Celebrating 60: Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook

In 1816, Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchill, a physician, scientist, educator and politician, measured the elevation of a point near the the New Jersey coast with a barometer. With an elevation of 266 feet, this point is recorded as the highest natural point along the North Atlantic Coast south of Maine, and was named Mount Mitchill.

The site has long been a popular viewing site with its gorgeous views of Raritan Bay, Staten Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Sandy Hook. In the 1940s there was an effort to make it a state park. For many years a refreshment stand and picnic area occupied one of the lots, but the area remained unkempt and barren. The sedimentary rock forming the Highlands is prone to slumping on steep slopes, where large blocks of capstone and sand periodically slide down the cliff face, and the lack of controls allowed for considerable erosion.

In the early 1970s, a developer's proposal to building two high-rise towers on the site prompted many calls for the preservation of the land. Monmouth County attempted to purchase the property, but the developer's plans raised the cost, so a compromise enabled the developer to build one 15-story tower and allowed the county to preserve eight acres of land.

Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook was created in 1973 with parking and viewing areas, drainage, and oak and cedar plantings to help control erosion along the steep slopes. The site was upgraded in 1995 with redesigned parking, viewing areas, interpretive panels, and landscaping. In 1980, flagpoles and a plaque were installed to pay homage to the eight soldiers who died during the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Iran.

After the horrific 9/11 tragedy, the Monmouth County 9/11 Memorial Committee chose Mount Mitchill as the location for a memorial tribute to the victims and heroes of the attacks on the World Trade Center. The Committee and the Friends of the Parks raised several hundred thousand dollars for the memorial, and Freehold sculptor Franco Minervini carved an eagle for it with a nine-foot wingspan ascending into flight while clutching a fragment of a steel beam from the World Trade Center. The granite base of the sculpture lists the names, ages and towns of the 147 Monmouth County natives and residents who lost their lives in the attacks, and the walkway to the memorial chronicles the timeline of the tragic event.

Mount Mitchill remains a site of beauty and reflection. Visitors are often found visiting the memorial, partaking in the majestic views, or spending time with their children at the playground.

For information about the site, visit our website.

Coming Soon: 2014 Summer Program Directory

Summer is in the air as the Monmouth County Park System plans to release this year's Summer Program Directory. Are you ready to start planning your summer with fun, exciting activities in the parks? This summer's Program Directory is filled to the brim with park information, special events, terrific programs and so much more. When you browse the summer issue, be sure to check out some of the following.

