Today, while walking around one of the many picturesque towns in New Jersey, I thought about how my home state has such a bad reputation. Most recently, we were named to have "The most dangerous city in the U.S." We also have one of the most corrupt state governments, and of course, are home to lots of mobsters (ala The Sopranos).
What you might not know about New Jersey, if you have never visited here before, are the many beautiful and wonderful things about my home state. Here are a few facts about "The Garden State:"
- On the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the scenic Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area offers nature lovers 70,000 acres and 37 riverfront miles to explore. Created by the Delaware River, the Delaware Water Gap channel cuts through the Kittatinny Mountains - nearly 1,400 feet deep and 900 feet wide at water level.
- Island Beach State has more than 3,000 acres of pristine beaches, sand dunes, marshes, bogs, and nature trails, you can swim, picnic, hike, fish, or bird-watch to your heart's content.
- Attend the Cranberry Festival in one of the country's cranberry capitals - Chatsworth in Burlington County. You'll gain a whole new appreciation for passing the cranberries at Thanksgiving!
- Here's another reason why they call New Jersey "The Garden State"! Go to Leaming's Run Gardens & Colonial Farm in Swainton and see the largest annual garden in the nation. This is a beautiful 30-acre palette of flowers in every color of the rainbow. The garden is really humming in August as hummingbirds flock to the 25 gardens to sip nectar. For more relaxation, walk among the native plants, trees, and flowers at the Old Hickory Arboretum & Display Gardens.
- In the late 18th century, an "Underground Railroad" network of safe havens was established to help African-Americans travel north to find freedom from slavery in the southern states. One of the "stops" on this "railroad" was a town in Camden County called Lawnside, the first African-American community to be incorporated as a municipality.
For more information on the history of Clinton, you can check it out here!
13 comments:
Wow, it looks so pretty!
Lisa
Thanks for the virtual field trip!
i'll be in new jersey next month!!!!
Beautiful pictures - looks like a great little town. BTW - I have loved every trip to New Jersey. It doesn't deserve a bad rap. Good for you for sticking up for your state.
Wow, who knew? Not me, that's for certain! I've only been in the airport on my way to NYC, but being a Detroiter, I can surely relate to people bad mouthing my hood!
Great pictures! You must be lovin' that camera.
Tammy
BTW, we used LaVida too.
Tammy
i used to date a guy who live in cherry hill and it was so gorgeous... especially in the spring!
thank your mom and dad for that camera!
I have been on the NJ turnpike but never in New Jersey, it looks beautiful, I think they are about a month before us here in VT with all those flowers.
That looks like a beautiful place to visit! I have never been to NJ, so this was a nice, educational read.
Wow - What a place. We're going to have to plan a visit when we go back to NY next. Gorgeous.
Shell
You are right about the bad rap NJ gets.... David Letterman is alway dising NJ... It is a BEAUTIFUL state!!! SO glad you are letting us see some of the amazing places in it...
Lisa
On the other hand....
NJ is a small state on the Eastern seaboard of the U.S., halfway between "Honest" Mike Blumenthal and The Liberty Bell. It is known for the NJ Turnpike,the oil tank farm in Linden, Atlantic City, Newark Airport, Tony Soprano, and the Morro Castle disaster.
Most of it's leaders are in jail for stealing money.
NJ does not have earthquakes. It's weather is mainly left over from Onterio and the Gulf of Mexico.
It is a state custom to re-elect the Governor to a 2nd term because the people are only getting used to his/her name by then.
It is never clear what party he or she belongs to.
Most NJ residents are from someplace else.
NJ two main rivers, The Hudson and the Deleware belong the New York and Pennsylvania. It's two minor rivers, the Passaic and the Raritan are navigable for several feet.
The states highest point is called "High Point.
It's two US Senators have never served "time".
New Jersey has 5 million dump trucks.
NJ has no center. It is pinned between two bullies.
New Jerseyans do not posess an exaggerated sense of statehood. Even the moderatly sick are sent to New York or Pennsylvania for treatment.
New Jersey has 8 million insurance salesman.
New York and Pennsylvania TV stations rerely mention New Jersey,and then only at the end of the weather report whan the newscaster smiles,"meanwhile over in the Garden State....."and then only when our leaders are entering prison.
The New Jersey State Police are an elite corps of highly trained professional lawmen. They are highly trained,polite and restrained. Ther average trooper spends the prime of his life on the Jersey Turnpike or I-80 profiling motrorists,with an occasional break to have eggs-over- w/ katchup at a diner.
New Jersey has never been considered a valid place to come from. When asked where they are from,most have the tendancy to give their relative distance from Manhattan and Philadelphia.
You make people uncomfortable when you tell them you are from New Jersey. They are inclined to say Oh! or why?
NJ has 14 million pickup trucks.
New Jersey has never inspired a musical. It does not have Donald Trump, The "New Jersey" Giants or the "New Jersey" Jets, Disney world, or the San Andreas Fault.
But it does have outstanding features such as Camden and Newark.
It has The New Jersey Devils and for another few years the New Jersey Nets,Traffic circles,the Cheesequake on the Garden State Parkway...
Oh yeah it has me Stephanie's Dad from Jefferson Twp. New Jersey (wherever that is?)
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