Your Letters (well, e-mails) to LandingNewJersey.com
We welcome your e-mails sharing your
remembrances about Landing and Bertrand Island. Over recent years
friends have been reunited and memories reawakened by the letters of
others. If you're planning to write, first let these letters move you
back in time a few years, then write twice as much as you planned, we've
got endless space! If you've got some good photos that illustrate your
story, we'll give you your own page, like two of our readers have
already done. Contact email is below.
If you want your email address to appear with your letter, enter it as
text at the end of your letter, otherwise we'll keep it private. Email and social media messaging have caused fewer and fewer people to write letters these days. People still visit the post office to mail packages in custom boxes but not as many mail letters. At least the post office will stay in business with all the packages shipping in custom boxes and mailers. |
Letters from 2014 & 2015 are below Editor, We are doing a special section on the 275th
anniversary of Roxbury. I got a bunch from Marge Cushing, of the
historical society, but could use some more. Is that ok? thanks.
Mike Condon, Editor, Roxbury Register. - November 12, 2015 YOU HAVE A PHOTO OF A TUNNEL , TRACKS WITH A TROLLEY ON THE
TRACKS IN THE TUNNEL. COULD YOU TELL ME WHERE THAT TUNNEL IS
LOCATED? ---- THERE ARE MEN STANDING BESIDES THE TROLLEY --- CAN YOU
TELL ME WHO THE MEN WERE ? THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE . BILL
NEWMAN. July 22, 2014 Hello, my name is Brian Dillon. I grew up living on
Washington Street in Port Morris. until 1962 when I joined the
United States Air Force. I live on Washington St, Port Morris. Two of my neighbors
have lived here since they were children. Ed Constantine is 90 and
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Letters from 2013 are below Dear Editor, six years later I am back
on here. am really amazed at hw expensive and overdeveloped Davis
Cove become. Hello, I just happened upon your website
after a friend told me a about a postcard he has been looking for. I
figured you can find anything on the internet so I typed in “vintage
post cards..Lake Hoptacong” but I didn’t have any luck. It turns out
in 1953-54 my friend Frank Dellosso and his friend Eddie Walsh were
photographed diving into Lake Hoptacong off the River Stix bridge.
Evidently a postcard was made of the two of them and my friend would
love to try to find a copy of it. . Do you have any idea of how I
could find something like that? I know it is like looking for a
needle in a haystack but I thought I would ask anyhow. Any help
would be greatly appreciated. Hi. I am hoping you can answer a question. I
stayed at a summer bungalow near Lake Hopatcong, NJ. I believe the
name was Holiday Hills. I was there from 1950-1960. There was a
small day camp and a small lake (not sure if it was man made. I do
remember that it was down a long hill from a candy store call "Mary
Jane's" and I think the owner was a Mr. Amrong. I would love any and
all information. I have been trying to research this and can't find
any references. Thank you in advance for your effort. Hooray! , a reader just sent this reply: "I am replying to the letter from Rosalinda. This may not be the same place. There was a bungalow community built on Martin's View Road, off of Espanong Road near Great Cove. I remember it had a billboard sign "Holiday Hills". These bungalows were built as summer homes, about a mile from the lake. Maybe the candy store could be "The Betty Jane" on Espanong Road? Back in the 1950s The Betty Jane was a hamburger stand/tavern where you could also buy candy. Gary Martin" Hello, (If anyone has info on the 2 men mentioned, email us, and we'll send you Janice' email. One question regards possible confusion: the Atlas Plant was in Landing whereas the Hercules Plant was in Kenvil. Editor) Dear Editor, |
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Letters from 2012 are below Greetings Editor - August 18, 2012 (The contact email for the writer referenced above was sent to Andia promptly. Editor) My sister sent the website of the amusement park
,and it brought back a lot of memories. I grew up in New Jersey and our Aunt, Rev. Ruth
M. Ellis, was the minister at the Methodist Church in Port Morris,
for a brief time in the late '50's early '60's. Do you have any
record of her there, or of the church parsonage in town? I remember
staying there with her for a visit, being a "junior" usher at the
church and she took me to the RR roundhouse, where the engineer let
me "steer" the engine.... Pretty exciting for a 8 year railroad
fan..! I wasn't aware people were writing in their memories. I've lived
in the area all my life and thought
I'd give it a shot. |
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Letters from 2011 are below Just came across your wonderful site. Morris
Winder built 1 Landing Road, and I remember a cornerstone saying "Winer's
Landing." Hello, |
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Letters from 2010 are below Dear Editor, I just found your web site, and let me say it is very interesting. My father and his family lived in Port Morris. My father was raised there, and my grandfather worked for the railroad. I know very little about them and wondered if anyone could fill me in on information about them , as they had passed on before i was born, and dad talked very little of them. Their names were Paul and Florence Schroder. My dads name was Chester B. Schroder. I have a jackknife with the printing on it : Paul Schroder Box 85 Port Morris . With the date on the other side of May 1 ,1904. I would appreciate it if anyone knew my family and could fill me in on a little history. Also I would like to find out what was so special about that date. I was born in Wilkes-Barre , Pa. Raised in Newton Falls Ohio, and returned to Pa. around 1960. I have sinced moved to Texas. I would appreciate any information i receive. my name is John Paul Schroder and can be contacted via my e-mail. jpsch042@aol.com Thank you and may GOD bless all. December 7, 2010 Dear Editor, Dear Editor: CONTRACTOR TOM VALIANTE WRITES OF THE
LAKESIDE SUMMER THEATRE Our extended family lived in Landing in the
late 40's thru the mid 60's. My grandfather was a contractor, my
father an Dear Editor, Neither of our families could be called
affluent so our visits to Bertrand Island were limited to occasional
"Nickel Nights" which I believe were on Monday and Thursday nights
as I recall. My Dad worked as a boiler man for Henry Becker and Sons
in their creamery for nearly 35 years at their Ross Corner location.
