Category: Parks and Historical Sites

South Presbyterian Church 150 West Church Street Bergenfield, NJ 07621

South Presbyterian Church 150 West Church Street Bergenfield, NJ 07621

South Presbyterian Church

150 West Church Street

Bergenfield, NJ 07621

(201) 384-8932

https://www.southpresbyterian.net/history

Open: Sundays during service time

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/13264450?m=19905

The South Presbyterian Church at 150 West Church Street in Bergenfield, NJ

The historic marker in front of the church

I was in Bergenfield, NJ recently to visit the Bergenfield Museum and I walked around this beautiful church and the graveyard next to it. What a beautiful, graceful building and the cemetery had an old New England charm about it. The graveyard held the graves of many of the original family members who founded the County and lived in Bergen County since the late 1600’s.

The inside of the church

The church sat in this beautiful area right next to Cooper Park off Downtown Bergenfield. I can’t wait to take a look inside one day.

The inside of the church during Sunday services

The Mission Statement from the Church:

(from the church website)

“As followers of the risen Lord, we, the South Presbyterian Church family, commit ourselves to proclaim the gospel, witness to the promise of God’s Kingdom, and nurture all children of God. In our community and throughout the world, we will serve in Christ’s name through worship and mission. We will serve through open worship, willing service and compassion to all for the glory of God wherever our lives shall take us.”

The historic marker of the church

History of the Church:

(from the church website)

SOUTH CHURCH is descended from the first Schraalenburgh congregation established in 1723. The first church building was constructed beginning in 1724, and fully completed by 1728. This was approximately 36 feet square with a Dutch hip roof ascending to a central belfry and steeple.

 The front of the church cemetery

This church stood atop a small hill just west of Long Swamp Brook, facing south and fronting on the new county road laid down in 1717. Using today’s landmarks, we can describe the site as the southeast corner of the present cemetery, directly across Church Street from the South Church House. For more than seventy years, this small church building served the farmers of Schraalenburgh. The site of the new church was apparently chosen because of the presence of a large spring across the road near Long Swamp Brook. 

 The historic graveyard with some of the original families of Bergen County

The philosophy of the Dutch Reformed Church shaped the growth and development in the early years of the church’s existence. In the more than two and a half centuries of its history, the members of the congregation had to choose many times between the strictly puritanical concepts and the more convenient religious beliefs, and invariably chose the puritanical. Some members were the patriots of the Revolution while others were Tories. In 1799, the new South Schraalenburgh Church was built a short distance to the west of the original building.

 The historic cemetery during the Fall of 2024

Because of differences within the congregation in the late 1700s, two groups were formed and when a decision was made to build a new church, the opposing group withdrew, purchased land and built the North Schraalenburgh (now Dumont) Reformed Church in 1801. In May 1866 the congregation voted to enlarge and remodel the building, adding 15 feet to the north end and replacing part of two windows in the front with doors on each side of the original single door, as you see it now.  This was completed in 1867.

 The Church graveyard

In the past century, the building has had its share of modernizations— candlelight gave way to oil lamps, and in turn to electrification. Heat was installed,  first coal fired, then oil, now gas, although the old drafts persist to this day. However, the charm and grace of the old Dutch Church at Schraalenburgh have remained. The South Church House completed and dedicated in September 1952, on the corner of West Church and Franklin Avenue, is used by the church for various classes and events and many community organizations meet there.  In 2002 South Presbyterian Church celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Church House.

 The historic graveyard at the side of the church in the oldest part

The South Presbyterian Church was placed on the National Registry December 6, 1975 and the Manse on August 24, 1979, both through the efforts of Mrs. Adrian Leiby. In 1913, after much discussion, the congregation chose to unite with the Presbyterian Church. Today, after almost 3 centuries of building and remodeling, separating and uniting, South Presbyterian Church in Bergenfield remains committed to the values of those Christian farmers who first gathered at this site to worship in 1723. . . steadfast in purpose and faith.

The Demarest family plot

The Church is especially beautiful at the holidays all decorated with wreathes and garland.

The South Church decorated for Christmas

The fences are so nicely decorated for the holidays

The outside of the church decorated for the holidays

The front of the church at dusk

The front doors are so welcoming at the holidays

The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Project promoting the church for “Dark Tourism”:

In a recent project I created for my Marketing Students at Bergen Community College in Paramus, NJ, under the fictional company “Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.”, the Teams were tasked in creating a project that promoted the South Presbyterian Church for “Dark Tourism”, meaning that we promoted their historic cemetery for a historic walking tour concentrating on the Demarest family plot.

Here is a link to that blog on the project:

https://mywalkinmanhattan.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=57059&action=edit

Here are the videos on the Bergenfield, NJ Historic sites project:

We walked through the park again to my take note of its Depression era past and beautiful views and colors and made our way to the historic South Presbyterian Church and its historic graveyard where the second half of the project would take place.

