World War 1 Memorial; Ridgefield, New Jersey

 

 

    So In the small town of Ridgefield NJ there is this statue standing over 28 feet tall, crafted by bronze built in 1938. It stands tall to commemorate those Ridgefield residents who fought in World War One. The Bronze solider is leaning forward with a rifle in his arm, dressed in gear ready for battle.  
    In my opinion I do like the statue I like where it is, the memorial is by two major roads that run through my town so I can be viewed by many people. If I have one criticism it would be to restore the old bronze color. Obviously after 80 years the metal material would start to rust and show its age, I would like to see the town replenish the bronze, polish it to its original bright and shinny brown texture. I feel it would make the structure look more presentable and entice more people to walk up to it and take a look. 

https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/component/gmapfp/807:wwi-monument-ridgefield.html?view=gmapfp   

September 11th, 2001 Memorial at Horseshoe Lake in Roxbury NJ

 

This is a memorial that was put up in my hometown of Roxbury NJ at our local park named Horseshoe Lake.  The memorial is remembering the horrible events that took place on September 11th, 2001 including two residents of Roxbury Township Joseph Deluca and Kenneth Zelman.  The memorial is a round concrete display about 3 feet tall filled with rocks.  A piece of metal from one of the buildings is on display along with three arrows pointing towards where the three crash sites happened, New York City, Washington D.C., and Shanksville Pennsylvania.  The last item the memorial displays is a plaque stating, "September 11, 2001 We Stand United... In mourning...  the thousands of innocent lives taken in the cowardly terrorist attacks on America.  In sympathy...  for the family of victims:  Joseph Deluca and Kenneth Zelman who were residents of Roxbury Township.  In honoring Police, Fire, and First Aid personnel in Roxbury Township and elsewhere, who respond to our calls, without regard for their own personal safety!  Celebrating...  the Freedom, Courage, and Fortitude of the greatest nation on the Earth.  God Bless America."

Baylor Massacre Burial Site

 

This burial site is located in River Vale, NJ. It was a very important part of history during the revolutionary war era. It involved colonel George Baylor’s platoon getting ambushed by British forces at the time injuring many of his soldiers. He was a very important aide to George Washington and years later eventually died with some injuries being caused from this event. The Burial site includes the 67 people who had died during the conflict.

Archibald Campbells Tavern

The historical site that I decided to visit was the site of a tavern that existed during the Revolutionary War in present day Hackensack, NJ. It sits across from what is what is known as "The Green" which was a "strategic position" in early Hackensack where George Washington stayed for a period of time during the Revolutionary War, (RWNJ). The tavern was run by a man named Archibald Campbell who arrived in Hackensack in 1765 and is originally from the Isle Of Man, (RWNJ). Food was served to George Washington and troops from Achibalds tavern during the Revolutionary War. The building that currently stands was built over where the tavern stood until 1873. This tavern sits in downtown Hackensack on Main St and having never explored and familiarized myself with the area it was interesting to visit where the tavern stood. The tavern along with other historical sites in the surrounding area helped me better understand and contextualize the historical significance of the city. Despite the actual tavern being demolished their is a plaque in the front of the building that reads, "Archibald Campbells tavern stood here. He supplied meals to George Washington when Peter Zebriskies home was used as military headquarters between November 13th and Novermber 21rst 1776 during the retreat across New Jersey. The army marched down Main Street and camped on the Green during November 20-21, 1776".

Photo Credit: Noah Assefa 

-https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/hackensack_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm

 

Ford Mansion in Morristown, NJ

 

Taken by Eric Carneiro 12/14/2021

Last December, after a day of working with my Uncle doing a job in Morristown; driving on the way back home, I told my uncle to stop by the Ford Mansion just out of fascination, since I had already known about the mansion, and it's historical significance, being used as George Washington's headquarters for a period of time during the American Revolutionary War. Though we didn't go inside since it was already later on during the day, and the musuem was closed, just getting to see and getting a picture of a house that was used as the headquarters of our very first president, during the war that granted America it's independnce, definitely makes it a sight worth seeing. Unfortunately, this also is the only picture that I do have, since my uncle was in a rush to beat rush hour traffic. Nontheless, this mansion stands as a crucial part of not just New Jersey's history, but American history altogether. 

