“Words are cheap in Washington,” Congressman Chris Smith told families of the 13 service members killed during the US evacuation from Afghanistan.
At a discussion at the House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting last week, families of those slain military shared their personal accounts of the pain they have endured in the two years since their family members were killed. They have been trying to find answers from the Biden Administration on how the withdrawal was so flawed.
“There needs to be a truly independent, comprehensive investigation into all of the very valid questions you have asked,” added Smith. “We need to have honesty here, and we need high-level, outside people who know how to ask hard-hitting questions—perhaps even a blue-ribbon commission—to investigate this.”
The Congressman called on President Biden, Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin and General Milley to meet with the Gold Star families in a similar roundtable discussion where they can convey the horror they have faced and the horror that their loved ones endured because of the exit which cost their lives.
“You have touched all of our hearts in the most profound way,” said Smith, who is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “Words are inadequate to express our condolences.”
In addition to sharing heart-wrenching stories, the grieving parents also made clear their demands for answers—and accountability—from the Biden Administration for the tragic events that led to the loss of their sons and daughters.
“We want answers, we need answers, and we expect those answers,” said Darin Hoover, the father of Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover. “I want to know why this current Administration isn’t able to take responsibility for their actions in the days, the weeks, and the months leading up to this fateful day.”
“We need answers,” Smith said. “We need it now, so the Biden charade and spin ends. It has to be the truth, and nothing but the truth.”
“Since the construction has begun on that private property located off of Avenue D there have been a few residents who have expressed environmental concerns ranging from dust, noxious odors, contamination, to reports of oil sheen on the water,” wrote Atlantic Highlands Borough administrator in response to an Asbury Park Press article on the situation on the Denholtz property on Avenue D.
The Press article, written by award winning reporter Jerry Carino, cited quotes from local residents who have complained about the situation at the Brant Point development site along the Sandy Hook bay front where Developer Steven Denholtz is building 16 multimillion-dollar homes
The lot was once home to large tanks built by Standard Oil. Denholtz has maintained he is complying with the state and cleaning up questionable soil as it is found.
After the article was published indicating there had been no response to questions from Carino to the borough’s administrator or Mayor Loretta Gluckstein, Ferragina wrote a lengthy response that traced the history of the situation.
“The NJDEP has informed us that several complaints were filed with it, each of which has been investigated,” Ferragina wrote. “The NJDEP has visited the (Denholtz) site several times and has not taken any action to revise the plan or halt construction.”
“No Hazmat activity is taking place on the site. Likewise, the Monmouth County Health Department (MCDOH), is dispatched each time an official complaint is made and has been on site at least eight times.”
Neither NJDEP nor the MCDOH have identified any need for action from their respective departments, and the construction site has been kept active.
The Borough Code Enforcement Officer has been on site multiple times per day and has not identified any municipal code violations. The Borough Fire Marshall and Water/Sewer Licensed Superintendent have also been on site on several occasions with no concerns or violations to-date.
Ferragina’s letter continued: “Preliminarily, the Borough, its engineer and other professionals have been in regular contact with NJDEP and the County Board of Health (MCDOH) regarding the Denholtz construction site. The public was advised of the Borough’s interaction with the contractor and the State and County regulators at the last council meeting. The site is the subject of a remediation plan and has been issued a ground water remedial action permit. Under that plan, a Licensed site remediation professional (LSRP) is on site. “
It continued that “”The Borough OEM Coordinator has been advised of the complaints to the NJDEP and also does not have any concerns at this time.
My office has had conversations with the Atlantic Highlands Police Chief and the DPW Director regarding road closures and any needs or concerns their respective departments may have relative to their respective roles.
At the Borough code enforcement officer’s request, the contractor has a water truck on site to minimize dusting. The Borough Department of Public Works is assisting with refilling the water truck. The Borough has also confirmed that all appropriate permits regarding the construction site have been filed, to date.
My office has advised the Borough attorney and engineer of the complaints filed with the NJDEP and as a result the borough attorney has sent a formal communication to the NJDEP regarding the concerns raised by some residents.
The Borough Engineer and I recently met with the site LSRP and Denholtz representatives. We advised that the Avenue D entrance should continue to be the primary entrance for the construction site. The LSRP from the Borough’s engineering firm has been in communication with the site LSRP. The Borough has also had direct contact and conversations with the NJDEP Environmental Specialist who has confirmed the site is in compliance, the MCDOH – Assistant Environmental Health Coordinator who has been at the site approximately eight times, to date, regarding various complaints, and the MCDOH – Public Health Coordinator.
