Ghost or hoax? You decide! October 31, 2009
Posted by Samantha Costa in History, holidays.Tags: full body apparitions, ghosts, halloween, Halloween Parade, hauntings, Holly Glenn Elementary school, Lenni-Lenape, lights going on by themselves, Olde Chapp Candle Company and gift shop, South Jersey Ghost Research, Squankum, The Grand Theatre, The Road Company, theater, trick-or-treat, Williamstown
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TRICK OR TREAT! It’s Halloween!
This post is going to take me awhile in between trick-or-treating children knocking on my door,(making my dog howl like a banshee)! Before I head over to the Halloween Parade, I want to tell you about something I hinted at in my last post. I don’t want to get into the history of Williamstown too much, because I’d like to devote an entire post about that sometime in the near future.
I will just let you know now that this town was not always called Williamstown. Once upon a time, it was called Squankum. Who cares? The word Squankum was given to this area by the Lenni-Lenape, a Delaware tribe, and means “place of evil ghosts.” That phrase was supposedly coined due to the massive amounts of mosquitoes in the area.
…Or was it?
According to the South Jersey Ghost Research Group, Williamstown has a few ghosts in a couple familiar places.
The Grand Theatre on Main Street
Did you ever drive by the Grand Theatre on Main St.? The Road Company hosts plays there, but they know that there is more than a stage and audience in their theater. The S.J.G.R’s website says that there have been sightings of “a full body apparition of a woman walking around the theater.”
The Olde Chapp Candle Co. sign on Main St.
If you ride a little further down Main St., past Holly Glenn Elementary School on the right, you will see the Olde Chapp Candle Co. and Shop. S.J.G.R’s site says that most pictures proved to be false evidence leading to ghosts.
The Ole Chapp Candle Co.
However, lights were noticed going on by themselves and a drop in temperature of 20 degrees was detected. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the candle company does not appear to have its own website.
One more thing. These local businesses aren’t the only haunted buildings in Williamstown. There are 4 houses listed on S.J.G.R’s website. Although information regarding the owners is not listed, you can read about what was seen at these locations.
The S.J.G.R. group failed to respond to my e-mail, but if you are interested in anything ghost-related and live in the South Jersey area, visit their site.
Happy Hauntings!
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(That wasn’t so bad, now was it?)
Last minute Halloween events! October 27, 2009
Posted by Samantha Costa in Businesses, Events, holidays.Tags: beer, candy, Cecil, costume party, decorations, Fire department, food, ghoulish, halloween, Halloween Parade, haunted, Haunted High School, hayrides, high school, Hogbin's Nursery, kids, Monroe Township, movies, music, October 30, October 31, parade, Paranormal Activity, Phillies, police, prizes, Regal Cinemas, SAW VI, The Stepfather, United Artist, VFW, Williamstown, Williamstown High school
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If you still haven’t made plans for Halloween, there is plenty to do right here in Monroe Township. Here are some places you may want to consider, rather than staying home watching scary movies:
- Williamstown High School will hold their award-winning 15th Annual “Haunted High School” on Friday, October 30 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. This is a great chance for local parents to bring their children who are in the fourth grade or younger, out for some safe pre-Halloween fun! Candy and decorations are donated by the students, staff, and even residents of the community.
- Leave the kids at home for this one! The Williamstown VFW Post 1616 is having a Halloween Costume Party on October 31 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. There will be food, beer, music, and prizes! If you call Sandy Kammer at (856) 697-9582 or the VFW Post at (856) 728-0760 in advance, the tickets are $15.00, otherwise they are $20.00 at the door. Call Sandy or the post to find out more!
- Hogbin’s Nursery is holding its first ever haunted hayride! “Hogbin’s Haunted Hollow Hayride” has been in operation since October 2, and will continue until this Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Ticket prices are set at $15.00 for adults ages 13+, and $10.00 for children 12 and under. Large crowds need to call ahead! It sounds pretty good, and since it is so close to home – why not?
- FINALLY! The Halloween Parade, after being postponed twice, will take place on this Saturday, October 31! As stated before, the Halloween Parade will include floats, a costume contest, local police and fire departments, candy, and according to Jim Bonder of the Parks and Recreation Committee, there will be a EAGLES PEP BAND! The parade starts in the CVS Parking lot at 7 p.m. and marches down Main St., ending at Church St.
