Lincoln Harbor Yacht Club

The perfect location for your every boating need, right on the Hudson River, across from New York City.

Within minutes you’ll find yourself in the heart of Manhattan’s entertainment and cultural centers, as well as its elegant shops and restaurants. Enjoy easy access to the city’s business and financial empire, with the luxury to set sail, at any moment, for some of the most beautiful beaches of Long Island and New Jersey.

Liberty Landing Marina

Is a full service marina located within Liberty State Park.

• Transient and cruising groups always welcome
• 250 still water slips
• Diesel and gas sales
• Electric and plumbing hookups at every slip
• Wireless Internet
• Rest rooms
• Ferry service to Manhattan
• On-site ship store
• Full service department on site
• High quality dining inside at Liberty House restaurant or informal dining on the patio with a spectacular view of Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty
• Huge dry dock facility and negative lift

Trump Marina's Best Kept Secret:

The Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina

(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association May 2003 Newsletter)

If you’re not a boater, you may not know about the Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina, which sits adjacent to Trump Marina.� With its serene, still waters and panorama of casino excitement, the Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina might just be the most beautiful harbor in south Jersey.� This state facility certainly is the most unique.

The Marina was originally built in the late 1950s to help revitalize the pleasure boat industry in Atlantic City.� A joint venture between the state and the city of Atlantic City, it soon became the “show place” marina of the East Coast.

Today, the Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina is managed by Trump Marina Associates, and owned by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry Services. It boasts 640 slips, capable of berthing boats from under 20 feet to over 300.� A popular destination for mariners, the Marina is a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean via Absecon Inlet, or the Intracoastal Waterway.

Boaters can take advantage of the variety of on-site services, which include hook-ups for water, electricity (service up to 100 amps), cable TV and telephone.� There are also bathrooms and private showers, a laundry facility, high-speed pumps for gas and diesel fuel and a holding tank pump out station. The Docksider is a fully equipped ship’s store for all nautical needs.� Transient boaters staying overnight can use the health club as well as the pool and recreation deck.

In terms of dining and entertainment, the Marina is a stop for mariners and landlubbers alike.� Arrive by boat or land to dine on The Deck, the best bayfront bar and restaurant in Atlantic City.� The Deck offers casual fare, the coolest drinks and the hottest times!� Open seasonally, The Deck is the place to hear hot new bands which perform against a backdrop of the bay.

For more formal dining, visitors will enjoy the highly-acclaimed Harbor View restaurant, which as its name suggests, offers unparalleled views of the glittering Atlantic City skyline.� This elegant, intimate setting is perfect for that special date.� The Harbor View serves the ultimate in gourmet seafood, including Dover Sole Meuniere, Lobster Francaise and the signature Marina crabcakes.� Top the meal with a slice of fresh key lime pie, bananas foster or chocolate decadence cake and you’ll be full and satisfied—not only with the meal but with your extraordinary experience.

In season, there is a staff of dock attendants available to assist boaters.� The New Jersey State Police Station maintains a division on site as does the Coast Guard.� Trump Marina provides 24-hour security.

Visitors to the Marina can view an interpretive exhibit about New Jersey's maritime history and the changing role of marinas.� Historic Gardners Basin can be seen off of the south side of the marina.

The Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina is a short drive from the Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway.� From the Expressway, exit at the “Marina” and take the tunnel (Atlantic City Expressway Connector).� Take Exit G right at the Trump Marina/Farley Marina.� From the Parkway, take exit 38, which is the Atlantic City Expressway, toward Atlantic City.� Follow directions from the Expressway.

The Marina is located directly across from the Trump Marina Hotel Casino on Huron Avenue.� Access to the Trump Marina Hotel and Casino is easy through the two-story building that houses the marina office.

The Marina office is open during May through September from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from October through April from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.� Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Marina office at 1-800-876-4386 or (609) 441-8482.� Rates are available upon request.

The Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina is a public facility owned by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, managed by Trump Marina.

Visit the Pelican Island Marina on the beautiful Barnegat Bay for your next boating adventure. The marina is centrally located along Route 37 eastbound side of the highway just east of the inter coastal waterway and makes a perfect place to access this beautiful waterway.

The channel is well marked and can be navigated with very little trouble. There is an inside showroom to explore for your next boat. There also is an extensive amount of larger boats to shop and pick your home away from home.

The telephone number is 732-793-8767 the office is open every day except Tuesdays.

Wikipedia says:
Barnegat Bay is a small brackish arm of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 30 miles (50 km) long, along the coast of Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States. It is essentially a long estuary formed by Barnegat Peninsula, a long barrier peninsula, as well as by the north end of Long Beach Island. The bay is fed by several small rivers, including the Toms River and Metedeconk River, which empty into the bay through small estuaries along its inner shore. The communities of Toms River, Silverton, and Forked River sit along the river estuaries on the bay.

The bay is entered from the ocean through the Barnegat Inlet, along which sits the Barnegat Lighthouse. The bay is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, entered on its north end by the Point Pleasant Canal and connecting on the south end with Little Egg Harbor via the small Manahawkin Bay. In a broader sense, the bay is sometimes considered to stretch to the south end of Long Beach Island and to include Little Egg Harbor.