He never made more than $100 per week, but managed to raise seven
children who have all gone on to successful lives, and all are still
living. However none are in NJ. We were a close and loving family,
and just happy to have an opportunity to enjoy the rides and
activities at the amusement park infrequently. We all have fond
memories of Bertrand Island Nickel Night out tings including the
picnics thee, and swimming there in Lake Hopatcong. It was our
"Happiest Place on Earth" right there in NJ. Dear Editor, ive been a resident of landing for 32 years,
and this is the first time i have ever heard of "hoppie" and that is
because of your great website....can u elaborate more on what he is
or where he is??? or is this a joke..lol...thank you - EDITORS RESPONSE: Only slightly less authoritative would be all the promotional literature put out by the two competing Railroads who sought to fill up trains around 1910 with city dwellers eager for some cool mountain air and a glimpse of the long fabled Lake Creature. Added to this, and perhaps even less authoritative would be the numerous testimonies of our fellow Landing residents who, after a long afternoon out on a boat in the middle of the Lake under a blazing sun, their powers of observation aided by the consumption of several six-packs and wine coolers, have been startled by a fully formed Hoppie Lake Creature that was swimming alongside their boat, hoping to tip it over so that he could also partake of the brew. No Hoppie! You have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. Yes dear reader, there is a HOPPIE LAKE CREATURE in good 'ole lake Hopatcong. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist. No Hoppie! You might as well not believe in Fairies, Santa Claus or Hanukah Harry !! Thank God Hoppie lives, and lives forever. Sincerely, Francis P. Church, Landing Sun Hi, I'm doing research into the background of
my family, and came across your site. My grandparents, John and
Eleanor Knudson, owned the River Styx miniature golf course in Lake
Hopatcong. My mother and sister spent many summers there, and I have
vague memories of the stand and the grounds. My parents worked there
the first summer they were married, and stayed on in the fall
because they didn't have anywhere else to live at the time. Mom says
Letters from 2010 -
Brown Box above |
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Letters from 2009 -
Purple Box dear editor, To Barbara from Denver, and all other
past Landing/ Shore Hills residents. Many of us have been dated by our
memories. I was there from first grade till we left in 1970. I'm 53 now.
We lived on Colver Road, Atlas Dr, Ford Road and I think Vail road at one
point. My Dad had a wandering spirit it appears! Reading through these letters brings
back so many fond memories of my childhood growing up in Landing. I grew
up in Shore Hills on Curtis Road. Our house backed up to the woods which
were wonderful to explore in the summertime. We'd be out from sun up to
sun down enjoying everything our little corner of the world had to offer.
We used to go into the woods and swing off the big vines and play in our
tree house. Hi, My name is Patricia and I grew up
in Oak Ridge New Jersey in the late 50's, 60's, and early 70's. My family
always took us to Bertrands Island every summer after school let out. It
was so much fun, and it was about family. Thank you for publishing those
wonderful memories (pictures) on the internet! I wished that I could go
back in time to relive all the fun and bring my grown children! My husband remembers hearing about the Ice Wagon pulling Ice out of the lake and it letting go and the cart and horses all went in and were never recovered. Is this true? where can he read of it? Thanks. Love your site, brings back so many memories. July 29, 2009 (Ice harvesting was a dangerous job, and fatal industrial accidents in general were far more common 2 generations ago than today. While I've never read of this specific incident in all my resources, perhaps one of our readers has and will email us. Editor) During the Summers of 1959, 60 and 61,
while vacationing at Cranberry Lake, a highlight of the season was our
gang's caravan to Bertrand's Island for "Nickel Night". Our parents would
drop us off about 6, and pick us up at 11 p.m. I always begrudged the
roller coaster attendant because he charged a dime. But I still rode it as
many times as I could. And you had to win one of those huge straw hats
from the "Guess your weight and age" guy. On the carousel the goal was not
only to snag as many brass rings as you could, but to hide them from the
attendant. He watched us like a hawk. I got away with a few.
