This interesting little ‘gem’ is located up on the hill next to Blauvelt Mansion and is easy to miss. You will see the signs as you drive past it.
Open: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:00am-4:00pm/Saturday and Sunday: 2:00pm-5:00pm
Fee: Free donations accepted
The Blauvelt Art Museum is funded by the Blauvelt-Demarest Foundation and is a member of the New Jersey Association of Museums, the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums and the American Association of Museums.
The Blauvelt Art Museum was established in 1957 by the Blauvelt-Demarest Foundation, a legacy of the late Hiram Blauvelt, philanthropist, conservationist and collector. Through the contribution of his private wildlife art and big game collections, he hoped to promote the cultural value of wildlife art and the need for conservation of its subject and their habitats.
The fountain outside the museum
The entrance to the museum.
During the early part of the 20th Century, wildlife was believe to be abundant. Many dedicated conservationists, notable Theodore Roosevelt, gathered animals from their natural habitats for museums. The beauty of the animals could then be viewed by many.
The entrance to the museum.
Like Roosevelt, Hiram Blauvelt realized the value of his collection and wanted to share it with the public. It was his interest and desire to share his far ranging adventures, his stories of explorations and his collection of these animals. Hiram hoped to educate the coming generations to the diversity and beauty of the wildlife kingdom. He especially wanted to enlighten the public to the challenges we face to preserve the marvels of wildlife and their natural environments.
The interesting artwork by the carriage house of pelicans.
The Pelican art outside the museum.
Founded in 1957 as a natural history museum, it introduced students, scouts and youth groups to the need to support wildlife and habitats conservation. Visiting artists created drawings and paintings from close observations of the specimens.
Embracing Penguins outside the museum dedicated to Wildlife Art.
Twenty-five years later, the Board of Directors of the Blauvelt-Demarest Foundation decided that the original objectives would be best achieved by redesigning the museum to feature the works of contemporary wildlife artists, built on the artistic foundation of the Blauvelt’s early collection of works by Charles Livingston Bull (notably a resident of Oradell at one time), Carl Rungius and a complete Audubon Folio of birds of America.
The interesting wildlife artwork just outside the museum.
The Blauvelt Museum, located in an 1893 cedar shingle and turret carriage house, underwent extensive renovations to accommodate its new and expanded mission. The original carriage house was re-designed to include a large reception area, 4 mini galleries and museum offices, all with original materials from the historic building and preserving its aura.
The Blauvelt Art Museum lion statue “Fides et Virtus” by artist Aaron Yount outside the museum.
Four new galleries were added, providing wall space for mounting museum quality flatwork and generous room for pedestals to hold creative sculpture. Substantial artificial lighting is augmented by natural light from the north.
High on a hill overlooking the Hackensack River, the Oradell Reservoir and parklands to the east, the entrance to the museum is through a curving stone and slate terrace, framed by large oak trees and other indigenous foliage, which serves as a natural sculpture garden.
The open air museum just outside the museum itself dedicated to wildlife art.
Many of its visitors today, accompanied by their children, are revisiting the museum which they first visited with their parents in past decades. The Blauvelt treasures their comments remarking on the greater beauties of its collections, while preserving the ambiance of their memories.
The inside galleries of the museum (from their Facebook page).
Artist in Residence:
The Blauvelt Art Museum established an Artist-in-Residence program in 1985. Artists were selected on the basis of their artistic ability and promise and on their commitment to the museum’s mission for the need for conservation to protect wildlife and their habitats. The museum provides a furnished home for the artist on the museum property, including a studio, painting supplies, etc. Artist-in-Residence have given lectures, led round table discussions, visited schools and demonstrated painting and drawing techniques.
The Carriage House from the outside.
The Current Exhibition (2018):
Artist Brian Jarvi’s African Menagerie is showing right now and the collection has some very interesting and detailed pieces on Mr. Jarvi’s visits to Africa. Don’t miss this exhibition!
The Blauvelt Museum is on the Blauvelt-Demarest Estate.
Disclaimer: This information was take directly from the pamphlet provided by the Blauvelt Art Museum. Please call the museum for any changes to their time schedule and don’t miss the current exhibition.
This historic site has been restored and administered by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities in conjunction with N.J. Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks & Forestry.
The Cape May Lighthouse: Climb the 199 steps of this 1859 vintage tower for a breathtaking view of the Jersey Cape, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The History of Lighthouses in New Jersey
Over the past 30 years, MAC has totally restored the Cape May Lighthouse. A fully accessible Visitors Center is located in the adjacent Oil House as well as a Museum Shop stocked with lighthouse and maritime must haves.
The view of the beach from the lighthouse
The Cape May Lighthouse
Lighthouse information story boards
Lighthouse FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Cape May Lighthouse
Questions about the structure:
*How Tall is the lighthouse? The lighthouse is 157 feet 6 inches tall from the ground line to the ventilator.
*How many steps are there to the top? There are 217 steps from the ground to the top with 199 steps in the tower’s cast iron spiral staircase.
The staircase going to the lighthouse lens
Looking down the stairs on the way back down
* How old is the Lighthouse? The Cape May Lighthouse was built in 1859 and is the third fully documented lighthouse to be built at Cape May Point. The first was built in 1823; the second in 1847. The exact locations of the first two lighthouses are now underwater due to erosion.