The area surrounding the Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet were described by Henry Hudson, in 1609, as "...a great lake of water, as we could judge it to be ... The mouth of the lake hath many shoals, and the sea breaketh on them as it is cast out of the mouth of it." The bay was originally named in 1614 "Barendegat," or "Inlet of the Breakers," by Dutch settlers, referring to the waterway's turbulent channel. [1] During the American Revolutionary War, the bay was used as refuge by American privateers.

Three bridges span the bay from the mainland to the peninsula: the Mantoloking Bridge from Brick Township to Mantoloking and the Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges from Toms River to Ortley Beach. The Barnegat National Wildlife Refuge comprises wetlands along the inner southern part of the bay. Along the outside of the bay, on the peninsula, is the Island Beach State Park. Various islands within the bay are a part of the Sedge Islands State Wildlife Management Area or Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. On the northern tip of Long Beach Island includes the Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.

The bay has been a longtime center for commercial fishing. The village of Toms River was a significant whaling port in the 19th century. While still popular for fishing, Barnegat Bay has also become a popular destination for recreational boating. The water quality of the bay has been degraded by pollution in the rivers and creeks that feed it. The preservation of the bay's water quality has been an ongoing effort of several public and private organizations.

Mid-Atlantic Inshore Saltwater Fish�

Atlantic Croaker

Atlantic Croaker or "hardhead" are popular saltwater fish common along the Atlantic coast. The fish get their names because of the "croaking" noise the make when removed from the water. Croakers are hard fighters and prolific feeders. They are caught on a variety of baits and lures and even go after flies in shallow water areas. Croakers are easily accessible, being caught on piers, jetties, small boats, charter boats and head boats.

Bluefish

Bluefish are an exciting gamefish. They are found all along the USA east coast, sometimes in large schools. The fish are voracious feeders and are known for their sharp teeth and ability to demolish even the strongest tackle. In some areas cut baits are used, including squid, fish, bloodworms or other baits. Anglers also troll, jig, cast artificial lures and fly fish for bluefish. The fish have dark, oily meat but are excellent smoked.

Sea Bass

Sea Bass fishing is popular along the Atlantic coast. Anglers fish year round for this exceptionally delicious fish, although the fish migrate to deeper water in winter. Peak fishing is usually May and early June and again in the fall. In the spring, wrecks, reefs and rough bottom in depths of 50 - 80 feet usually hold the most fish. Bigger fish can sometimes be enticed by using larger baits. Favorite rigs for bigger fish include single hook rigs with a whole squid for bait, large bucktail jigs with squid strips and large metal jigs. The larger baits catch less total fish but with a much higher average weight. Black sea bass are excellent table fare. The meat is firm, white and delicious and is served fried, grilled, baked or broiled.

Spot

Spot occur along the Atlantic coast in estuarine and coastal waters from the Gulf of Maine to Florida, although they are most abundant from Chesapeake Bay south to South Carolina. Spot are fun to catch and a great fish for anglers of all ages. Spot are caught along inlets, fishing piers and in inshore bays. Anglers use standard 2 hook rigs, using small hooks and small pieces of bait. Popular baits include bloodworms, shrimp, clam and synthetic bloodworm type baits.

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder are found around inlets, jetties and dropoffs. Flounder are not born with both eyes on one side. During growth, the "bottom" eye migrates to the upward-facing side of its body. This allows the flounder to lie on one side, burying in the sand where it can ambush its prey. Flounder feed on a variety of small fish and crustaceans

Tautog

Tautog live along the Atlantic coast of North America from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. Tautog live in structure such as rocky bottoms, wreckages and reefs. Tautog are a challenge to catch and thrilling to fish for. Tackle and techniques are simple and no prior experience is needed to catch these tasty fish. They vary in size from about 12 inches to perhaps 12 lbs or more. They are very tough fighters and excellent table fare.

Red Drum

Red drum or redfish can be caught in a myriad of ways. Probably the most widely utilized technique for catching red drum along the Atlantic coast is to anchor along a channel edge or shoal and bottom fish with cut peeler crab bait or other baits including, squid, cut spot, live spot and even chicken breast soaked in peeler crab oil. Surf fishing is a another way to catch red drum. Along the Atlantic beaches and barrier islands, anglers use a fish finder or other rig and fish with baits such as whole spot, spot fillets or heads, mullet, bluefish fillets, crabs, shrimp or other baits. Further South, anglers fish flats and grass beds with live baits such as shrimp or cast artificial lures or saltwater flies to red drum.

Striped Bass

Striped bass have several regional names. Known as striped bass, stripers, linesides, rockfish and other names, this fish is highly sought after as a recreational fish, as a commercial species and is even grown in aquaculture operations. Striped bass are very hardy fish, and even take to life in freshwater where they are often stocked throughout the USA. Rigs and baits for striped bass vary with their location and what the fish are feeding on. In some areas cut baits are used, including clams, fish, crabs, shrimp, squid, bloodworms or other baits. Anglers also troll, jig, cast artificial lures and fly fish for striped bass.

Weakfish

Weakfish are beautiful fish. The name "weakfish" comes from the fish's fragile mouth, which tears easily when hooked. Typically, weakfish have a dark olive back, iridescent blue and copper sides and a silvery white belly. Other identifying features are yellow fins, large canine teeth in the upper jaw and dark spots on the upper part of the body, sometimes forming diagonal lines. Most adult weakfish range from 12 to 18 inches but can grow up to to 3 feet long and weigh 4-18 pounds. Weakfish are members of the drum family, which includes spot, red drum, back drum and Atlantic croaker. This family of fish make a drumming or croaking sound by vibrating its swim bladder using special muscles.