South Presbyterian Church at 150 West Church Avenue

https://www.southpresbyterian.net/

https://www.facebook.com/southpres/

The historic marker for the church

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/R4960NKjustinw/mediabatch/13264450?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://visitingamuseum.com/author/jwatrel/page/2/

The Demarest Family plot in the church graveyard

Touring the South Church graveyard for the historical walking tour with members of the Church volunteer staff

The tour was lead by Bob Carpenter, a historian who is helping renovate this historical graveyard

The tour of the historical Demarest family plot, which ties into the museum building’s historical past, was lead by historian Bob Carpenter, who is helping the church renovate and restore the graveyard. Mr. Carpenter explained to us how he was fixing all the plots and historic tombstones and how the maintenance of the stones needs to be carefully done.

Mr. Carpenter explains how to maintain the tombstones in these historic graveyards

Video of the walking tour of the historic graveyard:

IMG_2497Download

Both the church volunteers and Mr. Carpenter explaining to the students how families were buried in the 1700and 1800’s

We finished the tour that afternoon inside the South Church to learn its history in the community. Though it will not be part of the project, the church offered the students a glimpse into Bergen County’s past as the original church was built before the Revolutionary War.

The Student Consultants touring the pews of the South Church

Once the tour was complete, the Student Consultants had a better understanding of the locations where the project will take place.

The new project will include walking tours, historical aspects of all three locations, and ways of creating a Destination Marketing Plan for domestic and foreign tourism. This will take place when the Student Consultants present their ideas to myself and the museum and church staffs.

The student consultants had four weeks to this project and put together their game plans. The had to put together commercials to promote the Bergenfield Museum, Coopers Pond Park and the historical cemetery of the South Church. As an extra credit assignment, I had the students develop a Halloween walking tour with food and create a separate commercial for this of which three of the for groups completed.

Here is their Presentation of the Project Promoting the Historic sites of Bergenfield, NJ. This section of videos was on promoting the South Presbyterian Church:

The South Church Cemetery is one of the oldest and historic cemeteries in Bergen County and home to the Demarest family plot, one of the most prominent families in Bergen County. The students were tasked with creating a short Walking Tour video promotion for the project to promote the South Church for tourism.

Team One:

Commercial Two:

Team Two:

Team Three:

Team Four:

*Special Note: I credit my Marketing 201 students at Bergen Community College with all of this work and the dedication that they gave the class. Excellent job everyone!

For my International Marketing class in Spring 2026, I created a new Team Project based on Daughters of the Revolutionary War’s listing of Bergen County Veteran’s.

Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. Project Proposal:

BCC-Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. 2026 Touring the Revolutionary GravesitesDownload

This semester I attempted one of the toughest Team projects in all the historical projects I have created, taking the listing of the Daughters of the American Revolution created for Bergen County Historical Division for the “Bergen 250”and we took it to another level.

My International Marketing class at Bergen Community College recently did a complete study and marketing plan for the “Bergen250” on the Revolutionary War veterans buried at graveyards and cemeteries all over Bergen County, NJ:

The project:

Day Three Hundred and Eighty: Three Bergecco-Parc Consulting presents “Bergen 250: Exploring Bergen County’s Revolutionary War Era Cemeteries and Graveyards” April 29th, 2026

For a Mapping of all the historic graveyards and cemeteries, I had the students visit all the sites that the Daughters of the American Revolution had researched and I had the students find all the locations, photo the tombstones and create a bio on each of the veterans. I enclosed a copy of their work above.

My blog on the historic graveyards and cemeteries of Bergen County:

https://visitingamuseum.com/tag/historic-cemeteries-of-bergen-county

I challenged the students to visit all the cemeteries and graveyards on the listing (using my blog if needed), find the tombstones of the veterans of the Revolutionary War and photograph them. Then they needed to create a biography of each of the veterans.

From there, they needed to create a short video of that site and put it all into a QR code so visitors can find them. It was a big challenge but I knew this class could do it. There was something about the personality of this class that would make it work.

I then planned a series of field trips so that the students could visit particular sites in a more formal tour. I asked a lot of the contacts who I have met over the years to help me out so the students could see why this project was so important to the 250th Anniversary to both our County and our Country. It took a lot to plan and execute. I gave them six weeks to do the research and create other sections of the project.

Our last field trip was to the church for another visit with Bob Carpenter and Melissa Naylis, who led a new group of students on a tour through the graveyard to learn about history, restoration, and how marble is chiseled.

We worked with Melissa Naylis, who is leading the renovation of the church and master carver, Bob Carpenter, who showed us how he is restoring the graveyard. He had led one of my previous classes when we visited the graveyard for my ‘Bergen 250’ project.

Master Carver Bob Carpenter leading our tour

The South Presbyterian Church and the Demarest family plot

The Demarest family plot

Melissa Naylis starting the tour with us

The students got to learn of the important history of the grave sites and why they are an important piece of the United States founding. The were the men who fought for our freedom and the wives and families that supported the effort.

Melissa leading the tour and introducing Bob Carpenter to us

Melissa Naylis explaining the work that is being done in the graveyard

Bob Carpenter explains his work

Some of the earliest tombstones in the graveyard

Bob Carpenter explaining the renovation

Bob Carpenter talking about the Demarest plot renovation

Pastor Glen from the Old South Presbyterian Church introducing himself to the students and joining us on this part of the tour.

