Guide Me Home to North Jersey

Livingston Taylor will perform in Chatham on Friday, Nov. 20th at 8:00pm at the Stanley Congregational Church at 94 Fairmount Avenue.

He will talk about his life as a recording artist and as a professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Taylor has been making music for 40 years and has recorded 13 albums. His new CD, Last Alaska Moon, is due for release by the end of this year. He has toured with artists such as Jimmy Buffet, Linda Ronstadt, and Fleetwood Mac. Taylor describes himself as a pop singer. His performances include the piano, guitar, and five-string banjo.

Now a full professor, Taylor lectures at Berklee College. He teaches performing arts in the Boston area (where he was born in 1950). He is the fourth of five children, including his famous brother, singer-songwriter James Taylor. In 1988, Livingston Taylor received the Boston Music Award for outstanding folk artist. He is also the author of two children’s books, published by Harcourt Brace. Taylor was an Artist-in-Residence at Harvard University for five years.

General admission tickets are $15 per person. Tickets are available online at www.stanleychurch.org, or by calling (973) 635-7723.

Posted by:Cynthia Edgar

If you love sports and the great outdoors, Chatham is the town for you!

The town offers several parks:

Shepard Kollock Park provides a covered picnic area, an all-purpose field (for baseball, softball, field hockey, and lacrosse), a playground and a boat launch onto the Passaic River.

Memorial Park offers a tree-covered playground, fields for baseball, softball, basketball courts, picnic tables, and a town swimming pool (membership to the Chatham Borough Municipal Pool is available to town residents).

Garden Park is located off Main Street and provides 6 tennis courts, tennis practice boards, basketball courts, and a playground area.

Stanley Park, located on River Road on the Passaic River, features a picnic area and walking paths along the river.

Lum Avenue Park offers a new “turf” field for lacrosse, football, field hockey, and soccer.

Chatham Borough participates in McArp (Morris County Adaptive Recreation Program), which offers golf permits to the Millburn Par 3 Golf Course, and assists with the funding of items for the Chatham Wrestling Club, the Chatham Community Band, and the Senior Citizens Club of the Chathams.

Posted by:Cynthia Edgar

Chatham will hold its annual “Green Fair” on Saturday, September 12, 2009, at the Gazebo in Chatham Borough next to the train station. The fair will be held from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, rain or shine.

According to Lee Byrd, Borough Environmental Commission Chairman, this fair is a “great opportunity for local residents to see first hand what renewable energy is all about and learn ways to adopt a greener lifestyle.”

Many “green” vendors and contractors will display their earth-friendly products and services. Local environmental organizations will be there to show how to get involved both locally and globally. People can learn about alternative energy sources for the home, such as solar and geo-thermal energy. You can also learn how to take care of your lawn and house without the use of chemicals.

In addition, there will be many fun activities and entertainment for children during the day. The Chatham Farmer’s Market will be taking place at the same time across the street in the train station parking lot, and the Chatham Chamber of Commerce will be holding a sidewalk sale.

Posted by:Cynthia Edgar

Chatham, New Jersey has its very own theatre, where live productions of Broadway plays (and original works) are performed each season by the Chatham Community Players.

Many local residents participate in the productions. The Players began in 1922 at the Parish House of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chatham. Their first production was “the Finger of God,” followed by the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.” In 1930, the Players moved to the Lum Avenue School. Props and scenery were stored in a barn on Fairmount Avenue, until it burned down in 1948.

In the early 1960’s, the Players moved again to Chatham High School, and stored props and scenery at the Chatham Women’s Club on the corner of Washington Avenue and Main Street. Finally, in 1967, they purchased the American Legion Hall on North Passaic Avenue, where they are located today. They completely renovated the space, and opened their doors for great community theater!

The original mission of the Chatham Community Players was to “produce high quality theater for a diverse audience, while elevating the standard of excellence, and providing a creative outlet with educational opportunities and outreach programs.” Today, the Players consist of five different groups: The Chatham Players Mainstage, Fantasy Theater, Jersey Voices, Outreach, and the Joint Theater (Intern) Program.

Funding for the Chatham Community Players has been made possible in part by funds from the Arts Council of Morris Area through the New Jersey Council on the Arts.

Posted by:Cynthia Edgar

In an effort to “go green” and eat fresher food, many people are shopping at local Farmer’s Markets. These Farmer’s Markets provide conventionally and organically grown “Jersey Fresh” fruits and vegetables to the local community. They benefit the consumer by offering locally harvested fresh fruits and vegetables that are naturally more flavorful and nutritious. They also benefit the community by drawing residents to the downtown area, thus strengthening the town-spirit through the market place. The Farmer’s Markets reduce the food miles between the field and table, thus lowering carbon emissions. By featuring organic produce, the amount of pesticides and fertilizers entering our local waterways is reduced, thereby improving many fragile ecosystems.

Many towns are now offering Farmer’s Markets…..here are a few:

• Chatham Borough Farmer’s Market – Every Saturday through October from 8 AM to 1 PM, located at the Railroad Station on Fairmount Avenue.
  
