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New book takes fresh look at ‘St. Thomas’ Paine

Carr in the driver’s seat for Scotties bowling

BY DAN AUBREY

BY RICH FISHER

As of Jan. 21, the Bordentown High boys’ bowling team was 14-2-2 and coach Ron Jones was asked how much the addition of freshman Lucien Carr had impacted the Scotties.

His citing of the statistics said it all.

“It helped tremendously,” Jones said. “Last year, with pretty much the same team minus him, we only had seven wins out of 17 games. This year we have 14 wins in 18 games.”

That’s quite a difference.

Then again, Carr is quite a bowler.

Through Bordentown’s first 18 contests he led the team with a 166 average that included six 200 games. He was the lone Scottie with a 600 series as he rolled a 632 against Delran.

That’s not to say there haven’t been a few bumps in the road. Jones noted that in tryouts Lucien averaged 199, which he has not maintained during the season. But the youngster shows maturity in understanding that.

“I came in with a really high average, but with bowling the ups and downs come,” he said. “You gotta get used to it and get ingrained in it. This is my first year of doing it, I’ve see BOWLING, Page 14

Leyonna Robinson holds “Family Game Night,” the design that won the Bordentown City Creative Team Gingerbread House contest. Robinson designed and built the house with her grandmother, Tuesday Robinson. (Photo courtesy of Adriana Loughnane.)

Grand duo wins Creative Team’s Gingerbread House contest

BY JOE EMANSKI

When Leyonna Robinson and her grandmother, Tuesday, spend time together, they like to turn off the devices and the TV and play some games.

So when they heard last November that the Bordentown City Creative Team was holding a Gingerbread House design contest, they had an

idea for their design that nobody else would have come up with. They called their submission “Family Game Night,” and it was one of 12 designs on display at various locations in Bordentown City throughout the month of December.

The Robinsons’ design was in the window at Mimosa Goods on Farnsworth Avenue.

Voting was open to the

public, and hen the winners were announced on Dec. 18, Leyonna and Tuesday were thrilled to learn that their gingerbread house had taken first prize in the contest.

The house is shaped like a typical gingerbread house and has plenty of candy features, like pretzel beams, popcorn snow and gables made of see WINNER, Page 8

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Thomas Paine, the pamphleteer whose “Common Sense” and “The American Crisis” fanned the fiery spirit of the American Revolution, celebrates his 285th birthday on Jan. 29 with a new Princeton University Press book, The Church of Saint Thomas Paine: A Religious History of American Secularism.

It obviously puts the once Bordentown resident into a fresh perspective.

Its author is Leigh Eric Schmidt, a professor of humanities at Washington University in St. Louis and past professor and department chair of religion for Princeton University.

His expertise is American religion and culture, including research in evangelical revivalism, religious liberalism, atheism, and secularism.

As Schmidt shows in the following excerpt, Paine’s call to end of the European monarchy structure also called for dismantling religious institutions made him an enemy to the church and a savior to unbelievers: “No founding figure occupied a more canonized role in the 19th century secularist imagination than Paine, whose bold deistic critique of the Bible in “The Age of Reason” had made him the ogre of evangelicals and the hero see PAINE, Page 6

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AROUND TOWN Reading to commemorate Bordentown’s Irish Nationalist Poet The Parnell Poetry Project will have its inaugural launch on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2 p.m. at Goodbeet Café in Bordentown, New Jersey.

The project is named in honor of Frances “Fanny” Parnell, the 19th century Irish poet and nationalist who died at her mother’s ancestral home in Bordentown in 1882.

The February reading features four active regional writers: Roberta Clipper, a nationally published writer, Rider University instructor, and Bordentown resident; Ellen Foos, a Princeton-based poet, Princeton University Press editor, and founder of Ragged Sky Press; and Todd Evans, a Trenton-born poet and poetry and theater event coordinator. Bordentown-based writer and U.S. 1 Newspaper editor Dan Aubrey will host.

Fanny Parnell (born 1848) is the poet-activist sister of noted Irish leader and home rule advocate Charles Stewart Parnell and the granddaughter of United States admiral and Bordentown resident Rear Admiral Charles Stewart, also known as “Old Ironsides.”

Parnell’s American-born mother, Delia Stewart Parnell, married Irish

aristocrat John Henry Parnell in New York City, and moved to Ireland where she had 11 children.

John Parnell died in 1879 and Delia returned to the Bordentown family estate. Fanny Parnell followed on an extended stay that ended when she unexpectedly died of a heart ailment.

Ireland’s National Radio Service, the RTE, has called Parnell a “trailblazer” whose “poetry was celebrated

by Irish nationalist and her activism helped to bring many Irish and IrishAmerican women into politics.”

She was an advocate for the Irish poor and supported programs to support the Irish during the Great Famine.

In 1882 the Pilot Newspaper in Boston took notice of Fanny Parnell’s publication of her book of poems “Land League Songs” in pamphlet form and called it “an extraordinary addition to the Irish agitation” for home rule and personal and religious rights.

The Pilot editors continued to say “the publication makes no pretense to style. It is an uncovered pamphlet, in large, clear type, and the burning words of indignation, pathos, hope, the splendid bursts of wide human

sympathy, are all the more impressive from the severe plainness of the pages.

The ‘Songs’ are respectfully dedicated by the author to the ‘Persecutor of the Poor, The Hunter of Priests, and the Shooter of Women and Children— William Buckshot Forster.’

“That these poems, filled with fiery inspiration, will be widely read in the United States there is no doubt. The English press has followed Miss Par-

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PAINE continued from Page 1 of infidels. Denied burial in a Quaker cemetery – a religious fellowship with which he had a lingering familial affinity – he was interred in June 1809 on his farm in New Rochelle, New York, with little ceremony and few at all in attendance. Then, in 1819 the British radical William Cobbett, a one-time detractor turned ardent admirer of Paine, decided to dig up the remains and return hem to England as a catalyst for a protest and reform back in the motherland. With that act of grave robbery, Cobbett set Paine’s bones in motion; sardonically dubbed a “resurrection man” by the British press, Cobbett had created an empty tomb of sorts for American freethinkers. That the stolen remains eventually went missing after Cobbett’s own death in 1835 made Paine’s bones the doubly lost relics of 19th century secularism.

Dreams of reclamation, memorialization, and recompense would preoccupy Paine’s freethinking disciples for decades. As late as 1908, one frustrated pursuer of the vanished bones waxed biblical to explain his failed search.

Paine’s “final resting place” would remain, he concluded, as shrouded in mystery “as that of Moses.”

Under the banner of the religion of humanity, the `19th century architects

“The Church of Saint Thomas Paine” by Leigh Eric Schmidt.

of organized secularism built their disenthralled identities out of multifaceted religious engagements – by turns, fanciful, ironical, and earnest; at once, cosmopolitan in ambition and parochial in practice. When the Brit-

Thomas Paine and Bordentown Thomas Paine was born in 1737 in Norfolk, England. His father was a Quaker, his mother, an Anglican.

Paine originally followed his father’s profession as a stay or corset maker, but soon tried other professions, including an excise tax collector.

Despite the low wages, he frequently used his pay to purchase books to enhance his meager education. Low pay also caused him his position when he complained to his supervisors and showed how low paid individuals were suspectable to being corrupted.

It was during that time in London when he met the representative of the Colony of Pennsylvania representative Benjamin Franklin, who encouraged Paine to move to America and provided him with letters of introduction for work.

Paine arrived in Philadelphia in 1774 and became an editor of The Pennsylvania Magazine where his political columns would eventually become the core for his January 1776 publication “Common Sense,” an anti-monarch argument that nation founder John Adams compared to a “a ray of revelation (that) has come in seasonably to clear our doubts, and to fix our choice.”

George Washington also recognized Paine’s contributions and later pressed congress to award a grant to help the pamphleteer for his revolutionary war services.

Paine used the money to purchase a house in Bordentown to be near his close friend Joseph Kirkbride, a Quaker who had moved to Quakercentric Bordentown after the British burned his Bucks County home.

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Additionally, New York State awarded Paine a 227-acre farm that had been confiscated by a New Rochelle, New York, loyalist.

According to the Thomas Paine National Historical Society, “Bordentown is the only place in the world where Paine bought property. He was given a farm in (New York) but never chose a place to buy outside of Bordentown. The house he actually bought, along with a piece of land across Crosswicks Creek, was on Church St. It was moved sometime in the late 19th century from the corner of Farnsworth down the block of Church Street. a couple of lots, and is still there. The plaque on Farnsworth is incorrect as it names the present structure at the northwest corner of Farnsworth and Church as the house. However, Paine never lived in the house he bought! He ‘gave’ it to a widow of the war to live rent free, and then rented it to a ship Captain and his wife. He eventually sold it in 1803 along with the land across the creek.

Paine actually lived in Bordentown between 1778 and 1787 (one of the longest residences in his life) with his close friend Joseph Kirkbride at the foot of Farnsworth overlooking the river (the property is at 2 Farnsworth). He had a room on the second floor of a large house. A statue of Paine was erected in 1996 near this property where his horse Button grazed at the end of Prince Street.

This house became a hotel and then the first female college in the country.

It burned to the ground around 1900, and the current house there was built soon after.” –D.A.

ish freethinker John Sholto Douglass made his pleas in 1881 for secularists to be recognized as a “religious body,” he instinctively turned to Paine’s revered place in the movement for validation of his claim. Those who dismissed freethinkers as irreligious, as having “no religion at all,” he argued, were simply uninformed about the noble history of “the religion of secularism” -- “a religion,” he insisted, that “was long ago clearly defined by Thomas Paine.” The very tangible veneration of Paine is a good conduit for reconsidering secularism, rather literally, as a religious body. While Paine’s bones stayed missing – or , more precisely, were reported found and then lost in what amounted to a repeated cycle of secularist hope and disappointment – a portion of his brain and some of his hair (so several prominent American freethinkers professes) were eventually recovered for memorializing in New Rochelle in the early 20th century. Even then, with the long quest at least partially fulfilled, Paine’s sepulchral relics continued to draw inquirers into the chase and into secularist mythology. The abiding reverence for Paine among his American devotees reveals a more complexly religious, densely material version of secularism – one concerned as much with a localized shrine of a saint as with a prescriptive regime of disenchantment.

