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Eat, Drink, Be Merry and Join the Revolution New Jersey was the "Crossroads of the American Revolution," and its colonial taverns were havens for Patriots and Loyalists alike to debate the political question of independence and even plan much of the Revolution itself. Taverns were the social and political centers of colonial society and the Garden State had a myriad of establishments that played prominent roles in the founding of the nation. Taverns became recruitment stations for colonial militias and provided a meeting place for local committees of safety. George Washington used them as headquarters and safe houses for his spies and local troops. Discover the intoxicating history of the driving force in the fight for freedom, the colonial tavern in New Jersey.

With desirable beach communities and nearby commuter-friendly towns, Monmouth County continues to attract new residents, while nostalgic memories of bygone landmarks, forgotten businesses and more remain in the hearts of many. The Thoroughbred horses of Lincroft are gone, but the Brookdale Farm Historic District remains preserved. The Circus Drive-In in Wall maintained an idyllic 1950s ambience for more than a half century, drawing in families with the broad grin of its iconic clown roadside sign. Opera houses of the late nineteenth century were established from Asbury Park to Red Bank, entertaining the masses in an era before movies. New Jersey historian Randall Gabrielan takes readers on a journey of lost Monmouth County.

Across New Jersey, thousands of men have entered through the doors of Masonic Lodge buildings, also known as "temples," over the fraternity's more than 250-year history in the Garden State. These buildings, from humble meeting spaces to elaborate single-purpose centers, stand tribute to the memory and influence of one of the oldest fraternities in the world, founded on the tenets of faith, hope, and charity. From governors and US Supreme Court justices to carpenters and stonemasons, Freemasonry has welcomed men from all walks of life, and the temples they built have played important roles in the civic, social, and charitable life of many towns. Although some lodges have been lost, many still remain and are presented here for the first time through photographs and images collected from various historical societies, museums, libraries, and Masonic organizations. This book attempts not to serve as an encyclopedic source but rather to catalog and organize the development of the Masonic temples in New Jersey.