*How thick are the brick walls? The Lighthouse actually has two separate walls. The outside wall is cone-shaped and is 3 feet 10 inches thick at the bottom and 1 foot 6 inches thick at the top. The inside wall is a cylinder with 8.5 inch thick walls which support the spiral staircase. The walls were designed to withstand winds several times above hurricane force.
The view on the way up the lighthouse
*Is the beacon still working? Yes, The Coast Guard continues to operate the light as an active aid to navigation. The light is visible 22 miles out to sea and flashes every 15 seconds. A lighthouse’s flash pattern is called its ‘characteristic’, every lighthouse has its own light characteristic and exterior paint scheme (called a daymark) so that ship captains can tell them apart.
The lighthouse lens
The lighthouse lens
*What were the two small rooms on either side of the entrance hallway used for? They were storage rooms that held tools, implements and fuel for the lantern before the Oil House was built. The keeper also used one as a small office.
The lighthouse office
*Who owns the Lighthouse? The State of New Jersey owns the Lighthouse but the Coast Guard maintains the beacon apparatus. The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) in Cape May leases the Lighthouse from the State with the mission of restoring the structure and operating it as a historic site.
View from the top of the lighthouse
View from the top of the lighthouse
Cape May Lighthouse
*Questions about Lighthouse Keepers and their responsibilities
*Who worked at the Lighthouse? The Lighthouse was staffed by keepers who worked for the U.S. Lighthouse Service. Cape May’s lighthouse generally had one head keeper and two assistants. They carried the oil to the top of the tower every day to power the light and kept the lens apparatus clean and in working order. Keepers’ pay averaged $600.00 a year around the turn of the 20th century.
*Where did the keepers live? There were two houses built right next to the Lighthouse around 1860 for the keepers and their families. One has since burned but the other is still standing on the other side of the fence near the entrance to the tower.
Important Dates: Cape May Lighthouse
1853-First recorded lighthouse constructed. The 1823 tower was 68 feet tall and its location is now underwater due to erosion.
1847-The second lighthouse was built. It was a 78 foot tower located directly in front of the present tower, just beyond the present shoreline. It was replaced by the present lighthouse because it was poorly constructed.
1857-The Army Corps of Engineers began construction on the present tower, which cost $40,000 to build. The first order Fresnel lens, which is now in the Cape May County Museum, cost about $15,000.
1859-The Lighthouse was first lighted on October 31. The next year, two lighthouse keepers dwellings were built. The one remaining is now used by the State Park Service.
1893-The oil house was constructed.
The Oil House
1902-One of the keepers’ dwellings was enlarge to provide more space for housing the keepers’ families. Three keepers and their families. Three keepers and their families lived at the lighthouse site.
1902-An incandescent oil vapor lamp was installed and replaced the Funck multiple wick first order hydraulic float lamp that dated back to 1878.
1933-The light apparatus was electrified.
1936-The light apparatus was automated which eliminated the need for lighthouse keepers being permanently stationed at the tower.
1939-The United States Lighthouse Service was discontinued and its equipment and personnel transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard.
1941-The Lighthouse was darkened until 1945 because of the World War II. The Atlantic coast was on black-out due to the presence of enemy submarines.
1946-A DCB-36 rotating light (like an airport beacon) was installed. The original first order Fresnel lens was placed in the Cape May County Museum.
1986-The Lighthouse was leased to MAC by the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, who in turn leased the structure from the Coast Guard.
1988-MAC undertook public safety improvements that allowed the public to climb to the top.
1989-A grant from the Bicentennial Lighthouse Fund underwrote the restoration of the Lighthouse’s windows and doors.
1990-The oil house was restored and adapted for use as orientation center and museum shop, with funding from the Bicentennial Lighthouse Fund and the New Jersey Historic Trust.
1992-The ownership of the Lighthouse was transferred from the Coast Guard to the State of New Jersey.
1994-Grants from the New Jersey Historic Trust and the federal ISTEA program administered by the State DOT funded painting of the tower and restoration of the lantern and roof.
1998-Grants from the same agencies funded all remaining restoration of the lighthouse structure.
2000-2001-A grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust funded the grounds restoration project.
2002-The Coast Guard installed a modern light known as a DCB-224. It uses parabolic mirrors to focus the beams rather than lenses.
2010-The Friends of the Cape May Lighthouse group was formed. You are cordially invited to join. Call 609-884-5404 or visit http://www.capemaymac.org.
2016-The Coast Guard installed a new, state of the art beacon known as VRB-25 (Variable Rotating Beacon) replacing the DCB-224 that had suffered irreparable damage due to a lighthouse strike.
2017-Lighthouse Tower was repainted with grants from the Cape May County Open Space Board, the National Maritime Heritage Grant program of the National Park Service and South Jersey Industries, augmented by the fundraising efforts of the Lighthouse Keepers and the Friends of the Lighthouse.
*Is the Lighthouse haunted? Exit Zero Ghost Writer and psychic medium Craig McManus has visited the Lighthouse and detected the ghosts of several former keepers and their families. Perhaps you may encounter them yourself on a Ghosts of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour!
Questions about Lighthouse Restoration
*Why is the Lighthouse leased to the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC)?
In the 1980’s , the Coast Guard began a nationwide program of leasing lighthouses to private organizations, like MAC, which are capable of preserving them. In 1986, the Coast Guard leased the Lighthouse to MAC, which assumed the responsibility for its restoration, maintenance and operation as a lighthouse museum. In 1992, ownership of the Lighthouse was transferred from the Coast Guard to the State of New Jersey in order to make the restoration project eligible for state historic preservation funding. The state monitors the historical authenticity of the restoration and also makes available to Lighthouse visitors the parking and restroom facilities of the adjacent state park.