Probably gave them to girls I was chatting up. Great fun.
Thanks for the photos. Sir, Subject is the Lakeside Summer
Playhouse. Here I am again, with things I am
remembering but can't put my finger on.
Dear Editor, Letters from 2009 in Purple Box above |
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Letters from 2008 -
Orange Box below Last week was my 80th birthday and
reading the newspapers with all the dire predictions, I reviewed in my
mind those years gone by. Dear Editors, Wow.. this is just wonderful..will take some time
to read it all but for now.. just a thank you and BIG HELLO Hi, I enjoyed your webpage on
Bertrand's Island Amusement Park. I was there the night of the fire (the
roller coaster and Lost River were in flames). I'm surprised there isn't
any info on that fire. It's hard to find this information on the
internet as well, but I only ran a quick search on Yahoo. Dear Editor, Dear Sir, I grew up on Salmon Road, and our
house baked up to the woods. My parents are still there, the original
owners from when they bought in ’69. My mom tells me that the real
estate office was the old stone train station, but it may have actually
been in the stone octagonal building which got torn down. In any case,
the mortgage rep did not consider her salary when approving them for a
mortgage, because she was a woman and was going to stay home and raise
kids. Never mind that she earned more than my dad! So, for the grand sum
of $22,000, our life in Landing began. I was 8 months old when we closed
on the house, my sister Heather was 4. Hello, I was surfing the internet
trying to find my relatives since I'm doing my family tree. And I found
your site. Wow. What Wonderful stories. I sure enjoyed each and everyone
of them. I'm trying to find out information on my Great Uncle and
Aunt. They were from Port Morris, NJ. Hi: (Editor: CHARLIE, your
contacts are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a
skeptical age. They do not believe a place exists except they have
traveled through it. I have many great memories of Lake
Hopatcong. I hope others can experience what I had. loved ur website....especially the
bertrand island part....grew up in the area and went to the park every
summer as a kid.....i worked at bertrand island 1977-1980....responsible
for the cash room under owners gabby and jack richards.....also owned a
game stand there for season 1979.... my formal wedding took place at the
park on july 19th 1980....we have a wedding portrait taken on the
original carousel....and bridal party pixs taken in the old fudge shop
outside the main park office....of course the celebrating was cut short
by a typical saturday |
Letters from 2008 in Orange Box above
Letters
from 2007 - Brown Box I grew up in shore hills,
on Cole place, across the street from the duck pond. I was always the
first one on the ice to see if it was safe to skate on, and I never once
fell through !I couldn't wait to go skating and play hockey. Hi Ya'll Great website - been a few months since I visited and so much has been added! In answer to the letter from Frances re: the Bertrand Island Carousel - I thought everyone knew the rumor that it went to Disneyworld, which it didn't. I learned from Carousel Trader magazine that it was sold to Circus World, also in Florida. I heard Circus World has closed, but don't know the fate of the carousel since then. Landing's a great place to live - I love being near the lake, and am fortunate to also work right across the street from the lake, with a lakeview from my office no less! Roxbury's been giving us the short end of the stick for years - it's time to recognize Landing, instead of everything being "Suckasunny"! Judi Darcy, Landing November, 11, 2007 Recently I have been
thinking more than ever of the place I grew up and call "home".
I haven't used a computer for very long. When I saw I could look at maps,
ect. I started looking at my home town and areas around it that I knew.