“Residents who have environmental concerns may contact the DEP directly. Those residents who have contacted the Borough have been provided the contact information for the NJDEP and those concerns have been shared with the property Site Manager, the Borough Code Enforcement Officer and the Borough Engineer.”
“At the last council meeting both the Borough Engineer and the Borough Administrator provided thorough updates for the public and welcomed questions. They will update the public with any new developments at the September meeting.”
The Press article included quotes from several local residents, including Mark Fisher, a frequent questioner at borough council meetings on numerous subjects he has researched. Fisher is also known for following up on responses from Council to ensure they do what they tell the public at previous meetings they will do they did.
One of the photos with the Press article Fisher took when he took dug into the blackened sand from the high-tide zone near the site. He dug holes up to a foot deep in the sand near the construction and displayed it in jars he has labeled with time, date and location.
“The stench was so bad,” Fisher told the Press,” I would call it a chemical, hydrocarbon smell. I worked in the oil industry for 40 years (in operations), so this stuff is not unfamiliar to me.”
Fisher said the lot was developed by Standard Oil (later Exxon) in 1929 and used for decades with oil tanks dotting the tract, before it passed on to McConnell Realty Co. ““When I swam in Sandy Hook Bay as a kid, when you looked down the coastline you were looking at three or four very large tanks at the McConnell property. You didn’t think twice about it then, but as an adult you think, ‘Man, that was really close to the water, all those chemical and oil products.’ In hindsight that’s probably 80, 90 years’ worth of sins that went into the ground there,.” Said Fisher, who grew up in the area.
This is not the first time Fisher has brought the matter (Denholtz property) to the attention of the borough. In 2019, when the matter was before the planning board, he warned officials that the tract’s environmental challenges were immense, displaying photos of brown plumes in the bay just beyond the construction site, plumes, he said, caused by silt runoff from the site. The Planning Board approved the multi-million dollar planned residential housing.
Another local resident, Vinnie Whitehead, a retired teacher and coach at Henry Hudson School and a candidate for borough council in November, was drawn to the waterfront next to the construction site to investigate. “We started smelling the oil fumes,” he said in the Press article.. “We came down here and did some digging and found some oil sheen. So we’re just concerned.”
According to the Press, Steven Denholtz told reporter Carino by phone Wednesday that before he purchased the seven acre tract from McConnell in 1918, the state DEP had “signed off saying there was nothing wrong with the soil. Of course, if it shows up later, you’ve got to clean it up. The last thing we want to do is have people exposed to anything dangerous. You can’t survive running a business without being responsible.”
Thursday afternoon, the NJDEP issued a field Notice of Violation (NOV) to Brant Point Development for violation of N.J.A.C 7:14A-24(a)1, failure of the permittee to process and/or operate in compliance with a certified soil erosion and sediment control plan. The directive gives Brant Point Development 30 days in which to comply with the Soil Erosion Sediment Control Plan approved by the Freehold Soil Conservation District or submit a revised plan to the district.
Denholtz has said the Brant Point site is fully compliant with all New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) remediation regulations and has letters from the NJDEP certifying remediation work has been completed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. He told the Press “We continue to work closely with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Monmouth County, the Borough of Atlantic Highlands, the Freehold Soil Conservation District and the United States Coast Guard to ensure adherence to all applicable national, state and local soil, groundwater and air standards. The site is continually monitored by a state-approved third-party Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) who will immediately address any additional remediation issues that may arise.”
Fisher remains unimpressed and concerned about the future of the borough. “My opinion is elected officials should be the loudest voices on what’s going on with this project (Denholtz) on behalf of the 4,300 residents of the town. “This is a bayside community; that bay is what draws people to this town. And yet when I stuck a jar full of tainted sand under the nose of a borough official, he told me, ‘Our hands are tied; it’s under DEP control.’”
“They made us cherish what Highlands was all about,” said Tommy White, one of the three children of the late Barbara White whose life was celebrated and honored along with her brother-in-law, Richie White at a cremains release ceremony and family and friends get together Friday.
Barbara, the widow of the late former Mayor James T. White, died Feb.. 10, two weeks after her brother-in-law, Richie, who had died Jan. 26.
The family agreed their memorials should be celebrated together when the family could get together in their beloved Highlands.
