LAKEHURST – “Museums don’t entomb the past they keep the past alive!” That’s the motto of the Borough of Lakehurst Historical Society which is reminding residents that it is showcasing the borough’s history through its vast collection of artifacts.
Such items include: books, pictures and documents which provide a record of Lakehurst’s rich history. Members of the Historical Society want residents to examine the community’s heritage during this centennial anniversary year. Tours are free and donations are gratefully accepted for the museum which reopened on June 6.
Organization President George Oglesby was among several members greeting visitors one recent Sunday. Lakehurst became an official municipality in 1921, so this marks its 100th anniversary. However, with the pandemic, they weren’t able to plan anything, he said.
“In 2022 we’re going to have a really big celebration,” he said. “I think in September we will resume regular meetings with some speakers.”
For now the group wants people to be aware of the museum and all that it offers. The LHS wants to help educate those who wish to learn about local lore. Charred remnants of the dirigible Hindenburg, which burned and then crashed here on May 6, 1937, and items from the Navy’s rigid airship program are always popular items to see when you visit the Society’s Museum.
The museum is located at 300 Center Street, based in the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Ocean County. Old St. John’s Church was built in 1874 by Irish railroad workers. Old Church items are on display inside the museum. An old cemetery surrounds the building which opened as a museum in July of 1993 with nearly 1,000 people in attendance
People from many states and several foreign countries have come to see the items on display. It is managed entirely by volunteers. It also features an old jail cell, memorabilia from the borough’s fire department and furnishings from the Pine Tree Inn.
“We’re looking to have people call us and tell us if they have Lakehurst memorabilia and ask if we could hold onto it for three months and then return it,” member Bill Schmidt said.
“It would need to be relevant to what we have here,” Oglesby added.
Visitors can also look over the original paintings and many other items relating to Lakehurst’s past as a winter resort, early industrial community, and as the “Airship Capital of the World”.
A small research area and library are also available to help people begin their journey through local history. A Christmas display of old toys, as well as a number of seasonal and changing displays make the museum a unique place to return to during various times of the year.
There is a gift shop for Hindenburg and Lakehurst historical items. Hats, shirts, coffee mugs, pins and books are available for purchase on a cash only basis.
Schmidt noted the importance of organizations and museums like this one. “I’m from Whiting. I retired from my job in 2018. A few weeks went by and I was going crazy. I had nothing to do. I joined the Lakehurst Naval Historical Society and I bring people in on tours for that as well. That wasn’t enough so I came in here and looked around and I joined.”
During one of the tours at the Lakehurst Naval Historical Society Museum he was shocked to encounter some students were unfamiliar with the basic details of the Civil War such as who wore the gray and who wore the blue uniforms. “History, if we get rid of it, we don’t learn from the mistakes we made. How do you move forward and get better without history? History is important. Without it, our future isn’t as good as it could be,” he added.
Schmidt said the museum is open Wednesdays and Sundays from 12:30 until 3 p.m. Special tours and small groups can be accommodated with prior notice. For additional information, call Schmidt at 732-575-6904 or e-mail BillSchmidt1000@aol.com.
Oglesby stressed that the LHS is looking for new members and volunteers to aid in the operation of the museum. The organization meets monthly, every third Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Lakehurst Community Center, across the street from the museum.
The building is located at 300 Center Street. For those interested in loaning historical items to the museum, you can reach out to Schmidt by calling 732-575-6904.
