us updates on Space Science via her PowerPoint presentation. Much of it compared the two space telescopes: Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Besides comparing the two telescopes and their abilities, we also saw the pictures that the HST took of the cosmos compared with the much more detailed images that the JWST took. It was very impressive! Inge Heyer also talked about future missions and about the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. Before going to dinner, I attended one more event: 10) AI in Science Fiction, Before and After ChatGPT. Thus, Jon McGoran, Jennifer Povey, Storm Humbert, and Rebecca Robare mentioned that many SF stories had themes dealing with AIs, but how far have AIs advanced in the real world? How would this affect future SF stories? As for AI taking over, some people said, “Cut the power.” This panel also covered the recent script writers’ strike and of how people have already been disappointed with AI in other fields from the arts to self-checkout in stores. One of the advantages to AI: It could do simple jobs that would be long and boring for humans.

     Saturday night: I went to the 11) Art Show room where, as in other years, fantasy dominated over SF and space by about three-quarters, and the same percentage applied to paintings and drawings over other kinds of art: sculptures, jewelry, tote bags, holiday decorations, etc. Nevertheless, I came here to mainly see a Speed Painting Demo. Using acrylic paint, the artist Guest of Honor, Rob Carlos, first added some background colors to the canvas before he drew a sun on the background. He then drew a dragon as the main subject by first drawing an outline and shape of the dragon before adding details—and he did this within an hour. After this, I never tried to miss the next event: 12) the Masquerade. Although there were only 10 costume entries, two of them wore SF costumes: a boy as an astronaut, and a man as a Buzzard Ramjet. The two costumes that impressed me the most, however, were a woman in a light-blue lame gown and another woman in a mostly red and gold colored Empire-styled gown. I also stayed around to see some SF, fantasy, and horror film trailers before the judges awarded the costumers. Thus, the judges gave awards in different categories: young fan (under 13), novice (never won in a masquerade), journeymen (won a minor prize in a past masquerade), master (won three minor prizes or a major prize in past masquerades), and best of show (or best costume overall).  

     Sunday, November 19: Things started winding down on this day. Anyway, similar to the last few years, during this weekend, Philcon had a multi-track program of different subjects to listen in on, take part in, or just watch involving SF, fantasy, horror, and science, as well as readings by authors, gaming, anime videos, and parties. SF fans were free to be as active or inactive as they wanted. For this day, I chose to go to a panel called 13) Solarpunk and the Livable Future. Here, Ed the Engineer and John Monahan tried to find some positive stuff about the future despite the doom & gloom that others predicted. They mentioned SF stories that presented a better future, especially stories that described a more sustainable future. Someone quoted the popular saying “Think globally. Act locally.” Among the subjects these two men covered included energy saving, urban gardening, hybrid & electric cars, and that currently more people have been employed in wind and solar energy than in coal mining. There have been more LED lights and 3-D printers, but more needed to be done. The next panel 14) Generative “AI”: Limitations and Liabilities, Bob Hranek, Nate Hoffelder, John Ashmead, Neil Clarke, and Rebecca Robare discussed machine learning, what it could and couldn’t do, and that ChatGPT could only do one level of a story compared to a good human writer who could write on different levels. Somebody then suggested that if you gave an AI a “nonsense” question, it could destroy it. They also suspected that some humans would misuse AI no matter what. At my final panel, 15) This is How You Lose the Space Race, Cosplay Joe, Ed the Engineer, Tobias Cabral, and Earl Bennett talked about this week’s launch, things that went wrong with different launches in the past, why space centers have been in certain parts of the USA, about NASA and private space companies, and spaceships that landed up right “like God and Robert Heinlein intended spaceships to land.” Overall, we have not been losing the space race, we have been in an “inter race.” Anyway, the question has been—where do we go and how do we go to the Moon, Mars, and beyond? How do we define winning? Finally before going home, the 16) Feedback Session included some members of the Philcon staff who answered questions, listened to suggestions, comments, and complaints that SF fans told them. There were some things beyond the committee’s control, but what they could change for the better, they would.    

                      

Chatsworth, New Jersey

      Sunday, October 22, 2023: Even though I have visited the New Jersey Pinelands for much of my life, I had never been to Chatsworth, NJ. According to the author of the 1968 book, The Pine Barrens, John McPhee called Chatsworth “the capital of the Pines.” I read the book a few times, and one of the chapters covered Chatsworth and especially Buzby’s General Store, 3959 Main Street (Route 563) (609-894-9529). If you arrived in this town at any other time of the year, aside from the traffic on Main Street, Chatsworth would be a quiet town, and the place to go to would be Buzby’s. (Nowadays, new owners run this place, and it’s mainly a restaurant, but they do sell a few food items for retail on the side.) On the other hand, during the third weekend in October, however, it would be a different story! That’s when the largest cranberry festival in NJ happened: Chatsworth Cranberry Festival. Even though we arrived around opening time, already several blocks along the street where free parking was allowed were filled. Therefore, we found it worthwhile to pay the $10 to park at certain parking lots (car parks) located much closer to the festival. Anyhow, I did plenty of walking, and I also observed that most of the vendors were similar to those I’ve seen at different flea markets. Nevertheless, I noticed that some vendors sold cranberries and products made from cranberries, and other vendor tents displayed arts & crafts. If you were pressed for time, I would suggest looking at the sales tables in front of the Whitehorse Inn, the headquarters of the group running this festival. Here, they sold several cranberry products: jars of food, baked goods, and ice cream, as well as commemorative festival items of shirts, aprons, and tote bags. Overall, I found this event was definitely worth visiting once. (Believe me, this area is surrounded by cranberry bogs.)          

Burlington County Farmers' Market

      Saturday, September 9, 2023: I’ve still been a sucker for farmers’ markets. The date above found me browsing and sometimes buying from around 40 vendors at the Burlington County Farmers Market located in the Burlington County Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Road, Moorestown, New Jersey (856-642-3850). From May through November, this market operated, rain or shine, containing vendors selling produce, prepared foods, and baked goods, as well as meats, dairy, and non-edible goods such as flowers and arts & crafts. Nearby, a band played, and the kind of music you heard depended on the date you were there. When I was there, I listened to a classic rock band. It was also tomato day, and I saw some signs giving different facts about tomatoes, and several vendors were selling them. One vendor was selling tomatoes grown from farms that used to sell to Campbell’s Soup when they still had a factory in Camden, NJ. (Nowadays, Campbell’s moved their factory elsewhere, but the headquarters is still in Camden.) I also noticed other tomatoes that the vendor told me had been grown from Burpee Seeds. Then, I bought some tomatoes that the vendor said I could eat as a snack. Now I have not been a big fan of raw tomatoes; I could take or leave them. I preferred tomatoes cooked in many ways, and I liked tomato products and sauces. Anyway, once home, I took a bite of one, and the vendor was right. It did taste good! Overall, this outing made for a pleasant day.

