Sea Girt Lighthouse

      Thursday, May 13, 2021: For the first time in years, I saw the ocean at the New Jersey Shore: Sea Girt to be exact. Upon arriving, I saw the outside of the Sea Girt Lighthouse, 9 Ocean Avenue, Sea Girt (732-974-0514). Since 1896, this lighthouse had been a beacon for ships off the NJ Coast between Sandy Hook and Barnegat. Although the interior wasn’t open, I did see it online through videos and pictures. One of the rooms looked like a circa 1890s living room, and other rooms displayed items, pictures, and texts dealing with local history, in addition to a Fresnel lens that the lighthouse keeper had to light with kerosene. Anyway, after taking pictures of this lighthouse and other close by sights: the Pavilion, the ocean and beach, the non-commercial boardwalk, and some grand-looking Victorian houses along Ocean Avenue, I ate a picnic lunch and called it a relaxing day. A short drive to the nearby town of Manasquan with over 40 businesses in the downtown, that someone described as a “Normal Rockwell painting,” could make for a full day!   

Thompson Park

      Thursday, May 6, 2021: Middlesex County’s largest park (675 acres), Thompson Park, Thompson Drive and Lakeview Avenue, Monroe Township (732-745-3900) included plenty of activities in practicing different sports, a few playgrounds, and trails for hiking. In addition, there was a lake for fishing, picnic areas, and an animal haven/zoo. When I was there, I ate my lunch near the lake, and later, I saw the animals: several white-tailed deer, goats, and hogs, as well as chickens, ducks, and geese. Other birds included ring necked pheasants, an emu, and peacocks, including a white peacock. Speaking of animals, another area of this park offered a dog park in two sections for large and small dogs where the public could let their four-footed friends run freely. Overall, you could visit here and be as active or relaxing as you want—and the same goes for your dog! 

Twin Lights Light House

      Saturday, April 17, 2021: Located high on a hill, more than 200 feet above sea level, the Twin Lights State Historic Site, 2 Lighthouse Road, Highlands (732-872-1814) looked like a brownstone castle. In 1841, this was the first lighthouse to use Fresnel lights, but the current building dated back to 1862. From what others told me, the reason there have been two lights here was because ships out at sea wouldn’t confuse it with the Sandy Hook Lighthouse. Among other things that happened there was that Marconi demonstrated the wireless telegraph in 1899. Although the main building was closed with its small museum and the entrance to climb the North Tower, due to covid-19, I did get a chance to observe the giant Fresnel light lens in the nearby former power plant. The staff opened the doors to this building, but they roped off anybody from entering the building. Nevertheless, I also got to see model-scaled sized power engines that once powered the lighthouse. Another nearby building had a life boat on display. Finally, I walked around the grounds of this building where signs outside provided pictures and text that explained the history of this lighthouse and its purpose. The best views from here showed the skyline of NYC! Be warned: Lighthouse Road was a very steep road. We had to put the car in second gear. In addition, the nearby towns of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands have some very interesting downtowns with different shops and other businesses. 

Johnson Park

 

Wednesday, April 7, 2021: Again, this was another place that I wrote about visiting virtually last year: Johnson Park, Johnson Park Road, Piscataway (732-745-3900). On the date above, however, I visited it in person. This 473-acre park contained picnic areas, playgrounds, and places to practice different sports, as well as a chance to observe nature, a replica of an 18th-century village, and a small zoo. After having a picnic lunch, I headed to the zoo first. Here, along an area of single and double chain-link fences, I looked at different farm and wild animals: chickens, guinea fowl, ring-nicked doves, ducks, geese, pigs, goats, alpacas, deer, horses, and a few other animals. The best part about this zoo was that it was free, and as a result, I saw a few families also looking at these animals. Later, it took a short drive, but I visited another section of this park: East Jersey Old Town Village. The collection of mostly reconstructed buildings resembled a village from the mid-1700s. Although these buildings stayed closed due to covid-19, I still enjoyed seeing the exteriors around the village green. Some of those buildings included a barracks, a tavern, and a blacksmith shop, as well as a wheelwright shop, a school house, a church, different houses, and an herb garden. During normal times, re-enactors demonstrated their trades, and other volunteers dressed as soldiers who did drills or played the fife and drums. Overall, this park made for a good outing no matter how active you wanted to be or if you just wanted to relax!   

