Borough of Anglesea Boardwalk Historical Marker

Over the past 7 years we've been following the New Jersey Historical Marker Trail all through the Garden State and documenting them here on the blog. Millions of people walk or drive by these markers every year and never give them a second thought. They're a great source of historic information and we're trying to bring some much needed attention to them.

While on a road trip through southern New Jersey we stumbled upon the Borough of Anglesea Boardwalk Historical Marker (marker number S1) located on the corner of 16th Street and Surf Avenue in North Wildwood, New Jersey. Here's the information contained on the marker for those of you who do waymarking.

Borough of Anglesea 1885-1906 Boardwalk

In February 1904 Borough Council, authorized construction of a Boardwalk on Surf Avenue from this point to the Borough’s southern border. It was removed just 8 years later due to the rapidly expanding beach, and a new Boardwalk was built closer to the ocean. Although a number of smaller Boardwalks had been built previously, the 1904 Boardwalk was the first to connect with its counterpart in Wildwood Borough.

By: City of North Wildwood, New Jersey

If you're looking for the historical marker you'll find it right on the street corner. If you want to photograph it for your waymarking records, there is free street parking nearby. There are several other markers nearby that you may want to document while you're there.

Sightseer Whale and Dolphin Cruises in Wildwood

We love marine wildlife and every time we travel to the coast or to a tropical destination we take the time to go out on a dolphin and whale watching cruise. There is something magical about being out in the open water and cruising alongside the dolphins and whales.

The Sightseer Whale and Dolphin Cruises is our favorite when it comes to dolphin watching in the Wildwood and Cape May area. The company has been in business for over 60 years and offers cruises every day throughout the summer season. Each cruise lasts for approximately 3 hours, so you really get your money's worth. 

There are three daily cruises from you to choose from (weather permitting) and its recommended that you make reservations ahead of time. You'll find comfortable seating and can choose to sit in the sun or the shade. All of their cruises are narrated by a marine biologist so you'll really learn a lot. You can purchase snacks and beverages on board to enjoy during the ride.

Here are a few tips to remember when taking a cruise

1. Dress appropriately for the current weather conditions. Bring along a jacket on cooler days as it can get quite breezy out on the water.

2. Wear comfortable walking shoes. You'll be doing some walking and many people enjoy standing when the dolphins and whales come into sight. 

3. Apply sunscreen before boarding and if you burn easily...bring it on board too! It's important to wear sunglasses and protect your eyes on those sunshine-filled days. 

4. Bring your camera! You can get some beautiful pictures while out on the water. 

5. Travel light. Don't bring a lot of bags and bulky items on board. Keep it simple, so that you can get up and walk around easily.

6. When traveling with infants and toddlers you'll want to bring along your diaper bag, bottles, etc. They do allow strollers on board. 

7. Please keep an eye on your children. Parents are responsible for watching them. Talk to them ahead of time about water safety, stranger danger, etc. Make sure they know the rules before you board. 

You'll find Sightseer Whale and Dolphin Cruises located at 4500 Park Blvd. in Wildwood, New Jersey. You can call them at (609) 522-2919 for their schedule of operation and driving directions. You can visit their website at BigBlueSightseer.com for additional information and find them on Facebook. 

Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry Bridges in Philadelphia

The city of Philadelphia is known for many things. The city is often known for having a vibrant art scene, entertaining music scene, gourmet chefs with excellent fine dining options, successful athletic teams, breakthrough's in medicine with some of the best hospitals in the nation and of course...the city's significant historical importance.

One thing that you often don't associate with the city is the various commuter bridges that run through and around the city. If you're traveling through Philly, you'll most likely travel across one of these big bridges! Millions of people cross them every day!

Walt Whitman Bridge

The Walt Whitman Bridge is probably the most well-known big bridge in the city. It's a green-colored suspension bridge that crosses the mighty Delaware River. It takes commuters from Philadelphia to Gloucester in New Jersey. It was named after the famous poet Walt Whitman. Construction on this bridge began in 1953 and it was open for business & travelers in 1957.

It's a 7 lane suspension bridge that is always jam-packed with commuters. It's part of Interstate 76 and is often referred to as the Schuylkill Expressway. It's one of 6 expressway bridges that connects Philly to southern New Jersey. When traveling on the Walt Whitman Bridge, you'll pay a toll when crossing from the New Jersey side to the Philadelphia side. You will not be charged this toll when traveling from the Philly side to New Jersey. In other words, it's a one-way toll.

