The Spy House

 

The Seabrook-Wilson Homestead is known locally as the Spy House.  Established in 1650, upon 300 acre farm of mostly marsh land.  The area now comprises Pew's Creek watershed area and Bayshore Waterfront Park in Port Monmouth.

The house is one of the oldest buildings still standing in the bayshore area and was listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in 1974.  The house began as a small cabin in 1720 before growing into its current form in 1896.  The building was extensively renovated in 2008.

The building has served as a hotel and tavern as well as a private home.  The house has been known as the Bay Side Manor and the White House.  Today, it is a small museum documenting colonial life in the area and is the focal point of the park through its activity center.  

Many people claim the building is haunted after seeing apparitions in the windows at night.  Weird NJ wrote an article about these sightings as well as Roadside America.  While it is an historic colonial building it is mainly known for its role in the Revolutionary War.  

The building has a good view of New York Harbor which allowed locals to report on British ship movements.  Further, while functioning as a tavern, British soldiers were plied with liquor and encouraged to speak freely.  Military secrets were passed along to American colonial forces.

I.J. Kappes 1986

1896

Renovations 2008

Additional Resources:

Seabrook–Wilson House Wiki

Historic Seabrook-Wilson House

Bayshore Waterfront Park

Was N.J.’s Spy House one of the most haunted spots in the country?

The Whole Truth About the 'Spy House'

Gene Tunney, American Boxer

1925

Gene Tunney was a professional boxer who held several titles during his career.  He was known for his left jab and a measured tactical style.  He was never knocked out although he was put down once.  A left hook from Jack Dempsey in their second match up, the infamous Long Count Fight.  Tunney beat Dempsey twice near the end of both their careers.  Tuney would go on to defend his title and win one more time before retiring in 1928.  He is one of five heavyweight champions to retire without knockout defeat.

Dempsey knocks Tunney down for long count 1927

Early in his career, Tunney often used keansburg as the base for his Spring training before fight season.  Camp Jahn was a popular spot for German athletes while several other venues had boxing rings for sparring.  Tunney often stayed at the McDonald Hotel, considered one of the finest such establishments in the area.  The hotel had extensive gardens and a gymnasium.

McDonald Hotel

McDonald Hotel Garden

Catholic's were still a minority in Keansburg at the beginning of the 20th century.  In the 1910's, Catholic's were served by the pastor of St. Mary's Middletown.  Reverend John E. Murray would celebrate mass in the McDonald Hotel and guards were posted by the doors to deter harassment from local Protestants.  Much of the Protestant population saw Catholics as poor and undesirable.  Gene Tunney, who trained in Keansburg, would often serve as one of these guards.  Keansburg didn't have an independent parish until 1924 when Saint Ann's was established.

Gene Tunney Stamp

Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey, Chicago 1927

Additional Resources:

Gene Tunney

Fight City Legends: The Fighting Marine

Central Jersey RR Bayshore Line

Central Railroad of New Jersey:

Central Railroad of New Jersey

Central Railroad of New Jersey had a bayshore line, The Seashore Branch that ran along the same track as the current Henry Hudson Bike Trail.  Established in 1836, originating from Elizabeth, it was considered a Class 1 Rail line.  The company was absorbed into Conrail in 1976 along with several other bankrupt rail lines.  Conrail sold or abandoned many of its unprofitable lines.  These lines are referred to as fallen flags.

The "Big Little Railroad", proudly saw service from its 1889 construction to its last service in 1967.  Central Jersey operated over a small footprint of 700 miles but it served a densely populated area over 1900 miles of track and 2/3 of the Garden State.  They ran as far south in NJ as Bivalve and as far West as Harrisburg, PA.  The Jersey City terminal currently serves as a local museum.

Today the line serves as the Henry Hudson Bike Trail, part of the Monmouth County Park system.  The trail runs from Sandy Hook, through the Raritan Bayshore up to Freehold.  Most of its adjacent land was given or sold to surrounding properties.  There are plans awaiting further development of the trail system.  Marlboro section partially uses public roadways.

Henry Hudson Trail (HHT)

HHT unfinished segments

Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, Jersey City

Keansburg Train Station, located near Keelen's Bar

Keansburg Train Station

Union Beach Train Station, located near the Middle School

Keyport Train Station

1969 Central Jersey RR

Jersey Central's restored Erie caboose C-177 is on display at the Whippany Railway Museum.

Jersey Central Lines

Early Keansburg map, showing limited streets

Raritan Bayshore tidal map from 1920's

Additional Information:

American Rails

Central Jersey Wikipedia Entry

Henry Hudson Trail

Henry Hudson Bike Trail Map

Jersey Central Chapter of the NRHS

The Glory Days

Trains.com

Whippany Railway Museum

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Craft Beer Bars of Mercer, Monmouth and Middlesex

Upscale taverns that feature extensive tap listings of micro and craft brewed beer.  Most have above average food as well.

