The Ramble Inn
- Thread starter LARGO
- Start date
The Full Truth, And Then Some
In which I seek out an historic yet mysterious establishment known for serving fine spirits, shocker there that I would seek out a bar.
Sit back readers, like most of mine it will take awhile but you'll have had a little insight to yet another little part of the Pines that shaped the very landscape of it's somewhat more obscure history and people.
This day I took off with intent to work on two projects of mine. One was a bust but the other was a sensory overload of information. In a prior post, Janwor is on point so I ran with it. I will say this once more, no book, nor interpretation beats having information from the source. I must be delicate here for the source's privacy. We all know our watering holes over the years yield much information and today's journey launched a wealth of interest.
Eyeball this and think "big deal, a fireplace". Then come along for the ride.
I had the most magnificent discussion today and intend to have more with the source but let's just take it from here. I must say this, I am subject to the source's recollections and accuracies but after the discussion I feel pretty safe here.
The Ramble Inn, a fixture of Nesco (yet not) Existed from approximately 1934 until the time of it's demise in 1977. Originally intended as a hunting club this log cabin like construction building went up in approximately 1933 or 1934.
The year is hazy because it's intent was to be open just after Prohibition,
ending 1933 or possibly near the end. (That of course wouldst be illegal)
I am giving grace on a three year window based on a guessed age of the source at time of construction. At the least the source believed Roosevelt was President.
The original building was 24 feet x 40 feet with later additions to each side of 10 feet wide and an addition to the rear as well. A fireplace of massive size for this building was constructed and for years was known to roar with log and flame. There were rumors over the years of a bear being kept in a cage at the Inn but the official mascot that kept home there was... a crow.
I was told there were many less pleasant rumors about the place despite there never really being anything bad occuring.
Anyway, it was then geared up to be a Republican Club. (This plays a big role later) It had dues paying members as far up as Trenton. Now, the strict rule of law was that never anyone other than a dues paying member of the Republican club be served alcohol there. Food yes as there was a kitchen.
One day a customer entered and requested a drink. The proprietor of the time had bad eyes and addressed this person as such. "Hello George"
The drink was poured and the person asked, "are you only allowed to sell liquor to members?" Yes was the response. To which this ABC agent who was not a member had set her up fined her and threatened to close the establishment. Now, this occured at the time of Alfred Driscoll being governor of New Jersey. (Republican mind you, 1947-1954) The proprietor made a trip to Trenton in which the issue was "resolved" and she was told "Go back to Hammonton!, pull a liquor permit and serve any and all you wish!" Hence the open public beginnings of the Ramble Inn. "Why the name Ramble Inn?" asks me.
Because that is what the wife decided on I was answered. Period.
This opened a new era for the Inn. A 24/7/365 era. The family just about lived there with cots in the back and only came to the (very nice) house in front to bathe and sometime eat a nice meal and rest. The Inn itself of course was log construction with a Notty Pine paneling inside.
The owner was originally from Waterford right around the corner from me. (This is where some major connections get very spooky) His father came from England and settled there. To this day if you were to look on old maps there are sizable tracts of land in their family name around me. So these folks operated it until about 1952 +/- when they were no longer able and then their daughter took over. This bring's me to a question I had today of the latter proprietor. "Did you like it, was it fun or interesting with stories to tell?"
"I HATED EVERY DAY OF IT!" was the response. What??????
Well, the woman's husband was in the Merchant Marines and simply was not home much if at all and she had a boy and a girl to raise and so the inn of her parents' was the answer. So this lone woman operated this bar and raised two children. (Reminds me a little of Foxy over in Elm)
The colorful stuff I'll keep to myself but let's move forward to how our conversation began in which I inquired of the Inn's demise. The rumor was flame from the massive hearth igniting the fire but no...
She tells me with incredible recollection. A careless plumber. What???
"It was a Saturday morning in February '77, one of the coldest of my memory
A pipe had split in the bathroom and I had a plumber out to mend it. He must have left something hot from a torch or something and it caught" The fireplace was not burning. She happened to be in the house and walked out to see smoke out back. She called the fire department. Hammonton.