One night I got a aerial map of Lake Hopatcong and took my time with the
'grab hand', going around every shore line and back to the start. Then I
found your site and was thrilled ! How wonderful ! What memories ! Above our house was a dirt trail passing a couple frog ponds, were we would catch tad poles. Going down the trail would pass some city people's summer cottage that was always boarded up and seemed mysterious and intriguing Past that, we would come to the end where it joined on to Orben Drive. Now it looks like a business there. My Aunt Barbara Hess had lived in the big white house for a while. Below that, where the road joined onto Rt. 46 was a brown house where they sold fishing bait. But going up the other way, the road used to cross over the railroad tracks, on a wooden bridge. We could continue across and walk up to Lake Rogerine. Or turn left and down and get onto Shippenport Road. That's where the Canfields lived. Part way up Shippenport Rd was a dirt road off to the right that led us to the home of the Brown's. My brother Bill was friends with a guy named Sluggo Brown. If we continued on a trail, we could be out onto another part of Orben Drive again. There was a family up there named Doors, by Lake Rogerine. Hours were spent
along the railroad tracks looking for fossils ( which as a kid, I hoped to
find a great scientific discovery! ) We put pennies on the rails to get
them flattened by trains. I used to wonder if it would make the train
wreck and we'd be in big trouble. Nowadays you pay a machine to flatten
them and stamp something on them. The next year was
school in the brand new one story bldg. in Succasunna, and afterwards to
the ones on Hillside Ave. Hello Hi! Thanks for your
wonderful site about the park. We had (and still have) a house right
across the street from the park (on the water). It was (and still
is) our summer house. I spent all the summers of my youth at the
park with my friends. You brought back a lot of neat memories for
me. One of the neatest things I remember about those days, is that
twice a week, I think it was Tues and Thurs nites.......they had "nickle
nites" and all the rides were a nickle! We used to bring all the
change we could dig up and get in line! It was so much fun. I am
sooo sorry they removed the park. Now they put unsightly condos
there in its' place! Those were the days, all right! You are about to enter Lake
Hopatcong era 1950s, by someone who lived it! It haunts me in my dreams,
to this day. My family was one of the crop of Brooklyn Jews, who owned a
summer home there. The era of tourists and hotels. About 7 years ago I was
able to find the street and house where we lived. Talk about" Back to
the future"!!!. I was able to go inside our little house, which was
for sale. Some things still existed from our ownership. I was overwhelmed
with memories and emotions of the young child who loved it there. I
vividly recall boating with my grandfather to Landing to get groceries. I
was depressed by how it grew and changed. Developments and wide
roads,etc. Others in my family have also returned to look. Our names still
exist in the cement of the walkway to our house. My memories are of a
simpler time in society. The milkman, the Edsels, the miniature golf, all
become alive in my head. It would be nice to hear the memories of those
who also experienced the paradise away from the sweltering city. Where we
lived was named "Davis Cove". Elba and Kings Highway were the
roads. The loss of our summer home (sold when my grandparents
relocated to Florida) was a very big mistake. We long to return. Reality,
of course states that it would never be the same. I am now a 57 year old
grandmother with stories to tell. If anyone wants to get in touch with me,
I would be thrilled since I have not been able to locate any pictures or
photos of Davis Cove/Elba Ave on any website. First I would like to thank
you for your website. I was thrilled someone would give Landing some
credit. I grew up in Landing, I love Landing, and I still love to visit
Landing when I’m in New Jersey (although it’s changed somewhat). I
resided on Main Road in Landing, and then we moved to Shippenport Road in
Landing. I know that Shore Hills is considered Landing but I can tell you
we were two different communities. Yes Shore Hills had the beach, the ball
field and the basketball courts. Our place to swim was off the docks in
Landing. We played football in the parking lot of the train station
because that’s all we had. We played baseball in a dirt lot adjacent to
the parking lot because that’s all we had. I remember a group of us kids
walked all the way to Succasunna to see the Mayor of Roxbury, who was then
Gordon Endean. We wanted to see if the township could give us a ball field
to play sports on. The only thing we got was a glass of iced tea from the
mayor’s wife. Our idea of a good time was to play mumbly peg on the
docks where we swam. Mumbly peg was a game you played with a jack knife
where you were required to do different tasks. If you failed you had to do
it over plus there was a stick about 3 inches long which you had to hit
once with the handle of the knife. And sometimes that stick was driven in
the ground. The loser had to pick it out with their teeth. Our other form
of enjoyment was to stand on the corner outside the supermarket and watch
the cars go by. Correct me if I am wrong,
but when I was going to school in Port Morris in the 1930's, there was a
grey (I think), large store, (to me) across the street from the school,
which I think was Obdyke's. I remember the large house of the corner next
to the store, which I thought was a mansion. It had large windows and I
think a circular tower room on one corner. And on the other side of the
street, a few houses up, was another large house with a tower room, and
the minister of the church next to the school lived there. I was in
kindergarden with the son, whose name was "Trail Heitzenwriter".
I have While checking out your website, a few names mentioned in one of "Toes" letters clicked in the recesses of my foggy brain. My Dad was a Landing Boy (Port Morris, Shippenport, also). I have a photograph (attached) of Pete Biter that Toes mentioned in e-mail of January 30, 2006. This was one of my grandmother's photos that came my way via an aunt (dad's sister). It was taken in 1944 - Pete Biter is on the left, my dad next to him, and Betty Sutton is with her back towards the camera. My dad is Don Brown. Story has it that Pete gave my dad his nickname - "Sluggo" - because he thought he looked like Sluggo in the "Nancy" comic strip! Two more photos - one is my dad and his sister, Audrey, playing hooky at the State Park, circa 1942-44,
and another (at left) is of my dad and his youngest brother, David, taken
on Shippenport Road, probably around 1954-55. We were just looking at
your website and enjoying the photos and stories associated with
them. Our family also has its roots in Port Morris. Our
grandparents, John P. and Mary Obdyke moved to Port Morris in the late
1890's. They lived on Main Street, across from the school.
