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“Hildene: Robert Lincoln and His Family”

On July 1, 2018

In Culture, Gardening, Nature, Travel, US History

Hildene Mansion entrance with brick outline of the log cabin of Abraham Lincoln’s birth

“Hill” and “Dene (Valley)” Old English Thesaurus

Tucked away in beautiful Manchester, Vermont is Hildene, the family home of Robert Todd Lincoln, 1843-1926. The only child of Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln to live to adulthood, Robert distinguished himself as the Secretary of War for two presidents, a Minister to Great Britain, and the general counsel, president, and chairman of Pullman Railroad which made the fortune that created Hildene. Robert also served in the Civil War on the staff of General Ulysses S. Grant and was present at General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Happily married to Mary Harlan, daughter of a US Senator, he had three children, and the atmosphere of the house reflects their harmony.

The quote most commonly attributed to the reserved Robert about his famous father is a regretful one, “During my childhood and early youth he was almost constantly away from home, attending courts or making political speeches. In 1859, when I was 16 … I went to New Hampshire to school and afterward to Harvard College, and he became president. Henceforth any great intimacy between us became impossible….” Visitors can see, however, the love for his father, even before they enter what Robert called “the family’s ancestral home” that harkens back to their English roots. A 12 by 17 feet (3.6 x 5.1 meter) outline of the Kentucky cabin where his father was born is directly in front of the entrance of the impressive 1905 Georgian Revival mansion, which along with the United States and Vermont flags signals to visitors that they are crossing a threshold of both history and the American Dream.

Full view of Hildene Mansion

The Lincoln family’s Manchester connection predates Hildene. Mary Todd, Robert, and brother Tad had spent part of the summers of 1863 and 1864 at the nearby historic Equinox Hotel to escape the heat of Washington, DC and the Civil War, where reportedly a special suite was created for a presidential stay the for the next summer. Robert later frequented the hotel’s golf course, playing on occasion with President Taft, also a guest at Hildene.

The Gilded Age mansion’s stunning floral arrangements created by volunteers and the personal touches: photos, letters, personal items, books, and teddy bears give Hildene the warmth of a lived-in home. Of the 24 rooms, 17 are open so there is a great deal to see. Some furnishings are former possessions of Mary Todd Lincoln’s family and almost everything is original to the house. A happy family lived here, and the dedicated staff and volunteers have conveyed that with thoughtful detail. The soundtrack to the visit is a rare and wonderful one with the music of a “1,000 pipe Aeolian organ”.

Family dining room

Child’s bedroom

Robert, his wife Mary, and his parents

President Lincoln’s stovepipe hat

A compelling and unexpected aspect of the visit to Hildene is an archival room dedicated to President Lincoln’s presidency “The American Ideal: Abraham Lincoln and the Second Inaugural”. President Lincoln addressed accountability and healing at the end of the Civil War so that the country might go forward. Some items on display are his stovepipe hat, Ford Theatre photos, a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation and a related diary entry of Lincoln secretary John Hay. The experience is like looking into the soul of a man and a nation. After viewing the exhibits, without exchanging words my friend and I both sat down on the room’s bench in silent reflection. Other archival material is available at the Charles Woodberry McLellan Collection of Lincolniana at Brown University, preserved in memory of graduate John Hay, for those who are interested.

The mansion with its history and charm are only part of the Hildene visit. Beyond the splendid French parterre garden is a jaw-dropping view of the Battenkill Valley. Frederick Todd, an apprentice of Frederick Law Olmsted of Central Park renown, planned the Hoyt Formal Garden “to resemble a stained-glass Romanesque cathedral window” according to the design of daughter Jessie Lincoln as a surprise for her mother. Peonies are a garden highlight with more than 1,000 blooming in mid-June. In the front of the house, the observatory, though not large, has a remarkable and restored refracting telescope, state-of-the-art in Robert’s day, which enabled the stargazer and fellow astronomy enthusiasts to take advantage of fine hilltop views in a clear night sky.

Hoyt Formal Garden with peonies in full bloom and the dramatic Battenkill Valley backdrop

Partial view of Battenkill Valley

Hildene peonies

The welcome Vermont respite of Hildene was a true getaway for the Lincoln family who left their Chicago home base and sometimes stayed for as long as eight months, and it was here that Robert passed away on July 26, 1926. Of Robert, his loving wife Mary wrote that he “was a personage, made his own history, independently (underlined 5 times) of his great father, and should have his own place ‘in the sun.'” This quote is from a request for his burial in Arlington National Cemetery where both she and their son Jack, Abraham Lincoln II, who died at 16, were laid to rest. Robert’s last public appearance was on his father’s behalf in 1926 at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial where both the Second Inaugural Address and the Gettysburg Address are inscribed.

The last Lincoln family member to reside at Hildene was Robert’s granddaughter Peggy Beckwith who made the estate more self-sufficient, which one can see today with the goat and cheese-making farm. The 412-acre estate, which still retains its original cutting and kitchen garden, is ideally situated between the Green Mountains and Taconic Mountains. In addition to the farm, Hildene offers wonderful hiking trails for those who wish to enjoy nature along with history. The house reflects the different periods of residence, Peggy’s, upstairs, and Robert’s, downstairs. After Peggy’s death in 1975 and a pending sale to developers, The Friends of Hildene fought to save the estate.

“Sunbeam” Pullman Palace Car

Part of the “Many Voices” Timeline of the experiences of the Pullman Porters

A 1903 Pullman Palace railroad car, the Sunbeam, came to Hildene after a national search and a meticulous restoration process. The luxurious sleeper car, used by President McKinley, reporters for Theodore Roosevelt’s 1912 campaign, and a part of FDR’s funeral train is 75 feet long vs. today’s 60. A timeline “Many Voices” begins with the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which links directly to the hiring of the first Pullman porters who were freed slaves after the Civil War through the Civil Rights Movement in 1963. The long view of history is that the job of porter offered opportunity, social exposure, and income, which led to the creation of an African-American middle class and respect for the porters within their communities. Access to newspapers through travel provided information for family and friends on jobs and conditions in the North. The day-to-day reality was that it was a difficult job with sometimes discouraging anonymity and little room to advance. The informative staff offer in-depth information about the period and Friends of Hildene notes the website of the Vermont African American Heritage Trail for those who are interested in learning more about similar historical sights.

One aspect of New Jersey history for regular readers connects Robert to Jersey City where Edwin Booth, the most famous and distinguished stage actor in the country and founder of The Players in New York City, saved his life. Changing trains in the early 1860’s, the 17 year old Robert, pushed in the crowd, fell between the platform and a departing train. Edwin pulled him up, not knowing who he was. Robert gratefully recounted the incident to Colonel Adam Badeau on General Grant’s staff who sent a letter of thanks to the famous actor. Edwin, ironically, was traveling with John T. Ford, owner of Ford’s Theatre. After President Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 by Edwin’s younger brother John, when Robert was by his father’s bedside when he passed, the letter reportedly gave Edwin comfort.

