Ole's Ranch/Sally Starr's Ponderosa (not the pizza place)

[MikeBickerson]

My friends bailed on me today for more in depth exploring, but I had fun on my own heading down to Sally Starr's old place. This is NOT the pizza place, but the remains of a dancehall that she had in the 1960s, known previously as Ole's Ranch. I wrote to Sally Starr about the place a few years back, but never heard anything. One of my friend's parents remembers going to the place once when it was open, but not much more than that. I've never found anyone else who had even heard of the place.

It was a good time, and I managed not to drop my camera in the lake and/or fall into the lake with my camera, which made me happy. The bridge has been gone for who knows how long, so to get to this place, you need to build your own bridge out of whatever is floating within reach. This is actually much easier than it was when I first starting going here years back, as either drunks or fisherman brought a piece of lumber or two to help the crossing process.

You can click below for some of my pictures/the information on the place.

Ole's Ranch (dead link removed by moderator)

One place checked off my list

:meatwad::meatwad::meatwad:

Number one in the hood, G.

 

[RednekF350]

Nice photos. It brought back a lot of good memories.
I grew up in nearby Gibbsboro and used to swim at Kresson, Cedar and Sunshine Lakes in Voorhees and Lake Worth and Lake Pine in Lindenwold.
Kresson and Cedar Lakes hold my first recollection of "cedar water"
The pay-to-swim concept was apparently very popular in the 50's and 60's.
I guess the 70's saw the beginning of the end for these lakes.
I fished Kresson and Ole's in the late 80's but haven't been there since.
Scott

 

[Ben Ruset]

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[LARGO]

Mike,
Thank you for an enjoyable read and pics! I've looked on the site. I like it. Simple and fun, and I like a little touch on the shore points. I'm glad your off time is being spent well.

G.

 

[MikeBickerson]

Thanks Ben.

Scott ~ A Gibby, eh? Do you happen to know the Foxhills? My mom taught there for a couple years, it's a great town.

The diving platform at Kresson Lake fell into the water two or three years back during one of the blizzards, I'm still kicking myself for not getting a picture of it. I did get some of the old bar supply store that just got knocked down.

I've got a couple of pictures of my grandmother at Sunshine Lake back in the late '20s, early '30s when she was a teenager. They had some food bathing suits back then It's surrounded by condos now...

 

[MikeBickerson]

Thanks Largo, I'm not good with anything too fancy with computers, so I just keep it simple. Once I get out of school, I need to get a real host, angelfire is a pain in the neck and has no memory.

 

[Boyd]

Thanks for posting that Mike - I've driven through that area before but never knew anything about Ole's Ranch!

 

[Teegate]

I grew up in nearby Gibbsboro and used to swim at Kresson, Cedar and Sunshine Lakes in Voorhees and Lake Worth and Lake Pine in Lindenwold.

I spend many a summer day at Sunshine Lake as a kid. A quick drive down 73 from Marlton for my mom and our neighbor.

Thanks for the photo's.

Guy

 

[RednekF350]

Thanks Ben.

Scott ~ A Gibby, eh? Do you happen to know the Foxhills? My mom taught there for a couple years, it's a great town.

The diving platform at Kresson Lake fell into the water two or three years back during one of the blizzards,

I lived in Gibbsboro from age 0-25. Then I moved to Pestletown which is where I parked it.
I am the secretary for Square Circle Sportsmen in Gibbsboro which is across the street from the Foxhills but I don't know them.
I jumped off that Kresson platform a lot as a kid but I never actually dove off of it. I never trusted the bottom depth and I was pretty young and the height seemed intimidating back then.

 

[MikeBickerson]

Alright, I drive past Square Circle all the time. Never been in though. Just had a Foxhill marry into the family last month, so I was curious. =)

 

[woodjin]

That was a real interesting post Mike. I was unaware of the whole area. I was surprised that an area as far west as voorhees has such a pine barrenesque landscape.

Jeff

 

[long-a-coming]

Nice Post Mike. I live very close to that area in West Berlin. I've been around some of those areas in your pics not knowing what they were. Another area in Gibbsboro similiar to a Pine Barrens terrain is the Green Acres tract and Blueberry Hill. Its becoming more popular everyday and the township is developing it. I still can't find the spot on toip of Blueberry Hill where you can see the Philly Skyline though.

My wife's grandfather, Ed Costello, was a caretaker at Cedar Lake.(from your pics Mike)

 

[MuckSavage]

Sally Starr's

A little more than 10 years ago, I was the construction manager for the subdivision that's next to Sally Starr's. The chain of lakes connect. The fishing & hunting there was excellent (I'd get to work 2 hours early) Back then, the cop lived on the road, the puddles weren't too bad, & I was able to drive my Jeep over the bridge. I think the subdivision was also part of the ranch, there was old fencing, some utility poles with speaker on top, etc.

 

[MikeBickerson]

A little more than 10 years ago, I was the construction manager for the subdivision that's next to Sally Starr's. The chain of lakes connect. The fishing & hunting there was excellent (I'd get to work 2 hours early) Back then, the cop lived on the road, the puddles weren't too bad, & I was able to drive my Jeep over the bridge. I think the subdivision was also part of the ranch, there was old fencing, some utility poles with speaker on top, etc.

Awesome, those are nice houses that they built there. I didn't realize that the ranch stretched that far, I should go look at tax maps sometime when I feel like braving Camden.

The cop is still there, that day was the worst I've seen the puddles in the seven or eight years I've been going there. I guess the road is just breaking down over time.

 

[MikeBickerson]

Since I started this thread, I've been lucky enough to swap e-mails with some of the family members of Ole Larsen, so I've expanded the article a bit.

I've taken more pictures as well, but I need to find myself a photo editor that will shrink them down before I add them.

Virtua Hospital (which is building their new place nearby) has bought Ole's Lake (I haven't a clue why) and errected "No Trespassing" signs, so sadly I think I've seen the last of the place.

Anyway, adventuresinthejerseywoods.com/olesranch.htm (dead link removed by moderator)

I might have to write some more soon, as I've been put in contact with one of Ole's bussiness partners....

 

[flyingn]

great read.. Thanks..

 

[MikeBickerson]

Updating this article in just under a decade each update... pretty sure it's now on my third different website.

"A dude ranch in Voorhees, NJ that could feed 1,000 people in its restaurant? That saw legendary musical acts from Lefty Frizell to Buck Owens to Bill Haley to children's hero "Our Gal Sal" Sally Starr? That once saw an unarmed WWII vet chase of five armed robbers?

Ole's Dude Ranch. Twin Lakes Lodge. Sally Starr's Ranch. The Ponderosa. The place went by many names."

https://southjerseytrails.org/2015/05/03/olesranch/

Amazing place, and the stories keep on coming.

 

[bobpbx]

That looked like a lot of fun. Buck Owens, that was a real coup to get him I think.

 

[Teegate]

BTW, I noticed the pizza place on Jackson road that was owned by Sally Star and later someone else, has removed her name recently and changed names.

 

[dragoncjo]

So was part of the ranch and property on the east side of dutchtown road? This is now the hospital. Prior to the hospital being built I explored quite a lot of it and that area is always a mini pine barrens and intrigued me. I found a kingsnake and lot of others reptiles and amphibians on the property. I relocated many of the box turtles I found and the kingsnake to other areas nearby that weren’t going to be bulldozed. Certainly need hospitals so it was better than big box stores but it was sad to see such a nice property go away. Was always curious what animals they likely saw on the property 50 years ago. Was a special spot for sure.