Middletown Grange Fair

      Wednesday, August 16, 2023: An event that looked special came along, and it caught my interest: Middletown Grange Fair, 576 Penns Park Road, Wrightstown (Bucks County), Pennsylvania (215-598-7240). This fair was the closest Bucks County had to a county fair, and they must be doing something right because the Middletown Grange has been running this fair since 1948! I arrived on opening day, and the first thing I noticed were amusement rides that looked similar to the ones I’ve seen at the New Jersey State Fair and the Warren County, New Jersey Farmers Fair. (I wrote about both fairs in The State I’m In issue #5—NJ State Fair and Dotty’s Dimensions: The Column issue #1—Warren County Farmers Fair.) Next, I walked through about a half dozen buildings displaying many different things: animal, vegetable, and other stuff. Among the things I saw were displays of plenty of produce, flowers, and other plants that included a hydroponics plant growing area, as well as canned & baked foods, needle crafts in clothing, quilts, samplers, knitted & crocheted items, etc.—and that was the first and second building. After I ate lunch that I bought from one of the many food vendors, I went to the rest of the buildings where I observed livestock and other animals: horses, mules, cattle, goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, and so on. Outside, I looked at a lot of tractors and other farm equipment, pony rides for children, and other areas of interest for children to keep active while at the fair. Meanwhile, throughout the day, this fair offered a full day’s worth of special events: contests, animal and tractor races, instructional demonstrations, and so forth. In other words, the Middletown Grange Fair has something for almost everyone for those five days in mid-August.          

Special Notice

I have kind of semi-retired on my traveling and going to science fiction and space events.
Therefore, I have limited most of my travels to within Camden County and Burlington County, NJ and Bucks County, PA.
As for SF cons and space events, I am mainly going to Philcon.
If you read my past publications and blogs, you can see that I have traveled through much of the USA and Canada as well as going overseas--especially to England.  I have also gone to many different kinds of science fiction conventions and space exploration events.
Nevertheless, if something special happens outside of these counties, I will attend  that event.
I will not fully retire!

Audubon Crossings

     Thursday, July 18, 2023: I was born in Audubon, Camden County, New Jersey in a small hospital. (In later years, those in power tore down the building and built a new building that became an insurance company. Then, early in the 21st century, it became a medical building again.) Anyway, I grew up in Clementon, NJ. Therefore, the only memories I have of Audubon as a child were when my parents drove through Audubon on Route 30, the White Horse Pike, and they would point out the hospital as they drove by—or in later years, where it once was; and the other memory was more clear to me: taking me to the Black Horse Pike Shopping Center. This outdoor mall opened in 1960, and I remembered the anchor stores being Korvettes, Penny’s, and Woolworth’s. In addition, there were plenty of smaller stores and a good deli. Through the years, different stores replaced many of the original stores, and in 2005, the new owners demolished this shopping center. Then a little later, another shopping center replaced it: Audubon Crossings, 130 Black Horse Pike, Route 168, Audubon (610-277-8899). On the date above, I visited here, and at first glance, it seemed like a shadow of its former self in looks. Instead of an outdoor shopping mall, it currently has been a U-shaped strip mall with Walmart located in the bottom of the U. The large parking lot (car park) filled in the center of the U-shape. As I took a closer look, I saw the following big discount stores on one side: Goodwill, Five Below, Marshall’s, and Ross—among a few other businesses. (At least in my mind they are honest discount stores—not outlet stores pretending to sell designer clothes!) On the other side, I looked at Lane Bryant, Rainbow, and a few others, along with some restaurants: two Asian restaurants, one pizza place, and a few fast food places. I did find a few bargains and had a good lunch in one of the Asian restaurants. Thus, I’d suggest giving this place a chance.  

Clementon Park

      Monday, July 17, 2023: I grew up in Clementon, Camden County, New Jersey, and I lived there from 1956 to ’74. (My parents moved from Philadelphia, PA to Clementon, NJ in 1950.) Last year, I visited Clementon Park, 144 Berlin Road, Clementon (856-783-0263), and I wrote about it in my blog article, “Early Childhood Places,” June 29, 2022. In that article, I compared the town of Clementon and Clementon Park in the 1960s and early ‘70s to last year. Currently, I planned to mention what I learned about the park on this trip. Similar to last year, the admission included both the amusement park and the water park, and both parks were small enough to visit in one day if you stayed most of the day. (The park provides lockers.) For the few hours I was there, I visited the amusement park, but because it was hot & humid that day, most people went to the water park. Therefore, it seemed like I almost had this part of the park to myself. First, I had to surrender my umbrella—and pick it up again on the way out. (I use an umbrella to protect me from the sun. If you need protection, put on some sunblock.) Once inside, I noticed that park employees were still testing the amusement rides, and it was getting close to an early lunchtime, so I had lunch. The prices here were a bit high and you could not bring in outside food. People on a budget, however, could get their hands stamped for re-entry to the park, get their food in their cars, and either eat near or in the car or go to the nearby exterior picnic area where the park provided tables under pavilions. (Thank goodness! Parking is free.) As for the details about the parks themselves, I covered that in “Early Childhood Places.” Anyway, on the date above, I did pretty much what I did the year before: road a few rides and looked around.    

