Tag: Exploring New Jersey

Sturr Family Cemetery 375 Pulis Avenue Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

Sturr Family Cemetery 375 Pulis Avenue Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

Sturr Family Cemetery

375 Pulis Avenue

Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2227047/sturr-family-cemetery

https://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/STURR

My review on TripAdvisor:

The Sturr Family Cemetery sits on a bend of the driveway of the Chabad Jewish Center of Northwest Bergen County and is a small cemetery that once sat on the edge of the J.H, Sturr farm.

The Sturr Family Cemetery

The farmhouse of the Sturr Family sits on the lot across the street from the cemetery property. This is located on a small buff on what was the edge of the farm.

The Sturr Family cemetery tombstones

The tombstones of the Courter and Carlouch family members

The grave of William Courter

The only visible tombstones that are left in the cemetery are an Ackerman family member, Anny Ackerman and members of the Courter and the Carlouch family’s (who must have married into the family).

The Ackerman family tombstones (the one to the right was unreadable)

The other tombstones are broken and no one is sure who is buried where in the cemetery.

The History of the Cemetery:

(From Find a Grave website)

The cemetery is located in Franklin Township, Bergen County, New Jersey, on what was once the family farm of J.H. Sturr. As of October 1991 only 6 markers were still remaining.

The Sturr Family Cemetery in full view

History of the House:

(From the Franklin Lakes Municipal Website)

H. Sturr House or Blue Meadow Farm
Built 1860
378 Pulis Avenue, Block 1510, Lot 8
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 07417 

The Sturr House – also known as Blue Meadow Farm -is a handsome and little altered example of mid 19th century vernacular architecture which incorporates several stylistic elements such as gable returns and frieze area of the early 19th century Greek Revival style. The Borough of Franklin Lakes lists the erection year of the house as 1860. 

The façade of this 2 ½ story house consists of clapboard. The front porch has five bays with square posts and a rectangular entrance door with rectangular sidelights. Two tall 1st story windows are on one side of the porch. A single hitching post with iron rings sits in front of the porch stairs. The building has a frieze area with linear design. Semi-circular headed louvered vents are in all gable ends. The rear of the house has a one story wing.  There is a detached garage to the west side of the house as well as a round frame well. Further west of the house is a stable which has been extensively remodeled and converted into a residence in recent times. The house combined with associated structures is a significant remnant of the large farmsteads which ones dotted the Borough’s landscape prior to the recent suburban housing boom.

History of the Family:

(From the Franklin Lakes Municipal website)

This Sturr house and the nearby more altered house at 402 Pulis Avenue were duplicate structures and were probably built around the same time by members of the Sturr family. The 19th century Sturr family was descended from Conraedt Sturr who purchased 190 acres of land in this area with John Coeter from Robert Livingston in 1793.

The non-extant homestead and mill was located at present-day 930 Old Mill Road. It is known that Henry Sturr, the son of Conraedt, had a fanning mill at this location in 1850. In a will dated 1852 he bequeathed his property and mill to his grandsons John, Henry, and Daniel (Maria Braun – 1976 page 26 & 27).

The property along Pulis Avenue upon which these houses are situated was probably included in this will since the homes were built around the mid-19th century. Future deed research is recommended to identify the original builder and the construction date of the house (1861: H. Sturr, 1876 Estate of H.M. Sturr). Presently the house is privately owned and occupied.

The Friendship School Museum 859 South Shore Road (Route 9) Palermo, NJ 08223

The Friendship School Museum 859 South Shore Road (Route 9) Palermo, NJ 08223

The Friendship School

859 South Shore Road (Route 9)

Palermo, NJ 08223

(609) 628-3303

http://uppertwphistory.org/Friendship-School.htm

https://hpsout.tripod.com/

https://capemaycountynj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5497/CMC-Heritage-Brochure

Open: Please call for a appointment and special tour

My review on TripAdvisor:

The front of the schoolhouse

The entrance to the property

The historic marker

The outside sign

The Friendship School was an interesting look at early rural education where students of various ages would be educated together.

The hours would vary with the growing seasons and students would be educated in the basics to educate them to the next level.

