SummerHarvestWeb - Flipbook - Page 19
19th century are interred on the grounds of the grand manor
house of the 20th century. And Depression-era buildings from
the preserve’s connection to the Boy Scouts of America can still
be discovered and explored.
“We conserved and preserved this land and we’d like to encourage folks to enjoy it recreationally and to attend the educational programs. It’s really preserve, conserve, take care and
enjoy,” said VonAulock.
Land conservation and historical preservation are themes that
are often intertwined in this unique area of New Jersey, where
former grand estates, like Schiff Preserve and Blairsden’s neighbor, Natirar, as well as preserved farms and historical sites, also
offer some of the region’s best hiking trails and havens for passive
outdoor recreation, while protecting large swaths of vital natural
habitat. It’s this connection between historical and natural heritage
that Schiff hopes to showcase at their farm-to-table event at
Blairsden.
“People can come away with both an appreciation for what we
do for Schiff and an appreciation for this incredible place in the
midst of Peapack,” said Dorian Von Aulock.
Ticketing opens for Schiff Members on July 27 and August 19 for nonmembers. For more details, please visit www.schiffnaturepreserve.org and
click on the red “save the date” banner at the top of the home page.
To learn more about C. Ledyard Blair and the history of
Blairsden, visit blackriverjournal.com.
Memories of Blairsden
“Blairsden has been a constant factor in my life
since I was very little. My parents bought 50
acres from the Blair estate in 1950 and I grew
up in our house on that property, which was
along Willow Avenue. Needless-to-say, as a little
boy I traipsed all over the Blair estate and
around the mansion, etc. One could do that in
those days before everyone became crazily security conscious. My earliest memory of being
inside the house was around age 4 or 5 walking
down the main cross hall holding onto my
mother’s hand and being impressed by the
heights of the rooms and the amazing expanse
of everything. I don’t recall why we were there.
It would have been around 1957 perhaps. I suspect it was a dinner the Sisters of St. John the
Baptist hosted. Like my parents, the Sisters, a
Catholic order, bought the mansion and some 60
surrounding acres in 1950, the year after Mr.
Blair died. I don’t know why we would have been
there as we weren’t Catholic, although my
mother was always very ecumenical and perhaps
she had come to know some of the Sisters.”
William Barry Thomson
BRJ 2023
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