Lake Hopatcong

"Playground of the Famous"
Even Babe Ruth played here

The Borough of Hopatcong encompasses the western shore of Lake Hopatcong and lands to the west including Bear Pond. The history of the Borough of Hopatcong parallels the history of the Lake - from its emergence as a great hotel resort, to its evolution into a summer community similar to the Jersey shore, and its eventual transformation into an all year round community.

From the time the Lenape first discovered the waters of Lake Hopatcong some 12,000 years ago, it was a special place. A deep spring-fed lake formed by glaciers, it was the perfect setting for a Native American community. Its forested shores supported ample game while the water furnished abundant fish.

Life for the Lenape people, as with most other Native Americans, would change with the arrival of European explorers and colonists. As a result of diseases brought by the Europeans to which the Lenape had no tolerance, and the increasing westward movement of the colonists, most of the local Lenape population had died or left the area by the time of the American Revolution.

The body of water the Lenape knew was 12' below the level of the Lake, as we know it today. The natural Lake ran roughly from Hopatcong State Park to just north of Nolan's Point and was known as Great Pond or Brooklyn Pond. From there a stream connected it to a smaller body of water, known as Little Pond, located in the area we know today as Woodport or Lake Forest. In ensuing years, dams and dredging have increased the Lake to its current size. Even at its original size, Great Pond would be the largest Lake in the State of New Jersey.

In the years that followed America's independence, little development occurred in the area around Lake Hopatcong. Although iron had already been found and mined in the vicinity, the difficulty of getting it to market caused the industry to flounder.

Following the War of 1812, the United States entered a great era of canal building. It can perhaps be considered America's first attempt at interstate highways. By using canals, there was suddenly a means of transporting large amounts of cargo great distances in what was then considered a very short period of time. It was in this era that the idea of the Morris Canal was conceived. Coal existed in the mountains of Pennsylvania and iron in the hills of New Jersey, but horse and wagon was simply not an efficient means to bring these products to market. A canal crossing northern New Jersey and connecting the Delaware and Hudson Rivers, could overcome this situation as well as furnish transportation for such growing New Jersey cities as Paterson, Newark and Jersey City.

Like any canal, the Morris Canal required massive amounts of water. Lake Hopatcong was looked upon to be its single largest feed. In fact, the story has been told that George McCullough, the driving force behind the Morris Canal, got the idea for it while fishing one day at Lake Hopatcong.

At over 900 feet above sea level, Lake Hopatcong was situated at the summit or highest point of the canal. Water could thus be fed down both east and west. Along the way, other sources of water were linked - such as the Musconetcong and Passaic Rivers and Greenwood Lake. When more water was eventually needed, the Stanhope Reservoir (now known as Lake Musconetcong) was created.

Since Lake Hopatcong was the key to the Morris Canal's success, it was determined from the beginning that it needed to hold more water. The Lake had first been dammed in the 1750's for a forge located where the Hopatcong State Park is today. As part of the construction of the Morris Canal, this approximately 6' high dam was removed and replaced with a combination canal lock and dam which eventually raised the Lake some 12' above its natural level, and to the level we know today.

During the era of the Morris Canal, the Lake increasingly became called Lake Hopatcong. While the origin of the word "Hopatcong" is unknown, it is believed that the word comes from the Lenape word "hapakonoesson," meaning pipestone. It is impossible to know the exact context in which the Lenape may have used this word in referring to the Lake. It may have been a reference to the soapstone and other soft stone found in the area that was used in pipe making. It has also been suggested that the term referred to the jagged shape of the Lake's shoreline. The one thing of which we are sure is that "Hopatcong" does not mean "honey waters of many coves" or any similar derivative. This definition was invented at the turn of this century by individuals seeking to evoke a romantic image of Lake Hopatcong that would help to promote the developing tourist trade.

The Morris Canal functioned for approximately 100 years (1824-1924) and throughout its history had financial troubles. While never realizing the future its founders had hoped, it had a tremendous effect on Lake Hopatcong and it set in motion the events which would lead to the Lake's rise as a great resort. The Morris Canal spurred the building of a railroad to connect several mines in the area to the Lake. Using the Ogden Mine Railroad, mines such as the Hurd, Weldon, Dodge, Schofield, and Ogden could ship their ore directly to the Lake for passage on the Morris Canal. This 10 mile long railroad ran from Ogdensburg to Lake Hopatcong and was completed in 1866. Nolan's Point was chosen as the Lake Hopatcong terminus because of its convenient location. Nolan's Point had deep water allowing boats to be easily pulled across the Lake to link with the Canal at today's State Park.

During its operation, the Ogden Mine Railroad supplied a significant amount of the cargo being shipped on the Morris Canal. It is a rare example of a railroad being built to support a canal rather than as a replacement. However, as railroads continued to emerge as the modern transportation alternative, it became clear that a railroad to support a canal contained an unnecessary step - the canal. In 1881, the Central Railroad of New Jersey entered into a lease agreement with the Ogden Mine Railroad and in August 1882 completed a connection from its main tracks to the Ogden Mine Railroad terminus at Nolan's Point.

It did not take long for the Central Railroad of New Jersey management to realize that there was great passenger potential for this newly formed line. Here was a direct rail link to a large lake just over one hour from numerous large cities, as well as New York City itself. In September 1882, the first passenger excursion train arrived at Nolan's Point and the tourist boom at Lake Hopatcong was on!

