Pine Barren Memories

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,673
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
I grew up in Presidential Lakes in the 60's. Some of us have been passing around a memories thread. I thought you might find some of these comments interesting, and if you lived at that time in the pines at a Lake Community, it may bring back some memories. You grew up in Presidential Lakes if:

You remember the gnats while waiting for your school bus.

You knew what the Front Lakes, Back Lakes, Across the Lake and the Dam meant.

You knew there was a Lodge near the Lake Store and remember the Christmas
parties and other events that were held there.

You remember Weenie roasts, Corn on the cob and Cracker Jack days at the
beach.

You remember the bathhouses, pavilion, lifeguard stands, and cactus at the
beach.

You remember the plays and live bands at the Pavilion.

You remember the big fire in the late 60s that had everyone evacuated to the
Lodge.

You remember Firehouse Clam Bakes, Carnivals, the Dunkin booth and Double
Dutch Bus rides.

You remember Hayrides and Blue Berry picking for .10 a pint.

You remember the DDT Sprayer Man.

You remember swimming at the beach and turning brown everywhere except for
your vaccination mark.

You remember Harold as the "Beer run man".

You remember Sportsmen Tavern was the name before Four Mile Tavern.

You remember quarts of cold bud for 55 cents each.

You remember swimming at the Highway Bridge.

You remember Ice skating parties that had the concrete pavilion at the store as the place to change into skates.

You remember pretzel sticks for 2 cents each at the store-and you could buy stamps there!

You remember the jukebox at the Lake Store.

You knew how to get the ball stuck in the "Lucky Horsehoe" pinball machine and win 8 free games.

You had an "RR#2" mailing address.

You remember the pavilion at Deep Hollow.

You know what "The Colony" is. (New Lisbon Boys Home).

You remember the lifeguard stands were thrown into the lake every year.

You remember there were three gas stations up at the circle; Gulf, Atlantic, Esso.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,342
328
Near Mt. Misery
That is great Bob. Sounded like it was a good place to grow up. Having lived close to there for sometime myself in more recent history, I question if the kids nowdays have it quite as good.

One question though....what about that guy you told me about...I can't remember his name now. He was the garbage man. Your Dad used to offer him a beer all the time. He lived on the back lakes. He was the only "colored" guy living around there at the time. You used to sell him catfish from the lakes. You used to think he was extremely well endowed but we found out later from Stu (one hand) that is was a colostomy bag:D (sorry, you'll never going to live that down).

Anyway, I can't remember his name but you told me about him on a few occasions and I am surprised he is not on your list.

Jeff
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,673
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
One question though....what about that guy you told me about...I can't remember his name now. He was the garbage man. Your Dad used to offer him a beer all the time. He lived on the back lakes. He was the only "colored" guy living around there at the time. You used to sell him catfish from the lakes. You used to think he was extremely well endowed but we found out later from Stu (one hand) that is was a colostomy bag:D (sorry, you'll never going to live that down). Anyway, I can't remember his name but you told me about him on a few occasions and I am surprised he is not on your list.Jeff

You remembered, and you remembered everything! I left him off because I did not think it would mean anything the way it was posted..."You remember Branch - the trash collector".

His first name might have been Carleton, which is the way I remember him. I disagree with Stu, no bag can be that big. I'm not even sure they had that technology way back when. His jewels stuck out so far that he would swing the cans around them--I kid you not. He bought the catfish for a nickel per. He really welcomed that 16 ounce bottle of Schmidts...I can see it now, dark brown bottle with beads of condensation on it. My stepdad had a refrigerator in the garage fully stocked. I can hear him now---"Bobby, get me a beer!".
 

oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
2,126
548
63
Browns Mills
Bob, Here are some from this side of the township.
  • Hanging out or fishing at Hanover dam
  • St. Anns carnival
  • Chasing the DDT jeep.
  • The motocross track on Trenton Rd. across from the Getty station and the one behind Newharts house on P.B.M. Rd. (Their house was built by Benjamin Jones in 1830)
  • Crabapple fights behind Deborah Hospital.
  • Pinball at Cintrons Bus Station in town.
  • Washing your hands with soapberries.
  • When the Little Red Schoolhouse was painted yellow.
  • When most of the streets were'nt paved.
  • The Pig-n-Whistle burning down.
  • We were RR#1 mailing address
  • Getting tired of picking blueberries and throwing the at each other
  • Our garbageman was Mr. Todd and he had normal features
  • Jumping in the lake with your clothes on and your underwear turning brown
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,673
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
Bob, Here are some from this side of the township.
  • Hanging out or fishing at Hanover dam
  • St. Anns carnival
  • Chasing the DDT jeep.
  • The motocross track on Trenton Rd. across from the Getty station and the one behind Newharts house on P.B.M. Rd. (Their house was built by Benjamin Jones in 1830)
  • Crabapple fights behind Deborah Hospital.
  • Pinball at Cintrons Bus Station in town.
  • Washing your hands with soapberries.
  • When the Little Red Schoolhouse was painted yellow.
  • When most of the streets were'nt paved.
  • The Pig-n-Whistle burning down.
  • We were RR#1 mailing address
  • Getting tired of picking blueberries and throwing the at each other
  • Our garbageman was Mr. Todd and he had normal features
  • Jumping in the lake with your clothes on and your underwear turning brown

Very interesting Tom, I see we had common things going on! I would guess you were early 70's? Fishing at the dam on 530, down where the spillway pools up? Was it mostly little bullhead catfish? Was that Timmy Todd's father?
 

oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
2,126
548
63
Browns Mills
Bob, My parents bought the house I currently live in back in 1966. A brand new Bilevel for $14,000. Fishing the lake side of Hanover dam you could catch bullheads but at the spillway we caught sunfish and yellow perch. The McQuade family lived on the lake and we would borrow their boat and catch largemouth bass. Yes, Timmy is the garbagemans son. He married my buddys sister and they live off South Lakeshore Dr. Sometimes I fish across the lake from his house and can hear his stereo playing(Grateful Dead of course)
 
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,673
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
Bob, My parents bought the house I currently live in back in 1966. A brand new Bilevel for $14,000. Fishing the lake side of Hanover dam you could catch bullheads but at the spillway we caught sunfish and yellow perch. The McQuade family lived on the lake and we would borrow their boat and catch largemouth bass. Yes, Timmy is the garbagemans son. He married my buddys sister and they live off South Lakeshore Dr. Sometimes I fish across the lake from his house and can hear his stereo playing(Grateful Dead of course)

We have a lot in common Tom. You are an army brat too? My parents paid $13,997 or so for our brand new bi-level in 1965 in PL. Is Timmy finally looking older?
 

oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
2,126
548
63
Browns Mills
Army brat, Yes Sir!(Don't call me sir I work for a living!What! What hell,Pay attention!) I was born on Ft.Dix and except for 3 years in Munich, Germany I've lived in this area my whole life. My dad had a fridge in the basement stocked with Schmidts. Timmy pretty much looks the same and he spends a lot of time surf fishing at Island Beach State Park.
 

oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
2,126
548
63
Browns Mills
Hey, we were in Munich 1962-1965 I remember going to Berlin right after JFK gave his speech. Bob, if your half Japanese,half German/Irish we should look into DNA testing. Now here are a couple more memories----
  • Cutoff shorts and barefeet
  • Sticking Mountain Laurel flowers on people
  • The Mirror Lake water carnival
  • A rope swing into the lake at the Benedicts house
  • Camping in the back yard and getting up early to walk to Lake in the Woods(Ft. Dix) for opening day of Trout season
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,673
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
Hey, we were in Munich 1962-1965 I remember going to Berlin right after JFK gave his speech. Bob, if your half Japanese,half German/Irish we should look into DNA testing. Now here are a couple more memories----
  • Cutoff shorts and barefeet
  • Sticking Mountain Laurel flowers on people
  • The Mirror Lake water carnival
  • A rope swing into the lake at the Benedicts house
  • Camping in the back yard and getting up early to walk to Lake in the Woods(Ft. Dix) for opening day of Trout season

This is really wild. We went to the Oktoberfest in Munich in 1964. Might have seen each other. Tom, I think though, that you are about 4 years younger than me. I am 55.

My feet were like leather in Presidential Lakes. I stubbed my toe on little stumps in the path to the beach very often. Do you remember when cigarettes were $.27 a pack? I remember coming home for lunch in Schweinfurt, and they announced that..."President Kennedy is dead". I lost all my innocence on that day. My stepdad came home and was very angry, throwing things around. The world took a giant step backwards that day.
 

oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
2,126
548
63
Browns Mills
Bob, I'm 7 years younger than you, remember I graduated in 1979 with your brother Frankie. I never smoked but the older guys I hung out with had a machine for making cigarettes and other things. Mom recorded the Beatles album on her reel to reel tape player and put me down for my nap and play it. This was before they became popular in the U.S. When we left in 1965 we flew from Frankfurt to McGuire in a plane with propellers. This was the last time I was in an airplane.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,673
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
Bob, I'm 7 years younger than you, remember I graduated in 1979 with your brother Frankie. I never smoked but the older guys I hung out with had a machine for making cigarettes and other things. Mom recorded the Beatles album on her reel to reel tape player and put me down for my nap and play it. This was before they became popular in the U.S. When we left in 1965 we flew from Frankfurt to McGuire in a plane with propellers. This was the last time I was in an airplane.

I came back on a troop ship, it was awful. Stunk like diesel fuel the whole time. The USS Upshur or something like that. It took days, and days, and days. Came into New York Harbor. The streets of NY were great in those days--everyone going about thier business and having fun bantering back and forth. It was so free-spirited compared to Germany.

http://yorkship.home.comcast.net/~yorkship/Auxiliaries/T-AP-198_Upshur.jpg
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,673
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
Aye matey, Would you like to see my tattoo? Bob, Did you know any Japanese kids in PL or PTHS?

Yes, in fact I was good friends with Paul Volshell. Ever here of him? And Frankie Defranco's mom was Japanese, and I went out with his sister once. And if I get my yearbook out I can pick out a couple others.
 

oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
2,126
548
63
Browns Mills
Bob, My mom knew Mrs. Volshell,I believe her first name was Jeannie and she may have been an A-bomb survivor. If you look in your yearbook there are many I know from 73-74-75.Including my big sister. There are probably many people you know and I would know a younger family member.
 

Pine Rat Hunter

New Member
Oct 1, 2008
14
0
54
Generation Behind

I experienced the 80's in the same area. I worked as a life guard at PL, CL and BM Beaches and yea threw the chairs in the water to spite the other guards whenever possible. Just wondering if you guys know my stepdad Jim McNivens or remember my uncle Frank Mcnivens. These guys like you were Army Brats that lived in Germany and Pemberton about the same time period. These guys seem to know everybody in the area and probably know you all. Unfortunatly Frank died from cancer several years back but my old man is still around. This was a great place to grow up hunting, fishing, camping and just raising hell, unfortunatly it seems a lot of things have changed and not for the better. My dad told me that last week they finally tore down the lakeview inn. Just nice to go to a bar with a big bullet hole pointing to the parking lot where a novice thief bearly made it out alive. Just got to wonder who in their right mind would even try to get away with stealing from that place.

Jeff....
 
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