A selection of events taking place in the Garden State this weekend:
Share on FacebookArchive for August, 2010
Aug
31
2010
Things to do in Jersey September 3-4-5 2010
Aug
30
2010
Paterson’s Hinchliffe Stadium History May Help Preserve It
The state’s Department of Environmental Protection has given Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects a $54,000 contract to document the historical facets of Hinchliffe Stadium in the hopes that it will help make the stadium a historical landmark. The stadium is a place where African-American baseball stars blossomed and racial integration was accepted.
Old Ticket Window
Javelin Tile on Hinchliffe
Hammer Throw Tile
Relay Tile
The study will help further the National Park Service’s involvement in the stadium’s preservation and restoration and possible inclusion in the Great Falls National Historical Park.
Rep. Bill Pascrell, a former mayor of Paterson and now member of the House of Representatives, said “This is a great step forward in our continuing efforts to transform Paterson’s historical elements into a destination to be rediscovered by Americans throughout the nation. It just makes sense to find out whether the stadium meets the criteria for a historic landmark and therefore whether it should be included in the Great Falls National Historical Park.”
President Obama signed legislation in March 2009 that requires such a historical study and documentation to be designated as a “historical park.”
The study, to be conducted by an interdisciplinary research team consisting of experts in history, architectural history, historic architecture, and the history of Negro League baseball, will look into the potential national significance of the stadium and draft a National Historic Landmark nomination.
Brian LoPinto, co-founder of Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium, said he hopes the study team consults his group, which possesses extensive archives and newspaper clippings on the Negro League.
Hinchliffe is among only three Negro League stadiums still standing. “What is additionally special about Hinchliffe, from a social standpoint, is the owners and operators never thought they should segregate the crowds,” he said.
Hinchliffe Stadium, opened in 1932 by the city, is owned now by the Paterson Board of Education. The stadium’s 5.7-acre site is located adjacent to the Great Falls.
“Historic landmark status would mean that Hinchliffe Stadium is recognized as a place that is a part of the nation’s story, not just Paterson’s story,” Pascrell said.
NorthJersey.com: Hinchliffe history is key to its future.
Share on FacebookAug
29
2010
New Jersey – Birthplace of the Drive-In
The First Drive-In Theater was invented by Richard M. Hollingshead. Richard experimented in the driveway of his home at 212 Thomas Avenue, Camden, New Jersey. Richard mounted a 1928 Kodak projector on the hood of his car, he used it to project onto a screen he had nailed to trees in his backyard. He placed a radio behind the screen for sound, then started his test of his idea. Richard tested sound with the windows up, down and half way. He tested many weather conditions, using his lawn sprinkler he simulated a rainstorm. He liked what he saw and heard, except for one problem.
If cars were parked behind each other, the cars at the rear would not be able to see the whole picture, due to the car in front. This did not stop Richard, he lined up cars in his driveway spacing them at various distances and placing blocks under their front wheels he was able to find the correct spacing and the correct angles to build ramps for the cars front tires to park, He then filed the first Patent for the Drive-In Theater.
On Tuesday June 6, 1933, the first Drive-In Theater opens in Camden, New Jersey showing “Wife Beware”
In 2010 New Jersey has just one Drive-In theater, but that’s better news than 10 years ago when there were none. The closest Drive-In was in Warwick, NY, which to be fair is only a few miles over the NJ/NY border.
| 1948 | 1954 | 1958 | 1963 | 1967 |
| 7 | 31 | 44 | 39 | 46 |
| 1972 | 1977 | 1982 | 1987 | 1999 |
| 38 | 32 | 22 | 8 | 0 |
The current drive-in theater : Delsea Drive-In located at
2203 S Delsea Dr. Vineland, NJ 08360 (856) 696-0011
My advice is: If you get a chance, go check out the Delsea Drive-In. We don’t want the number to go back down to zero again.
http://www.driveintheater.com/history/1930.htm
http://www.driveintheater.com/drivlist.htm
Share on FacebookAug
28
2010
Movie Review – Piranha 3D (2010)
Piranha 3D (2010)
Piranha 3D is obviously a horror movie about piranha killing people. This movie goes all out and over the top to be as gory, funny, and outrageous as possible for a movie of this type. In terms of gore and nudity, this movie is everything that the Nightmare on Elm Street movie wasn’t.
(more…)
Aug
27
2010
Guess Where – Quiet Stadium
Aug
26
2010
“Hey, where did the Empire State Building go?”
On Wednesday, the city council approved the construction of a tower that will be just 34 feet shy of the Empire State Building, just a couple blocks away. The owners of the Empire State Building fought hard to stop the new building, saying it would damage the skyline, and obscure the view of the western side of their building. I really don’t know where they get off thinking they could stop another building from going up, but at the same time it will make for a messy skyline. The new building will be only 2 blocks away from the ESB, and directly in front of it when seen from New Jersey. If you are directly across the Hudson River from the ESB, the new tower will pretty much completely cover it, with just the Antenna of the ESB possibly sticking out the top a little. It will just look like the ESB isn’t there. Moving north or south will obviously reveal the ESB once you have moved far enough, but I think it will still look very awkward. On top of that, the new building seems to have that new architectural style : blobbish and undefined without any distinctive shape or features. The World Trade Center was a good distance from the ESB and in a location without many tall buildings to compete with it. The skyline would be much better served if the new tower was placed in a location that balanced the skyline better. Below is a photo of the view of midtown from Weehawken NJ. From this view, the new building would either be just to the right of or possibly partially obscure the ESB.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/new-skyscraper-to-rival-empire-state-building/
Share on FacebookAug
25
2010
Go to Newark This Weekend and Check on Your Ancestors
Newark Public Library
As someone who is interested in genealogy, I’ve seen a lot of census records. They are gold mines for seeing where your relatives lived, who their neighbors were, what their professions are, all kinds of things. That’s why I’m so excited about the Newark Public Library’s U.S. Census exhibit, America by the Numbers. Check out Newark Public Library’s website. The exhibit is running through September 25th so hurry up and go see it!
If you haven’t been to the NPL, you should make sure you check out the whole building when you go see the exhibit. It’s a beautiful building and it’s in the downtown part of Newark which is pretty and easily accessible via the Newark Light Rail.
Also in the downtown area is the New Jersey Historical Society Museum and Library. The museum is free and always has interesting things to see and do in their three floors of exhibits.
While you’re in Newark, you could have lunch at Scully’s Pub or one of the Ironbound section’s really good Portuguese restaurants.
I’m serious, go check out Newark!
Share on FacebookAug
24
2010
Things to do in Jersey August 27-28-29 2010
Aug
22
2010
Getting Rid of Plastic Bags: Is New Jersey Ready?
For years now, we’ve known about the Garbage Patch of the Pacific Ocean. It is miles and miles of swirling plastic that has made its way into the ocean and gotten caught in a whirlpool of currents. We’ve all seen the pictures of the dead sea creatures with tummies full of plastic bits and we’ve all heard that we should cut soda can six-pack holders so that animals can’t get caught in them. Well, marine biologists have now found the same phenomenon in the Atlantic Ocean.
So, that begs the question, “Are we ready to get rid of plastic grocery bags?”
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