Carnival Of Collectables

      Wednesday, July 12, 2023: A few years ago, I visited Carnival of Collectables, 368 Berlin-Cross Keys Road, Suite B, Sicklerville, Camden County, New Jersey (856-545-3187). Back then, this store in a warehouse had shelves of collectable items. Since then, this place has won awards as the best of Southern NJ by the readers of the Courier Post for six years as the best antique shop and best consignment/resale shop. Therefore, I had to see this place again. In these 12,000 square feet that contained over 130 vendors, I saw quite a change from the last time. Here I noticed antiques and collectables in a much better presentation. Each vendor had decorated his or her space to look more like individual rooms. I’ve said this about other antique malls before, but it has been especially true about this place: “It reminded me of a decorative arts museum, except that this art was for sale!” The merchandise dated from the 1800s into the 1980s and included some of the following items: fine arts, decorative arts, and furniture, as well as clothing, toys, household goods, books, jewelry, vinyl records, CDs, video tapes, DVDs, games, holiday decorations, lunch kits, etc. During certain times of the year, they played host to special events. Believe me, I am sure you will find something to buy here, and you will also spend much time browsing in these many isles as well. (Being a science fiction [SF] fan, I found some SF items, especially about Star Trek and Star Wars.) 

Collingswood Farmers' Market

      Saturday, July 8, 2023: Collingswood, Camden County, New Jersey has been very familiar to me because my parents used to take me shopping here once in a while when I was a child, and for a few years in the 1980s, I lived in Collingswood. Nowadays, every so often, I liked walking around this downtown along Haddon Avenue. This part of Haddon Avenue included a lively shopping district, and Collingswood also has had its share of culture, nightlife, and special events year round. One of those special events happened rain or shine on Saturdays from May through November: Collingswood Farmers’ Market, along Atlantic Avenue from Collings Avenue to Irwin Avenue (856-701-0358). When I was there, I saw close to 50 vendors selling many kinds of foods, especially produce. Most of it grew on local farms, but for some of the foods, the local farmers imported it from other areas. (You try growing tropical fruit in NJ’s climate!) In addition, other vendors sold baked goods, dairy, and meats, as well as pastas, herbs & spices, and some non-edible merchandise. I even found some produce that I couldn’t find in my local supermarkets. Meanwhile, I heard a local band playing at one end on the market. Overall, it all looked colorful and fresh, and if you planned to be in this area, check it out for yourself.    

Cape May Point State Park

     Thursday, July 6, 2023: Earlier on this date, I had visited two other Cape May County, New Jersey towns: Cape May and West Cape May. The first town was a fancy Victorian-styled shore-resort town, and the second was a farming community. Cape May Point, however, was lower keyed, but my favorite place here was Cape May Point State Park, Lighthouse Avenue (609-884-2159). This time I experienced nature, but first, I noticed the nearby lighthouse, the Cape May Point Lighthouse. This lighthouse has been opened to the public, but I chose not to climb the 199 stairs to the top—even if the views were great. Instead, I entered the park’s visitor center and nature center/museum. Inside, I learned a bit about the human history of the area via pictures, texts, and some exhibits—especially about the local Native Americans, the Lenni-Lenapes. Anyway, I became more informed about the natural history of the area as I saw more texts, pictures, and exhibits of the local flora and fauna. Another area had an exhibit about the “Cape May Diamonds.” These clear quartz stones could be found on the beaches around here, and some jewelers cut them into diamond settings for rings, earrings, and pins, as well as necklaces, bracelets, etc. Overall, this place was a good introduction to going outside and seeing the nearby nature yourself as you could walk the walkways & trails and the beaches. This place also offered chances to go surf fishing and picnicking at the southern-most place in NJ!    

Beach Plum Farm

     Thursday, July 6, 2023: After seeing Cape May, New Jersey in all if its Victorian glory with its beach and other seaside delights, I traveled to another Cape May County town: West Cape May. Unlike Cape May, West Cape May was a mostly farming community that included different farm markets, but the one I visited looked the most interesting: the Beach Plum Farm, 140 Stevens Street (609-459-0121). While this place rented cottages for a steep price for those who wanted a “farming vacation,” they also catered to day trippers. I chose the latter option. Here the owners wanted to help the public to learn more about the foods they were eating, especially the produce and eggs from this farm. They have a restaurant with a limited menu, or one could browse and buy at their farm market. I decided to browse and shop. On two floors, I noticed their selection of housewares & gifts, and for edible merchandise, their produce, eggs, and meats. This place also sold plenty of packaged foods in the form of boxed, bagged, and jarred foods grown and made at other farms as well as at this farm. After I bought a few items, I did a self-tour of the grounds with its gardens of flowers, produce, and herbs & spices. I also saw some chickens running freely. Some people signed up for the guided tours for a price. Nevertheless, it made for a nice contrast to Cape May! Overall, there is room for both kinds of daytrips near the NJ Shore.

Cape May

      Thursday, July 6, 2023: I have visited the town of Cape May in Cape May County, New Jersey for much of my life! As a child in the 1960s, my parents would take my brothers and me to the beach, and in the ‘70s, my parents and I would visit my aunt who owned a bed & breakfast house there. During those years, I would walk along the Promenade (the former boardwalk) and browse at the shops on Beach Avenue that ran parallel to the Promenade-- and sometimes buy a few things, as well as play at the arcades and sometimes get a snack. As America’s oldest seaside resort, Cape May didn’t have amusement rides or games of chance like Wildwood, but into the 1980s and ‘90s, when I visited as an adult, I did get to see more of what made Cape May unique: the Victorian-Gothic buildings in all their bright pastel colors. One of the best ways to get a better look has been to take the trolley tours. For more information, contact the following: Cape May MAC (Museums, Arts, and Culture), 1048 Washington Street (609-884-5404). In addition to its Victorian buildings, promenade, and beach, Cape May also has had a few museums, a nature center, and chances to go fishing & crabbing, as well as a convention center, some nightlife, and a few theaters. On the date above, I visited the Sunset Pavilion located at either the beginning or end of the Promenade on Beach Avenue in the southern-most part of Cape May for some great views of the beach and ocean. Throughout the year, the town has played host to different events for the whole family. Before Atlantic City replaced it as the number one attraction in NJ, as far back as the early 1800s, Cape May was the place to visit in NJ.    