John was a clerk and butcher at Harding's General Store on Center
Street. He was also on the Roxbury Twp. Board of Education, a member
of the Port Morris Fire Department and Supertinendent of the Methodist
church Sunday school. John and Mary had three daughters - Helen
(Butt), Inez (Cooke) and Myra (Brown). Myra was our mother. As
a young woman in the early 1920's, Myra played piano for the silent movies
at the old movie house (that we now know became the site for
Granato's Garage). Inez was a clerk at the railroad yard and
we remember as children she would take us to ride on the engines in the
roundhouse. Helen went to Normal School to become a teacher. What a wonderful website!
Thank you so much! I had tears in my eyes as I was reading the letters on
your website - I can't believe that after all these years, I finally found
you! Dale Bennett, you couldn't
be more correct in saying that we should enjoy where we are because we
might miss it when we're not there. The fondest memories of my life are
from the wonderful years I spent living in Landing at the most beautiful
lake! Although I now enjoy living near the beautiful and historic old town
of Micanopy in north-central Florida, nothing can compare to the
"good old days" at Lake Hopatcong! I wish I was there! I'm a
Roxbury resident who works as a full time dispatcher for the Roxbury
Police Department and am currently trying to gather information as well as
photos of the Roxbury PD. I noticed that Lilo T. Cornine sent an e-mail to
you back in 2004. Doubtful, but do you have her e-mail address or
any way of contacting her so I can get information, also anyone that might
have information please have them e-mail me at sgtromeo188@aol.com
(January 31, 2007) Hello, Dale Bennett
again from muggy, gray skied Florida . Actually, the gray skies today
reminded of Shore Hills,,,, and the wishes of a young kid that the gray
skies would drop 6 inches of snow! It's 64, so, not much chance for that
wish. So that brings me to this. I spent 1000 hours skating on the duck
pond. Little did I know at the age of 8-12 that I was hearing one of the
most pleasant sounds that life would offer to me. Yet I hear it today
still. Year 2007 in brown box above |
Year 2007 in brown box above, Year 2006 in blue box below
Letters from 2006 - Blue Box below Hello, I was really excited to
have found this page. I lived on Bertrand Island during 1971-1973 although
my family had always lived in the Landing/Mt. Arlington area. The actual
photos of the park are wonderful. I had almost forgotten about the Fun
House with the painted dragon. Thank you for having a great site up and
running. I wish I had photos to share with you, but as unfortunate as time
is with us, items get lost or destroyed. Read the letter from
Susan Bigg and your comments regarding the round Post Office and the
questions about the Supermarket and the Drug Store. Triggered my memory
bank again. Dear Sir: Hi again, I was
looking at the recent pictures on your web site and Landing looks great! HI Hi, I just found your web
site and think it is great! My father moved to Kingsland Road when he was
12 years old. He graduated from Roxbury High School. After my sister and I
were born, we moved back to Kingsland. She and I both graduated from R.H.S.
Landing was the best place to grow up, so much so, that when my husband
and I married we moved into Kingsland and raised our two children there.