The Joe Louis Memorial of Pompton Lakes NJ

Taken by Frank LoPresti 9/25/22

Joe Louis Barrow was one of the most famous American Boxers of all time, a prolific heavy weight who reigned as champion for 12 years. A man who reinvented the sport of boxing as a whole, as well as inspiring many of the champions who came after him such as Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson and many more. However he is also a local legend around New Jersey as he had a history of competing and training often throughout the state. As in the case of the photo above, he spent quite some time within the town of Pompton Lakes. Louis spent quite some time within the town integrating himself within the community and spending time in local businesses in the area.

FILE PHOTO, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Taken by Frank LoPresti 9/25/22

Joe Louis's training camp took place directly at the lake itself where he could be seen running laps around the 2.89 sq. mile lake. Its very interesting to find such a world renowned athlete spend so much time in a rather small out of the way town, however when things like these do happen it benefits the culture and history for where it took place. Although he may not have been a native of the town, Joe Louis left a lasting impact and to honor him a monument was built outside of where his training camp began and is open to the public all hours of the week.

Photo taken by Gina LoPresti 9/25/22

    As a native of Pompton Lakes, fan of the sport, and aspiring boxer myself knowing that this legendary figure spent much of his time training where I grew up is an exciting and inspiring concept.

 World War I Memorial in Secaucus, New Jersey

Standing in front of the Town Hall of Secaucus, New Jersey, is the sculpture known as "The Spirit of the American Doughboy." This statue commemorates the American soldiers who fought and died in World War I, more specifically one soldier from Secaucus who died on the front lines. His name is Joseph Hassenforder and while it is not stated on the plaque he was killed in action on July 15th, 1918. This was only a few months before the war came to a close and so the people of Secaucus remember his sacrifice through this memorial. This specific sculpture, however, does not portray Cpl. Hassenforder as it was one of many mass produced sculptures constructed during the 1920s. I find it interesting that although we may not be able to see an accurate portrayal of this soldier, it is still very moving through the features presented. The trees are cut down to stumps evoking the idea that they were blown away in the fighting while the ground the soldier runs through has a very muddy texture showing the inhospitable landscape many of these soldiers fought on. Another interesting feature is a secondary plaque near the bottom of the memorial which commemorates Cpl. Raymond Frank Schopmann who fought and died in the Vietnam War on March 26th 1968. These two men from Secaucus are remembered for their service and untimely deaths in two extremely devastating wars. The inclusion of this plaque is certainly something I did not expect to find, but was glad to see as although these men died 50 years apart from one another, it was both in the service of the US Army. This reminded me of my ancestor, Mario Malchiodi, who was an Italian immigrant from Naples that arrived in New York City some time during the early 1910s. When the US sent soldiers to fight in Europe in 1917, Mario joined the US cavalry. He never spoke much of his time in the war to his family, but after he passed away at the young age of 35 he was considered a war hero by his comrades. He had been gassed in France, but survived though unfortunately his lungs were so badly damaged that he died from his wounds years later. In 1968 my grandfather, Robert Luetjen, was preparing to leave to fight in Vietnam as a part of the US Marines, but was stopped by the Red Cross when he found out his wife and new-born daughter were in the hospital and were going to die. Luckily they survived and my grandfather was honorably discharged after his term in the Marines was over. These memorials remind me of my own ancestors who both signed up to fight in these two horrific wars. It is interesting to see Public History at work which helps us gain a better understanding of our own communities involvement and sacrifice while even being able to remind some of us of our own families.