Big Kahuna's Water Park

      Thursday, June 29, 2023: For the first time in four years, I went swimming. Therefore, I decided to visit this Camden County, New Jersey place: Big Kahuna’s Water Park, 535 NJ Route 73, West Berlin (856-767-7580). Because I picked a weekday, I thought that this place wouldn’t be too loud: I was wrong! This has been a former warehouse. Thus, sounds did echo, especially screaming. Anyway, if you liked wild water rides, there have been plenty of water slides here and an area for surfing—both of them indoors. Outdoors included a wave pool and a regular pool. They also had water attractions for children and tamer water rides—all in a tropical setting. While I was waiting for the indoor pool to open, I rode a river ride on an inner tube. Later, the pool opened, and I spent most of the rest of my time there. As more people arrived, it got louder, and so I dried off (Bring your own towels.) and walked around to check out what other things this place had to offer. Here, I saw an arcade, bar, and a somewhat expensive restaurant (No outside food allowed.), as well as changing rooms, a gift shop, and places to sit. If you could stand the noise, you could get your water thrills or get refreshed-or both. I’m glad that there has been a water park close to where I live. The weekend could get more crowed and no doubt, more noisy. The inside is opened year round, and I may try a repeat visit, but I’ll be better prepared for the noise too.

Naval Air Station Museum

     Monday, June 19, 2023: So far, I’ve been to a lighthouse and rode a tramcar at two other places in Cape May County, New Jersey on the date above. Finally, I headed to a third place in this county: the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, 500 Forrestal Road at Cape May Airport, Rio Grande (609-886-8787). In an air hanger that the navy built in 1942, I first saw an introduction film showing the history about this place as a training facility for dive bomber airmen from 1943 to ’45 and of how dangerous this training had been because out of 129 crashes, 42 airmen died. After World War II, different airline companies used this hanger before they abandoned it. In the 1990s, Joseph & Patricia Salvatore bought the building and with the help of the Naval Air Station Wildwood Foundation (NASW), they restored it. Inside, I looked at over two-dozen military aircraft from WWII to the Korean War and the Viet Nam War. Most of the aircraft were airplanes, jets, and helicopters, and nearby were some of the engines that were once in some of these aircrafts. I also noticed some autos and boats along with plenty of texts, pictures, videos, and exhibit items on different themes. Some of the subjects covered a memorial to those airmen who died both in training and others who died in combat, blacks who served in the military as well as women in the military. Additional areas were about those who helped out with boats during 9/11/01 at the World Trade Center, the Coast Guard, a room showing everyday items from the 1940s, and plenty of “hands-on” areas that have been popular with children. Of the three places that I visited on the date above, this proved to be one of the most interesting! This would be a good place to visit in addition to the nearby NJ Shore towns, and I’m sure you will learn something new.     

Wildwood Tramcar

      Monday, June 19, 2023: After seeing a lighthouse in North Wildwood, I traveled south in Cape May County, New Jersey to Wildwood itself to ride the tramcar from one end of its two-and-a-half mile journey on the boardwalk, where it met the border with Wildwood Crest, to heading north into a few blocks of North Wildwood—and back! Off-and-on, as I rode the tramcar, I heard the announcement coming from this tramcar to the people on the boardwalk: “Watch the tramcar, please.” Along the way and back, on one side, I looked at the views of the beach & ocean; the convention center; amusement piers with its share of rides, games of chance, and miniature golf, as well as water parks, arcades, shops, and places to eat; and a few other buildings. On the other side, I saw what the boardwalk had to offer. In addition to the attractions that the piers offered, the boardwalk also included an aquarium, a chapel, and bars. For more information contact the following: Sightseer Tramcars Office, 5308 Boardwalk (609-523-1602). These tramcars had been made for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and they have been on the Wildwood Boardwalk since 1949.  Meanwhile, other sections of the town had downtown shopping, other places to eat, bars & nightclubs, and a few museums. One of those museums was called the Doo Wop Museum, and inside, it exhibited items from Wildwood’s heyday in the 1950s and ‘60s. In fact, one on the things that set Wildwood apart from other NJ Shore resort towns was its several buildings dating from the 1950s and ‘60s in all its bright colors and retro-futuristic look. Other activities offered people chances to go fishing & crabbing, and of course, there has been the beach and ocean. In other words, there has been something for almost everybody. I could see why my parents used to take me here when I was a child in the 1960s.   

Hereford Lighthouse

      Monday, June 19, 2023: On yet another trip to Cape May County, New Jersey, my first stop was at the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, 111 North Central Avenue, North Wildwood (609-600-1561). This 1874 lighthouse could easily be missed because it did not look like a typical long-column lighthouse. Instead, it resembled one of those Victorian-Gothic houses with a tower added to it. What made this place different was the top of that tower contained a light to be visible to ships off the coast. Inside, I saw a few rooms on both the main floor and on the upper floor decorated in a Victorian style. On some of the walls, I noticed pictures of the former lighthouse keepers, other prominent people from the area, and past photos of how the lighthouse looked, especially how it looked before restoration. Outside, the grounds displayed a very colorful garden of different flowers, and a path from there led to the beach. Overall, this would make a nice quiet stop or detour before heading south to visit its noisier neighbor: Wildwood!     

Wetlands Institute

      Tuesday, June 13, 2023: After going to mini-museums in Sea Isle City and Avalon each, and visiting a quaint-looking shopping area, I went to one more attraction on the above date in Cape May County, New Jersey: Wetlands Institute, 1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard, Stone Harbor (609-368-1211). In contrast to the other three places, this place educated others about the natural history of the coastal communities and of how those nature areas have been important to the environment! Starting with a 40-minute video in the lecture hall, I saw for myself how crucial these marshlands have been in several ways as I became informed about the everyday life of the flora and fauna of this area—and how it benefitted humans. Another section of this room provided a live closed-circuit camera view of an osprey nest outside in the marshes. In addition, I also noticed mobiles of wood-carved birds hanging above me. In fact, in different parts of the building, I glanced at both taxidermy and wood-carved animals, especially birds, which lived in the marshlands. Another room was the Terrapin Station where I looked at texts, pictures, and models of turtles native to here along with tanks of live turtles. The small aquarium also had its share of texts, pictures, and models of fish and other creatures that lived nearby, plus I saw tanks of live fish, reptiles, amphibians, and even an octopus. My favorite exhibit included a diorama about sex and gluttony at the shore showing models of horseshoe crabs and seagulls & other seabirds. As the female horseshoe crabs lay their eggs, the gulls and other birds eat those eggs. It has been estimated that on an average, out of 1,000 eggs laid, only one of them would be hatched. Once outside, wooden walkways through this property offered a closer look at some of what I saw displayed inside. If nothing else, you can get to know how these places looked before some areas around the shore got developed and why these places should be preserved.          