Whatever political program secularists dreamed of enacting to limit Christianity’s public power, they subsisted on minority allegiances and practices, seen quite clearly in this peculiar sect of American “Paineites,” with the commemorative rituals and long-sought relics.

Thomas Paine’s reputation as an American patriot would have been far more secure had he stuck to politics and left religion alone. Arriving in the colonies form England in 1774 with scant resources, he quickly established himself as an editor and propagandist. A singularly influential pamphleteer in defense of revolution and independence, he became the most widely read advocate of a new social and political order swept clean of aristocratic privilege and monarchic tyranny. His exhortations in “Common Sense” and “The Crisis” steeled patriot resistance, and later his “rights of Man” made the universalistic reach of his democratic politics all the more apparent. The hitch was that Paine came to believe that “a revolution in the system of government” needed to be paired with “a revolution in the system of religion” – that after throwing off the despotisms of monarchy and aristocracy, citizens of the

new republic should now cast aside the superstitions of Christianity, the impostures of priests, and the fables of the Bible. Once his ferocious pen turned against the scriptures and the church in “The Age of Reason,” his contributions to the patriot cause were almost totally beclouded by charges of infidelity, blasphemy, licentiousness, and moral monstrosity. “All his services were instantly forgotten, disparaged or denied,” Ingersoll lamented in a lecture eulogizing Paine. “He was shunned as though he had been a pestilence . . . He was regarded as a moral plague, and the bare mention of his name the bloody hands of the church were raised in horror.”

Precisely because Protestant resentment drove so much of the enduring animus against Paine, those who would defend his reputation felt doubly compelled to vindicate him on religious terms.

Against the chorus of his Christian critics, Paine’s admirers routinely pointed to the positive thrust of his deism with its vision of benevolent reform, cosmopolitan fellowship, and purified monotheism. “I believe in one god, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life,” Paine had explained at the outset of “The Age of Reason.” I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercery, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.”

His disciples dwelled on that passage, but they also pointed out that Paine had embraced the label of Theophilanthropists for his communion of organized deists (it was a group with French Enlightenment roots that had small offshoots in the United States by 1800).

Surely, that name indicated the more conscientiousness of Paine’s humanitarian faith; in that altruistic light, Paine could be seen as a religious draftsman more than a slashing iconoclast – as an opponent of an unprincipled atheism, not its filthy abettor. Paine’s Society of Theophilanthropists, subsequent freethinkers suggested, provided the practical groundwork for the religion of humanity. Seen as “a cross between a church and a society formed for the advancement of morals,” it was counted a harbinger of the Ethical Culture associations and the archly liberal Unitarian congregations of their own day. As one dedicated Paineite declared, “On this rock the Church of Man was to be build.”

The Church of Saint Thomas Paine: A Religious History of American Secularism by Leigh Eric Schmidt, 272 Pages, $27.95, Princeton University Press.

Those who dismissed freethinkers as irreligious were simply uninformed about the history of ‘the religion of secularism’ as clearly defined by Thomas Paine.

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WINNER continued from Page 1 Twizzlers.

But setting it apart from other competitors was the games-themed design. The front of the house was a Scrabble board with FAMILY GAME NIGHT spelled out in Scrabble tiles.

The front door is a playing card, the yard is a Twister board, and the roof is made of Uno cards.

“We play Uno a lot, and when she goes to her other grandmother’s house, they play Monopoly. I tell her, ‘Hey let’s turn off the TV and spend more family time together.’ We looked, and the rules of the contest were that we could make it out of anything, and I thought, ‘Family game night!’ So we decided to go with that,” Tuesday says.

Leyonna, 8, says she felt happy and proud about winning, and that her favorite part of making the gingerbread house was spelling out Family Game Night on the front.

“We were not looking for accolades.

We just did it for fun,” Tuesday says.

“The day they announced that we had won, people were contacting me.

Leyonna was excited about it.”

Tuesday Robinson is a long-time Bordentown resident and an educator in the Bordentown Regional School District, where Leyonna attends school. Her son Jared is Leyonna’s father.

She notes that she and Leyonna were the only African Americans to submit an entry into the contest, and she says that is one of the reasons she decided to do it.

“We were the only African Americans to enter the challenge, and that was kind of cool, because we’re trying to be diverse and get more people doing things. That’s another reason we entered,” she says.

She jokes that they “argued” when they were making the house because Leyonna wanted to eat all the candy, and also because of their different sports team loyalties.

“She wanted to put something with the (Philadelphia) Eagles logo on it, and I said no, because I’m a (Dallas) Cowboys fan!”

The Bordentown City Creative Team announced the winners on Dec. 18. Robinson shared a message on Facebook after learning that she and Leyonna had won: “WE DID IT LADYBUG! Ley and I would like to thank everyone that cast a vote, shared the link, or made an encouraging comment. We truly had a blessed time creating this.

With everything going on today, in the world of digital. It was a time to bond and create memories. If you don’t have a “FAMILY GAME NIGHT,” please make time for one. Love and hugs.”

A note from the editor In the January issue of the Bordentown Current, we published a news brief about the winners about the Gingerbread House Contest, and with it, a photo of the second-place house, but none of the first-place house. It was a mistake to do it — my mistake.

I have apologized to both Tuesday Robinson and Leyonna Robinson by phone for my poor choice, and I apologize to them again now. They

should have seen a picture of their champion gingerbread house, and not someone else’s, when they read the paper last month.

I am sorry that this comes a month late, but grateful to Tuesday and Leyonna for speaking to me and allowing us to feature the story of the right house — and the right people — now.

–Joe Emanski

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CAPITAL HEALTH LICENSED TO PERFORM ELECTIVE CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LAW PASSED IN 2021 ENABLES EXPANSION OF CARDIAC SERVICES Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell in Pennington, New Jersey recently received formal approval from the New Jersey Department of Health to perform elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)—also known as elective angioplasty—a lifesaving procedure to prevent heart attacks and provide patients relief from symptoms of obstructed arteries without the need for invasive heart surgery. Capital Health now has two licensed cardiac catheterization labs at its Hopewell campus and expanded offerings in its Heart and Vascular Institute. This expansion is the result of a New Jersey law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in early 2021 that allows all qualifying hospitals to perform non-emergency angioplasty.

As part of the new law, hospitals like Capital Health are required to partner with a cardiac surgery center and develop shared protocols – including transportation of patients, data sharing through electronic medical record (EMR) access, regular consultation between providers, standardized data collections, and the creation of quality committees. Capital Health has partnered with Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, Burlington County, building on a relationship that began in 2019 when Capital Health assumed operation of the satellite emergency department on Deborah’s campus.

“Thanks to the 2021 law that expanded access to elective angioplasty and related interventions, our ability to provide these lifesaving measures makes Capital Health a more comprehensive option for cardiac care than ever before,” said Al Maghazehe, President and CEO of Capital Health. “Our partnership with Deborah is built on our shared commitment to the health of our

patients, which will invigorate services that are part of our Heart & Vascular Institute, such as our nationally accredited Chest Pain Center, state-of-the-art operating room for interventional vascular surgery, and a comprehensive cardiology program with some of the area’s best general and interventional cardiologists.”

“With Capital Health now performing elective angioplasty, patients receive lifesaving care closer to home,” said Dr. Joshua Eisenberg, director of Capital Health’s Heart & Vascular Institute and Chief Medical Officer of Capital Health Medical Group.

“In the past, our patients would have to travel to another health care institution to have the procedure done, but by offering elective angioplasty in house, they receive a streamlined continuum that is more likely to lead to shorter hospital stays and better outcomes.”

“With more than 60 years of performing comprehensive cardiac surgery, Deborah is ready to provide Capital’s physicians with back-up coverage when the need arises,” said Joseph Chirichella, President and CEO of Deborah Heart and Lung Center. “Our cardiovascular team is ready to provide Mercer County residents with comprehensive care, and our already established working relationship with Capital will ensure seamless delivery of emergency cardiac care when needed.”

Partnership around patient access is not new for Capital Health and Deborah. In addition to the satellite emergency department on Deborah’s Browns Mills campus, Capital Health Medical Group, a network of more than 500 primary and specialty care providers, opened primary care and OB/GYN offices at Deborah in 2020, and Capital Health’s neurosciences team also provides tele stroke services for inpatients at Deborah. In turn, Deborah Specialty Physicians, a physician practice comprised of members of Deborah’s Medical Staff, provide complex and advanced heart failure patients with on-site inpatient evaluation and management at Capital Health with offices conveniently located in Lawrenceville and northern Burlington County.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Bordentown Current9

Capital Health and St. Francis Medical Center Sign Definitive Agreement for

Capital Health to Acquire St. Francis

Capital Health and St. Francis Medical Center, a member of Trinity Health, have entered into a definitive agreement to move forward with Capital Health’s acquisition of St. Francis Medical Center.

The addition of St. Francis Medical Center to the Capital Health network of health care services will result in an integrated, comprehensive, and sustainable non-profit health care system for communities in the greater Trenton area.

The definitive agreement was reached after a non-binding letter of intent was signed in the spring and a subsequent due diligence period. The due diligence process evaluated how to best enhance capabilities and fulfill the organizations’ shared mission to serve the City of Trenton, surrounding communities, and their residents. The agreement will now move through required state and federal regulatory approvals, a review process that can take more than a year.

