HOME TOWN BENEFITS

There are times when I sit back and realize how fortunate I am to have lived most of my sixty-two years in this town. One of those times was this past Sunday. My son Daniel Murphy 111 and Claire Deeble were married and had their reception at the Molly Pitcher Hotel. The day was priceless not only for their marriage but also for the setting that our town and the Molly present. The view down the river was breathtaking as well as the hotel itself. The staff could not have done a better job and the food was excellent. I don't say that about many catering facilities.

As I walked around the terrace of the Molly the panoramic view of the town and the River I grew up on filled my mind with memories past. They took me from crabbing to crude built ice boats and Red Bank Little League as kids. There were dances at the YMCA on the river in the late 1950’s. There are pictures of the river in our RBHS year book from 1962, the same area I learned Hobie cat sailing and how to handle power boats as I grew older. There were years spent in rotary sitting in the same ballroom that I now watched my son dance with his new bride. I was surrounded by family, loved ones and friends. Watching my grand daughter race hand in hand with my best friend's daughter I could not have been more grateful for my life and for being in this town.

From the stories I have written over the past five years I have received hundreds of emails from people who lived here and moved away. They all still feel closeness to Red Bank that never seems to leave them. Just today I got the following email:

Dear Dan, My name is Ken Fischer and I saw your website via a Goggle search. When I was a kid my dad used to take my older brother and I to Red Bank to go crabbing; that was over 40 years ago. I hold fond memories of the times back then. My dad passed away a year ago this April, and I would like to visit red Bank again to reflect on those times. Can you still rent a crabbing boat down there? If so, can you point me in the right direction? I appreciate any help you can give me. Thank You, Ken Fischer

The Sea Land Marina is still at the base of West Front Street by the train trestle, still renting crabbing boats as it did when I was a kid. The best crabbing then was behind the Red Bank Library. A little bit of a row but hell when you are ten years old you have all day. There are so many benefits to living in this town. I have said for years this is a great place to live work and play. It will always be a great town as long as we strike a balance by improving what is too old to save and rehabbing that which is priceless.