History: Large Prohibition-Era Still Operated for Months on South Concourse (1934)

According to the 21 Dec 1934 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 8), two persons were arrested at a home on South Concourse in Cliffwood Beach for operating a 2,500 gallon still. The device filled the house from cellar to attic, according to officials. One of those arrested had to be smoked out of an escape tunnel built from the basement to a place behind the garage.

The article said the site was a red brick house at the entrance to South Concourse. The original property owner, who lived in New York, built the house in his spare time over a two year period in the late 1920s. The building and loan foreclosed on him when hard times hit and the house fell into disuse. A renter took the property and made significant improvements about six months prior to the raid.

This event is mentioned on pg 108 of Matawan and Aberdeen: Of Town and Field, by Helen Henderson.

Up The Creek Under Construction, Keyport

They've made considerable progress this weekend on the new Up the Creek in Keyport.

Up The Creek Tavern Being Rebuilt in Keyport

The Up the Creek Tavern, a favorite among boaters at Keyport Marina, was severely damaged in Superstorm Sandy and had to be demolished. Good news is that the tavern is being rebuilt. If you drive by along Amboy Avenue from Cliffwood Beach or cross the bridge on West Front Street from Keyport, you will see a set of tall, cinderblock posts sticking up like soldiers in a vacant lot next to the marina. The building will sit high above the tide. (Let's hope the parking lot gets a bit of a lift as well.)

The 28 May 1970 edition of The Matawan Journal contained a photograph of the grand opening of Up The Creek Tavern on Friday 22 May 1970.

UP THE CREEK OPENS - Matawan Creek, that is. The grand opening of the new inn took place Friday at 5 pm at the West Front St, Keyport establishment. Shown at the ribbon cutting ceremonies are, from left, Pete Peterson, Mayor Robert Strang, Walt Steager, and Jim Dickerson. The three co-owners, and the mayor, were on hand to greet some of the hundreds of the well wishers during the grand opening. 

The 30 Jul 1970 edition of The Matawan Journal carried the above advertisement for Up The Creek Tavern and Marina on West Front Street at the bridge in Keyport. The ad listed Jim Dickerson, Pete Peterson, Walt Steager and Harry Ross (Manager).

The 20 Dec 2011 edition of The Matawan-Aberdeen Patch included an obituary for James M Groome, owner and barkeep at Up The Creek restaurant in Keyport.

The Keyport Marine Basin has a news page that says "an all new Up The Creek Tavern is in the works. It will be higher and dryer." The marina has kept the tavern's Without a Paddle Grill and Catering menu on their site.

History: Cat 'n Fiddle, Cliffwood Beach (1927 - 1969)

The Cat 'n Fiddle Restaurant opened on a boardwalk on the Raritan Bay not long after the Cliffwood Beach community was first developed. It provided food, drink and entertainment by the shore for over thirty years. It was destroyed by a hurricane and was never rebuilt. Below are a selection of articles from The Matawan Journal marking its history.

The 1 Jul 1927 edition of The Matawan Journal had two small advertisements for the Cat 'n Fiddle placed throughout the paper, seven in all.  One recommended "When dancing at the Cliffwood Beach Casino, dine at the new seafood restaurant and cafeteria 'The Cat 'n Fiddle,' on the boardwalk. Reasonable prices." Another announced the new place and recommended the shore dinner at $1.50. It also named the music group playing on Sunday evening 3 July as the "famous Marimba Band from Central America, now the talk of New York."

The 28 Jun 1935 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 4) included a small ad referring to the Cat 'n Fiddle as "Jersey's smartest rendezvous." The ad invited customers to "dine and dance on the water's edge. Perfect dinners 55 cents. Cocktails 25 cents, served on Cocktail Porch overlooking the sea. Dancing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Owens Brothers Orchestra from 7 pm to 1 am." An ad on page 9 announced, "Richard Jennings, manager of the Cat 'n Fiddle, will again supervise the service. Several bridge luncheons have been scheduled for this week. Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening a dance orchestra appears."