Replica of casts of Abraham Lincoln’s hands shortly after receiving the presidential nomination in 1860. Cast by sculptor Leonard Wells Volk, these are the models for President Lincoln’s hands in almost all well-known statues of him. His right hand is slightly swollen from shaking hands of well-wishers.

Walking around the estate is a pleasure, but there are also trams for visitors. For an accessibility guide, tour arrangements for the visually impaired, group tour reservations, archive tour, lectures and events, and ways to support, visit Hildene. The lovely grounds with an event tent make it a popular place for weddings and other celebrations. As of early 2022: The estate, which includes the home, garden, Pullman Car, Hildene Farm & Goat Dairy, Dene Farm (a high school sustainability program), and twelve miles of walking trails, is open daily from Thursday-Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 except Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, the 24th-26th. Admission is $23 for adults, $6 for children (6-16). Children under 6 and members are free. Daily 45-minute guided home tours are at 11 a.m. with an additional $7.50 fee. Please register ahead by writing tours@hildene.org or calling (802) 362-1788. A fun note: enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the trails from mid-December to mid-March, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with a preview of the grounds.

Thank you to the staff, volunteers, and Friends of Hildene for a wonderful visit.

(Sources: Hildene.org, EquinoxHotel.com, Biography.com: quote, historynet.com, VermontHistory.org, Smithsonian.com, Telegram.com, NewEngland.com/newsarticles/Lincoln, Wiki)

Hoyt Formal Garden view from second floor

Garden view of Hildene home

Edison & Ford Winter Estates

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On May 20, 2018

In Food, Gardening, Science, STEAM, STEM, Travel, US History

“If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”

An admirer of Thomas Paine, who once lived in Bordentown, New Jersey, Edison’s remarks sometimes revealed a revolutionary soul, “We will make electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles.” Perhaps that is one aspect that he had in common with his lifelong friend Henry Ford, a fellow trailblazer in innovation and mass production, who often visited at Edison’s Glenmont Estate in New Jersey. Nevertheless, they both enjoyed some luxuries, not opulent in comparison with their peers, but elegant just the same. One of those was their winter getaway to Fort Myers, Florida, designed by Thomas, which includes the Edison & Ford Museum, Seminole Lodge (main house, guest house, caretaker’s house), the Edison Botanic Research Laboratory, Edison Botanical Gardens, and The Mangoes, the Ford home.

The Botanic Research Laboratory was the result of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone’s concern about the United State’s dependence on suppliers overseas for rubber. After trying 17,000 native plants to produce rubber, Thomas found success with Goldenrod, though he did not live to see the completion of the experiments. The lab is now a National Historic Chemical Landmark, designated by the American Chemical Society, one of few in the country, others commemorating the work of Rachel Carson and George Washington Carver. The extensive museum includes a Smithsonian Spark! interactive lab, a timeline of innovation, movies & music, and more. Children’s activities include rainy day learning.

The more than 20 acres of botanical gardens includes trees planted by Edison and Ford themselves as well as a moonlight garden, 1929, designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman. The banyan tree and royal palm allee are standouts among many gardens of interest.

Tours, lectures, and events are ongoing at the Winter Estates. The estate is also available for corporate and private events. For more information and to take a virtual tour, visit: Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

If you enjoy bringing history to life, and simply making good recipes, try one of the favorites from Edison’s Family and Friends Recipes.

Ginger Snaps

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups molasses

1 cup shortening

4 cups flour

1 1/3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

Heat and bring to a boiling point sugar, molasses, shortening (part of which should be butter), ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Remove from fire and cool. In the meantime, mix and sift the salt and flour and stir part of it in the cooling mixture. Dissolve the soda in a tablespoon of warm water and beat into the mixture then stir in the remainder of flour. Roll out to about 1/4 inch-thickness on a floured board and shape with a floured cutter. Place on small buttered tins allowing space for spreading. Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Put in oven and bake for 7 minutes.

As a firefighter’s granddaughter, I decided to use the microwave instead of boiling, and an ice cream scoop and a pizza tray replaced the cookie cutter and tin. (Things are fast and loose in this kitchen, especially with a deadline.) The batter has a consistency like taffy and the cookies taste like gingerbread. If you prefer a sweeter cookie, a couple of sweet recipes are coming in the summer and the Martha Stewart’s peanut butter and jelly cookie recipe is still up. Our father’s favorite cookie was a molasses-based spice crinkle, and he would have enjoyed these ginger snaps as well as Thomas Edison’s overalls quote in the preceding post. The ginger snaps may be a fun cookie surprise for Father’s Day along with a visit to an Edison site.

Mina Edison’s Ginger Snap Cookies

Sincere thanks to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates for their kind permission to use this recipe from Edison’s Family and Friends Recipes that features family favorites. This is more like a booklet and only costs a few dollars. Other recipes are: Mina’s “Light as Air Muffins,” Egg Croquettes, Mina’s Deviled Crab, Hot Slaw, Hickory Nut Cake, Chocolate Caramels, and Mina Miller Edison’s Holiday Punch.

You can purchase the book online with the Winter Estate or in the Thomas Edison Historical Park gift shop where I did. Since we were in touch late last summer, the nonprofit Winter Estates came through Hurricane Irma. In what seems like characteristic generosity, they are offering wood from downed trees to local woodworkers.

(Source: edisonfordwinterestates.org)

“Vision: Thomas Alva Edison”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On May 20, 2018

In Science, STEAM, STEM, Travel, US History

The distinctive Queen Anne Victorian architecture of Glenmont Estate, Edison Family home, West Orange, New Jersey

Thomas Alva Edison, 1847-1931, was world-famous during his life with a name and an impact from his 2,332 global patents that are part of our daily lives to this day. He was not only an inventor but a premier businessman who helped “build America’s economy during the nation’s vulnerable early years”. Some of his inventions are the incandescent light bulb, alkaline storage batteries, the phonograph, the stock ticker, the telegraph, the Kinetograph (a movie camera), concrete, and miners’ helmets that helped save lives. Today, we also know him from the photos of the preoccupied man in endearingly wrinkled suits and his insightful quotes of hard-won wisdom.

Young Edison

“I find out what the world needs. Then I go ahead and try to invent it.”

