Photos, drawings tell of town's rich history
Visual presentation on Jamesburg's past delights audience
BY MARY ANNE ROSS Correspondent

JEFF GRANIT staff Jamesburg Historian Thomas C. Bodall provides commentary during the recent slide show presentation, "Jamesburg of Yesteryear."

JAMESBURG - The "Jamesburg of Yesteryear" was brought to life recently, courtesy of a slide show that featured 200 photos, postcards, and drawings of homes, businesses, churches and public places in the community from the 1860s to the modern day.

The images, presented by Borough Historian Thomas C. Bodall at Borough Hall, revealed the history hidden by the modern renovations and aluminum siding of familiar town landmarks, as well as changes in use of the buildings. The Elks lodge on West Railroad Avenue, for example, was originally the "Star Theater," a popular first-run movie house in the early 1900s. A professional building on Buckelew Avenue was built in the 1930s and was once a butterscotch factory. The site was home to a silk mill, dress factory and the largest gristmill in the state.

A Jamesburg resident from 1920 would find some of the buildings on today's East Railroad Avenue familiar, but would no doubt be shocked by their purpose in 2008. The Little Wonders Daycare building was once the Jamesburg Post Office, Borough Hall and police department. The William Courter House was the family home of James Buckelew's agent; today it is home to several private businesses.

JEFF GRANIT staff Audience members get an insight into the borough's past during the event, sponsored by the Jamesburg Historical Association.

Bodall presented photos of forgotten industries and changing times. The tomato factory and gristmill were hugely successful in their day. The icehouse on Lake Manalapan was the heart of an icemaking company that kept leftovers cool in homes throughout the area. A wide shot of Buckelew Avenue showed the tall wooden poles that would bring telephones and the electricity that would doom that thriving ice company.

Perhaps most surprising were the many postcards.

"Jamesburg was considered a resort and spa location. Being out in the country was supposed to be medicinal," Bodall said.

Audience member Marge Perrine, who is corresponding secretary for the Jamesburg Historical Association, noted that the group has the register of the hotel where Gertrude Berg, better known as radio personality "Molly Goldberg," stayed.

Perrine was also able to explain the story behind the Buckelew name.

"Family lore has it that an ancestor was hunting with the king [of England], who shot a buck. The buck fell into a ravine. The ancestor went down and brought the buck up to the king. Supposedly the king, out of gratitude, named the man Buckelew. Along with the name came an Earldom."

Perrine was not the only member of the historical association enjoying the presentation. Elizabeth Lesko and her daughter, Linda Linke, were there. The two helped found the organization. Lesko was born and raised in Jamesburg, but said she learned very little about the town's history as she was growing up.

"It was the Depression, and we all were just worried about our parents having jobs," she said.

Lesko noted some of the changes she has seen.

"I remember when sidewalks were installed. They were made of cinderblock," she said.

"The older people in the neighborhood would keep an eye on the kids when they played, and if you did something wrong it always got back to your parents," she said with a smile.

Those interested in the town's history enjoyed the interactive presentation, which allowed audience members to comment on the images.

"I really liked the way he organized the photos into different categories, and how he showed the change to various places over time," said Mildred Potenza, of Piscataway. "I was surprised at how much people knew. It made the presentation even more interesting."

The Jamesburg Historical Association was started in 1979 by a small but dedicated group of people.

"I think our biggest accomplishment was acquiring the Buckelew House and then obtaining the funds to restore it," Bodall said.

Lesko made note of finding the Lincoln stagecoach, which had been stored away in Trenton, but is now an attraction on Buckelew Day and a major feature in the annual borough's Memorial Day parade.

The historical group organizes the annual Buckelew Day, and has a wealth of information on its Web site with the history of Jamesburg and a walking tour of the town's landmarks.

"People have been very generous about historical documents, and with the pictures. I have over 400 shots of Jamesburg scanned to my computer, and we have a lot more in our collection," Bodall said. "I'd like to encourage anyone who has old artifacts or photos of the town to let us know about them. We would really like to see them."

For more information about the historical association, visit the website www.jamesburg.net/jha/ or e-mail Bodall at webmaster@jamesburg.net.