Photo credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-83346, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2002711313/
“No one would even know about Lakehurst if it weren’t for the Hindenburg explosion,” someone—who happens to work in Lakehurst, NJ—says to me on a recent visit, and, in some ways, he has a point—even though my own family knew about Lakehurst long before the most famous blimp explosion occurred in 1937. My family knew about Lakehurst because many family members happened to live and/or work there.
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Lakehurst, NJ once was something of a resort community, a place of escape for those wanting to leave New York City’s heat and grime. The existence of the Lakehurst Naval Air Station (now known as Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst) meant there was a big employer in town, and a number of my family members ended up working there in some interesting capacities (serving as secretary to the base commander, sorting and delivering mail, and, yes, pulling down airships, including the Hindenburg).
In some ways Lakehurst, NJ is emblematic of the history of the United States itself. It played a role in the revolution, experienced an influx of immigrants (my Irish ancestors), and adapted to changing circumstances as technology and other factors impacted work and other opportunities.
So what is there to see in Lakehurst, NJ now?
Photo credit; M. Ciavardini.
Old St. John’s Roman Catholic Church and Graveyard
The oldest church in Ocean County, NJ happens to be what is now known as Old St. John’s Roman Catholic Church, established in 1874. Marvel at how small neighborhood churches used to be. The church now houses the Lakehurst Historical Society Museum. During non-pandemic times, the museum is open on Wednesdays and Sundays from noon to three. If you want to visit the museum anytime soon, be certain to check beforehand to find out whether it will be open or not.
Now, at least, you can peer in through the window in the front door and, if you are into graveyard tourism, cruise the small graveyard. It’s said that people somehow happened upon more peaceful places to establish churches and graveyards. You’ll definitely get some soothing vibes here.
Cathedral of the Air
If you’re in a churchy mood, swing by the nearby Norman-Gothic Cathedral of the Air, which was built in 1932. I just like the name of this one. My understanding is that the Cathedral of the Air now is only used for weddings and other ceremonies. Supposedly, zeppelins are featured in the stained glass windows. I was fortunate to serve as a flower girl at a wedding here in the 1960s but don’t remember much about the interior.
Cathedral of the Air, Lakehurst Whitesville Road, Lakehurst, NJ 08733
Lakehurst Naval Air Station (McGuire Dix Lakehurst)
In normal times, the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society runs walking tours that include the Hindenburg Crash site, Hangar No. 1 (where dirigibles were housed), and other points of interest. Courtesy of the pandemic, tours have been suspended. We just buzzed by the entrance of Joint Base Mcguire-Dix-Lakehurst on our visit in August 2020 because the base was then open to mission critical personnel only.
Lake Horicon Park
Enjoy the 63-acre Lake Horicon and accompanying park and imagine escaping to this place before air-conditioning had been invented.
Lake Horicon Park, Lake Street and Union Ave., Lakehurst, NJ 08733
Lakehurst Diner
Enjoy a socially distanced coffee and eggs in the classic Lakehurst Diner. We feel a bit like we ourselves are in Hangar One as we eat outside beneath the tent erected in the parking lot to help customers gain a semblance of their previous lives by eating at a diner.
A sign that the Lakehurst Diner is so good: there are plenty of regulars here on the morning of our visit.
I have no complaints about my two eggs over easy with an English muffin and hashbrowns. Coffee and orange juice and the service were all great, too.
Lakehurst Diner, 401 NJ-70, Lakehurst, NJ 08733
Lakehurst Barber Shop
The Lakehurst Barber Shop is my favorite barber shop ever! My great-grandfather Victor Basso used to own it back in the day and sold it around 1976 or so. Back then, it was called Vic’s Barber Shop, and I have many happy memories of scoring lollipops whenever I visited.
Apparently, I am not alone in my sentiment because the Lakehurst Barber Shop was doing a healthy business during my recent visit. Vic’s photo is still on the wall.
May the Lakehurst Barber Shop enjoy many more years of great business.
Lakehurst Barber Shop, 17 Union Ave., Lakehurst, NJ 08733
—Lori Tripoli
Lori Tripoli is the editor and publisher of Bashful Adventurer. Based in the New York City vicinity, she writes about travel for a variety of publications. Contact Lori at loritripoli @ bashfuladventurer.com.
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