The History of the Parsippany Historical and Preservation Society:
(from the Society website)
The Bowlsby / DeGelleke House is a one and a half story, clapboard-sided farmhouse set on a stone foundation. The house was built by George Bowlsby, Jr., c.1790. Originally constructed as a 3-bay façade, an 1819 2-bay addition to the right of the door resulted in a central entrance appearance. The porch was constructed in the Greek Revival style in the 1850 renovation.
A center hallway runs from the front door to the rear door of the house and contains a mid- Victorian open staircase to the second floor and stairs to the basement. On either side of the hallway are two interconnecting rooms. The left (west) side contains a front parlor with a simplified Greek Revival fireplace and a small back room. The right (east) side of the house contains a dining room and a kitchen. Original floorboards remain, with a replacement floor in the kitchen.
Three second floor bedrooms were added when enlarged in 1819. In c.1920, walls were added to create two more bedrooms. An existing front bedroom was changed to a bathroom. The kitchen was also modernized, but still utilized a hand water pump from a cistern in the cellar.
In 1977, the house was purchased by the Township from the estate of Alethea DeGelleke, to be used as The Parsippany Historical Museum. In 1978, the building was added to the State and National Historic Registers. Restoration was completed in 2008 with grants from the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust and the Township’s Open Space Program.
The historic marker for the house
Mission Statement
(from the Society website)
The purposes of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Historical and Preservation Society are to:
*Encourage an appreciation for, and an understanding of, the history of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills by holding meetings at which historical lectures, entertainments, discussions, and other programs are scheduled; by marking historical sites, roads, trails, and building; by publishing work concerned with historical research; by working with school administrators and teachers to encourage the study of local history, and by engaging in other appropriate activities; *to seek out, to collect, and to collate material which may help to reveal and illustrate the history of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills in terms of exploration, settlement, and development; * to cooperate with public and private agencies in providing for the preservation and for the display of historic sites and materials; * to conduct or encourage archaeological investigations in the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills; * to hold title to real and personal property of historical interest of significance that the Society may acquire; * to hold title to moneys or instruments acquired for the purpose of furthering and/or maintaining the Society’s properties. History of the Society
The Society was incorporated on June 8, 1998. Since that time the Society has worked toward the mission of preserving and interpreting the Township’s history and historic structures. The Society works with the Township to open the Township’s historic sites, including the Parsippany Museum, also known as the Bolwsby / DeGelleke House, the Smith / Baldwin House, Old Littleton Schoolhouse and the Forge Pond and Dam property. The Society also sponsors programs that highlight the history of the Township and are held at one of the Townships historic properties.
The Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The Living Room of the house
I visited the Bowlsby-DeGelleke home during Morris County’s Pathways tour recently and discovered an interesting historic home that had been in the Bowlsby family for many generations while farming hundreds of acres of land in this area. The tour guide explained that while the house may have been small, the influence of this family was felt around the community.
The front sitting area
The fireplace in the room with silver collection and the family tree
The Bowlsby Family tree
You could see by the family tree that house and land stayed in the family from the mid 1700’s to 1910, with the farmland being broken up with each generation inheriting a piece of the overall farm.
The back bedroom and nursery
The back bedroom on the first floor behind the Living Room
The kitchen in the back of the first floor
I thought they did a wonderful job decorating the kitchen to reflect different time periods.
The kitchen wares and items needed for everyday life
Family China and crockery in the kitchen
The China pattern shown here was not the family’s but close to what the family would have owned and entertained with for meals.
Artifacts found on property and at a dig site at an old mansion in town
Native American artifacts and weaved baskets from the local area
Information on the local area and items from the dig
The second floor Children’s room display
I loved the Children’s Room with the vintage toys and furniture. This interpretation would have been for a wealthy or upper middle class child. I loved the selection of dolls and games throughout the room.
The toys and doll display in the second floor room
The toys on display in the second floor room
The second floor bathroom
The second floor farm items of baskets and pots. Item used on the farm.
The baskets and crockery used on a farm
This display reminds visitors that this was still a working farm until up to about a hundred years ago.
Paintings and artwork on display in the house
Artifacts in the hallway from the first to the second floor
The display of local historical homes and their history
Local historical homes
Artifacts at the bottom of the stairs in the foyer as I left
The house had been in the family for almost five generations until it had been sold to another family who in turn owned it for another set of generations. The memory of this family still lives on in this wonderful museum.
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
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
The Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum is right on the lake
The museum sign inside the park
I recently visited the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum and learned so much from this lake community with its resort past and development from a artist colony to a hotel and amusement resort from the late 1880’s to WWII to the residential community it has become today. It really does show how transportation has shaped and developed vacation resorts not just in New Jersey but in the Metropolitan area.
The development of the railroad lines into the area bringing visitors from the large urban areas to the development of the automobile and it developed the hotel industry to modern jet travel which led to the decline of the area as a resort and becoming the lake community it is today, the museum guides you through the early history and the important visitors that became part of the community. While there are still traces of the old resort here and there, the rich history of the Lake Hopatcong shows us how time marches on in all places.
On the first floor is the Lenape Native American display and the description of the first residents of the area. There was all sorts of household and fishing items on display at the museum when Native Americans lived in this area in the warmer months.
The Lenape settlement in the Lake Hopatcong district
As the area settled and Dutch and English settlers pushed out the Native Americans, the area became settled with farmers and fisherman and with the opening of the Morris Canal as part of the lock system, a transportation head. The opening of the Morris Canal brought new business and new opportunities to the area.
The Morris Canal display at the museum and the development of the shipping industry in the area
The Morris Canal in its years of use
It was after the Civil War and the affluence of the Industrial Age transformed this area with the advent of the railroads passing through the community. Five day work weeks and weekends off for pleasure opened up this lake community first to boarding houses and then the building of luxury hotels for longer stays. Residents from the urban areas would come to the ‘country’ for fresh air, swimming and recreation.
The Hotel and Resort development of Lake Hopatcong
The development of the lake region for hotels
The hotel industry at Lake Hopatcong
The resort development signs
The advent of WWI
The aftermath of WWI
The growth of the resort community
The resort displays
With people staying at the resorts, they needed more to do than just swimming, boating and fishing. Families would arrive and from there was the development of the amusement industry. This would start with pleasure gardens, carousels and games which led to the creation of Noland’s Point and Bertrand Island Amusement parks. Noland’s would be the victim of the Depression as such a small area did not need two amusement parks and Bertrand Island would continue on until 1983 as times and tastes changed and investment was not put into the park. In its day though, it was a place of fun and merriment.
The history of Noland’s Point
Bertrand’s Island became the center of amusement and fun and the park remained a mainstay of the area for almost 100 years. With the building of bigger and more elaborate parks such as Great Adventure and the growth of shore communities, these inland smaller parks were bypassed by time. While still popular, they did not hold the attention of the Baby Boom and Gen X crowds who wanted new parks to visit. Still the memories of warm summer evenings and our first Miss America from New Jersey, Bette Cooper, the former Miss Bertrand’s Island, still hold true today.
The Bertrand Island Amusement Park display was the most interesting in the museum
Bertrand’s Island display
Prizes won at the park
Part of the rides and games at the park
Games and rides
The Miss Bertrand Island Beauty Contest
Miss Bertrand Island, Bette Cooper, Miss America 1937
The museum tells many interesting stories of the lake district and the displays are very detailed and interesting to read. There is a treasure trove of artifacts and historical items at the museum to admire and reminisce about for those who had visited in the past. The museum is a wonder book of a time between the wars before air travel changed everything that a trip to the lake region was a place for vacationing and for long days of relaxation.
Plan about two hours to really visit the museum and share in its rich history.