The Museum at the bottom of the lighthouse
*What is MAC?
MAC is a non-profit organization with nearly 4,000 members that was founded in 1970 to save and restore Cape May’s Physick Estate and operate it as a historic house museum. The Physick Estate is also home to the Carroll Gallery with an array of changing exhibitions, a museum shop and the Carriage House Café & Tearoom. MAC has also restored the World War II Lookout Tower (Fire Control Tower Number 23) located nearby on Sunset Boulevard. In addition, MAC promotes Cape May’s Victorian heritage through a year round schedule of special events and trolley, walking and historic house tours. MAC is also one of the area’s leading sponsors of the performing arts with its Cape May Music Festival every May and June. Please call 609-884-5404 for details on MAC’s calendar of events or visit our website at http://www.capemaymac.org.
*How much did it cost to restore the Lighthouse?
Since 1987, closed to two million dollars has been spent to restore the Lighthouse and oil house and allow the public to climb safely to the top.
*Is the Lighthouse open to the public?
Yes, Hours of operation vary throughout the year. The tower is open daily, April through November and on weekends most of the rest of the year. The grounds ground floor, tower and watch room gallery are open to the public. All tours of the tower are self-guided.
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from a pamphlet from the MAC Cape May Lighthouse Museum. Please call the above number or email address for more information on the site. It is well worth seeing just for the view alone.
The Salem Historical Society at 83 Market Street in Downtown Salem, NJ.
History and information on the Salem County Historical Society:
(from the museum pamphlet)
The Salem County Historical Society was founded in 1884 and has grown over the last century from generous donation from the community. It has over 10,000 objects in the collection that include fine arts, textiles, Native American artifacts and a variety of material culture artifacts.
The Society maintains extensive museum and library collections related to the region’s heritage. Our exceptional collection includes furniture, paintings, textiles, glass, china, silver, documents, tools and other family heirlooms. This collection enables us to graphically convey to visitors an understanding of the work, play, society and lifestyles of local inhabitants from generations past.
(The Society’s campus houses three other buildings: the Stone Barn, the John Jones Law Office ( a hexagonal structure housing New Jersey’s first law office) and the Log Cabin Educational Center).
I came across this little ‘gem’ when walking around downtown Salem, New Jersey on my Christmas break back in 2019. This historical society put some of the musty ones I have visited to shame. It is so beautifully set up and maintained. It also has some great exhibitions and was so nicely decorated for the Christmas holidays. It is a ‘must-see’ when visiting Southern New Jersey.
Museum logo
The Salem County Historical Society is housed in three interconnected historic houses, the centerpiece of which is the Alexander Grant Mansion (1721).
In June 2022, I finally got to return to the museum after COVID had closed it for months. The museum had been refreshed with new displays and more interesting artifacts mounted all over the museum.
I was lucky that it was quiet that afternoon and I was able to one of the members take me on a personal tour of the museum. He explained to me that during the pandemic since they were closed they were able to work on the displays and update and refresh the exhibitions. This is the one thing I like about the Salem County Historical Museum is that it is not a musty mish-mosh of displays. Displays are well thought out and explained to the public.
We started in the front room with a display of Revolutionary War memorabilia. Here you will see a ring with a lock of George Washington’s hair, the shoe buckles of General William Hancock, who was a prominent resident of the town who fought in the Revolutionary war.
Various objects from the family and the war years are displayed here.
Off to the main part of the museum and the one section of the museum that stuck out to me when visiting the first time was The Keeping Room, the original part of the house that was built in the early 1700’s. The large hearth was just recently opened from what I learned from the tour and was once the center of the original home due to a place of cooking and heat.
During the Christmas holiday season, this room was decorated with garland and a Christmas tree, which would not have fit the time period but still made a festive environment for the room. Here kitchen and home wares are displayed where the family would have concentrated their domestic chores. Cooking and serving items were displayed along with a spinning wheel to make clothes.
The Keeping Room at the Salem County Historical Society
The Keeping Room at Christmas time
The Keeping Room at Christmas time
The main room displayed many more pre and post-Revolutionary War items including home furnishings of desks, wardrobes and grand father clocks. The most interesting item that I saw the Inauguration dress of local prominent resident, Sarah Hancock Sinnickson, who was married to Thomas Sinnickson, whose family helped found Salem, NJ. The dress is prominently displayed and it was interesting to see an actual item that was on display the evening of that ball. If it could talk.
The historic dress of Sarah Hancock Sinnickson that she wore to George Washington’s Inaugural Ball
The Grandfather clocks and Sarah Hancock Sinnickson dress information
The next two rooms have displays of local materials. One room was dedicated to the local Native American population. There was a large display of arrowheads, hunting spears, cooking materials and grinding equipment to break down corn and wheat for baking. Each piece was displayed related to its use and it was fascinating to see how a society showed its sophistication by creating meals from the use of specialty styled sticks and rocks.
In another room was a display of early ice cream manufacturing including the delivery buckets and carts.
Several families were known for the ice cream making including the local Bassett family whose relatives still make ice cream for their store in the Philadelphia Reading Market and packaged for all over the world.
Evolution of Ice Cream
History of the Salem Ice Cream industry
Their first flavor: Tomato. The tour guide explained how companies would color their buckets differently so you knew where the ice cream came from.