The defunct Gaslight (Atlantic Highlands) I miss it so...

Alchemist and Barrister  (Princeton)

This upscale gastro pub on Witherspoon was established in 1984.  They have limited outside dining and two bars.  You know it's fancy cause they burn an A&B into their buns.  Ahoy, palloi!  Extensive craft selection but bring your wallet.  Founders Breakfast Stout on tap.

Happy hour 4 to 7 PM.  Bar seats swivel.  Foot rail made of brass, of course.  Smokers are shuttled to Route 1 and issued a fine.  I'm told they frown on vapes as well.  All the cool kids use the back entrance.  I'd don't think you can use front entrance?  I'm fairly certain they have a sandwich board somewhere that says "Soup of the Day: Whiskey" but I could wrong.  

Alchemist & Barrister

    

Alchemist and Barrister to mark anniversary with renovations

Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten  (Asbury Park)

25+ taps of German and American beers.  Extensive bottle and can selection as well.  You'll find German lagers not available elsewhere.  Beer is served in giant steins, choose wisely.  Please glare at anyone who orders a light beer here.  They also have some interesting schnapps, not seen often.  Stationary bar stools are kind of annoying while countertop is marble Corian.  Another industrial exterior that resembles the fictional Paddy's Pub.  Cavernous hall often features bands at night.

Fest hall style seating and decent German inspired food.  Cuisine is American derivatives but fun.  The wiener schnitzel is made from chicken and they're just reptiles with feathers.  They used to have a really good liver pate'.  Second bar on roof and outside dining.  Geodesic domes available during pandemics and pestilence.  I wish I got here more often but it's always packed like sardines and Bond Street Bar is a glue trap.

Asbury Festhalle

Bill's Olde Tavern  (Mercerville)

Historic tavern was established as Mercerville Roadhouse in the late 1890's.  Operated as Bill's since the 1970's.  Extensively renovated in 2015 to maintain the 18th century appeal.  Craft selection of 50 beers, placing them third for tap selection.  Wild game menu is available and often paired with featured ales.

Bill's Olde Tavern

THE MERCERVILLE ROADHOUSE

Bill’s offers more than history

Blue Moon  (South Amboy)

Friendly, upscale blues bar with a small courtyard & outside dining.  Good BBQ on weekends but no fryer.  Kitchen is slow when busy, I once ordered wings and they took a literal hour.  Everything is baked or grilled.  Most plates come with macaroni or potato salad. Sushi is next door if you want a quick meal.  Modest craft selection.

Open WED - SUN 4PM.  Live music most weekends. Chuck Lambert hosts an open mic, Blues Jam every Thursday with a strong following.  Fun show if you don't mind 15 versions of Lil Red Rooster and Mannish Boy.  Nice old style wood bar with Irish tavern store cabinets.

Blue Moon

Boyle's Tavern aka Pete's (Monmouth Beach)

I may have been thrown out of here once before.  The white whale of dive bars, difficult to find and no visible signage.  Formally known as Pete's Inn.  Originally a prohibition era barn serving bootleg homebrew, right next door to the police station.  

Today, the bar has extremely limited hours, (3PM to 7PM) four days a week and the owner only sells beer he likes.  Most of the taps are occupied by local favorites Carton and Kane Brewing.  Shuffleboard, billiards and a semi circular bar from the 1940's.  They have a kitchen but don't seem to mind outside food.  Another gem I wish was closer to home.  

Boyle’s Tavern: A Neighborhood Bar

Fireside Grill and Bar (Marlboro)

Another cavernous roadhouse on a busy country road.  40 draft beers available, placing them fourth for tap selection.  Two bars as well as extensive dining rooms.  Gas fired, fireplace in dining room and bar.  Outside tented dining available.  Ample parking but also a spot reserved for veterans.  Diner grade food is hit or miss depending upon the day.  Mugs available.  Decent craft selection.  Happy Hour 12 - 7 PM.  ½ priced pizza and wings on Monday along with $5 craft pints.

Fireside Grill

Huddy's  (Colts Neck)

Humble strip mall bar has grown into a local behemoth.  They moved to a custom built, giant roadhouse tavern on a corner of Rt 34 and 537.  Diagonally across from the Colts Neck Inn and adjacent to Pebble Creek Golf Club.  Most people come here for the food and the bands but they have a decent craft selection.  

Bring a DD because the Colts Neck police are always waiting.  Gas fired fireplace inside there, somewhere.  Outside bar and stage for bands.  Separate dining room for food but you'll get better service at the inside bar.  They always have good soup and fresh seafood.