Mission Statement
(from the museum website)
Our mission is to collect, house and preserve artifacts and documents relating to the civil, political, social and general history of Lake Hopatcong and to encourage the education and dissemination of information about Lake Hopatcong’s history.
The historic plaque for the house
History of the Museum:
(from the museum website)
Since 1955, our organization has housed, cared for, and displayed items relating to the unique history of New Jersey’s largest lake. With some 750 members, it is one of the largest historical groups in the State of New Jersey. Our four major programs regularly sell out at 200 attendees and our museum has been recognized as one of the finest small museums in the state.
The front of the museum. This is the former Lock Keepers home
The concept for a historical organization at Lake Hopatcong took shape in spring of 1955 when an article in the Lake Hopatcong Breeze declared “It has been suggested that we have a museum at Lake Hopatcong to house the many interesting treasures pertaining to the history of our lake and vicinity….” The July issue reported much interest in the idea of a museum and the Lake Hopatcong Businessmen’s Association asked Alice Apostolik, editor of the Lake Hopatcong Breeze newspaper, to continue investigating the concept.
The front of the museum from the parking lot of the park
The interest fostered led to the formation of the Lake Hopatcong Historical Society on August 10, 1955. With eight people in attendance, an organizational meeting was held at Langdon Arms (where Gatwyn’s Restaurant is now located on Route 15). Dues were established at $2.00 per year with life membership set at $20.00. Langdon Arms was set as the society’s official headquarters, but it was agreed that the monthly meetings should be rotated to other areas of the lake, such as the Hopatcong House, a hotel formerly on Lakeside Boulevard in Hopatcong where The Liquor Factory’s building is now located.
Part of the lock equipment at the lake
The first regular meeting of the newly formed historical society was held in September 1955 at the Ehrlich’s “rathskeller,” which originally served as famed inventor Hudson Maxim’s observatory and ice house and is the small stone tower which still stands off Sharp’s Rock on the west shore of the lake. From the beginning, the goal was to establish a museum for the lake. In the late 1950’s, a group of members had dreams of buying Hudson Maxim’s house shortly before it was torn down. Alas, the plan to purchase the property for $11,000 failed by a single vote of the officers and trustees. In the early 1960’s, an effort was made to buy the old Landing Post Office building, an odd octagonal structure which once sat near the traffic light at Landing. This plan also failed and while the Lake Hopatcong Historical Society was an active organization during these early years, it would take some ten years from the organization’s founding before a suitable building could be located and agreement reached.
Artifacts and mementoes from the museum at the entrance
In the early 1960’s the State of New Jersey moved forward with plans for a new administration building at Hopatcong State Park. The park had been founded on land which was previously owned by the Morris Canal and Banking Company. When the canal was abandoned in the 1920’s, the 98 acres around the Lake Hopatcong dam were set aside as a state park. The Messinger family which had long operated the Morris Canal lock at this site, lived in the stone house just above the lock and dam. With the removal of the canal lock in 1924 and the construction of a modern dam, Rube Messinger became the first dam and park superintendent. He and his family continued to live in the same house. Following World War II, the park began to be more formally developed. Cottages along the lakefront were removed, the beach was greatly expanded, and a new entrance and parking lot were added. The old lock tender’s house was converted into an office for the state park, but as the popularity of the park grew, it became apparent that a larger and more modern building was needed for administration. In July 1963, plans were announced for the construction of a new $125,000 administration building.
The first floor gallery of famous residents and of the resorts
At first it appeared that the old lock tender’s house would be torn down. The Lake Hopatcong Historical Society swung into action to acquire use of the building for a museum. After a prolonged negotiation, agreement was finally reached on a lease with the State of New Jersey in the spring of 1965. Volunteers from the Lake Hopatcong Historical Society then gave the building the tender loving care it desperately needed and set about collecting memorabilia and artifacts from the community to fill their new building. On September 11, 1965, the dream of a museum at Lake Hopatcong was realized as the public was invited to an Open House celebration. Over the ensuing years, the museum collection has grown through wonderful donations and acquisitions so that it now totals over 11,000 images and several thousand other items of memorabilia.
