Secaucus Town Museum Celebrates 1st Anniversary July 13

SECAUCUS, NJ — Last summer, on a steamy July day, the Secaucus Town Museum opened with fanfare, newspaper reporters (including Patch) and dozens of visitors.

In the past year, the people who run the museum said they received so many additional donations from town residents "who visited and realized they had artifacts to add to our displays."

"We thank each and every one who was kind enough to part with their Secaucus 'heirlooms,'" said the museum in a statement. "Through research, hidden warehouses (don’t ask where!), antique sites, eBay, and perseverance, other very old items used by past generations were purchased."

On Saturday July 13, the museum will host a first anniversary event from noon to 3 p.m. with music and snacks. If you haven’t been to the museum, or visited many months ago, please stop in and see how we have grown from infancy to adolescence. (We’re still expanding week by week.)

Additionally this summer, when there is a Thursday night concert at Buchmuller Park, the museum will be open from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. so you can take advantage of a “Double Header evening." First visit the museum, then attend the concert!

Cool memories from a longtime Secaucus resident who visited the museum:

Beverly McKay Smentkowski, 80, was born and raised in Secaucus and she said it was emotional and quite moving to look through old photographs of town from years gone by.

"When I was growing up, this town was all pig farms. I was born on a pig farm and my father worked with the pigs," Smentkowski said. "What's now the MVC inspection station used to be Lanner's vegetable farm and my dad worked there during the summers, too. People had horses and animals in their yards. I remember watching the last truckload of pigs being taken out of town on July 18, 1959. I will never forget it."

"The town has changed so much since then," she said wistfully. "It was only 3,000 residents. Everyone knew everyone."

Info about the Secaucus Town Museum:

Located at 150 Plaza Center
551-257-7205
www.secaucusmuseum.org

Related: Secaucus Town Museum Opens (July 13, 2018)