Arriving passengers needed activities to busy themselves. This led to the building of a pavilion at Nolan's Point to entertain the tourists. The Lake Pavilion (commonly called Allen's Pavilion) was later joined by a second facility, Lee's Pavilion. One-day excursions soon led to a desire for longer stays at this pleasant locale causing quite a construction boom. Prior to the Central Railroad reaching the Lake, only three small hotels existed at the Lake. By 1900, over 40 hotels and rooming houses were operating at the Lake. Many of these early hotels and rooming houses were concentrated around the railroad at Nolan's Point, but building soon spread to other areas of the Lake.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey was not the only railroad to reach Lake Hopatcong. Actually, the Lackawanna Railroad had preceded the Central constructing tracks past Landing in the 1850's. However, no station was located there and arriving passengers had to disembark at Drakesville (now known as Ledgewood) and take a stage over rough roads to their destination, making the Lake primarily a destination for fishermen or the adventurous. The Lackawanna finally placed a station at Landing in the 1880's, after the Central was enjoying success with its excursion trains.

Since early roads at the Lake were poor or nonexistent, the main source of transportation was water. As soon as tourism developed so did boat service. Competing steamboat companies met arriving passengers and took them to all parts of the Lake. Most goods and services were delivered by boat. For this reason, islands such as Halsey and Raccoon developed simultaneously with the mainland.

At the same time that the Lake was becoming a large hotel resort, other development was also occurring. Many early visitors camped at the Lake or built crude cottages. Wealthy individuals also were learning of the Lake and building grand Victorian "cottages," including an entire millionaire's community around the grand Breslin Hotel in Mount Arlington. This growth soon spread to the western shore of the Lake that was then part of Byram Township. (Modick Park and Maxim Glen were originally named Byram Park. Hudson Maxim donated that property to the Borough in 1926).)

As the western shore of Lake Hopatcong began to develop, landowners believed they were not receiving sufficient attention and resources from Byram Township. For the western shore to properly develop, the residents concluded they needed to establish their own municipality. On April 2, 1898, the New Jersey Legislature approved the formation of the Borough of Brooklyn. With a voting population of 43, the Borough of Brooklyn held its first elections on May 4, 1898.

The newly formed Borough stretched from the Musconetcong River, in what is today Hopatcong State Park, to the southern shore of Byram Cove. It was a fairly narrow municipality, created to incorporate the developing lake front properties. This map, prepared for a land development company in 1912, shows the Borough's early boundaries. This left the areas of Byram Cove and Northwood, as well as significant lands to the west (including Bear Pond), still in Byram Township. As these locales began to develop, their residents wished to join Hopatcong, which had shared interests. In 1922, the local population of these areas voted to join Hopatcong and the Borough grew to the borders we know today.

The name Brooklyn stemmed from the forge located on land that is now Hopatcong State Park. The Brookland Forge was built around 1750 and operated for about 30 years, utilizing the power generated by the flow of the Musconetcong River as it left Lake Hopatcong. During this period, the Lake was referred to either as Great Pond or Brookland Pond. Following construction of the Morris Canal in the 1820's, the enlarged body of water became commonly known as Lake Hopatcong.

The area around the Morris Canal continued to be called Brookland, although the forge was long gone. In the course of the 19th century, the name was corrupted to Brooklyn, probably due to its more famous namesake. Brooklyn was the obvious choice for the new Borough's name.

The newly incorporated Borough soon found that people were confused by the name Brooklyn. The last thing which fledgling hotels and developers needed was confusion as to the name and location of the community. In 1901, the Borough changed its name to Hopatcong.

As with any "hot" resort, Lake Hopatcong was a magnet for many of the "rich and famous" of the day. The most famous female actress of her day, Lotta Crabtree, had a home built here in the 1880's. Hudson Maxim, noted scientist and inventor, came here at the turn of the century and built a large estate in the borough of Hopatcong. During the heyday of Vaudeville and Burlesque, the Lake became a favorite rest stop for performers during the summer when most theaters closed, particularly in Hopatcong's Northwood section. Bud Abbot, Bert Lahr, and Milton Berle were among the many show business people to spend considerable time at the Lake. The center for much of this activity was Joe Cook's Sleepless Hollow in Hopatcong's Davis Cove. Cook was a popular Vaudevillian, comedian and musical theater star who lived at the Lake from 1924 to 1941. Among other amenities, his home boasted a nine hole golf course, two bars, and tennis courts at which celebrities could usually be found.

Lake Hopatcong's run as a major northeast hotel resort lasted from the 1880's through the Depression. Ultimately, the dreadful economy of the 1930's, the development of the automobile, which led people to seek more exotic destinations, and the onset of World War II led most of the Lake's hotels to close. The few that survived slowly closed in the ensuing decades, with the final operating hotel burning to the ground in 1972.

As with any resort, recreation played an important role in the Lake's development. Numerous clubs and organizations have operated on the Lake since the 1880's. The Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club opened its colonial clubhouse, which still stands, on Bertrand Island in 1910. Hopatcong's Maxim Park Yacht Club is long gone but its clubhouse still stands as a private home on Cow Tongue Point. The Garden State Yacht Club, in Hopatcong, started in an old lakeside mansion and one-time hotel. Unfortunately, fire stole that building but the Club rebuilt and occupies the same site on Point Pleasant.