Talking about the care of the tombstones

Talking about care of the tombstones

We then moved to tombstone of the founder of Rutgers University for a marble carving demonstration. Bob Carpenter wanted the students to know the effort into carving into stone and brought the tools of that era and a piece of marble for the students to use. The students got a kick out of this and some really enjoyed it.

Bob explaining the work of a marble carver

Describing the process

My students giving it a try

My student Amy, carving marble

My student, Walid, carving on marble

Demonstrating the process

After the demonstration, we talked about the work of the Demarest family and their contributions within Bergen County.

The founder of Rutgers University, John Henry Goetscheus and a member of the extended Demarest family.

Our Team picture after the tour

Taking a quick tour of the graveyard after the formal tour, the Blauvelt-Kipp family burial ground

South Presbyterian Church at night

Mount Tabor Historical Society Richardson History House 32 Trinity Place Mount Tabor, NJ 07878

Mount Tabor Historical Society Richardson History House 32 Trinity Place Mount Tabor, NJ 07878

Mount Tabor Historical Society

Richardson History House

32 Trinity Place

Mount Tabor, NJ 07878

973-975-0001

https://www.facebook.com/mounttaborhistoricalsociety/

Welcome

Open: Sundays 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Saturday Closed

Admission: Free but donations accepted and recommended to help the museum operate.

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46652-d28537558-r971784929-Mount_Tabor_Historical_Society_Museum-Mount_Tabor_Morris_County_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Mount Tabor Historical Society at 32 Trinity Place

The Historical Society and the gardens

I went on the Mount Tabor House and garden walking tour in late September on a rather gloomy Saturday and I had a wonderful time. It may have been gloomy out but the museum could not have been more interesting and the people who opened their homes could not have been nicer.

The tickets were $35.00 at the door which I thought was very fair for this fundraiser. They had transportation from the elementary school to the site and back that ran on a continuous basis from 11:00am to 4:30pm when the tour was over.

The sign by the bus tour stop

The first stop where we bought the tickets was the old Mount Tabor Fire House

When we arrived in the historic Mount Tabor neighborhood, this had once been a summer Methodist Camp. The planned community still has the original layout of the tent community and plots of land that the houses had been built on since old camp closed.

The center of the community was Trinity Park, a beautifully landscaped park

My first stop on the tour was the old Tabernacle, the original gathering place and hall where the religious services took place.

The inside of the Tabernacle, now being used for the quilt show for the tour

The Quilts were displayed on all the pews

The quilts were all handmade, some really colorful and beautifully stitched. It was a really impressive show of artistry.

The beautiful quilts on display

The colorful quilts on display

After I left the Tabernacle display, I headed up to the Mount Tabor Historical Society Museum for a tour of the museum and gardens. It was located on Trinity Park.

The Mount Tabor Historical Society on the eastern side of Trinity Park

The museum is part of triplex with a private home in the two other former homes. They are undergoing a renovation right now

The J. Smith Richardson History House (1873): A Camp Meeting Cottage Museum

(from the museum website)

The Mount Tabor Historical Society is privileged to share our historic community, founded as a post-Civil War permanent Camp Meeting ground, and the Richardson History House – a Camp Meeting Cottage Museum. The 1873 History House invites visitors to travel back to another era and see what it was like to spend a summer “camp meeting style” in the cottage of J. Smith and Lydia Richardson.

The parlor area in the home of Mr. Richardson

The home on the furthest to the left of the building is the museum, once home to the Richardson family, who were part of this Methodist retreat.

Mr. Richardson’s portrait hangs proudly on the wall overlooking the parlor of the home

The homes pipe organ that was used to entertain the family

The table was formally set with period China in the Dining Room that was shared with the parlor area. The tour guide told me that the family kept meticulous records of everything and on the table was the wedding menu of Mr. Richardson’s daughter’s wedding.

The Dining Room table set for dinner

The beautiful Victorian China

The bride’s Wedding menu. You can tell they ate well that afternoon

The brides wedding was pretty elaborate for the time and you could tell by the menu they ate pretty well that afternoon.

The bride’s Wedding photo hangs proudly in the parlor

The family heirloom, the bureau, sits proudly in the corner of the room

The family did not leave much behind but this bureau is the one piece of furniture that the family owned. It now holds serving pieces and dinner items. The kitchen is small but has all the modern convenes of the time including a range coal stove and an ice box, which were pretty elaborate for the time.

The kitchen of this small summer home

The shelves with all the cooking and storage materials

There are all sorts of baking materials, cooking utensils and items to cook full meals for the household.

Baking and measuring items

Items for baking

The historic map of the Mount Tabor Camp Ground was hung in the kitchen

Off the kitchen door was a beautiful garden and a landscaped walkway

Some vintage clothing was on display in the parlor

Vintage women’s clothing on display in the front parlor

I took a trip up the narrow stairs to the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom. I discovered that the house was much bigger than I thought. There was a nice size bathroom at the top of the steps.

For a small house, the bathroom was nice sized

The main bedroom was nice in size and also had a nice breeze from the window

The rooms were decorated with period furniture and bric a brac of the period. On the bed, lay funeral clothing of a family member in morning.