Other standouts in the room was an original Edison Phonograph with the original cylinders which were the precursor to records. It was interesting to see how the modern day record player developed. The item had been housed in someone’s barn before it was donated and still had most of the original cylinders.
The early Edison Phonograph
Another object in the other room was the Lafayette Quilt made by local resident Annabelle Chatter. This quilt was so beautifully designed with pieces of cloth from all over the world including the coat that President Lincoln wore that faithful night. I learned from the tour guide that people were taking small pieces of the coat after the President died. This was strange because I saw the same coat at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Exhibition and the coat was on display there and it looked pretty intact.
There was also an extensive display of items from the 1893 Columbian Exposition that showcased all the modern developments coming into society. This included pictures and objects that visitors could buy. Another display was on the Salem Oak Tree that once dominated the cemetery around the corner from the Society that fell in June of 2019. The room was made up of pictures of the tree and items that were made from limbs that had fallen in the past.
The upstairs had rooms full of Samplers, a way for young girls in the 1800’s to practice their sewing skills for use in homemakingfor things like clothes and domestic items like blankets. There was a Blown Glass display on items made in the area. Companies had use of local sand in manufacturing making blown glass items a big industry in the area.
The last display is dedicated to clocks, both grandfather clocks and the development of the pocket watch. The one thing that I learned was on the creation of the face of the grandfather clock was the use of the Roman Numeral IV as IIII. The tour guide explained that makers of the clock did not find it symmetrical with the other numbers in the placement and that’s why they used the incorrect symbol number.
The latest exhibition that I saw in 2022, is the “Step into our Canvas: 200 years of Salem County Art”, a extensive exhibition of local deceased artists from Salem, NJ. This includes artists who are recognized locally, regionally and nationally for their skills. These range from 18 Century artists to present day with the entire exhibition from the Salem Historical Society Collection. It was an interesting mix of portraits, still life’s and landscapes. This exhibition of the Society’s visual art collection aims to perpetuate Salem County’s heritage and enhance awareness of its artistic roots (Museum pamphlets).
The “Step into our Canvas: 200 years of Salem County Art” exhibition
The exhibition timeline
Also in 2022, I visited the courtyard and gardens in the back of the museum which contains several buildings including a barn, a small schoolhouse that was moved here along with the oldest lawyers office in the country, a small octagon structure.
There was a small bathhouse designed in the “Oriental” style of the time.
The barn in the courtyard
The buildings line the courtyard in the back of the historical society and on a nice day is a very pleasant place to stroll around and see the buildings.
The log cabin that was built on this property
Programs sponsored by the museum:
The Annual “Salem Walking Ghost Tour” event:
In 2022, I attended the ‘Annual Salem Walking Ghost Tour’ which tours the historic homes of the Salem Historic District and the church cemeteries of the downtown. At each stop, we got to hear tales of the haunted houses of the district and the owners in the afterlife still are involved in their current owners lives.
We started the night with a concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church with organist Erik Meyer, who played music that we relate to Halloween.
St. John’s Episcopal Church on Market Street the day of the concert.
The “Tunes from the Crypt” concert was right before the walking tour.
The concert featured five musical numbers that are classic to all horror films. The music being played is what you might hear in a popular horror film or something to do with Halloween. It seemed a little strange to be in a church but the organist told us that a lot of churches are using this for a fundraiser.
Erik Meyer who was the organist at the concert before the walk
He dressed like a vampire which I thought was strange for a church. These concerts have brought people back to these churches and even the priest said that he had not seen crowds like this on Sundays. The church was packed that evening.
The inside of the St. John’s Episcopal Church for the concert
The beautiful stained glass windows the night of the concert
After the concert, we walked down the antique store where the tour started. We stopped at various parts of the historic district to tales of woes, travels and ghosts still haunting the homes they loved so much.
One of the decorated porches on the Haunted Walking Tour
The Historic District of Market Street
A resident of the house talking about his haunted home the night of the walking tour
No walking tour is complete with a trip to the cemetery
The walking tour really was interesting and residents talked about their experiences in their homes that they say are haunted. The tour was about an hour but is really worth the trip. It was interesting to see how Salem, NJ developed over the years. The tour takes place before Halloween every year and tickets do sell out fast.
sited got a kick out of how things have not changed that much but today kids are more into cell phones and video games.
The entrance to the museum during the holiday season is nicely decorated.
For a small museum, the Salem County Historical Society Museum offers a view into our past and how New Jersey played a huge role in the development of the United States as a nation. Really take the time to see each room and admire their objects on display. You’ll learn a thing or two on what modern items are based on.
During the Christmas holiday season, the museum is decorated with trees, garland and the “Keeping Room”, the original part of the house, is decorating for the holidays.
The “Keeping Room”, the oldest part of the museum.
The Hearth decorated for the holidays.
The Victorian Christmas tree in the main room.
The banister to the second floor decorated for the holidays.
The museum was simply but nicely decorated for the Christmas holidays and the exhibits were family friendly for the season.
The Exhibitions:
The Society utilizes its rich museum to present engaging and informative exhibits. Our museum features several ongoing exhibits including The Keeping Room, A Legacy fro Salem County and The Stone Barn. These displays showcase some of the Society’s treasures including fine and decorative arts, Wistar glass and signature quilts.
In addition to our semi-permanent exhibits, the Society features large special exhibits that change every two years. These exhibits take a closer look at specific events or aspects of Salem County history. Check the Society website to get information about current exhibits. The Society has also opened more rooms for small exhibits that rotate and change periodically.
