Pinelands Jetport Research Project

HobermanR

New Member
Jan 31, 2017
4
3
37
Newark, NJ
Hello everyone,

I am a graduate student in the history department at Rutgers - Newark, working on a journal article and thesis project on the proposed Pinelands Jetport project from the 1960s. Specifically, I am looking to write about how local residents of the Pine Barrens responded to the Jetport. I am currently conducting my primary research gathering for this project. These forums have been a valuable resource as I've thought about my research and I wanted to reach out to the community to see if anyone was interested in contributing to this work.

I am looking for any primary sources that might shed some light on the different ways in which people in the area viewed the Jetport, including diary entries, local newspaper stories, personal letters, personal memories, records of participation in planning and zoning board meetings, and any other sources that might reveal something about the response of local individuals and communities. I am also hoping to conduct oral interviews, in person or by phone, with people who were involved in the proposal, either in opposition or support. If anyone thinks that they have access to any of these sorts of sources, or knows of somehow who might, it would be immeasurably helpful to my project. I would also be incredibly grateful for any suggestions on people or institutions I should contact.

I've spent most of my life very near the Pine Barrens and have loved them since I was a child. There has been very little historical research on the Jetport and even less that focuses on local communities. I hope that I can provide something that the members of this forum might find interesting and new. Thank you very much for any help you can provide and feel free to contact in this thread, on my forum profile, or by email and robhoberman@gmail.com.

Robert Hoberman
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,180
Lost Town Hunter certainly can help you. I will contact him and let him know about your post. EDIT. I have contacted him.
 

Star Tree

Scout
Apr 28, 2011
50
14
Waretown
Years ago, when I worked for the county, I came across a complete set of site plans for the project. We gave them to a co worker as a joke retirement gift.
As a kid it was supper table conversation. Dad liked the idea, "lots of new jobs". I'm glad it never happened.
 

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Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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That photo brings back memories of the tree height along Route 72 years ago where the sign was. Not the same enjoyable drive anymore.
 

rc911

Explorer
Apr 23, 2015
105
90
Cream Ridge, NJ
Hello everyone,

I am a graduate student in the history department at Rutgers - Newark, working on a journal article and thesis project on the proposed Pinelands Jetport project from the 1960s. Specifically, I am looking to write about how local residents of the Pine Barrens responded to the Jetport. I am currently conducting my primary research gathering for this project. These forums have been a valuable resource as I've thought about my research and I wanted to reach out to the community to see if anyone was interested in contributing to this work.

I am looking for any primary sources that might shed some light on the different ways in which people in the area viewed the Jetport, including diary entries, local newspaper stories, personal letters, personal memories, records of participation in planning and zoning board meetings, and any other sources that might reveal something about the response of local individuals and communities. I am also hoping to conduct oral interviews, in person or by phone, with people who were involved in the proposal, either in opposition or support. If anyone thinks that they have access to any of these sorts of sources, or knows of somehow who might, it would be immeasurably helpful to my project. I would also be incredibly grateful for any suggestions on people or institutions I should contact.

I've spent most of my life very near the Pine Barrens and have loved them since I was a child. There has been very little historical research on the Jetport and even less that focuses on local communities. I hope that I can provide something that the members of this forum might find interesting and new. Thank you very much for any help you can provide and feel free to contact in this thread, on my forum profile, or by email and robhoberman@gmail.com.

Robert Hoberman
I'm not sure if this is significant to your research or for that matter whether or not I have the facts correct. It has nothing to do with the proposed jetport in the 1960's. At the turn of this century (late 1990's to early 2000's) there were plans on the table to turn McGuire AFB into a joint military/commercial airport. To ease the traffic stress at the 3 NYC area airports, freight such as FedEx, UPS and the like jets would fly out of McGuire. The plan was completely scrapped because of the events on Sept. 11, 2001.
 

HobermanR

New Member
Jan 31, 2017
4
3
37
Newark, NJ
Have you seenTim Hart's presentation of research that he did on the Pinelands Jetport and Other Dreams on powerpoint? He presented at the Pinelands Shortcourse a couple of years ago. I have a copy that he sent me and I have just emailed him to ask him for permission to post it . Full of wonderful pictures, plans, maps, etc.
I did contact Mr. Hart and he very generously shared his presentation with me. It really is fascinating and I think everyone here would be very interested to see it.
 

HobermanR

New Member
Jan 31, 2017
4
3
37
Newark, NJ
I'm not sure if this is significant to your research or for that matter whether or not I have the facts correct. It has nothing to do with the proposed jetport in the 1960's. At the turn of this century (late 1990's to early 2000's) there were plans on the table to turn McGuire AFB into a joint military/commercial airport. To ease the traffic stress at the 3 NYC area airports, freight such as FedEx, UPS and the like jets would fly out of McGuire. The plan was completely scrapped because of the events on Sept. 11, 2001.
Thank you for this. I actually didn't know this story at all. I'm definitely going to look into it. I think it might be useful when I end of writing my article.
 

HobermanR

New Member
Jan 31, 2017
4
3
37
Newark, NJ
Robert, I urge you to take a look at pp. 37-44 (The 1960s: A Decade of Jetport Controversy) in Beryl Robichaud Collins and Emily W.B. Russell's, editors, book Protecting the New Jersey Pinelands.
Cheers, Lost Town Hunter
Thank you very much for your responses. I came across both of these in my secondary source research, and I've found them really useful to my research so far. Along with Robert Mason's Contested Lands, these were some of my most important background readings. Right now I am shifting my focus towards primary documents from the period of the jetport proposal itself, as well as talking to people who were involved with the opposition to the proposal or anyone remembers what public opinion at the time was.
 
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