By JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent
SOUTH AMBOY — Broadway is the heart of South Amboy, but how much do residents know about its history?
They will have a unique chance to find out during the city’s first Walking Tour of Broadway on June 18. The event is being run by the Historical Society of South Amboy in conjunction with the city.
Society secretary Holly Hughes said last summer, society members walked up and down Broadway and recorded themselves telling stories about the various buildings and businesses. Hughes said those stories were then researched and transcribed. The idea for a tour for the general public came out of that process.
“I think people enjoy hearing about the distant past, but I think they really enjoy hearing stories about the things they remember from the recent past,” Hughes said. “Things their grandparents or parents may have shared with them. The beauty of sharing recent memories from our members is it conjures up more memories from the people attending the tour. We love to present a platform for the public to share their stories, their family history and their pride in South Amboy.”
Hughes said the tour will start at City Hall and cover the Empire Theater, the old YMCA, the governor’s house, restaurants and more. She said interest in the event has been strong, and with it being the first year for the event, she knows society members will have to be flexible.
“We have had great response from the local businesses as well as our followers on Facebook,” she said. “We built the program for two tours, but we can certainly add additional ones if larger crowds show up.”
Hughes said she hopes the event is an opportunity for residents and visitors to check out local businesses as well.
Tours will run at 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on June 18. Tours should last about an hour, and a $5 donation is requested. The event has a rain date of June 25.
The society has a few other events coming up, even though the bulk of the summer will be dedicated to research and administrative tasks, Hughes said. Monthly meetings will resume in September at 6 p.m. and are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Senior Center on Stevens Avenue.
This fall, the society will hold its popular cemetery tour and will give a historical-themed presentation to the residents of the Venetian Care & Rehabilitation Center. A date has not yet been set for a planned event to recognize the fourth commemorative marker for South Amboy’s role in the terra-cotta industry.