The trolley also came through Lake Hopatcong and linked the Lake with many communities to the east during the teens and 1920's. As with many trolley companies, the Morris County Traction Company sought to develop an attraction at the end of its line in order to encourage business on weekends. For that reason, it extended the line from Landing to the beach at Bertrand Island, in Mt. Arlington. This led to amusements being opened, and under Louis Kraus, Bertrand Island Amusement Park was created. In 1924 it opened the first roller coaster in northern New Jersey as well as a host of other rides and games. It soon had competition from an expanded amusement park at Nolan's Point that also built a roller coaster and attempted to compete. Ultimately, Bertrand Island won out and was a much-loved institution at the Lake for the next six decades. When zoning ordinances were established in Hopatcong, they banned the type of rides and amusements associated with an amusement park. The Borough also banned advertising signs except on properties where the business being advertised is located. This prevented Lakeside Boulevard and other roads from being dotted with billboards.

In the years following World War II, the Lake continued to be a popular summer spot, as it evolved into a middle class bungalow and second home community. On any given summer weekend during the late 1940's or 1950's, Hopatcong's River Styx area was a blaze of activity as revelers migrated to wherever the action was - the Mad House (just before the River Styx bridge opposite the marina), Sheppie's (where the Upper Deck is located), Bon Air Lodge (just past the Arrowcrest), Log Cabin (adjacent to the very tall tree in River Styx), Rainbow Room (now E&T Deli), Feuerstein's. All featured entertainment and competed to be the Lake's "hot spot." Along with numerous other bars and taverns on the Lake, entertainment in this era included numerous beaches, miniature golf in River Styx (just north of the Arrowcrest on Maxim Drive) and Hopatcong's Bear Farm Zoo (located on the property across the road from Full Life Assembly of God Church). The Borough did not provide municipal beaches, leaving that to the many homeowner organizations.

With the 1960's and the gradual completion of Route 80, the Lake's evolution accelerated. By the mid 1970's, almost all vestiges of its days as a summer resort had disappeared, as more and more homes became year round residences. When Bertrand Island Amusement Park closed in 1983, the evolution was complete, and for all intent and purpose the Lake had become a residential community.

The year round population of the Borough grew from 75 in 1900, to 146 in 1910; 179 in 1920, 534 in 1930; 660 in 1940; 1,172 in 1950; 3,391 in 1960; 9,052 in 1970; 15,531 in 1980; 15,666 in 1990; and 15,888 in 2000. The number of children in school in the 1970's was almost equal to the Borough population in 1960.

While much has changed since that day in 1882 when the first excursion train pulled into Nolan's Point, Lake Hopatcong remains a unique and special place - one we need to treasure and preserve!

Most of the historical material was provided courtesy of Martin Kane of the Lake Hopatcong Museum.

In the years following World War II, the center of social life at the Lake was River Styx. The best remembered place is the Mad House. Located at the River Styx Bridge, the Mad House opened in the 1920’s during Prohibition. Located at a major resort, it is not surprising that the Mad House and several other Lake establishments, are purported to have been speakeasies. The 1950’s saw the River Styx Bridge a buzz of activity on summer weekends as revelers tried to determine where the best music and crowd was to be found. One of the favorite midweek activities at the Lake was the Mad House’s famous Amateur Night every Tuesday. The Mad House burned in 1970.

Sometimes billed as “one-man Vaudeville,” Joe Cook was adept at juggling, telling jokes, acting, singing, dancing, and mime. Cook was known for his good-natured comedy and infectious smile. By the 1920’s, he was a headliner on the Vaudeville circuit. While renting at the Lake in 1924, the Cook’s purchased the Boulders cottage in the Davis Cove section of Hopatcong. After extensive renovations, Cook renamed it Sleepless Hollow, an appropriate name considering the many parties and festivities which would be held there. Just about anyone who was anyone during the 1920’s and 1930’s visited Sleepless Hollow as witnessed by this photo of Babe Ruth’s visit to Hopatcong. Graduating from Vaudeville, Joe Cook became a Broadway musical comedy star, performing in such hits as Rain or Shine, Fine and Dandy, and Hold Your Horses. Cook, never a fan of Hollywood, only made two full length features - Rain or Shine, directed by Frank Capra, in 1930 and Arizona Mahoney in 1936. During the 1930’s, Cook was popular on radio, hosting two variety series and regularly appearing as a guest on others. Joe Cook regularly mentioned Lake Hopatcong in his acts and on radio. His Hopatcong home was regularly featured in magazines and newspaper articles of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Cook truly was Lake Hopatcong’s ambassador to the world.

Called by Thomas Edison “the most versatile man in America,” Hudson Maxim was an inventor, scientist, author and explosives expert. First drawn to Lake Hopatcong while working with American Forcite Powder Company at the turn of the century, he bought 600 acres on the west shore in 1901. In 1904, Maxim built his main house in Hopatcong, initially known as Maximhurst and then simply Maxim Park. Maxim’s greatest fame came from his inventions in modern warfare, as the inventor of smokeless powder and other propellants, shells and torpedoes. Ironically, he often lectured and wrote on the need for arbitration and not war. He spoke and wrote prolifically on other topics as well - from his opposition of maintaining the Morris Canal to his disdain of Prohibition to his love of poetry and boxing. He was a confidant of Presidents, having spent time with at least three. While he maintained a town house in Brooklyn, NY, Maxim spent most of the year in Hopatcong when not traveling. In 1906, Maxim built his famous Venetian style boat house, which would dominate the west shore for the next 50 years. Built of stone and wood with two steel girders, it projected out over the water and resembled a medieval fortress. It had three floors and stone fireplaces. Maxim died May 6, 1927 at his house in Hopatcong. In 1929, a monument in his honor was erected at Hopatcong State Park. While his main house and boat house were regrettably torn down in the late 1950’s, several other Maxim Park buildings survive today. The two guest houses and garage are private residences, and the unique round ice house/observatory has been converted to a rathskeller.