During the school day, children would have various chores to do such as gather wood, collect water, mind the fire and watch the day’s lunch. It would be a full day for both the teacher and the students.

My tour guide confirmed that nothing was easy during the school day and children had a lot of responsibility for what went on in their lives.

The tour was an interesting look at the lives of children of that period of time and the education they received.

The history of the Friendship School:

(from the Museum’s website)

This historic property contains the circa 1930 Friendship School, a circa 1900 privy, and a circa 1917 coal storage shed.  The Friendship School was originally donated in 1976 by William Wells, grandson of Enoch Clouting to the Upper Township Bicentennial Committee during a time when Upper Township was particularly interested in its earliest buildings.

The historic plaques

The school’s hand pump

The committee, headed by the late Curtis T. Cordon, evolved to become the nucleus of the Historical Preservation Society of Upper Township (HPSUT) in 1977. Virginia M. Wilson was its’ first President.

 The history of the Friendship School begins when it was incorporated in May of 1831 with Jonathon Corson, Lewis Corson, and Seth Young as trustees. The students’ tuition was paid for by parents in 1830, but by 1869, public funding for schools was established. In the 1862-63 school year, 52 students crowded into this 15’x 20’ structure, and of those students in the teacher’s roll book, 24 were Corsons!

The grounds of the school grounds

The school itself is standing on its fourth known location! It was originally located 6 houses southeast of its present location. It was used for classes until it was replaced with a larger building in the 1860’s.

The abandoned school house later owned by resident, Lot Corson, became known as “Lot’s Temple” because church services were held there. Then, it was moved to Enoch Clouting’s farm where a corn crib was placed on one side. It is Enoch’s grandson who kindly donated the school.

 The barn on the grounds

The school building was in extreme disrepair when it was moved from the Clouting property to the corner of Ocean Ave. and Shore Road.  According to an undated news article, “mere fragments of the (original) building remained” although “some of the heavier corner posts were salvaged.”

The school’s outhouse (pricey)

The historic sign

Nevertheless, restoration of this Friendship School was researched and planned by Kyle Fleetwood of Tuckahoe and James Wilson of Marmora; with assistance from Matt Unsworth, Robert Entirkin, Curtis Corson III, Somers Corson, Marshall “Ted” Behr, Guy Himmelberger, Harry “Hap” Folger and other members of the Bicentennial Committee. It was completed in 1980.

 All replacement wood matched the original in size and material and great care was taken to restore it to its original appearance. Locally sourced materials for the restoration/reconstruction came from the Van Vorst sawmill in Petersburg, the Hess sawmill in South Seaville and the Brewer sawmill in Dennisville. Benches donated by Myra Clouting Biggs, were reproduced by Matt Unsworth.

The inside of the school house

The teacher’s desk is a reproduction also made by Matt Unsworth. Hardware for the building was hand-wrought by Robert Entrikin of Petersburg. Although it does not qualify for the State and National Registers listing because it retains little original historic building fabric, the building is important to the historical time line of Upper Township.

 The schoolbooks and school equipment

Also on this site are two old frame buildings: a circa 1900 privy donated from the property of the Seaville School on Kruk Drive and a circa 1917 coal/storage shed donated from the Palermo School on Route 9.  The coal storage shed, was donated by Wes and Doris Nickerson with Jim and Nancy Siegrist helping with its restoration. It was added to the property in 1993. Three three-seat privy (outhouse) from the old unused Seaville School was donated by Sharon Kruk in honor of her father, and was restored by Lewis Albrecht and Jim Siegrist. It is a work of art (with a French style roof), but is non-functional.

 The school room reproduction

A special item, the cedar flag pole, from which flew a U.S. flag that flew above the capitol in Washington, DC, was donated by former Deauville Inn owners, Walter and Gloria Carpenter in December of 1983. (Since replaced)

 The school bell and flag

The Friendship School was dedicated on September 10, 1983 by Virginia M. Wilson, President of the Historical Preservation Society of Upper Township, Upper Township Mayor Leonard Migliaccio, HPSUT members: Ebbie Unsworth and her son, Matt Unsworth, and guest speaker, New Jersey State Senator, James R. Hurley.