The 29 Jun 1944 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1, col 8) included a small advertisement for the Cat 'n Fiddle, which would reopen under new management on 30 Jun 1944. "Choice liquors and food at reasonable prices. No cover. No minimum. No tax."

The 14 Jun 1951 edition of The Matawan Journal contained a public notice by the following persons, as representatives of the Krieg Corporation, doing business as the Cat 'n Fiddle, who were seeking a liquor license in Matawan Township: William E Webster, Jr, President, 1250 Shore Concourse, Cliffwood Beach, NJ; R Edgerton Webster, Vice President, Jamesburg, NJ; Isabel F Webster, Secretary-Treasurer, 1250 Shore Concourse, Cliffwood Beach, NJ; and Cliffwood Beach Amusements, Inc, Cliffwood Beach, NJ.

The 26 May 1955 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 5) ran an article announcing the opening of The Cat 'n Fiddle for the summer season. "Ray and his Jazz Bandits will be featured this summer at The Cat 'n Fiddle, in Cliffwood Beach, which will open this coming Saturday. Frank Cerranty will be at the bar and also will be manager of the establishment. The Cat 'n Fiddle is located on the Raritan Bay beachfront and it has been in operation for 25 years. It is owned by Morrisey and Walker, and is one mile from the Pirate Ship. There is a large parking area and reasonable prices will prevail for snacks and refreshments." The large ad above appeared on page 13.

The 15 Sep 1960 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 3) provided the following excerpted reporting on damage caused by Hurricane Donna at Cliffwood Beach on Monday 12 September.

"Bayfront areas of Matawan Township took a battering from Hurricane Donna, especially in sections bordering Matawan Creek and in portions of Cliffwood Beach. During the worst of the hurricane, water was nine to 10 feet deep in the streets of Cliffwood Bench, police reported.

Damage in the beach area was estimated at more than $150,000. Ten families were evacuated from the waterfront area to the Cliffwood Fire House. Flooding in Cliffwood Beach reached all the way back to Greenwood Ave.

The storm lashed bay waters completely covered the roofs of the 180 unit colony of seacots* facing the bay at Cliffwood Beach and crashed through the rear of the Cat 'n Fiddle Restaurant, splitting the building in two. Police were stationed at the restaurant after looting was reported."

* The Seacot Village in Cliffwood Beach in Matawan Township

A seacot was a small summer rental, presumably an abbreviation for "seaside cottage." Helen Henderson shows a photograph of a "cozy seacot" and provides some information on rental prices, etc, on page 87 of her book "Around Matawan and Aberdeen."

An article in the 12 Aug 1948 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 5) mentions the death of a renter by heart attack at the Cliffwood Beach Seacot Colony.

The 6 May 1965 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1) published the rates for seacots to hook up to the Cliffwood water supply for the season. Units with one water tap paid $8.80/season; it was $17.50 for units with three taps; and renters paid $7.30 for an outside shower.

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The Cat 'n Fiddle was destroyed by fire in December 1963, according to an article in the 16 Dec 1963 edition of The Red Bank Register.

The 2 Jul 1964 edition of The Matawan Journal reported the opening of the Cat 'n Fiddle for the season on 2 Jul 1964. The restaurant was apparently rebuilt after the December 1963 fire.

The 27 Jan 1966 edition of The Matawan Journal, which reported on a Nor'easter that struck the area on Sunday 23 Jan 1966, mentioned the Cat 'n Fiddle and seacots in a photo caption on the front page. The captionn read, in part:

"Driven by gale force northeasterly winds Sunday, waters of Raritan Bay overflowed the banks of Matawan Creek, flooding marinas and fishing stations along the way. The Cliffwood Beach section of Matawan Township was hard hit as water swept by the Seacot Colony, Cat 'N Fiddle Restaurant, and the Cliffwood Beach Pool. One woman, wife of the caretaker at the pool, had to be rescued by first aid men equipped with a boat. . . ."

The 10 Aug 1967 edition and 24 Aug 1967 edition of The Matawan Journal (pp 2 and 10, resp) contained an advertisement for the Cat 'n Fiddle, which was under new management. Hours were daily noon to 1 am; Saturday 10 am to 1 am. The Harry Thomas Review, featuring Eileen Walsh, was appearing on Fridays and Saturdays.