Both of them graduated from R.H.S. also! My husband and I are now in
Florida, but I come back North a few times a year....especially to visit a
friend who still lives on Kingsland Road. I walk the road with her, and we
talk about old times! I grew up in Miss King's summer home...the one that
her father built for her. It is in the Historic Registry in the library in
Succasunna. Thanks for this site....I will come back often. There are so
many great memories about Landing! HI, I loved the page
on Lake Hopatcong. I lived in Shore Hills from 1968-1976. I remember
"Walking Charlie". He used to sit in my rock garden and eat his
lunch. He thought it was really a pretty place. I graduated from Roxbury
High School in 1969. I used to ice skate on the duck pond with my son and
my daughter. I left Lake Hopatcong and moved to Phoenix, New Mexico and I
am now in Wyoming. I have lost track of my friend "Mamie" Mary
Anne Elsholtz. I also have lost track of Betty Anne and Charlie Bryant and
Christine Coggin. It would be great if anyone could help me get in touch
with them. Just went thru your great
website again. Really enjoy it. Hi, Discovered your site ,
Excellent ! , I spent most of my summer's at the Lake in the 50's/60's
compliment's of my older sister. She purchased a summer bungalow on Lewis
street at Nolan's Point , later converting it to a year round house, I
remember helping with the project, but at least once a week we'd go to
Bertrand's Island . I'd get a roll of dime's to spend at my whim ( A
King's fortune at ten ) cotton candy, burger's and such . As the year's
flew by as a teen I'd just about live at the Park, that's where the girl's
were. Even in my thirty's I'd visit often, having owned several boat's in
the 60's/70's/80's , I'd dock on the beach and walk around, the Park
closed I believe in 1983?, I was at the Windlass one night in the summer
of 1983, There were a few people at the bar we starting chatting, It
turned out one of the Women was the daughter of the Park's owner , one
thing led to another, we piled in my boat and went to the Park, I'd say
about two in the morning, everyone being half blitzed of course, she
turned on the power and we rode the rides. If I live to 100 I'll never
forget that night, If she ever reads this letter , Thanks ! , In my box of
childhood momentos I still have a brass ring I grabbed on the Carousel in
the 50's , and a bunch of the arcade token's . I live in Las Vegas now,
From my terrace I look directly on the Vegas Strip, but all the light's in
Vegas aren't as bright as the memory of the string light bulb's in
Bertrand's Island year's ago , I'd also like to Thank my sister Barbara
Friend and her really nice husband Joe for the summer stay's and the
memories , year's fly by , but the memories are vivid . Good
luck. Sirs: Out of curiosity I searched for Bertrand Island Amusement Park and am saddened to read of its demise on your website. Especially since it was replaced with sprawl. I grew up on Long Island (ergo, I hate sprawl), and each year the altar boys from my parish were treated to a trip to Bertrand Island. This was early '70s. Fond memories of those trips. If I encounter any photos of those times I will forward. Charlie (June 22, 2006) Hello from the south.
It was great to find this site. Kinda a blast from the past. I was born in
56 and spent my first 14 years mainly in the Lake Hopatcong area, (Shore
Hills) primarily. What a different time it was back then. I remember that
when I was 10-11 years old, my parents and other friends parents let us
kids do much. Me and Jimmy Kelly took a few bike trips to Sparta. If my
memory serves me it seems that was about 15 miles one way. Mom's would
pack a lunch and say be home before dark! We could on the weekends go to a
friends house and camp in the yard or sleep on the dock while acting like
we were fishing. Having grown up in those days and reaching my age, I know
the difference between the times. Back then it seemed that 98% of parents
took care of all kids, not just their own. If it's 50% today we're doing
good. I
grew up in Stanhope (from 1945-1967.) As a teenager I delivered milk house
to house for Port Murray Dairy out of Washington NJ. I still recall riding
through Port Morris at 3 AM every morning to get to Hopatcong Heights.
Most normal people were still in bed. Some of the old timers may remember
our home deliveries in the yellow truck. The driver was Louis
"Stretch" Terretta. We delivered to the Heights, River Styx and
Mt. Arlington areas. Hi, I
read the letters and they seem to be primarily from the 70's and 80's. I
had written once before about old, old Landing and you printed it and
requested more. I have started to write many times, but there are so many
memories I wrote so much I cancelled the whole letter. Today, looking at
the picture of Kingsland, I thought I would tell you my memories of long
ago. I
just ran into an old Landing native I grew up with on Ford Rd. He was
telling me about this web site and my first thoughts were, what’s so
special about Landing. After thinking about it, Landing really was a great
place to grow up. There was a booming generation of teenage kids that grew
up there in the 80’s. On Ford rd. alone there had to be over 20 kids all
around the same age- Bob and Chrissy Bush, Bob and Stacey Sutter, Timmy
and Tammy Holt, Gerald Nappy, George Whitman, Sean and Craig Campbell ,
Jeff Ackerman, Jeff Roush, Mike Drake, Frank Karovick, Brian and Stephanie
Fasset, Tom Deboun, Tom McCabe, Kurt Holly, Frank Pavese, Joe and Kevin
Daily, Katy Fryer, Tom and Jan Elbell, and Karen Costello. Seems like
every house on the block. That is my Ford rd. shout out!! With so
many kids in Landing there was always a party going on somewhere. The best
parties though were in the woods. Just about every weekend there would be
cars up and down Salmon St. which was the entrance into the woods. The
tricky part for Police was which path did everyone take? Soon those woods
will be all gone. They are building houses all through there. I go
4wheeling back there time to time with friends and its just not the same.
