Arts & Entertainment

A Historic Version of Hauntings in the Somerset Hills

An exhibit about local tales of hauntings drawn up by The Historical of the Somerset Hills will continue in Basking Ridge through next Sunday, Oct. 30.

It would be odd indeed if there were no tales of hauntings in Basking Ridge and throughout the Somerset Hills, considering the area's numerous centuries-old buildings and its many levels of history going back hundreds of years.

For the month of October, has each Sunday opened its own 200-year-old headquarters, the Brick Academy on West Oak Street in Basking Ridge, to allow the public to view its. The last showing of "Hauntings in the Somerset Hills: Fact or Fiction" is from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30.

The exhibit for the most part is fairly scientific, and makes no claims to support quoted stories of say, "crazed nuns and ghosts in the woods" at Blairsden. The spectacular estate on a secluded property in Peapack-Gladstone was built at the start of the 20th century. But there are some historic photos of the mansion and grounds in Blairsden's prime to view.

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There also are some cold hard facts that may cast some doubt on what must be the area's best-known ghost tale — the long, sad wanderings of Phyllis Parker at the "old" Bernardsville Library.

The pretty young woman supposedly is in search of her dear love, who was hanged as an accused spy for the British during the Revolutionary War. The dashing "Dr. Byram" was living at the building when it served as the Vealtown Tavern, recalling the era when Bernardsville was known as Vealtown.

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Before the library moved into its new building further down Anderson Hill Road in Bernardsville, Phyllis was affectionately viewed as a permanent patron of the library, no card needed.

The proprietors of Meli Melo, the shop that now occupies Phyllis's section of the building, once told this reporter they still receive many questions about the lovelorn Phyllis.

The exhibit at the library merely includes some old photos from the library (but no portraits of Phyllis — apparently there is no proof she even existed on an earthly plane) — and a newspaper account of a paranormal investigation at the office/retail building, still known as the old library.

A 1989 book, "Haunted Houses U.S.A." is laid open to the chapter about the haunting at the Bernardsville library. It was written Dolores Riccio and Joan Bingham back when the library still was in the building.

The exhibit also includes signed books for sale by Gordon Thomas Ward, who has ties to Bernardsville, "Ghosts of Central Jersey."

The book goes into further investigations and provides details and accounts of numerous hauntings throughout the area, such as perceived sightings of the headless Hessian on Old Army Road, as well as hauntings at The Gladstone Tavern and the "Devils Den" in the Great Swamp.

, a popular restaurant off Route 202 in Basking Ridge, also supposedly has its share of guests who long ago should have checked out, but maybe didn't, according to the book. One is supposedly a little girl.

The display of books is bookended by the exhibit's one "haunted-house" style attraction — two "spooky" portraits that, depending on how they're viewed, are either stuffy old-fashioned photographs, or skeletons. When I pushed the button for the man, his eyes turned red and scary voices emerged. Very popular with kids, I was told.

All in all, this visitor was left wondering why there aren't more ghost stories in the Somerset Hills. It made me ask — has anyone ever seen the specter of a Colonial soldier buried under the old oak tree in Basking Ridge center? Does wine cellar still house spirits?

It reminds me of when I was house hunting several years ago in the Somerset Hills and walked into a large historic home in which passing from one section of the house to another was like walking through a wall into a different time zone. (No, it wasn't decorated differently.) The real estate agent told me that it was indeed built before the rest of the house — and she didn't seem to happy about sitting alone in the old section.

The house was too pricy for me, but it eventually sold, apparently to a family. Maybe my impression was my imagination, or maybe even hanger-ons from the afterlife moves on rather than deal with kids and/or dogs and others traipsing through their space.

Meanwhile, for those who want their own haunted house, Blairsden supposedly is on the market for $4.9 million, according to the exhibit.

Please let us know if you ever have been in a house, building or other place you felt was "haunted" in Basking Ridge or elsewhere in the Somerset Hills. Add comments below.


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