The Bertrand Park display of the amusements on the lake
Before the museum opened, the Lake Hopatcong Historical Society held frequent meetings at local restaurants, hotels, and community rooms. There were also outings and trips for members. Once the museum opened, the organization began hosting many events in their new building. As the organization grew, outside venues were once again needed. In the early 1990’s the museum settled on four major programs per year with featured venues over the years including the Jefferson House, The Arlington, Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club, St. Jude’s Church, and the Palace Theatre. Programs started selling out in the late 1990’s and have continued their popularity since. One thing that has changed is the cost. Dinner programs in the early 1970’s were $6.00 per person!
The lake homes from the park
From the eight individuals who attended the first meeting in August 1955, the society had grown to some 150 members by the time the museum opened. Today, with some 750 members, the organization remains loyal to its mission “to collect, house and preserve artifacts and documents relating to the civil, political, social and general history of Lake Hopatcong and to encourage the education and dissemination of information about Lake Hopatcong’s history.”
Major Archival Topics
(from the museum website)
The Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum maintains collections on the following topics and individuals relating to Lake Hopatcong’s history:
Ans Decker & Decker Fishing Lures
Barnes Brothers Boats
Bertrand Island Park
Bertrand’s Park Amusement area
Bette Cooper, Miss America 1937
Miss Bette Cooper, Miss Bertrand Island and Miss America 1937
Breslin Park
Central Railroad of New Jersey
Cornelia Gilissen
Florence Morse Kingsley
Francis Himpler
Fred Jacoby & Jacoby Boat Works
Garret Hobart
George G. Green
Hopatcong
Hudson Maxim
Ice Houses & Harvesting
Joe Cook
Lackawanna Railroad
Lake Hopatcong Angler & Breeze Newspapers
Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club
The Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club
Lakeside Theatre
Landing
Lenape
The Lenape Display of life around the lake region
Loretta Montez
Lotta Crabtree (Miss Lotta)
The actress Lola Crabtree display
Morris Canal
Morris County Traction Company
Mount Arlington
Nolan’s Point
Nolan’s Point Amusement Park
The Noland’s Point Amusement Park
Northwood
Ogden Mine Railroad
Owen McGiveney
Palace Theatre, Netcong
P.J. Monahan, Illustrator
Rex Beach
River Styx
Sam Goodman, Lifeguard
Shanna Cumming
Shippenport
Skate Sailing Association of America Archives
Thomas Walsh
William J. Harris, Photographer
Woodport
The History of the LakeRegion:
(from the Museum pamphlet)
Located in a rustic 19th century building which served as a lock tender’s house on the Morris Canal, the Lake Hopatcong Historical Society Museum offers an entertaining and enlightening look at the history of New Jersey’s largest lake.
The beach section of this lake park
Step back to a time when the lake was actually two bodies of water and the Lenape lived along the shores. Learn about the building of the famous Morris Canal and the forming of modern day Lake Hopatcong, its main source of water.
Lake Hopatcong
The Morris Canal display at the museum
Travel back to the era when the Lake was a tourist Mecca and some 40 hotels and rooming houses graced its shores.
The hotel display
Relive the days when thousands flocked to Bertrand Island Amusement Park for dancing and ‘nickel nights’.
Bertrand Island Amusement Park
In the age before jets, before air conditioning and before super highways, Lake Hopatcong was a major northeast resort. Within easy reach of large cities to the east, the Lake’s size and setting at over 900 feet above sea level made it the perfect destination. From the 1880’s through the 1930’s, the Lake welcomed thousand each year, including leaders of government, industry and entertainment.
The history of the Hotel Breslin
Low daytime temperatures and cool evenings made Lake Hopatcong a welcome respite from the urban centers to the east. Although other northwestern New Jersey towns were developed as resorts during this time, Lake Hopatcong quickly outdistanced its rivals in popularity.
