Opening Doors to Historical Homes

Spring Lake Historical Society showcases the community’s past in an annual tour.

BY KERRY SERZAN

From century-old residences to new historic revivals, there was something for everyone who took part in the 42nd annual Spring Lake Historical Society House Tour. Held June 8, ticketed guests could visit multiple sites during the event, which celebrated “spring time in old Spring Lake.”

In addition to five private homes, patrons toured St. Catharine Church on Essex Avenue, the Spring Lake Community House, Sundae Times ice cream parlor on Atlantic Avenue and the Historical Society’s museum.

“It’s wonderful to be able to see what our forebears did and how they laid the foundation for all that we enjoy now,” says Elaine Traynor, a Historical Society volunteer who guided visitors through the museum on tour day and owns a historical home on Sussex Avenue. “A lot of people in town appreciate our old and beautiful history and have done great work renovating and making a 21st century home while maintaining the history and charm.”

The museum, located on the second floor of the municipal building at Fifth and Warren Avenues, is a must-see for anyone interested in Spring Lake history. Its Permanent Exhibit Gallery chronicles the history of the area through a collection of photographs, artifacts and rare items. Three exhibits in the museum’s Changing Exhibit Gallery currently highlight the history of the Spring Lake Community House, which is celebrating its 100th year; Spring Lake’s incorporation as a town in 1892; and municipal leadership in a retrospective honoring the town’s mayors.

Strolling Through the Past

Participants received event tickets and maps at the Spring Lake train station and enjoyed coffee and refreshments before embarking on self-guided ventures.

“The town is aesthetically so pleasing, especially at this time of year with all the flowers in bloom,” said Carol Boutilier as she prepared to set out on the tour. “I remember being a kid and riding my bike through town admiring all the architecture of the older homes, each of them so different.”

“I’m excited to see what it’s like inside some of these historic homes,” said Boutilier’s neighbor Rebecca Mimnaugh, who joined her friend on the tour. “I’m especially excited to see what the ocean looks like from inside the Passaic house.”

That residence, called Gretamere, at 2 Passaic Avenue, was built in 1898 as a summer home for Col. James Schoonmaker. Gretamere’s present owners have taken care to restore the fine details and elegant architectural character of the Beaux-Arts period home. Stand-out features include a wraparound porch, Corinthian columns, balconies embellished with pilasters and corbels, an imposing mantle, oak staircase and original cherry floors. As the society’s tour booklet noted, “nothing has been lost and truly much has been gained with the restoration of Gretamere,” a name referring to the colonel’s daughter, Gretchen.

Houses of Worship and Commerce

St. Catharine Church also derives its name from a child of its founder. It was constructed in 1901 by wealthy philanthropist Martin Maloney to honor a daughter who died of tuberculosis at age 17. Built of limestone and buff Pompeian brick, the church’s design was inspired by the Roman Renaissance and Baroque periods and is a highstyle example of classical revival architecture. As explained by a docent, the many stunning canvases, frescos and tapestries adorning the church’s interior highlight the histories of the church, Ireland and the Maloney family.

A literal sweet spot of the day was the Sundae Times, a “delightful old-new part of Spring Lake history,” where tourgoers were invited to enjoy complimentary ice cream samples throughout the afternoon. Formerly called Peterson’s, the shop occupies a space that housed the D.H. Hills Drug Co. pharmacy for decades. The building was constructed after a 1900 fire that destroyed the original Monmouth Hotel and most of the southend commercial district.

The Spring Lake Historical Society’s museum is open through Labor Day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to noon. For more information on the society and the tour, call 732-449-0772 or visit www. springlakehistoricalsociety.org.