Tuesday, October 16, 2018

HAUNTED RIVER TOWN


Over the weekend, yours truly had company , which found us all over in my lovely little town up the road, after we enjoyed my mulled cider when they arrived. I think my friend Russel was feeling it before we even left. New Hope is always a very intriguing river town.  We were going over to enjoy the autumn weather, and drink and eat from pub to pub, a crawl if you will. Since we have been getting some new readers here, a lesson on New Hope, and what better time then Halloween. New Hope is a quirky, fun, and eccentric  town dating back to the mid 1700's. New Hope is considered the half point between Philly and NYC,  where travelers would stay overnight and be ferried across the Delaware River the next morning. The town being along the river also saw much commerce being transported as well as the mule drawn canal system. Up the road is also where George Washington made his famous trip across the Delaware River on Christmas during the American Revolutionary War.

 Years later, the town changed and became a artist colony...artists, writers, musicians and the like all found refuge and like minded people to be around, and that's when the town started getting colorful.New Hope was the location of an art colony, founded by Edward Willis Redfield and William Langson Lathrop, that produced noted regional work.  Members of the colony included George Sotter, Daniel Garber and Fern Coppedge. Artists also associated with an art colony in nearby Phillips Mill The members of the vicious circle the Algonquin Round Table often found themselves here like Art Samuels and Harpo Marx; Charles MacArthur, Dorothy Parker, and Alexander Woollcott. Dorothy Parker even bought a house here. Other notable residents have been  Stan and Jan Bernstein, Oscar Hammerstein, Aaron Burr,( my distant relative...yes you read that right), Odette Myrtil, George Nakashima, and James Michener.

Some time when the art colonies arrived, the town also became a hot bed for witchcraft, which makes sense,  since the town is a very haunted town. Many witches, wiccans, and there is even a warlock who owns of the most popular shops in town. You need a potion? He has one. The Dame stopped in this visit for his sage he gets to keep his house clean.  Last I knew, New Hope is still one of the most haunted towns in the US. While I have never seen a ghost, I have felt strong presences in certain spots and areas of town. You may remember years ago when NBC network anchorwoman Jessica Savitch and her boyfriend drowned to death after their car overturned into the Delaware Canal, at Odette's, a popular cabaret bar.

The Aaron Burr House

Nektar..the whiskey Bar we had a few in....quite an assortment.

Take all that plus New Hope's primary industry of tourism. New Hope has historically been a location where Broadway theatre shows are "tested and fine tuned", and many notable big screen and stage actors bought weekend homes in the area. The Bucks County Playhouse features many plays and musical productions. I last saw Betty Buckley and Angela Lansbury there. Finally in the mix....New Hope became a popular gay resort in the 1950s, and continues to have an active and extremely large gay and trans community as well as a huge motorcycle crowd on weekends in the warmer months. It's quite something, and you know what? Everybody inter mix's and gets along with everyone. Including the ghosts.
 I have yet to see a town anywhere like it and take quite the pride living here. And adore it's campest and sense of humor.Did I mention there is also a lot of S&M and sex shops?

44 comments:

  1. Lucky you! I always enjoy these post, and I love witches, I might be one who knowns. The town looks very delightful! Sounds like a fun relaxing weekend with good food and great shopping and sights!

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  2. bend over we have lube? does this mean you got free sampled?

    alas, I miss new hope.

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  3. They should totally film a season of American Horror Story there...think of the characters they could have! This town sounds amazing...and your distantly related to Aaron Burr?!?!?! WOW...don't fuck with you...

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  4. Loverly and fun pictures. One of The Engineer's relatives was involved in a dual with Andrew Jackson but his horse ran away with his guns so he had to call it off from behind a tree.

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  5. I LOVED this post. Oh how wonderful this town looks. As you know, I'll be coming soon. Where I am, there are no quaint shops at all ... I think they would burn a witchy shop if they could get away with it.

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  6. Had no idea that I lived just an two hours away from such a wonderful place!I am loving the fun signs and the windows of the shop. I am guess you SO DON'T frequent to sex shops right?

    And what history.

