I live in a small town in New Jersey. The center of town is basically one street, called Church Street. Sometimes when you live in the same place for a long time, you don't really see it anymore.
I walked down Church St. last week with my camera, hoping to get some pictures to show you. This is the First Presbyterian Church, built in 1869. It's all decked out for fall now, and just beautiful. 
Here are some houses along Church St. Please excuse the telephone wires -- I'm still not America's Next Top Photojournalist. :)
Isn't the mountain man statue wonderful? The owners lost a tree in a storm, and had a local artist carve a likeness of the man of the house whose hobby is historical reenactments. Mountain man gets gussied up for every major holiday. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but he is holding a giant piece of candy corn!
So this is the town I grew up in, and I realize now how very fortunate I was. So many people think of New Jersey as just the New Jersey Turnpike, or as the setting for The Sopranos. But this is also New Jersey, although it is disappearing fast under new construction. But I'll save that rant for another time. :)
Hope you enjoyed the tour.
Posts
Those pictures are BEAUTIFUL!!!! You truly are lucky to have grown up & now live in a quaint town like that!! If I sent you pictures from here on the prarie, you'd feel really sorry for me--ha ha. But I do love where I am. I think I'll challenge myself to find some pretty pics of hometown to take & share.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration!!! As well as the lovely photos.
I did enjoy the tour. Thank you! I think the close up shot of the mums is very artistic.....that would look great printed on canvas and framed. Have the Best of Wednesdays....Rosie
ReplyDeleteI could easily live in any one of those homes!! I love the country door on the one.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the neighborhoods of fellow bloggers. And yours is beautiful. Sometimes you can't see the forest through the trees but you were able to open your eyes to the beauty of your hometown. Good for you!!
Love,
Julie
I loved the tour & your neighbourhood is gorgeous! The mountain man statue is amazing! What a talented artisan to have created him from a lost tree.
ReplyDeleteLoved the tour Mary! Your town looks beautiful. I love "visiting" new places! ~ hugs, Lynda xo
ReplyDeleteHey Mary--
ReplyDeleteI've always loved New Jersey. My BFF from college was a Jersey Girl and her hometown was gorgeous!
Ann
It was such a treat to see the lovely church street in your little town!The homes are gorgeous as is the church! Thanks for sharing :o)
ReplyDelete~Des
That looks so lovely, thanks for sharing. I wish sometimes I lived in a small town. Actally, the city I live in is not really big but it's part of Silicon Valley and all the cities just run together to make one huge urban sprawl! Someday I may move away from all this to move to a small town!
ReplyDeleteThat looks so lovely, thanks for sharing. I wish sometimes I lived in a small town. Actally, the city I live in is not really big but it's part of Silicon Valley and all the cities just run together to make one huge urban sprawl! Someday I may move away from all this to move to a small town!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your town.. I love the statue of the man.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely town... I don't see a hint of Tony .
ReplyDeleteI love the house that the carved statue lives at. And that church ...that what churches should look like.
The pictures of your town are beautiful.I love small towns.I also live in a small town.I will try to post some pictues on my blog in the next couple of days.Brenda
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour Mary. I love small towns. My brother lives near Clinton which is another cute NJ small town.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely view of your home town. I grew up in Queens, NY and so did get to visit friends in Teaneck when I was young.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour of beutiful Church Street. The church and houses are so lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative idea to turn the lost tree into the old man:)
Rhonda
Does Bruce live near you??? HA! I had to ask; in my little Springsteen obsessed mind everything about New Jersey reminds me of him!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful neighborhood. . .very much like where I grew up in central Massachusetts. . .M.
Mary, I love your town! We have a Church Street in my town too. I love church architecture. I especially love small white churches out in the country...
ReplyDeletePenny
Just loved the homes. Visited NJ for the first time last year. My son is stationed there. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI would love to live there as well! Just think...we kinda sorta used to be neighbors when I lived back on the East Coast although I have only been to New Jersey once....
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Robin
More! More!
ReplyDeleteI love the photos. It reminds me to pay closer attention to my own surroundings too!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I gotta admit, I never thought of Jersey as being a place I'd want to live. But that was before the Stephanie Plum novels from Janet Evanovich. I swear, she makes "the Burg" sound so great, I just want to move right in. lol
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how we develop notions about other parts of the country? It's actually a fascinating process - at least I think so. I've lived in a lot of different places in the USA and I always love getting to understand how those who are "native" to an area look upon their own towns and life styles.
These are incredible beautiful Mary!
ReplyDeleteHow lucky to live there and to know all the rich history and be able to share it.
I so enjoyed this tour! What a beautiful place!
Hugs,
Sue