The clothing of someone in morning

The family bedroom set also returned to the house when donated back from the Richardson family

This gorgeous dollhouse was to the side of this bedroom with its tiny furniture and miniature decorations

The other bedroom was a little smaller but again was nicely furnished.

The view from the upstairs bedroom of the garden below

The second bedroom was a bit smaller and contained vintage clothes and toys

Family heirlooms, clothing and toys

The doll carriage for some lucky child

A sewing kit not too dissimilar from my grandmother’s

Baby dolls asleep on the second floor bedroom

The view from the parlor overlooking the Tabernacle

The Trinity Garden in the middle of historic district

The History of the Mount Tabor Methodist Camp:

(from the Society website)

Mt. Tabor, New Jersey, is a fine example of a 19th century community. Established in 1869 as a Methodist summer camp meeting ground, Mt. Tabor is now a full-time residential community.

While walking through Mt. Tabor, one can see Victorian cottages, complete with gingerbread, and several historic community buildings. Trinity Park is still a busy and central focus of the community. In addition to residences surrounding the park are three octagon structures. The Mt. Tabor branch of the Parsippany library occupies one of them, once known as the Ebenezer Pavilion. The Bethel, a pavilion erected in 1873 and enclosed in 1886, is used as a community meeting hall. Historic displays are featured in the Bethel the day of the annual house tour. The Tabernacle, built in 1885, is used to host large community events, including concerts. The fountain in Trinity Park is a close replica of the original fountain erected in 1875.

Throughout the 1870s and 1880s, private cottages were built at a rapid rate, while some summer residents stayed in tents. By the turn of the 20th century, more than 200 cottages were built, making Mt. Tabor a lively summer resort. The Depression and World War II brought some changes to Mt. Tabor: during these times when families could no longer afford two houses, the cottages were turned into year-round dwellings.

Mt. Tabor is still a special community. Its historic heritage is being preserved and its community is full of good will and participation. There are many events each year, including Children’s Day, an annual Holiday Craft Fair, House Tour, and concerts. The many active committees in town include the Garden Club, Historical Society, and Children’s Day Committee. Mt. Tabor also has a golf course and country club.

In 2001 we celebrated the reconstruction of a decorative iron arch at the entrance to Mt. Tabor closest to Dickerson Rd. at Rt. 53. The original arch was in place around the turn of the 20th century, and the reproduction was a project of the Mount Tabor Historical Society and the Beautification Committee of the Camp Meeting Association. It was completed in June of 2001, and helps one to visualize how Mt. Tabor appeared to people arriving by train, as many did. This project was made possible by contributions from individuals, from the Camp Meeting Association, and from money the Mt. Tabor Historical Society raises from events such as the annual House Tour.

Taking the Walking tour sponsored by the Society:

After the tour of the museum, I started my tour of the houses and gardens of the historic district. In the gloomy weather, I walked all the streets in the neighborhood visiting as many stops as I could.

As the rain subsided, I was able to walk around the neighborhood without juggling an umbrella. I wanted to see the gardens and parks first while the weather nice.

I loved walking around the neighborhood and admiring the homes

I walked up Strowbridge Avenue to make my first stop to see this whimsical front garden of this beautiful Victorian house.

The garden in front of 6 Strowbridge Avenue

The figures and small structures of this magical garden. I thought I would see ferries and elf’s walking around the yard.

The details of the front of 6 Strowbridge Avenue

The next house garden I visited 11 Sommerfield Avenue and this yard was hidden from the road to see its many surprises.

The front garden of 11 Sommerfield Avenue

The creative detail of the on just one side of the house

As you enter the garden, its theme was the Fall and Halloween

The water features and fountains of their background

The background fountains, water features and patio that make this backyard enjoyable

The new cottage home of 33 Embury Place

I walked down Embury Place to visit a last minute addition. I was surprised when the owner told me that six people once lived in the house. I saw the loft space and bunk beds that made this house work as a family home.

The elegance of 33 Embury Place

I walked down Morris Avenue, which is the heart of the complex and then walked up the “golden stairs” to West Park Place to next set of gardens and parks. The gardens in front of 12 West Park Place may not have been as elaborate as other homes but was nicely landscaped which complimented Mother Nature.

The gardens in front of 12 West Park Place

The gardens in front of 12 West Park Place

Across from these creative gardens is St. James Park, which sits in the middle of the complex. The park was gloomy with the rain drizzle so I really could not appreciate it. Still I could see how engaging the park must be in nice weather.

St. James Park

The Labyrinth in St. James Park

I made my way back down the stairs and made a walk down Morris Avenue to visit more homes. I noticed that time was running out and I only had an hour to visit this part of the neighborhood.

Trinity Park in full bloom when the rain stopped

Looking down the street down Whitfield Place during the tour of homes

A stuffed bear on display at 60 East Morris Street

The family who opened their home at 60 East Morris Street had a beautiful home. They invited us into their home, had a fire going on their patio and served us homemade cookies and apple cider which I thought was a nice touch. I saw this whimsical bear in one of the bedrooms.

