The Adventures of Miss Myo: September 2013

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Fairy Tale Forest, Oak Ridge, NJ

I haven't posted in a while. We've been busy having more adventures every weekend (which I will be posting about soon), but for now here's another spot we were lucky enough to visit a couple of months back.

Fairy Tale Forest!

This is a place I read about a couple of years back. It's a defunct amusement park located on 140 Oak Ridge Road in Oak Ridge, NJ, just off of Route 23.

It was built back in the 1950s by a man and his two sons. Created by hand. Not some mass produced, corporate type attraction (yeah, I'm looking at you, Disney!). Unfortunately, attractions such as Fairy Tale Forest lost their appeal around about the same time kids started to lose their imagination. Quaint, quirky places like this gave way to the slicker, more fast paced, big business parks (again, Disney). So sad, in my opinion. Someone put their heart and soul into this place and know that it's been abandoned is gut wrenching

However when we pulled into the parking lot, we were pleasantly surprised to see people working on Fairy Tale Forest!

We had a chance to speak to the creator's great-grandson. He and his mother and some friends are restoring the place and hope to have it fully functional again by next year! I was so excited to hear the news!

The great-grandson (unfortunately I didn't get his name) was so nice to us and took the time to answer all of my questions. Unfortunately we weren't able to actually go inside the part due to insurance reasons, but I got some good shots of the outside.

If you would like to see some pictures of some of the sculptures on the inside, this website is pretty good: http://fortuna.home.pipeline.com/cafe-compendium/fairy.htm. Yes, a lot of the statues are a bit creepy, but to me that adds to the appeal. :)

I really hope that Fairy Tale Forest will, in fact, open next year and I'll be able to post about it again, only this time including pictures of the fully updated attraction!

xoxoxoxo

Miss Myo

Monday, September 2, 2013

Amatol, NJ

Today is Labor Day here in the USA, and what better day to post about a long gone town that was built for folks who were employed by the munitions factory that gave the town its name. Amatol, NJ.

Cafeteria building in Amatol during the town's brief heyday...

On March 14, 1918, construction began on a munitions factory located in Mullica Township, NJ, not far from City of Hammonton (the Blueberry Capital of the World). The factory and the town around it became known as Amatol.

As the factory was built to keep the military supplied for fighting during World War I, once the battles were over, there seemed little reason to keep things going and the town and factory were demolished.

A great site about the history of Amatol can be found here: http://amatol.atlantic.edu/

The Crew and I visited the Amatol site in June 2013. At one point there was a pretty large wall still standing as well as an almost complete building, but by the time of our visit, only rubble remained. The old Atlantic City Speedway is also in this vicinity, but we didn't explore that (yet)!

We still managed to see some pretty cool stuff, though!

It is always very interesting to see a piece of pretty much forgotten history (especially when it's nearly in your own backyard). However, it's also somewhat sad to see the remains of what once was (and possibly still could be) a thriving bit of industry and community.

At any rate, Happy Labor Day to all. Fall is on the way so enjoy the warm weather while it lasts, and keep looking forward to the crisp, beautiful days of autumn and the adventures this time of year holds!

Until Next Time...

Miss Myo

xoxoxoxo

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Dead Man's Curve Wild Hot Rod Weekend, Mahwah, NJ

As I mentioned in my "Introduction" post (found here), even when the Crew and I go on a "traditional" type outing, there's nothing ordinary about it!

Case in point - on Saturday, August 31, 2013, we had the pleasure of attending the Dead Man's Curve Wild Hot Rod Weekend event in Mahwah, NJ!

The event ran for the entire weekend, but we only attended on Saturday. Even so, we were able to see all the cars, hear some great music, and check out some very interesting vendors! :)

The weather was perfect. A little on the humid side, but not unbearable. There were a few drops of rain that fell, but then the sun came out and brightened the day.

There were so many cool cars! From classics to "Kustoms" to rat rods, there was something for everyone's taste. And some famous cars made an appearance as well! :)

I also have to say that this was one of the most pleasant events we ever attended. There was a good turnout, but it wasn't so crowded that you couldn't see everything that you wanted to see (even the lines for food weren't bad and we had no trouble getting a table where we could sit and eat). Everybody was super nice, nobody was rude, nobody was obnoxious. It was truly a wonderful experience! :)

They do this event every year and I most definitely suggest checking it out if you are able! Here is their website: http://www.deadmanscurveusa.com/

And now, some highlights from the day. Enjoy!: