Byway project kicks off

By: Purvi Desai
   UPPER FREEHOLD — The Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Byway is set to be commemorated today (Thursday) at a ceremony held at Historic Walnford in the presence of local and state officials.
   The 24-mile byway that covers both Upper Freehold and Allentown is important step toward preserving the heritage and history of both towns, while displaying the richness of it, Sue Kozel, vice chairman of the Upper Freehold Vision/Scenic Byway Committee said on Monday.
   "We’re going to celebrate the fact that its been approved and document the sites on it," she said of the ceremony to be held today. "You can’t find it in a lot of towns."
   Only the first stage in this project has been completed. The byway is not yet open to visitors until a grant application has been completed and a consultant has been hired to take the committee’s narratives and to formulate the final byway, Ms. Kozel said. "The second stage is to design it and implement the byway."
   "People can come to Upper Freehold and Allentown and discover our historic nature," she said, once the byway is completed. "(They can) learn about colonial farming, to really step back in time to a working farming community. People can come and view the historic route, and its beautiful vistas."
   According to a Scenic Byway Committee release, the byway tour that will be offered to people all over "enhances the Department of Transportation’s scenic roadway program because it captures the unique, agricultural, environmental and cultural traditions in these colonial towns."
   "Upper Freehold has 6,696 acres of preserved open space," according to the release, "While Allentown has remained essentially untouched by modern development and remains one of the largest contiguous historic districts in New Jersey."
   Among the personalities that expected to be present at the commemoration include state Department of Transportation Commissioner Chris Kolluri, Assemblyman Ron Dancer, Freeholder Lillian Burry, Joe Barris, principal planner for the Monmouth County Planning Board, Upper Freehold Mayor Steve Fleischacker and Allentown Mayor Stu Fierstein, Ms. Kozel said.
   The byway tour "will present an interactive opportunity to those who crave an agricultural experience and at the same time are searching for historic and environmentally sensitive elements," according to the release. "Joining with the unique historical and scenic town of Allentown, Upper Freehold’s scenic tour offers visitors the opportunity to view history in a working agricultural area."
   The tour will begin at the Presbyterian Church in Allentown, and pass through several important landmarks before concluding at Crosswicks Creek at Walnford, according to the release. Among the different landmarks visited during the tour are Cafferty’s Old Mill in Allentown, the Bent Creek Upland Game Preserve on Route 524, the Horse Park of New Jersey, Imlaystown and the Cream Ridge Winery, according to the release.
   Ms. Kozel initiated the project in the summer of 2003, after she assisted two high school students on a project to map the historic sites in Upper Freehold, she said. From there, Ms. Kozel said she approached then-Mayor John Mele, to see if these sites and routes could somehow be preserved.
   "We then met with state officials from (the Office of) Smart Growth and drove around the vistas and routes," she said. "Mayor Mele then formed the Scenic Byway Committee. It was Doc (David) Meirs and Fred Kneisler who presented it to the state."
   Dr. Meirs, owner of Walnridge Farm, and former mayor Fred Kneisler were on the sub-committee formed under the main one, and other members included former township Mayor Bob Abrams, resident Marc Covitz, Ms. Kozel and resident Brian Rath, according to documents. This subcommittee was formed to create a vision statement to be included in the Upper Freehold Township Master Plans, as recommended by the state office of Smart Growth, according to documents.
   A second sub-committee, chaired by Mr. Covitz, was in charge of selecting the route to be taken and worked on the accompanying narrative, according to documents. Among the additional people involved in this project are outgoing committeeman Sal Diecidue, Allentown historian John Fabiano, Mayor Fleischacker and resident Ruth Holmes-Honadle.
   Other people involved also include Upper Freehold Committeeman Steve Alexander, Committeeman-elect Bob Faber, and residents Rick Bentz, Jack Dawes, Vince Gelsomino, Joe Mauer, Ed Mullen, Bill Search and Al Trenton.
   "It’s people of good will really committed to maintain the historic significance of Upper Freehold and Allentown," Ms. Kozel said. "It’s so rewarding. It’s neat."
   The commemoration is set to take place at the Crosswicks Creek Park at 11 a.m.