Woodland Village

     Tuesday, June 13, 2023: For a change of pace from seeing small museums in Sea Isle City and Avalon, New Jersey, I headed toward another place in Cape May County, north on Route 9: Woodland Village, 1943 Route 9, Clermont (609-624-1350). Here in a quaint-looking setting of some lovely landscaping of trees, plants, flowers, and brick walkways, I noticed over a dozen or more shops in different small cottage-styled buildings painted in some very bright colors! Each store sold different merchandise: clothing & accessories for men, women, and children; toys; and items for pets; as well as candles & soaps; an art gallery displaying and selling art by local artists; a travel agency; and places selling edible things. Included in all this was a place where I had lunch that sold sandwiches, bagels, baked goods, and candy (sweets). I ate upstairs in their small dining room, and the décor on the walls and shelves reminded me of my childhood because I saw pictures and items from the 1950s and ‘60s. Meanwhile, the food proved to be good, and afterward, I walked around this village that looked like it was bigger than Village on High in Millville, NJ, but smaller than Smithville in Atlantic County, NJ. Overall, it will only take an hour or two to see this place and have something to eat here, but it’s only a short drive from the shore resorts in Cape May County.    

Avalon History Center

     Tuesday, June 13, 2023: After visiting Sea Isle City, New Jersey, I traveled south to the next Cape May County town: Avalon. This beach town too, has had amenities similar to Sea Isle City: beach, outdoor activities, dining, nightlife, and downtown shopping, but Avalon also has had a non-commercial boardwalk and the following place: Avalon History Center, 215 39th Street (609-967-0090). Like Sea Isle City’s museum, this was also a small museum, but unlike the Sea Isle museum with its open-floor plan located within the town’s library, the Avalon museum was in its own building—even though it has been owned by Avalon’s library—and it divided its theme areas into different small rooms. Each room included pictures, texts, and exhibit items. Inside the reception area, I saw a painting from 1889 called “Stormy Weather” by Joseph Wells of Avalon as it looked before the founding of the town in 1892. Other rooms displayed these themes: Beach Patrol, Early Avalon from its days as a fishing village for the Lenape to a modern resort, and Shop Talk that covered former businesses in Avalon. As I said in the article about Sea Isle City’s museum: This could be a good place for a rainy day or to learn more about the town this museum was in before heading outside again! (Yes, there is a library in Avalon that I assume has plenty of books and other resources in case the weather doesn’t get better soon.)  

Sea Isle City Historical Museum

     Tuesday, June 13, 2023: I’ve never been to Sea Isle City in Cape May County, New Jersey before, but from what I read, this town had the usual outdoor beach resort activities, a promenade (a former boardwalk), and a downtown shopping area, as well as dining, nightlife, and this place: The Sea Isle City Historical Museum in the Sea Isle City Library, 4800 Central Avenue (609-263-2992). As I said about the last two places I visited in Cape May County: This would be a good place to visit on a rainy day. This small open-floor museum allowed you to go to different sections that covered certain themes in Sea Isle City’s 130+ year history. Therefore, via texts, pictures, and exhibit items, I looked at the following areas: Military and Emergency Services, Old Time Kitchen and Laundry, and Stained Glass Windows, as well as other historical objects, flip chart displays, and chances to do research here. I especially remembered one section that showed pictures and newspaper articles about the two major storms that hit Sea Isle City: The March 1963 Storm and Super Storm Sandy from October 2012. Another area displayed a temporary exhibit theme, and when I was there, I noticed wedding gowns from 1880 to 2007 of brides from Sea Isle City. Then there is the library itself with its resources and events year round, including book sales! Thus, you could learn more about this resort town, and then head outside again.   

Schiavo Library

      Saturday, June 10, 2023: After visiting Ocean City (OC), I decided to go farther south in Cape May County, New Jersey and see Strathmere, NJ. I’ve never been here before, but I learned that it was a very quiet beach town compared to its neighbor to the north, OC. Also, unlike OC, NJ, Strathmere has been allowed to sell alcoholic drinks, and I noticed a few places that sold drinks and food. Otherwise, the big attractions in this town were the beach and chances to go fishing & crabbing. Anyway, the best part about this beach was that it was free—no beach tags required. (I did hear a rumor, however, that those in power may be thinking of changing this policy.) This also sounded like a good place to bring children if you wanted them to strictly enjoy the beach without the distractions of boardwalk amusement rides, carnival games, and other similar attractions. (There’s room for both kinds of beach towns!) Anyway, if the weather took a turn for the worst, I could recommend the following place: Dr. Rita C. Schiavo Library, 801 South Commonwealth Avenue, Strathmere (609-486-6265). Dr. Schiavo (1921-2005) was a highly regarded lawyer who did much for her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and she was a summer resident of Strathmere for over 80 years. Before she died, she put in her will to have her former summer home become a library. Inside, I first entered a “micro-museum”—compared to Ocean City’s “mini-museum”. It was really a showcase of exhibits. While I was there, the place presented “Boatbuilding 1940-1946” that displayed equipment the boat builders used in making boats back then. Of course, the rest of this place was a library of many books and other library resources. At certain times of the year, they hold special events, including book sales.     

Ocean City Historical Museum

 

     Saturday, June 10, 2023: Most people came to Ocean City in Cape May County, New Jersey to go to the boardwalk, beach, and to the attractions along the boardwalk. During my childhood, my parents first took me here for the same reasons, and the last time I was at this resort was in 2008. I have a report about my visit in The State I’m In, issue #3, available for a free download from my website. This time, I came to Ocean City (OC) for a different reason. I decided to visit the Ocean City Historical Museum, located in the Ocean City Community Center & Library, 1735 Simpson Avenue, #3 (609-399-1801). One of the reasons I visited was because not every day in OC, NJ would be a perfect day weather-wise! Therefore, if the weather was less than perfect, a visit to this museum, and later, the library, could be fulfilling. In a mid-sized room, this museum covered the history of OC, NJ from the time of the Lenni-Lenapes to the current time via texts, pictures, and exhibit items in five different theme areas: 1. From Hunting Ground to Modern Resort, 2. The Founders & The Early Years, 3. The Boardwalk, 4. The Sindia, and 5. Grace Kelly. Because this museum wouldn’t take up too much of your time, you could also check out the library with its vast collections of books, magazines, videos, and other resources. This library also had a children’s section, and on certain days they played host to book sales and other special events. If nothing else, you will learn more about OC, NJ, and you might appreciate it better when the weather becomes clearer and you are back on the boardwalk & beach.     