Commodore Barry Bridge

The Commodore Barry Bridge is a cantilever bridge that crosses the Delaware River from Chester Pennsylvania to Bridgeport in New Jersey. A lot of Pennsylvania residents who are traveling to a south Jersey Shore destination for vacation, will often travel this bridge so that they can avoid the Schuylkill Expressway. It was named after American Revolutionary War hero and Philadelphia resident John Barry.

It's a 5 lane bridge that is heavily traveled, but not as heavily traveled as the Schuylkill Expressway, at least in my opinion. This bridge opened up in 1974 and is a toll bridge just like the Walt Whitman bridge. When traveling from the New Jersey side to the Pennsylvania side, you'll be charged a $5.00 toll. When traveling from the Pennsylvania side to New Jersey, no toll is charged.

We travel both of these commuter bridges often when we are going back and forth to the Jersey Shore. We live in south central Pennsylvania and often travel down to Ocean City, Wildwood and Cape May in New Jersey. Out of both of the ones being featured here today, we prefer traveling on the Commodore Barry Bridge which is a little less stressful than traveling across the Walt Whitman Bridge which runs through downtown Philly. Just our 2 cents opinion on that!

Family Day Trip to Table Rock Lake in Missouri

While on a road trip through the great state of Missouri we passed through Kimberling City and decided to spend the day at Table Rock Lake. If you're unfamiliar with this area...it sits right outside of Branson. The lake offers crystal clear water and a ton of family fun!

You can find overnight accommodations at area resorts, hotels, guest houses and campgrounds. You'll find family lodging, rustic campgrounds and luxurious accommodations. There is something for everyone. Stay a night, a few days, for a romantic weekend or vacation all week long.

Located nearby you'll find the Silver Dollar City amusement park, Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, Dixie Stampede, the Titanic Museum,  Sight & Sound Theatre, the Track Family Fun Parks, camping, hiking, biking, swimming, boating, fishing, zip lining, etc. If you love wax museums, you'll find the Hollywood Wax Museum located nearby.

After enjoying some of the activities at Table Rock Lake we headed for a casual dinner at Devil's Pool Restaurant located in nearby Ridgedale, part of Big Cedar Lodge. This is one of the area's most popular restaurants, so we recommend that you call ahead to make a reservation. They're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We heard that they offered the best steaks and smoked prime rib in the area, so that's what we ordered. Our dinner arrived promptly on our table and was cooked to perfection. Oh my gosh, this was one of the BEST meals we had on our entire road trip. I think you'll be very pleased with their menu offerings, price points and service.

Table Rock Lake is a really special place and appeals to all ages. Our time there was too short, so we're planning an official weekend getaway for later next year. Then we'll really have the opportunity to explore the area. In the meantime here's a few photographs for you to enjoy.

The Seaport Aquarium on the Wildwood Boardwalk

The Seaport Aquarium is located directly on the Wildwoods Boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey. It's a small, locally owned aquarium that features various species of fish, reptiles and a few land mammals. You'll find it in the 3400 block area with the entrance right on the boardwalk.

It's a family-friendly place...although very small. It took us a total of 15-20 minutes to see all of their exhibits. It probably would of taken longer if we had children along with us or had been there on a busier day. Usually when you think of "aquariums" you think of large places that you can spend a few hours in. Not this place. Again, its very small.

You'll pay your admission fee at the front entrance where they stamped our hands. This hand stamp will allow you to come and go several times that day. Your admission fee is ONLY valid on that specific day...but you're free to leave and come back later in the day if you choose to do so. Check out their Facebook page for specials and upcoming events.

Once inside you'll find a wide variety of animals on display. We saw all kinds of different tropical fish in beautifully set-up aquariums, turtles, sharks and other marine life. There is a "touch tank" where you can stick your hands into the water and touch the fish, horseshoe crabs, starfish, etc. which was really cool. The Stingrays were my favorite in the touch tank. During our visit we were told that the new touch tank was completed in September 2019. We thought it was pretty cool.