Born in Milan, Ohio, he was brought up there and in Port Huron, Michigan. As a child, he showed a remarkable liveliness and curiosity which served him well in life. A bout with scarlet fever resulted in some hearing loss, but in spite of this, he demonstrated his enterprising nature at only 12 years old. When selling newspapers to railroad passengers to fund his boyhood experiments, he created his own paper with local news – his first success. While conducting lab experiments on a train car, he started a fire, and though the story varied over the years, a conductor reportedly hit him on the side of the head causing further hearing loss. Though his experiments did not sit well with the conductors, his hearing loss was likely congenital as one of his sons had the same. This makes Edison’s later invention of the phonograph all the more remarkable.

Though accounts vary, Thomas had only a few months of formal schooling. Due to his hearing loss and incredible energy, formal schools of his time were not a fit. His mother, a former teacher, instructed him at home and instilled in him the habits of research and continuous learning. Much of his knowledge was self-taught, derived from his ongoing experiments at all hours of the day and night. Thomas felt that his lack of hearing helped him work long hours, not distracted by background sound, and to sleep better.

The railroad was Thomas’s making combined with his own heroism. When he was 15, he saved a three-year-old from being run over by a train. A grateful father showed Thomas how to operate a telegraph, which opened the door to the world of electrical science.

At 19, Thomas went to Boston to work for Western Union to help support his struggling family back in Michigan. He invented the Electrical Vote Recorder for the city legislature, which they rejected because it worked too well. The machine counted the votes quickly and this left legislators with no opportunity to “change minds” before voting. Though the context may have its humor, this resulted in financial failure for Thomas. The experience taught him a valuable lesson in business – one should create things for which there is a clear market.

After Thomas’s success: Brewster Ford Town Car, 1936, Edison family car at Glenmont Estate at Thomas Edison Historical Park

New Jersey

Elizabeth and Newark

“We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.”

Boston led to New York in 1869, where at 24, Thomas Edison invented an upgraded stock ticker for which there was a definite, immediate market. As he did later with the light bulb, Thomas improved upon the basic idea of another inventor that gave the invention practical, everyday use. Edison developed his Universal Stock Ticker in the company he formed with inventor and mentor Franklin Leonard Pope. Pope had allowed the young man to live in his home in Elizabeth, New Jersey when the struggling young Thomas had arrived two years earlier. The success of his stock ticker prompted Thomas to quit his job and start inventing full-time at his own lab in Newark, New Jersey. In Newark, Thomas discovered “‘etheric force’ —the electromagnetic waves later used in wireless and radio transmissions.”

Thomas Edison Memorial and State Park

Menlo Park, renamed “Edison,” New Jersey

“I haven’t failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

The Newark lab quickly expanded, resulting in a move to Central New Jersey and the Menlo Park neighborhood of Raritan Township. Raritan Township later became Edison Township, named after Thomas Edison in 1954. Interestingly, his original surname was Dutch and spelled, “Edeson,” and his father’s family had lived in New Jersey years earlier.

In the Menlo Park laboratory in 1878, after much trial and error, Thomas heard a recitation of his childhood favorite “Mary, Had a Little Lamb” return to him in his own voice. Replayed on simple tinfoil, this achievement was to memory, experience, and perhaps identity, what Princeton’s Albert Einstein’s gravitational waves were to infinity. From this, Thomas became known around the world as “The Wizard of Menlo Park” and Menlo Park as the “Birthplace of Recorded Sound” and “The Invention Factory”. The ripple effect of invention resulted in world fame for another New Jerseyan, Princeton and Somerville’s Paul Robeson. Thomas Edison’s phonograph took Paul Robeson’s voice beyond concert halls into homes in an ideal partnership of technology and art.

Art Deco style of Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower designed by Gabriel Francois Massena and Alfred E. duPont.

Thomas Edison Memorial Tower, dedicated on February 11, 1939, what would have been Thomas’s 91st birthday. The tower marks the site of the world’s first research laboratories.

Edison, New Jersey honors the inventor not only with the city’s name, but Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower in Edison State Park with its gleaming light, a beacon to invention on the site of Thomas Edison’s first research center where he perfected the light bulb for everyday use. At the Menlo Park lab, he acquired 400 patents in six years and made the cement that laid the foundation for the first Yankee Stadium where New Jersey residents Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, and Phil Rizzuto played. Sadly, Thomas’s young wife Mary died, leaving him with three small children. The laboratories fell into disuse until the last two were moved to Dearborn, Michigan at Henry Ford’s request. For more information on the Menlo Park lab, visit: Thomas Edison Memorial Tower and Park.

Thomas Edison bust at Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Laboratory and Film Studio, West Orange, New Jersey

“I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.”

What you might not expect at Thomas Edison’s West Orange research complex is an incredible, elegant library. The laboratory itself looks more like a warehouse, but does not disappoint. As it was at Menlo Park, it was not unusual to find both staff and Thomas Edison working all night. The collegial atmosphere included a pipe organ and a pool table for breaks.

Library at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, West Orange

The world’s first film studio onsite was a small, rotating box with a retractable roof, the Black Maria, another marvel at Thomas Edison National Historic Park. The nickname for the studio came from Edison’s staff because of its resemblance to the horse-drawn police wagons of the time. The name now commemorates not only the studio in West Orange, but short works by diverse young filmmakers throughout the state, sponsored by New Jersey City University.

One of the first movie cameras, Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Annie Oakley and her husband Frank E. Butler, who once had a home in Nutley, New Jersey, starred in a Thomas Edison movie that Mr. Edison made in West Orange. Frank threw glass balls in the air, and Annie shot right through each one. In their Buffalo Bill act, “the splintered balls released feathers and colorful powder that sprinkled down from the sky. Annie would shoot, six-seven-eight balls at a time, switching her gun from hand to hand and jumping on horseback.”

Model of first phonograph, laboratory, Thomas Edison National Historical Park.

One of the world’s first feature films “The Great Train Robbery,” 1903, set in Milltown, New Jersey, with the original “Broncho” Billy, descended from Thomas Edison’s inventiveness. Director Edwin Porter had learned his craft at the Black Maria Studio and an excerpt from the film is shown as the Historical Park.

For more information visit: Thomas Edison National Historical Park.

Floral arbor at Glenmont Garden

Glorious Glenmont: The Edison Family Home

West Orange, New Jersey

“What you are will show in what you do.”

Glenmont Estate deserves singular attention for its beauty. The name comes from its scenic location, a summit over a valley, or glen. An integral part of its appeal is that it was, overall, the home of a happy family which one senses in the visit. The estate, also in West Orange, is across the street from the laboratory and up a long driveway. Part of Llewellyn Park, the home was built between 1880-82 in the Queen Anne style of Victorian architecture with stained glass windows, a pipe organ, and much of the original interior by the New York designers Pottier & Stymus. Thomas bought the home fully furnished for his new bride Mina Miller from the original owners. A limited number of the 29 rooms are open to visitors, but enough to experience the charm. The home’s decorative arts collection includes works by Tiffany and Hudson River School artists. The grounds are idyllic. After a visit, you will feel as if you have been away as Thomas Edison himself must have felt, remarkably, simply by crossing the street. Impressively, the same architect designed the home and laboratory, Henry Hudson Holly.

