Piney Links

Piney Links

DID YOU KNOW that the first can of condensed soup in America was cooked and canned in Camden County in 1897, that the colors in the New Jersey state flag were selected by George Washington, and that New Jersey has an official state dinosaur, the Hadrosaurus? To learn more about New Jersey's fun and fascinating history, follow this link. http://www.state.nj.us/hangout_nj/assignment_facts.html

OUR STATE DINOSAUR, the Hadrosaurus foulkii was nearly as tall as a two-story building, 30 feet long, and weighed up to four tons. It had bird-like jaws, the tail of a lizard, and walked upright on two legs. Like a large, placid cow, it was a plant eater that browsed leaves and branches along the marshes and shrub lands of the Atlantic coast, and it was a good swimmer. The Hadrosaurus, the first full skeletal form of a real dinosaur, was unearthed in Haddonfield, NJ, and was like a lightning bolt in the scientific community, proving that dinosaurs were real!
http://www.levins.com/hadrosaurus.html
A cartoon history of the hadrosaurus for kids: http://www.state.nj.us/hangout_nj/cartoonhistory_hadro.html

A HANGOUT JUST FOR NEW JERSEY KIDS: You'll be hanging out here for a long time. You can choose from many fun games and jokes ("The Jersey Devil Auditions" is hilarious!), and learn practically everything about New Jersey. http://www.state.nj.us/hangout_nj/index.html

FEEL THE PULL OF THE OCEAN at LongBeachIsland.com, an interactive multimedia newsmagazine and guide to the island communities of Long Beach Island, NJ and their Jersey shore neighbors. Discover what's hot on the LBI activities schedule and community bulletin board, learn the history of the island, watch live video of the beach, reminisce over a photo album, read the beach use guide and the boating & fishing guide, participate in the Haglers Marina chat room, take a virtual hike up Old Barney, check out the area amusements for the kiddies, watch a surfing video, and listen to the sounds of the ocean and shore birds. http://www.longbeachisland.com/

THE NEWEST, THE BEST, THE HOTTEST IN SOUTH JERSEY Want to know what's going on in South Jersey? Sign up for their newsletter and receive a daily email update on the latest local news, the best events, the hottest nightlife, their newest contests, high school sports, family fun and everything else that's happening in South Jersey! http://www.southjersey.com/

CATCH THE SPIRIT OF THE BAY! Step back in time and meet the whalers and the shrimpers, the oystermen and the clammers, the lighthouse keepers, the life savers and the ship captains, at the Tuckerton Seaport Museum. The Tuckerton Seaport is dedicated to preserving our rich maritime heritage, and the unique contributions of its Baymen. Watch decoy carvers who still follow the styles and ways of those who carved before them. Take an eco-tour along the old Seven Bridges Road. Sign up for a workshop to learn the traditional arts of the Jersey Shore. Buy a Baymen's Heritage License Plate, featuring the old Tucker's Island lighthouse and a Canada Goose decoy, and help preserve the legacy of the Jersey Shore Baymen. And watch out for Pirates! http://www.tuckertonseaport.org/

WHAT ARE YOU DOING SATURDAY NIGHT? Come to the Albert Hall in Waretown and enjoy live country folk & bluegrass music, presented by the Pinelands Cultural Society http://www.alberthall.org/

PINEY POWER! PineyPower.com offers Eco-Tours, full-day tours to parks and natural areas, historical sites, old graveyards and other points of interest in the NJ Pine Barrens, led by experienced tour guides, on comfortable buses. Learn about outdoor activities, read an interview with an actual Piney, discover some of the lost towns of NJ, and so much more at http://pineypower.com/

PLAN A FIELD TRIP! Create a computer-generated, customized travel itinerary, with maps and driving directions .http://www.state.nj.us/travel/
101 Things To Do In New Jersey: www.state.nj.us/travel/101things.shtml
Virtual tours of New Jersey State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/virtual_tours/

THE NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM From fossils to fine art, from Native American tools to the finest silver, from quilts to comets, from prehistory to the future, the New Jersey State Museum is four museums in one and offers a galaxy of experiences for every member of the family. The museum is within walking distance of the State House.
http://www.state.nj.us/state/museum/