In a formal and grieving ceremony in the late morning, family members who had come from Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington joined close friends and gathered on the dock off Shrewsbury Avenue near where the Whites lived, to say some final prayers and join together in placing the cremains of Barbara and Richie in the Shrewsbury River, where the tide brought them back close to Highlands. They prayed, they said farewells, they took photos, and they smiled, knowing they were doing just what their mother and uncle wanted.
Later in the day, the White family hosted a festive afternoon and dinner at the VFW Post home to give the dozens who gathered there the opportunity to share some of their fondest memories of two people who had both given so much to the Highlands they loved.
The memories were of a Highlands where the kids jumped off the bridge, Andy’s Shore Bar was a favorite stopping place for a cup of coffee for Richie, and where Barbara White volunteered so much for the Democrat party they finally gave her a paying job!
Richie’s sister, Jacki, recalled how her brother was part of Beacon at Fort Monmouth, and where “he knew everyone and everyone loved him.” So much so, she explained,, there was a special bus trip after his death to Monmouth Park to relive some of the memories he had created.
Barbara’s sons-in-law told stories about how they loved their mother-in-law “because she always smiled,” but added they agreed “she always had the last word.” Tom’s wife Wendy said how it was comforting to always know “you never had to question how much you were loved.”
Maggie, one of Barbara’s grandchildren, spoke of the closeness she felt to her MomMom and how much they both loved each other.
Each of Barbara’s three children, Cathy Murphy, Tom and Billy, who still works at the James T. White Clam plant in Highlands named for his father who was primarily responsible for its existence, gave details of special mostly joyful moments of their lives centering on their mother; all spoke on the goodness of Uncle Richie, better known by his middle name than his official Michael Richard White.
“She always made sure we knew who we were,” Cathy said with memories and smiles. “She taught us that everybody counted, that feelings don’t count, it’s people who count.” Cathy said she is grateful for everything she learned from her mom and what she has been able to pass on to her own children. They all laughed, however, that it was always Barabara who got in the last word,, always Barbara who got what she wanted, simply because she always knew what was the right thing to do.
In addition to all those sharing memories in the VFW room, Barbara’s twin brother William T. Jones, better known as Bill, was able to join them from his home via ZOOM and wanted to talk about “the fine lady who was my sister.” His memories were of sadness at her death sprinkled with laughter and happy memories of their lives together and his personal knowledge of her as the devoted sister, wife, mother and grandmother she was. Yes, she was a fine lady, he said, “but there was another side to her that was sharp, sarcastic and “always with off the wall humor.”
In a moment of laughter that shook the room as the crowd listened to Barbara’s brother, who was 20 minutes older than his sister at birth, explained “she always had to have the last word.” Then pausing, chuckling a bit, and reminding the crowd he was speaking at his sister’s memorial service, the brother with the same kind of sense of humor as his sister said, referring to her always having the last word, “Well, Barbara, Guess what?”
The family remembering their mother and uncle included Barbara and Carlos, and Barbara’s children and their spouses all in Florida, Shaylagh and Wayne, Maggie and Kate and Brent with Kate and Brent’s first child expected in January; Tom and Wendy and their sons Hudson and Lincoln who live in Freehold, and Maggie also from Florida; Bill’s children Bill from New York, Andy from Washington, and Susie and Stephen from Pennsylvania with their children Ben and Lauren, as well as Richie’s sister, Jackie White, whom the family refers to as “the matriarch of the family.”
Both at the cremains ceremony on the Shrewsbury River, and at the reception at the VFW afterwards, a poem was read by Cathy and Bill via ZOOM. Bill explained he had found the poem, named “Barb” and written by an unknown author. But all agreed it was an apt description of the Barbara White they all knew and loved:
Bahrs Restaurant is the oldest still operating business in the borough of Highlands and has a fascinating history that highlights how determination, hard work, and creativity played vital roles in the establishment of a restaurant known throughout the state and beyond.
The fourth generation of the Bahrs family still owns and operates the restaurant which actually started out as a beached houseboat on the site where it is still located.
Becky Cosgrove, wife of Jay, the fourth generation owners, is a terrific historian of the restaurant’s story and shares information on how boathouses along the Shrewsbury River were not as appreciated or desired as the one John and Florence Bahrs salvaged, repaired, and restored to a fascinating hotel and restaurant that has been the site for a Super Bowl ad as well as featured in one of the seasons of a tv series. Daily, its setting, view and outstanding menu continue to be draws for people seeking great seafood and other dishes along with history.