Turns out, Nesco begins two houses up and across the street from the Ramble so it really existed in Hammonton. Nesco got there first (mind you, we're not talking a crackerjack outfit back then) but it was fully engulfed.
"Those logs were so old and dry" she said.
So ended the Ramble Inn, a place many came to any time of day or night and a place my own father visited a time or two. The owner told me she only closed one day a week. I took it for Sunday but no. So I threw out there... "Tuesday or some silliness like that?"
"Exactly" says she. "Why?" says me.
"Well, because it's the day after Monday I suppose" In that one Zenlike answer I saw that the matter of fact nature of this diehard person of the pines is a shining example of how people just did what they did, worked around the elements, and made a life for themselves.
The Irony of this place being so high profile in the role of Hammonton and people and History exists in that, there was not so much as one word, line, or any mention of it in the Hammonton news that week. I found that hard to believe when she told me. Her answer...
"well, near as I can tell if you did anything newsworthy in Hammonton then, best not do it on Saturday because it must not have been a day they documented anything" Her wry smile said something else.
That said, I'll let you see some other angles of all that remains of The Ramble Inn, or as she said it's name became in it's last years, "The Old R/I"
.
.
Just to clarify, these pics might not express it's size. This thing is huge, just as I'd heard!!
The best part I found today was the family connection. My uncle what lives in Sweetwater on the Mullica is known to her. Turns out my uncle's dad and
her dad were very close friends moreso than I was aware and she, in the very house I was sitting in, has a piece of furniture in her home that my uncle's mother stripped and refinished for her as a favor. Wow!, how cool is that! I really got to sit down with a wonderful person today and learn so much more than what I've written. The bonus. She has a personal tie to my other project which was my bust and, my real objective today. needless to say I'll be back.
To any who hung in there, Thanks for reading.
g.
In which I seek out an historic yet mysterious establishment known for serving fine spirits, shocker there that I would seek out a bar.
Sit back readers, like most of mine it will take awhile but you'll have had a little insight to yet another little part of the Pines that shaped the very landscape of it's somewhat more obscure history and people.
This day I took off with intent to work on two projects of mine. One was a bust but the other was a sensory overload of information. In a prior post, Janwor is on point so I ran with it. I will say this once more, no book, nor interpretation beats having information from the source. I must be delicate here for the source's privacy. We all know our watering holes over the years yield much information and today's journey launched a wealth of interest.
Eyeball this and think "big deal, a fireplace". Then come along for the ride.
I had the most magnificent discussion today and intend to have more with the source but let's just take it from here. I must say this, I am subject to the source's recollections and accuracies but after the discussion I feel pretty safe here.
The Ramble Inn, a fixture of Nesco (yet not) Existed from approximately 1934 until the time of it's demise in 1977. Originally intended as a hunting club this log cabin like construction building went up in approximately 1933 or 1934.
The year is hazy because it's intent was to be open just after Prohibition,
ending 1933 or possibly near the end. (That of course wouldst be illegal)
I am giving grace on a three year window based on a guessed age of the source at time of construction. At the least the source believed Roosevelt was President.
The original building was 24 feet x 40 feet with later additions to each side of 10 feet wide and an addition to the rear as well. A fireplace of massive size for this building was constructed and for years was known to roar with log and flame. There were rumors over the years of a bear being kept in a cage at the Inn but the official mascot that kept home there was... a crow.
I was told there were many less pleasant rumors about the place despite there never really being anything bad occuring.
Anyway, it was then geared up to be a Republican Club. (This plays a big role later) It had dues paying members as far up as Trenton. Now, the strict rule of law was that never anyone other than a dues paying member of the Republican club be served alcohol there. Food yes as there was a kitchen.
