Pride in Our Past & Present
Settled by a group of Scottish Presbyterians beginning in the 1680’s, Matawan was first called New Aberdeen, and then Mount Pleasant. Today, Matawan’s historic town core retains its appeal as a place to live, work, and shop.
Burrowes Mansion 300th Anniversary
On June 3rd and June 4th 2023, the Matawan Historical Society held a historic event honoring the Burrowes Mansion and its 300 years of history. The festivities included a reenactment of the 1778 Mansion raid by the British (see video here), a self-guided walking tour of the Matawan historic district, tours of the Mansion, and many other activities. The anniversary was featured in the Asbury Park Press on June 3rd.
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Great article below from the Asbury Park Press detailing the significant and amazing story of our town’s treasured museum, Burrowes Mansion.
Please join us this Saturday, 4/27, for a historic book release party and author signing, featuring Mary Lou Diecker and Barry Orr.
Revolutionary fight, pacifist dentist, tea room: Wild Matawan history at Burrowes Mansion
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Matawan resident Mary Lou Dieker has updated her book on the Burrowes Mansion in Matawan to chronicle its 300 years of raucous history.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Here are some early maps (1923, 1924, and 1925) of the Cliffwood Beach development as laid out by Morrisey & Walker.
Some observations. Yours are welcome in the comments:
-- Note how the layout of the development only begins at Beverly Drive in the first map. Shore Concourse and Prospect Avenue pass through a section of Cliffwood before reaching the new development.
-- Also, the construction of today's seawall truncated or completely eliminated roads nearest the bay. Note how North Concourse once split into Cliffwood Drive and (a second) Shore Concourse. Woodland Drive looped around to join Cliffwood Drive and Shore Concourse at an intersection, and Seawood Drive joined Cliffwood Drive. Today, Cliffwood Drive no longer exists. Shore Concourse eventually was renamed Marshall Concourse. And Woodland, Marshall and Seawall all dead end at the bay.
-- The first map shows Lakeside Parkway splitting off West Concourse and heading toward the lake. The third map shows West Concourse making that turn and Greenwood Avenue as an incomplete stub. Today, the houses along Greenwood Avenue between Brookside and Lakeview Way are some of the newer houses in the neighborhood.
-- Valley Drive at the intersection of Cliffwood Avenue and South Concourse no longer exists.
-- Beachway off Woodmere Drive no longer exists.
-- Hawthorn Way would later become Marz Way, named for a longtime Township Mayor.
-- Today's Overlook Park was laid out as Overlook Circle with lots within the circle.
-- A boardwalk and pavilion are shown between Treasure Lake and the bay.
These maps appear at the Rutgers University Libraries website. rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/57098/
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I know there were rental cabins along West Concourse. I haven't found out about huge home now torn down on Woodland Drive. That I was told since the 1960's was a resort hotel. The owner's kids said that's what it originally was with rowboats. Never found a pic and only a vague article about a hotel sounding like it could be that home. Anything? I've been looking before Google lol was there a hotel on treasure lake on woodland drive?? Ty
Thanks for sharing , my bro lives on N Concourse. He has a beautiful cape on a double Lot down just before the road loops around to overlook the bay. Excellent high up bluffs in that area million dollar views of the bay ! During the same time period. Lawrence Lamb was developing the once world class gold course and club house property overlooking the Bay at Laurence Harbor. The homes were Initially meant as summer season bungalows on 25w x I believe 75’ deep lots. Again million dollar views from the bluffs of bay view drive. I grew up just west off rt 35 we had a Cape 50x100 I think most of the homes of the early 20th C were built individually by a family or perhaps only a few here and there by an organized builder. Lots of good memories !
I think it was originally planned as a summer only vacation spot like Ocean Grove. Our survey (on West Concourse) is still written for 4 plots of land.