Lakewood Historical Museum – a Toast to Mayor Ray Coles and the Township Committee
The Lakewood Historical Society and the Lakewood Heritage Commission will show their appreciation to Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles and the Township Committee for their support of the Sheldon Wolpin Lakewood Historical Museum in Pine Park at its second annual Toastimonial, Wednesday, September 6, 2017, Woodlake Country Club, 25 New Hampshire Avenue, Lakewood.
Cocktails begin at 6:00; dinner at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $100 and will benefit the continued refurbishing of Kuser Hall, the 15,000-square-foot building that houses Lakewood antiquities. Contact Robin Wellet for tickets, sponsorships, or questions at 732-330-5384, or rwellet@aol.com. Sponsorship opportunities and journal ads are available.
Kuser Hall, the last remaining building of five that made up the Newman School, an exclusive preparatory boarding school for boys, closed in 1942. The building, which the township acquired in 1964 through Green Acres Funding, was the math and science center of the school.
Through the volunteer efforts of members in the Historical Society and the Heritage Commission, Kuser Hall has been transformed into a showcase, featuring Lakewood memorabilia and artifacts. Seven galleries on the first floor and scenes depicting “old” Lakewood in the main hallway are open to the public, free of charge. Donations are gladly accepted.
A fountain from 1881 originally commissioned by a group of Lakewood residents was moved from Clifton Avenue to the front of the museum. The museum also boasts a mono-wing airplane in the southeastern outside corner of the building as part of some hands-on exhibits.
The Ocean County Society of Model Railroaders is located in the lower level of the museum where members are building two exhibits, one for O Gauge and the other of HO Gauge model trains.
Mayor Ray Coles, the Township Committee, Lakewood publics works, and the Inspection Department have been especially supportive. The museum is open Thursday, Saturday, Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.