In 1889, an unidentified Newarker wrote
in the "Elizabeth Daily Journal" that his favorite walk
was from Elizabeth to Newark following the "picturesque old
road to Newark through Lyons Farms."
"After passing the stately mansions in Elizabeth," he
said, "we come to Evergreen Cemetery, 'God's acre,' with nothing
to disturb the solemn solitary stillness of the place but the chirps
of birds and the click, click of the monument makers on the other
side of the street as they form their letters on marble to tell
future generations virtues of the departed ones."
He continued, "We stroll onward glancing on either side at
the farm houses as we pass along until we reach the pond where Elizabeth's
young men and maidens, old men and children skate in the winter
time." This pond was located near the old Lehigh Valley Railroad
station.
"In front of us stands the blacksmith shop and we wonder as
we go by how many more generations will have their Dobbin's shoes
fastened on here. In front stands the old car horse with head hung
down, blinking his eyes in the sunlight as it streams from over
the pond to the west of us. He is waiting to be hitched up and draw
his load of farms people to the city to shop," the article
continued.
"To our right is the old Lyons Farms store where in the evening
the farmers will betake themselves to have a chat about the crops
and kindered topics before retiring," he said. This was the
first general store operated by Horace Greeley Looker. Opposite
in addition to the blacksmith shop were the horse barns for the
horse cars and Looker's hall.
"The road to our left looks inviting," the walker continued,
"but we don't have time to go up it." If he had he would
have found the old Red School House in Hillside Avenue.
"Climbing up the little rise of ground and past a deserted
crumpling building to our left and the many smiling doorways of
well-to-do country squires we come to the Old Stone School House,"
he asserted. This school stood in Chancellor Avenue near Elizabeth
Avenue, Newark.
"We see the Farms Church on its high eminence overlooking
the road," he wrote. He did not indicate which church he was
passing. The Lyons Farms Presbyterian Church was formed in 1849
and stood near Chancellor Avenue, while the Lyons Farms Baptist
Church organized in 1769 stood near Lyons Avenue.
"Still a little further we are at the long hill and see farmers
and wagons returning from Newark and the turnouts of city folk visiting
the country. We can see the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, green
meadows and white sails of boats on the bay," he concludes
his visit to Lyons Farms.
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