71 Morris Avenue is the home of artist Gabriella D’Italia and her family

The artist’s work on the walls and her collection of puppets

The last set of gardens that I visited were at 36 Boehm Avenue. The rain had stopped and I was able to visit the gardens and not feel rushed.

The yard at 36 Boehm Avenue.

The yard at 36 Boehm Avenue where gold fish I thought were a nice touch

I saw this point of creativity at 26 Whitfield Place

When I finished the tour, I explored the area around Trinity Park. I walked around the park around the Pollinator Garden and admired the foliage.

The gardens at the start of the Fall

The map of the historical sign of the complex

The historic marker of the complex

The historic buildings around Trinity Park

The Gazebo in the park

The Methodist church on Simpson Avenue

The old Firehouse where we checked in

The old Camp office

It really was a wonderful walking tour and I learned a lot about the old Mount Tabor site. This was an eye opener of how a former Methodist camp becomes a desirable historical neighborhood that everyone wants to live in. The museum was an interesting look on how people lived in the past here and the walking tour showed how modern times living here that not much has changed. People still making these small charming houses home. This walking tour in Mount Tabor, NJ is every September.

After the tour for lunch:

After the tour was over, I stopped into Downtown Denville, NJ right down the road, which is right off Route 46 and Route 80 for a late lunch. Denville has a very nice downtown with lots of restaurants and stores. Even on a gloomy afternoon, most everything was open. I checked out by Advantage Dining site and found Second Half on Main at 5 East Main Street. This contemporary bar/pub had all the TV’s going for the football game and a packed bar. I ate in the dining room section of the restaurant and was able to stretch out in one of the booths.

The Second Half of Main Street Street at 5 East Main Street in Downtown Denville, NJ

https://www.secondhalfonmain.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46392-d2386465-Reviews-Second_Half_on_Main-Denville_Morris_County_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The restaurant is a lively place and the bar area was busy. The menu has a nice selection of salads, burgers, pastas and large entrees with a nice beer listing. It got cold and miserable outside and it was the perfect burger day. I chose the Texas Burger with Bacon, BBQ sauce and sharp Cheddar Cheese and that hit the spot. What I liked about Second Half on Main is the prices are very fair. The burgers will run you around $15.00 and they include the French Fries, something you do not see in the Hudson River Valley or Bergen County anymore. They pull the a la Carte routine since COVID.

The Dining Room area at Second Half on Main

The burgers here are excellent. Perfectly cooked, stacked with ingredients and are juicy. The fries were also perfectly cooked. On a cool gloomy day, the burger hit the spot. If you are touring in the area, I highly recommend the restaurant. After lunch if the weather is nice, check out Downtown Denville.

The Texas Burger and French Fries at Second Half on Main

The Texas Burger and Fries is the perfect meal on a cool day

Yum!

The Museum of Cape May County 504 US. 9 Cape May Court House, NJ 08210

The Museum of Cape May County 504 US. 9 Cape May Court House, NJ 08210

The Museum of Cape May County

504 US 9

Cape May Court House, NJ 08210

(609) 465-3535

https://www.cmcmuseum.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Museumofcmc/

Hours: Seasonal Hours Sunday-Monday-Tuesday/Wednesday 10:00am-2:30pm/Thursday Closed/Friday 10:00am-2:30pm/Saturday Closed. Tours are at 10:00am and 12:00pm.

Admission: Donations Accepted/ (I paid $5.00 for the hour tour)

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46342-d286393-Reviews-The_Museum_of_Cape_May_County-Cape_May_Court_House_Middle_Township_Cape_May_County_.html

The Museum of Cape May County at 504 US 9

The Museum of Cape May County sign welcoming you.

The Museum of Cape May Country museum complex

The Museum grounds in the back.

After three years of trying to visit the museum, I finally got on a last minute walking tour of the Museum of Cape May County and have to say that it was well worth the wait. What an interesting set of buildings that have a fascinating set of artifacts and so nicely displayed in a series of buildings.

The museum campus is broken up in a series of buildings on a two acre site. There is the main office which has an art exhibition, the family homestead of the family, who lived here for several generations, the carriage house which displays several carriages and stage coaches that were used in the area.

The back of the main house where you can see the three additions to the house

The barn where the Military, Native American and Farming displays are showcased

The Carriage House is to the left and the barn is to the right

The Carriage House on the property

The History of the House and of the Cape May County Museum site:

(from the museum website)

Housed in a building that dates back to 1704, the Cresse House, and its 1830 Holmes addition, as well as a historic 1780 barn and carriage house have rooms devoted to a subject or time that will hold you spellbound as you make your way through the past. The 11 room Cresse Holmes house treats you to a glimpse of life as it was in Cape May County from colonial to modern times. From the 1704 colonial kitchen and loft bedroom to the Victorian dining and sitting rooms all are decorated and furnished with period pieces. Special exhibit rooms include a children’s playroom teeming with toys, a doctor’s room with instruments, glassware and vials filled with a colorful array of pharmaceuticals and a Victorian music room with dozens of fascinating players and instruments (Cape May County Museum website).