 The children would collect water and fire wood for the class room during the school day

The reproduction of the school

Upper Township continues to own and manage the property and the school, while HPSUT members manage the inside and its activities. Each Upper Township Kindergarten class is invited to the annual Kindergarten Day to learn what a student classroom life is like in a one room school house in the early

The outside of the school

The African Art Museum of the SMA Fathers (Society of African Missions) 23 Bliss Avenue Tenafly, NJ 07670

The African Art Museum of the SMA Fathers (Society of African Missions) 23 Bliss Avenue Tenafly, NJ 07670

The African Art Museum of the SMA Fathers (Society of African Missions)

23 Bliss Avenue

Tenafly, NJ  07670

(201) 894-8611

http://www.smafathers.org/museum

https://smafathers.org/museum/

https://smafathers.org/museum/about-us/

Open: 8:00am-5:00pm Seven Days a week

Please contact us for group tours.

Fee: Free admission but a donation is suggested.

TripAdvisor Review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46863-d3967225-Reviews-African_Art_Museum_of_the_Society_of_African_Missions-Tenafly_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

I recently revisited the African Museum of Art on the SMA Father’s and on this trip really took my time to learn about the Mission and study the art in the various displays. Each country that the Mission is involved with is represented here with detailed information on the meaning of the art and its purpose. It is an interesting approach to understanding the culture of each of these countries.

The beautiful stained glass windows line the ceiling and walls and has a beautiful effect in the room on a sunny day.

The sculpture in the middle of the main hall

The History of the Museum:

(From the museum website)

This museum was established in 1980 and is one of the only rare few in the United States dedicated solely to the arts of Africa. Its permanent collections, exhibited on a rotating basis, offer a unique advantage in the study and research of sub-Saharan sculpture and painting, costumes, textiles and decorative arts, religion and folklore.

The main hall of the museum

The history of the Mission

The history of the Mission

The history of the Mission

The African Art Museum of the SMA Fathers is one of five museums around the world founded and maintained by the Society of African Missions, an International Roman Catholic missionary organization that serves the people of Africa.

The display case that line the main hall

The display case that line the main hall

The art works up close

The descriptions of the works

The display case that line the main hall

Some of the works up close

The description of the masks

The display case that line the main hall

The museum is the continued vision of SMA’s founder, Bishop Melchior de Marion Bresillac (1813-1859). The French-born clergyman urged his Society to respect and preserve the culture of the peoples they serve, the unique among the missionaries of his time. (This information is provided by the museum).

Some of the works being featured in the exhibition

Their current exhibitions is on the “Africanizing of Christian Art” which shows the 20th Century encounter between Catholic Christianity and the visual culture of the Yoruba, a prominent west African people of southwest Nigeria under the conditions of late colonization (This information provided by the museum).

The hallway off the main room

Linking the walls of the main room are wooden carved doors from a palace in Africa. The interesting detail work tells it own story.

The description of one of the doors

Panel One

Panel Two

Panel Three

Panel Four

The collection contains many works in the form of masks, textile work, religious figurines and decorative arts. Each display case shows a different theme in the art.

The works of art in the cases

The puppets in the case

The works of art lining the cases

The engaging Mask collection

The museum is the main hallway of the church. I found it a quiet place where you could really concentrate on the beauty of the art. It grounds are also nice to walk around in in the nice weather.

The Chapel just off the museum is interesting to visit. I wondered how many people came to serve here and how the service was performed.

The main chapel of the mission

The beautiful stained glass windows in the chapel

The museum is a true hidden gem of wonderful and interesting testimonial and contemporary art. An inspiring museum if you take the time to really enjoy it.

The Bergen County Court House 10 Main Street Hackensack, New Jersey 07601

The Bergen County Court House 10 Main Street Hackensack, New Jersey 07601

The Bergen County Court House: Hackensack, New Jersey

10 Main Street

Hackensack, NJ 07601

(201) 221-0700

https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/component/rseventspro/location/16-bergen-county-courthouse

Open: Monday-Friday-8:30am-4:30pm

*Call about touring the facility when court is in session.

