I've lived in New Jersey for more than 40 years, but I'll never be a real New Jersey girl. I grew up in Pennsylvania where there was lots of snow, one traffic light in town, and 90 kids in my grade--from kindergarten through graduation. I didn't know anything about The Shore, or baked ziti, or Chanukah until I came to Jersey. But, I've come to love all of that and much more--especially the history. I now know about the Jersey Dutch, strawberry baskets, railroad suburbs, the bridge that saved a nation, and so much more. I've learned that to tell the local stories about regular people I need to read wills, estate files, census records, pension applications, letters, tombstones, newspapers, and anything else I can find. So, that's some of what I want to share with you!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Preservation in the News

Preservation struggles and successes take place every day in our county.  Three articles were recently in the Record.

1) A successful Eagle Scout project in the Dumont Cemetery, especially protecting a monument of an infant, less than one month old, outside the fence.  See:
Eagle Scout Project Restores Dumont Cemetery

2) The owner of a Lustron house in Closter, protesting the classification of the house as historic by the Closter Historic Preservation Commission.  Where are the lines between private property rights and the perservation of our heritage?  See:
Closter Homeowner Challenging Historic Label

3)  Environmental Preservation and Historic Preservation can often be partners.  Montvale is facing issues around the redevelopment of the DePiero farm (and farmstand).  Compromise is possible, but are the major players interested?  Lori Charkey and Mark Becker wrote an editorial with suggestions for compromises.  See:
Smaller Commericial Footprint on DePiero Farmland

Preservation of the Palisades north of Fort Lee.  The fate of the Zabriskie Schedler house in Ridgewood.  The Peter DeBaun house in Emerson (more on that soon).  The list could go on and on.   Land and ratables are so valuable that we face challenges every day to the preservation and integrity of our historic heritage and landscapes.  It's good to mark the successes and to keep the conversation going.  The first step to change is awareness.
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