U.S. 30 - New Jersey, The White Horse Pike

 

I have always been a “road trip” person. I love to get in the car, stay off of the interstates, and explore the country through its system of highways. What has always interested me is not the big tourist attraction, but those local roadside places that have a history that is almost forgotten. So, I have taken on a project for myself, to travel and photograph some the “blue highways” that stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Many people are not aware, but the numbering of U.S. highways is a code that gives information about that route. (Interstate highways have a different, but similar system). U.S. routes with even numbers go in an east-west direction, and those with odd numbers go north-south. Mile markers on the even routes are set at 0.0 at the western terminus in a state and at the southern terminus for the odd routes. The U.S. highways that are two-digit, ending in zero stretch from coast to coast. This article is the first of an ongoing series on two of the routes that were among the major cross-country arteries when they were built. I am starting with U.S. 30, and will parallel it with an exploration of U.S. 20. 

U.S. 30 stretches from Atlantic City, New Jersey in the east to Astoria, Oregon. A large portion of its 3000+ miles were built in the 1920’s as the The Lincoln Highway, the nation’s first coast-to-coast highway - and I will get to that history in my next U.S. 30 entry. In New Jersey, U.S. 30 is known as the White Horse Pike, named for its equestrian history.

US 30 is the red line across the state. Map by 25or6to4 via wikimediacommons

But before we start our trip, a little about America’s Seaside Playground. Atlantic City was developed in the 1850’s as a beach resort. Its location made it convenient to both Philadelphia and New York City, enticing millions of people to visit over the years. At its prime, from the 1870’s through the 1960’s hotels and motels were built on the blocks along its 7 mile long boardwalk. The 1970’s brought the growth of air travel, and Atlantic City found it hard to compete. Even the legalization of casinos has not  stopped it from falling past its prime. I visited on a cool, wet weekend in June, and I felt every bit of its age. The casinos are there, and provide entertainment, and on sunny days, the beach beckons, but if those things don’t interest you it can feel shopworn.

One fun thing to do, if you want to get away from beach or gambling, is to take a tour of Boardwalk Hall. Opened in 1929, the hall is 456 feet long by 310 feet wide, and was, at its opening, the largest clear-span (no internal support columns) building in the world. It has served as a sports venue, concert hall, and convention center. Most famously, it was the home for the Miss America contest for many decades. It is also home to the world’s largest pipe-organ. The Midmer-Losh organ contains over 33,000 pipes and holds four world records, including as the largest and loudest musical instrument. Every weekday, at noon, there is a free tour of the building and that includes a 30-minute concert of organ music. The purpose is to highlight the instrument and the ongoing restoration of it.

Boardwalk Hall

At the console

Restoration Workroom

The eastern end of U.S. 30 is at the nondescript intersection of Absecon Blvd and Virginia Ave. Traveling west, I passed through marsh lands that separate the barrier island from New Jersey’s mainland. In the town of Pomona is the Shrine of Our Lady of the Highway, Sea and Air (mile 46). The shrine was built in 1936 in the memory of a young priest who was killed in a car accident, and named because of its placement along the highway, near the Atlantic and also the Atlantic City airport.

Absecon Lighthouse

 

Eastern terminus of U.S. 30

Shrine of Our Lady of the Highways, Sea and Air

 I traveled three miles west from the shrine and I found the Gilcrest Offshore Restaurant. They serve breakfast and lunch, but what caught my eye was the building it occupies. The Hoenes Bus Company, founded in 1956, ran the school bus services for several local school systems. They also ran the Hoenes Green Lawn Restaurant and Gas Station. While the buses are no longer in service, the restaurant is still run by members of the Hoenes family.

One of my favorite places to stop on a roadtrip is an antique barn. You might know the kind of place, packed floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with anything and everything that the owner might have procured at estate sales. The Aged to Perfection Antiques Warehouse in Mullica NJ (mile marker 35.5) is an excellent example. Bruce keeps an eclectic collection of goods for sale, and he is happy to spend some time talking to you about life, travel and the world today.

The town of Berlin, NJ (mile marker 17) is one of those suburban hamlets that has a long history as a rural center, but that is now a bedroom community for a nearby city. Today, its main drag, along Route 30, offers a diverse selection of food and stores including a halal fried chicken joint and a classic new Jersey diner, chrome and all.

My last stop in New Jersey was a little off of Route 30. In the town of Haddonfield is the Indian King Tavern Museum. The oldest part of the building was constructed in 1730, and it operated as tavern from 1777 until 1873. In addition to being a place for locals to eat and travelers to stop overnight, the tavern played a key role as the meeting place for the government of the newly formed state of New Jersey from January through September 1777, during which time the states first constitution was passed.

I love to travel the blue highways, to slow down and see the country, rather than speeding by on the interstate. I hope that this series inspires you to do the same.