Haddon Heights Farmers' Market

     Sunday, June 3, 2023: As I said in an earlier article: If there was a farmers’ market in the area, I would find it, and I found another one in Camden County, New Jersey: Haddon Heights Farmers’ Market, along East Atlantic Avenue near Station Avenue (856-261-2943). Unlike the farmers’ market in Merchantville, NJ, however, Haddon Heights Farmers’ Market had more vendors selling food, especially produce. Here, I noticed about one-quarter to about one-third of the over 30-some vendors sold produce that included plenty of fresh and colorful fruits & vegetables. Others sold baked goods, beverages, and herbs & spices, as well as pasta, nuts, jams, soups, and other edible stuff. I also viewed some vendors who sold non-edible merchandise: fine & decorative art, jewelry, candles, soaps, etc. Meanwhile, some local musicians, at one end of the street, played mostly folk and country music. For my part, I was happy to find some produce that I couldn’t find in a few different supermarkets near me!  

Longwood Gardens

 

   Thursday, June 1, 2023: It was another trip to Pennsylvania, and this time, I visited a place in Chester County that always brought joy to me whenever I visited there in the past: Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square (610-388-1000). Open all year round, this 1000-acre place has something for almost everybody. I’ve been here in the spring when the flowers in bloom displayed their many colors and shapes. During my two Christmas season visits, I noticed seasonal decorations, especially Xmas trees, and certain flowers & plants, including poinsettias, holly, and ivy. Then, my last visit was in the autumn in the early 2000s, during the Chrysanthemum Festival. The date above was the first time I ever visited during the summer season where Longwood Gardens presented the Festival of Fountains. In between watching the fountains, I also saw something that was in full bloom during the summer season: roses in many colors. Of course, Longwood Gardens displayed many other kinds of other flowers, during my visit, along with many plants, trees, and some lovely landscaping. Nevertheless, there was much more to this place than plants. There were some interesting buildings with the most popular being the Conservatory. Inside, this glasshouse contained so many plants and flowers that this part of Longwood Gardens alone could take up much of my time. One of my favorite buildings, however, was the Peirce-Du Pont House. This was where it all started. Early parts of the house dated back to 1730 when the Peirce family owned it as a farmhouse. Through the years, this family added to the original house, and when Pierre Du Pont bought the house and property in 1906, he added even more to the house and added a final addition in 1914. I learned this and more as I saw videos, pictures, texts, and exhibit items inside of the house covering such subjects as the history of the house, the Peirce family, and Pierre Du Pont, as well as the Lenape, early American botanists, and the growth of Longwood Gardens. For the rest of the day, I walked along and “absorbed” the sights of this property. Once again, Longwood Gardens brought joy to me!          

Brandywine Museum of Art

     Thursday, May 25, 2023: On one of my occasional trips to Pennsylvania, I stopped into the Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford, (610-388-2700) in Delaware County. Located in an old grist mill and an adjoining modern tower, this place exhibited American artworks in paintings and drawings on three floors. With only four galleries, I would say that this museum was between small to mid-sized. Nevertheless, I saw quite a bit of pictures in those galleries. For an extra charge, this place offered chances to see N.C. Wyeth’s house, Andrew Wyeth’s Studio, and the neighboring Kuerner Farm. I chose to be at the museum only, and starting on the top floor, the permanent collection displayed 19th- and 20th-century artworks from several American artists, especially from the Brandywine Valley. Outside of this gallery, large windows provided views of the Brandywine Creek that also looked interesting. In addition, I also had a chance to rest my feet as I sat at a nearby table and glanced through books containing prints of more artworks by American artists. Then, on a lower level, one gallery showed artworks by N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and Jamie Wyeth, and the other gallery exhibited art by extended Wyeth family members and friends. Finally, the ground level gallery presented temporary art themes, and when I was there, the theme was “Home Places.” Here, I looked at paintings and drawings by Andrew Wyeth of buildings and other structures in and near Chadds Ford, PA. Later, I noticed more works of art in the form of prints and other items in the gift shop--except that this art was for sale. Outside, I saw some colorful flowers in bloom, and overall, this was a lovely place to spend a few hours, but the nice weather made it more special!        

The Spot

      Thursday, May 18, 2023: After I browsed and bought a few things at Twice Loved Treasures, I went shopping and browsing at another place: The Spot at The Ave., 618 East Landis Avenue, Vineland (Cumberland County), New Jersey (856-839-2825). First, this place has been labeled as a “shopping mall.” Second, forget about those shopping malls that opened up in the 1950s through the ‘90s because this “mall” was a shared market where different vendors rented a space and sold their merchandise on consignment. From my point of view, I took one look in here and one word came to my mind: Wow! The Spot looked like it was four or five times larger than Twice Loved Treasures—and then there was a lower bargain basement floor. As for the merchandise, some of it was new, and much of it was handmade in clothing, jewelry, arts & crafts, soaps, candles, decorations, and so on. One area that especially interested me was an area selling rocks, minerals, crystals, ceramics, and incense. Some of the rocks and crystals looked like they were in their natural state and others had been set in jewelry. Meanwhile, many vendors sold used items in the form of clothing, jewelry, and accessories, as well as furniture, books, toys, CDs, DVDs, decorations, sewing supplies—including fabrics, and countless other antiques and collectables. Although some of the vendors placed their goods strewn about on shelves and boxes in a slipshod way, others took the time to showcase their items for sale. In some areas I felt like I was in a decorative arts museum—except this art was for sale. Anyhow, this is a not-to-be-missed place. Even downtown Vineland made for an interesting walk with its other stores and some places to stop and eat. The town officials call this part of Landis Avenue “The Avenue.” 