Visitors to the home included US presidents and Henry Ford, George Eastman, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs with whom Thomas took annual camping trips, John Muir, Helen Keller, Maria Montessori, the Kings of Siam and Sweden, among others. Mina, the daughter of a prominent minister, knew how to handle a public life, which allowed Thomas time alone to invent. Thomas was impressive, but as a self-made man of stature, was tough in business, often unavailable, and demanding of excellence from his children. His six children, for the most part, fared well. The best known were Charles, who had the same hearing challenge as his father, and was briefly Secretary of the Navy under President Roosevelt and then governor of New Jersey, and Theodore, an inventor. The estate is also the resting place of Mina and Thomas.

What is also wonderful at Glenmont as you will experience at all of the national historical sites and parks, is the esprit de corps of the park rangers who are proud to share information about the Edison family and their life at Glenmont. The estate consists of the main house, the greenhouse, and garage that Thomas built with the extraordinary cars of the Edison family.

Greenhouse at Glenmont Estate

Visits to Glenmont are on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-4 with tours on the hour. Tickets are sold at the Visitors Center at the laboratory on a first come, first serve basis, so consider arriving early at 10. (The laboratory is open 10-4, Wednesday through Sunday.) Photographs are not permitted in the house, but the scenic grounds offer opportunity for photo and social media enthusiasts. For more information, call: (973) 736-0550 x 11.

A note that the visits to these Edison historical sites were over a two-year period. The Glenmont photos and videos are from last May. Though the hours are not as extensive as those of the laboratory, do not miss the chance to see the one of the most wonderful places in New Jersey, especially in the spring.

Sterling Hill Mining Museum

Ogdensburg, New Jersey

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

This incredible museum will spark the imagination of any child with Edison’s spirit. The history of the mining industry here is a world unto itself and worthy of another blog, but the museum mention here is in regard to the Edison Tunnel, named to honor the man who improved safety for miners. In 1914, mine engineer John T. Ryan Sr. and George H. Deike, pioneers in mining safety, founded the Mine Safety Appliances Company (MSA) after numerous tragic deaths of miners. Torches and oil lamps had proven dangerous in the mines, so they sought the help of Thomas Edison who, rather than wiring the mines for lighting which was a prohibitively expensive alternative, created a rechargeable battery that provided light for 12 hours straight. The Edison Cap Lamp was in use here in Sussex County at the mine when Thomas was a part owner in the 1880’s. Thomas also developed innovative methods of blasting and separating minerals. The museum and tour share display the helmet and cap lamp with visitors. Edison’s mining conveyor line reportedly inspired Henry Ford’s assembly line at his car factory. For more on this New Jersey “gem,” a quote from Fodor’s, visit: Sterling Hill Mining Museum. Edison also had cobalt silver mining ventures in Ontario, Canada.

Thomas Edison: Inspirational Figure

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

Trenton’s Thomas Edison State University, which emphasizes independent learning, bears the inventor’s name as does Edison Bridge. For someone who experienced hardship and setbacks in his life, Thomas Edison’s accomplishments are remarkable. His inventions keep him in mind today, but so does his example of lifelong learning and perseverance.

Incandescent light bulb sculpture, Menlo Park, Edison, New Jersey. In season, there are flower gardens by each sculpture.

(Sources: menloparkmuseum.org/history/thomas-edison-and-menlo-park/, biography.com, goodreads.com, thomasedison.org., nps.com, npshistory.com, americanhistory.si.edu, invention.si.edu, ethw.org, inc.com, mininghalloffame.org, newnetherlandinstitute.org, brainyquote.com, Britannica.com, Wiki)

“Central Park: A Template of Beauty”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On May 6, 2018

In Architecture, Art, Culture, Gardening, Lifestyle, Park, Travel, US History

Spring ambience, Cherry Hill

“…there is…a pleasure common, constant and universal to all town parks…in other words, a sense of enlarged freedom is to all, at times, the most certain and the most valuable gratification afforded by the park”. Frederick Law Olmsted

The sounds of Central Park: birds singing, children laughing, musicians playing, and water trickling are all the melody of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s harmonious vision of the park. Their artful landscape design draws one into a retreat with nature that inspires painterly artists and sculptors alike. More recent tunes like those of the Delacorte Clock and the Carousel have added to the park’s charm.

Delacorte Clock

Happy park goers at Cherry Hill

The National Historic Landmark in the heart of Manhattan began with a city competition in 1857. The prize went Frederick Law Olmsted, park superintendent, and Calvert Vaux, an English-born architect. The philosophy of Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of American landscape design, was to create parks that instilled a feeling of community within cities. His parks included not just fields, but diverse recreation for wide appeal. Olmsted’s principles of landscape design visually drew in park goers to varied landscape themes that brought a sense of tranquility. Calvert Vaux, co-architect of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, implemented their aesthetic vision of Central Park, to render landscape into art. With this principle in mind, Vaux designed Bethesda Terrace and the park’s iconic bridges.

Cherry blossoms on Pilgrim Hill

Some fun facts about the park: A stroll through the two and a half miles (4 km) from north to south in the park represents traveling from the city, containing landmarks, to the wooded countryside of New York state. Walking all the way around the park’s 843 acres (341 hectares) is a six-mile (9.6 km) trip. Topsoil brought in from New Jersey and Long Island helped create the rolling landscapes of the park. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux created harmonious oases throughout the city, including Manhattan’s Riverside Park and Morningside Park and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, Fort Greene Park, Carroll Park, and Herbert Von King Park. Frederick designed parks in Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, the grounds of the US Capitol, and Mount Royal Park in Canada. Together with Calvert, he created a plan to protect the natural beauty of Niagara Falls.

Cherry Hill

San Remo Building

The Olmsted-Vaux design

Olmsted and Vaux in the Garden State

With the success of Central Park, other commissions for Olmsted and Vaux followed, including nearby Newark, New Jersey. Branch Brook Park, envisioned by Frederick, was the park of our childhood. Cherry blossom season meant family poses in Easter best beneath branches of flower petals that gently caressed our newly bared arms in the spring sunshine. The breeze carried the crunch of crinoline, the jingle of the ice cream truck, and the rustling of robes as proud graduates also posed beneath swaying blossom branches. The flowering cherry trees were and are the special occasion trees for New Jerseyans, spring in itself celebratory after a long winter. Caroline Bamberger Fuld, who shared the Olmsted-Vaux vision, brought the trees from Japan and nurtured them on her own Orange estate before having them planted in the Newark-Belleville park.