The 4 Jul 1968 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 12) contained an ad for the Cat 'n Fiddle, which was promoting dancing and entertainment on weekends. Pat and Joe were the hosts.

The 31 Oct 1968 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 16) reports on an investigation of fraud against the owners of the Cat 'n Fiddle.

ABC Sets Hearing For Area Tavern

A hearing will be held Nov. 4 in Newark offices of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control into charges against the Kreig Corp., owners of the Cat 'N Fiddle in Cliffwood Beach, of giving false information on a liquor license application.

The ABC alleges the stock of the corporation is held by three New York state residents. Corporate
officers insist the stock is in the hands of New Jersey residents as stated on its June 5, 1968 license application.

The 23 Jan 1969 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1) announced the state's revocation of the Kreig Corp's liquor license to operate the Cat 'n Fiddle due to the fraud charges.

 Details of the demolition of the bar and seacot colony have yet to be found.

UPDATED to add an image of the Dec 1963 Red Bank Register article, some details about seacots, details from the Jan 1966 Nor'easter article, news of new ownership in Aug 1967, and word of fraud charges in Oct 1968 that led to the revocation of the liquor license in Jan 1969.

History: Temperance and The Matawan Journal (1871 - 1889)

The Matawan Journal was a strong voice for the temperance movement throughout the late 19th century. As a consequence it covered the news with a certain bias, editorialized broadly against the evils of alcohol, and  meticulously covered the various manifestations of prohibitionist agitation and organization in the county and state. While it is a great resource, keep in mind that it surely represents the opinions of only a segment of the community and contains a heavy bias. You may have to read between the lines and reverse engineer certain articles and editorials to begin to see what was really happening. 

Below are a few related pieces I found today; you will find others throughout the blog.

The 30 Sep 1871 edition of The Matawan Journal contained this harsh editorial rebuke against political machines using liquor to obtain votes during the party nomination phase of elections. The commentary followed on its coverage of a dysfunctional local party convention at the Farry hotel. When a nomination was challenged, the person running the meeting was an interested party and left the issue unaddressed, so a large group exited the convention and met outside near the hotel's stables to nominate their own committee. It was in that context that the text below followed.

"A word or two now with reference to whiskey. We saw more drunken men in Matawan last Saturday afternoon than we have seen in the six months before. It is a shame and a disgrace that we cannot select men for our public offices without a part of our citizens being turned into rum tubs, into whose mouths whiskey is poured almost like water, in the hope that by this means a nomination may be secured. What low things will be done by men wearing the garb of respectability, that they may attain to a little honor. We would rather hide honor in the grave than climb for it on the temple of ambition, if to obtain it required our wading through the streams of rum that flow every year from political whiskey barrels."

Coverage of the temperance movement included the work of the Prohibition Party, which was expected to hold its NJ state convention in Keyport on 6 Sep 1887, according to the 27 Aug 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal. This conservative third party was founded in 1869 and advocated for the prohibition of alcohol in the US. Its heyday was the years immediately after World War I and the beginning of Prohibition, then again immediately after World War II and before the Korean War. The party still exists but has been relegated to political oddity status according to Wikipedia.

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) had its own column in the Matawan Journal, as seen in its 7 Sep 1889 edition. The column listed upcoming meetings by the Matawan WCTU in the Baptist church's lecture room on 12 Sep 1889 and the Loyal Temperance Legion on 13 Sep 1889 in the Reform Club room.

A significant portion of the WCTU column was dedicated to an editorial pondering the best strategy to make progress on temperance in Matawan. A local WCTU member had recently bemoaned the state of affairs in Matawan as being worse than when she started agitating for change 30 years earlier. The editorial proposed a legal prohibition of alcohol as worth a try.

"In this temperance work there is the yet untried remedy of legal suppression, and there are temperance voters enough in the old parties to give it a trial. Would matters be in any worse state, if it simply proved that prohibition simply didn't prohibit?" (Well, there's that whole issue of how rum running prompted the creation of organized crime in America.)