A day at Goffle brook park

Recently, I came across a historic memorial spot, while i was hiking at Goffle brook park. The memorial is symbolizing Ryerson-Lafayette house. this house was used by generals like Marquis de Lafayette. the significance of this house is, its very early build and the role it played during the American Revolution. According to the history, the main encampment of general George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette had held a very short distance from the house, along the Goffle brook. Unfortunately, the house faced a terrible accident, during 1950. the house was burned down. currently the town is honoring its memory with a memorial.

Sydenham House

The Sydenham House is one of the oldest homes built in Newark, New Jersey. It was built in 1711 and it is a prime example of old American architecture. The old architecture of the house includes traditional salt-box style with one side of the gabled roof extending further to the back while the timber frame construction of oak and pine beams rests on stone foundations.The house was originally built for John and Susannah Sydenham, it was then expanded in 1836. The house ran down the Sydenham family and continued to be owned by them for 200 years. In 1954 it was sold to Dorland and Elizabeth Henderson, who worked on the restoration of the house. They then gifted the house to the Newark Museum in the late 1990’s.

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart

 

Newark, New Jersey is home to the renowned Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, which I recently visited. It is known to be the 5th largest cathedral in America. The building process started in 1899 and was completed in 1954. Along with large bronze doors, the church contains stained glass windows. You can see that wood, stone, and marble was also used in the cathedral's construction. Also, there are five past bishops of Newark interred in the crypt of the cathedral. The Cathedral's organ is the biggest church organ in New Jersey, including 9,513 pipes. I was lucky to see this stunning cathedral because I live only twenty minutes away. 

The Origin of Women’s Sports in Passaic Valley

For my high school tenure, I attended Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls New Jersey. My High School has a famous origin story of women's sport originating from Passaic Valley. Wehn my high school was built in 1940 and women were not able to participate in sports that we have today in the United States, so Passaic Valley invented Girl's Show which is a day in which all the girls are able to participate in a gymnastics and cheering event, giving them their day in which they can be athletic and have a day in which men's sports are not the only thing that mattered. These event that take place are Dance, cheer, exercise, posters and relays. The First Girl Show took place in 1941 and it has two teams, team green and team white. Girl Show still takes place to this day still, and these are the posters of each team, hanging within the gym of Passaic Valley high school in the year 2017. 

 

Stephen R. Gregg Park in Bayonne, NJ

 

This statue was put up in Bayonne, NJ to honor Second Lieutenant Stephen R. Gregg, a Bayonne resident, and Medal of Honor recipient. Gregg received his Medal of Honor for his actions in the European theater in WWII. The park was originally named Bayonne Park before being renamed to honor Gregg in 1995. Then, the statue was put up in July 2021 at the entrance of Stephen R. Gregg park in Hudson County.  Gregg is a hometown hero in Bayonne and a symbol of pride, hope, and courage for Bayonnites like myself. The dedication of this statue really cements his legacy and ensures that his heroic actions and sacrifices will never be forgotten.  

Van Saun County Park

 

Van Saun County Park is a nostalgic place for me. It is a piece of land that stretches across over 130 acres of land and is a public domain for anyone looking to spend the day at their zoo, take a ride on their train, go for a peaceful walk, have a picnic, or even bring their children to burn off energy at the rather large playground. I spent a lot of time here as a child, but on this blistery autumn Sunday, I also learned that it has some history to it, other than being a public domain for outdoor activities, as well as occasional festivals and events throughout the year. 

Van Saun County Park is also home to Washington Spring. In 1780, Washington and his Continental troops occupied this area, and Washington Spring is where he watered his horse during that time. This land belonged to the Van Saun family during the Revolutionary War but was later sold in 1957.

 It was fascinating to learn that a place that holds so many zoo and playground memories for me, is also a historical site. For anyone who loves walking outdoors or just sitting in the grass to have a nice picnic, I recommend this large park and zoo. There is something to keep everyone in the family entertained while soaking up some history.