Believed to have been a tavern as early as the 1840’s, the Hopatcong House was Lake Hopatcong’s earliest hotel. It was the site of the first meeting of the Mayor and Council for the Borough of Brooklyn on May 9, 1898. It finally succumbed to fire in 1966

The grandest hotel in the Borough of Hopatcong was undoubtedly Castle Edward. It began in 1905 as a one level structure with some 20 rooms in the style of a 17th century castle. A small island (sometimes referred to as Mush Island) was constructed in front of the hotel. Within a few years, a second level was added to the back of the hotel, increasing its size to about 40 rooms. In 1913, it enlarged to some 80 rooms by adding a third level, giving the structure a true castle-like appearance. The hotel closed during the Depression and was totally destroyed by fire in the winter of 1931.

Explore The Hudson Valley's Rich History

A Region Steeped in History Preserves Its Past

By Rebecca Haynes

Imagine stumbling onto the beauty of the Hudson Valley by accident. Englishman Henry Hudson was looking for a quick passage to China as he sailed along America's north Atlantic coast in 1609.

Hudson thought he found what he was looking for when he entered New York bay and what is now the river named for him. He and his crew of 18-20 men, sailing on a ship called the Half Moon, traveled about 150 miles up the river near what is now Albany before realizing it would not lead them to their destination of choice.

Hudson had been hired for the journey by a Dutch trading company, the Dutch East India Company, and his explorations led to the area first being settled by the Dutch.

Early maps and sailing journals tell us that the area was viewed as inhospitable, with wild animals, poisonous snakes, mountains and thick forests too dense to traverse. The river itself was seen as treacherous, especially in the stretch known as the Hudson Highlands. This area begins about 50 miles north of New York City and extends for about 15 miles, between what is now Peekskill and Newburgh. Here the hills rise up more than 1,000 feet along either shore and fierce currents and strong winds made sailing extremely difficult and dangerous. Areas of the river here were dubbed World's End and Devil's Horse Race by the Dutch sailors.

The 1600s saw the influx of colonists and the area, first known as New Amsterdam, became part of New York, controlled by Britain. As the quest for independence from the crown began to unfold, the Hudson River played a major role.

Although the events that occurred in the Hudson Highlands during the Revolutionary War were not the war's most decisive, it remained an area to which the British and the Americans gave much of their attention.

In 1775, the Americans decided they must fortify the area, protecting the river used to transport troops and supplies. Critical ferry crossings between Fishkill and Plum Point as well as Verplanck and Haverstraw connected New England to the Middle Atlantic colonies. Had the British been successful in gaining control of the river, it would have literally broken apart the American forces.

A Chain Across the Hudson

By 1778, the Americans had decided to fortify West Point. Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton had been built near Bear Mountain and Fort Constitution was located across the river from West Point.

It was in 1778 that the Great Chain was forged of iron links, each two feet long weighing between 140 and 180 pounds. Anchored to the shore by huge blocks of wood and stone, the chain was attached to logs and floated out into the river, where it ran between West Point and Constitution Island. The idea was to prevent British Ships from sailing up the Hudson from New York City. The Americans had earlier constructed a similar chain further south on the river, from Fort Montgomery to the eastern shore of the Hudson, but it was broken by the British soon after. The Great Chain was never tested, as no British ship got that far up the river after its creation.

Benedict Arnold, the Turncoat

Benedict Arnold posed the last real threat to the security of West Point, attempting to pass the plans for the fort to the British in 1780. Serving under George Washington, Arnold was given command of West Point. He made contact with a British officer after marrying a Tory sympathizer and was promised 20,000 pounds sterling if he could help the British take control of the Hudson River. Arnold narrowly escaped capture after being discovered as a spy. The British officer to whom he passed the plans for the fort wasn't so lucky. He was captured while trying to get the plans, hidden in his boot, to British headquarters in White Plains. At the time, the Croton River served as the dividing line, with the British controlling areas south and the Americans in control of areas north. The plans were recovered and the officer, Major John Andre, was tried and hanged.

The capture of Major Andre is chronicled at the museum of the Historical Society of the Tarrytowns, in Tarrytown. The historical museum also features Native American artifacts, items from early Dutch history, archaeological artifacts, Revolutionary War items, items from both world wars, firearms, jewelry and much more relating to the history of the Hudson Valley.

George Washington Sets Up Headquarters

Washington moved his headquarters to Newburgh in 1782, where he remained through the end of the Revolutionary War, setting up shop in the home of Jonathan Hasbrouck. The house is now a state historic site, featuring period furnishings, firearms, documents and military artifacts of the Revolutionary War, portraits of George and Martha Washington and an exhibit depicting the Americans' defense of the Highlands from the British.