Twice Loved Treasures

      Thursday, May 18, 2023: For this day, I did a bit of shopping. Twice Loved Treasures, 20 West Park Avenue, Vineland (Cumberland County), New Jersey (856-507-0400), has been located in a strip mall between a Forman Mills store and a U Save Outlet, plus a Family Dollar store was nearby. Therefore, if you were looking for bargains, this shopping area might have something that you wanted or needed. Nevertheless, if you especially shopped at Twice Loved Treasures, you would be benefitting Inspira Health. Once inside, I noticed that this store contained a vast amount of second-hand merchandise in clothing, books, and furniture, as well as household goods, artworks, toys, jewelry, holiday decorations, 45 RPM records & LP records, CDs, DVDs, etc. In fact, the sign above the store read “Thrift Shop.” (The Twice Loved Treasures sign is located above the front doorway.) Unlike some other thrift stores, this place looked similar to a regular retail store. It didn’t look like some discount stores with a warehouse atmosphere and bins or shelves of junk that one had to root through to find the treasures. Believe me, in most cases, you would find something to buy here! Thus, if you are in the Vineland, NJ area, it is worthwhile to stop in, and besides finding bargains, you could be helping a worthy cause.     

Bayside Center

     Sunday, May 14, 2023: After seeing East Point Lighthouse earlier in the day, I spent the afternoon seeing a different side of life near the Delaware Bay in Cumberland County, New Jersey: The Bayshore Center at Bivalve, 2800 High Street, Port Norris (856-785-2060). Unlike the lonely existence of a lighthouse keeper, living in the Bivalve section of Port Norris was very active—at least during the latter part of the 19th century and for most of the first half of the 20th century! To look at it currently, it looked remote, but when I visited the museum at the Bayshore Center, I learned a lot more about life around here, especially for those who worked in the oyster industry. At one time Bivalve was the “oyster capital of the world,” and in the museum, one of the rooms displayed the equipment people used to keep the oyster industry going. Other areas of the museum covered boat navigation, the conversion of the oyster boats from sails to being motorized after World War II, and about the natural life in the area. In addition, other exhibit areas had exhibits about African-Americans working in Bivalve (Many of whom got convinced to move here from the Chesapeake Bay area.), and about everyday life during the heyday of Bivalve. I also watched few videos that covered similar subjects to the ones shown in the museum. At the end of the day, I learned more about the oyster industry and about the lives of those who worked and lived in this area.   

East Point Lighthouse

 

     Sunday, May 14, 2023: It was a long time ago since I had seen the Delaware Bay side of the New Jersey Shore. Nevertheless, I decided to visit a place that I’ve never been to along the Bay: East Point Lighthouse, 10 Lighthouse Road, Heislerville (Cumberland County) (856-785-0349). This 1849 lighthouse was the second-oldest lighthouse in NJ (after Sandy Hook Lighthouse), and after buying tickets at a nearby gift shop, a very enthusiastic guide walked with us to the lighthouse and showed us the ground floor and upper floor. (I could also go to the top of the lighthouse, but I chose not to.) Furnished in a Victorian 19th-century style, the ground floor showed a living room and kitchen along with pictures and photos of former lighthouse keepers and their families. Meanwhile, the upper floor included bedrooms and a few other rooms. Our guide also mentioned to us what the daughter of a former lighthouse keeper said: “It could be a cold and lonely life, especially in the winter.” Located at the mouth of the Maurice River (The locals pronounce it “Morris.”) and the Delaware Bay, this place still served as a navigational aid in addition to a museum. Outside, the views of the bay looked good, especially with the flowers in bloom! Therefore, I noticed some people taking nature walks. Overall, if you wanted to see a more quiet area along the NJ Shore and study history or nature or both, this is the place.  

Market Off Centre

      Friday, May 5, 2023: If there was a farmers’ market in the area, I would find it! On the date above, I visited one in Merchantville (Camden County), New Jersey: Market Off Centre, along East Chestnut Avenue (856-488-0976). (This is the phone number for a coffee house/restaurant called The Station. Located in Merchantville’s former train station, this place could be a good place to rest after walking through the market or anytime in Merchantville’s downtown. Most of its menu contained vegetarian foods in the form of sandwiches & snacks, and they also served coffee and other beverages.) Altogether, along both sides of an asphalt path where the train tracks used to be, I saw about two dozen vendors who sold different kinds of merchandise: jewelry, accessories, and crafts, as well as soaps, candles, jarred foods, baked goods, etc. In addition, three food trucks had hot dogs and pretzels, as well as ice cream and soft drinks for sale. Later in the evening, Camden County Library presented “Story Time” followed by music from either a disk jockey or a local band. If nothing else, it was a good way to spend the first Friday of the month supporting local farmers, artists, and merchants. Even downtown Merchantville had its share of a variety of shops to visit earlier in the day. (While there is no more train service, a local NJ Transit Bus stops at the corner of Chestnut and Centre Streets.)    

Tyler Arboretum

      Tuesday, April 18, 2023: For the first time in four years, I had taken more than one trip to Pennsylvania within a year. Therefore, I decided to visit a certain attraction in Delaware County, PA: the Tyler Arboretum, 515 Painter Road, Media (610-566-9134). (The last PA trip was a month ago to the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum in Horsham.) After I arrived on this 650 acres of plants, trees, and gardens, as well as hiking trails, some buildings, and other attractions, I had forgotten about the elevation—especially on hilly grounds! Soon I was getting tired and a bit out of breath. Nevertheless, the colorful flowers in bloom and the woodlands made it worthwhile. Later, I rested as I ate a picnic lunch. Afterward, I once again walked the grounds, but on the second walk, I took my time and walked slowly. Among the walks that impressed me the most was the Story Walk with its views of some interesting buildings in amongst the landscape and trees, and a produce garden. The other impressive walk was the Native Woodland Walk where I imagined that much of PA might have looked to William Penn. Another area included the Scenic Loop that displayed its share of attractions, including the large rhododendron garden, a maze, meadows, and other things to see, both natural and human made. Overall, I would suggest you wear your most comfortable walking shoes, hold onto the map of this place because they don’t have too many signs, and most of all: take it slowly, especially if you live closer to sea level.   

Village on High

      Friday, April 14, 2023: After being at the Vineland Flea Market earlier that day, I headed to another shopping area in another town in Cumberland County, New Jersey: Millville. In this case, I didn’t expect bargains because Village on High, 501 North High Street (856-765-0404) included close to a dozen shops, and inside those cottages, the vendors sold art, jewelry, and accessories, as well as candles, soaps, and other boutique merchandise. I mostly browsed and bought a smoothie at the vegan café. While in this village, I felt as though I was in a museum area looking at art in different forms--except that this art was for sale! Anyway, I was glad that I looked around, but I’d most likely do most of my buying at flea and farmers’ markets. 