In 2023, the museum exhibited “Through a Child’s Eye: Toys from the Past” toys from the permanent collection. The museum had a collection of dolls, trucks, games and housekeeping play things. Toys from the Victorian era to the 1960’s were based on domestic roles and getting children ready for marriage. Items like dolls were for child rearing, tea sets for etiquette training for entertaining, trucks , cars and trains for transportation jobs and later on tinker toys and erector sets for thinking and construction. Items like board games were for socialization and thinking skills.
The write up for the exhibition.
The selection of Boys and Girls toys.
Contemporary Board games, musical instruments and dolls.
Dollhouses, trucks and cars for future jobs in industry and in the home.
Domestic toys such as kitchen sets and dolls for women to prepare them for motherhood.
Toys were best for creativity and imagination.
Dollhouses were very popular in every generation.
A baby blanket
Dolls, trucks and tea sets were created a future of domestic and work based lifestyle.
The museum had an interesting collection all sorts of toys, games and vehicles from all ages. From what the museum docent told me was that the kids who vi
Research Library and Special Collections
Thousands of researchers make their own connections to Salem County with the help of the Society’s research library. Historians and family researcher trace their ancestors through time with the help of our library’s comprehensive collection of resources, thus helping to bring people closer to Southern New Jersey’s distinctive heritage.
The library’s holdings of family records, manuscripts, deeds and church histories serve scores of genealogical and historical researchers with primary documents.
The Museum at Christmas 2024
Programs and Special Events
The Society has an active calendar with many diverse programs. From our Quarterly Meetings to the popular John S. Rock Memorial Lecture series to genealogical workshops, there is something for everyone.
The Society also sponsors events such as the highly regarded Open House Tour which opens Salem County’s historic homes and churches to the public every spring. In the fall, the Society sponsors the Walking Ghost Tour, an evening of spirits and stories in historic Salem.
The Walking Ghost Tour in 2019 at the Society
Tunes from the Crypt in 2022
The Salem Ghost Tour in 2022 behind the Salem Historical Society
Touring the cemetery during the day is less creepy and very interesting.
Actors telling their tales the night of the Salem Ghost Walk
The Annual Christmas Yuletide Tour of Salem Homes and Museums:
With Sinterklaas being cancelled this year, it gave me a chance to visit Salem and Woodstown, NJ for their Annual House Decorated Tours. I took full advantage of the time and started early on the tour of Downtown Salem, NJ.
I started the tour right after the Salem Christmas Parade by visiting the Salem Fire Museum, which is never open.
I started my tour of Salem the second the parade was over. I did not want my chance to see the museum’s collection.
The inside of the first floor tells the story of early fire servic
The museum first floor was quiet before the parade to tour
The museum’s second floor with offices and a view of the downtown
The wild Christmas tree on the second floor
The antique pumper on the first floor was the main attraction
The more formal Christmas tree on the first floor near the rescue equipment
I found the Salem Fire Museum to be a fascinating look at firefighting at many different eras. It is nicely displayed and organized and the members of the Salem Fire Department were around to answer any questions.
I watched the Salem Christmas Parade in the morning after the tour of the museum, wanting to see that first before the crowds came. The parade was fun but sparsely attended and I swear the police blocked off every road so it was hard to cross or find parking.
The Salem Magic of Christmas Parade
The Salem Magic of Christmas Parade
The Salem Magic of Christmas Parade
The characters in the Parade
The Parade Queen and her Court rode throughout the parade
After the parade was over and I had a quick snack, it was time to start the Holiday tour of the homes and businesses of Salem.
Salem has limited restaurants but Bravo Pizza & Pasta at 179 West Broadway in Downtown Salem, NJ
My favorite place for lunch, Bravo Pizza on East Broadway
While I was downtown, I stopped at the old bank to see their display before I started the walking tour of the homes. This is now an artist school and gallery. Their take on the holidays was quite clever.
The walk in safe decorated for the holidays
The history of the bank and the downtown
I started the tour of Downtown Salem, NJ homes at the antique store to pick up my map and look around. They have some great things to buy here.
The beautiful Federalist homes the lined northern Market Street had all sorts of elegant decorations on them.
He beautiful and historic Downtown Salem, NJ
He first stop on the tour was Salem City park to watch the military display of arms
The gazebo was nicely decorated for the holidays
The whimsical decorations in the park that day
My next stop was the historical cabin in the downtown. It had been a recreation of an original cabin used during the Revolutionary War.
The cabin had been set up for the military display
The inside of the cabin set up to reflex the war years
I then moved on to start the tour of homes and churches along this stretch of North Market Street.
Even the homes not on the tour were decked out for the holidays
The first house on the tour on North Market Street
The Dining Room of the home was set up for an elegant Christmas lunch
The Living Room was decorated to receive guests
The sideboards were maddened with holiday decorations and Christmas cookies
Most of the homes on the tour provided refreshments complimentary. The first home’s kitchen was laden with trays of homemade Christmas cookies and candies
I loved the use of garland and greens on these homes at the holidays
The second home I visited both floors were designed with elegant holiday displays.
The first floor and second floor had several Christmas trees on display
The second tree on the first floor with the theme of Gingerbread homes and people
The elegant tree on the second floor of the home
I then moved on to St. John’s Church to hear the organ music and wondering singers and look at how nicely decorated the church was for holiday services.