High Point Monument - High Point State Park

High Point Monument - High Point State Park

The High Point Monument resides in Sussex, NJ at High Point State Park. The obelisk shaped monument is meant to represent the spot of the highest point in New Jersey. The elevation of the monument is 1,803 feet above sea level, and it overlooks the 16,000 acres of land that is a part of High Point State Park. Colonel Anthony R. and Susie Dryden Kuser from Bernardsville, NJ were the main contributors in the building of the monument. They donated the land for High Point State Park, and they funded the creation of the monument. The High Point Monument began being built in 1928 and it was completed in 1930. I have lived in this area all of my life, and I have been fortunate to have been able to visit the beautiful monument as many times as I have. More information about the monument can be found here. 

“Official Site of the State of New Jersey.” NJDEP | High Point State Park & New Jersey Veterans' Memorial | New Jersey State Park Service, https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/highpointstatepark.html. 

Bloomfield College Westminster Arts Center

The Bloomfield College Westminster Arts Center is an iconic building located in downtown Bloomfield, NJ. The church complex of buildings were originally built in 1891 to house members of a Presbyterian congregation, as well as a large audience of Presbyterian followers. As years passed, there were many reported encounters with the occult. By 1966 the main building was purchased by members of Bloomfield College and reappropriated to become an arts center. More information and high resolution photos of the iconic tower building can be found here. I chose this historical site because I often drive by the tower and always admire the unique architecture. 

Memorial to Casmir Pulaski

 The memorial I visited is located in my hometown of Wallington, New Jersey, and is dedicated to General Casmir Pulaski. Casmir Pulaski led a squadron of cavalry within the continental army, under the direct command of George Washington. During the war, Pulaski would lead a battalion of cavalry under the command of George Washington. Prior to the revolutionary war, he also assisted in leading a rebellion against the commonwealth of Poland at the time, fighting for the freedom of its people. A note of importance is the location of the memorial, as it lies within the town of Wallington, a town with a large Polish population. The tribute marks the pride they feel for one of their own fighting for independence in not only his home country of Poland, but standing up against the oppression of freedom in others. The monument features a bust of Pulaski, along with a quote of his below it.

Waterloo Village

For this assignment, I visited a historic site I used to visit as a child on family outings and field trips. Waterloo Village is a look at what an authentic 19th-century village looked like. Waterloo was necessary because of the Morris Canal which allowed boats to travel across the state from Phillipsburg to Jersey City from the years of 1831 to 1924. Also located in Waterloo was the Andover Iron Works, which was formed by two Loyalists William Allen and Joseph Turner in 1760. Nowadays, it is a fascinating piece of history. Someone could easily spend an entire day here, exploring the town, or visiting the Winakung, which is a look into how the Lenape lived with hands-on activities. It was also just a beautiful walk for those who enjoy the outdoors. For more information about visiting Waterloo Village and its history, click here. 

 

Baylor Massacre Park

 The historical site that I actually stumbled upon this week was something I found absolutely fascinating. I had the mindset that I was looking for a historical site at some point this week so that I could make this blog post, and on a random trip to one of my girlfriend's competitions in Old Tappan I stumbled upon this site which I found absolutely fascinating as somebody who loves Revolutionary War History more than any other kind of history. Lt. Col George Baylor who was a trusted friend and military colleague of General George Washington during the Revolutionary War, was assigned to a special operations type group called the "Continental Dragoons" on the night of September 28th, 1778 the group of Dragoons set up to sleep for the night in the area surrounding this burial site, and Tories who were in the area gave them up to a local British general who happened to have been a ruthless, blood obsessed general of the British military named Charles Grey. Grey went by the nickname "No Flint" given to him when during the Battle of Paoli he ordered his troops to take the flint out of their rifles and charge at the enemy with just fixed bayonets. That type of warfare was once again used during the Baylor Massacre as in the middle of the night, after finding where the Dragoons were staying, Grey once again ordered his men to not shoot, and only use bayonets. They surprised the Dragoons as they were sleeping, killing 15 and wounding and capturing 54 more, one of which was Lt. Col Baylor. Baylor was stabbed in the leg, and after being released from being a prisoner of war, eventually succumbed to his injuries a short while later. This battle was considered to be one of the most controversial and brutal acts carried out by the British Military as War was considered to be a "classy" and "orderly" thing,  and this attack was considered, especially by the American Separatists an act of extreme violence, brutality, and classlessness on the part of the British Military. 

