WHATCHATHINKIN'
It's Getting Spooky Out There
It seems like the stores were just putting out the summer patio furniture, grills and landscaping stuff. I swear I just put the basil in our garden and dug out the hummingbird feeders. Yet almost six months have motored by faster than Marc Marquez at almost every MotoGP race this season. The lawn mowers are being packed away while the snow blowers and generators are being readied. Baseball season is coming to an end (I think another disappointing season for the Mets but, as I write this during Labor Day, I can still hope) and the electric gear has taken permanent residence on the motorcycle for those long autumn rides. While I haven’t seen any holiday shopping commercials as yet, I’m sure the Black Friday Super Sales will pop up any day now. But before all that comes about, there is that magical and mystical time where costumes are being dreamt up, candy is being stocked and the ghosts, ghouls, demons and other supernatural creatures are getting ready for their annual earthly visitation. I thought I’d offer up a few destinations to get you in the spirit of the season. Enjoy the ride and watch out for headless horsemen and wacky witches.
Burlington County NJ Troll Trek
https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/2076/Troll-Trek
Let’s start off with these mythical creatures, Nordic in origin and having various shapes and sizes. You may think of them as those cute brown-colored little dolls with big noses and rainbow shades of hair, but in reality, trolls are considered mischievous, sometimes dangerous, and may turn to stone if out during daytime.
However, the Trolls of Burlington County are far from this. The 18 sculptures that populate the parks and downtowns are whimsical and quite friendly. Inspired by Big Rusty, a large troll created by world renown Danish artist Thomas Dambo, who lives in Hainesport near Route 38, they are here to bring smiles. They are all created from recycled and natural materials and pay homage to Dambo for selecting Burlington County as home to one of his famous trolls. 16 artists or teams of artists were selected to bring to life Rusty’s cohorts, which you can find using the downloadable map from the website. As they are scattered in a somewhat broad area and some are a challenge to find, you may want to spend at least two days, maybe more, on your Troll Trek.
Burlington Prison Museum
128 High Street, Mount Holly, NJ
While in the Burlington Co/Mount Holly area it would behoove you to visit the Burlington County Prison Museum. Completed in 1811, this imposing stone structure still stands almost exactly as it did when built. The massive front door, brick and stone construction and original cell doors emit its forbidding essence. It housed prisoners of all ilk from 1811 to 1965 and, at the time of its closing, was the oldest continuously used jail in the country. During its time, the Prison oversaw 13 executions, the first being Elizabeth Freeman, the only female, hung for murder. There were numerous escapes as well.
But we are here to bring you some spookiness, so let’s talk about the paranormal events and hauntings. With the angry inmates, anguish and death during its 154 year history, how could there not be? After the execution of Joel Clough in 1833, who was buried on the grounds, guards and prisoners heard moaning and rattling chains, and smelled cigarette smoke from the dungeon. During the renovations of the 1990s, workers heard sounds and saw apparitions throughout the building. Some had their tools go missing, only to be found later in locked cells. After many paranormal groups came to make their own conclusions, the Burlington Prison Museum has earned the marker as one of the most haunted buildings in New Jersey.
Open Thursday-Saturday from 10am-4pm, for just $5 you can wander the halls, see the eeriness and read the history, maybe even encounter a spirit or two. They also offer an Escape Game which is loosely based on the escape of inmate Eddie Adamski in 1933.
Bube’s Brewery and Catacombs
102 N Market Street, Mount Joy, PA
While Bube’s may not technically be a spooky destination, it certainly looks and feels like it. During the mid-1800s due to the high demand for lagers of all sorts, a young German immigrant named Alois Bube, having honed his skills as a brewing apprentice in his homeland, bought a small brewery in Mount Joy, PA in 1876. Over its almost 150 year history, Bube’s has grown and expanded, adding accommodations and dining. After his sudden death in 1908 at age 57, his family members were able to live here with literally nothing changing and doing little with the buildings into the 1960s. Fast forward and it was reopened as a museum in 1970. Sam Allen, at age 23, was part of a group who began full restoration back to its original glory. By 2017 he was the sole owner. Bube’s rose-toy Brewery is the last standing ‘lager era’ brewery, in almost completely intact condition, in the United States today.
So what’s special about this other than its age and looks, you ask? Well, it’s haunted, of course, housing spirits other than the drinking kind. The apparition of a young woman in a long gown wandering the art gallery, as well as a male ghost, reside on the premises. With a room such as their Catacombs, several stories below the surface of the street in the aging cellars of Bube’s, how could it not be haunted? You can take a Ghost Tour after enjoying a great meal in one of their three restaurants. No matter what, you will quench your paranormal thirst at this establishment.
Skylands Stadium Jack O’Lantern Experience
94 Championship Place, Augusta, NJ
https://skylandsstadium.com/jackolantern/
I’ll end our little Halloween excursion close to my home at the Skylands Stadium. Each year, from September thru November, they transform the stadium with over 6,000+ Jack-O-Lanterns for a walk-thru spectacular. There will be pumpkin picking and painting, live music, s’more roasting over the fire pit, over 30+ craft beers, ciders and other potent potables, as well as non-potent, and fun treats from the vendors. If you fancy a challenge, wander into the corn maze. And while you are in the area, make sure to take a ride or stroll through Branchville, right up the road, and visit the amazing Scarecrows on exhibit throughout the town.