  
• Madison Farmer’s Market I – Every Thursday at Madison High School from 3:30PM to 7:30PM.
  
  
• Madison Farmer’s Market 2 – Every Thursday at the Madison Community Pool from 3:30PM to 7:30 PM.
  
  
• Summit Farmer’s Market – Every Sunday at the parking lot on the corner of DeForest Avenue and Beechwood from 9 AM to 2 PM.
  
  

Posted by:Cynthia Edgar

This ornate Colonial Revival house, c.1908, was built by famous architect Frederick Cowperthwaite for Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Harvey Lum. Mr. Lum, who worked for the law office of Whitehead & Guild in Newark, and was admitted to the bar in 1870, was elected the first Mayor of Chatham in 1897. A life long resident of Chatham, he was a leader in Chatham Borough’s separation from Chatham Township. Edward Harris Lum, Frederick’s brother, born in 1857, graduated in 1880 from Harvard, and was in the same class with Theodore Roosevelt. Charles Lum, also a brother of Frederick’s, was born in 1860, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University in 1881. Ernest Lum, Frederick’s son, who also resided in this house, would become Mayor of Chatham in the 1930’s. Today there is a Lum Avenue, and a new Lum Turf Field located behind the Municipal Building.

Set on a hill with distant views, this stately property combines a number of elaborate exterior details from earlier classical forms, such as the full-height colonnaded portico with Ionic capitals, “Adam” Style fan-lighted doorway, keystone window lentils, and pediment dormers with Palladian windows. The interior floor plan consists of a “four square” layout with a “kitchen ell.” Grand in scale, yet very livable, this home features an updated kitchen, eight bedrooms, three full floors, five fireplaces, two side-porches, pocket-doors, detailed moldings and wainscoting, and craftsmanship from a bygone era.

Owned by a musical family, this home once housed three Steinway grand pianos. Over the years, house concerts have been presented by members of the Emerson String Quartet, the Metropolitan Opera’s Jane Bunnell and Paul Plishka, pianist Jeffrey Swann, and cellist Sergey Antonov – the 2007 winner of the Tschaikovsky Gold Medal.

Lyrica Chamber Music in Chatham, now in its 22nd season, was founded here by one of the property’s owners, Mariel Bossert. Lyrica is now directed by her daughter, violinist Laura Bossert, and pianist Adam Waite. On a typical concert weekend at 202 Fairmount Avenue, the house is filled with music played by classical musicians who rehearse diligently for Sunday’s concert.

This landmark house was also used to film the movie “Imaginary Heros” starring Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Daniels a few years ago. This evolved into a Chatham “happening” with many locals coming to watch the filming, and receiving Sigourney’s autograph!

The property includes a Carriage House, which was once used as the living quarters for the Lum’s coachman, and stables for their horses. It is now used as a 2-car garage.

For additional information on this premier property located on “Mansion Row on The Hill” please click here.

Posted by: Cynthia Edgar

Bernardsville Office
163 Morristown Rd
Bernardsville, NJ 07924

Phone: 908-766-6500 x 228
Mobile: 973-224-1135
Email: cedgar@turpinrealtors.com

View Cynthia's Listings

Known for her upbeat nature and positive attitude, Cindy brings a wealth of experience to the Turpin team. Between her working knowledge of the area, and her artistic eye, she is a natural fit for helping families find their ideal home, and selling their existing property. Always able to see the potential in a home, she appreciates the unique history of the Somerset Hills, as well as the incredible variety of architectural styles available throughout the region. Cindy has her finger-on-the-pulse in the communities of Summit, Chatham, and Madison, and is always discovering new opportunities. Commuters from these towns appreciate the convenience and flexibility of direct train service to Manhattan, adding to their enduring appeal.

After living in Manhattan for many years, she and her husband Clarke wanted a different quality of life to raise their family. They longed for a classic town and country lifestyle: easy access to the city on a commuter train, along with the peaceful setting of an established community. Chatham, where they have lived since 1990, proved to be the perfect solution for them.

As a buyer for a major retail store in New York City since 1982, Cindy used her vision, innovation and imagination every day. Cindy also did interior design work for several clients in this area. She was drawn to Turpin based on the company's commitment to integrity and high level of professional service, qualities which also reflect the way she conducts her own business.

Cindy attended the University of Delaware, graduating with a BS in marketing and fashion merchandising. She also studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design, both in New York City.

She is an active member of her community, serving on the board of the Chatham Parent-Teacher Organization. She also served on Chatham Borough's Zoning Board, the Chatham Historical Society, The Noe Pond Club and Corpus Christi Church. She is currently a board member of the Garden Club of Madison, and a member of the Junior League of Morristown.

Married with three school-age children, Cindy enjoys gardening, tennis, paddle tennis, and yoga. She has a longtime interest in antiques and architecture.

Cindy invites your call, e-mail, or visit to the Bernardsville office.