InfoAge

  

    Saturday, March 20, 2021: Wow! This place was worth the wait to visit. I wrote about my impressions of a virtual visit to this museum in a recent issue of DOTTY’S DIMENSIONS: THE COLUMN, and that sounded interesting enough, but visiting in person was so much better. Because I’m a fan of space exploration, I made a beeline to the Space Exploration Center of this attraction: InfoAge Science & History Museums, 2201 Marconi Road, Wall, NJ (732-280-3000 or info@infoage.org). (The Space Center is up the street a bit from the main campus of the InfoAge Museums at 2300 Marconi Road.) Although the Space Center didn’t have all kinds of flashy exhibits compared to some of the bigger air & space museums, this was the home of radio astronomy. While here, I bounced my voice off of the moon, watched a staff member track a pulsar, and saw a back-up of the Vanguard Satellite, as well as noticed a replica of the Tristar Satellite, looked at items that went to the moon and back, and glanced at other exhibits. Some of these exhibits showed texts, pictures, and items about the Space Race and afterward. Outside, however, I observed the TIROS Satellite Dish rotate as the staff inside directed it toward the moon. After this, I headed to the main museum campus where I saw videos at the Visitors Center about these museums and about Guglielmo Marconi. This place was vast, so I headed to my favorite sections first: Radio Technology and Vintage Computers. In both sections, very enthusiastic guides gave me better lessons than I ever had in school about those two subjects. Meanwhile, the Radio Technology and Vintage Computer sections showed exhibits, texts, and pictures covering their histories. Other areas presented rooms of display exhibits that I glimpsed at: military items and miniature dioramas about World War I and WWII, model trains, and about 9/11/2001, as well as shipwrecks, black history, and other subjects. Overall, if you see nothing else in Monmouth County, see the InfoAge Science & History Museums.           

Thomas Edison Center, Edison, NJ

     Saturday, March 6, 2021:  In one of last year’s issues of Dotty’s Dimensions: The Column, I wrote about a virtual visit to this place: Thomas Edison Center, 37 Christie Street, Edison, New Jersey (732-549-3299). On the date above, I finally took my first in-person visit to an attraction in over a year when I visited the place listed above! Anyway, upon arriving I noticed the large tower in the picture, dedicated in 1938, on the spot where Thomas Edison’s lab stood from 1876 to 1882. I had to book in advance for my tour in this two-room museum, but our enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide explained and pointed out the different texts, pictures, and exhibit items that covered Edison’s life and his inventions. Two of his most famous inventions here were the first practical light bulb and the phonograph. Nevertheless, the greatest invention of Edison’s was starting the first organized research and development laboratory. Our guide also demonstrated some of the exhibit items here, especially the old phonographs. Then, I glanced at a model of the first laboratory that the model maker made with pieces from the original building. Finally, our guide took us outside to the tower and let us look inside on the ground floor at an eternal light that stayed lit all the time using the latest technology; on the date above, it would be an LED light. Afterward, we walked around the grounds and looked at the memorial to Edison (1847-1931), dedicated in 1947, the 100th anniversary of his birth.  

 

BRISTOL AMISH MARKET, BRISTOL, PENNSYLVANIA

     Saturday, August 3, 2019: Once again, I learned that I didn’t have to go to Lancaster County, PA, or Philly’s Reading Terminal Market to eat and buy Pennsylvania “Dutch” foods because just north of Philadelphia has been the location of the Bristol Amish Market, 498 Green Lane, Bristol, PA (215-826-9971). As soon as I entered, I ordered lunch from the counter of a luncheonette that served hot and cold sandwiches. After this, I picked up my order, sat at one of the many tables near the front window, and ate my lunch. Later, I browsed and sometimes bought different food items from close to a dozen food vendors. Those merchants sold many kinds of foods: deli, kettle corn, bbq meats, as well as baked goods, produce, ice cream & pretzels, meats, donuts, seafood, bulk foods, fudge, etc.—all with that special PA “Dutch” touch to them! (Yes, most of the people working here are Amish.) Another part of the building sold furniture. Finally, outside, a vendor sold sheds. (At last, a house I can afford. HA! HA!) Anyway, between the browsing and some buying, it made for a relaxing few hours. If you don’t find something you like here, you didn’t browse very well.