The home at North Market Street from the outside
I had been in the church several years before for the ghost tours and knew of its history.
The sign for the historic St. John’s Church
St. John’s Church on the tour
The church was decorated for Christmas Mass
As a fundraiser in their Chapel, the church was selling soup and sandwiches at very reasonable prices. It was a cool morning and I got the New England Clam Chowder and Sourdough bread. It hit the spot!
The homemade New England Clam Chowder was excellent
The strolling carolers entertained us throughout the tour at each site. Even they stopped to enjoy lunch here.
Another house downtown decorated for the holidays
On the way to the next church and some of the historical buildings, I stopped at the new Willows Wisp at 82 Market Street. This cute little shop had just had a soft opening and was just letting hg the community know they were here.
I stayed for the first couple of songs to warm up before I moved to the Salem County Historical Society across the street to take a quick tour of the exhibitions.
The Salem County Historical Society at 83 Market Street
The museum was open for the duration of the tour of homes and had their interesting Portrait and Toy exhibitions (as noted above) still open to tour and view with docents.
Since I had toured them earlier to see what exhibitions were still there and found I had seen the all, I looked over the Dutch Keeping Room to see an early display of a Dutch Christmas activities. This is the oldest part of the original home that houses the Salem County Historical Society. It used to be where the original Christmas tree was placed which is now replaced by the Victorian Christmas tree further in the museum.
The Keeping Room at Christmas time
The Keeping Room set up for a Dutch Christmas
The Keeping Room decorated for Christmas
After visiting the museum. I went over at Old Salem Courthouse and toured the historical building. The building sits on the site of the original building that was built in 1692. This building’s cornerstone was built in 1735 and enlarged in 1817. The building was moved and renovated in 1908. It is now the oldest Courthouse in the United States under continuous use since its inception (Salem Historical Society Guidebook),
The Old Salem Courthouse at 113 Market Street
The beautiful decorations on the side of the building
The inside of the oldest Courthouse being used in the United States
The side of the room decorated for Christmas
The old fashioned bell that was once used outside
When I was finished with my tour of the Old Salem County Courthouse, I was down the block to my next stop, the Salem Friends Meeting Room building, one I had walked past many times.
The historic signs for the Friends Meeting
The Friends Meeting House in downtown Salem
The historic Friends Meeting House
The view from the top of the Friends Meeting House
The Friends Meeting House was indeed old and I was amazed that this building was still being used for worship. I looked like a relic from another era. There was not much decorations either so it did not seem to festive. I walked around the downtown to the next destination.
Historic Downtown Salem, NJ during the tour, the Courthouse to the left and the firehouse to the right
As it got later in the day, I stopped by the old JC Penney building at 225 Broadway, that was now being used as a training ground for carpenters. They were showing us around the old department store.
Then it was a quick tour of the Brown & Smith Building, which was at 193 Broadway. The historic building was now a gift shop and art gallery. I toured the items of the store before I moved onto my last two sites before I got to my B & B. The next place I visited was the Sarah Hall House at 90 West Broadway, which is now an Insurance company. The front of the offices had been decorated for the holidays with vintage decorations.
The former Sarah Hall House at 90 West Broadway in Downtown Salem
Some of the decorations when we entered the house for the tour
The Christmas tree inside the older home portion of the building
This delightful little doll was owned by one of the members of the Insurance company’s grandmother. The home had also once been the Masonic Lodge. So I could see the addition in the back of the building.
The last private home I saw on the tour was the Matlack House at 24 Oak Street, which had been built in 1868. The couple that owned it now were on property to tell us how they renovated and cared for this home.
The beautiful Matlack House at 24 Oak Street
The owners had done all the wallpapering herself and it was very impressive
Their Christmas tree just off the kitchen
One of the decorated trees by the old Library
What I liked about visiting this house was the sheer creativity of the decorations and the beauty of the design of the home. The last place on the tour was the Barrett Plantation House, where I would be spending the night. The B & B was on the tour that evening so I could not check until the tour was over.
It was really nice to be part of the tour as I got to see all the rooms in the B & B and hear more of its history. The fireplaces were going when we toured and they had a Revolutionary violinist playing and telling us stories of the holidays back then.
I never realized that this house was built in 1735 as a plantation which once encompassed five hundred acres. It was so beautifully decorated for the holidays and what was nice about it was that the fireplaces were going and it was nice and warm in the main room.
The inside of the main room during the tour with the fire going
The beautiful decorations were all throughout the home
One of the bedrooms decked out for the holidays
The violinist who entertained us with music and stories of Christmas’s past
This was the end of the former tour and I just relaxed at the Barrett House to warm up and listen to the music. Since my hosts needed some downtime to get the B &. B back in shape, I went back downtown for the Christmas tree lighting outside of the Old Courthouse.
The Salem Tree Lighting was not part of the House Tour but a nice an accompaniment to it and the earlier parade. I have to admit it was a small tree. I thought in a town as old as Salem they would have this large tree in town but it looked like they had just planted it.
The outside of the Salem Courthouse for the Tree Lighting
The Courthouse decked out and lit for the evening
The Choir singing before the lighting
Videos of Santa arriving on the Salem Fire Truck and The Tree Lighting:
The tree lighting with the parade queen and the choir joining in the fun
The tree at the end of the Tree Lighting ceremony that evening
The Tree Lighting ended my tour of the day. It really was a wonderful house tour and there were so many beautiful homes and public building to tour and visit and so many gracious hosts. I highly recommend this tour for people who want to see the beauty of Revolutionary homes decked out for the holidays.