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  7. did you pose for that mannequin seated in the chair? a lovely weekend in a special place!

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  8. Charming.....all quite charming!

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  9. William and I agree..in our travels, we have never been to a town with such colorful people and a sorted history. While the town does have a feeling of hauntedness, it is always such a lovely day, and their dining and vintage and antique shops are a must. We one toured the Parker House....shame you can't do that anymore.

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  10. Loves the pictures. I remember some of the sex shops you took me in. I think a new hope trip is on n order soon. Halloween is a must sometime too.

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  11. Does this mean your the town Supreme?

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  12. I love the mannequins and sculptures! Great quirky and spectacular designs. I love the ducks! So tame!

    Now I'm going to ask the question everyone has on their minds after seeing this intriguing post:

    Is the lube gluten free?


    No! The question is, have you seen Hamilton?

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    1. I have not seen Hamilton yet...but would love too!!!

      As far as the gluten free...… it didn't pucker if that helps.

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  13. A glorious time of year in a wonderful setting. New Hope is obviously quaint, colorful, cultural, and creative. Great photos!

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  14. Yes, those are lovely pictures. I also remember from last time there was a House of Dildos or something of that nature.

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    1. Seems Im always bumping into a dildo.

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  15. I wish I knew about New Hope when I lived in NYC. At that time all I knew was that my parents liked to shop there! You represent the ciy well!

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  16. Cute and fun, and a a nice little town too.

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  17. Thanks for the tour and the history lesson. And your link to Aaron Burr is fascinating! It looks like a lovely, quaint town. And as always, your photographic eye is spot on.

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  18. I do love Haloween in New Hope!

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  19. This is why I read blogs. If I wanted news, politics and such, I'd watch the news. I love seeing others parts of the country and see in bloggers lives. I know I would love living there if I wasn't already entrenched in Ann Arbor. What an enjoyable post and what history. It must be a great feeling walking down the street there. Loved the ducks too.

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  20. I enjoyed New Hope immensely when you took me on my visit. Could definitely feel old spirit vibes....but we don't get a picture of you in ball gag and cock ring at the sex shop?

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    1. I have me mistaken for Ms. Moorecock again.

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  21. May live in Philadelphia, but I love having New Hope in my backyard. Such a great weekend escape.

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  22. This is why I love the Northeast so much....quaint town filled with history. I love that train station picture with the hot air balloon!

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  23. I have to admit, it sounds like a great place! If we moved there, we would be the kind of people who would put up a sign like the Wizard of Oz one. Yep, we're pretty silly that way!

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    1. If you moved here, we'd be hanging out.

      Pun intended.

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  24. Regarding the last pic. Well, did you?
    JP

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  25. Witches?!? Gays?!? My kind of town. Lovely fun pictures.

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  26. I actually read some haunted stories in articles about New Hope. And I saw in the one people claim to have seen Jessica Savich's ghost. I have been once and found it quite charming and everywhere I went for drinks and food was excellent and people beyond friendly. I also recall a good drag show.

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    1. Yes, New Hope does love it's drag queens!

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  27. I always enjoy seeing your photos of New Hope (especially that one of the two scary sisters and the ghoulish giant grasshopper). There always seems to be something fun or interesting going on. And ducks!

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    1. I have the feeling you'd love it! I 'd show you around anytime.

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  28. I am very interested now and would love to add to my vacation list. Is it close to Cape May? I went there many years ago and its also a fun quaint town. I love artistic towns that get along with all the sorts. Very cool to have ancestry linked to Aaron Burr. I'm so glad I came across this post.

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    1. Welcome Holli and thanks for stopping in! Cape May is probably, I'd say roughly north west of Cape May.... around two hours away. It is a river town to sister town Lambertville, in Nj. Both towns sit right on the Delaware River across from each other. They are both quaint towns, and much to see and do , or just mill around and see where the day takes you.

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  29. New HOpe is dashing!

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  30. OMG I wanna go and visit! This town has it all: beautiful scenery, history and WITCHES! And gay friendly (the theater bit was a dead giveaway). Gosh. I need to travel more.

    xoxo

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!