After seeing the effects on his troops from a lack of properly trained officers, Washington pleaded with the newly formed government for the formation of a military academy. But it wasn't until after his death that the United States Military Academy at West Point was established in 1802 under President Thomas Jefferson.

Today's visitors to West Point not only can catch a glimpse of some of the most beautiful scenery in the Hudson Valley, but they can also see links of the Great Chain and learn much more about the importance of West Point and the area in our nation's history. The West Point Museum in the U.S. Military Academy Building features a history of military events and personalities, a collection of weapons, military artifacts, paintings, American and European uniforms and much more. Bus tours and self-guided tours of the scenic campus and its many monuments also are featured. And visitors can also see the restored Fort Putnam, used by the Colonial army during the Revolutionary War, and the site of Fort Montgomery where American and British forces fought for control of the Hudson.

Steamboat Travel

After years of military, strategic and economic importance, the Hudson River gained another use after the invention of the steamboat in 1807 -- one of leisurely travel. The steamboat offered a fast and affordable way to travel, and by 1850 there were approximately 150 of these vessels making their way up and down the river. Estimates say these boats carried as many as a million passengers.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston features exhibits on this period of the river's history. Steamboats, including the 1898 steam tug "Mathilda" are the major focus of this museum, which highlights their place in commerce, industry and leisure. There's also a display on Hudson River lighthouses featuring the 1915 "Rondout II" lighthouse.

As Americans were struggling to form their own sense of identity and culture, the Hudson Valley became a focal point, with stories and scenes from the Revolution mixed with the Dutch folklore of its earliest settlers. After completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, the Hudson River became one of the nation's main arteries of trade, opening a gateway to the west and prompting a period of major economic and industrial expansion in the area.

The Delaware and Hudson Canal Historical Society Museum in High Falls offers plenty of information on the building of these former waterway connections. Housed in an 1885 Protestant church, the museum features canal-related documents, maps, photographs, diaramas, scale models and artifacts from canals and canal operations.

Cruises on the river are still popular, with Hudson Highland Cruises offering trips from Haverstraw and West Point, and the Hudson Riverboat Company operating out of Ossining. Hudson Highland Cruises also makes scheduled stops in Peekskill during the summer season.

Hudson River School of Painting

In the same year the Erie Canal was completed, a young artist named Thomas Cole came to the Hudson Valley. He was captured by the scenery and began a sketching trip through the Valley. His subsequent paintings celebrating nature launched other artists to do the same and their style became known as the Hudson River School of Painting, another avenue that helped make the area a popular one for tourists.

The works of Cole, John Casilear, John Frederick Kensett, Sanford Gifford, Thomas Doughty, George Inness, David Johnson, Thomas Rossiter, Jasper Cropsey, Robert Weir and Frederic E. Church, along with dozens more lesser-knowns, attracted international attention for the next 50 years. Aided by New York's Knickerbocker writers, Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper and William Cullen Bryant, among the most successful, the Hudon River Painters grew in popularity as articles about them appeared in the day's press and other publications.

A collection of Hudson River School paintings can be seen at the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands in Newburgh. The museum is housed in an early 19th century home and features not only this collection of artwork but also period furnishings, toys, ship models of Hudson River crafts and local historical archives, photographs and artifacts.

And in Catskill, the residence and studio of Thomas Cole is open to the public thanks to the Thomas Cole Foundation. Paintings related to the development of the Hudson River School and some of Cole's works are on display there as well as changing exhibits featuring 19th century artists.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The country home of the most famous of the Knickerbocker writers, Washington Irving, is a Registered National Historic Landmark and open to the public. Sunnyside, located in Tarrytown (otherwise known to Irving as Sleepy Hollow), is a property of Historic Hudson Valley.

Irving, one of the country's first great writers, used the tales and scenery of the Hudson Valley as the basis for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle." Sunnyside, which Irving purchased in 1835, had been owned previously by the Van Tassel family, now forever etched in the pages of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

The Historical Society of the Tarrytowns, mentioned earlier in this article, also contains information on the life and times Irving.

An Industrial Past

Cold Spring, a small town on the east side of the river across from West Point, is known today for its quaint village atmosphere, its unique shops, its dozen or more antique shops and its magnificent scenery. But the town was once a bustling industrial center, home of the West Point Foundry. Established by President Madison during the War of 1812, the foundry was one of four in the nation selected to manufacture pipes, cranks, gears, cotton presses, railroad engines and cannonballs. It's selection was a logical one -- it's proximity to West Point, it's access to the river for transport and the discovery of iron ore in the area.

The first Catholic church built in the Hudson Valley north of Manhattan was said to be The Chapel of Our Lady, built along the river's shore in Cold Spring as a place of worship for the foundry workers. The church is now fully restored, serves a non-denominational congregation and is open to the public.

After the war's end the foundry continued to thrive because of its location on a primary transportation route, especially when the Erie Canal made the Hudson River a link to the country's interior. Even as railroads began to replace ships, the foundry and Cold Spring, a stop along the east-shore railroad, continued to thrive. It wasn't until 1911 that the foundry was closed.

The Putnam County Historical Society Foundry School Museum in Cold Spring is housed in the schoolhouse used for the children of foundry workers, circa 1828. It contains 19th century paintings, items from the foundry including manufactured articles, photos, documents, records, letters and more, all highlighting the foundry's importance in the area's history.