“Capital Health and St. Francis Medical Center have had a shared mission to support our community for more than a century,” said Al Maghazehe, President and CEO of Capital Health. “Over the last several years, as Capital Health has continued to grow and expand its geography, one thing I have been very clear on is our enduring commitment to Trenton. This undertaking demonstrates that and will be complemented by other significant investments Capital Health will make to develop programs focusing on the broader needs of our neighbors, bringing a holistic approach to their well-being. We are truly excited for this next chapter in health care for our region.”

WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH Thursday, February 24, 2022 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting If you’re like most women, you’re probably busy taking care of everyone else. You and your heart health need equal time and attention. DR. SATVIK SHAH, fellowship trained cardiologist (and Lawrence Township native) from Capital Health Heart Care Specialists, will review gender differences in heart conditions and symptoms of heart disease. Become your own heart hero!

This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom.

Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date.

Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

10Bordentown Current | Health Headlines by Capital Health

“In completing the due diligence process, we have concluded months of planning and discussion and can now start a plan to bring our organizations together with a goal of greater care options for the community,” said Daniel P. Moen, President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Francis Medical Center. “Serving our community is at the heart of each of our organizations, and it is through this shared mission and aligned approach to care that residents will receive improved access to high-quality care.”

As a result of the definitive agreement, Capital Health plans to offer an enhanced complement of integrated services with community and tertiary levels of care to more efficiently meet the needs of area residents. Preserving and strengthening health care services in Trenton will be a priority. Capital Health’s acquisition of St. Francis will combine St. Francis’ specialized cardiac services with Capital Health’s specialized service lines including neuroscience, trauma, cancer, maternity, and orthopedics, as well as preserving other critical programs in the areas of emergency and behavioral health services. It will also align all of these complementary services with Capital Health Medical Group, which includes more than 20 primary care practices and dozens of specialty practices throughout the region. In addition to St. Francis Medical Center, the acquisition will include related operations, including LIFE St. Francis, St. Francis Medical Associates, its Schools of Nursing and Radiologic Technology, and internal medical residency program.

“The City of Trenton and the surrounding communities are a critical part of our shared mission to care for the underserved and I am extremely excited by what this agreement means for residents in the immediate community and the larger region,” said Samuel J. Plumeri Jr., Chairman, Capital Healthcare Inc., Board of Trustees. “The comprehensive model of care achieved will have a significant, positive impact on the health of our community.”

“This definitive agreement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to provide area residents, including the underserved, with high-quality, comprehensive care,” said Joseph Youngblood, II, J.D., Ph.D., chairman, Board of Trustees, St. Francis Medical Center. “The Trustees of St. Francis Medical Center spent countless hours identifying the best solution to continue the mission of the Sisters of St. Francis to provide health care in the City of Trenton. Our strengths, coupled with those of Capital Health, a regional health care leader, will improve services for residents by offering a fully integrated network of services in the City of Trenton. The result will be improved access and delivery of care for area residents.”

Both hospitals are known for providing advanced care and for ensuring local access to high-quality, affordable health care services.

Throughout the regulatory process, Capital Health and St. Francis remain committed to sustaining and advancing the comprehensive, high-quality services they provide to residents of the greater Trenton area.

SIX09 ARTS > FOOD > CULTURE

thesix09.com | FEBRUARY 2022

Let’s Get Cozy

Valentine’s Day activities to warm hearts and souls. Page 2.

The best cheesesteaks? They might be in New Jersey. Introducing Donkey’s, page 7.

Whoever your heart beats for, our hearts beat for you.

Comprehensive cardiac care, treatment and recovery.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton has a passion for heart health. It’s evident in our doctors, who are leading specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of all cardiac conditions. Our passion also fuels Healthy Lives Hamilton, an on-site heart failure intervention program.

Easy access to surgical care, research and clinical trials through the RWJBarnabas Health network of heart centers is all part of our dedication to every heart in our community.

Learn more at rwjbh.org/heart

from the cover Seasons of love

By RebeKaH SCHrOeDer

Learn the love languages of New Jersey with this guide to food, events, retail opportunities, and romantic giveaways throughout the state. From decadent chocolate-covered strawberries to a perfect wintery scenery, there are options for anyone looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day, whether doing so with partners, friends, or family.

Food

Serving up French fine dining at the Grounds For Sculpture, Rat’s Restaurant’s romantic experience for this Valentine’s Day is an à la carte menu with featured wine and dinner specials. Guests at Rat’s Restaurant can dine on options for the holiday such as duck confit en croûte, oysters rockefeller refaire, squid ink crab pasta, a 16-ounce veal porterhouse, and for dessert, a sacher torte.

Because Valentine’s Day is on a Monday this year when Rat’s is usually closed, the restaurant will be open solely for dinner on Feb. 14.

Sasha Peatman is not only an assistant general manager at Rat’s Restaurant, but a master sommelier. Subject to the day, she will be curating featured wine pairings to accompany the specials.

“I wanted to open some really nice bottles that you normally wouldn’t be able to have by the glass, just for this

special weekend,” she said.

“We have eight outside tables that are covered by a glass awning and have heat lamps installed in the ceiling, so we actually still are offering outdoor dining to guests that are not comfortable with sitting inside,” Peatman said. “It is obviously still a little bit chilly out there, but you’re very well-protected, and all of those outside tables are around our pond and have a view of the Monet’s Bridge, so the ambience out there is still very lovely.”

Rat’s Restaurant, 16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. Saturday through Monday, February 12 through 14, 4 to 9 p.m. www.ratsrestaurant.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Employees wear masks, customers are not required to wear face masks if fully vaccinated, and outdoor seating is available. *** Hopewell Valley Vineyards is hosting a private, ticket-only event with midday meal favorites like imported and local cheeses, wine, brick oven breakfast pizzas, roasted potatoes, meats, and other enticing fare.

“Our brunch menu is very extensive,” said Violetta Neri, who owns the vineyard alongside husband Sergio Neri, the winemaker and chef. “It’s really amazingly customized to us.

Our chef and winemaker being ItalSee VALENTINES, Page 4

SIX09

EDITOR Jamie Griswold ARTS EDITOR Dan Aubrey FOOD & DINING COLUMNIST Joe Emanski AD LAYOUT & PRODUCTION Stacey Micallef SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Steffen (Ext. 113)

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February 2022 | SIX093 MARCH/APRIL 2020

VALENTINES, continued from Page 2

ian, he makes ricotta pancakes and a berry sauce for [them] from scratch.”

The brunch also comes with mimosas and bellinis using a prosecco-style wine. Violetta Neri says that in the past, this menu for private events has been very well-received.

Personally, she recommends their thin-crust nutella pizza that “comes [out] piping hot out of the oven” with the chocolate-hazelnut spread and powdered white sugar.

Violetta Neri is also hoping to have their chocolate port wine ready by the day of the event. In a similarly sweet fashion, Hopewell Valley Vineyards will be selling chocolate-covered wine

bottles as gifts in white, red and rosé flavors.

Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington. Sunday, Feburary 13, 11 a.m. $32.00 each plus gratuity ($38.40) and tax. Reserve by February 9 at 609-737-4465 or www.hopewellvalleyvineyards.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Hopewell Valley Vineyards follows state mandates that are subject to change. Anyone is permitted to wear masks according to their comfort level. *** With elevated American cuisine and a seasonal flair, The Meeting House will have an à la carte menu, as well as featured specials, available for Valentine’s Day. The Meeting

House would typically be closed on Mondays, but due to the holiday, the restaurant will be open exclusively for dinner. Owner Amar Gautam said that guests can now make their reservations online.

The Meeting House, 277 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. Monday, February 14, 4:30 to 9 p.m. www.meetinghouseprinceton.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: The Meeting House follows local Princeton mandates that are subject to change. *** K’s Events and Decorations specializes in packages that combine food and flair for customers at home.

Customizable for a private date night between two, multiple couples com-

From left: The Pavilion at Rat’s set for a past Valentine’s Day; heart-shaped pizza from Brother’s; and a fruit and chocolate bouquet from Carella’s.

ing together, or a celebration with friends, Antonia James, the owner, brings along a picnic setting and a three-course dinner provided by Under the Moon Cafe Catering.

“It’s not limited to one couple,” James said. “You get a discount if you add more couples to the ticket…[or you could] grab a couple of girlfriends and do it as a Galentine’s night.”

Supplying pillows, benches, candles, centerpieces, and “the whole nine yards,” James ensures that pairs

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or groups can have enjoyable, elevated meals even from the comfort of their own homes. If there is not enough space available for the picnic setup, James and her team can adapt to place the spread on a dining room table.

The options for the dinner consist of salmon, short ribs, or a vegetarian choice, as well as dessert. Now inside of a new location at Dragonfly Farms, K’s Events and Decorations also has balloon and floral arrangements available for additional purchase.

K’s Events and Decorations, 966 Kuser Road, Hamilton (inside Dragonfly Farms). Open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $300 for two people; $100 for each additional person. www. kseventdecorations.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Mask, gloves, and sanitizer required for staff. Customers are not required to wear masks. *** For the romantic who is truly cheesy at heart, Brother’s Pizza will be selling heart-shaped pizzas all the way through Valentine’s Day for an estimated price of $18.95, plus toppings. Pre-ordering is recommended and can be done either online or over the phone.

Brother’s Pizza, 871 Route 33, Hamilton. Valentine’s Day hours: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Regular hours: Open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. 609-586-2707 or www.brothers­

pizza33.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Employees are encouraged to wear masks according to their comfort level or if not vaccinated, customers not required to wear masks.