My stay in Salem, NJ the night of the Yuletide Tour and Tree Lighting:
After the tour was over, I went back to Barrett’s Plantation B & B for the evening. My host Gaynel and Craig greeted me warmly after a long and cold day of touring homes and the downtown. I was greeted by my hosts in the Living Room with a warm fire going and a glass of wine. We had small snacks of Shrimp Cocktail and a Roast beef sandwich with a side of Red Skin Potato salad.
After a nice conversation and getting to know the other guests a swapping ghosts stories, it was time for bed. I highly recommend the Dickerson Room, one of the two suites. I slept soundly that night.
The Dickerson Suite
The Dickerson suite when I woke up to start my day touring
The Sitting Room in the Dickerson Suite
The breakfasts at the Barrett’s Plantation are always wonderful. In the warm and inviting breakfast room, warm fire was going and the table was set for us with juice, fresh fruit and tea. For breakfast with the fresh fruit was Amish Honey Bread and Sunday Casserole with a side of potatoes. What a wonderful way to start the day.
The table set for breakfast
The table setting with fresh fruit
The fresh fruit to start the meal
The Amish Honey Bread
The Sunday Casserole with a side of potatoes for the main dish
The decorations around the house
After the wonderful breakfast, I was ready to start my day. I just loved the decoration inside and outside the house. The couple really did a wonderful job making the B & B festive for the holidays.
Decorations around the house
The side of Barrett’s at the holidays
The beautiful decorations outside
The grounds at Christmas time were nice to walk around in
The grounds at Christmas time
I left that morning to tour other museums and to explore the area more for my blog. It was an excellent tour of the homes and the sites and I highly recommend the Yuletide Tour to really get to know Salem, NJ.
Information on the Society:
(Taken from the Museum pamphlet)
Why become a member of the Salem County Historical Society?
The mission of the Salem County Historical Society is to seek, document, preserve, interpret and perpetuate Salem County’s heritage and to enhance the awareness and appreciation of that heritage through research, collections, functions, exhibits, educational programs and publications, for the benefit of future generations and for the betterment of the community.
The Society offers a wide variety of programming and services that are unduplicated regionally. These programs are presented at locations around the county and are designed to reach and serve a wide range of audiences. This includes guided tours, school lessons on site, outreach programs and our Open House in Fenwick’s Colony tour and Quarterly Meetings. Most programs are free and all are open to the public.
Salem County’s history and the evidence of it that is all around us in the origins and architecture of its buildings, is one of its greatest assets and should be a source of pride for all of us. The growing number of visitors using the Society’s research library, museum displays and public programs is testimony to the increasing interest of the general public in enjoying Salem County’s history.
Membership Benefits
*Receive our award winning quarterly newsletter
*Free admission to our library and museum
*Discounted copies and services in the library
*Discounts on Society events and programs
The funds needed to operate the facility and to maintain and improve the level of services provided by the Society, come in part from annual membership dues. If you are not already a member, please consider a membership. You may join online at http://www.salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com or stop by and visit the Society.
Volunteer
Volunteers play a crucial role in the Society’s operation and overall success. The Society welcomes individuals with varying backgrounds and interests to contribute to our overall mission of preserving and caring for the history of Salem County. Please contact us to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Resources & Records:
*Bible Records
*Census, Church and Cemetery
*Military Service
*Published family histories and family files
*Rare manuscripts and subject files
*Birth, marriages and death resources
*Newspapers on microfilm
*Online access to Ancestry.com
Special collections:
*Maps
*Photographs
*Rare books
*Recorded and unrecorded deeds
*Diaries and journals
*Historical publications about county, state, military, ethnic and industrial history, as well as topics of local interest such as glass, brick houses and agriculture
*Unique house and church files
Publications
The Society publications an award-winning Quarterly Newsletter featuring Society news, events and scholarly articles. Our bookstore features books and periodicals on Salem County topics from many local authors. Publications are available to purchase on our website and at the Historical Society.
Education
The Society brings history to life for hundreds of children every year, providing hands-on lessons about life in 18th and 19th century Salem County. Utilizing current exhibits and permanent collections, children are introduced to the region’s rich heritage through presentations and hands-on activities.
These programs complement school lessons for traditional and homeschooled groups. All of our education programs meet state curriculum standards for Social Studies, Language Arts, Visual and Performing Arts and Mathematics, grades 4-12.
The Society offers educational programs based on the American Revolution, the Civil War, life in the colonial past, which has students identify objects from the past and modern equivalents. The Society also offers educational programming based on the current exhibits. These programs are available at the Historical Society and the programs on the Revolution, Civil War and “History’s Mysteries” can be presented offsite upon request.
Please check the education section of our website to learn more about these programs. Field trips and group tours can be scheduled by contacting the Society at (856) 935-5004.
Accessibility
The Salem County Historical Society strives to make all of our programs accessible to the public. Our library and museum exhibits are wheelchair accessible. Persons requiring special services should contact the Society in advance of your visit. Group visits are welcome and available by reservation.
The Society’s programs are made possible in part by funds from the Salem County Cultural and Heritage Commission, the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and our generous Corporate Sponsors. If you are interested in corporate sponsorship please call the Society.
Museum & Library Admission: $5.00 per person
Directions:
From the Delaware Memorial Bridge:
Take the Route 40 exit and immediately bear right onto County Route 540. Follow 540 to Route 45 south, which becomes Market Street in Salem City.
