History of Middletown, New Jersey Essay

A Starbuck or Panera Bread at n earlier every corner, high come near condominiums and modern day architectural structures line the city of Middlet avouch, New Jersey. This is the everyday picture of my hometown located northeastward of the Navesink River in Monmouth County. Yes, I have noticed beautiful state parks, a light signboard, and signs for tourist, but not existence a tourist, I never realized or cared much for why Middletown even attracted tourists. I was expression forward to this research paper, because it gave me an opportunity to actually learn the historical signifi cigaretce of where I lived.I posture the proverbial tourist hat on and took to the streets. What I learned amazed and embarrassed me, Middletown was encased in hi paper, belt downmarks and all I basically new was where to get my latte in the morning. Before seeing the sights that I passed by so many times without pause, I wanted to learn about the history of Middletown itself, the simpleton facts. Th e township was settled in l665 by the English who migrated from Long Island, New York and New England. They had to purchase the land from the local Indian tribes and initially established third villages the Portland head word, Shrewsbury and Middletown.The towns were organized as part of the Monmouth County in l693. Portland Point didnt progress, but the two remaining villages prospered and were deemed as the Two Towns of the Navesink (Gabrielan, 2003). Middletowns past intromitd performing a part in the Revolutionary struggle. A vast number of residents stayed loyal to England and while others type for their independence. According to Randall Barielan, the conflict in New Jersey was a virtual civil war. Enemy participants in the major battle in New Jersey were headed toward Middletown. British forces hid in the Middletown pitchers mounds during the battles.I never imagined my hometown shared out a piece of our nations history. Its a small town of about 60,000 people, on the Na vesink River. Unfortunately, we did have thirty-six residents die on September 11th, but with that aside our crime rate is 0. 6 per 1,000 people (epodunk. com, 2007). Until this paper I thought of Middletown as a quaint village with the most awe-inspiring feature world that Bruce Springsteen, Geraldo Riviera and Vince Lombardi were born. Since I did pass a few old church servicees on my way to a Starbucks, I thought Id esearch the spirituality history of Middletown. There were several different denominations early on with the Baptist Church founded in 1688, the oldest church in New Jersey, with at least one one-half of the original settlers known to be of this faith.The All Saints Memorial Church in Navesink, founded in l864 and officially bonny a National Historic Landmark in1988. Richard Upjohn, a visionary of this time period, with his English Gothic revival architect, was chosen to construct the church laying the cornerstone in l863. According to there official website www. allsaintsnavesink. rg, the church was awarded a grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust to develop a long destination preservation plan. The story behind the Episcopal Christ Church, built in l702 is interesting. It was not about England settlers acquire together to worship it was more of a missionary venture. Colonial Governor, Lewis Morris, wrote to the Bishop of London of the people of Middletown There is no such thing as a church or religion among them. They are perhaps, the most brutal and wicked people in the world The Bishop sent two Anglican priests to save Middletown.That was over three hundred years ago and the Christ Church still remains an active congregation (christchurchmiddletown. org). some other area of Middletown I wasnt aware of, is snuggled away high on a hill and called the Water Witch edict, founded in 1895. A 50 acre historic paradise, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. It is known for its exclusive club culture, and architectu re. The Witch Club enticed visits by famous architects such as heel A. Wright and Yew York are rich and famous.Presently there are forty- quartet homes at Water Witch Club that amazingly kept its old-world charm, throughout its history. A breathtaking site on top of a hill, which escaped me for so long (Van Develde, 2003). Before I introduce you and myself, to the several other historic landmarks in Middletown, there is one fact I was surprised to unveil. Middletowns daily theme, the Times Herald-Record, often called simply, The Record, was the first base cold offset press in the country, published in 1851.Subsequently, in 1956, the Middletown Daily Record, the first U.S. newspaper to use cold type, printed from a garage, ignited competition for the Record. In l969 the two papers merged into the sunlight Record, but reverted back to the Times Herald-Record in 2007. The form of this newspaper from cold type to a website, in 2008, shows a timeline of innovations (record online. co m). Now, back to being a tourist, I set forth to view the historical landmarks my venue had preserved for generations. Marlpit Hall was built in several stages and completed in 1756. It was the home of loyalist Edward Taylor and his family.Taylor was held on a lower floor house arrest for his political views and lost most of his wealth and influence. In l936, the house was donated to the Monmouth County Historical companionship. The Association restored it to become the first house museum in the region. Marlpit has five rooms all furnished to depict its screen background from l756 through 1820. It is key property in the National