The popularity of Bertrand Island
While these other resorts shared Lake Hopatcong’s proximity to the urban centers of the East, they could not match the lake’s size or the ease with which to reach it by rail. The museum is located on the grounds of Hopatcong State Park on Landing, New Jersey. The museum’s hours are seasonal so please check the website for hours.
Open: Sunday-Friday Closed/Saturday-Select Saturdays during the Spring and Summer Season-See website
Admission: Free but donations are accepted
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Bridget Smith House from the road
I went to visit the Bridget Smith Homestead Museum run by the local historical society and the house was an interesting step back into time when mines were located all over this region. The original house itself was built around 1855 as housing for people working in the mines and the house was bought by the namesake woman in 1879, when as a widow she moved in with her children. When she died in 1907, the house was rented to Ida and Jesse Mc Connell and Ida ended up living here for 78 years before she died in 1993 at 103. After she passed, descendants from the Smith family donated the home to the town as a historical site (Bridget Smith Home Historical website).
The Bridget Smith House
The house is an early example of mining life in the area. It was practical and cost effective to families. Being a two story/two home structure, the main two rooms were on the first floor with a heating unit on the bottom and a large room on the second floor for sleeping. My tour guide told me at one time, one family lived in one of the sides of the house with six kids. I am not sure how that all worked out.
The historic sign on the property
History of the area:
From the late 1700‘s to the late 1800‘s, New Jersey was one of the major iron producers in America. The northwestern part of the state, known as the “highlands” was an important iron mining area. In the 1840‘s Irish settlers came to America for work. On August 10 1854, an Irish settler named Thomas Malona (later spelled Maloney) purchased a 30×150 lot in the “Irishtown” section of Mine Hill and built a house on it (Bridget Smith House website).
The information sign that welcomes you
Little changes have been made to the structure since the mid 1800‘s. Electricity was added in the 1940‘s and running water was added in the 1980‘s. In 1993 the great grand-children gave the house to Mine Hill for $1 to be preserved as the “Bridget Smith Homestead”. Restoration began soon afterward and work continues to this day (Bridget Smith House website).
The Dickerson family of the Dickerson Mines
The sign on the Dickerson family
The grave of Mahlon Dickerson in the Orchard Street Cemetery
The Dickerson Family plot at the cemetery
The history of the mines in the area
This area of New Jersey was and still is rich in ore and the amount of mines in the area made this a vibrant area for industry. When it was not longer cost effective or the mines ran out of ore that could be reached, the mine was sealed off. As the industry wore off so did the area and people moved on.
Mining and work equipment
Items inside the house and office and some iron ore samples
Miner’s lamp-examples of mining equipment
Paperwork and accolades
Use of horses and donkeys at the mines
The original view of the house and its renovation as a museum
The former residents of the house and their stories
In 1879 the house was sold for $300 to Bridget Smith (1835-1907) a young widow with two children. Smith and her late husband John, who was killed in the mines, lived in Mine Hill since 1860. Bridget Smith lived in the house until her death in 1907. In 1912, the house was rented to a young couple, Jessie and Ida McConnell. Ida McConnell lived in the house for the next 78 years. She died in the late 1990’s at the age of 103 (Bridget Smith House website).
The back room on the other side of the house
Some of the equipment to make cloth
Family life at the house
Family items
An example of a miner’s bedroom
The backyard of the Bridget Smith house with the outhouse
The two seat outhouse in the back of the house
The inside of the outhouse is heated
The entrance to the basement
The entrance to the basement was filled with cobwebs (Don’t go down there)
The house is part of the Women’s Heritage Trail
The house is listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. It is also part of the New Jersey Women’s Heritage Trail. The museum is operated by the Ferromonte Historical Society (Bridget Smith House website).
The house tour when the site is open in a look into the life of a mining family before and after the Revolutionary War and how the area changed with the ups and downs of the industry. It is also a glimpse into the life of early New Jersey family and watching a community progress into the modern era.
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 