Of the parks and grounds throughout New Jersey attributed to Frederick Law Olmsted and his sons, John Charles and Frederick, Jr., known professionally as the Olmsted Brothers, the Twombly-Vanderbilt Estate, now Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham Campus, Madison, The Lawrenceville School campus, and Cadwalader Park, Trenton, Frederick personally designed. Verona Park, Maplewood Memorial Park, Anderson Park, Montclair, and Warinanco Park, Roselle and Elizabeth were projects carried out by the Olmsted firm. Among the private residences Calvert Vaux planned, the Wisner Estate in Summit, now Reeves-Reed Arboretum on the National and State Registers of Historic Places, is where visitors enjoy scenic walks and gardens. If the rare person does not recognize the names of Olmsted and Vaux at Garden State stops, the mention of Central Park sparks immediate admiration.

Central Park and Verona Park with the Olmsted design that draws us in: curving paths, a varied landscape of rolling hills, playing fields, meadows, and water.

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Hennessey Hall, the former Twombly-Vanderbilt Mansion in Madison

Wisner House and daffodils on the Bowl, Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit

A Lifelong Park

Central Park is a park for our lifetime. The exploration of the big rock by the American Museum of Natural History marked our first family visit, the site summited again on a field trip with young classmates. The late 70’s brought James Taylor and his concert for Sheep Meadow, which may be news to my mother-reader. On city excursions with girlfriends, the 80’s had the fun of JFK, Jr. sightings whether he was tossing a football, throwing a Frisbee, or doing pretty much anything in a boyish way. A walk through the park on visits back to the States in the 90’s felt like officially coming home. The anchor was not only the park’s beauty, but people in harmony with nature in a way that seemed unique by being both within and away from the city.

West 72nd Street entrance

A few years into the new millennium came the unexpected thrill of living in New York City, and the park, a former destination, was now a neighbor. Cozily tucked into a living space, I appreciated Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision of a place for everyone to go and feel free. At one point, I was fortunate enough to walk through the park to go to work, which meant that I arrived with a smile for others and returned home with cares left in green fields. If I completed enough work on Saturday, the reward was a Sunday morning spent in the park, reading the papers by the Conservatory Water, applauding the nearby roller skate dancers in warm weather or the sledders on Cedar Hill in cold, or dropping by the Met or the 92nd Street Y to meet friends in a bounty of good fortune. We all have memories like these with more to come thanks to the Central Park Conservancy, dedicated staff, and volunteers.

People travel the world for bucket list experiences, but there is nothing like passing beneath a fragrant canopy of delicate flowers. The cherry blossoms have given turn to the crab apple blooms in the symphony of spring in Central Park. Welcome spring with a walk in the park.

Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” by Jose de Creeft, commissioned by George Delacorte

Monument to John Lennon, gift of the City of Naples, designed by Bruce Kelly; Strawberry Fields commissioned by Yoko Ono

Cyclists everywhere enjoying spring

Cascading blossoms

Vibrant spring colors

Every view is like a movie still (throwback to last spring)

(Sources: centralparknyc.org, olmsted.org, fredericklawolmsted.com, centralpark.com, nycgovparks.org, nytimes.com, smithsonian.com, branchbrookpark.org, tclf.org, ci.columbia.edu, biography.com, eyeofthedaygdc.com, nps.gov, neh.gov, metmuseum.org, amnh.org, modernfarmer.com, aoc.gov)

“Washington’s Headquarters at Morristown: A Common Purpose”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On February 19, 2018

In Family, Museum, Travel, US History

The Colonial Revival-style Washington Headquarters Museum, designed by John Russell Pope and built in the 1930’s, with snowman greeter

With the opening of the new interactive Discovery History Center this week at the Washington Headquarters Museum, we revisit what brought seemingly disparate people together in the fight for freedom in New Jersey, known as the “Crossroads of the Revolution” and the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Among the many stations of General Washington during the Revolutionary War, Washington’s Morristown headquarters at the Ford Mansion marks both his longest stay and a bonding among the brave during the coldest winter on record in 1779-1780. The group, whom General Washington had gathered, had a kinship of vision in the common purpose of freedom: Alexander Hamilton, British West Indies, James McHenry, Ireland, Henry Knox, New England, Don Juan Miralles, Cuba-France and emissary from Spain, and the Marquis de Lafayette, France, helped realize a new country as did homeowner Theodosia Johnes Ford and her children.

Gilbert du Motier, better known as the Marquis de Lafayette, started fighting in the Revolutionary War at only 19 and became like a son to George Washington. The Marquis returned the paternal affection by naming his son “Georges Washington Motier de Lafayette,” Gilbert having lost his own father in the Seven Years War when he was a boy. Their mutually held ideals of equality are what led the Marquis to his friend upon hearing the American Revolutionaries’ quest for independence mocked by British officers in London. Mount Vernon adds this historical note to that of Morristown National Park with the credit that though the Marquis was young, he was already a seasoned officer from a lineage of independence with a forefather who fought with Joan of Arc.

Like his mentor, the Marquis had the strength of character to decline an imperial role as a leader of his native country, preferring democracy that he supported again during the French Revolution. With Thomas Paine, he co-authored the new French Republic’s Constitution that guaranteed equality under the law, “The Declaration of the Rights of Man”. Though it did not include women in a reflection of the times, the Marquis was an advocate for an immediate end to slavery. From his contributions in both France and the United States, Lafayette was known as “The Hero of Two Worlds”. This champion of democracy had the unique experience of later returning to the United States with his son Georges to tour the grateful nation that he had helped create. With the fanfare, a four-month tour turned into a sixteen-month one of all the 24 states that comprised the country in 1824-1825.

In that fateful Morristown winter, the admirable Theodosia Johnes Ford not only risked the safety of herself and her family by allowing General Washington and his retinue stay in her home, but she generously gave Martha and George the bedroom that she had shared with her officer-husband who had recently passed away. Sentiment aside, Theodosia continued to care for her children and carried on her husband’s work with the family farm and iron manufacturing business.

The Georgian-style Ford Mansion, built in 1774 by Jacob Ford, Jr., husband of Theodosia Johnes

An often unknown hero of the American Revolution was the Spanish-born Don Juan de Miralles, another friend of General Washington, a resident of Cuba with French-born parents. He worked for a French diplomat, and in that role, urged Spain to support the Colonial Army. Officially an observer, Don Juan de Miralles was, in effect, an advisor to the Continental Congress and helped with negotiations with Spain. The Colonists had offered the return of some Spanish land lost in the French and Indian War in exchange for backing their new currency, which the Spanish did discreetly, as well as making loans all via a world trading company.