OCEAN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Telling the stories of Ocean County, New Jersey. Go on a virtual tour of the Ocean County Historical Society Museum and its gardens, become a member or volunteer, participate in their programs and events, use the Richard L. Strickler Research Library and Archives, an 88,000 volume library and research center, with a large collection of historical documents, maps, newspapers, cemetery and census records, family artifacts, vital statistics and more. They have an amazing ongoing book sale for new, used and rare books on New Jersey history! Visit their museum and library in Toms River, NJ. http://oceancountyhistory.org/

THE NEW JERSEY LIGHTHOUSE SOCIETY Since its inception in 1989, the NJLHS now has over 600 members, who assist in the restoration and preservation of America's lighthouses and lightships, research history, and preserve artifacts and lore. For membership information, and lots more - photo archives, unusual lighthouses, news and events, old NJ lighthouse postcards, lighthouse visiting hours, NJ lighthouse firsts, and historical documents - follow this link. http://njlhs.burlco.org/

I EVEN FOUND A MAP OF WARETOWN! Historical Maps of New Jersey not only has maps of every town in New Jersey, but Revolutionary War maps and historical railroad maps http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/Maps.html

THE FORKED RIVER MOUNTAIN COALITION is a grass-roots organization working to conserve and restore the natural, cultural, historical, recreational and other resources of the Forked River Mountains. Many threatened and endangered species are found in this Pinelands wilderness area - plants such as the bog asphodel & swamp pink, and the elusive Pine Barrens tree frog. http://www.frmc.org/

TEABERRY TAXONOMY To view stunning color photographs of 45 Pinelands plants, and learn their scientific and common names, and habitats, follow this link. http://www.georgian.edu/pinebarrens/

THE NEW JERSEY PINELANDS COMMISSION We hope you will learn about one of this nation's and New Jersey's greatest treasures. The Pinelands is our country's first National Reserve and a U.S. Biosphere Reserve of the Man and the Biosphere Program. This internationally important ecological region is 1.1 million acres in size and occupies 22% of New Jersey's land area. It is the largest body of open space on the Mid-Atlantic seaboard between Richmond and Boston and is underlain by aquifers containing 17 trillion gallons of some of the purest water in the land. Everything for your educational and recreational enjoyment of the Pine Barrens! http://www.state.nj.us/pinelands/

THE OLD BARRACKS MUSEUM in Trenton, originally built in 1758 to house troops during the French and Indian War, is best remembered for its role in the 1776 and 1777 Battles of Trenton during the Revolutionary War. Do you have a question about the barracks or the Revolutionary War? Ask the experts your questions about the barracks or the Revolutionary War at "Ask the historian." Enjoy the music, sound, video and interactive games for kids. Shop at their online gift shop. Check out the teacher materials available online, virtual barracks tours, outreach program to schools, day camp, and gallery of changing exhibits. http://www.barracks.org/

BOLT YOUR DOORS... BARRICADE YOUR WINDOWS... LOCK UP YOUR CATTLE... Captain Samuel Hayden's Company of the King's Rangers is on the march! This site details the brutal exploits of New Jersey loyalists in the American Revolution. The King's Rangers, Hayden's Company regiment, founded by the famous Robert Rogers, consisted almost entirely of men from Monmouth and Ocean Counties. To learn about this recreated unit, take the loyalist oath to His Majesty King George III (if you dare!), sing loyalist songs, and discover the rage in British Army fashion during the American Revolution, follow this link. http://www.erols.com/candidus/kings.htm

KTALENIXSI HACH? ("Do you speak Lenape?") Thanks to descendants of the Lenni Lenape people, who are preserving their Lenape heritage at the Lenni Lenape Historical Society and Museum of Indian Culture, you will be able to answer, KEXITI ("A little."). To order from their gift shop, and learn more about the history, language (including pronunciation), humor, and culture of the Lenapes, follow this link. http://www.lenape.org/
Another great Lenape site: http://www.lenapenation.org/

LENAPE DICTIONARY To learn more of the Lenape language or download a complete Lenape dictionary, follow this link. http://www.gilwell.com/lenape/