Brandon Lee: Grover Cleveland Birthplace: Fall 2022

The above photographs showcase my recent visit to the birthplace of the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, Grover Cleveland. Located at 207 Bloomfield Avenue in Caldwell, New Jersey, said home was owned by a "minister of the local Presbyterian Church" and was "built in 1832" (nps.gov 1). It should be related that President Cleveland was born in 1837 (nps.gov 1). Moreover, I would pass said location essentially every day while attending Essex County College and was interested in learning more about said historic site, largely because I enjoy Presidential history.  For more information visit, https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/grover_cleveland_birthplace.html.

Work Cited

“Grover Cleveland Birthplace--Presidents: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/grover_cleveland_birthplace.html. 1.

Photo Credit: Brandon R. Lee

Newark Roberto Clemente Statue

     On Friday I visited the Roberto Clemente statue near my house in Newark. Roberto Clemente was a Puerto Rican born baseball player and former marine playing all 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente was a star athlete, one of the first black players in the league, and the first Latino inducted to the Hall of Fame. In 1972, Clemente boarded a flight to Nicargua to deliver aid to victims of a recent earthquake, after he learned his first few aid packages had been intercepted by the Somoza Government and used for themselves. His plane crashed shortly after take off in Puerto Rico killing everyone on board. Clemente’s plaque on his statue reads “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth." Roberto Clemente was a man whose actions spoke louder than his words and made a difference to millions of people in and outside of Baseball. It’s for these reasons he is still loved and lives on in people's memories today.

Buzz Aldrin"s Childhood Home

 

 On September 20, 2022, I went to see famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin's childhood home near the south side of Anderson Park in Montclair, New Jersey.  While he lived there, Aldrin would climb onto roof from his third-floor bedroom to stargaze.  This must have inspired him to go into NASA by the late 1960s where he and Neil Armstrong became the first humans to set food on Earth's natural satellite.  New owners had bought the property during the year of the first moon landing where they watched the actual event on their TV.  Now the matriarch of that new family has recently passed away and the house is currently on the market for over $1 million.  A local Montclair resident is currently in the process of buying it and making it into a museum.  I agree with this idea because it would allow the public to gain deeper insights about the events of the well-known astronaut's childhood and how they shaped his life and ambitions.

Source:  Everett, Rebecca. "Buzz Aldrin's N.J. home is on the market for $1M but a local man wants it to be a museum." NJ.com, December, 22, 2020. https://www.nj.com/essex/2020/12/buzz-aldrins-nj-home-is-on-the-market-for-1m-but-local-man-wants-it-to-be-a-museum.html. 

 Waterloo Village Historic Site

Waterloo Village is located in Stanhope, NJ. The village was made in the 19th century that developed on the banks of the Morris Canal. Canal boats were pulled by a team of two mules on the Morris Canal for almost 100 years passing through the village in each direction. The boats were 90 feet long transporting coal, ore and other cargo along the 5 day trip. Inside the village you can find a United Methodist Church still in use today along with a blacksmith shop, general store, library, mill worker house and much more.