Our first part of the tour was the family home which had been lived in for generations. The first part of the house was built in 1740 and you could tell by the open hearth and the flooring.

The hearth of the original section of the Cresse home

The kitchen was set up and furnished as the main part of the house. Because of the heat, this was the main part of the house that habituated. Here the family would gather, eat and socialize.

The back bedroom shows the families affluence in the late 1700’s

Having a separate room for sleeping was considered quite extravagant. The heat would circulated through the home and warmed this room next door. The main part of the house was built in 1840 in the Federalist design.

The main dining room showed the affluence of the Holmes family in the early pre-Civil war era

The main part of the house that faced the road was the 1840 Holmes family addition with the Federalist design. This part of the house was the main part house that was used for every day living and entertaining. The house was furnished in a combination of family heirlooms and donated period pieces..

The house well furnished with period pieces

The beautiful side table of the Dining Room

Both the Living Room, Dining Room and the Parlor were all tastefully furnished and what I thought were interesting parts of their collection. It was like someone had just left the room.

The Parlor of a Victorian house held its finest pieces

The furnishings in the Parlor

The painting of Henry Clay stood above the fireplace

Since I joined the tour late, I had seen just the first floor of the home before we continued on to see the rest of the building.

The front entrance room of the house

As we exited the house, we moved on to the most important room of the house, the outhouse which was located behind the main home.

The outhouse in the back of the home

We next moved on to one of the galleries of the Nautical collections.

The collection of nautical artifacts

Mantel’s for navigation

Items from the shipping industry

What beautiful items

Our next part of the tour was of the Carriage House and its collection of buggies and carriages owned by by local residents.

The Barn and Carriage exhibits:

(from the Cape May County Museum website)

Our barn is home to a maritime exhibit including Cape May County’s crown jewel, the original first-order Fresnel lens from Cape May Light House. In addition to our collection of farm implements the barn is also the site of our recently dedicated military room that pays homage to those who served our nation in time of war.

Period pieces range from the Revolutionary War to our country’s most recent involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Of special interest is the American flag that was carried by soldiers who hailed from Cape May County during the Civil War. The flag survived numerous battles, including Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Bull Run and was at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. The Carriage Shed houses items related to transportation – a vintage horse-drawn market wagon, a doctor’s sulky and an early stagecoach that ran between Bridgeton and Pennsville (from the museum website).

The collection of carriages and buggies

A local buggy from a member of the community

The history of the Cape May Stagecoach

The Cape May Stagecoach

This stagecoach was used on the route between Bridgeton and Pennsville

The funeral cart used to transport bodies once people die to their last destination

The last building on the museum’s property housed military artifacts, farm equipment and artifacts from what would shape the local community

The Maritime History of Cape May and of the Museum:

(from the museum website)

Since its earliest days the area we now call Cape May County has been linked to the water.  With the tumultuous Atlantic Ocean on one side, the Delaware Bay on the other and lush forest and field between it served its residents well.  Early Native Americans thrived, whalers found whales in the ocean and refuge in the bay. All worked the shores and tributaries for birds and shellfish.  As the population grew, shipbuilding and coastal trade took on greater importance.  Come visit us and explore this aspect of our museum (from the museum website).

Many of the artifacts, photographs and manuscripts associated with maritime activities have found their way our museum collection.  From the original first-order Fresnel lens that sat atop the Cape May light to whaling implements, marine skeletons, ship parts and Native American exhibits there is something for everyone.  Of special interest is our recently acquired Cresse Journal, an original manuscript by Lewis Cresse detailing the life of a whaler in the mid-eighteenth century (from the museum website)

Hunting and military items from around the turn of the last century

Household and farming items

Artifacts from the Shipping industry

Artifacts from the Counties Ship Building past

Items from the Whaling Industry in Cape May

The museum also houses the original Cape May Lighthouse light

The history of burial and old cemeteries in Cape May

Old tombstones from Cape May cemeteries

The family cemetery on what was once the family farm that now sits down the road and across the street

The family plot

The museum’s extensive collection of arrowheads and other Native American artifacts

The Cape May Civil War flag is most of the most interesting pieces in the museum’s military collection

The Cape May Civil War flag

Military artifacts from the war years

The extensive collection of military uniforms from the different wars in the museum collection with ceremonial drums on display on the top of the case

The gun and pistol collection at the museum

The Pistol collection at the museum

The collection of military items in the collection

The early military collection at the museum

The grounds of the museum before I left for the day

The family home that faces the Highway

The museum is not just an extensive collection of City of Cape May but the history of the County as a whole and its rich development from a farming, whaling and shipping town to a major tourist hub and recreation community.

It also shows it has never lost it nautical or farming past as well as this legacy still carries on in Cape May. The development of the community and the progress it has made over the years is showcased in the galleries and buildings on the museum property.

The Development of the Cape May County Museum:

(from the museum website)

The Cape May County Historical & Genealogical Society (CMCHGS), doing business as The Museum of Cape May County, was founded in 1927 as a private, non-profit organization by a number of local families who wanted to ensure the history of Cape May County was preserved and documented. In 1930 the CMCHGS established a museum and genealogical library which were housed in the basement of the County Court House building for 45 years.