Events

Last Christmas might be a figment of the past, but sleigh rides and the like are still in season at the Mercer County Park Commission’s Howell Living Histor y Farm, giving couples and families multiple ways to cruise around “the farm’s wintery landscape.” Couples can choose a two-seater sleigh or a horse-drawn carriage, while families can ride a

bobsled or a hay wagon.

“Imagine it’s February of 1890, and you look out the window to see your Valentine pull up the driveway in a sleigh pulled by two horses,” administrator Kevin Watson said of either the “one-of-a-kind date” or the “family fun” options. Watson, who recommends arriving early, said that the rides run from 10:30 to to 3 and are first come, first served.

Children are encouraged to make Valentine’s Day cards as part of a crafting program from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “for a small materials fee.” Soup will be available at the farmhouse, warmed by the stovetop on a chilly February day.

Howell Farm’s Kevin Watson enjoys a sleigh ride with his fiancee, left, and Emery Frick and Tom Donnelly of Piscataway show their handmade Victorian valentines at Morven.

Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Lambertville. OldFashioned Valentine’s Day, Saturday, Febraury 12, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. www. howellfarm.org.

COVID-19 Protocols: Masks required to be carried by customers and worn when unable to social distance from others. *** See VALENTINES, Page 6

February 2022 | SIX095

VALENTINES, continued from Page 5

Using pressed flowers from Morven Museum & Garden’s gardens, attendees can make Victorian-style Valentines with Morven’s curator of education and public programs, Debi Lampert-Rudman. Before the workshop, there will be a visit to the museum included. Materials and instructions will be provided. No previous experience is required, and spaces are limited. Ticket price also includes “take home” refreshments and admission.

“Morven is the home of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton, and his wife, Annis Boudinot Stockton, one of the first female published poets in America,” Lampert-Rudman said.

Years later, it became New Jersey’s first Governor’s Mansion.

During the Victorian Era, LampertRudman continues, a lush greenhouse was a sign of affluence. The flowers are not blooming at this time of year, but the Victorian Valentine’s program is “an homage” to the gardens of that era.

“It’s been a very successful [event] for several years and our last in-person pressed flower workshop was just this past November,” Lampert-Rudman said.

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. Victorian Pressed Flower Valentine Workshop, Saturday, February 5, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. $45 per general admission ticket ($35 for members). www.morven.org.

COVID-19 Protocols: Masks required, vaccinations preferable.

Attendees will be seated in the same groups or ‘pods’ as those they registered with or individually, all socially distanced at least six feet from other tables in a large room. *** Harkening back to an era of The Great Gatsby and jazz music, Bordentown Walking Tours and the Downtown Bordentown Association are co-sponsoring a historic journey across town with an insightful look at Bordentown’s speakeasies.

“Building on the success of our Revolutionary Pub Crawl over Independence Day weekend last summer, we are again looking forward

6SIX09 | February 2022

to a fun, informative and entertaining pub crawl featuring four great establishments in beautiful, historic, and walkable downtown Bordentown City,” said Mark Neurohr-Pierpaoli, the founder of Bordentown Walking Tours. The tour also includes “a bite to eat” at every stop over the course of four hours.

While the tour guides telling stories of Prohibition and the Roaring 20s in Bordentown will be in costume, guests are also “encouraged” to wear their best gangster or flapper attire.

Patrons must be 21 or older with proof of ID. Roaring 20s Pub Crawl, Old Town Pub, 135 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown. Saturday, February 12, noon to 4 p.m. $75 per ticket (includes four drink tickets and food). Guests (21+ only) can reserve their tickets online. www.oldtown.pub.

COVID-19 Protocols: The event will follow all current guidelines. Indoor requirements vary by establishment.

Neurohr-Pierpaoli said that when together outdoors as a group, masks and social distancing are encouraged, but not required.

Retail

Boasting “the widest selection of chocolates in Mercer County,” Carella’s Chocolates and Gifts, a womanrun, family-owned chocolatier offers trays of assorted chocolates in flavors that customers can pick and choose from to fill out their boxes. Carella’s also has chocolate-covered strawberries, fruit bouquets with Valentine’s Day designs, and chocolate-covered wine bottles.

Owner Connie Dalton said that customers can bring in any wine, spirits, or soda for the process. Carella’s then puts a food safe bag around the plastic or glass to ensure that the chocolate never touches the bottle.

“We dip it in our kettle, and it’s real high quality chocolate,” she continued. “We usually do dark chocolate, because that’s the best paired with wine.”

The dipped bottles sell for $28, the same price as the chocolate-covered strawberries. The bouquets range in price depending on the order, which can include both their signature chocolates, chocolate-covered fruits and

an assortment of fresh fruits.

Carella’s Chocolates & Gifts, 2503 Nottingham Way, Hamilton. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ThursdayFriday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. www.carellaschocolates.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Masks appreciated, staff vaccinated and boosted. *** For those with an insatiable sweet tooth, David Bradley Chocolatier is selling heart cocoa bombs, as well as heart smash boxes, for Valentine’s Day. The boxes come in two dimensions, a large size and a ‘cupcake’ size for younger choc-a-holics. Along with the purchase, customers are given a wooden mallet to break the surface.

“Inside, there’s a couple pretzels, nonpareils, and little beads that come tumbling out when you smash it with that hammer,” Chris Hicks, David Bradley Chocolatier’s owner, said.

“Of course, no matter what I do, you can’t get away from the chocolate-covered fruit,” she continued.

“Strawberries are still the number one seller.”

David Bradley Chocolatier, 92 North Main Street, Windsor. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. www.dbchocolate.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Employees wear masks, customers are not required to wear face masks. Sanitizer available and plastic shields up in the store. Samples are currently being handed out by employees instead of having customers reach in themselves.

To ensure safety, David Bradley also has a paging system in place if the store becomes too crowded so that customers can wait in their cars until buzzed to come inside.

Romantic Getaways

For a breath of fresh air, guests at Hotel LBI can “escape” to a suite — one that has both discounted rates for staying longer and a full kitchen.

“Hotel LBI is open year-round and is a perfect place to escape for that much-needed staycation,” said Liz Santoro, area director of sales for Hotel LBI. “[It’s] a short drive and centrally located between NYC, Philly and AC. It is the perfect place

Accommodations at Hotel LBI in Ship Bottom, left, and the Colonial Inn in Historic Smithville.

to unwind.”

To kick off their relaxation, Santoro added that guests can choose from relaxing at the indoor pool and hot tub, sipping a cocktail by the fire, and experiencing fine dining, all in close proximity to Long Beach Island. Winter Escape is applicable to new reservations only and cannot be combined with any other offers.

Hotel LBI, 350 West 8th Street, Ship Bottom. 20 percent off winter rates when you stay two nights or more (Offer Code: WINTER) through March 31. www.hotellbi.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Masks recommended, areas of high contact and public spaces sanitized frequently. *** Historic Smithville is known as a shopping village priding itself on oldfashioned charms, and The Colonial Inn is no different. As part of two current promotions, guests can stay two nights and get another for half price from Sunday to Thursday.

If guests want to stay longer, the Four Seasons Weekday Getaway lets them pay for three nights and receive the third at 50 percent off the weekday price. Likewise, they can pay for four nights and receive the fourth night completely free from Sunday to Thursday. Weekday deals must be requested upon making a reservation, with advance reservations encouraged.

“All the 60+ shops are open, all the restaurants are open in the village, so it’s still a great time to come,” said Taylor Walsh, The Colonial Inn’s marketing manager.

Walsh said that The Colonial Inn’s Valentine’s Day packages can include indulgences such as roses and champagne, strawberries and wine, and cheese from Magnifico’s Say Cheese.

The Colonial Inn Bed & Breakfast in Historic Smithville, 615 East Moss Mill Road, Smithville. www.colonialinnsmithville.com.

COVID-19 Protocols: Masks not required when checking in, no-contact check-in available, rooms cleaned frequently.

what’s cooking?

Fueled by

MERCER EATS

A new cheesesteak joint gives something to chew on

By Dan Aubrey

The ongoing regional argument about who makes the best cheese­ steak — in and out of Philadelphia — got a new twist in 2015.

That’s when a world-famous food critic weighed in and delivered a decisive one-two shot into the guts of self-proclaimed Delaware Valley cheesesteak connoisseurs by giving a greasy thumbs up to a steak joint not only off the road less traveled but outside of Philadelphia.

With that anointed cheesesteak maker just opening a new shop close enough to the U.S. 1 region, now is the time for area food adventurers to make a trip, get a quick bite out, and join the debate.

The food critic was the late New Jersey-native and host of the popular cable television show “No Reservations,” Anthony Bourdain.

The show featured former New York City celebrity chef globe-gobbling with no reservations about eating local delicacies — including concoctions stirred up with maggots, testicles, and animal eyes. The program attracted a large audience up to the host’s suicide in 2018.

But in 2015 he and the show’s producers decided to put the focus on the southern New Jersey and Philadelphia area.

Since Philadelphia and cheesesteaks are akin to the connection between London and fish and chips, it was clear that the show’s menu needed to include a highly visible test taste and that Bourdain would have to face the ensuing fire from legions of cheesesteak fans.

But first, let’s put the delicacy in perspective.

“A cheesesteak is a long, crusty roll filled with thinly sliced sauteed rib-eye beef and melted cheese,” posts Visit Philadelphia, the official city visitors’ port for regional info.

Its writer — agreeing with numerous others (including this one) — readily says the cheese of choice is Cheez Whiz — a glowing, mild-tasting processed cheese sauce developed by Kraft foods in the 1950s. But American and provolone are acceptable substitutions.

South Philadelphia hot dog vendor Pat Oliveri is credited with the creation in 1930. A Thomas Edison of caloric intake, Oliveri cooked up the idea of putting grilled beef on a hotdog roll and giving it to taxi driver client.