Prominently displayed on page 2 col 1 of the 7 Sep 1889 paper were announcements of the Democratic Party and the Monmouth County Prohibition conventions. The Prohibitionists of Monmouth County would be electing their county executive committee at their meeting on 7 Sep 1889 at the Reform Club room in Freehold.

2012 Cross of Glory Christmas Tree Lighting and Carol Sing

 Cross of Glory Lutheran Church plans to hold its fifth annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Carol Sing on Sunday 9 December 2012 at 5 pm. The congregation welcome friends, family and neighbors to attend. Revelers are invited into Fellowship Hall after the 30-foot tree is lit and songs have been sung to enjoy home baked sweets and pastries as well as refreshments provided every year by Delicious Orchards.

Cross of Glory Lutheran, located at 95 Cambridge Drive in Aberdeen, was founded in 1964 and is part of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is led by Rev. Gary E. Costa. With the support of over 300 members, the church runs a nursery school, stocks and supports the Matawan food pantry and provides other services to residents of Aberdeen and neighboring towns.

History: End of Prohibition, Formulation of Liquor Sales Rules in Matawan (1933)

According to the 8 Dec 1933 edition of The Matawan Journal (pp 1, 2), Matawan Borough was meeting to establish local liquor sale regulations and fees as Prohibition had come to an end.

• There would be 6 permits for taverns and bars (sales for use on and off premises) and 2 permits for liquor stores (sales for off premises only).
• Liquor dealers would have to be visible from the street, none in back rooms, etc.
•  Liquor dealers could be open from 7 am to midnight every day except Sundays and election days, when they must be closed.
• Those under the influence of alcohol would be prohibited from purchasing alcohol.
• Annual liquor license fees would only be available on 1 July 1934; in the meantime, fees would be pro-rated to $1/day for taverns and bars and $0.60/day for stores.

History: The Matawan Journal Calls for Temperance Society, 1876

The 14 Oct 1876 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 1) reported that John Hill, a saloon keeper in Keyport, fled the area, seemingly in anticipation of his second Grand Jury indictment for keeping a "disorderly house." This prompted Mr Hill to flee, or, to quote the newspaper, to take "leg bail."

"Whether he had heard of the indictment, or was assured that it would be made, we have not learned; but it is evident that his guilt was so well established in his own mind that he knew his next fate would be State Prison. To avoid this he has run away."

Getting on his temperance soap box, the newspaper editor complained that Hill was only one of many bar keeps in Monmouth and Middlesex counties who "are violators of the very license law that grants them the privilege to pour rum down the throats of their neighbors and impoverish their families." The  bars were even selling liquor within earshot of the area churches' pulpits during worship service hours, he complained, a clear violation of the license, which sets rules to keep these businesses shuttered on Sundays. "Six week-days we would judge to be enough for the privilege of carrying on such a work of human destruction and family desolation as this. . ."

The editor, pointing out that there was no temperance society in Matawan, asked rhetorically, "Is not the evil practiced here? Have we become so highly moral as to need no institution to keep up this virtue save the churches?" The editor credited the churches for doing great work, but called for additional measures for those who had lost their way. "[T]here are many who seem to need another step before they enter the sanctuary, and that step is the temple of temperance."

The editor worried that local society was ignoring the problem as their boys faced the life of a drunkard and their girls the grim possibility of "becoming the wives of men whom intemperance may curse." In the meantime, the editor noted, municipal officials were continuing to issue licenses despite the peril around them. In an obvious reference to The Devil, the editor thought that local officials were turning a blind eye, instead "doing nothing to stay the fowler from spreading his net."

Pioneer Commodities USA, Cliffwood

Cocoa by the bag (World Cocoa Foundation)

Pioneer Commodities USA LLC is petitioning the Aberdeen Township Planning Board to allow them to begin storing 10,500 warehouse pallets up to 15 feet high in the southeast corner of the old Anchor Glass plant parking lot, 145 Cliffwood Avenue in Cliffwood, according to the 15 Aug 2012 agenda.