I still go out on the lake every summer boating and always enjoy running
into people I know. Most of my great Landing memories involved Bill
Ryder...a great personality who always made you laugh…will never forget
you! R.I.P. I
have just gone through the site and share all the excitement of the others
that have written in with the great memories of Landing and the Shore
Hills area. What a great place as a young kid to be able to go down to the
beach and swim for the day, get pizza across the street, go to Guttweins,
and then to the field to play ball.. in the winter go to the "duck
pond" ice skate/play hockey... ALL with out your parents!!! It was a
wonderful and safe place to grow up! |
Year 2006 in blue box above, Year 2005 in purple box below
Letters from the year 2005 - Purple Box Dear
Editor: Dear
Editor, I
thoroughly enjoyed the photos of Bertrand Island at
www.landingnewjersey.com/bertrand.htm. As a child in the 50s my parents
used to take us there on Tuesday or Thursday evening when it was 5 cent
night. My older sister loved the roller coaster but I was scared. It also
ended by going through water. I liked the whip and Dodge-um cars and
remember the attendant getting me unstuck as I was a lousy driver. I
remember the name Boomerang but can't remember the ride. Dear
Editor, To the Editor, Hi again!! it
is Mid January and my family and I have just gone thru our third Christmas
here in Coral Springs Fl. (15 miles NW of Ft. Lauderdale) - even though
you guys are shivering in the dead of winter, we miss the scenery,
decorations (lights on palm trees just don't cut it) etc of a Christmas in
the northern climates. After nearly three years we sincerely miss our home
on Henmar drive in the Shore Hills section of Landing. To: editor@landingnewjersey.com |
Year 2005 in purple box above, Year 2004 in orange box below
Letters
from the Year 2004 - Orange Box Hey, Dear Sir: Dear Editor, My Dad just
sent me a link to your site and I've been stuck here for hours!! I grew up
in the Shore Hills area at 48 Laurie Rd. Spent summers on the beach or
fishing the docks or Duck Pond ( I don't know what the real name is) and
winters skating on the same pond. I remember Easter Egg hunts at the
Country Club and one spring having a huge clean up weekend , painting the
walls and sowing grass seeds. I was born in 1964 and our family moved in
1973 to W.Va. Now I live in San Diego CA. The first time I went back as an
adult the Bertrand's Island attractions were still there, not running,
that must have been in 1991. Sadly a few years ago I brought my children
there and the condos were (going) up. Too bad. Thanks for the memories and
the history lesson, I can almost smell the lake now. I was
born in Landing in 1928 and lived there until 1952. My uncle, Michael
Holley, worked at Bertrand Island for many, many years. He forbade us to
ride the roller coaster, said it was unsafe, (we did anyway). Your
pictures of The Whip brought back the first time I rode it when I was
probably 5 or 6 years old, squeezed between my mother and my aunt. What a
thrill. When I was a child Landing was such a different place. No Shore
Hills. We used to crawl under the fence and wander through the old Atlas
powder property where my grandfather worked for many years. Climbed up the
inside of the smokestack that still stood on the ruin of the old ice
house. My mother's brother William, fell through the ice in 1915, walking
home across the lake from his girl's house, and was drowned. They had been
cutting ice for the icehouse and the lake had not completely frozen. My
grandfather, Samuel Holley was Police Chief in Mt Arlington and shot a man
who was robbing a house, which was later Twin Castle. Oh, so many memories
and stories. I love your web site. Hi, My friend
just sent me the link (to this website) and I have spent all morning
reading it cover to cover. It brings back great memories as grew up in
Shore Hills. My family moved from the Bronx in 1965 to Edith Road, we were
actually the first house that was built on Edith (502). Growing up I
delivered newspapers for the Daily Advance and spent many afternoons going
up and down all those hills. I Spent the summers at the Shore Hills Beach
Club. I also worked at Bertrand's Island, I used to walk from Edith
Rd to the Island every day in the summer, I use to cut through Kings Cove.
I worked on the ride where your drove the gasoline powered cars around the
track; I was the guy at the end that had to jump on the side of the
car and pull the hand brake that was on the outside of the car, it was
lot's of fun. After High School I lived in several places in NJ and NY, I
recently purchase a house in Kings Cove on the lake and I love it. I feel
like I'm back at home, the only disappointment is if it was 30 years ago I
would be looking out at the roller coaster now I get to look at those ugly
condos. I worked in Advertising as a Media Director so if there is
anything that I can do to help the site please let me know, Hello, My name is
Chris White. I lived in Landing, 28 Cayuga Ave, since I was born in 1968.
I left for the Marines in '87 and never went back. I now live in Florida
and I was bored at work today and just put in Landingnj.com to see what
might or might not happen. Boy was I surprised when a web page came up.
Let me tell you first, thanks for a great web site. What a pleasure it was
to look at all the old photos and pictures. Made me home sick let me tell
you. I haven't visited up there since '99. I really need to go back. The
best was the Bertrand Island photos, I spent my YOUTH there growing up and
picking up girls. Hi, This Saturday is the
clean up at the park. Could you post something to remind the people of
this so we can get a good turn out and clean up the park. Hi, thanks
for posting my letter (Ed:
see Aug 19 post below) on
your web site. I go thru the site every so often. I realize that it is a
labor of love on your part, but I would love to see different pictures of
all the beauty that surrounds Landing. One thing that is obvious is
the nostalgia that oozes from the letters of the former residents-all have
positive comments, all miss living there, as we do.