The driver in turn had a mouthful to say about the concoction and drivers, and their clients soon headed to Oliveri’s corner — where he spiced up the menu by adding cheese.

Oliveri and his co-partner brother eventually opened the shop on the

Donkey’s cheesesteak has been touted as a regional favorite, but it lacks the traditional presentation on a long, crusty roll.

corner of 9th Street and Passyunk Donkey’s Place on Haddon Street in Avenue, the site of the now well- Camden.

Donkey is the late Leon Lucas. He known Philadelphia stop, Pat’s King of was a lightweight boxer who repreSteaks.

In true Philadelphia fashion, a com- sented the U.S. in the 1928 Olympics. petitor opened Geno’s Steaks across His nickname is connected to a punch the street and ignited the long-stand- that was likened to a donkey’s kick.

Lucas purchased the place in 1943, ing argument regarding the better gave it its lively name, and added cheesesteak.

Although cheesesteaks have cheesesteaks with his own special become as plentiful as hot dogs or hot sauce to the menu.

Eventually the reputation of Donpretzels in Philadelphia and around the region, the who-serves-the-best- key cheesesteaks gained steam, and in 1998 then-Philand-why arguadelphia mayor ment has only Ed Rendell got a intensified.

Although taste of the CamNow cheesden competition esteak aficionacheesesteaks have and asked Donkey dos often argue become as plentiful to come to Philatheir preferdelphia. He didn’t ence for a paras hot dogs or bite. ticular vendor Donkey’s is a with the same hot pretzels in family operation. fervor used for After Leon, the bar sports teams Philadelphia and was run by Donand political parties — even to around the region, the key’s son, Robert Lee Lucas, and the point where who-serves-the-best- now by his son, Joe a server at a Lucas. noted Philadeland-why argument Robert had phia restaurant moved to Medford, advised ignoring has only intensified. where the family the cheesesteak opened a Donkey’s on the menu outpost several and heading to a small place several blocks away. She years ago.

Now back to 2015’s game-changing also noted — rightfully — that Pat’s visit. and Geno’s were for tourists.

A quick review of newspaper Bourdain’s entry into the cheese­ steak dispute was like tossing two reports show that Bourdain was out splashes of fresh grease on the an about in the area and even sighted in the Pinelands. already sizzling controversy.

But, as we know, the show stopper The first was that he didn’t venture into Philadelphia — a place he was his stop at Donkey’s. And since dubbed the cheesesteak capital of the cheesesteaks are the only sandwich on the menu, it was clear why Bouruniverse.

The second was that his sweet dain was there.

As the Camden-area Courierhot spot was on a road less traveled:

Post newspaper reports, Bourdain “stopped by Donkey’s Place in Camden in late January for not one, but two of its special cheesesteaks, featuring candy caramelized onions and a poppy-seeded Kaiser roll.”

But in the “Parts Unknown: New Jersey” broadcast segment, available for viewing on YouTube, one can watch the historic account unfold.

Bourdain sits at the bar. Lucas places the sandwich before him. And Bourdain intones the following narrative: “It’s round. It’s got steak, spices, browned onions, and real American cheese — such as it is. And it is sublime.”

Bourdain then tastes, gazes at the chef, and says, “Man, this should be a national landmark right away. This sandwich is unbelievably good.”

One can only imagine the chefs at Pat’s, Geno’s, Jim’s (my go to place), and Tony Luke’s eating their hearts out — with wiz — as a Camden joint gets international attention for Philadelphia’s phenomenon.

With Donkey’s Place opening its third location in Mt. Holly — about a 35-minute ride from Hoagie Haven in Princeton — I decided to do some taste testing for myself.

As noted, I’m a fan of Jim’s Steaks on South Street in Philadelphia and use that as a standard.

Here’s some quick taste-making background. According to former Philly Voice and current New York City-based food writer Allie Miller, Jim’s takes a spot with Pat’s and Geno’s as one of “big three” Philly cheesesteak places.

But more importantly, as Miller reports, “Jim’s recipe is slightly different from the others. Their menu states that they use top round black Angus beef for their meat. Also, Jim’s tends to be more partial to Cheez Whiz over other dairy options.” It’s also served on soft submarine roll that absorbs the juices and flavor but maintains its body for easy lifting.

And while it doesn’t have the street scene that Pat’s and Geno’s have, Jim’s has gotten Philadelphia Magazine’s nod for best cheese­steak in the city and the recipient of four Best in Philly awards.

So with a tuned palate, I took a trip to Camden to get a taste of Donkey’s real deal before heading to its new digs in Mt. Holly.

Donkey’s Haddon Avenue place is in the northern section of the city and is easy to access from the area where Routes 30, 130, and 38 meet. A few minutes’ ride up Kaighn Avenue and a left hand turn onto Haddon gets you there.

There is parking on the street and See DONKEY’S, Page 8

February 2022 | SIX097

Top Ranked for Quality and Safety.

DONKEY’S, continued from Page 7

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in a lot for Donkey’s patrons. And while urban decay is nibbling at the area, people coming and going seem lively and upbeat.

A quick few steps later I’m in the tavern and sucking up the scent and sound of onions sizzling, the lively banter of workers and patrons sitting at the modest sized bar, and the anticipation of the waiting customers gazing at the cooks over the grills behind the bar.

My sense that the march of time had somehow missed Donkey’s was supported by the observations of a Philadelphia Inquirer writer who called it “a bit of Camden in amber” and “maybe a shrine” where the only major change “is that while it looks like a bar (circa 1943) and feels like a bar, it is really more a cheesesteakery these days, the Lucas family’s magnificent version of the sandwich having triumphed over the booze (especially since the place now closes at 6 p.m., though an adjoining take-out window cranks out the steaks until midnight).”

The writer also then went onto the building’s pedigree: a Prohibitionera speakeasy serving Jewish clientele and later the watering hole for shipyard workers, RCA assemblers, Campbell Soup-makers, and hospital workers.

Since my plan is to test taste the Camden and Mt. Holly sandwiches to see if there is any difference, I

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Donkey’s original location in Camden has an old-timey vibe.

order, pay ($11 per steak), joined the wait line, and pass time by looking at the rack of Donkey’s Place T-shirts.

There’s “A Meet Me Under the Mistletoe” printed over a donkey holding a sprig over its backside or “Fuck Long Rolls” (the bar’s declaration of independence from the expected long submarine roll).

I also watch as Lucas prepares his magic with the standard recipe, described by the Inquirer reporter as “a block of thin-sliced ribeye folded on the grill, poked at with the corner of a spatula to loosen the texture — but never chopped. The hot, chopped red pepper relish is from K&Z, the Camden pickle maker. The rolls are, yes, round, their tops set on the sizzling steaks to breathe their steam and give them character. They are the same oversize poppy-seed kaisers, baked to Donkey’s specs by Del Buono’s Bakery in Haddon Heights, just as they have been since opening day. Finally, there are the sweet onions. They were delivered in a little red wagon years ago by a vendor who lived two blocks away. Now it is his son who delivers them. They are ordinary onions.

But they become special on the grill, mounded up and around the steaks for close to an hour, sucking up the beefy juice, seasoned with secret seasoning (garlic? paprika?), furrowed and

The Donkey’s takeout window now open in Mt. Holly serves an equally good sandwich to its sister shop in Camden with a very different vibe.

Trenton. The place stays close to the basics and provides a comforting youget-what-you-expect sandwich.

YEARS

of chewy meat, American or Provolone cheese, sweet fried onions, and a roll from Italian Peoples Bakery in

YEARS

plowed until they are as tender and took it to another level.

I immediately turned my attention caramelized as the onions in French to the Mt. Holly version and again onion soup.”

After hearing my garbled name checked its appearance, scent, heft, and order called, I step forward and and taste and happily found that it was have one of the staff members give up to the standard of the original — me a friendly slap on my shoulder, a but with even sweeter onions.

Since one sandwich was too much cheery good afternoon in my ear, and a bag with a noticeably weighty sand- to eat at one sitting, I had the opportunity to revisit the cheesesteaks over wich put into my hand.

In a few minutes I am on my 20-mile the next day and was more impressed trek to Mt. Holly — with the scent of with each bite.

However, as good as it was (and is), steak and onions filling the car.

Since I had once lived in Mt. Holly, I was not convinced it was the best I didn’t think I would have trouble cheesesteak in the region — or even finding the 37 Washington Street a cheesesteak to begin with.

That’s because the Donkey’s verDonkey’s shop, especially since it is one of the town’s major roads. But I sion goes against the basic form perfected on the streets of Philawas wrong.

After driving around the block delphia — a recipe that calls for the and trying to make sense of the simple arrangement of steak, onions, GPS directions, I finally figure out and cheese on a basic long roll. It’s a that Donkey’s was in the parking lot simple formula that challenges cheesbehind the façade of Washington esteak chefs to excel and find their own special mojo to make the taste Street buildings.

That is just one of the striking dif- buds sing.

It’s even a point Bourdain alluded ferences between the Camden and Mt. Holly Donkey’s. Another is that to when he told a reporter he was while the old city place is marinated used to a cheesesteak served on a by decades of onion fumes and bar long roll.

Donkey’s round talk, the new one is a roll version, on frill-free take-out only the other hand, is window-counter of With a tuned palate, I more like a roast the sort one finds on beef sandwich the boardwalk. The took a trip to Camden with a Philadelolder place is run by phia accent and an older gang that to get a taste of attitude. It’s a has eaten too much Donkey’s real deal thing in a league of of its own fare and its own. needs to see some before heading to its But why take sunlight, the other my word for it? by a team of slim and new digs in Mt. Holly.