THE MUSEUM OF EARLY TRADES & CRAFTS is a non-profit educational institution whose mission is to explore, present and interpret the history and lifeways of the everyday people of pre-industrial New Jersey through the collection, presentation and exhibition of hand tools, products and household objects. They offer an extensive program of exhibits, programs and special events, with a special emphasis on educating and entertaining children of all ages. http://www.rosenet.org/metc/

THE NEW JERSEY MIDLAND RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the railroads that have operated in New Jersey. Lots of photos, maps, and links for railroad enthusiasts. http://njmidland.railfan.net/

MORE NEW JERSEY LINKS The New Jersey Homepage of the American Local History Network features links to NJ history, genealogy, the Lenni Lenape, regional information, inventors associated with NJ, NJ women's history, League of Historical Societies of NJ, and much more! http://www.usgennet.org/usa/nj/state/

NOT YOUR FATHER'S JERSEY DEVIL! South Jersey Rebellion Productions has created a comic book, based on the legend of the Jersey Devil. It follows the exploits of a mysterious hermit named J.D., who thinks he is THE Jersey Devil. J.D. lives in the Pine Barrens, and through him is retold the ghost stories connected to the myth, set in modern times. It's folklore and action, or what they like to call, "folk noir." To learn more about ordering Tony DiGerolamo's Jersey Devil comic book - back issues are available - or a cheesy Jersey Devil ruler for 75 cents, follow this link. http://thefixsite.com/

THE JERSEY DEVIL LURKS! Great Jersey Devil pictures and a well-written version of the legend. http://www.elktownship.com/myth.html

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT when I surfed onto the Weird NJ site. There, I read the horrifying tale of the lady in white, saw a chicken with a human head, wondered if missing children really are walled up at the Palace Depression, took a virtual walk on the Shades of Death road, and went on a cemetery safari to Frankie Lyman's grave. I sent them my own weird NJ experience, in the hopes of receiving a free issue of their magazine, WEIRD NJ. And when I was too scared to read any more creepy campfire tales, I bought a Weird NJ bumper sticker online for (insert blood-curdling scream here) two dollars!!! http://www.weirdnj.com/

DEVILCHASERS At Leut's Jersey Devil Page, follow the expeditions of the Devil Hunters, whose mission is to find the creature itself, using equipment such as global positioning units, portable radios, recording equipment, general hunting/hiking gear, night vision goggles, laptop computers, acute hearing devices, and other sophisticated devices. I figured I knew the woods as well as the Jersey Devil himself, so I signed on as an honorary Devil Hunter. http://users.adelphia.net/~leuter/

I WAS DELICIOUSLY SCARED at New Jersey History's Mysteries Monthly Magazine, an online magazine. If you love scary stories, read the Jersey ghost stories written by celebrated New Jersey author, Stephen Crane. Then. Armed with an old map and Henry Charlton Beck's book, "More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey," our guys track the mysterious (and hidden) Blue Hole, or, the devil's puddle. The Blue Hole is a bottomless pit of icy cold, crystal blue water, with hot water bubbling up to the surface. Some believe it to be the devil's home, and a passageway directly to hell. At night, they say, you can hear the devil's hoof beats through the pines as he races to his hideaway. Did our guys find the elusive Blue Hole? Next time will they buy a new map? Didn't these guys see the Blair Witch Project? http://www.njhm.com/

HAUNTED NEW JERSEY True tales of haunting phenomena as researched by experienced paranormal investigators. You can search, by NJ county, the hauntings they have investigated, and read their report from those investigations. They conduct the Haunted Cape May Tour, which runs Saturday evenings in May and June and on a more regular basis from mid-June through November (there’s a printable coupon, too!). http://www.hauntednewjersey.com

WHO YA GONNA CALL? South Jersey Ghost Research is a professional research group with years of experience helping people who are frightened of or just curious about possible ghost activity in their New Jersey home or business. So if you sense a ghostly presence on the stair or fear the bump in the night, who ya gonna call? SJGR! (their ghostbusting services are free!) http://www.southjerseyghostresearch.org/