It was October 30th, 1938 and 12 million Americans were tuned into an evening radio broadcast when a "live news update" alarmed them all. "Good Lord, they're turning into flame!" - Orson Welles reported a Martian landing in Grover's Mill (West Windsor Township), New Jersey. While it was merely a pre-Halloween prank, a radio adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel, The War of the Worlds, many took the broadcast as fact.
Residents in the area panicked, mistaking a water tower for a UFO and shooting it to pieces. The remnants of the tower remain, barely visible and on private property near Cranbury and Clarksville roads. In Van Nest Park, off Cranbury Road, a monument, erected in 1988, commemorates the Martian landing site.
A local coffee shop also commemorates the event with their name and theme; you can find alien-related goods and gifts here, along with great coffee and desserts.
Did you have any idea this happened? If you're in the area, check out the coffee shop and monument for a fun photo-op. A unique roadside attraction, here are 12 more quirky roadside stops in the Garden State.
New Jersey isn't just a hub of culture and industry - it's played a key role in the defense of this country as well. New Jersey military history is rich and exciting, but there's one chapter that only the most well-read naval buffs know about. That's the key role New Jersey played in launching the era of modern naval warfare! The very first submarine test in the U.S. took place right here in the Passaic River. And while it looked a lot different than the powerful nuclear machines that prowl the world today, it's likely that none of this would have happened if it wasn't for the small device that began it all. Come along as we share with you this significant piece of history.
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The Passaic River is a busy body of water today - but in the late 1800s, it was carrying a completely different form of traffic.
It was all thanks to engineer John Philip Holland, an Irish immigrant who played a key role in developing the first submarine ever commissioned by the US Navy.
The tests only submerged it 12 feet below the surface, but it was a game of trial and error - and Holland kept creating new designs. The first test was on May 17th, 1897 - and progress came fast after that.
As for the submarine, it caught on with the Navy - and played a key role in every war since, with today's submarines bearing little resemblance to Holland's tiny underwater boats!
There is a long history of submarines in the United States, and this is just one of them. If you'd like to see this unique submarine prototype for yourself, you can visit the official website of the Paterson Museum.
Did you know about this unique chapter in New Jersey military history? Or anything about the history of the submarine? What are some of your favorite New Jersey firsts, and also, why? We'd love to read about your experiences in the comments section below!
For another unique first in New Jersey history, make sure to take a hike down the world's first and longest boardwalk, which we're sure you'll find to be very beautiful!
Are you thinking about taking a Garden State vacay soon? Then you might consider booking your flight via the Dollar Flight Club.
If you’re still in the mood for more New Jersey adventures, take a look at this video:
Beach Haven is one of those New Jersey beach towns that's sort of in what I like to call "The Goldilocks Zone". It's not tiny enough to slip completely under the radar, like Allenhurst. It's also not a bustling center of tourism and business like Point Pleasant Beach. It's just right - with a population of a little over a thousand full-time residents, a beautiful beach, and some amazing places to stay, it's a great under-the-radar destination on Long Beach Island that has a small but devoted group of visitors every summer. However, one of those visitors made an unexpected discovery while exploring the beach a few years back - and it helped to put Beach Haven on the map! Read on to discover the amazing story of a secret dating back 10,000 years - the discovery of stone-age arrowheads found in New Jersey.
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Beach Haven is one of New Jersey's most attractive Beach towns, with unique historic buildings around the beachfront area.
10-year-old Noah Cordle from Virginia was in the surf when he felt something pointy and hard hit his leg. He picked it up, thinking it was a crab - and got a big surprise! It was an arrowhead!
This arrowhead in particular was made out of jasper. After his shocked parents collected it and sent it to an archaeologist in Trenton, it was determined that it was incredibly old - up to 10,000 years old. This is known as a Paleoindian artifact, dating back to the earliest chapters of the history of Native Americans in New Jersey.
Did you know about the discovery of arrowheads in Beach Haven, New Jersey? Are there any historic discoveries in New Jersey in your area of the Garden State? Let us know in the comments section. You can find out more about this unique shore town on the official Borough website. If you're hoping to find your own treasure on the beaches of Beach Haven, you'll need a great place to stay, so why not check out this historic bed-and-breakfast?
