Hotel music...

PAUL SPECHT was a popular jazz band leader in the 1920's.

He and his orchestra played at the Alamac Hotel in 1923.
You can learn more about Paul and his band at Wikipedia here.

The Famous...part one

Milton Berle

John D. Rockefeller came to the Mount Arlington Hotel.


Thomas Edison conducted experiments out of a laboratory on Southard Road.

Milton Berle and Henny Youngman were among the performers who appeared at the Alamac. Bob Rooney recalled one evening when Milton Berle's mother was in the audience. When no one laughed at his gags, she always would.

The family of Sarah Vail, neice of President Martin Van Buren, were residents of the Borough of Mount Arlington. Her daughter, Blanche, lived in the family home at MacGregor Avenue until her death.

Joseph Bonaparte, brother of the Emperor Napolean, visited the shores of Lake Hopatcong about the year 1803.

Rose Marie

Baby Rose Marie was a singer at the Lakeview Hotel.
She later was called just "Rose Marie" and was a regular on the Dick Van Dyke Show.

Guy Lombardo came to Lake Hopatcong and raced his boat, the "Tempo II", from the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Cub.

-excerpted from "Mount Arlington: A Pictorial History - The First 100 Years" by Anna Travers.

"Hear ye, hear ye...."

Mount Arlington resident Bill Joseph retired this month from Morris County Nutrition. His wife Alma had a party for him this past weekend. A lovely time was had by all.
Bill is a trustee of the Mount Arlington Historical Society and is the official Town Crier of Morris and Sussex counties.
Bill's website is here.

We Know You Know This...

....but just a reminder that if you want to read these postings from the beginning, you need to start at the bottom.

"It is at the bottom of life that we must begin, not at the top."
Booker T. Washington 

Ringling Manor

The Ringling Manor - now a monastery.

...we quote from the mailing.

The Society will hold a meeting and program at the Civic Center [located behind the Police Station] on Thursday, August 19, 2010, at 6:30 pm. RSVP 973-663-1408 [please leave a message if you can attend.]
Ricahard Willis, MAHS Trustee will present a virtual tour of RINGLING MANOR, The Alfred T. Ringling Estate located in Jefferson Township.
You may not have been aware that Ringling had a home in Jefferson and a place to house his animals.
Light refreshments will be served.

WELCOME!

We are proud to announce the start of The Mount Arlington [New Jersey] Historical Society blog.
A hopeful return to the days of yesteryear, when comments and commentary on the comings and goings of friends and neighbors were fodder for the future of local history.
Oh sure, you're thinking, more trivialities on the intertubes. Been done a million times.
Who cares. They're our trivialities.
But we shall attempt to brook no rumor, gossip nor innuendo - unless they conform to our interpretations of  truth, justice, fair play and apple pie.
More to come.