Vineland Flea Market

     Friday, April 14, 2023: I’ve been a sucker for flea and farmers’ markets! Therefore, I decided to check out the Vineland Flea Market, 2896 South Delsea Drive (Route 47), Vineland (Cumberland County), New Jersey (856-362-5393). Although I was there on a weekday and saw about a dozen tables occupied with vendors selling everything from produce to antiques to pure junk, some of the people there informed me that on the weekends, especially in the afternoon, almost all of the tables were usually occupied. Altogether, this place had around seven rows of pavilions containing dozens or more tables each—and that’s not counting the outside tables and food trucks. Nevertheless, the few tables I saw had a variety of merchandise: produce, furniture, and household items, as well as clothes, jewelry, and other stuff too numerous to mention. Therefore, I ended up buying a few things. Get here early if you want a good parking spot, and if you want to be a vendor, get in touch with them.      

Gibbon House

      Thursday, April 13, 2023: During the latter part of the 1600s and into the 1700s, Greenwich (pronounced “green-witch” not “gren-ish” as in Greenwich, England or Greenwich Village, New York City) in Cumberland County, New Jersey was a very busy port town along the Cohansey River off of Delaware Bay. Years later, due to other forms of transportation, Greenwich, NJ lost a lot of its population. Currently it has been a mostly quiet town containing a sizeable number of buildings dating back to the 18th- and 19th-centuries. The Cumberland County Historical Society has owned a few of the attractions that have been opened to the public in this town. After seeing Wheaton Art Center in Millville, I headed to the headquarters for the Cumberland County Historical Society in the Gibbon House, 960 Ye Greate Street, Greenwich (856-455-4055). Here, I met a very enthusiastic guide who explained the history of the area and about this 1730 house as she showed us the different rooms inside. The ground floor included the following rooms furnished with items and furniture from the 1700s and 1800s: hallway, parlor, dining room, and a kitchen with a walk-in fireplace. On the upper floor, I noticed the master bedroom and other rooms with different exhibits. One of the rooms contained one of the largest collections of Ware rushed-seated chairs, and other rooms exhibited toys, clothing from the 18th- and 19th-centuries, as well as tools used in different crafts, including spinning & weaving, and other things donated by people living nearby. On the grounds, I glanced at a red barn from 1930 and a 1650 granary. Overall, I learned quite a bit about this area of Cumberland County!   

WheatonArts

      Thursday, April 13, 2023: Since I last visited here in the early 2000s, this place was known as Wheaton Village. Nowadays, those in power renamed this place Wheaton Arts, 1000 Village Drive, Millville (Cumberland County), New Jersey (856-825-6800). Upon arrival, I entered my favorite place in this village: The Museum of American Glass. In a Victorian-gingerbread interior, this museum exhibited American-made glass in both fine and decorative arts from the 18th century into the 21st century. When I was there, I looked at two special presentations: works by glass artist Amber Cowan and the history of Wheaton as a tourist attraction. In the first special exhibit area, Amber Cowan made fine art out of broken glass and glass scrapes by melting and sometimes glassblowing into different shapes. Many of her artworks looked very elaborate and colorful! The other special area, via text and pictures, covered the 50 years of Wheaton as a glassmaking area and a favorite attraction in NJ.  Therefore, the next place I entered, the Glass Studio, glass makers demonstrated glassblowing and other techniques in their quest to make different items: pitchers, paperweights, and other, mostly, decorative and practical glass items. Meanwhile, a guide explained to us what each glassworker was doing in detail. This building was a copy of the 1888 Wheaton Glass Factory, and in another section, other glassworkers were using flame work to make smaller glass objects: beads, marbles, jewelry, etc. The final section in this building showed potters making their share of items with clay: pots, pitchers, plates, cups, and so on. On the other side of the village street, I viewed the Down Jersey Folk Life Center that presented temporary exhibits about the different kinds of people who lived in Southern NJ. When I was there, I saw costumes from the Latino cultures. The rest of this side of the street included stores where you didn’t need an admission ticket to enter: an arts & crafts gallery, a paperweight shop, and an old-fashioned (circa early 20th century) general store. At certain times of the year, Wheaton plays host to special events, but no matter what time of year, it is worth your while to visit.     

Adventure Aquarium

      Tuesday, April 4, 2023: The last time I was here was in 2000 when this place was called the New Jersey State Aquarium. Back then, the exhibits mainly focused on sea life off the NJ Coast. In 2005, those in power renovated and expanded the aquarium. They also renamed it Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Drive, Camden (Camden County), NJ (844-474-3474). While this wasn’t the largest aquarium I’ve ever been to (compare to the one in Baltimore, Maryland), it has been the largest in NJ, and it took me about three hours to see! I arrived in time for an early lunch before I toured this place. (Lunch was expensive, but if you are on a budget, you can get your hand stamped for re-entry and eat elsewhere. Some people brought their own food and ate it in their cars.) After lunch, I entered the newer area that presented one of their main attractions: two hippos. Another popular section in this area displayed one of the largest collections of sharks as well as rays and of course, several fish. Then I walked over to the older part of the aquarium where I saw a simulation of a tropical storm in a South American jungle while the tank underneath exhibited piranhas. Later, it was a more cute experience for me when I was looking at a simulated beach and water tank for the little blue Australian Penguins. The rest of this section showed plenty of different kinds of fish from around the world and reptiles: turtles, an alligator, a caiman, and lizards. In the next zone, I watched stingrays, and just outside, at Penguin Island, I glanced at African Penguins moving about. Upstairs in yet another zone, I noticed different frogs, and in different parts of the aquarium lived some parrots and a few other kinds of birds. Additionally, this aquarium showed 3-D films having to do with marine life, some touch exhibits, and a play area for children, as well as a virtual-reality sea dive (for an extra charge), daily feeding of the animals, and talks by the staff. Meanwhile, Adventure Aquarium provided plenty of text, pictures, and videos helping to explain more about the sea life they presented. Overall, this place proved to be both educational and entertaining.      

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.