One day a customer entered and requested a drink. The proprietor of the time had bad eyes and addressed this person as such. "Hello George"
The drink was poured and the person asked, "are you only allowed to sell liquor to members?" Yes was the response. To which this ABC agent who was not a member had set her up fined her and threatened to close the establishment. Now, this occured at the time of Alfred Driscoll being governor of New Jersey. (Republican mind you, 1947-1954) The proprietor made a trip to Trenton in which the issue was "resolved" and she was told "Go back to Hammonton!, pull a liquor permit and serve any and all you wish!" Hence the open public beginnings of the Ramble Inn. "Why the name Ramble Inn?" asks me.
Because that is what the wife decided on I was answered. Period.
This opened a new era for the Inn. A 24/7/365 era. The family just about lived there with cots in the back and only came to the (very nice) house in front to bathe and sometime eat a nice meal and rest. The Inn itself of course was log construction with a Notty Pine paneling inside.
The owner was originally from Waterford right around the corner from me. (This is where some major connections get very spooky) His father came from England and settled there. To this day if you were to look on old maps there are sizable tracts of land in their family name around me. So these folks operated it until about 1952 +/- when they were no longer able and then their daughter took over. This bring's me to a question I had today of the latter proprietor. "Did you like it, was it fun or interesting with stories to tell?"
"I HATED EVERY DAY OF IT!" was the response. What??????
Well, the woman's husband was in the Merchant Marines and simply was not home much if at all and she had a boy and a girl to raise and so the inn of her parents' was the answer. So this lone woman operated this bar and raised two children. (Reminds me a little of Foxy over in Elm)
The colorful stuff I'll keep to myself but let's move forward to how our conversation began in which I inquired of the Inn's demise. The rumor was flame from the massive hearth igniting the fire but no...
She tells me with incredible recollection. A careless plumber. What???
"It was a Saturday morning in February '77, one of the coldest of my memory
A pipe had split in the bathroom and I had a plumber out to mend it. He must have left something hot from a torch or something and it caught" The fireplace was not burning. She happened to be in the house and walked out to see smoke out back. She called the fire department. Hammonton.
Turns out, Nesco begins two houses up and across the street from the Ramble so it really existed in Hammonton. Nesco got there first (mind you, we're not talking a crackerjack outfit back then) but it was fully engulfed.
"Those logs were so old and dry" she said.
So ended the Ramble Inn, a place many came to any time of day or night and a place my own father visited a time or two. The owner told me she only closed one day a week. I took it for Sunday but no. So I threw out there... "Tuesday or some silliness like that?"
"Exactly" says she. "Why?" says me.
"Well, because it's the day after Monday I suppose" In that one Zenlike answer I saw that the matter of fact nature of this diehard person of the pines is a shining example of how people just did what they did, worked around the elements, and made a life for themselves.
The Irony of this place being so high profile in the role of Hammonton and people and History exists in that, there was not so much as one word, line, or any mention of it in the Hammonton news that week. I found that hard to believe when she told me. Her answer...
"well, near as I can tell if you did anything newsworthy in Hammonton then, best not do it on Saturday because it must not have been a day they documented anything" Her wry smile said something else.
That said, I'll let you see some other angles of all that remains of The Ramble Inn, or as she said it's name became in it's last years, "The Old R/I"
.
.
Just to clarify, these pics might not express it's size. This thing is huge, just as I'd heard!! The best part I found today was the family connection. My uncle what lives in Sweetwater on the Mullica is known to her. Turns out my uncle's dad and
her dad were very close friends moreso than I was aware and she, in the very house I was sitting in, has a piece of furniture in her home that my uncle's mother stripped and refinished for her as a favor. Wow!, how cool is that! I really got to sit down with a wonderful person today and learn so much more than what I've written. The bonus. She has a personal tie to my other project which was my bust and, my real objective today. needless to say I'll be back.
To any who hung in there, Thanks for reading.
g.
Very nice bit of writing as usual George. You have a nice flair and your punctuation is top-notch. Thanks for taking the time.
I remember the old Settlers Inn in Medford Lakes. A grand place. It burned too. I'm surprised they did not rebuild something similar.
