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  • Pinelands Heritage Series

Pinelands Heritage Series

PPA is working to highlight the historic and cultural resources of the New Jersey Pinelands by bringing together a coalition of individuals and organizations to advocate for the preservation of these resources.

Pinelands Heritage Series 2010

A series of field trips and talks exploring the history and culture of the New Jersey Pinelands sponsored by PPA, Preservation New Jersey and Plexus Publishing.

Special thanks to our Corporate Sponsor:

2010 Schedule

Advance reservations required for all programs.

Download the 2010 Pinelands Heritage Series brochure

Film - DeLuxe: The Tale of the Blue Comet - Friday, June 18, 7:00 pm

Location: Batsto Visitors Center

Speaker: Robert Emmons Jr.

Description: Robert Emmons Jr., a New Jersey digital documentary filmmaker and Rutgers University professor of filmmaking and electronic media, explores one of New Jersey's obscure treasures, the depression era Central Railroad of New Jersey's Blue Comet passenger train. Mr. Emmons' film explores the train's past, present and future as well as transportation and vacation history in New Jersey. See the Blue Comet as a powerful locomotive and one of the most treasured toy trains ever conceived by Lionel! Robert A. Emmons is a recipient of the Mexico Lindbergh-Carranza Goodwill Award as a "Messenger of Peace" for his film Goodwill: The Flight of Emilio Carranza.

Dr. James Still, the Black Doctor of the Pines - Thursday, July 29, 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Location: Medford Friends Meeting House

Speaker: Joseph Laufer

Description: This illustrated lecture provides an overview of one of the most famous African American families of Burlington County. Former slaves, Charity and Levin Still settled in Shamong, Burlington County, and despite their many struggles raised a family of very successful and influential citizens. One of their sons, Dr. James Still, "Black Doctor of the Pines," became a highly successful medical practitioner administering herbal medicine to his patients while overcoming prejudice and envy by the mainstream medical profession. Brothers William (a leader in the Underground Railroad movement in Philadelphia) and Peter (whose story of survival is monumental) are also discussed as part of the Still Family legacy. Mr. Laufer uses Dr. Still's autobiography Early Recollections of Dr. James Still, published in 1877, as his guide for the story of this inspirational family. Joe Laufer is the Historian for Burlington County.

Lenape Indians - Saturday, August 7, 1:00 pm

Location: Medford Friends Meetinghouse

Speaker: William Guthrie

Description: The Lenape in New Jersey before the "European Invasion" knew about and used what they found in the environment for material goods, food, shelter and clothing. This presentation will involve examining artifacts and learning how they were crafted, listening to authentic stories, and otherwise being involved in a consideration of what it was to live here long ago in what is now New Jersey. Bill Guthrie is a professor of education at Rider University.

Atsion Village Walking Tour - Saturday, September 18, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location: Atsion Ranger Station

Tour Guide: Ted Gordon

Description: In 1766 Charles Reed erected an ironworks at Atsion that operated successfully for a number of years. Atsion was an important industrial center during those early years, even making iron products that were used to support the revolutionary war effort. The village grew and by the early 19th century 700 people lived in the town. After the iron industry failed in the mid-1800s, a paper mill was built at Atsion that eventually operated as a cotton mill and later as a cranberry packing and sorting house. Come and learn about the history of this fascinating ghost town as you do a walking tour of the old village. Ted Gordon is a Pinelands historian and botanist.

Medford Walking Tour- Saturday, September 25, 10:00 - 11:30 am

Location: Medford Arts Center

Tour Guide: Jim Cicalese

Description: Come on a walking tour of historic Medford, a town with many ties to the Pinelands, both past and present. In a brief introduction, we will explore the early colonial and industrial history of Medford and discuss how its location on the edge of the New Jersey Pinelands contributed to its growth. On the tour we will see interesting examples of architectural styles, from a 1760s brick colonial to a Sears kit house. Buildings from 19th century industry are still standing throughout the village and have been adapted to new uses, including three cranberry sorting sheds, a company store and a train station. Jim Cicalese is an amateur historian specializing in Colonial History. He is the Head of Docents at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia and is the past president of the Historic Medford Village Association.

Hammonton Walking Tour - Saturday, October 2, 10:00 am - Noon

Location: Eagle Theatre in Hammonton

Tour Guide: Hammonton Historical Society

Description: Come on a walking tour of historic Hammonton, settled in 1812 and known as the "Blueberry Capital of the World". The tour will start at the recently rahabilitated Eagle Theatre. Members of the Historical Society of Hammonton's Historic Trail Committee guide the tour. Tour sites will includes the historic Eagle Theatre, Hammonton Train Station, various store fronts, memorial parks, museums, houses of worship and many homes.

Walking tour of Bethlehem Loading Company (Belcoville) and the Estellville Glassworks - Saturday, October 30, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Location: Estell Manor Park in Atlantic County

Tour Guides: Joan Berkey and Richard Regensburg

Description: Come and explore two historic Pinelands sites located in Estell Manor Park in Atlantic County. The park houses the ruins of the early 19th century Estellville Glassworks and the Bethlehem Loading Company, a WWI munitions loading facility. The Glassworks ruins include the melting furnace, pot house, flattening house, cutting house and worker's homes. The Bethlehem Loading Company Historic District comprise the remains of the 75 mm, 155 mm and 8-inch shell loading complexes as well as stables, administration buildings, bunkers, a power plant and officers quarters. Participants are asked to bring a brown bag lunch (lunch break will be from 12-1pm) and bug spray (significant time will be spent in the woods). Dress for extensive walking and bring bottled water. Dick Regensburg is a retired archaeologist who for several years oversaw the park and helped to preserve its many archaeological sites. Joan Berkey is an architectural historian who prepared the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for the Bethlehem Loading Company Historic District.

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Advance reservations required for all programs.

$10 per person payable at the door in cash or check.

Please contact PPA at 609-859- 8860 x 12 or email janewiltshire@pinelandsalliance.org for reservations, directions and information.

Downloadthe 2010 Pinelands Heritage Series brochure