There are over 16,000 gallons of water in their aquariums with fresh & saltwater species from around the world. You can visit their 6,000 gallon coral reef exhibit that houses the most beautiful & exotic species in the ocean. There are hundreds of different fish to see including: puffer fish, lion fish, piranhas, clownfish, sharks, koi, triggers, tangs and more! It was really interesting to see how some fish live happily together while others do not.

If reptiles are your thing you'll find a few of them there too! We saw a few really nice turtles, an albino python (snake), a few lizards and in one exhibit they had three alligators on display. Sometimes they'll have the python out of his/her exhibit and when they do...they will allow you to pet it. Sorry, snakes aren't my type of thing.

One thing that's really nice about the facility is that you can take your time going through it. Also, they offer various type's of fish food that you can buy to feed to a few of the animals on display. That's an additional fee...but if you have small children along with you...I would recommend it. I don't remember the price but it was only a few bucks.

At the end of your tour you'll come across a little gift shop area. They don't offer much but what they do offer seemed to be fairly affordable. Some of the items we saw you could buy elsewhere on the boardwalk and some items were exclusive to their facility. Again, very small and with limited offerings. 

You're invited to bring in your camera and take all of the photographs that you want. When it comes to photographing the animals I recommend turning off your flash when shoot through exhibit glass. This will cut down on the flash-bounce and give you nice photos of the animals. Next, don't knock on the glass and try to get their attention. That can rile up animals and stress them out. Just let them be!

Overall it was a nice little visit and gave us something to do on a rainy day up on the boardwalk. Like I said, its a very small aquarium and you'll be in and out in less than 30 minutes flat. If you're expecting a big aquarium...this place is not that but its a decent little place to visit.

Learn About History at the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum

The Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum is located at Fort Indiantown Gap in Annville, Lebanon County. The museum is open Monday and Fridays from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturdays by appointment only. Admission is free.

We've visited the museum a few times and you can check out one of our previous posts about our visit HERE. This time around we want to feature some of the outdoor exhibits located along Fisher Avenue, about a 1/2 mile from the actual museum building and grounds. There is a little parking lot along Fisher Avenue where you can park (free) and then walk around to see the displays.

You'll need to be patient as this web page loads. It's graphic intensive. We did our best to keep all of the information markers with the piece of military equipment that its referring together. You can walk up to each exhibit and read the information and take photographs. You're not permitted to climb on them. We may have a few of them out-of-order

This M52 (155mm) Towed Howitzer was the standard heavy field gun for the United [S]tates during World War II. During World War I the United States was poorly equipped with heavy artillery. To address this issue, the U.S. Army developed several prototypes in the 1920s and 1930s. However, due to lack of government funding, it was not until 1938 that the M1 was adopted for military service. After several changes, the M2 version seen here (serial NO.3217) saw widespread action in both the European and Pacific theater[s] of operations. It served or was attached to each division during World War II and during the war the howitzer received the nickname "Long Tom". It also came in an 8-inch (203mm) version which had a heavier barrel.

The M110 203mm self-propelled howitzer, commonly known as the 8-inch, first entered service with the US Army in 1963. The M110A2 variant presently displayed included the longer M201 cannon tube of the M110A1 model and the double-baffled muzzle brake added in the A2 version. The M110A2 was the largest caliber self-propelled howitzer in the Army inventory and was designed to provide general support to ground maneuver forces, to include tactical nuclear ammunition. The M110A2 had an authorized crew of 12. The howitzer itself transported only two 200-pound projectiles and five men, while the rest of the ammunition and seven crewmen traveled aboard a tracked M548 ammunition carrier.

This M42 40mm Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun commonly referred to as "Duster" was built for the United States Army from 1952 until the end of 1959. A total of 3,700 M42 were built by the General Motors [Corp] under their tank division. The company used components from the M41 light tank in the development of the M42 Duster. The M42 was initially designed for an anti-aircraft role, however, it proved highly successful when used in the Vietnam War against unarmored ground forces. Pennsylvania National Guard had the M42 in the 3rd Automatic Weapons Battalion, 213th Artillery. The unit was re-organized as elements of the 3622d Maintenance Company and several batteries of the 108th Field Artillery.

When the military travels world wide they tend to bring a lot of material. The M915A1 was developed as a way to streamline the shipping of needed material used by the military over the standard 2 1/2 and 5 ton trucks. The early versions produced by AM General included the M915 and M915A1 models. Later Versions [sic] M915A3 to A5 versions were produced by the Freightliner companies. A total of 2,200 M915A1 models were purchased by the military. This particular M915A1 model was used by the 213th Area Support Group's (ASG) 131st Transportation Company.