Huddy's

Jack's Goal Line Stand  (Long Branch)

Cavernous sport pub with two bars, one rectangle (left) and the other long and straight (right).  Bar and foot rail made of lacquered oak.  All the cool kids seems to like the left side.  62 tap selection and lots of noise.  This is not a quiet bar.  Decent empanadas and meatballs but I regret ordering pizza here, in a moment of weakness.  Lots of TV's and people, I felt like I was at a Hooters.  Is this a chain?  There's another of these monstrosities in Fair Haven.

Exterior strangely reminiscent of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Paddy's Pub) Bar.  The reality was not quite as amusing.  A friend swore they had Murphy's Stout on tap, they lied.  I may have walked away thirsty.  I hate sports bars and doughy pizza but I'd go back (early) for the large craft selection.  Leaving felt like an escape.

Jack''s

Paddy's Pub

Left Side Bar

Right Side Bar

Jamian's   (Red Bank)

Popular saloon known for live music.  Second bar and small courtyard out back in warm weather.  Outside pen for smokers.  Downstairs bathroom floods a lot, don't wear flip flops to this bar.  Good craft selection (only one macro) and extensive bottle collection.  Small food menu is a fair value for Red Bank.  Pocketbook hooks for the ladies.  Foot rail is stainless steel with unique cushioned back bar stools.  Antique telephone booth and barber's chair.

Jamian's

Johnny Mac House of Spirits  (Asbury Park)

I may have been thrown out of here once before. Eclectic bar that looks like a thrift shop gone wrong.  I've heard people say this is a tourist spot but I don't care.  I start every visit to AP here.  Decent craft selection.

Free pizza, free omelets and (not free) skeeball, what more do you need to know?  Always say yes to pizza tix and give them to one of the poor students drinking Pabst on your way out.

Johnny Mac House of Spirits

Maloney's (Matawan)

This place is located in downtown Matawan and has the largest craft selection in the area.  Stainless steel lines feed over 100 beers.  Four are reserved for nitrogen on left side.  Oddly, they don't use drip trays for any of their taps.  Extensive selection that rotates weekly, join the mailing list.  You will find German beers that are not featured elsewhere.  High gravity beers are served in brandy snifters.  The only challenger they had was World of Beer in New Brunswick (100+ taps) and they've closed.  Jack's in Long Branch is second with 62 taps.  

They have a heated tent during Winter pandemics and pestilence.  Food is decent but overpriced and the quality can be uneven.  Black Corian bar top without a foot rail.  Parking in back but good luck finding the entrance on the parallel street.  Custom light fixture panorama near bar (right side) generates an irritating high pitched sound that the owner doesn't seem to hear.  Is this what a dog whistle sounds like?

Maloney's

Moore's Tavern  (Freehold)

Historic tavern established in 1787 by Moses Mount.  He was an aide to General George Washington before opening "a public house of entertainment".  Completely renovated in 2009.  Tavern has two bars, the original historic one to the left and a giant barn they attached to it on the right.  It's not hard to figure the difference.  

I  prefer drinking in the former as the new bar gets quite loud and crowded.  Hostess will try to herd you into the barn side, resist.  Live music most weekends.  Happy Hour 2-6 PM and all day Sunday.  Food is diner grade, don't be fooled.  Better bartenders seem to work the historic side.  Let the kids have the barn, unless you're there to see the band.

Moore's Tavern

Historic Bar side

New Bar side

Moore's Tavern & Sports Bar in Freehold

Nip n Tuck Bar & Grill (Long Branch)

Female owned bar with craft beer samplers.  Open grill behind P shaped bar, formica top and wood foot rail.  Occasional bands, inside bar and out.  They had an extensive tent city during Covid which appears to have become permanent pen for smoking.  Happy Hour 3 - 6 PM.  Ample parking.  Package goods.  All the cool kids use the back entrance.

Bartender doubles as cook.  Typical bar fare for food, tho the menu makes it seem unique.  No more billiards.  Photobooth and Boxer punching bag game.  Boxer machines are banned from many bars for causing injuries and starting fights.  MP3 jukebox.  Lottery machine. Drink chips.  I found one glued to bar rail.  Yes, I fell for it and I don't want to talk about it anymore.

Nottingham Tavern  aka the Nott (Hamilton)

I've not yet been throw out of here. Historic tavern built as a hotel in 1790 on a colonial crossroad.  Fully renovated in 2021 with outside dining available in the backyard patio.  A bit too bright inside but nice woodwork.

They have a serious English dart league.  An official Liverpool FC sanctioned soccer bar.  Bands most weekends. Package goods available.  Smoker's bench out front.  Karaoke on Thursdays.  I'm fairly certain they have a sandwich board somewhere that says "Soup of the Day: Whiskey" but I could wrong.  

Nottingham Tavern

Renovated historic Nottingham Tavern reopens in Hamilton Square

Resources:

Dive bars embrace Jersey craft beer

N.J.'s best bars: The 60 semi-finalists revealed

NJ's Best Bars

Gaslight