A short trip will perky young people. bring you into the And the Camden place has a community vibe, while the long rolling argument that continues new one is surrounded by empty cars. to feed our area’s fascination with The contrasts made me wonder if cheesesteaks.

Donkey’s Place, 37 Washington the sandwich would be different too — and perhaps generate an argument Street, Mt. Holly. Open seven days a about which Donkey’s cheesesteak week. donkeysplacedownto.wixsite. com/mountholly. was the best and most authentic.

However, those needing a quick After several minutes of waiting in the great outdoors, my order cheesesteak break can find several was ready and I was heading home great places in the region. Here’s just to taste test — and resisting the fra- a few: Meatheadz on Brunswick Pike in grance and the temptation to stop the Lawrenceville. In the former Stewcar and dig into the bag.

When I got home, I headed directly art’s Root Beer stop, it made big to the kitchen, put the steaks on the food news in July, 2019, when it was table, got out a notebook, and dove in. rated No. 1 by an aficionado with 295 The first thing I noticed when I regional cheesesteaks under his belt.

Pete’s Steak House. With its roots lifted the sandwich from the Camden bag was that the wax paper was moist in Chambersburg’s fabled Italian reswith juice. Then I unfolded the wrap- taurant culture, the tasty tradition per and, like Bourdain, was struck by endures on Whitehorse Avenue in the look of the sandwich — a substan- Hamilton.

Gaetano’s on Route 33 in Hamiltial mound of steaming meat, onions, and cheese under an equally substan- ton is part of a chain that has a winning mixture of a hefty layer of thinly tial poppy-seed dome.

After taking a deep whiff of the sliced meat, an equally hefty sesame sweet scent of onion and spices, I seed roll especially made for them by carefully lifted the sandwich, studied DeLuca’s Bakery in Riverside, sweet it, and found that while the roll was fried onions, and, although it comes moistened by onion and meat it was with American cheese, the opportuhard enough to keep the sandwich nity to request Cheez Whiz. While the “Where size matters” slogan may set together but invitingly soft.

Then there was the bite and the the eyes rolling, it is more than hype: immediately realization of what all the The small sandwich is 12 inches long.

And, finally, Hoagie Haven on fuss was about. Donkey’s met the best of what I had previously experienced, Nassau Street in Princeton keeps it but its spices, bread, and secret sauce simple with a respectable layering

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12SIX09 | February 2022

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Robbinsville Resident Feels Better Than Ever After Capital Health Cardiac Rehab On a sunny June afternoon, 59-year-old Stan Winnick of Robbinsville, New Jersey was having a perfect day, enjoying a cycling trip with one of his two adult sons as part of a visit to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Part way through their planned route, Stan began noticing that he wasn’t feeling well and decided to cut the ride short and head back to their car.

This turned out to be a lifesaving decision. He was having a serious heart attack and collapsed on the side of the road in a very desperate situation.

“No one wants to have a heart attack, but I was very lucky to have it where and when I did,” said Stan. “A couple of people were quick to help take care of me.”

One passerby was a fellow cyclist who was trained and experienced in CPR. Eventually, a nearby resident (and retired emergency medical technician) helped with CPR until Stan was transported by ambulance to a small hospital in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, where he spent 12 days in the intensive care unit.

Stan’s fitness routine included cycling/mountain biking, running, boot camp workouts, boxing, and two gym memberships, so it was hard for him to understand what was happening. It was determined that Stan had 100% blockage in his left anterior descending (LAD) artery, most likely from plaque that had broken loose.

“When I got home, I couldn’t do any of the things I enjoyed,” Stan recalled. “I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to do them again.”

Stan’s wife, Susan, connected him to Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell, which is home to Capital Health’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Stan entered the program in late August, and he was pleasantly surprised by the people, services, and amenities that are available for cardiac rehab patients like him.

“The space is beautiful and cheery,” said Stan. “It felt like a resort—everyone was kind and welcoming and answered any questions I had!”

Capital Health’s Cardiac Rehabilitation team assured Stan that not only could he expect to resume his normal routine, he’d be doing it even better than before with their guidance.

“I was very weak at the beginning,” said Stan. “But everyone there put in the time and effort that was needed to give me confidence and push myself to get stronger.”

Capital Health’s team of physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and registered dietitians coordinate with referring physicians to help each person achieve their heart healthy goals. Stan’s team included Exercise Physiologist Jack Stolte, registered nurses Kathy Rowe and Kathy Ziegler, Dietitian Loni Pereszlenyi, Department Secretary Amber Chambers, and Cardiopulmonary Rehab Supervisor Laurie Beck, all of whom worked to ensure Stan achieved his goal of getting back to his old self.

After they complete their personalized cardiac rehab programs, patients are given verbal and printed recommendations for continuing exercises on their own. The Program also offers individual and group classes on topics such as heart health, risk factor reduction, nutrition, stress management, exercise, and medication guidelines.

Now, Stan isn’t just back to his old self—he’s a new man. And although Stan is thrilled by his results with Capital Health’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, he admits to missing his time there. “From a cardio standpoint, I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been,” he said. “I went from a dark place where I was kind of depressed to having a very optimistic view of the future.”

To learn more about Cardiac Rehabilitation at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, visit capitalhealth.org/cardiacrehab. To schedule an appointment, call 609.537.6420.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Bordentown Current11

Two Experienced Family Medicine Physicians Join CAPITAL HEALTH PRIMARY CARE – HAMILTON Dr. Joseph Bordieri and Dr. Jared Newman, two board certified family medicine physicians, recently joined Capital Health Primary Care – Hamilton, located at 1445 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Suite 103, Hamilton, New Jersey 08619. Drs. Bordieri and Newman have experience in providing care for people ages 5 and older, as well as addressing specific health issues for older adults.

“The past two years have shown us that maintaining your health is more important than ever,” said Dr. Jerrold Gertzman, medical director of Capital Health Medical Group’s primary care network.

“Dr. Bordieri’s and Dr. Newman’s combined experience adds significant depth to our team, and their approaches to care will benefit families in Hamilton who are looking for guidance in managing their everyday health care needs.”

DR. JOSEPH BORDIERI received his medical degree from UMDNJ – School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey and completed his family practice residency at Union Hospital in Union, New Jersey, where he served as chief resident and earned Resident of the Year honors in his second and third year. Dr. Bordieri is an avid endurance athlete and promotes exercise to maintain overall health. He is a four-time Ironman Lake Placid finisher and has competed in more than 46 triathlons. Dr. Bordieri was named Top Doctor New Jersey by NJ Top Docs from 2020 through 2022 and is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Family Practice, and the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.

DR. JARED NEWMAN received his medical degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri and completed his residency at Union Hospital in Union, New Jersey. He is a ten-time recipient of Vitals Compassionate Doctor Recognition and Patients’ Choice Award and a member of the American Osteopathic Association.

Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Bordieri and Dr. Newman led Central Jersey Family Medical Group in Jamesburg, Middlesex County, New Jersey for more than 15 years. They now offer their services as part of the team at Capital Health Primary Care – Hamilton to help children, adolescents, and adults prevent illness, handle everyday medical needs, and manage chronic health issues. As part of Capital Health Medical Group, a network of more than 500 physicians and clinicians who offer primary and specialty care, Capital Health Primary Care – Hamilton offers easy access to experienced specialists and the most advanced care in the region at nearby Capital Health hospitals.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bordieri or Dr. Newman at Capital Health Primary Care – Hamilton, call 609.587.6661 or visit capitalhealth.org/hamilton for more information.

COVID-19 AND CHILDREN: AN UPDATE ON VACCINES AND THE DISEASE Tuesday, February 15, 2022 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting While fewer children have been sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, there is a rising number of children contracting COVID-19 in the U.S. Join DR. PUTHENMADAM RADHAKRISHNAN, a board certified pediatrician in the Pediatric Services Department at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, to get the facts on how best to protect your children. Dr. Radhakrishnan will share information about vaccine advances, approvals, safety and information on incidence of COVID-19 in children, including increasing hospitalizations.

This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address.

Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

12Bordentown Current | Health Headlines by Capital Health

Bordentown Thespians to present rock musical ‘The Lightning Thief ’ The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki and book by Joe Tracz, is set to be presented on Feb 25 at 7:30 and Feb. 26 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Bordentown Performing Arts Center.

The production will be performed by the award-winning theatre students of Bordentown Regional High School.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students, and can be purchased in advance at seatyourself.biz/ brhs. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Masks are required.

As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail.

When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. Featuring a thrilling original rock score, this action-packed, hilarious adventure is adapted from the best-selling book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

Featured in the cast are Bordentown Regional High School seniors Gabriel Planas-Borgstrom as Percy, Mitchell Reames as Grover, Naomi Pirani as Annabeth, Gia Scozzaro as Sally, Lacey Haba as Poseidon,

Nicole Schiariti as Mrs. Dobbs, Emily Vaneekhoven as Medusa and Brianna Bullaro as Echidna; juniors Candace Farrell as Clarisse, Defnenur Gumus as Katie, Carolina Hubbard as Mr. D, Ryan Kaufman as Chiron, Anna Madden as Silena and Charon, Olivia McGlone as Hades, Jo Russo as Kronos and Jake Sfraga as Luke and Ares; sophomores Aidan Bramley and Luke Williams and freshmen Jenna Schenone and Kayla Stubenazy-Rose.

Bordentown Regional High School’s 2012 musical, Legally Blonde, was awarded the prestigious Greater Philadelphia Cappie Award for Outstanding Musical. Over the past decade, the Greater Philadelphia Cappie Awards have honored BRHS Theatre performances with 55 nominations and 16 awards. The theatrical performances of BRHS have also been honored with awards and nominations from the New Jersey State Thespian Festival and the New Jersey Theatre Night Awards.

