Monday, January 30, 2012

Metedeconk History

Metedeconk History


METEDECONK (From A Net Site)

In the late 1950s there was a place along the Metedeconk
River on Princeton Avenue that my family used to go
swimming for the day. It was not Windward Beach, we
passed Windward Beach to get there. WE would pull our car
in and there were picnic tables under the trees and grills
to cook your burgers etc. To the left of the picnic tables
was this big house that had a porch with rocking chairs.
Inside the house there was a jukebox. and as little kids
we were fascinated watching the teenagers dance.Past the
picnic are we would go down a couple of steps and there
was a beach, a food stand, and lockers to change our
clothes. What happened to this place?
Answer: The beach you spent summers on was on Princeton
Avenue and called Metdeconk Bathing Beach. It was
established in 1938 and operated until the late 1970s.
In 1985 it was sold to a developer who built several
homes on the property.

Special note for those not familiar with this. The
Princeton Avenue mentioned is down the shore not our
Princeton Avenue in Trenton:)

11 comments:

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI MAC....I RECALL THAT BEACH AND REMEMBER TAKING THE KIDS ALONG WITH FRIENDS TO USE THE BARBCUE FACILITES. I JUST CAN'T PLACE THE EXACT LOCATION BUT WE ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH. I DO REMEMBER IT WAS THE METEDECONK RIVER. BEST REGARDS

Tom Pass said...

Loved that place!

Mack said...

Hi Tom and Ralph:)
I had forgotten about the little picnic table area til I saw it mentioned in this article and the did a ..oohhh yesss :))

Anonymous said...

I went there as a kid. It was a good family place and we spent the whole day there. Lots of kids and lots if fun. I don't know where it was

Unknown said...

We would go there every summer as I was growing up. Til today I get goosebumps thinking off those times. My parents would stand in waist deep water on the other side os a wine fence, catch crabs and cook them up in larfe pot of water on the grill. We would get there to open the park, and other family members aunts, uncles cousins, all of us, great times too many stories to tell. I am looking unsuccessfully for pictures of the place then (50’s early 60’s. Please advise if you know where I can get some ven one especially of the Pavilion”

Unknown said...

I went a couple of Summers as a child with my best friends family. They bought the old pickup used to clean up and haul stuff there. Beautiful memories.

Unknown said...

Some of my fondness memories were the summers we spent here, I was just a kid,our families would go in a large caravan, it was the early 70"s to early 80's. So much food! The moms would serve a feast! My cousins and friends would play all day, in the water, playing pinball, whiffle ball, my big brother showed me how to crab,it was an all day affair! My kids are adults now and I always tell them all the stories!

Mitch said...

My grandparents, Antonio and Rema Bevilacqua had a bungalow in Metedeconk and our families spent most Summers and portions of Fall and Spring weekends there during our childhoods, no TV, just the beach, crabbing, making pasta and banana splits while listening to the radio at night. That bungalow was the last holdout property to be developed in that neighborhood. I'm currently compiling genealogical material for the family before I take the big dirt nap and trying to find the exact location of where the bungalow was. Took a ride there today with my wife and couldn't recognize practically anything. I'll be checking out the county clerk's office for the records soon. There is hardly a mention of Metedeconk beach anywhere down there, and even online except for historical sites providing very little. Still was a fun day trip.

Ron Natriello said...

Mitch, I remember all the good times at the white little house and spending much time at the beach. So many great times a long time ago.

Anonymous said...

If anyone has any pictures of this place at all, please share. You can send to me at tony_m1962@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Anyone have any pictures of this place please send to reeses531@aol.com
My family went there many years growing up, it was absolutely wonderful and part of my childhood as being the best memories ever. Sadly I was young and we have no pictures, I would be so very grateful 🙏 thank you, Irene