• Park System Spotlight: Do you love the beauty of the beach? Learn more about Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Long Branch, in this two-page informational article.
• Summer Facility Profiles: Never been to one of our environmental centers? Discover what the Huber Woods and Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Centers have to offer.
• Special Events: When the weather is warm the parks have so much to offer! Here are just a few of the events you can learn more about in the Summer Program Directory:
• Monmouth County Fair  - This year's Fair is quickly approaching on Wednesday-Sunday, July 23-27, and is packed with entertainment, animal shows, amusement rides, tasty food, vendors, and so much more!
• Eco Elephant Family Flea Market - Looking to sell items you no longer use? Get a table and earn some money as our visitors shop 'til they drop on Saturday, June 21 and Saturday, August 23.
• Fishing Derbies - One fishing derby isn't enough! So we're doing three! The 2nd Annual Freshwater Fishing Derby takes place at the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell, on Saturday, June 14 and then at Turkey Swamp Park on Sunday, June 15. Plus, if you enjoy surf fishing, don't miss our first ever Bayshore Saltwater Fishing Derby at Bayshore Waterfront Park on Saturday, August 30.
• Deep Cut Gardens Open House - Learn more about this beautiful 54-acre site with free guided tours, lectures, activities, demonstrations and horticultural advice on Sunday, June 8.
• Second Annual Sweet Corn Festival - There's nothing better than locally grown, sweet New Jersey corn in the summertime! This festival held at Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold on Saturday, August 16, offers live music, children's crafts and activities, our 25' rock climbing wall and of course delicious sweet corn.
• Family Campfires: Bring the entire family and spend an evening under the stars. On page 6 you'll find a full listing of campfires held at Turkey Swamp Park, Freehold that offer fun for everyone. The selection includes Are We There Yeti?, Touch-A-Truck at the Campfire!, Create Your Own Concert and more.
• Adult Programs: Learn something new this summer, or refine your skills in a favorite hobby. From arts & crafts to horticulture to sports & fitness and more, the adults section of this year's Summer Program Directory offers something for everyone. Constant favorites are joined this summer by new programs that include Clay Handbuilding Techniques, Paella Outdoors, Gardening for Butterflies and Other Pollinators, Kayak Birding Expedition, Fat Loss Boot Camp and more!
• Equestrian Programs: If you love horses, these programs are for you! And don't miss this year's  Student Horse Show featuring our Special People United to Ride (SPUR) equestrians showcasing their talents on Saturday, June 7.
• Family Programs: Ready to spend some time together as a family? We want to make that time even more special by offering exciting programs like Mess Fest!, Boat and Breakfast, Micro-Safari, Summer Beach Luau Blast and more! 
• Golf Programs: Looking to learn a new sport? Golf is a fun, popular sport that is easy to learn with the help of the Monmouth County Park System. Beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons are offered for ages 6-adult as well as a variety of clinics and other programs. If you're already an avid golfer, don't miss out on the Park System's summer tournaments; information can be found here.
• Historic Programs: If you've never been to Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel or Historic Walnford in Upper Freehold, we've got some additional reasons to get you there this summer. Historic Longstreet Farm offers a view into the past with free drop-in programs such as Blacksmith Demonstrations, an Independence Day Celebration, and the Potato Harvest. This summer Historic Walnford is offering an array of free drop-ins which include Antique Autos, Roots of Rootbeer, and the returning Sweet Corn Festival to name a few.
• Kids & Teens Programs: Is your child looking for something new and exciting to experience? We've got plenty of options both you and your children will love! Kids can improve drawing skills with Drawing Intensive, use science and technology during Engineering for Kids, enjoy fitness and fun with Circus Skills Camp, and so much more! Still on the look out for a terrific summer camp for your child? A variety of camps are still available; click here to find and register for summer camps.
• Parent & Child Programs: Why not learn something new...together! You and your child can enjoy creation OR recreation. Create beautiful ceramic art during Ceramic Family Fun; decorate tea cups and enjoy the outdoors with Tea for Two; or play in the dark during Glo in the Dark Sports Campfire.
• Special Needs Programs: At the Park System we work hard to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities to participate in Park System programs with their non-disabled peers. Special Needs programs are also offered that bring together special needs children and young adults like Introduction to Golf, Recreational Swim, and Teen Scene. For additional information on programs for those with special needs or on our inclusion services, please email Lauren.
• Trips: Let's go somewhere new! We're ready to hit the road with a variety of day trips and overnight excursions. Just a few of these locations include Historic Philadelphia, Untermyer Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg, and Washington DC. The Park System makes it easy to enjoy a journey to somewhere new.

The above are just some of the fun you can look forward to in this year's Summer Program Directory.  Available this Friday, May 2, you can get your issue by mail, by visiting one of the Park System parks, or view it online. If you're not already on our mailing list, you can join by filling out our Program Directory Request form. Summer program registration begins at 8am on Wednesday, May 7.

See you in the parks!

Make Harvest Home Festival an Annual Family Tradition

Nothing stirs nostalgic sentiment like the traditions centered on autumn and harvest time. Many area families count Longstreet Farm’s Harvest Home Festival as one of their favorite fall destinations. You’re invited to come to Longstreet Farm between 11am-5pm on Sunday, September 30 to enjoy a full schedule of harvest fun with an historic twist. 

What would a harvest festival be without a celebration of the bounty of the land? Longstreet Farm staff have been busy through the summer tending to the crops. You can be help with the harvest by digging potatoes and taking home what you gather! Come early because the crop is limited. Other farming activities include plowing and beekeeping demonstrations throughout the afternoon.

Is your pumpkin the biggest in the county? Is your homemade jam the talk of the town? Gardeners and crafters are encouraged to display their produce and home goods in a friendly competition in categories that include vegetables, baked goods, canning, condiments, needlework, quilting, and rug hooking. Ribbons will be awarded for the best selections in each category. Entry is free but the registration deadline is September 26, all entries (except baked goods) must be dropped off to the farm by this date. Baked goods should be dropped off on the morning of the event between 9-10am. Click here for an entry form and detailed category listing.

Another popular event is the pie eating contest, with three divisions for children ages 8 and under, ages 9-14, and adults. There is no fee to enter, but visitors must register with farm staff upon arrival. Competitors will surely want to wash down their pie with a cold cup of apple cider, freshly made on an antique cider press.