From NJ Turnpike and I-295: Take Route 40 exit, proceed across overpass and go straight onto County Route 540. Follow 540 to Route 45 south, which becomes Market Street in Salem County.
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Salem County Historical Society pamphlet and membership forms. It really is a nice place to visit and take about an hour to visit the galleries. Please call the above numbers for more information.
IN 1931, Riverhead duck farmer, Martin Maurer and his wife, Jeule, decided to construct a giant duck-shaped poultry shop. They hoped to sell the Pekin ducks they raised to passing motorists, who would surely be drawn to the striking form of the ‘big duck’ along Riverhead’s West Main Street. The Maurers envisioned this plan while vacationing in California where they are known to have visited a roadside coffee shop shaped like a giant coffee pot.
The historic sign
Seeking local assistance, the Maurers hired carpenter George Reeve and two eccentric stage show set designers, brothers William and Samuel Collins. A live duck tied with a string to their porch served as a model for the Collins’ design. Reeve studied the carcass of a cooked chicken in order to create a sturdy, bird-accurate, frame work for the building. Construction of The Big Duck had begun.
After The Big Duck’s wooden frame had been pieced together, wire mesh was attached. Cement was applied to the wire mesh with the assistance of Smith and Yeager Builders. The Big Duck was painted a lovely bright white, save the beak, of course, which was given its street-line orange color. The finishing touch was the placement of two Model-T taillights in The Big Duck’s head for eyes that would glow red at night. The Big Duck in its entirety measures 30 feet from beak to peaky tail, 15 feet from folded wing to folded wing and 20 feet from its base to the top of its head. As duck farms in the 1930’s were commonly known as duck ranches, Martin Maurer had his giant duck shop and business trademarked as The Big Duck Ranch.
The Big Duck roosted at The Big Duck Ranch on West Main Street till 1936. The Maurers’ had sold quite a few ducks from their unique shop and decided to relocate, Big Duck and all, to Route 24 in Flanders. The Flanders community welcomed The Big Duck with open arms and have cherished it since.
The Big Duck’s popularity grew and continues to grow steadily. When the land where The Big Duck rested was slated for development in 1987, Big Duck fans from all over joined Suffolk County in an effort to preserve The Big Duck. The Big Duck’s then current owners, Kia and Pouran Eshghi, generously donated The Big Duck to Suffolk County in December of 1987. The Big Duck was relocated to a nearby County Park. In 2007, since the former site had not been developed after all, the Big Duck was returned to the heart of Flanders.
The Big Duck is open to the public as a gift shop and museum. Visitors can browse historic photographs, antique postcards and published articles as well as photos of roadside architecture on display. Unusual duck merchandise or ‘duck-a-billia’ as well as other Long Island gifts and handcrafted items are available for sale.
World Famous Duck Architecture
While The Big Duck is a well-known Long Island landmark, it has also lent its name to a specific style of roadside architecture. The architectural term, “duck” was coined by architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown in 1968. Duck buildings are highly sculptural forms which represent products or services available within as opposed to the more common ‘decorated sheds’ which are plain buildings whose functions are revealed by added signage.
Within Suffolk County’s Big Duck as with other architectural ducks, the building itself is the signage, a colossal, three dimensional, representational advertisement. Designed to mesmerize passing motorists and entice them ultimately to a purchase, ducks are fantastical while retaining their purely practical intentions. The Big Duck has become the most famous example of roadside architecture.
Another well-known architect named James Wines has proposed the Duck Design Theory, D.D.T., part of which states: ‘Form follows fantasy not function for architecture that cannot offer fantasy fails man’s need to dream.’
Long Island Duck Farmsand its history:
How did the Pekin duck get to Long Island? According to legend, in 1870, a Long Island sailor traveled to China and returned with nine of the snowy-white, orange-beaked Pekin ducks. These ducks thrived on Long Island’s splendid waterways when shelter was provided them for the cold winters.
As Pekin duck meat was especially succulent, it marketing potential soon became evident to potential soon became evident to Long Islanders. Duck farms, sometimes known as duck ranches, sprang up all over Suffolk County, producing 60% of the nation’s ducks by 1969. Today that figure has dropped to below 15% due to escalating land values, increased production costs and environmental concerns.
Long Island duckling can still be found as a menu offering at the finest restaurants around the world.
The Big Duck Museum Store features many duck-inspired souvenirs. Find Big Duck t-shirts, caps, magnets, key chains, mugs, note cards, holiday ornaments and children’s items as well as other Duck-a-bilia. Also find many local products: Books on local history, Long Island seaside photography and artwork, hand-crafted items. calendars, post cards and much more.
Directions:
From Western Long Island:
From the LIE, exit 71 take Route 24 south through the Riverhead traffic circle. Cross Route 105 and continue 1 mile on Route 24 to The Big Duck on the left, right after Huntington Lane.
From the Sunrise Highway, take exit 64N (Riverhead), make a right onto Pleasure Drive, Flanders. At a right onto Pleasure Drive, Flanders. At the end, make a left onto Route 24. The Big Duck is on the right, after the access road to the Flanders Men’s Club.
From Eastern Long Island:
From the Sunrise Highway, take exit 65N, Riverhead and travel 5 miles on Route 24 to The Big Duck on the right after the access to the Flanders men’s Club.
Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Division of Historic Services pamphlet. The Big Duck is very unusual to visit and has bathroom facilities.
blauveltartmuseum.com
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 