If you can’t make it to these events, don’t worry! There will be plenty of trick-or-treaters knocking on your door Saturday, Oct. 31. Monroe Township has mandated a specified trick-or-treat time from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., but because Halloween is on a Saturday this year, you may get a few early birds. Curfew is strictly enforced, so keep your kids safe and have them inside by curfew! (Curfew is until 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30)
No kids? No candy? Head over to our neighboring township’s Regal Cinemas and United Artist movie theaters. Hollywood has you covered this Halloween with movies like SAW VI, The Stepfather, and Paranormal Activity!
Check back in a few days for ghoulish information!
That’s all I’m saying right now. Until then, happy haunting!
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Williamstown Middle School’s Fall Craft Fair October 24, 2009
Posted by Samantha Costa in Events, Schools.Tags: bottle caps, Crafts, Fair, fashion, halloween, handbags, Kettle Korn, Renaissance, school, vendors, Williamstown Middle School, wristlets
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A sign on the doors of the school
Today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Williamstown Middle School had a craft fair in their hallways and gymnasium. It was hosted by the Renaissance Program. I just found out about it last night, so it was sort of last minute. Unfortunately, I only snapped a few photos, because most vendors seemed standoffish.
Handmade handbags and wristlets - made from old wrappers and other scraps. ($20 - $40)
Halloween decorations!
Bottle Caps turned fashion
I was very tempted to buy this
Personalized Frames
It looked like the Amish Market all over again! There were homemade cupcakes that sold for 2/$0.25! There were door prizes through a raffle, homemade kettle korn, and a whole table dedicated to pumpkin painting, and so much more!
It was a good day for an event like this, being since it’s raining AGAIN this weekend.
Just around the corner… October 10, 2009
Posted by Samantha Costa in holidays.Tags: candy, costume contest, costumes, CVS, fire trucks, floats, halloween, halloween decorations, Monroe Township Parks and Recreation, music, police, trick-or-treat
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It’s beginning to look a lot like…
My very own, Jack Skellington: A Tribute to A Nightmare Before Christmas
…my favorite holiday -Halloween! What did you think I was going to say? Christmas? That can wait a little while. For now, I just want to share with you some of the devilish reminders that trick-or-treat time is just around the corner!
Halloween decorations are popping up all over Williamstown this week, most notably on Main St. where residents are gearing up for the annual Halloween parade on October 17.
- This resident is making use of their wrap around porch
Mums and pumpkins make the season!
Did you know? October 3, 2009
Posted by Samantha Costa in Businesses.Tags: bikes, comics, halloween, Mickey Mouse, music, record albums, South Jersey, thrift store, toys, wooden furniture
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There is a thrift store on Main Street?
I knew it had been here for a few years, but I’ve always been too busy to stop and take a look inside. I’m glad I did.
With a large red sign, Chic But Cheap is hard to miss.
Chic But Cheap Thrift Store is located on Main St. in Williamstown and many don’t know it exists. Like many thrift stores, it offers wide varities of items that many of us forget about. Owned by husband and wife, Philip Butler and Margie Cordero, Chic But Cheap was voted the best thrift store in South Jersey. The 4 year-old thrift store offers items for sale that seem to be in perfect condition.
Bikes, wooden furniture, and other appealing merchandise are displayed on the sidewalk in front of the store. As you walk in, you immediately feel as though you’re in the past and present at the same time.
The front of the store is filled with Halloween decorations and other ghoulish things to make your home perfect for the season. If you choose to walk to the immediate left of the store, you will find vintage Mickey Mouse paraphenalia and kitchen necessities. Amongst the Mickey Mouse figurines and bobble heads, there is a Disney World 15 year anniversary plaque.
In the center of the photo is a Raggedy Ann and Andy bowl.
If you walk a little further back you will find a nook full of mirrors, handbags and toys. From there you will head to the back of the store that holds numerous items such as a Raggedy Ann and Andy bowl. There are books that range from encyclopedias, fiction, comics, and stories about President Kennedy.
If you follow the U-turn toward the right side of the store you will find an entire corner of childrens toys, including an authentic 1982 G.I. Joe mug. Right beside the toys is probably the most impressive collection of record albums I have ever seen. There are a couple record players and a large collection of cassette tapes.
A wide variety of records and tapes
An old radio made in West Germany
For directions, visit http://www.superpages.com/bp/Williamstown-NJ/Chic-But-Cheap-Thrift-Store-L2115966692.htm. There is currently no business website for this establishment, but if you would like to find out more information, feel free call Margie or Philip at (856) 768-0114, or just pull up and take a peek inside.