Children of all ages will enjoy old-fashioned lawn games, rides on our horse-drawn wagons, and hands-on craft demonstrations including weaving, embroidery, and rug hooking.  Entertainment includes the Chorus of the Atlantic, the Jugtown Mountain Band, Music Man Rich Marzec, and banjo player Chuck Winch.

For a full schedule of the day’s activities and directions to Longstreet Farm visit our Harvest Home Festival page, or call (732) 842-4000, ext. 4312.

Get a Taste of Local History in the Parks

"If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday." - Pearl Buck

If you frequent the Monmouth County Park System parks you surely have enjoyed the trails, playgrounds, nature, and programs we have to offer. But did you know how much history lies within our parks? Take some time to learn about local history by visiting the following sites:

Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth: Located along the Sandy Hook Bay, many visitors come to stroll the beach, enjoy the free Summer Seining, or fish off the pier. But this picturesque location is also home to the Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center (aka Seabrook-Wilson House), which is the oldest standing house in the region. The building dates back to the early 1700s. The Activity Center has limited hours, but is scheduled to be open to the public on August 4 & August 18 from 11am-5pm for visitors to view exhibits about the ecology of the Sandy Hook Bay, the history of the house, and the connection between the two of them.

Hartshorne Woods Park, Highlands & Locust: This 787-acre site is popular to hikers, bicyclists, and nature enthusiasts due to over 14 miles of trails. But did you know that a large section of the sites was a military installation in the 1940s? During WWII, batteries for heavy artillery were built on the site to modernize coastal defense efforts. These concrete and earth encasements or bunkers protected both personnel and equipment. These structures can still be viewed at the site today in the Rocky Point section (1402 Portland Road, Highlands).

Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel: The sights, sounds, and smells of rural Monmouth County in the 1890s were recreated on this 9 acre living history site. Interpreters dress in period clothing and show both daily and seasonal agricultural and domestic activities that would have been done on a local farm in the 19th century (i.e., milking the cows, plowing the fields, blacksmithing, and more). The site is open daily, year round, from 10am-4pm (during the summer hours are extended to 9am-5pm). Upcoming demonstrations include: 19th Century Woodworking Demonstration on Saturday, August 4 from 1-3pm; Penny Rug Demonstration on Sunday, August 12 from 1-3pm; and Harvest Home Festival on Sunday, September 30 from 11am-5pm.

Tatum Park, Middletown: Many visitors to this 366-acre park come for the trails or for programs at one of its two activity centers. But a visit to the Red Hill Activity Center located off of Red Hill Road offers a bit of local history. The Heath Wing was built in 1981 to honor Mary and Clinton Heath. In 1885, Clinton Heath, a freed slave from North Carolina, became the first black farmer to settle in Middletown. The Heath Wing features a permanent display of memorabilia from the county's early black community.

Thompson Park, Lincroft: Known for being the location for Park System Headquarters, this park was established with a donation of 215 acres from the estate of Geraldine Thompson. Once the home of "Brookdale Farm", the site was a premier thoroughbred racing horse breeding/training facility. Today, the park remembers Mrs. Thompson's belief that "children have to feel the ground beneath them and go out into the woods and see the trees and birds." The Thompson family residence, a grand colonial revival mansion, had been used as the Visitor Center until it was destroyed by a fire in 2006. The Visitor Center has since been rebuilt and allows visitors to learn more about Mrs. Thompson and Brookdale Farm in an exhibit on the first floor which is open to the public Monday-Friday from 8am-4:30pm and Saturday-Sunday, 10am-4pm.

Historic Walnford, Upper Freehold: This gorgeous park seems to be a hidden gem in the western most section of Monmouth County. Visitors can learn more about the Waln family and the evolution of Walnford over two centuries - from an 18th century industrial village and family farm to an elegant country estate. Take a leisurely stroll through the picturesque locale and view the large, elegant home built in 1774, the 19th century gristmill, and the farm buildings. The gristmill opens its doors on weekends April-November from 1-4pm as knowledgeable staff describe the workings of the mill. Weekend drop-in programs are also available; upcoming free programs include Ice Cream, Edible History on Sunday, August 5 from 3-4pm.

Don't miss out on all the Park System has to offer. There's something new to find each and every day!