According to Becky, who also backs up all her research with photos and postcards, in the very early years of the 20th century, all around the country, whether at the tip of 14th Street in New York or in Sausalito California, people were living on houseboats.
Word had gotten out how inexpensive a vacation could be to camp in this manner. In 1904, the Shrewsbury River was reported to be popular and possessed proportionally more houseboats than any other section of water fascinated by New Yorkers in the summertime. In fact so many people were enjoying their houseboats that the board of Health was urged to investigate the situation.
Photo Courtesy of Bahrs Restaurant and the Cosgrove Family
Apparently, houseboaters were neither neat with their garbage or sewage refuse. Sometimes houseboats were removed from their anchorage forcibly for other reasons as well. In July of 1903, the Commandant at Sandy Hook ordered the removal of houseboats from the reservation on Plum Island and beach opposite Parkertown. The campers were accused of sneaking over to Parkertown clamming boats at midnight and stealing their clams and other articles of value. One of these early houseboats was beached over in Parkertown, which was an early name for Highlands because of the numerous members of the Parker family who lived there.
John and Florence Bahrs came from Newark where they had a business but were lured by the charm of Highlands. So they moved to town, and opened a boat rental business on Cedar St where they cooked clam chowder for those who rented the boats. When they saw this beached boathouse not far away, they investigated and decided to take one more leap of ambition. They purchased it in 1917 and the beach under it, bringing along their rental boats to operate from their new location.
With the size of the houseboat, they could also open a hotel and the hard working Bahrs added to their clam chowder cooking to offer more meals to the boarders. They charged $2.50 a night for room and board at the two story building, now a far cry from the shabby, unkempt houseboats in the river.
The couple’s four children, John, Al, Ken and Ruth, all worked in the family business and saw the restaurant grow from its abandoned beached start to the iconic restaurant it is today, still serving that clam chowder and every other seafood favorite and more. Over the years the business expanded, tables and chairs under umbrellas along with a bar were added outside along the water for summer enjoyment, and the business flourishes.
But the beached houseboat is still very much a part of Bahrs restaurant. It’s part of both the main dining room and the entry to the restaurant.
To be absolutely accurate, it’s not only a full moon, it’s not only a blue moon, it is also a super moon.
So the moon you see in the sky tomorrow night is really a Super Blue Moon!
Blue Moons, which means the moon that appears twice in the same month, something that happens every couple of years are not really blue. It’s simply a term that has been around since the 1940s talking about the second full moon in the same month.
But tomorrow night, Aug. 30, the full moon that occurred after the Sturgeon Moon on Aug. 1, is not only a Blue Moon, it’s a Super Moon. That means it is occurring during the moon’s perigee, the time it is closest to the earth. That also happened for the Sturgeon, so this year we have experienced two full super moons in the same month.
When the moon is closest to the earth, it is about 1 per cent closer than it is when it is at its apogee, the furthest from the earth. It is still the same size, it’s just that it appears brighter and larger since it is closer.
The best time to view the Super Blue Moon is right after sunset, when the moon is rising over the horizon. At that time, it will appear to be a deep orange in color.
Saturn will also be visible near the moon. That will be the bright planet to the upper right of the moon. Looking at it closely over time, it will appear to be moving clockwise around the moon.
The Super Blue Moon of August is actually closest to earth at noon when it is 221,942 miles from earth. It turns full at precisely 9:36 p.m. nine hours later.
Here in the Bayshore, it’s the Sept. 29 full moon that is drawing a lot of attention. That will be the moon when the Twin Lights Historical Society is hosting visitors to the state museum, the Twin Lights, between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. to climb the towers of the historic lighthouse and view the rising moon from a new height. Tickets at $5 will be available at the Museum that night for walks up to the top of the lighthouses for a view of the September full moon.
The program will be repeated on Oct. 28, the full moon of October. Visit the Twin Lights Historical Museum for further information on the moon climbs and other activities at the state museum in Highlands.
Because of the popular demand, tickets are on sale now for the third Annual Oktoberfest and Comedy Night featuring Uncle Floyd and Broccoli Rob on Saturday, Oct. 21 at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Hall, Miller St. Highlands.
