21 counties in 3 days: the jersey tour
day two: morris, somerset, hunterdon, union, middlesex, and monmouth
by carol van houten
originally published on
october 18, 2004
Day Two, Sunday, got off to an unavoidably late start, but we were determined to fit in at least one of the counties we missed yesterday, so we headed straight to Morristown, Morris County, for lunch. Good election karma landed us a parking spot right next to this store front:
One thing we love about Morristown is its great town square. That's something I really look for in a town: a center. Here's the fountain in Morristown's square:
After lunch, we headed south to Somerset County, the county of my youth. My plan was to drive by the old homestead in Franklin Township, but we really didn't get anywhere near it. Instead, we stumbled upon the Bernardsville Fire Department's fall outing for the community.
The part of Somerset County where I grew up was extremely close to Middlesex County, so in many ways I am more familiar with Middlesex than with Somerset. For instance, the only bar I ever got thrown out of for being underage was in New Brunswick. We didn't make it to New Brunswick on this trip, either, I regret to say.
Somerset County really is quite beautiful, especially in the autumn. But now it's on to Hunterdon.
If we didn't both work in New York City, I think Hunterdon County would be the place I would most like to live. There are so many beautiful little towns. One disturbing thing I've noticed lately though is the trend of "selling the farm" to McMansion developers. I hope Hunterdon will be able to rein some of this in, before it's too late.
Quick Hunterdon foliage shot; then it's off to Union County via route 22.
Union County, I hardly know you. So near to where I grew up, and yet I've barely ever been there. However I had always heard there were a lot of beautiful old houses in Plainfield, and by some small chance, we accidentally found some.
And they are. Beautiful.
Technically I may have been trespassing when I took that last one. Probably a good time to beat it out of town and head to Middlesex County, my old stomping ground.
John took this shot at a stop light in Piscataway. We also drove past the Edison Job Corps, where my mother taught GED for many years. Middlesex County really is filled with memories for me. For one thing, I lived in lovely little Highland Park for several years.
We took this opportunity to stop for ice cream at the Corner Confectionary, in Highland Park. Highland Park is one of the few towns I know of in New Jersey where you could easily live without a car. But if you worked in New York, you would have to walk over the bridge to the train in New Brunswick. Ah, New Brunswick. Wow, a lot of memories there. Most of them took place in the Court Tavern...
But that's another essay. Because now it's time to go down the Shore.
The main reason to get your driver's license in New Jersey is, naturally, to be able to drive down the Shore. New Brunswick didn't have an entrance for the Garden State Parkway, and so we never used that highway. For us, Route 18 was the way to the Shore.
We made it to Asbury Park, Monmouth County, just in time for sunset. I don't have to tell you that Asbury Park is coming back, baby. Bruce probably told you if you went to his tour in '02-'03. It is a real treat to drive around and see so many of the old, gorgeous houses renovated and looking super. And finally, the litigation that for so long complicated development near the boardwalk has been resolved. Even the newly restored boardwalk is looking great!
Here ends Day Two. One county shy of our goal for the day... but tomorrow promises to be big! Big!
(OK, big and exhausting...)
--cvh
Day One: Hudson, Essex, Passaic, and Bergen
Day Two: Morris, Somerset, Hunterdon, Union, Middlesex, and Monmouth
Day Three: Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, Mercer, Warren, and Sussex.
--cvh
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