Don Juan personally funded many towns in their resistance to the British and through his Cuban contacts he had supplies and weapons sent to the Colonial troops. Sadly, in that harsh winter of 1779, General Washington’s friend contracted pneumonia, and despite receiving care from the general’s personal physician, he died unexpectedly in April 1780.

At General Washington’s orders, Don Juan de Miralles was the first foreigner to receive a U.S. military funeral, one remarked on for its great ceremony accorded to the highest of dignitaries, solidifying the bond between the fledgling country and Spain and the debt of gratitude owed to Don Juan. The Colonial Army would not have survived that winter without him. The US-Spain connection was so strong that the first US dollars produced with the dollar symbol were similar to Spanish dollars. For the first time, the prospect of victory looked possible for the Colonials. Don Juan’s death pained General Washington who regretted that his friend would not live to see what he had helped realize.

For information on the exhibit (as of early 2022), just 32-miles via car, train, or bus from New York City, visit Washington’s Headquarters, part of Morristown National Historical Park, and the Washington Association. The program of opening events continues through tomorrow.

“Remembrance Day”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On November 11, 2017

In Culture, History, Travel, US History

Red poppies “Honor the Dead by Helping the Living”. On travels, met a veteran selling the poppy flowers to raise money for his fellow veterans. People passed by him, unfortunately, because they did not know what the flowers meant. With the observation of the 100th anniversary of World War I this year and Remembrance Day in Commonwealth Countries, sharing again the story of their origin in that war.

Red poppies grew on battlefields of World War I, striking amidst rows of white crosses for the many lost lives. Moved by grief, Canadian Colonel John McCrae, a surgeon with Canada’s First Brigade Artillery, wrote a poem “In Flanders Field,” which resounded around the world. Through the work of Anna E. Guerin, France, and Moina Michael, Georgia (US), the sale of artificial poppies helped orphans and others impoverished by the war. By 1920 the American Legion assisted and the “Flowers of Remembrance” were sold throughout the US, Canada, Britain France, Australia, and New Zealand. To expand the support, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) began to sell the “Buddy Poppy” nationally right before Memorial Day in 1922, and this became their memorial flower. Donations help support veterans and the families of those who have died in service.

As you may have seen in ceremonies and exhibits in the news, the United Kingdom has revitalized this recognition. The VFW got a trademark for the “Buddy Poppy” to safeguard that proceeds do indeed go to the veterans who assemble them, veterans’ rehabilitation, related programs, and in part, the VFW National Home for Children. (Sources: VFW.org, VA.gov, Wiki) Photo from Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morris Township, NJ.

“Highlights of the John Basilone Parade”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On November 11, 2017

In Culture, History, Travel, US History

Raritan’s annual parade in Sergeant Basilone’s honor each September is a proud event with many veterans and Marines participating. The link below leads to video of the tossed-candy fun at this year’s parade along Somerset Street. The children, all delightful in this year’s crowd, are mostly off-frame, but they were even sweeter. Our mother, who attended for many years, exclaimed when hearing this, “It’s a first-rate parade if they’re giving out candy!” In the generous spirit of Sergeant John Basilone, his family, and the local communities, the borough invites everyone to attend.

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and sports cars escorting veterans and honorees:

Donald Basilone, Sgt. Basilone’s youngest brother

Andy Martin, Silver Star, Vietnam

Herb Patullo, Grand Marshall

Though the parade itself is light-hearted, the banners along the route honoring the 23 other young men from Raritan who gave their lives in service in World War II are reminders of the parade’s purpose. These banners are present in towns and cities throughout New Jersey. Sergeant Basilone, born in Buffalo, New York, grew up here with these other servicemen.

Donald Basilone, youngest brother of John Basilone, poses below with US Marines and service members beneath the statue of his brother John, created by John’s boyhood friend Philip Orlando. Sergeant Basilone was the only enlisted US Marine to receive the Navy Cross and the Congressional Medal of Honor. “The Greatest Generation,” of which John Basilone was a part, was also a modest one. Our family friend, a fellow Marine who was in the first wave at Iwo Jima when Sergeant Basilone was killed after rescuing others, attended the parade annually until he became too ill. Like Sergeant Basilone, he would be the first to say that each generation that serves deserves our gratitude. A proud father attending the event shared that Sergeant Basilone had inspired his son, who had reenlisted in the Marines and come from a distance to participate in the parade and reenactment.

The ceremony included remarks by Donald Basilone and this year’s guest speaker Lt. General Richard Mills. The Basilone Parade Committee members, all volunteers, honored Herb Patullo, a US Navy veteran and lifelong Bound Brook resident, as Grand Marshall this year. Mr. Patullo, a dedicated supporter of the parade, attended the original one for Sergeant Basilone on September 19, 1943. The parade continues each September on the Sunday closet to the original John Basilone Day. Next year’s parade is on September 23rd.

The wreath-laying ceremony at Sergeant Basilone’s statute followed with the Marines’ reenactment of the flag raising at Mount Suribachi after the Battle of Iwo Jima was won. On the birthday of the US Marines yesterday, November 10th, the museum hosted @52Museums on Instagram. The National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA near Quantico, which also honors Sergeant Basilone, has the original flag raised at Mount Suribachi, captured in the photograph by Joe Rosenthal. Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley is an incredible book on the subject.

The Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh-Essex County marching in the John Basilone Parade, Raritan, New Jersey playing the “Marines’ Hymn,” part of the wonderful music in the parade.

St. Ann’s of Hampton

John Basilone Honor Platoon

Marine Corps League #1234, Manville/Somerville

Marine Corps bulldog mascot shielded from the heat

Along the Raritan riverbank, pictured below. The first annual Patriotic Art Show debuted nearby with tents and tables with concessions and music by Raritan musicians Tommy Grasso & the Spins. Artists interested in showing their work next year may contact: (908) 581-1917.

In updating information for posting, found articles about John Basilone’s impact as far away as San Diego, where the San Diego Tribune writes faithfully about him. Stationed at Camp Pendleton, John married his wife Lena Mae Riggi, a Marine sergeant in the Women’s Reserve, in Oceanside, California. The lovely “Piazza Basilone,” dedicated in 2003 with a bust of Sergeant Basilone, is at the heart of San Diego’s Little Italy. Both locals and tourists enjoy relaxing there daily.