This M60A3 Main Battle Tank (MBT) is a fully tracked, armored, combat vehicle operated by a crew of four consisting of a driver, gunner, loader, and a tank commander. The vehicle is powered by a 750 horsepower V-12 air cooled compression ignition diesel engine. It has a 105mm main gun system, and carries 63 rounds for the main gun on board. The vehicle is further equipped with a deep water fording kit.

The M46 Patton was developed as a rebuild program for the M26 shortly before the outbreak of the Korean War. A new powerpack was installed in the rear hull, leading to modified engine access doors and a different rear panel. Like the M26A1, it was armed with the M3A1 90mm main gun, which had a new muzzle break. The M46 is most easily distinguished from the M26A1 by the large mufflers on the fender and the addition of a track tension idler wheel below the drive sprocket. There were about 800 built by the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant. The 628th Tank battalion (present day 103rd Armor) trained with the M46 in Germany in the early 1950s.

M1/IPM1 Abrams Tank. The tank first used in 1916 cleared a path for advancing infantry. A century later the mission has not changed. Better firepower, armor, and technology such as this M1/IPM1 has provided support for the modern military by successfully closing with and destroying any opposing armored fighting vehicle in the world, while providing protection for its crew in any conceivable combat environment. It is capable of engaging the enemy in any weather, day or night, on the multi-dimensional, non-linear battlefield using its firepower, maneuver, and shock effect.

During World War II, one of the most famous tanks was that of the iconic M4 Sherman. Used on all fronts, the Sherman tank was a versatile and reliable tank. Besides the United States, Great Britain, Canada, French, South Africans and Soviet armies all used the tank during the war. The M4 formed the backbone of the various armored battalions and divisions. After World War II, the Sherman tank fought in Korea and was used by Israeli Defense Forces for decades. Between the seven basic versions M4 to M4A6, 49,234 were built in 11 plants from 1941-1946.

The original M113 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) helped revolutionize mobile military operations when it entered service in 1960. These vehicles can carry 11 soldiers plus a driver and track commander under armored protection across hostile battlefield environments. More important, these vehicles are air-transportable, air-droppable and swimmable, allowing planners to incorporate APCs in a wide range of combat situations, including many rapid deployment scenarios. After more than four decades, the M113 Family of Vehicles (FOV) is still in service in the United States Army and in many foreign armies.

You can read more about our visit to the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania by checking out PART 2 of our visit. You'll find more information and can see some of the additional photographs that we took. It's worth the read if you a military and history buff.

Family Fun at Dragon's Lair Miniature Golf

Dragon's Lair Miniature Golf is one of the funnest courses you can play while visiting Wildwood in New Jersey. The course is played indoors and under black lights. It's totally air conditioned so you can play on those very hot days when you don't want to be out on the beach or on days when its raining outside.

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You'll find them located directly on the Wildwoods Boardwalk at 3616 Boardwalk. You'll see the signage out front. You'll head up the stairs and pay your admission at the counter where you'll be handed your golf clubs, balls and a score card. You can visit their website HERE.

It's really dark inside so you need to pay attention to where you're going and watch your step. I almost tripped a few times due to how dark it is...but it was totally worth it because its a fun and unique course to play.

Each hole is entirely different and the artwork on the floor, walls, ceiling, etc. glows-in-the-dark underneath the black lights. You'll see various type's of dragons, castles, moats, fire pits, draw bridges, chains, etc. It's pretty cool.

We had two adults in our party and played on an afternoon when they weren't busy. From start to finish it took us about 30 minutes to get through the course. On average our score was 2 to 3 par on each hole. Fairly easy course for adults to play. The course is NOT handicap friendly, so if you can't do stairs...this course is not for you.

Here's a few tips to know before you go:

1. Check their website and Facebook page for current hours and for specials.
2. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
3. If you have a little pen-light flashlight...take it! You can use that to help see when marking your score card.
4. If you want to avoid crowds...go during a weekday or weekend afternoon.

There are at least a dozen mini golf courses in the Wildwood and Cape May area and Dragon's Lair is one of the best! Unlike the others its played indoors and underneath black lights.