‘Newest’ park in J’Burg to be dedicated at festival

JAMESBURG — The parcel of land at Buckelew and Pergola avenues, and the Lakeview mansion that stands there, are all that remains of the vast holdings of Jamesburg’s namesake, James Buckelew.

Yet, despite its significance, that parcel has only been known over the last 26 years as a “Green Acres Historic Site.”

All that will change at noon on Sept. 10, when borough officials and members of the Jamesburg Historical Association, joined by state and county dignitaries, dedicate the land as Buckelew Park.

A new flagpole, donated by the members of American Legion Star Post 127, will also be unveiled at the same time. The pole is being dedicated to all Jamesburg residents who served, are serving and who will serve in the U.S. military.

Buckelew was a 19th-century entrepreneur whose dealings in agriculture, commerce and transportation had a tremendous influence on the local, state and national levels. He was responsible for much of the development of the town by either undertaking or financing local business ventures.

Buckelew was an early investor in the Camden-Amboy Railroad, on whose tracks the nation’s first steam locomotive, the “John Bull,” ran. His success in this venture led to his establishment of the Freehold-Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad.

He established the First National Bank of Jamesburg, which until one of its successors surrendered the charter, was the oldest national bank in the country, and Buckelew also raised mules, shipping them throughout the U.S., and was the exclusive supplier of mules to the Delaware-Raritan Canal.

The Sept. 10 ceremony will mark the opening of the Historical Society’s annual “Buckelew Day Festival.” The event runs from noon through 5 p.m. within the new park, located on Route 522 across from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Scheduled activities include tours of Lakeview mansion, bus tours of Jamesburg highlighting the town’s historical locations, the “Helmetta: From Snuff to Snuffed Out” exhibit, a Civil War battle re-enactment, vendor booth and other attractions. Two video programs, “Jamesburg of Yesteryear” and “Helmetta Remembered,” will be shown throughout the day. The South Jersey Ghost Research Group, which visited Lakeview in May, will present a report on its findings at 4 p.m.

For more information on the Buckelew Day Festival or other Jamesburg Historical Association activities, call (732) 521-2040 or visit www.jamesburghistory.com.