Register of Historic Places in Middletown Village. A by-product of the Marlpit Hall is the Taylor-Butler House, built in 1853 by descendents of the Marlpits Taylor family. Joseph Taylor and his wife, Mary originally called it the Orchard Home.They were particular in furnishing the home with family heirlooms. Mary was the last to live in the house, which remained vacant for ten years after her conclusion in 1930. Henry Ludwig Kramer, a famous architect, bought it for his home and office, restoring its historical venue. George and Alice Butler bought it from Kramer in the l950s in turn the Monmouth County Historical Association bought the estate in l999. Actually the Association itself has an historical place in Middletown, too. It was founded in l898 by a group of citizens committed to preserving the history of Monmouth County.They built a three story Georgian building in l931 to house a museum and library (co. monmouth. nj). Middletown has two historic provokehouses the Murray Farmhouse and the Moses D. Heath Farm. The Murray Farmhouse and vitamin B was built in l770 and remains on its original foundation. Joseph Murray and his mother arrived from Ireland in l767 to Monmouth County where he met and married Rebecca Morris, and had four children. Joseph joined the local militia, when the Revolutionary War began. He acquired the n ickname, daring, notorious rebel, because he was openly defiant of British rule. The farm remained in the family until l861, and had several owners until it was purchased in 1973 by the Middletown Township to save the land from development. Today the house is not accessible to the public but there are continuous events and tours throughout the barn and farmland (poricypark. org). The Moses D. Heath Farm provides access to numerous exhibits to illustrate the historical importance of farming in Monmouth County. They include 19th century farm artifacts, Gertrude Neidlinger (1911-1998) Spy House collection, and a working honey bee colony and museum. The farm promotes the legacy of the Heath family, primarilyBertha C. Heath. Heaths father, Clinton was a former slave until the civilized War freed him, and he fled to Middletown with his brother Calvin who later became the first preacher at the Clinton Chapel Zion Church, founded in 1870. After he was settled as a crop farmer he sent fo r his wife and thirteen children. Bertha being the youngest of 6 girls. Born in the farm homestead on July 22, 1909, she ran two miles for a trolley to off her to school, each morning. Bertha was exceptionally graduating from Middletown Township High School in 1926 she moved to Upper Manhattan, New York metropolis and lived there for forty-four years.During this period she graduated from the Harlem Hospital School of Nursing, received a Bachelor of learning degree in Public Health form New York University, in 1958, and a Master of intelligence degree from Columbia University. Bertha went beyond what a black women was allowed or able to do, and enjoyed working as a registered nurse until her retirement in 1974. Bertha with the help of her nephew, Walter Spradley and countless volunteers, organized the Heath Center Black account statement Committee, which still participates in Black History Month celebrations.The property has remained in the Heath Family since the post Civil War years and converted into the center of New Jerseys African-American agricultural history. tour the farm is the ultimate family experience. Along with exhibits already mentioned, there is a childrens educational garden, blacksmith shop, sugar can mill and demonstrations on how farming was conducted in the l9th century, (heahfarm. tripod. com). The last landmark Ill review is the Sandy goldbrick Lighthouse. Built in l764 it is the oldest lighthouse in the nation and one of the twelve constructed before the Revolutionary War.It is octagonal, and rises eight-five feet to a higher place the ground and eighty-eight feet above the water. New York originally financed Sand Hook because the merchants lost a dispense of money and crew members from shipwrecks. American and English troops both wanted control of the lighthouse during the war, so New York congressmen gave the order to darkened it to deter British ships. This proved ineffective, the British sent a landing place party to relight Sandy Hook. The Americans even tried to destroy the lighthouse with cannons, but did little damage to its structure.The British controlled Sandy Hook throughout the Revolution. The original tower of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse still stands. other interesting note from the National Park Service is that the lighthouse originally stood five hundred feet from the northern end of Sandy Hook, and now, because of the current of the water, the light is five-eighths of a mile from the point. Ironically the light continues to help mariners, as it has faithfully done for the last l96 years, and was designated a National Landmark on January 29, 1964 (nps. gov). Amazing how much a tourist learns about a place you call home?I had to walk in theyre shoes to notice the national historic landmarks, hidden natural treasures and areas steeped in history, literally in my own backyard. What an indelible past laid behind my everyday sights of the Gothic designed church, the farmhouses, and restored l9 th century homes. It is like seeing Middletown for the first time, through the eyes of an interested stranger. My walk to Starbucks takes on a totally different moment for me now I take it slower, observe the artistic landscape and take pride in cognize Im walking down a path through history.