In 1976, the current facility, the Cresse-Holmes House containing eleven rooms along with a five-room barn was purchased to accommodate the growing collection. By 1988 the construction and dedication of the genealogical library and administrative offices had taken place. In the last 90 years, thanks to the generosity of many individuals and families with a connection to Cape May County. the collections have grown to contain many thousands of Cape May County artifacts and documents.

Today the museum and library are run by full time, part time and seasonal staff members along with an enthusiastic group of active volunteers to assist with greeting visitors, guiding tours, researching, assisting with programs, and staffing events.

Wetlands Institute 1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard Stone Harbor, NJ 08247

Wetlands Institute 1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard Stone Harbor, NJ 08247

Wetlands Institute

1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard

Stone Harbor, NJ 08247

(609) 368-1211

Home

Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:30am-4:30pm

Admission: Adults $12:00/Children $10.00/Military $10.00/Members and Children under 3 Free

My review on TripAdvisor:

Entering from the highway, I was surprised at this interesting place of nature and how the Institute is not just part of the community but how it integrates itself into the fabric of helping understand how Mother Nature plays a part in benefiting everyone in this shore community from cleaning the water, sustaining wildlife and preventing flooding.

The front of the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ

The back of the Institute from the salt marshes

The sign that welcomes you inside

You would almost miss the Institute without the sign

The beautiful gardens in the front during the summer months

The Institute’s gardens in the front of the building during the summer months

The History of the Wetlands Institute:

(From the Institute’s website)

The Wetlands Institute was founded by Herbert Mills in the late 1960s, thereby fulfilling his life-long vision of creating a world-class research, education and conservation center at the Jersey Shore that would educate people of all ages about the beauty and wonders of  the coastal environment, and the importance of that environment to their daily lives.  His dream was to inspire everyone to want to conserve and sustain that environment forever.

Herb loved birds and nature all his life. In fact, he joined the National Audubon Society at the age of seven.  Many of his maturing years were spent as an executive in the glass and canning industries of South Jersey.  During those years he further developed his abiding interest in conservation issues, so much so that he left the business world in 1967 to became the Executive Director of the World Wildlife Fund.  In 1969, under his leadership, the World Wildlife Fund purchased 6,000 acres of salt marsh in Middle Township.  34 of those acres  became the site of the Wetlands Institute’s facility.  The rest were held by the World Wildlife Fund until being transferred to New Jersey’s Green Acres Program. Herb also raised the funds for the design and construction of  our main building which was designed by Malcolm Wells, a world-renowned and environmentally-oriented architect.

Our building was officially dedicated on September 16, 1972.  Herb Mills’ friend and the international president of  the World Wildlife Fund, Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands was the keynote speaker (the Institute website).

The bird exhibition at the entrance of the Institute

The other bird exhibition in the hallway

Later History:

(from the Institute Website)

In its earliest years the Institute was run by Lehigh University under a dollar-a-year lease.  That relationship continued beyond Herb Mills’ untimely death at the age of 62 on October 21, 1972 while addressing an ornithology meeting at Cornell University, barely a month after the Institute’s dedication ceremony.

After a few years, however, the Institute and Lehigh parted company amicably. The late Marion Glaspey, a shy but very determined woman, succeeded Herb Mills as Chairman of the Board and guided the Institute for several difficult years as the Institute struggled to become a self-sustaining, independent entity, and garner and maintain the kind of financial support that is vital to any nonprofit organization.  In addition to being totally dedicated to the Institute, Marion was a talented artist and photographer, teaching classes in both subjects, and–most significantly–she was a passionate gardener (she’s the  “Marion” for whom our Marion’s Garden is named). She remained on our Board of Trustees until her death in 2000.

Through Marion’s leadership and that of her successors, the Institute has evolved to become a leader in coastal environmental education, research, and conservation. At present the Institute is supported almost entirely by funds from private sources, receiving only an occasional government grant for a special project.

My visit to the Institute in the Summer of 2024:

The first stop on the tour of the facility was walking up to the observation deck at the top of the building to view the salt marshes below. It gave an overview of the area that the Institute is trying to protect. The top floor observation gives a clear view of the marshes that surround the town of Stone Harbor and how these acres of area help both the natural population as well as the human population both residing in this beach community.

The view of the Wetlands between the barrier islands and the mainland

The Wetlands closer to the main road

The view of the front of the building and its colorful gardens

The Wetlands that line the highway out of Stone Harbor

When you leave the deck area and head back downstairs, there is wonderful little aquarium that houses the background of the local fish, crabs and wildlife that are part of the ecosystem that make the salt marshes such an important part of this shore community. One side of the aquarium is dedicated to the local Terrapin turtle whose habitat has long been affected by human encroachment. This conservation effort is ongoing.

The first room in the complex of rooms is the Terrapin Turtle exhibit showing the habitat of this local creature and its importance in the ecosystem.

