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VINTAGE HOMES first of a Series Townsend House Recalls Earlier Era

Ubby l>rmp Korrrsl Autumn is a good time to mosey around the county enjoying nature and «*x plonng. tod, what man has created ir\our lovely corner of the world We heard almut an old frame house, up jrv Dennisville 'or down rn Dennisville. depending upon whjch direction you start out frpm), known as the ho u s e o f "Five Chimneys" which offered a nice destination during a ride up from Cape May one recent afternoon The colors of the trees along the roadways had yet to reach their fulfillment, but the area around ben nisville has always been a pleasant pocket to wander through The William S. Townsend house with its five chimneys dates back to about 1820 The passage of time gives one pause at this old homestead. Here is a house that has stood through many generations of comings and going, through the development of our county from a time when life was simpler, lore centered around the

home, to the present when Route 47-, where th<f Townsend house stands,' is a busy thoroughfare Ah. the old days, in retrospect, laden with dreams Well, maybe the

three-seat out house was the latest word w4y back then, but later occupants saw fit to improve on that situation and two bathrooms were added in the house. The other out buildings though are more in keeping with meanderings, the old root cellar, wood shed, barn and two coach garage Here, would be good places to hide from mom and dad while one was assigned some chores, good placejuJflJ* 0 with an

old book or some gadget or another, to think and dream, to imagine'what the future would hold. Henry Clay spent a night at the Townsend house back in 1847 and it’s still, possible to visit this house and sense what preparations must- haye been underway for his stay. Our nostrils twitched a bit as vye paused -at the kitchen brick bake oven where perhaps nice, thick loaves of bread were baked for the stateman’s visit, and maybe a tangy applesauce cake. Surely, Senator Clay would have been welcomed in the spacious center hall, with its random width plank floors; and two tier staircase. And, sooner or later, he would have been ushered into the South East living rodm, with the old chair rail still in place, formal fireplace and tour cupboards. Such history here. We had a difficult time trying to decide which room the senator from Kentucky would have slept in;

remember?, one to the east porch, another to the west proch, one to the entrance foyer and one to the living,

room.)

, There is also on the first

The east porch in front of fhe summer kitchen is fully screened and has a partial brick floor, with the old hand pump and water trough still in place. We

floor a south west parlor, decided this would hav<T ' and summer kitchen with a been a good place to rest a

perhaps the center middle bedroom with its random width plank floor, two door cupboard and old* fashioned wallpaper. There are five bedrooms in the Townsend house; we chose the center middle bedroom for the senator because it stands on a lower level from the other rooms on the second floor, which would have made it a bit more convenient tp come downstairs for breakfast to the 17’6" x 16’ dining room which features a formal fireplace (nowadays there’s an air tight stove hookup here), chair rail, and five doors. (One door leads to the kitchen where those breads were being baked,

walk in fireplace, original beam and plank ceiling, and stair case to the maids

quarters.

The old house was noted

while on a hazy autumn afternoon. There is also another proch — the west proch — where one might take another moment to

for its hospiUlity during look over the old lands and the long period It remained * contemplate the temporal in the Townsend family passage of things

According to old records, the rear of the house was probably built about 1820 by Smith Ludlam and the

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I

Seashore Rd., Cape May, N.J. 08204 886 1635

String Band To End Series

COURT HOUSE - The Cape May County Park will close its 15th summer concert series with the appearance of the Garden State String Band on Sunday. September 19, at 2 p.m According to Leon Fulginiti. executive director of the Cape May County Park Commission, the annual series of free family concerts was a "tremendous success" .this year "We exceeded our expectations." said Fulginiti. "We received a lot of cooperation from the groups, the weather stayed nice, and we had a big turnout. Now we are looking forward to next summer." A product of South Jersey, the Garden State String Band will perform

A.W.S. NEEDS YOUR HELP!

The Animal Welfar# Society of Cape May County is Raising Money to Run a Shelter For Homeless Dogs and Cats. We h|ow Provide These Programs: • PIT ADOPTION • NEUTERIN** SPAYING • LOST & FOUND • EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION BV MAILING IN TH€ COUPON BELOW ALONG WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION. YOU WILL HELP US REALIZE OUR 9 YEAR GOAL OF PROVIDING SHELTER FOR THESE HOMELESS ANIMALSl

NAME„.

PHONE

ADDRESS

ZIP

MEMBERSHIP ($3.00 PER YEAR) $ .

SHELTER FUND $

TOTAL ENCLOSED $

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY OF C.M.C.

Mall to Undan Lana, Rio Granda, N.J. 08242

•ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE*

Dancing

balance by William Townsend about 1833. It stands on 3.258 acres, with old plantings from other eras, other lives.

The Townsend house is a county treasure that gets the imagination going. OX two hundreds years are marked off here, in a sane and orderly way, a reflection of the labors of the old craftsmen and those who added to the years, with new innovations (especially the two bathrooms), adding on here and there to enhance the comforts of

growing families.

All is temporary in this life; yes, but at the Townsend house time is pleasantly interwoven with the history of Cape May

County

the traditional music of the Mummers. Over 30 years old, the band has been featured at Atlantic City beauty pageants, World’s Fairs, on television programs, and at many charitable institutions. The county park is situated just two miles north of Cape May Court House on Route 9. The concert is free and viewers are reminded to bring their own chairs. Dance Team To* Perform CAPE MAY - The Shoshone Indian Dance Team of Explorer Scout Post 107 will give a performance sponsored by the County Art League, 1050 Washington 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, on the grounds of the Physick Estate adjacent to the Art League's Carriage House The group had appeared sever&l years ago at the League, performing various ritual dances, and was enthusiastically received. The team has given performancesthroughout New Jersey. For further information call the League-at 884-8628.

jffie 'i / ictbrtan H£oo/c 1159 WASHINGTON ST. 884-5360

Everything you need to do your own decorating or to use our professional interior design service. • FABRICS • WALLPAPER • WINDOW TREATMENTS . • FLOOR COVERING • ANTIQUES • SLIP COVERS-UPHOLSTERY

We should think about decorating for next year, in August? Yes, definitely! Our willing workers really got snowed under with orders this summer - so let’s play it smart. Before you leave Cape May for the winter, please try to find time to take stock of your house. Do the cushions for the wicker need replacing? What rooms need to be refreshed with wallpaper? Just make your selections and let*our staff work on your projects this winter.

Open Daily 9-5 • Sun I pm-4 • Closed Fridays

CAqfc MAY - The city

will reintroduce Ballroom Dancing to the area with instructor James Sharpley leaching the basic steps — foxtrot, tango, waltz, sambo, cha-cha- and rhumba. Registration will be conducted in Convention Hall 9

a m-4 p.m. Oct. 4-8.

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