Featuring an Oktoberfest Buffet Dinner including everything from Bavarian style pretzels to Knockwurst and sauerkraut among other specialties, Uncle Floyd will be back on stage with all the comedy that has made him a legend in New Jersey.
Uncle Floyd
Master of Ceremonies will be Robert Anthony, better known as Broccoli Rob in numerous theaters and cafes.
The event, which is sponsored by the Rev. Joseph J. Donnelly Council 11660 of the Knights of Columbus, is supported by Bahrs Landing, Black Forest Bratwurst Company and Belford Brewing Company for your dining pleasure at the full table buffet from pretzels to full course meats and vegetables and a variety of desserts and beverages.
Tickets are $40 each and include a craft beer tasting together with dinner, entertainment, a free ticket for a flat screen tv drawing, and more.
Tickets are available now by sending a check payable to the KOC#11660 and mailed to 180 Navesink Avenue, Highlands, NJ,. 07732.
Knights Council Grand Knight Michael Napolitano, who traditionally hosts and is chair of this event, noted that the return engagement of both Uncle Floyd and Broccoli Rob is by popular demand.
“We were happy they accepted our invitation to come back another year,” the Grand Knight said, “this has traditionally been a sell-out crowd and is a great event for families. As usual, we are expecting a large crowd so I would urge responding early for ticket requests.”
All proceeds from the event go towards the numerous charitable organizations and activities sponsored locally by the Knights Council.
It definitely was not in my plans when I decided to take a few days of relaxation traveling by train to Staunton Virginia. But once there, it was too great an opportunity to pass up.
I went to see a Shakespearean play!
Walking from my hotel to the center of the historic district of this city in the Shenandoah Valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, I passed a closed door on a building that had signs promoting a Summer Shakespeare Spectacular! That’s when I learned about the Folio400 celebration, honoring the 400th anniversary of the first printing of Shakespeare’s work.
The play, one of three different plays by the Bard on stage in Staunton this summer, was being performed at the Blackfriars Playhouse.
While I was reading all the information, Sue, who is employed at the theater, opened the door to say Hi and welcome me to the city…. Virginians are like that, known for their friendliness and hospitality. The Blackfriars Playhouse is special, she said, explaining it is the only re-creation in the world of Shakespeare’s original indoor theater.
“Why don’t you see for yourself,” she said, explaining the play was going on that night and there were no seats, but there were a couple of seats for the following night.
She invited me into the lobby for more conversation and told me something about the theater itself.
The Blackfriars Playhouse building in Staunton is a reproduction of the original Blackfriars Théâtre where Shakespeare charged three times as much for tickets to his plays as he did for outdoor seating. Originally a 13th century monastery, the buildings and gardens were split off and sold when Henry VIII did away with the Catholic Church in the 16th century. One of those buildings was converted into the Blackfriars Playhouse which was in business til lost in the Great Fire of London in the 17th century.
In Staunton, the Blackfriars Playhouse is a replica based on archaeological excavations, deeds, and drawings, including the stage. Sue explained all the seats in the theater surround the stage, the actors interact with the audience as they come to the stage from all directions, and there are even a dozen seats directly on the stage, six on each side. She made it all sound unique and interesting enough to plunk down $60 for a seat at the next night’s performance.
What’s more, Sue said with continued enthusiasm, come an hour early; there’s a lounge upstairs where you can have a glass of wine and some snacks.
As it happened, there was one seat left on the stage, so I opted for that to be up front and close for the entire experience.
The play on stage that night seemed rather appropriate for a female journalist like me. The Taming of the Shrew should be a delight to see!
Arriving early the next evening, I did go upstairs to the lounge, where Julia was busy entertaining guests, laughing, pouring wine and continuing that Virginia charm. A graduate of nearby Mary Baldwin College, she is working on her second master’s degree, studying Shakespeare, theater, and fulfilling her love for the Bard she had since first learning about him in third grade. Sure, she’s a Shakespearean actress, has even played a role in The Taming of the Shrew, but even when not in the play, she works at the Playhouse just to be around the thrill and magic of Shakespeare casts.
My seat was indeed directly on the stage, and the actors indeed interacted with the audience in magnetic and compelling ways. Coming up from the audience aisle in front, an actor would reach out his hand for me to help me get on stage. Or would tremble sitting at my feet or next to me when Petruchio got too persistent, or Katherina could not be wooed and wed.
Here I was, not having read Shakespeare since Julius Ceasar in high school several decades ago and was right in the middle of a professional reenactment of one of his greatest works!
