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Preserving the Legacy of 2000-2003 Historical Trivia and Myths |
Leo lived at Volney Phifer's Animal Farm on Morristown Road, Gillette.
In 1916, Goldwyn Pictures was looking for a trademark for their new company. Their offices overlooked the New York Public Library. They chose a profile view of a lion, which they named Leo. In 1917, Mr. Phifer acquired a lion in the Sudan, and brought him to the United States. The lion started appearing at the beginning of all Goldwyn films in 1921. In 1924, Goldwyn merged with Metro and Mayer, and in 1927, the current face-front image was standardized for MGM. The unique cadence of roars was carefully chosen, since Leo had been trained to roar on command. In 1934, Leo retired to the Philadelphia Zoo, and in 1938, he died. He is buried in Gillette, although the grave is currently unmarked. You may visit RoadSide America for additional information. | |||||
There is strong evidence that a signal beacon (known as "beacon #11") was established on Long
Hill during the Revolutionary War. These beacons were large hollow pyramids of logs filled with brush - over
40 feet high. They were built on high ground within sight of each other, the length of
Northern New Jersey. They were lit to summon the local militia and to notify the next beacon-keeper to pass the
signal on. To visualize how it worked, visit Fort Nonsense in Morristown. For more about Beacon #11,
visit the local history files in the Township Library.
 The marker pictured here is located on the west side of Pleasant Plains Road about
50 feet north of Long Hill Road.
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In the 1940s and 50s, Everett Reginald ("Reggie") Drew operated Reggie's Playland on a 22 acre farm on White Bridge Road in Millington (just west of the Raptor Trust). Reggie, a former waiter and an obvious entrepreneur, established a predominantly African-American entertainment facility which grew to include a swimming pool, tennis courts, a baseball diamond and handball court, rooms for his overnight guests (predominantly wealthy blacks from New York City), a carrage house (now a separate residence) and a pool house/cabana. Reggie grew his own vegetables, raised and slaughtered his own animals, and made his own spirits. By various accounts, Reggie's patrons were entertained by Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis. The Drew family closed the Playland in 1955, and moved to California, where Reggie became president of the Los Angeles Real Estate Board. The property then was operated as the Mill Ridge (Millington - Basking Ridge?) Swim Club until the early 1970s. Since then it has been a private residence.
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The Great Train Robbery There is a local story that Thomas Edison's company shot scenes from the first feature-length western (12 minutes), "The Great Train Robbery" (1903) on the Gladstone Branch as it passes through Millington Gorge. See currrent photos on our Gladstone Branch page. That story is a myth. A member of the Historical Society writes: | |||||
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| If you are interested in more stories about the mills, the clay pit, Amy, the Headless Hessian, the Underground Railroad and the scoundrels in our Township's history, then visit the Public Library. The Library has several shelves of Local History, and they house the Historical Society's collection. | |||||
In the Fall of 2001, the property was put up for sale. It was a unique property, since it was about 20 acres, but could not be subdivided because of wetlands. It might have made a decent property for someone who wanted to stable horses, etc. No buyer was found and in 2003, the adjacent Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge purchased the property.
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Historical Trivia; Leo, Great Train Robbery