Intermingled with the happy and the casual in the piazza are the grateful. One article noted that a man sitting on a bench had tears in his eyes and shared that John Basilone had saved his life. At the Battle of Guadalcanal alone, Sergeant Basilone’s bravery in holding the line was responsible for saving several thousand US servicemen, an incredible legacy of which New Jerseyans can be proud. If you have not attended the parade, think about going next year. The parade, which brings the warmth of John Basilone’s personality in his absence, has a wonderful atmosphere where everyone is welcome.

An added note that HBO is airing “The Pacific” this weekend with Clifton’s Jon Seda, a former parade grand marshal, as Sgt. Basilone.

Posted on Veterans Day with thanks to all veterans, active military, parade planners and participants who help the parade continue. For those who would like to support the parade with a donation, kindly mail a check to: John Basilone Memorial Parade Committee, c/o Borough of Raritan, 22 First Street, Raritan, NJ 08869. Thank you.

(Additional sources: John Basilone Parade (FB), Raritan-online.com, sandiegotribune.com, littleitalysd.com, Wiki)

“Loyalty: John Basilone”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On November 10, 2017

In History, Lifestyle, US History

Sgt. Basilone statue by childhood friend Philip Orlando

On this Veterans Day and the birthday of the Marine Corps, we remember with gratitude service members like Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone. He was the first US Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, the highest military award given by Congress for valor and presented by the president. Ninety-six brave New Jerseyans have had the medal bestowed on them in appreciation. Congress honored Sergeant Basilone for holding the line, single-handedly, in the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II when his men were wounded. He later crossed enemy lines to get ammunition for those men, who without it would have been defenseless. Not only was this champion boxer’s valor remarkable, but so was his loyalty and strategic thinking under duress. The rallying of his troops also turned the six-month battle into a US victory.

A modest man, John Basilone declined an officer’s commission after Guadalcanal. Despite carrying the burden of memories of the harshest realities of life, he was generously light-hearted with family and friends. Uncomfortable with the public acclaim he received upon his return to the US, Sergeant Basilone deflected attention to his fellow Marines who were still fighting in the Pacific. At a time when he and his fellow Italian-Americans were referred to by some as being “without papers,” the son of an Italian-born father chose to leave his bride, family, homeland, and safety to rejoin those Marines in combat where he bravely led them, many only teenagers, in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Part of the first wave, Sergeant Basilone destroyed a blockhouse, one of the beach fortresses from which enemy machine gun fire was killing Marines, enabling his men to take an airfield. Minutes later, he gave his life for his country at the age of 27.

Word spread quickly across the beach that Sergeant Basilone was down. Those left living in the bloody wave fought harder in what became a six-week onslaught and a vital strategic victory for the United States in WWII. In the face of such an unexpected defense, some of the young men on the beach could see the commanders order more forward into what was a slaughter, but with the Marines’ loyalty to each other and the miracle of noble character, they still fought as had their hero US Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone.

“John Basilone remains the only soldier (non-officer) in U.S. history to be awarded both The Congressional Medal of Honor and The Navy Cross. He is also the only Medal of Honor winner to go back into combat and be killed in combat.” (Raritan-Online.com) Posthumously, Sergeant Basilone was honored with the Navy Cross, given to a member of the US Navy, US Marines, or US Coast Guard for heroism in combat, and the Purple Heart, the country’s oldest recurring military award created by President George Washington. The Purple Heart is given in the president’s name to any member of the Armed Forces wounded or killed in combat. He was one of 4,700 Marines who died in the Battle of Iwo Jima where 15,308 were also wounded, characteristic of the bravery and sacrifice of that generation. There was, however, respectful recognition noting a namesake bridge and a second battleship about to be named in his honor.

Statue with Veterans Park a few weeks before parade

…and the transformed corner on parade day.

Each September, his Raritan hometown honors him with a parade that ends at the statue created by his childhood friend, Philip Orlando. Philip, a sculptor, was a recipient of the Bronze Star, the award given after 1941 to anyone serving in the Armed Forces for “heroic or meritorious achievement” in non-air combat. Philip depicted Sergeant Basilone as he recalled him, not just as a war hero in battle from the heroic night commemorated at Guadalcanal, but as his larger-than-life childhood friend John who always won the neighborhood game of “King of the Hill”. The site of the statue, the busy corner of Somerset and Canal Streets, keeps the hometown hero a part of daily life, a perennial guardian of what he helped preserve.

“Remembrance Meets Welcome: Captain Carranza Ceremony and Mount Holly”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On November 7, 2017

In Aviation, Family, History, Lifestyle, Travel, US History

The American Legion Mount Holly Post 11’s beautiful 89th ceremony honoring Captain Emilio Carranza took place last Saturday in Wharton State Forest. Members of Captain Carranza’s family, dignitaries from the Mexican Embassy in Washington, DC, the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, members of the Medford American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Civil Air Color Guard, local Scout troops, and rescue squad members joined in the remembrance of the Mexican aviator-hero. Elegant sashes adorned the floral wreaths with respects from the Carranza family, the ballet, other American Legion Posts, Sons of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Civil Air Patrol, and families, businesses, communities, and friends from Burlington County, the state, and beyond. Thanks to the dedication of Post 11 and long-term participants, it was wonderful to see more attendees this year.

Carranza Park with the monument to the captain and floral adornments has changed significantly since the American Legionnaires of Mount Holly Post 11 answered the call for aid in 1928. “In this desolate spot,” reads the Legion’s press release, ”was born the Post’s program of international amity.” (The New York Times, 2002) The occasion for the search was somber, but the Pinelands today has a distinct beauty that one appreciates more with each visit. Next year will be the 90th anniversary of Captain Carranza’s death and donations that directly support the ceremony and the preservation of the captain’s monument are most welcome. If you wish to support this commemoration, kindly send a check to: Mount Holly Post 11, PO Box 711, Mount Holly NJ 08060.

Members of the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Nueva York

Attendees were cordially invited to see the Ballet Folklorico of New York perform afterwards at a luncheon at where fundraising films, books, and materials commemorating the captain were available. (For commemorative items and more information about Captain Emilio Carranza, visit: www.post11.org.) The dancers delighted everyone by bringing audience members up to join them. The New York-based group announced that they will be performing dances from the annual Guelaguetza in Oaxaca on Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, all day on July 30th to support the park. For more information about this event, visit the Facebook page of the Ballet Forklorico Mexicano de Nueva York facebook.com/BFMNY/.

La Legión Americana La 89 ceremonia hermosa del poste 11 del soporte Holly que honra al capitán Emilio Carranza ocurrió el sábado pasado en el bosque del estado de Wharton. Miembros de la familia del capitán Carranza, dignatarios de la Embajada de México en Washington, DC, el Ballet Folklórico de México, miembros de la Legión Americana Medford y Veteranos de Guerras Extranjeras, tropas Scouts locales y miembros del escuadrón de rescate se unieron al recuerdo del aviador mexicano -héroe. El próximo año será el 90 aniversario de la muerte del capitán Carranza y las donaciones que apoyan directamente la ceremonia y la preservación del monumento del capitán son bienvenidas. Si desea apoyar esta conmemoración, envíe un cheque a: Mount Holly Post 11, PO Box 711, Mount Holly NJ 08060.