The play was two hours long, with a 15-minute intermission, another trip to the upstairs lounge and more captivating conversation with Julia and a couple from Michigan also enjoying glasses of wine, meeting new people and talking about the excellence of the cast, the humor of the dialogue, the beguiling presentation we were all witnessing.
And when it was over, Sue at the Blackfriars Playhouse box office was happy to hear how exciting it was not only to see Taming of the Shrew but indeed to have one of the best seats in the house. As she had indicated the day before when we first met, it would only take her a few minutes to close up the theater before heading home. And on the way, she would take me back to the Blackburn Inn where I was spending another night before heading back to New Jersey on the next afternoon’s Amtrak Cardinal.
Taming the Shrew? Perhaps not possible! Being entertained in Shakespeare’s way of showing how it should be done? Blackfriars Playhouse … An experience that will live forever.
“The past came to life!” Said Mayor Carolyn Broullon as 50 or more local residents crowded into the Farmacie to hear detailed letters from the time of Joshua Huddy’s hanging death read by members of the Highlands Historical Society.
The unique event, the first of its kind, was coordinated, arranged, and researched by historian Joanne Olszewski, who is also president of the Borough Council, and included readings by Broullon and explanations and details by Olszewski.
The event was held at the Farmacie, the gift shop and café at the historic four corners of Bay Ave and Miller St. and followed a presentation by historical Walter Gunther on why those four corners are historic, their impact on the entire community and what buildings and activities were on the site in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Gunther, who has a vast collection of photographs from the era, spoke on Bedle’s Drug Store, a business where the Farmacie is currently located that was a family-owned business for nearly 100 years, one of three pharmacies in the borough in the 20th century.
He highlighted the working relationship between Doc Opferman, a physician and former borough mayor, with the Pharmacy, as well as spoke on the hotel, A&P and bakery that were once popular businesses on the three corners surrounding the Farmacie.
Goldstein, Gunther, and historians Rick Gefkin and Muriel Smith joined other members Linda Gunther, and Eileen Schiff and the Mayor in presenting the letters of George Washington, Thomas Paine, and other correspondence between Washington, French leaders and Capt. Charles Asgill, the British captain chosen by lot to be hung in retaliation for Huddy’s hanging in what is now Huddy Park in the Waterwitch section of the Borough.
From left, Society President Sheila Goldstein, Mayor Carolyn Broullon, Council President Joanne Olszewski, Walter Gunther, Eileen Schiff, Ric Gefkin, Linda Gunther and Muriel Smith, all readers in The Huddy Presentation at the Farmacie
Olszewski, who has done extensive research on the patriot and leader of the Monmouth County Men who were patriots defending the country during the Revolution, set the pace and background for the hour long presentation which captivate the standing room only crowd.
“It was an honor to read Thomas Paine’s 1872 letter condemning the barbarous and unjust act of hanging Joshua Huddy,” Broullon said to applause and thanks after the presentation. Both long time and native residents as well as new residents in the borough expressed delight at knowing so many details about the patriot from Colts Neck. Joshua Huddy was captured in the house he owned there and also owned the restaurant which is now The Colts Neck Inn.
Olszewski read the details of each of the events leading up to the series of letters, enabling guests to understand the importance of each of the 13 letters, the Monmouth Manifesto and placard attached to Huddy at the time of his hanging, as well as the Judge Advocate’s position on choosing lots that put Asgill’s life in danger.
Following the presentation, the Farmacie provided wines and other beverages as well as trays of desserts to enable guests to linger and discuss various aspects of the presentation. Farmacie owners and staff members also spoke with the guests about the more specific history of the building construction and why it was important to them to preserve as much as possible.
“I literally had shivers running up my spine,” said one resident who said she learned so much from the presentation and felt more associated with Joshua Huddy, the patriot who lost his life in Highlands. Others said they felt a new pride in the borough for its place in the Revolution, and others signed up to be members of the historical Society.
The unusual event is one in a series of unique opportunities the Society is offering within the next few weeks. Saturday, Aug. 26, there is a Victorian tea co-sponsored by this Society and the Atlantic Highlands Historic Society in that borough’s historic and Victorian Strauss Mansion, with both societies benefiting from the proceeds. On September 8, the Highlands Society is running a bus trip to the Maritime Museum at Long Beach Island, and other plans are in place to celebrate the 250th birthday of the nation in 2026.