(Ed:
They lived on Henmar Dr)
How sad that as typical humans we only realize how well we had it when we
do not have it anymore!! Keep up the good work--Maybe as an Idea:
Put us former Landing people living in different states now in touch with
each other, a kind of pen pal posting. I would love to hear from
former residents --enjoy your work very much, as for myself, I'm
Robert Goodbar e-mail: good6603@bellsouth.net
(April 16, 2004) Dear Editor, What a Great
Site! I've visited your site numerous times and always meant to send
a note complimenting you on the site's professionalism - all Landing and
Roxbury residents should be very proud of your work. I
was an EMT on Roxbury Co. 1 for about 15 years
and maintained a web site called "On Emergency Medicine" for
about three years...I know the work that goes into keeping a site fresh
and current...I had more than 150 "hits" a day and finally had
to give it up...just didn't have the time to keep everything up to date.
At
any rate, thanks for a great site! Scott M. April 1, 2004 |
Letters from
2004 in Orange Box above,
Letters from 2003 in Green Box below
Letters
from the Year 2003 - Green Box My father, who was
born (I think) in Somerville NJ, in 1872, remembered that in his youth, he
was night clerk at a resort on Lake Hopatcong. He said that Thomas Edison,
who could not sleep at night, would come to the resort and that he and Mr.
Edison would shoot billiards. My father's name was Rezeau B. Brown. Later
in life he became president of the Milwaukee Gas Company. I have often
wondered where Lake Hopatcong was and finally looked for it in an atlas
and now on the web. Hi, I lived in Landing
( Shore Hills, Dell Road) for twelve years but moved to Florida in 1977,
however I still miss Landing and my best friend still lives on Ford Road.
I enjoyed so much looking at the pictures, it was sort of going home
for a few moments. I will visit you site again.
Thanks. I am
a resident of Landing and I think your site is great. The only
problem is, you still have Mr. Toohey as our high school principal.
Our new principal is Jeff Swanson. Thanks.
Laura C. September 14, 2003 Hi, We lived in Landing
for 13 years (Henmar Dr.) we are now Floridians (not
retired--transferred). We miss Landing--- the small town ambiance --the
small schools with the caring teachers --It is a GREAT place to live and
raise kids. We always felt perfectly safe there. The views were
spectacular. . . . We enjoyed living there very much and shall forever
miss many of the things we took for granted there. I would recommend
living in Landing to any person that cares to listen Maybe you can help me.
I moved to Landing in October, 2002. I would like to join the beach (Lake
Shore Estates) on Mt. Arlington Blvd. near Rogers across from the K2
convenience store. Can you tell me who to get in touch with to get a
membership for the season? I would really appreciate it. Please e-mail me
back asap. Thanks. Loretta
S. May 19, 2003 Was directed to this
site by Mary Ritzer and find it's even nicer and more informative than she
glowingly reported! Will check our files to see if we have anything
that can be added. Nice design; my huzzahs! Dear Editor, History is
leaving! Did you know in the late 1920's a group of men started a
fire dept behind a general store on Center Street (Port Morris). Several
years later, through donations and hard work a firehouse was built on Main
Street. Today, this town feels it more important to have cherry trees at
Horseshoe Lake than to sustain a piece of history. As I write this the
town is making plans to discard this historical site for low income
housing to satisfy their requirements and finance more cherry trees.
Government is for the people, by the
people--"right" Love your site!
I lived off of Rogers Drive in the Shore Hills section of Landing from
1992 to 1995. I have since moved back to Illinois, but sincerely miss that
area. For the last couple of years I would look for stuff about the Lake
Hopatcong/Landing area on the web, but there wasn't much to look at. I
found your site today, and I have to say that your site is well organized,
full of information, and a pleasure to visit. Great work! Keep it up! Dear Mottel: Thank you for your site! My family lived in Landing from 1975-1998, on Mansel Drive. We now live in South Carolina -- quite a change. It was wonderful to view your site -- it brought back a lot of good memories! Thank you for the work you've done and for having the site!!! Denise Patterson February 5, 2003 Man what a site, one
of the best. I learned more about my hometown in an hour than I learned in
65 years, thanks, Bob Robert Neighmond
January 12, 2003 Dear Editor, |
Letters from
2003 in Green Box above,
Letters from 2002 in Red Box below
Letters
from the Year 2002 - Red Box Dear Mottel, Dear Editor: Hi, |
Some letters have been edited for length or spelling, on others I just left the
misspelling in for added color. Enjoy.
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