Conservation Programs at The Wetlands Institute

(from the Institute website)

Concerns about the local terrapin population led Dr. Roger Wood, former Director of Research at The Wetlands Institute, to establish the Terrapin Conservation Project in 1989. The project has grown and broadened in scope to become the Coastal Conservation Research Program (CCRP), where undergraduate interns work closely with research scientists at The Wetlands Institute on a wide variety of research and conservation projects, including terrapin conservation. Since 1989, over 200 college and university students from more than 100 academic institutions have participated in the program.

The turtles will just stare at you as walk their display

The turtles swimming around

The turtles in a recreation of their habitat

The turtles in captivity interacting with one another in the tanks

These playful turtles are just part of the chain of ocean animals under study and conservation at the Institute and it is interesting to see to their interaction with each other and then watch us from the other side of the tank to see the human observation.

The next exhibition was the Horseshoe Crab conservation tank. The Horseshoe Crab holds a very important role in the ecology of the shore.

The Efforts with Horseshoe Crab Conservation:

(from the Institute website)

In an effort to address the Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab situation, The Wetlands Institute has embarked on a statewide partnership project to support the stewardship and conservation of Horseshoe Crab populations in New Jersey. As part of this partnership, The Wetlands Institute collects fertilized Horseshoe Crab eggs with the proper permits from spawning beaches along the Delaware Bay and rears the eggs under controlled conditions in our aquarium. After about a month, eggs hatch and newly born Horseshoe Crabs are maintained in their culture tanks. Enclosed in this cultured environment and free of predation, aquaculture dramatically increases Horseshoe Crab survival both before and after the first molts. These small crabs are kept in culture tanks until they are ready to begin feeding, and then are released at their respective egg collection locations.

The Horseshoe Crab exhibit

The Nesting exhibition

The Salt Marsh exhibition

The exhibit on how shore development is affecting wildlife and the ecosystem

The aquarium was very interesting as the exhibits were not there for amusement but to show the wildlife that lives in our oceans and how they interact with one another.

The Whale bone exhibition

The exhibit on Shore birds and their home at the shore

The Aquatic tanks are the interaction we have to the aquatic population. I am sure many of the fish in the exhibition are not native to New Jersey or the Atlantic still it was fun observing them.

The tanks showed the importance of marine life in our beaches and oceans

Some of the types of fish in our oceans: the Striped Burrfish, Permit, and Pigfish

The Striped Burrfish

The Stripped Burrfish

The Permit fish

The Pigfish

The next tank over held the very active Spider Crab, who seemed to follow my every move.

The sign at the tank of this very playful crab

This guy was following me around the tank

The aquarium was interesting because the fish seemed to be very jaded of being around humans. They seemed so used to seeing us it does not faze them.

I then toured the salt marshes outside. The Institute has a series of paths and walkways where you can view the marshes and see the cause and effects these natural areas. It was a beautiful warm sunny day when I visited and it was relaxing to just walk along the paths and just take it all in.

The view of the salt marshes from the back of the Institute

A closer view of the marshes from the paths

Coastal Sustainability and Wetland Health

(from the Institute Website)

The Coastal Sustainability and Wetland Health program began with efforts to document the impact of sea level rise on marshes and marsh-dependent species. The health of coastal bird and diamondback terrapin populations is intricately linked to the condition of coastal marsh systems; as a result, monitoring changes in the local population size, behavior, and breeding success of these animals can help us perceive changes within the salt marsh itself. Our work is also increasingly focused on the monitoring of marsh restoration and habitat creation projects. Through beneficial reuse of dredged sediments, we aim to protect the marsh platform from conversion or drowning, and to create elevated coastal bird and terrapin nesting habitat. In order to understand the response of wildlife to these projects, and to document how sea-level rise and coastal flooding are impacting local populations, we are carrying out surveys of marsh-dependent species on The Wetlands Institute property and other restoration sites (Institute website).

The Marsh Field sign

The Salt Marshes

The back of the Institute from the Salt Marshes

The Institute has a complete elevated walkway where you can walk through the marshes and observe the area.

The sign explaining your walk through the marshes

The possible animals and fish you will see on the walk

Plan to take the time to walk through the pathways on a nice day and observe the salt marshes. You will not see many animals or fish but you know they are there. It is interesting to see the town of Stone Harbor in the distance and realize how much these marshes help the human population without them knowing it. Not just are they beautiful to look at but how what an important role in the environment they play.

The beautiful view of the marshes

The elevated walkway goes through the marshes and offers excellent views

The marshes from the walkway

The effects of a healthy marsh

The breathtaking views of the marshes

When you finish the walk of the pathways and the elevated walkway, this leads you back to the Institute.

Don’t miss a trip to their terrific gift shop with all sorts of fun items and nautical gifts. I bought a delicious jar of the local beach plum jelly. That was a treat. There are all sorts of interesting gift items in the store from gifts from local farms to items dealing with conservation and nature to children’s items. This benefits the Institute and its mission.

Don’t miss one last stroll through their gardens on the way out the door.

What I liked about the Wetlands Institute was that it was engaging, entertaining and educational all at the same time. You walk out with a lesson learned of the positive efforts being made to save the environment in a way that does preach but first shows the cause and the effect and with simple efforts made can benefit everyone.