Finding Fresh Air in the Hudson Valley

As tuberculosis and other dangerous diseases began to spread in New York City in the mid-1800s, the Hudson Valley took on another personality -- a health retreat. Until the early 1900s, city folk flocked to the Valley to experience the therapeutic powers they believed it to hold. The mountains, fresh air and evergreen forests were thought to offer the perfect conditions for good health and they were within close proximity to the city. In the early 1900s, however, the Adirondacks and areas further away became more desirable.

Cornwall on the west side of the Hudson became especially popular as a health retreat, offering numerous boarding houses and many conveniences of the day, including accessibility to the railroad and steamboats, as well as a telegraph office and large library. Nathaniel Parker Willis, one of the Knickerbocker writers, enjoyed the time he spent here so much he bought property in Cornwall, establishing a country home he called Idlewild. His many writings on the area helped make Cornwall a popular spot for health-seekers.

Shifting attitudes toward a more healthy lifestyle began to make the Hudson Valley popular for outdoor activities and exercise. Hiking, rowing, swimming, fishing, hunting and biking all contributed to the development in the area of summer camps as well as the notion of the summer vacation.

Today Cornwall is the home of the Museum of the Hudson Highlands, featuring preserved fishes, reptiles and amphibians as well as live animals, Indian artifacts and geological specimens indigenous to the Hudson Valley. Hiking trails, interpretive and live animal exhibits, a Tall Grass Prairie and a regional artists' gallery are also found at the museum.

The Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, near Cornwall, is an art museum and outdoor sculpture park featuring the work of 20th century American and European artists. Visitors stroll the 200-acres near Storm King Mountain to view the work.

A Home for Grand Estates

In the mid-1800s wealthy New York businessmen began to buy property in the Valley for summer and weekend retreats. The railroad even made commuting into the city a realistic possibility. Politicians, bankers, railroad magnates and other well-known professionals began to make their marks here.

Financier J. Pierpont Morgan, New York Governor and U.S. Senator Hamilton Fish, National City Bank president James Stillman, architect Richard Upjohn and Union Pacific railroad president Edward H. Harriman were just a few of the area's new inhabitants.

An area in the middle Hudson region often referred to as "Millionaires Row" contains several homes open to the public that should be part of anyone's visit to the Hudson Valley. The Vanderbilt Mansion Historical Site in Hyde Park was built in the late 1800s in a Beaux-Arts style with an interior designed by turn-of-the-century decorators. The mansion features furnishings, tapestries, rugs and porcelains from this period, as well as a coachhouse, formal garden and, of course, a magnificent view of the river.

The most famous homes in Hyde Park are those of the Roosevelt family. Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt's home from 1945-1962, contains her original and replacement furnishings. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum contains the personal papers of the former president, as well as government records, photographs, movies, gifts from heads of states, campaign items and personal and family memorabilia. The home of Franklin D. Roosevelt is also open to the public, featuring its original furnishings, ancestral portraits, a rose garden and the gravesites of the former president and first lady.

Another stately mansion, Boscobel, is located in Cold Spring. The Georgian mansion was originally built further south along the river in Crugers in 1804 by Mr. and Mrs. States Morris Dyckman. Vacant and run-down, the home was sold in 1955 for $35 to a company hired to tear it down to facilitate construction of a new Veterans Administration Hospital. But a group of concerned citizens had the house dismantled piece by piece and reconstructed on a 36-acre site in Cold Spring. The mansion now sits 200 feet above the river opposite West Point and contains New York neo-classical furnishings, a spring house and period herb garden.

By the turn of the century, as more industries and rail lines had been built and much of the Valley had been clear cut, a battle over the environment began to preserve the area's natural beauty and halt the destruction of river scenery. Landmarks important to the nation's history, such as some of the Revolutionary War forts along the river, were crumbling and being vandalized. The federal government created a Division of Forestry and the first national parks were created.

Bear Mountain and the Appalachian Trail

The Palisades Interstate Park Commission was one of the first cooperative efforts to protect and conserve an area along the Hudson. The beautiful high cliffs running along the lower reaches of the western side of the river, called the Palisades, were being destroyed by quarries. The commission proceeded to buy up the land from Fort Lee, N.J., to Piermont, N.Y. At the same time there were numerous efforts to make much of the Highlands a forest preserve, all of which were unsuccessful until the state tried to relocate Sing Sing Prison to Bear Mountain. It was then that some of the wealthy businessmen who had made homes in the area went to work.

Led by E.W. Harriman, he and other businessmen donated land as well as substantial sums of money for the purchase of other properties in the area. Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park became a reality in 1910. By 1914, estimates showed more than a million people a year coming to the park. Camping became popular here, with the average stay logged at eight days, and it was a favorite for Boy Scouts.

Bear Mountain remains popular today, welcoming more visitors every year than Yellowstone National Park. Hiking, boating, picnicking, swimming, camping, cross-country skiing, sledding, ice skating as well as a zoo and several buildings with historical and nature displays continue to draw families to the park. The Bear Mountain Inn, built in 1915, offers visitors all the comforts of home, for those who like the scenery but want to skip the camping. And various festivals and craft shows are held throughout the year.

The first section of the Appalachian Trail was created at Bear Mountain, taking hikers south to the Delaware Water Gap. It opened on Oct. 7, 1923 and served as a pattern for the other sections of trail, developed independently by local and regional organizations and then joined.