TIME TO REMEMBER

Another year has come, and gone. It's time to give a moment or two to remember friends who have passed on. One way or another they are still with us.

It has been a couple of years since one of my friends answered his last call. His grand-daughter drew the picture below. It makes a very nice memory. 

In addition to this Officr, there are others who have passed away in 2012. They leave us and their families behind.  Miss you guys!

"M" IS FOR MORRIS PLAINS

This "M" is for Morris Plains, NJ. The badge is part of my Municipal Collection.

George Washington never slept here, but he may have marched on the trailsin the area during the Revolutionary War.  Old George did have his Head Quarters in the area back back in his day.  It is now Morristown, NJ.  Morris Plains is the neighboring community.

As a formal municipality Morris Plains didn't come into existence until after the country had forty-eight states. That would be 1926. General Washington never saw that coming.

Like many towns in New Jersey this community was created out of another. Technically it isn't a Town, but a Borough. The tag "bedroom community" also fits here. Many of the residents work in "The City" - New York. They have direct access via train that goes into Penn Station. That train passed my old home in a neighboring Borough.

What I recall best about this place was a little steakhouse. It was called Arthur's. I recall there was one in Hoboken too. These communities have the train and restaurants in common. 

When I checked Google to see if this restaurant was still in business I learned that they were, and that they were also considered one of the best steakhouses in New Jersey. I should have eaten there more often.

The badge from this fine police department is relatively new to my collection. It comes to me from across the pond in the United Kingdom. How it got there I have no idea, but I was glad to bring it home.

This badge is the old traditional shape for NJ police. It is a shell with two panels at the top, and a reverse stamped State Seal in the center. The panels have the words Morris Plains and Police stamped with recessed black enamel fill. A large number box is at the bottom with the number "24" located dead center. Ironically this is also the 24th  Badge in my display in alphabetical order by municipality.

I'm very pleased to have this fine item in my Municipal Collection, and now that it is there it makes my mouth water for some good steak. At least I can enjoy that fine memory.

"M" IS FOR MILLVILLE

This badge is rather unique. It certainly is old, but also has a very unusual shape for a Jersey badge  It comes from the municipality of Millville, N.J.

In my Municipal Collection this is the twenty-third consecutive community to be identified in alphabetical order. Hence this badge is  headlined here as "M" is For Millville.

I have had  it for over twenty-five years. This is another item that I don't know anything about. That is unusual. It is from a  Community in Cumberland County. 

To me that was farm country. Be that as it may, I always liked this old west styled badge, but at the same time would have considered trading it for something from Newark or just a "City."

Because I wanted to say something about the community I did some Google work. I learned that this place is centered nicely between the NJ Turnpike, The Garden State Parkway,  and The Atlantic City Expressway. That makes it a 'metropolis" for sure, and the twenty-four thousand residents helps too.

The place has roots to colonial days. Several mills were built in the area which contributed to the adoption of the name "Millville." Today there are many art galleries on High Street in the downtown area.

I learned that there is even an airport here. In fact it was designated as "America's First Defense Airport" during Worked War II. 

Well I learned something about this community, plus one other major bit of information that I did not know. Millville is a City. That means I like it more, and eventually will move it to my City Collection. That is good news for me. Now I will no longer  consider it for trade.

As noted this badge looks like it was from out West. It simply reads: Millville, and at the bottom Police.  In the center is one of the largest State Seals I have seen. The reason for this can be seen by looking at the back. In an open cutout there is a five point "Star." The State Seal had to be large enough to cover the star. I guess this was done for budgetary reasons.

For now this badge will stay put. It will be my reminder that every badge needs to be checked thoroughly, and that includes its' history. I have learned my lesson.