The Historic Courthouse at 10 Court Street in Hackensack, NJ.

The Bergen County Justice Complex (including the Bergen County Court House) was placed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic placed on November 22, 1982 and January 11, 1983 respectively. The Register nomination referred to the building’s significance as “important to the judicial of the Bergen County Justice Complex-the Court House, the Jail (now called the ‘Old Jail’), and the Administration Building-were the work of important architects and all possessed architectural quality and interesting examples of early 20th century technology.

The Historic marker

Designed by James Riely Gordon, in the Beaux Art style reflecting monuments of classical Rome and Italian Renaissance, the Court House incorporated rich materials including marble and bronze. With a dome modeled on the U.S. Capital, it incorporated other art forms including painting, sculpture and stained glass. The exterior contains many sculptures including the female statue of “Enlightenment Giving Power” on the dome’s cupola. The dome’s interior is decorated with Tiffany stained glass panels. Three of the courtrooms have elaborate stained glass skylights fabricated by the famous Lamb Studios. Some of the courtrooms also contain large murals painted in the 1930’s by artists working for the Federal Art Project of the Works Project Administration.

The Hackensack Green, Courthouse and Dutch Reformed Church and Cemetery.

The other side of The Green from the Courthouse.

The symbolic value of the Court House was recognized when it was built in 1910-1912. A local newspaper, The Hackensack Republican, wrote on July 7, 1910 that the courts “stand for the protection of rights, for the redressing of wrongs and for the punishment of crime. There are the great safeguards of the freedom of the people…Hence we build these courthouses as temples of justice-substantial, ornate and commodious as the appropriate form for the great duties which are here to exercised”.

Bergen County Court House 1715-1912 with the historic cemetery in the distance.

First Court House 1715: The Court House was combined jail and courthouse built on the site of three blocks south of the present County Administration  Building. It was located in an area known as Quacksack, later becoming part of the southern portion of Hackensack. It was built of stone laid up by two of the freeholders, John Stagg and Ryer Ryerson.

Second Court House 1734: This Court House, built on “land near the Dutch Church by Hackensack River.” was probably on or adjacent to the Green in Hackensack and closer to the river than the site of the current courthouse. It burned in 1780 during the Revolutionary War in the British raid of Hackensack.

Third Court House 1780: The 1780 Court House was something of a temporary structure built during the Revolutionary War away from Hackensack. It was a log building with the courthouse and jail housed under one roof, erected at “The Ponds” (Present day Oakland) in northwest Bergen County.

Fourth Court House 1786: The fourth Court House was built on a site “about 100 feet east of Main Street,” Hackensack where present day Bridge Street connects with Main Street (southern side of Bridge Street) fronting on the river. It was built on land bought from Peter Zabriskie, who lived in the magnificent Mansion House which faced the Green.

The unique statues that flank the front of the courthouse.

Fifth Court House 1819: The Fifth Court House was a brick structure built on the site of the present courthouse on land deeded to the county by Robert Campbell, a prominent Hackensack attorney and son of Archibald Campbell, whose tavern on the west side of Main Street faced the Green. Campbell specified that the land was deeded for the use of the county. If used for any other purpose, it was to revert to Campbell’s heirs. It was torn down in January 1912 when the present courthouse building had been completed on the side behind it and to its west.

The other statue that flanks the Green.

Sixth Court House 1912: The present Court House was designed by James Riely Gordon (1863-1937), a prominent architect responsible for the design of about 70 courthouses and two state capitals. The cornerstone was laid July 6, 1910 and was built by John T. Brady & Company of New York. Completed in February 1912 at the cost of $1,617,000, it was the subject of considerable investigation and lawsuits due to charges that there was over-payment of funds as well as added costs, which became the basis for political battles.

For Justice Center information: contact http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/bergen/

http://www.co.bergen.nj.us

2015 Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs

The Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.

*Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historical Affairs pamphlet. Please refer to the website for tours and other information on visiting the site as it is a working courthouse. Please check the website and email or call before you visit.