Research suggests that the company has a relationship with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which is currently warehousing nearly 5 million bags of cocoa nationwide through its ICE Futures US branch. Over 800,000 bags of cocoa that arrived from around the world via Port of New York is currently in warehouses in the New York City area as of 10 August. The Cliffwood site is listed among ICE Future's approved warehouses supporting the Port of New York. Pioneer's point of contact is listed as John Cavaliere. See ICE Futures Report Center for Cocoa Warehouse Stock commodities statistics.

So, the large stock of pallets is apparently meant to facilitate storage of commodities at the Somerset Anchor site.

Mediterranean Chateau to Replace Charlie Brown's in Matawan

The Asbury Park Press for 22 Feb 2012, page B3, includes an article that says that Charlie Brown's will soon become a Portuguese restaurant called Mediterranean Chateau. It is slated to open in a few weeks. The transfer of Charlie Brown's liquor license and plenary retail consumption license was approved at the Tuesday evening meeting of Matawan Borough Council.

The corporation is owned by Jose Barreiro of Sayreville.  Barreiro co-founded the successful Ria Bar Restaurant and Bar in South River in 1987. Check out the many awards and favorable reviews at the Ria Bar's news and events page.

UPDATE (23 July 2012): Mediterranean Chateau is tentatively set to open in mid-August or early September.

UPDATE (1 August 2012): I drove by yesterday and saw a stucco contractor working on the facade of the place. Definitely moving along but it looks like a few more weeks to go.

UPDATE (7 August 2012): Photo - Still under construction but nearly done.

UPDATE (24 November 2012) The restaurant finally opened on 16 November. There is a Facebook page but no webpage that I can find. See my recent article for link.

Monticello at Red Bank

My wife and I had a wonderful dinner experience at Monticello at Red Bank last night. The restaurant is at 69 Broad Street near Monmouth Street.

We indulged in two of their specials: I had sole stuffed with lobster and my wife had a New York strip steak with Portobello mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese. Each meal came with mashed potatoes with julienne carrots. My yummy half house salad had grapes, cranberries, nuts and other stuff on it. My wife had a half Caesar salad.

We brought our own bottle of red wine, a Domaine Fabrice Gasnier Cuvee Vielles Vignes 2009, which we sampled and bought from the Wine Academy in Hazlet and has become our favorite.

The dining room is about a dozen tables deep with plenty of room for comfortable conversation. The walls are decorated with large classic paintings of the Raphael genre. The soft lighting made dinner cozy. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and service was excellent -- prompt and friendly.

Jacqui At Starbucks

I really enjoyed reading The Cast of Our Local Starbucks, by Jacqui Donnelly, an article that appeared on Matawan-Aberdeen Patch the other day. Kudos, Jacqui! Funny stuff. I am glad you survived the knitting club. And too bad about the guy across the table. Maybe you should redirect your attentions to Doc? Leave secret agent man alone unless you have an appropriate parole. You might try, "The sky over Acapulco is velvety in autumn." If his reply is, "But the moon over Miami is luxurious in early spring," there just may be kismet in that coffee-tinged air.

25 Burgers Lookin' Sassy in Matawan

My wife visited 25 Burgers in Matawan today. It looks pretty spiffy inside. They have two dozen burgers plus a burger of the month, all running from about $6 to $8. They also have seven styles of specialty hot dogs. They have fries and onion rings and sell Coca Cola fountain drinks as well as Stewart's sodas by the bottle. Their shake machine is due at the end of this week. The staff are very friendly. Be sure to check out 25 Burgers.

Maloney's Craft Beer and Music Festival, 12 Jun 2011

Maloney's Pub & Grill and Espresso Joe's are collaborating to have a craft beer and music festival at Maloney's in Matawan next Sunday, 12 June 2011, from 2 pm to 9 pm. Maloney's has over 70 beers on tap, many of which will be selling at a discounted $4/10oz glass during the festival. A number of live music performances are planned. The event is getting some great buzz. For details, see the page set up for this event on Facebook.

Espresso Joe's Selling Hot Dogs

I dropped in at Espresso Joe's on Front Street in Keyport today and enjoyed a couple of beef hot dogs with fresh spicy Jack cheese chunks, salsa, and fresh onions. They came with a free bag of chips. They have lots of toppings to choose from. If you're not a fan of hot dogs, they have a wide assortment of wraps and other stuff to suit your tastebuds. And coffees galore, of course.

