Dinner with a Local Celebrity

                        My grandparents had a house directly on the bay in Manahawkin, in the Beach Haven West section to be exact. We lived in Bergen County, up north, and would come down for weekends and for our summer vacations.

Even with all of the traveling that we’ve done as of late, this area of New Jersey remains my most highly favoritest place on the planet. In 1965 one could purchase a small house on one of the lagoons (canals), brandy-spankin’ new for $5,999.00. Obviously today that sum won’t even get you a bulkhead repair at your backyard dock. But those homes are still there and my dreams* of getting a boat again and having it in my backyard get my heart racing every year at this time when we visit the area.

          (* dreams : wistful wants and wishes that will probably never come true but are still tons of fun and very satisfying to have.)

                        “So Don, why are you boring us with your childhood reveries?”

                        I’m glad you asked that Mr. Real Estate Tycoon!

                        Because we’re back ‘down the shore’ as we say in Jersey visiting with Paula’s cousins, Carol and Glenn! And tonight, we are going to head south, past Manahawkin, almost to Atlantic City, and visit The Towne of Historic Smithville and have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, The Smithville Inn.

My first acquaintance with this venerable old inn was probably in 1965. It was obviously for some special occasion (which I can’t recall) as a visit to it was not an ordinary event. Tonight, the event is a family reunion of sorts as Paula’s cousin from North Carolina (and his whole family) come north for a few weeks.

I can’t wait to go back!

                        “Please Don, do go on, we’re on the edge of our seats!”

                        Ok, if you insist!  

                        The genesis of this “Historic” Smithville is somewhat of a misnomer as some of it dates back to the early 1700’s but the vast majority of this locale was the brainchild of a local couple, Fred and Ethyl Noyes. They were on a walk through the woods along Route 9 one day back in 1951 and stumbled across the old remains of the real Smithville Inn. It was just a vestige of what it is now, but still, it was the start of what would become a rather nice collection of old buildings from the area.

                        Initially they built (or re-built) the Inn, added some new space, and opened a very successful restaurant. They soon added (by collecting) these old wooden structures from South Jersey, moved them to their property, and turned them into little retail specialty shops. Think antiques, a Christmas Store, a bakery, local tourist stuff, etc. There is a total of over fifty different shoppes, ten eateries, and a very nice Colonial Inn with about fifty rooms ready for you to stop and take a respite and maybe even procure sustenance on your travels.

                        But the best part is yet to come!

                        “Oh please Don, don’t stop now!                     

                        Ok, get this! Guess who was born right down the road from here….. I’ll give you some hints…..

                        – He’s very famous.

                        – He’s very old (born in 1735).

                        – He was the thirteenth child (yikes!) of Deborah Leeds.

So, the thirteenth child…. exceptionally unlucky! Hmmm…. Could it be that this child would be born as a member of New Jersey’s very own NHL franchise….. the Jersey Devils???

Not quite, but good guess!

                       

The Jersey Devil and his various legends were spawned, figuratively and literally, across from the Smithville Inn, just down the aptly named Leeds Point Road. The Leeds family can trace their lineage back to the very early days of this land, way before it was our country, and it was Deb’s unfortunate finding out that she was pregnant (for the 13^th time) that let her exclaim, “Let this one be the devil!”

Be careful what you wish for Deb! In 1735, she was in labor on a stormy night while her friends gathered around her. Unfortunately, (?) for her, the thirteenth child was born normally. However, it transformed into a creature with hooves, a goat’s head, bat wings, and a forked tail. Growling and screaming, the child beat everyone with its tail before flying up the chimney and heading into the pines. Now your kid has been wreaking havoc in the New Jersey Pinelands for 289 years!

                                    And since I only had a Coke as a beverage with my dinner, I did not have a Jersey Devil Sighting of my own. But be that as it may, the legends thankfully live on and there’s always next time!

Now, please don’t let this local legend scare you away! New Jersey (with all of its many faults and inadequacies) is an incredible place to visit! As former residents, it’s the classic place that you love to hate and can’t wait to leave but feel great when you come back to. It’s a paradox of emotions and experiences……. I promise you that if you decide to visit, you will not be disappointed, just ask Tony Soprano, he’ll make you an offer that you can’t refuse…..

Come here and be entertained on so many levels. 😎