I remember the old Settlers Inn in Medford Lakes. A grand place. It burned too. I'm surprised they did not rebuild something similar.
Thanks all. Janet, you were on the right track.
And as you can guess, I got the very party I wanted.
The first two sentences we shared were funny, almost surreal, and all I needed to be hooked.
I've just needed the time I mentioned earlier in the thread to get to the heart of the matter. I like to employ the knack of getting to the right person and as the years go by any here can attest that those persons are getting fewer, and older. I would have stayed with her all day had I not had an afternoon appointment. I must not be too menacing because I can get people to talk, mostly just by listening. She was/is a treasure.
I would love to go on about her, the family name, and the location but I feel that's a bit too much info. Her courtesy to me would be wasted if she was bothered in any way over it.
Thanks Guy. I figured I was about due to share a goodun' and this is the group I like to share with.
Bob, thanks for the words. I enjoy penning something the reader will like and to be honest, I trainwreck a lot of puncuation for fun along the way. If I've taken someone on the simplest walk with me though in the written word and had them enjoy it, I suppose it is O.K.
g.
And as you can guess, I got the very party I wanted.
The first two sentences we shared were funny, almost surreal, and all I needed to be hooked.
I've just needed the time I mentioned earlier in the thread to get to the heart of the matter. I like to employ the knack of getting to the right person and as the years go by any here can attest that those persons are getting fewer, and older. I would have stayed with her all day had I not had an afternoon appointment. I must not be too menacing because I can get people to talk, mostly just by listening. She was/is a treasure.
I would love to go on about her, the family name, and the location but I feel that's a bit too much info. Her courtesy to me would be wasted if she was bothered in any way over it.
Thanks Guy. I figured I was about due to share a goodun' and this is the group I like to share with.
Bob, thanks for the words. I enjoy penning something the reader will like and to be honest, I trainwreck a lot of puncuation for fun along the way. If I've taken someone on the simplest walk with me though in the written word and had them enjoy it, I suppose it is O.K.
g.
Great stuff, George! I would love to see that chimney up close sometime. It does indeed seem massive, even in the pictures.
Thank you Bill. I wrote what I felt.
Thank you Lynn, and you are always a pleasure to hear from.
Mark... That is not a rule out, but as my late 1800's period Barn and my simple church access, great care is involved. The great gifts given me by these folks are given with terms. There are more to come.
Janet, we must communicate on this. I found a great deal today of interest regarding the angle of your first post.
All... I could not resist a return visit and a 3 hour speak with mother and son today. many pieces of information were traded and fortunately I was able to trade in bounty and I will have pics one day. Understand that I view taverns as valuable as churches for background information. I've no need to go back 200 years because I look for places I can shake hands to, share words with, etc.
Some more trivia tying into our known places. Ramble Inn's base timbers that formed the substructure were heavy planking from.... AMATOL SPEEDWAY. Do the math in time. It's right on. Unfortunately even all those years later the heavily creosoted wood fueled the funeral pire well.
The Ramble Inn had only 15 -18 stools or so although there was much doubling up for big occasions.
The R/I had a room off to the side called the "recovery room" Should be pretty easy to figure out. An hour or night of rest, whichever required.
The main logs for the Ramble Inn were of local swamp cedar. The owner of the swamp could not afford to harvest it so a deal was struck in which the father and sons would harvest the cedar in return for a share of it suitable enough for to build the Inn.
The Ramble Inn had one customer over the years that would land his helicopter in an adjacent field and do his drinking, then fly off. Ironically he was a man who flew the ailing Husband owner of the Silver Fox to his doctor in Philadelphia prior to his death.
The biggest single personal loss to the owner was her collection of handcarved decoys a couple of which were carved by an elder of the Parker family, known decoy carver and bayman.
Ohh, she knows Budd Wilson well and a number of other old timers I threw out there from my Nesco/Sweetwater memory.
For those bored of it, sorry to go on. For those willing to read, I felt I owed as many details as were given me. This was a good day!