The Sterling Hill Mine

Picture Credit: Tina Sutherland

Picture Credit: Tina Sutherland

In Ogdensburg, where I grew up and went to school, I frequently went on field trips to the Sterling Hill Mine. The Sterling Hill Mine opened in 1914 as an Iron and Zinc mine that reached a maximum depth of 2,675 feet underground. Ogdensburg became a popular spot for people to migrate to because of the mine and the opportunities for work that it presented. Sterling Hill was the last fully operational mine in New Jersey and officially closed its doors for commercial mining in 1986. Four years later in an effort to preserve the Sterling Hill Mine, it was sold and bought by new owners, who in August of 1990 opened the mine for tours, and had the Ellis Astronomical Observatory built. Tours of the mine and viewing sessions in the observatory both still occur at Sterling Hill today. In addition to tours and viewing sessions, the grounds of the Sterling Hill Mine are used for several different events. These events include the Haunted Mine fundraiser during Halloween, town-wide garage sales, food truck festivals, and mineral collecting workshops. You can visit the official website of the Sterling Hill Mine here.

World War 1 Monument

Rutherford World War 1 Monument

For my blog post, I visited the World War 1 Monument, located in the center of a busy intersection in Rutherford. This monument was built on Memorial Day 1920, designed by Edgar Williams, the brother of poet William Carlos Williams, to show respect to the 19 local soldiers that fought in WW1. Every night, from the day it was built to now, the lights are always turned on in the memories of the men who died fighting in this war. He explained the meaning behind this monument, provided in this link here. I chose this monument because I have lived in this town my whole life, and I have always passed by this monument, and still pass it every time I walk or drive around. 

Other link: 

https://www.nj.gov/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/RutherfordWorldWarIMonument.shtml

Shea Stadium's home plate

 

Shea Stadium home plate commemorative plaque. 

On April 17, 1964 the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates played the first official major league game in the newly erected Shea Stadium. The inaugural game marked the Mets first home game in their new 28.5 million dollar stadium. The Mets would go on to play 45 seasons within the confines of Shea Stadium, while winning World Series titles in 1969 and 1986. Ground was broken on November 13, 2006  to begin construction on Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets. The project began in the shadow of Shea Stadium. Shea Stadium finally closed its doors on September 28, 2008. The history of Shea Stadium lives on through commemorative base plaques which can be found in the parking lot of Citi Field. This commemorative plaque is significant to me because I am a lifelong Mets fan who was able to visit Shea Stadium as a kid. The commemoration of the Mets original home in the parking lot of the Mets new home serves as a reminder of the New York Mets long and storied history. 

The Livingston-Benedict House

This blog post showcases the home of William Livingston, the first elected Governor of New Jersey. The Livingston-Benedict House was built in 1752 and was used when British troops made Union and Elizabeth unsafe. Livingston and three others signed the Constitution of New Jersey in 1787. Farrand N. Benedict purchased the home in 1857 with his current descendants living in the home today, holding open house tours every year (RevolutionaryWarNJ). I was fascinated to know that the first Governor of New Jersey’s house is neighboring my town, and that it is a few minutes off of Route 46. This historical site was interesting because adjacent to the home, there was also a small park and gazebo that was venerated as Governors Park. 

RevolutionaryWarNJ

M56 in Elmwood Park, NJ

 

On September 21st, 2022, I visited the M56 Scorpion tank on the boulevard in my town of Elmwood Park. This hosts an anti-tank gun that was produced in the 1950’s, and saw combat in Vietnam. The tank was used by the US, but also made available to Spain, Morocco, South Korea and West Germany. This one in my town is one of two dozen that still exist and is on display for all who drive down the main avenue in my town. I have passed by this tank every single day, and it is right next to the place I work at. It is one of the many iconic symbols of our town. 

Other links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M56_Scorpion

Grover Clevelands birth place fall 2022

  For my New Jersey historical cite blogger post I went to Grover Cleveland's birthplace. It is located in Caldwell, New Jersey. Grover Cleveland was the 22 and 24 president of the United States of America. While people are not allowed into the house it is interesting to see where such an influential past president grew up and lived in his youth. While on the land they had a little museum exhibit that housed some of his childhood objects. The majority of the items in the museum are notebooks and different writing that he did in his youth. I found it very interesting that such a historically important place was something that I drive past every day and don’t even look at. For more information the website will be linked here.