Bordentown Regional High School is home to International Thespian Society Troupe 6803.

The Bordentown Performing Arts Center is attached to Bordentown Regional High School, and is located at 318 Ward Ave. in Bordentown. Web: bordentown.k12.nj.us.

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BOWLING continued from Page 1 got many more years to go with the team.

“I’m starting to get back on track, getting my average up. But with all these matches, bowling constantly, you get a little tired here and there.

But you just gotta keep that mindset and really put your best out there on the lanes.”

For the most part it has been a winter of contentment for the 9th-grader as he learns what it’s like to be a teammate instead of just bowling for one’s self.

“All through the year I’ve become good friends with all of these guys and we’ve created that bond,” Carr said.

“It’s really different from bowling by yourself in regular tournaments in singles. When you get put on a team you have to have that team effort.

“It’s slower than your average singles tournament. You’re still bowling by yourself, but you gotta support your teammates. It can’t be all about yourself. I’ve seen a big, huge difference, bowling singles as opposed to playing with a bunch of five. It’s fun being out there with these four fantastic bowlers.”

Carr rolled his first ball down the lane at age 9 at Colonial Lanes in Lawrenceville. He started with a plastic ball and enjoyed it to the point where he wanted to start playing for real.

Lucien quickly became enamored with Australia’s Jason Belmonte, the six-time Pro Bowler Association’s Player of the Year.

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Belmonte is part of the new breed of two-handed bowler, which came into vogue this century. Carr watched and admired his hero, and decided to copy his approach.

“I started bowling two-handed and progressively got better at it,” he said. “I realized I have potential with this. I just kept practicing. Once I started having a little itch for bowling, I started taking it more serious. I got my first ball drilled. I got better balls, better equipment and I started scoring over 100 and it just went from there.”

A two handed bowler puts two fingers in the ball and cradles it like a baby before releasing. It produces a big break in each delivery.

“That really boosted me up,” Carr said. “It’s a better position to be put in for hitting the pocket and getting strikes out there.”

Lucien began bowling at Hamilton Lanes – which is Bordentown’s home lanes – and was introduced to DKJ Pro Shop owner Dave Kline.

“He lined me up and made little tweaks to my throw,” Carr said.

The result was a continually improving bowler, whose reputation preceded him at Bordentown.

“I had heard about him,” Jones said.

“Last year when we were at Hamilton Lanes practicing, his father would bring him over sometimes. He knew all the kids on the team. I saw some good stuff and said ‘OK this will be good, if everything holds up, he’ll be fine.’”

And while Carr is not putting up the same scores he did during tryouts, he

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14  Bordentown Current | Februar y 2022

The addition of freshman Lucien Carr has helped Bordentown win more of its games this season. (Photo by Rich Fisher.)

has still been solid enough to turn a losing team into a winning one, with help from teammates John Bassett, Sean Horner, Aidan Bramley, Ryan Misner and John Murphy.

“He does have the talent, no doubt,” Jones said. “He needs some more consistency, but that’s just more of an experience thing. High school bowling is a whole different experience than casual bowling with the local leagues

unless you’re in an adult league. Then you’ll start running into good bowlers every time you’re out there.”

Carr actually does play in an adult league as well as a junior league at Hamilton, and he also bowls on Friday nights in Howell. He averages around 170 in his leagues, and Jones feels the difference in his average there and in high school could be the pressure of performing for a team.

Jones noted that, “I’ve had many a conference with him to say ‘Hey chill, I know you want to be good, and we all want you, but don’t take it on yourself where if you don’t do good that nothing else is going to go right. The rest of the guys are gonna help you.’”

As far as assessing Carr’s skills, Jones said “His strong point is his mix on the pins when his ball gets in there.

As long as he’s at his target point he’s tough.”

Carr also possesses the important quality of being able to shake off a bad frame and look forward to the next one.

“Definitely,” he said. “A really big thing with bowling is mentality. You gotta have that positive mentality. Just because you have a gutter ball or an open frame, you have to put it aside and bowl a 10 on the next frame.

“It happens. We all bowl bad games and have bad frames. You just gotta push yourself, keep that mentality of bowling good frames. I just really enjoy it.”

And the Scotties enjoy having him, as their record might indicate.

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thanks or to support our Emergency Response Fund, visit rwjbh.org/heroes

How to improve your heart health Ask The Doctor And please, for them, stay home and safe.

be over 100 and healthy. Recipe tasting should be getting 150 minutes of modHeart disease becomes more comand discussion of the challenges of createrate intensity or 75 minutes of high mon as you age so it is vital to see your ing new habits. Shirley Roberts, MA, LPC, intensity activity per week. regular primary care physician for regNCC & Alyssa Luning, RD, CSOWM. You should also make sure to watch ular checkups. how much alcohol you drink. Drinking When you reach your 60s, you Thursday, February 10 tooour much caninseverely raise your blood should visit your doctor regularly to Create Your Own Personal Mission StateSee ads ment. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Why are You Here? pressure. monitor your blood cholesterol, lipid SIX09 section What is your vision of the world? What’s finally, pgsAnd 5 and 7 try to stay at a healthy panels, blood pressure and your Body your Why? Your “Why” is your Personal weight and maintain a Mass Index to ensure a Mission Statement. Join Transformahealthy, nutritious diet. healthy heart.

Heart disease remains the No. 1 tional Life Coach Kathi Szabo, of Eclectic Are there any If your doctor prekiller of men and women in the United Wellbeing for this special workshop that Heroes Work Here_4.313x11.25_HAM.indd 1 1:21 PM warning signs to4/17/20 look scribes medicines to conStates.RWJ-104 Shankar Santhanam, MD—a will help you gain clarity on your “Why” so trol your blood sugar, Robert Wood Johnson Physician out for? you can create a personal mission stateOftentimes, people cholesterol, or blood presEnterprise provider affiliated with Robment that you can share with the world! sure, make sure to follow ert Wood Johnson University Hospital tend to ignore signs that Tuesday, February 15 his or her instructions.

Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health your heart is in trouble.

Dr. Santhanam has Clinical Culinary Nutrition: From the facility—offers some insight what you Not all heart problems Head to the Heart! 5 to 6:30 p.m. Get up come with the tradipracticed family medican do to improve your heart health. to date on current nutrition issues, hear cine in the Lawrence area When should I start worrying tional or stereotypical from other health/culinary professionfor more than 10 years. about my heart health? It’s impor- warning signs. als, and sample tasty new recipes with Some warning signs He is skilled in providing tant to start taking care of your heart our registered dietitians! Alyssa Luning, care to patients of all ages health at a young age to reduce the that you should not RD, CSOWM. Space is limited- register at and accepts most major risk of developing it later in life. Heart ignore are: chest pain least 48 hours prior to event. $5 per ininsurances. disease is something young people or discomfort, including Dr. Santhanam person participant Learn how to boost blood flow throughout your body and For more information generally don’t think about, but don’t pressure, squeezing, or decrease risk for cardiac disease, includor to schedule an appointwait to think about your heart health pain in the upper chest, ing hypertension and high cholesterol. back, or lower abdomen­—commonly ment with Dr. Santhanam or a physiuntil there is a problem.

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What are some ways to improve mistaken for indigestion or heartburn; cian with RWJ Medical group, call shortness of breath with activity or dif- (609) 392-6366. my heart health?

Wednesday, February 16 First and foremost, not smoking. ficulty completing regular activities; The Link Between Hearing Loss and DeSmoking dramatically increases your and swelling in the feet, ankles, legs or Coming up this month at mentia – Can Hearing Aids Save Your risk of developing heart disease. Even abdomen. If you experience any of the RWJU Hospital Hamilton Brain? 10 to 11 a.m. According to several secondhand smoke puts you at greater symptoms described above, notify your major studies, older adults with hearing loss are more likely to develop Alzheimdoctor immediately. risk.

To register for a program or for scheder’s disease and dementia, compared to At what age should I start going ule changes call 609-584-5900. For more Next, try to increase your physithose with normal hearing. Prevention is cal activity level. Also, according to to the doctor for regular heart information, go to rwjbh.org/hamilton. key. Audiologist, Dr. Lorraine Sgarlato, the American Heart Association, you monitoring?

Wednesday, February 2

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Heart. 5 to 6:30 p.m. National Pizza Day is Feb. 9. Learn how to make heart shaped pies loaded with veggies and love. Cook up some fun, and sample healthy foods in new ways! For children ages five and older with parent/caregiver. Alyssa Luning, RD, CSOWM. Register early; limited class size. $5 per child/ $5 per parent/ caregiver for in-person attendance.

Wednesday, February 9

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16  Bordentown Current | Februar y 2022

Au.D., discusses your options.

Friday, February 18

Food: Fact vs. Fiction A Virtual Program.

10 to 11 a.m. Sign in for a session with Registered Dietitian Jennifer Choi, RDN as she discusses and debunks common nutrition related claims and concerns.

Better Health Programs

There’s no better time to be 65+ years old, and there’s no better place to experience it than at the Better Health Program at RWJUH. This complimentary program will engage your mind, encourage you to move and help you reflect.

To register for a program below or to learn about complimentary membership Tuesday, February 8 call 609-584-5900 or visit rwjbh.org/ Kids in the Kitchen: You Have a Pizza My HamiltonBetterHealth.

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The Baby Boomer Heart: A Generation at Risk. 6 to 7 p.m. Are you one of the 79 million Americans born between 1946-1964? Experts say that the “Baby Boomer” generation may be the most vulnerable to heart disease ever. Boomers are the first American generation to grow up with affluence and plenty. The price for this abundance may be heart disease. Join Ronald Ryder, DO, board certified in cardiovascular disease and RWJ Hamilton Rehab Specialist, Maureen Stevens, PT, DPT, GCS, Cert. MDT, as they discuss the good news - we can change our own personal world and, in so doing, reduce our risk for heart disease. Light refreshments included.