I hope to have pics soon to share with all of a piece of the PineBarrens unknown to many, forgotten to some, and home to a few willing to share a little something with a single soul willing to listen and pass along.
g.
Thank you Lynn, and you are always a pleasure to hear from.
Mark... That is not a rule out, but as my late 1800's period Barn and my simple church access, great care is involved. The great gifts given me by these folks are given with terms. There are more to come.
Janet, we must communicate on this. I found a great deal today of interest regarding the angle of your first post.
All... I could not resist a return visit and a 3 hour speak with mother and son today. many pieces of information were traded and fortunately I was able to trade in bounty and I will have pics one day. Understand that I view taverns as valuable as churches for background information. I've no need to go back 200 years because I look for places I can shake hands to, share words with, etc.
Some more trivia tying into our known places. Ramble Inn's base timbers that formed the substructure were heavy planking from.... AMATOL SPEEDWAY. Do the math in time. It's right on. Unfortunately even all those years later the heavily creosoted wood fueled the funeral pire well.
The Ramble Inn had only 15 -18 stools or so although there was much doubling up for big occasions.
The R/I had a room off to the side called the "recovery room" Should be pretty easy to figure out. An hour or night of rest, whichever required.
The main logs for the Ramble Inn were of local swamp cedar. The owner of the swamp could not afford to harvest it so a deal was struck in which the father and sons would harvest the cedar in return for a share of it suitable enough for to build the Inn.
The Ramble Inn had one customer over the years that would land his helicopter in an adjacent field and do his drinking, then fly off. Ironically he was a man who flew the ailing Husband owner of the Silver Fox to his doctor in Philadelphia prior to his death.
The biggest single personal loss to the owner was her collection of handcarved decoys a couple of which were carved by an elder of the Parker family, known decoy carver and bayman.
Ohh, she knows Budd Wilson well and a number of other old timers I threw out there from my Nesco/Sweetwater memory.
For those bored of it, sorry to go on. For those willing to read, I felt I owed as many details as were given me. This was a good day!
I hope to have pics soon to share with all of a piece of the PineBarrens unknown to many, forgotten to some, and home to a few willing to share a little something with a single soul willing to listen and pass along.
g.
Great stuff George! A real pleasure to read. Rarely do we have the opportunity to get this kind of information so close to the source so thank you for sharing it with us. Very interesting stuff.
Jeff
Jeff
George, Terrific Job! Thank you so much for sharing. One day I hope to shake your hand. Thanks again.
I'd also like to know, I've never heard that either... Between Michener's Tavern and Uncle Mike's it was just "The Country Pine Inn" (In the early 1980s). Later on it became Uncle Mike's Country Pine Inn. I have my own reasons for thinking it's a scary place and don't like to drive by it if I don't have to... even as an abandoned building.
Yeah I also remember that one. I use to go there back in the day. The last time that I was actually there the Bartender (who was a friend of mines sister) got a phone call and announced that the mud man was on his way there. Needless to say the place partially cleared out with us included. The next day on the news The mud man had shot and killed a police officer in Franklin Twp. It wasn't very long after that it closed down later becoming the Watering hole which didn' have to long of a life span.
I have to say I love reading all of your stories, and know where most of the places are, and picture them in my mind while reading. I grew up in Grenloch (Wash Twp.) and Glendora (Gloucester Twp.) I am very familiar with the history in both towns, and had come across a lot of different findings when I was younger. Since the day I had gotten my liscence I have been exploring all over south jersey. I would drive for hours on end, paved and unpaved roads, close calls with sugar sand, large mud puddles, and forest fires. Thankfully I never had a problem, except needing an occasional car wash. Anyway, I want to thank all of you who post your findings and stories on here, I really enjoy reading them and letting my mind wander into that drive I was on one day.
of beer were small enough to use for a glass
Wow ! Uncle Mikes , Fond Memories of that place , Whats so scary about drivin past tho?I get all Melancholy when i drive past. It doesn't seem like taverns of that type make it in Weymouth either all those places on the pike went undr one by one