I'm using their free wi-fi to submit this blurb. Bring a paper and have a cup of joe with a nice view of the harbor.

25th Annual NJ Seafood Festival in Belmar

Belmar will host the 25th annual New Jersey Seafood Festival from 10 - 12 June 2011. Plan to travel from Aberdeen-Matawan by NJ Transit train and avoid parking hassles.

Sampling Wines at the Wine Academy in Hazlet

I dropped into the Wine Academy Superstore in Hazlet today. When I registered earlier in the week, they issued me a special card that allows me to sample up to four different wines each day. So when I returned today, I walked right to the back of the store to their dedicated sampling area, picked up a glass and approached their nifty wine dispensers.

To sample wines, I inserted my card into a slot in the corner of each of several state of the art machines, then pushed a button over the wines I wanted to try. The machine then dispensed a small sample directly from the bottles, which were behind small window panes in temperature-controlled boxes, and into my glass.

I ended up trying two whites and then two reds. Their sales approach worked: I picked up two bottles - a Ferrando Erbaluce, a Piedmont white, and a Chateau la Rame, a Bordeaux red.

As you may recall, this new store at the corner of Route 35 and Bethany Road went into the vacant spot left when Hollywood Video moved out. I believe there might have been a small bank between Hollywood Video and Verizon -- that bank is gone, too; absorbed into the Wine Academy.

They told me they plan to hold weekly wine and beer classes, as well as the occasional event for the harder stuff - scotch and one other, I can't recall. They have a sizable floor stock of wines and hard liquor and a refrigerated section full of fancy brews. I think you'll want to pay them a visit and get one of their customer cards. So many wines, so little time!

Wine Academy Superstore in Hazlet

Some serious efforts were underway this evening to complete work on the Wine Academy Superstore at the K-Mart Shopping Center at the corner of Route 35 and Bethany Road in Hazlet. As I drove by there were workers inside and out putting the finishing touches on the store, which is going into the former Hollywood Video next to the Verizon store.

UPDATE Tues Evening 19 April 2011

My wife and I drove by last night in hopes of picking up a bottle of wine, but the Wine Academy was still not open. They've bought out the bank next door and that section of the store looks like it still needs work. There are still hand trucks and boxes and mess around the store. All in all, it could be another week or so. And if they are awaiting inspections or permits, which seems to happen a lot around here, it could be even longer.

UPDATE Mon Evening 25 April 2011

When we drove by the store this evening, there were cars in the lot and a sign out front saying the Wine Academy is open. I was getting a couple of suits fitted at Joseph A Bank in Holmdel, so I'll have to check out the wine later in the week. The place looks very nice from the outside.

Another Friday @ Espresso Joe's

Casey Heinzmann was one of three performers on Friday's coffee house billing at Espresso Joe's on West Front Street in Keyport. Cat Cosentino and others perform there Saturday at 7 pm.

For more information on shows at Espresso Joe's, check their calendar of events at Reverb Nation.

St Patrick's Day in the Aberdeen, NJ Area

St Patrick's Day is nearly upon us again. Apparently you can attend all the area's St Patrick's Day parades if you are so inclined because their dates and times do not conflict.

• The 2011 South Amboy St Patrick's Day Parade will be held Saturday 12 March beginning at 2 pm.
• The 2011 Woodbridge St Patrick's Day Parade will be held Sunday 13 March beginning at 1:30 pm.
• The 2011 Keyport St Patrick's Day Parade will be held Saturday 19 March beginning at 1 pm.
• The 2011 Keansburg St Patrick's Day Parade will be held Saturday 26 March beginning at 1 pm.

Irish pubs in our region include Shannon Rose at St George's Crossing, Routes 1 & 35 in Woodbridge; McDonagh's on West Front Street in Keyport; Dublin House on Monmouth Street in Red Bank; and Tumulty's on George Street in New Brunswick. Check Restaurant Passion for restaurants serving Irish fare in NJ.

If you have other recommendations or know of specific events, feel free to add comments below.