Cold, Allergies, Flu or COVID? How Can I Tell the Difference? 6 to 7 p.m. Join Seth Rosenbaum, MD, MMM, SVP, CMO Infectious Disease, as he helps us to sort through symptoms that can be confusing and sometimes frightening.

“Love Your Heart” Discussion Group. 6:30 to 8 p.m. For those who were diagnosed with a cardiac condition or recent cardiac procedure, please join us to explore the “Blue Zones,” where people live to

Thursday, February 3

Tai Chi. Also Feb. 17. 10 to 11 a.m. Tony Jackson focused on improving balance and strengthening legs. Gentle stretching improve flexibility. Learn how to get up if a fall does happen. Must be a Better Health member to attend.

Tuesday, February 8

Gentle Yoga Classes. 10 to 11 a.m. Gentle Flow Yoga for those new to yoga or who want to gentle practice, focuses on warming the body, alignment, strength, balance and flexibility. No experience or flexibility required. Must be a Better Health member to attend.

Monday, February 14

Canvas Painting for Valentine’s Day; 1 to 3 p.m. Kate Moore of Brookdale Senior Living Hamilton leads us in canvas painting.

There will be light snacks served and a good time for all!

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Historic Roebling one ofSq.ft the area’s 3 Bed | 2Village Bathis| 1,000 most sought after locations! This large semidetached home is waiting for you! Includes 4 bedrooms, 1 and 1/2 baths, full basement, living room, lovely kitchen, enclosed front porch, laundry area on main floor, driveway and more!

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ROEBLING | $425,000

ATTENTION INVESTORS: 41-43 Main Street Roebling offers a great opportunity to expand your portfolios. Priced right, this property is more specifically described as being the end of a two story, all brick building that served as the original General Store of Roebling Village.

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Looking for an investment property, consider this new listing in the heart of Florence. Long established rental offering 2, one-bedroom | $1,000,0000 units on Town a large fenced in corner lot, currently occupied by two happy tenants 3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,000 who Sq.fthave been there since 2016.

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This home features 2 bedrooms and a full bath on the first floor with an eat-in kitchen, laundry room and quaint living room. The second-floor Townbedrooms | $1,000,0000 features 2 more and another full bath. The3front yard is waiting for your Bed | 2 Bath | 1,000 Sq.ftspecial green thumb touches!

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Februar y 2022| Bordentown Current17

The Bordentown Female College: Diplomas and sunsets DOUG KIOVSKY THE BEND IN THE RIVER

Almost thirty years had passed since the death of Col. Joseph Kirkbride at his beloved Bordentown home, New Bellevue. Overlooking Crosswicks Creek on a windswept bluff with lofty foliage, the site was where the Borden family constructed a home for their relative and prominent Revolutionary War patriot who served in the General Assembly from Bucks County during 1776- 1778 and directed the formation of the county’s militia, thus being elected to the rank of Colonel of the First Battalion.

It was also there where firebrand pamphleteer Thomas Paine often enjoyed the company of his dear friend and gazed upon the most splendid sunsets while his own home was being built in town. Now the property was being reinvigorated as a seat of learning where students fathomed the same inspiration that attracted Thomas Paine. As with the eternal sunsets, the thought of obtaining diplomas were always within grasp of the promising horizon.

In 1834, Rev. George Washington Doane, the second Bishop of New Jersey, was instrumental in having Episcopalian minister, Rev. Edwin Arnold (1805-1874), establish a private boarding academy for boys on Kirkbride’s former property. He served as principal for a period of five years before deciding to leave for other schools.

In 1848, he and his family moved to Maryland where he became the principal of the Bel Air Academy until 1854.

During his tenure at this prestigious institution, he provided students a classical education steeped in almost every grain of fine literature as well as the fundamental basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. For an extra cost, accommodations were made for students to receive room and board with Reverend Arnold and his family for tutorial instruction. One such student was Joseph Booth, the youngest brother of John Wilkes Booth.

The latter also attended the academy as a child, but was considered a “day scholar” since he rode his horse from the family farm to school every day.

In 1851, after a series of individuals headed the academy in Bordentown, Rev. John Brakeley (1816-1897), a Methodist clergyman, was hired as its president. A graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, Brakeley’s employment record included serving as professor of Languages and Natural Sciences at Wesleyan Female College in Wilmington, Delaware and president of the Pennington Female Institute in New Jersey.

Therefore it came as no surprise that a major decision was made by the Board of Instruction to transform the site into a female institute for learning. Two years later it was officially chartered as the Bordentown Female College.

Under Brakeley’s tutelage, it became one of the premier educational locations in the country due to the simple fact that few female colleges existed during this period. Despite maintaining a busy schedule, he was occasionally confronted with the challenges of personal tragedy. Two of his four children died as infants and his wife, Esther, passed away in 1855 at the young age of 32. Eventually he remarried.

Indeed, the Bordentown Female College was often praised by visitors and scholars alike for its high standards and location. Expenses for those secured by the four-year institution of academia totaled $154 in 1860.

By 1890, costs doubled to $320 a year.

Although it is not known how many day students attended classes, boarders living on campus were limited to 70 students. Individuals were required to furnish their own dinner utensils, toiletries, towels, bed linen, blankets, and umbrellas with marked identification as well as a bible and dictionary for study purposes.

Amenities provided entailed daily

The college was often praised for its high standards and location.

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18  Bordentown Current | Februar y 2022

housekeeping and laundry, meal plans, the use of textbooks and supplies such as stationery paper, and accommodations for daily prayer sessions. For an additional fee of $1, specialty ordered meals were brought to the students’ rooms. This also applied to any abundant need for washing garments. Charges were paid quarterly in advance.

Structures on campus were heated by steam furnaces, and bathroom facilities were supplied by hydrant water. Gas fixtures were appropriately displayed throughout hallways, the library, the chapel, and public accessible areas.

Every room was carpeted and spaciously decorated with fine furniture. Views from many of the windows exposed manicured shrubs and beautifully kept walkways beneath the shaded trees. Near the bluff stood (and still stands) an ornate garden gazebo that captured the imagination of wayward thinkers, and the billowing smoke from clamoring locomotives that rattled on the tracks below.

Courses of study were varied and extensive. They pertained to arithmetic, algebra, physics, chemistry, botany, grammar, spelling, reading, geography, penmanship, US history, English history, and natural history.

Specialized courses were astronomy, English literature, Greek and Latin grammar, French language, mental and moral philosophy, hygiene, musical culture, singing, and art. This was evident by the selection of 50-80 different forms of framed art that adorned the walls of College Hall during their annual exhibit.

Monetary prizes were wholeheartedly awarded in order to “stimulate efforts and to maintain unflagging energy.” Prizes were also awarded to students that excelled in essay writing, reading, music, botany, and hygienic appearance. Most importantly, school scholarships were awarded to students with an unbridled penchant for learning.

When Rev. Brakeley decided to retire from the college in 1875, this gave him the opportunity to pursue his favorite pastime which was studying entomology. However, when his health became afflicted as a result of severe asthma attacks, he sought the crisp air of the Pinelands wilderness by purchasing 200 acres of terrain in Ocean County. He built a simple-framed home for himself and his wife, planted fruit orchards, and constructed cranberry bogs for his outdoor experiments.

At the time of his death, he was the president of the New Jersey Cranberry Association. His loss was mourned by many including his younger brother Asher Brakeley (1828-1911), founder

and president of the Brakeley Canning Company which operated for years on Second Street in Bordentown.

Following Rev. Brakeley’s retirement, his position at the college was filled by Reverend William Bowen (1833-1891). A graduate of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Bowen was blessed with a dynamic personality, as was his wife, Gertrude.

He added new energetic teachers that hailed from New York City to the faculty, renovated the buildings, and acquired a small 5-acre school known as the New Jersey Collegiate Institute on nearby Park Street in 1881. It wasn’t long before this boarding school for boys was renamed the Bordentown Military Institute. Both schools garnered stellar reputations.

In 1885, Thomas Alva Edison’s 17-year-old sister-in-law, Eugenie Stilwell, toured the campus of the Bordentown Female College with her mother as a potential site for her education. Putting pen to paper, she disclosed her observations to Edison in a letter, “My dear Al… I like it very much. The rooms are very pleasant, also well heated. The teachers, everything is the best. The boards are limited. The terms are very low for such a nice place…”

However, internal strife forced Bowen to resign his position as head of the military school in 1884. Rev. Thompson Landon was appointed to take Bowen’s place and the school became an independent entity.

In 1889, Bowen initiated legal proceeding against those that he felt were negligent for the “break up.” It was through this misfortune and others that the sounds of the female college’s death knell eventually resonated out across its campus.

In 1891, Rev. Bowen died, leaving Gertrude to take control of the college. Although she did her best as president under the circumstances, the Panic of 1893 struck the U.S. economy with such ferocity that it affected every aspect of the financial market.

Two years later, there were no options left but to lock its doors. Gertrude and her daughter couldn’t bear the sorrow and moved to Connecticut.

Standing dormant, the property was auctioned at a sheriff’s sale for $8,000.

Out of necessity from the community, the college was resuscitated, but foundered again and was deposed of in 1899. Shortly thereafter, the buildings were torn down by its new owner, James Garfield Chamberlain, for the erection of his grand home.

As the college faded from the town’s landscape, its ornate little gazebo remained. Soft hues of light from daily sunsets continue to radiate gently on its wooden frame and silvery dome like a brilliant beacon promising the way to hope and unity. It is not just an idle remnant from the past but gives meaning to our future as well.

Doug Kiovsky is the vice president of the Bordentown Historical Society.

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