The town of Ringwood has long been one of the favorite spots to visit for my family, dating back to when we first moved into this area back in the early 1980's. One thing that seems surprising to me, even to this day, is that I actually remember a little bit - a very little bit, admittedly - about what likely was our first visit. My grandfather was there and he was saying something to me, although I no longer can remember precisely what it was. Still, I remember enjoying it, and that the entire family seemed impressed with the park (which was Skylands, minutes away from Ringwood Manor by car).
Over the years, we grew quite acclimated to Ringwood. There is the Ringwood Manor and grounds, and there is Skylands Manor and the New Jersey Botanical Gardens. Both are worth visiting. Indeed, both are real treasures for the Garden State.
Ringwood continued to be one of my favorite places to visit over the years. As I grew older, there were visits to Ringwood with a number of friends from college and even high school. I took a few dates to Ringwood, since it seemed fitting. In fact, it ended up being the place where my ex and I officially got engaged, and later, where we took our engagement pictures.
So yeah, it was a pretty important place for me and the family since I was still only a young boy.
Now I do not remember where or when I obtained this particular book. It might have been one of those rare times when I encountered some kind of miniature flea market, which they have from time to time. Or it might have been somewhere else. Perhaps even one of my library pick ups. Really, there is no way to know for sure.
One thing that I do know is that I have had it for years. It was kind of one of those backburner things. I always intended to get around to reading it, but just never did.
Then suddenly, about a week or so ago, I just decided to finally do it, and read it through. Almost in one sitting, although I was at work, and got distracted numerous times for work responsibilities. However, I still read before the end of the shift, and probably under forty minutes or so, if memory serves correctly.
It is a short read. Really, this book is actually more like a glorified pamphlet, frankly.
Still, short or not, you get a better idea of the history of this area. It dates back to the colonial days, and played a fairly prominent role during the American Revolutionary War. By then, iron was an important thing, and Ringwood Manor's history is strongly linked with the local iron industry.
In this book, I learned about some of the famous and powerful local people who were tied to Ringwood's history. That includes the Ogdens, who likely came up with the name Ringwood, although there is still debate, apparently, about how the name of this town came about. There is also Robert Erskine, who apparently was sometimes regarded as the "forgotten general" for his important contributions with making fairly accurate maps for Washington during the Revolutionary War., as well as Erskine's Marine Chevaux-de-Frise, or obstructions to prevent hostile ships from traversing waterways, particularly the Hudson River.. Indeed, it is entirely possible that some of the iron for the big chains and other obstructions which spanned the Hudson in an effort to prevent the mighty British fleet from going beyond certain points on that river may have come from Ringwood.
The reader will also come to understand some of the specifics in relation to the manor itself, as well as the grounds, all of which are certainly fascinating and worth the visit. It was quite interesting to learn the details of some of the gardens, in particular, including how one of the fountains near the house actually had come from France.
An interesting read, and recommended for anyone who is interested in learning more about this particular park, or the town of Ringwood more generally.
Some Pictures From Past Visits to Ringwood Manor & Grounds:
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