Los asistentes fueron cordialmente invitados a ver el Ballet Folklorico de Nueva York realizar después en un almuerzo en donde las películas de recaudación de fondos, libros y materiales que conmemoraban al capitán estaban disponibles. (Para artículos conmemorativos y más información sobre el capitán Emilio Carranza en espanol, visite: www.post11.org.) Los bailarines deleitaron a todos reuniendo a los miembros de la audiencia para unirse a ellos. El grupo con sede en Nueva York anunció que presentará danzas de la Guelaguetza anual en Oaxaca en Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, todo el día el 30 de julio para apoyar el parque. Para más información sobre este evento, visite la página de Facebook del Ballet Forklorico Mexicano de Nueva York facebook.com/BFMNY/. (Google translator.)

Mount Holly
As a means of a thank you, had the pleasure of returning to picturesque Mount Holly for a brief visit where visitors receive friendly hellos while walking around the town named for its holly trees. Town proud, new sidewalks, murals, and development are happening everywhere, and house proud, many people were out tending to their charming historic homes on the sunny afternoon in the seat of Burlington County, which our family first knew as the hometown of Franco Harris when we cheered for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mount Holly, site of the Battle of Iron Works Hill, two days before the Battle of Trenton, has points of interest ranging from historic Revolutionary War sites to the state-of-the-art campus of Rowan College at Burlington County. RCBC includes a culinary arts program, a student-run restaurant, and an art gallery right in the center of town. On this late Saturday afternoon, shoppers from both New Jersey and Philadelphia, the latter just a 40 minute drive, were finishing up in the Mill Race Village shops in the historic downtown district, which includes architectural styles from the early 1700’s through the late 1800’s. Shoppers were stepping out to go to the popular pizzeria on High Street and all the restaurants throughout the downtown.
If you will be attending the nearby Burlington County Farm Fair, July 18th-22nd, in Columbus, New Jersey, consider stopping by for a warm Mount Holly “hello”.

Mount Holly, New Jersey

“Fashion: Joyce Kilmer”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On November 6, 2017

In Culture, History, Lifestyle, Travel, US History

Campgaw Mountain, Mahwah, New Jersey

A New Brunswick native and world-renowned poet, Joyce Kilmer, 1886-1918, was married to fellow writer and Rutgers University graduate, Aline Murray, and lived happily and sociably with their five children in leafy Mahwah, the “meeting place” in Algonquin. They knew heartache with the grievous illness of one child, which led to their conversion to Roman Catholicism. A family man, he was exempt from duty in World War I, but enlisted, serving in military intelligence. Loyal, he turned down a commission to stay with his regiment, bravely volunteering to scout ahead on behalf of his men in No Man’s Land where he died from a sniper’s bullet at 31.

…critics sometimes dismiss Joyce Kilmer’s work as being too simple or sentimental, but he was a gifted intellectual, a Columbia University graduate who wrote in structured verse at the end of the Romantic Era. He died before modern poetry had found its voice — and he chose joy, which is not always fashionable. A one-time Latin teacher at Morristown High School and a contributor to The New York Times, both his intelligence and work ethic made him highly employable until his poetry became a success. His poems, many replete with New Jersey references, reflected a love of nature and God. Inspired by looking in his own backyard, the lyric poem “Trees” from Trees and Other Poems (1914) became to American life what the birthday song was to the world, a legacy of celebration:

“Trees”

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who ultimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

The poem was so popular that it was set to music, first by his mother Annie, a composer, and more popularly, in 1922 by another composer and pianist Oscar Rosbach. Princeton native and distinguished Rutgers University graduate, Paul Robeson, using his wonderful phrasing, recorded a popular version in 1938-9.

As we observe the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I, we remember the sacrifices of those who served like Joyce Kilmer and their families. Some were fortunate like our grandfather, a Newark native who was stationed stateside, others returned from overseas irretrievably changed emotionally and physically from trench warfare. The WWI postcard is from our great-uncle who like Joyce Kilmer was stationed on the Western Front. Our uncle, a beloved brother and son, wrote to his family with great affection on these lifeline postcards. He suffered from “gas and shell shock” meaning that he inhaled the poisonous gas thrown by enemy forces into the trenches and also suffered the “shock,” what we call PTSD “post traumatic stress disorder” today. Unlike Joyce Kilmer, our uncle came back home. He was still a gentle, kind man, but returned to a redefined life, fortunate in that he had family who loved him.

Incredibly, Joyce Kilmer still wrote poetry on the battlefront. Though most was in draft form, ‘A Blue Valentine,” dedicated to his wife Aline, blends faith and romance with the speaker addressing “Right Reverend Bishop Valentinus”:

…It seems appropriate for me to state
According to a venerable and agreeable custom,
That I love a beautiful lady.
Her eyes, Monsignore,
Are so blue that they put lovely little blue reflections
On everything she looks at…
It is like the light coming through blue stained glass,
Yet not quite like it,
For the blueness is not transparent,
Only translucent.
Her soul’s light shines through,
But her soul cannot be seen.

Joyce Kilmer’s legacy was not only his family and his works, but namesake New Jersey schools, the Joyce Kilmer House and a park, both in his New Brunswick hometown, a Bronx park at the Grand Concourse, and a memorial forest in North Carolina. Worldwide celebrations for Arbor Day, the last Friday in April in the United States, often include the reading or singing of his poem.

As for the critics of Joyce Kilmer’s work, one might say never out of step, just sometimes out of fashion.

Our uncle’s postcard from Vals-Les-Bains, France, a spa town before World War I

Quotes from the works of Joyce Kilmer. Published in ‘Writing New Jersey Life” blog at kathleenhelenlevey.com, June 21, 2017 Adapted text from “The Moral Quandary of Heels” All Rights Reserved © 2013 Kathleen Helen Levey

Writing New Jersey Life

People and places of New Jersey…with some travels.

Category: US History Page 2 of 3

“Hildene: Robert Lincoln and His Family”

Edison & Ford Winter Estates

“Vision: Thomas Alva Edison”

“Central Park: A Template of Beauty”

“Washington’s Headquarters at Morristown: A Common Purpose”

“Remembrance Day”

“Highlights of the John Basilone Parade”

“Loyalty: John Basilone”

“Remembrance Meets Welcome: Captain Carranza Ceremony and Mount Holly”

“Fashion: Joyce Kilmer”

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