BOOK NOTES by Joan Ruddiman: Randy Gabrielan’s book has been hard to keep on shelves.
Randy Gabrielan has compiled/authored 29 books for Arcadia Press’ "Images in America" series. He’s done a couple on neighborhoods in New York City, one on his childhood home of Jersey City, his current home of Middletown and other eastern Monmouth County towns.
Then, like most who find their way to this community, he hit pay dirt when he discovered Allentown and Upper Freehold Township.
More than 80 people crowded into the Allentown Public Library on a Sunday afternoon in the busy month of December to wait patiently in a long line to buy numbered copies (most bought more than one) of "Images in America: Allentown and Upper Freehold Township," signed by the author.
They attentively listened to his hour-long presentation on the making of what he calls a "photo-history," and then the long line again formed for the book buyers.
Betsey Poinsett scoured the shops in town to replenish the author’s depleted supply so everyone could leave with a copy. The book is available in shops in town. Walter’s Pharmacy finally has been able to keep it in stock.
Through the holiday rush, they fastidiously took orders that were filled as more books came in. Mary Theoharis Clark, who knows this community about as well as anyone, puts words to my thoughts in commenting on the brisk sale of these books. "We are just provincial people."
Yes we are, and for good reason. This by any standard is a unique community. What Gabrielan captures in the captioned old photographs depicts a society and its people who have not changed much over the entirety of its almost 300-year history. We get lost in the pictures of people, places and events from generations ago that seem so familiar.
The book is divided into two sections Allentown and Upper Freehold Township that the author astutely recognizes, are "linked historically, but separated developmentally." Within each section are chapters that highlight specific areas that are significant in the history and the development of the town and township.
Allentown like other little towns in the township was founded around a gristmill. Main and Church Street became a center for shops that supplied basics such as groceries, furniture, farm and hardware supplies, as well as other types of necessities like women’s hats and dresses. People also came to town for mail, to go to school, and to worship.
We look at the photos of the Old Mill, Main Street, the churches, and it does not look much different than the town today that still draws people in.
The "walking people" visit the charming shops and restaurants, and the locals from town and township "run into town" for the post office, the drug store, the hardware store, the library, and the bank (or the MAC machine!).
Like those in the photos, we chat with neighbors as grab coffee or lunch "in town." (Allentown currently has as many places to eat as churches!)
Perhaps what readers will flip to first is the chapter titled "People, Places, Events" including, of course, the Memorial Day Parade. It appears that in 1935 the parade moved through town toward North Main. But that was pre-World War II. The parade now ends at the "old high school" where a memorial dedicated in 1959 honors those from Allentown and Upper Freehold who died in wars while serving their country.
Upper Freehold Township since its inception has been farmland dotted with hamlets that provided milling service, blacksmithing, as well as post office, schools and of course churches.
Imlaystown had it all and more like the Inn now called The Happy Apple. The charms of Imlaystown were discovered in the 1970s by an internationally renowned landscape architect who renovated the mill to serve as his office. Bob Zion rode his horse to work something you just can’t do in New York City.
Cream Ridge did have a creamery (though that was not the origin of the name) and a railroad to get the dairy products to market. It also was home to the Carl Woodward who invented an early reaper.
Hornerstown developed around a gristmill and a sawmill. Now it is known for horses, trotters and pacers, thanks to Stanley Dancer’s Sire Stakes and the Meirs family’s Standardbred stock farm Walnridge.
Waln is an old township name. The chapter on Walnford speaks to a wide audience, as this 18th century gristmill "plantation" is now part of the Monmouth County Park Service. Thanks to the vision and the generosity of Ed and Joanne Mullen, this piece of living history is beautifully preserved for current and future generations to enjoy as they experience the essence of life hundreds of years ago.
"Around the Township" looks at views of Cox’s Corner, Ellisdale, Sharon Station, the famous Old Yellow Meeting House and people, places and events (4H!) that make Upper Freehold special.
For historic significance, the most important page may be Gabrielan’s "Acknowledgments." His gratitude extends to a "Who’s Who" of Allentown and Upper Freehold historians, by profession or by birthright. Future students of our local history will seek out the papers and printed observations of these esteemed citizens when a definitive history of the town and township is written.
A nod as well to Gabrielan’s dedication of this book to Ted Narozanik, who has well represented this far-western corner of the huge Monmouth County as freeholder. He truly is a great friend.
Community pride is evident in photographs and postcards so generously shared with Gabrielan. But he is to be commended for capturing the spirit of our community in his annotations. People like the Mullens and Zion move to the area and immerse themselves in preserving the magic that they found here. But this magic is made by hundreds of citizens over many generations who put on the parades and plays, preserve the old homes, support the schools, the churches, the library, the fire and first aid companies all which make this home.
The images of Allentown and of the villages all over Upper Freehold tell this story. Newcomers have become "native" with roots that go as deep as those who have lived here over centuries. What Gabrielan may not have realized as he compiled his latest endeavor for Arcadia is that he was documenting a way of life.
Now the township is known more for horses than potatoes and Allentown for antiques than household goods, but the "feel" of the place remains. We are not naive. The huge boxstores and warehouses and pressure from major housing developments are crowding the borders and encroaching on the open lands. Can the township and town hold onto the feeling of home in the face of major changes?
The brisk sales of this book may offer an answer in the affirmative. Old-timers of various stages of "old" are buying the book, but so are the newest of the newcomers. They too recognize the places and we hope they will get to know the people and participate in the events of this unique community that we delight in calling home.
Joan Ruddiman is a teacher and friend of the Allentown Public Library.