The Joshua Huddy presentation ended with guests and letter readers joining together in reciting a 1782 poem by William H. Fischer, “They Never Scairt Josh Huddy.” The poem was published in The Patriotic Poems of New Jersey and was edited by William Clinton Armstrong for the Sons of the American Revolution in 1906.
Last night, the past came to life as Council President Jo-Anne Olszewski and members of the Historical Society read aloud the story as well as letters penned denouncing the murder of Captain Joshua Huddy on the corner of what is now Waterwitch and Shore Drive.
Staunton, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, is a city of some 25,000 residents, a lot of history from Native American connections through both the Revolution and the Civil wars, and many unique types of architecture, some even from pre-Civil War days. While there were no major or large battles fought in Staunton during the Civil War, General Sherman did set a few matches enroute to Georgia, so many homes were burned to the ground, yet still others survive today.
But it is also a town of churches. There are at least 80 churches, synagogues and temples in Staunton, representing all religions from Mennonite and AME, to Roman Catholic and 7th Day Adventists.
But the one that draws the most attention for several different reasons is the spectacular Trinity Episcopal Church, located on West Beverly Street in one of the city’s six the historic districts. The church is the site of private guided tours as well as a trolley stop in the district. Self-guided tours can take hours, especially if you happen to stop in when an orchestra is preparing for a concert.
Actually, this is the third building on the site, the first church being built in 1763 and the second, the first to be called Trinity Church, was completed in 1830. The present building, located a bit northeast of the first Trinity Church, was built in 1855 with several additions through the years until 1923. The building remains the oldest church in continuous use in Staunton.
The history of the parish is best reflected in its windows….12 of them are Tiffany windows, created by the Louis Comfort Tiffany Company of New York between the late 1800s through 1933. The glass-maker was impressed by medieval glass after a trip to Europe and was convinced that it was the impurities in pot metal and no use of paint that created uneven thickness in glass and richness to the colors. His various designs in Trinity Church show the distinctive characteristics that make Tiffany glass different from any other.
Regardless of any knowledge of types of techniques Tiffany used to create his windows, they are magnificent to see. The Ascension Windows, created in 1897, were the first Tiffany windows at the church and are located above the altar, three separate windows created by Tiffany’s lead designer Frederick Wilson and copyrighted as well.
The last Tiffany window installed at Trinity is the Madonna and Child window, installed in 1936 and typical of the darker colors that seem to stand out again deeper colored landscaping scenes.
In between, a pair of Easter Morn windows installed in 1904 show Christ’s tomb on Easter morning and were memorial gifts for a couple were were members of the church. The Beloved Physician is Tiffany’s
1909 depiction of Luke the Physician surrounded by a field of lilies. In sharp contrast is Tiffany’s Benedicite Window from 1903 which contains no people at all but rather a palette of a variety of glasses from plating and acid-etched to flashed. A favorite of many is the Archangel Michael in the adjacent window, part of Tiffany’s Warrior Angel series but with Michael in chain mail and leg armor.
In addition to the dozen Tiffany windows, the church has no fewer than two dozen other stained glass windows by Sharp and Steele, Whippel , and the Lamb studios, all recognized as leading stained glass makers in the world.
A tour also includes the Trinity Organ, made by the Staunton firm of Taylor & Boody and featuring 37 stops and more than 2,500 pipes on three manuals. The organ itself was designed and created by hand, from timber cut locally even with some black walnut the gift of church members. There are carvings above the organ pipes of area songbirds., the Carolina wren, as well as sparrows, a cardinal and some mockingbirds.
Located high up over the pews and in the back of the church, the church’s ceiling had to be raised and the flooring replaced with solid hardwood to improve the acoustics for the singing congregation.
Visiting Trinity Church on a visit that began with a desire to visit Woodrow Wilson’s birth place added one more layer of sheer enjoyment to a quick visit to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A dockside reception today will welcome the AJ Meerwald to the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Harbor from 4:30-6pm.
Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served as visitors view the $1.3 million restoration of the famed ship.
The Meerwald will run public sails from today through Sunday August 27
The crew from Meerwald will meet passengers at the gazebo and guide passengers down to the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club dock for the reception and a welcome from Executive Director, Jessica Yorke at 5:15 PM with deck tours from 5:45 PM until closing.
Persons interested in more information on the ship’s visit can contact Teri Watson giving@bayshorecenter.org
