March 31, 2015
Port Murray Post Office and Abandoned Train Station
Port Murray has a post office that is . . . a trailer.
What is more interesting is what is behind the post office/trailer - an old caboose and abandoned train station.
June 22, 2014
The Brainy Borough: Metuchen
 |
| Metuchen, NJ Post Office, Brainy Boro Station |
As I wrote in my post about the Lake Hiawatha Firehouse, many New Jersey town names are derived from Native American words.
For example, the very nice borough (sometimes spelled "boro") of Metuchen is named for the Indian chief Metuching.
Metuchen is located in Middlesex County, completely surrounded by the much larger Edison Township, like a hole in a doughnut.
Just about 100 years ago, Metuchen had many intellectuals living and working in the town. The prosperous community of Glen Ridge had many intellectuals of their own and they decided that they were obviously a smarter town and they would claim bragging rights to the title.
Metuchen responded to the challenge, and had a contest with Glen Ridge to decide which was the “brainy boro.” Metuchen won, and the name has stuck. Metuchen has never forgotten this, and has been bragging about this for the last century.
To prove this, here are some links:
Metuchen: The Brainy Borough's 'Overnight' Success
Metuchen Living: People Events and Places in the Brainy Boro: Co-Working in the Brainy Boro
Recently, there was a vaguely worried article on NJ.com about Metuchen’s downtown area, although the author assured readers that “plenty of people have moved to the Brainy Borough because they liked its vibrant, walkable downtown."
Not to worry. Not only is the official motto of the town “The Official Brainy Borough” but one of the two post office branches is still called the “Brainy Boro Station.”
 |
| Brainy Boro Station, Metuchen, NJ Post Office |
Thanks for visiting New Jersey Memories!
November 26, 2013
Historic Red Mill Museum Village, Clinton, New Jersey
Historic Red Mill Museum Village in Clinton includes several different buildings that hold historic interest.
The mill was used to make many things over the years, including wool, peach baskets, talc, and graphite.
The Blacksmith:
The General Store and Post Office:
Read more of my posts about the Red Mill and the village here.
If you want to read more about The Red Mill, including the history of the mill, more photos, and visiting hours, read this page.
Thanks for visiting New Jersey Memories!
November 08, 2011
Thanksgiving In The Country, Part I
 |
For the last 38 years Sergeantsville, NJ has hosted Thanksgiving In The Country. This is a tour of interesting houses and places in the surrounding countryside. The proceeds benefit the Cleft Palate Unit of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Sergeantsville (the first syllable is pronounced "surge"), part of Delaware Township in Hunterdon County, is a lovely rural area.
Many houses and buildings in the area date to the Revolutionary War days. Many buildings there and in surrounding towns are in the National Register of Historic Places. I was also pleased to see signs on some farms that are designated as preserved farmlands.
Nearby is the famous Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge, which we passed through twice but I was unable to photograph (we were on the tour bus and went through the bridge quickly). I will definitely go back for that! It is the last covered bridge in New Jersey.
This year’s tour included an artist’s home, an old house that George Washington slept in (he slept his way all over New Jersey during the Revolutionary War), and a really cool old house with an eclectic mix of modern and old furnishings. I couldn’t take photos inside the houses of course, but tried to take as many photos of the surroundings as I could. Also included was the Methodist church, where a delicious lunch was served, and the Prallsville Mills in Stockton, where a complimentary tea was served.
The photo above is the Sergeantsville Post Office. Below are photos of the Sergeantsville General Store, The Sergeantsville Inn, the Methodist Church, some of the houses and countryside, and the Prallsville Mills.
The Sergeantsville Inn, which has been around in one form or another since the 1700's:
 |
| The Sergeantsville Inn |
The traffic cop:
 |
| Sergeantsville Police Officer |
The Methodist Church:
 |
| Sergeantsville Methodist Church, New Jersey |
 |
| Sergeantsville Methodist Church, New Jersey |
The General Store:
 |
| Sergeantsville General Store, New Jersey |
One of the tour houses and surrounding countryside:
 |
| Thanksgiving in the Country House Tour 2011, Sergeantsville, NJ |
 |
| Thanksgiving in the Country House Tour 2011, Sergeantsville, NJ |
 |
| Thanksgiving in the Country House Tour 2011, Sergeantsville, NJ |
The Prallsville Mills in Stockton, NJ:
 |
| Prallsville Mills, Stockton, New Jersey |
 |
| Prallsville Mills, Stockton, New Jersey |
 |
| Prallsville Mills, Stockton, New Jersey |
 |
| Prallsville Mills, Stockton, New Jersey |
To read more about Sergeantsville (Delaware Township), click here.
For more about the Prallsville Mills, click here.
For more about the Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge, click here.
April 24, 2010
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission -- geniuses in action!
I recently applied through the MVC website to send me address stickers for my NJ Driver's License. (I had recently moved).
When I filled out the online form, it asked me for my street address and my mailing address.
Guess what??? The geniuses at the MVC sent me stickers with the P.O. Box on them! I called them right away, and the woman at the MVC said that your mailing address is what they put on the stickers!
Now what's wrong with this picture? First of all, I don't want a P.O. Box on my Driver's License. What if I need to show identification to a policeman?
Also, what if my mailing address was in another state? Would the brilliant MVC put an address from another state on my license?
This reminds me of the trouble I had with the same post office several years ago, when I moved across town and they insisted on sending all my mail to Newark for several months.
