Clinton Township Newsletter

3 m a y 2 0 2 3 from Carol Beder's While brick-and-mortar establishments across the country struggle to remain in business, many of our local stores and restaurants in downtown Clinton have enjoyed great longevity with countless loyal customers. All of these businesses have been long-standing members of the Guild of Clinton, which works hard throughout the year to keep Clinton the beautiful and charming nationally-recognized town that it is. (To find out more and volunteer, go to: www.VisitClintonNJ.com.) The Towne Restaurant, a local favorite, has been continuously in business since the 1950s; Nick and Georgia Rentoulis pursued their American dream and purchased it in 1979. Heartstrings of Clinton, owned by Carol Beder, has been in Clinton since 1975. Not even a fire or a pandemic could stop this gem of a store! One of the few shoe repair stores of yesteryear left in Hunterdon County, Charlie's Bootery is, in terms of longevity, also the oldest. Established in 1930 by Charlie Holjes, it is owned and operated by Randy Emery of Annandale. Randy has worked in the store since 1965 when he was 18 years old. Bearpaw Leather Shop has been offering quality hand-crafted leather goods and comfort footwear since 1972. Ralph Hunt built the earliest section of the Red Mill, on the west bank of the South Branch of the Raritan River, to process wool around 1810. 150 years later, in 1960, a group of men called the Red Mill Five bought the then-delapidated mill in order to restore it. For years they met regularly to turn their vision into reality involving strenuous, hands-on, physical work as the large, empty building was cleaned and repaired, and the roof and waterwheel were replaced with donations collected from the local community. In 1963, the Clinton Historical Museum opened to the public; a year later, the Mulligan Quarry was donated to the museum. The museum and grounds were officially dedicated in 1965 and, in 1972, community members came forward to continue the mission to protect the Mill, its collections, and local heritage. The museum grew and, over the years, became known as the Hunterdon Historical Museum in 1996 and, in 2002, became the Red Mill Museum Village. Constructed in the 1700s, the Hunterdon Art Museum is housed in a stone mill across the river from the Red Mill. The original mill built on this site in 1763 supposedly ground wheat for General George Washington's revolutionary army during its encampment in Morristown. From 1810 to 1828, Ralph Hunt owned both this mill and the Red Mill, and the town became known as Hunt's Mills until the name Clinton replaced it in 1828. In 1953 the building was converted into a museum. HAM presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art, craft, and design and showcases works by established and emerging artists while offering a dynamic schedule of classes and workshops for all ages. Last but not least, this month Pam Bacon's Made To Order Fine Jewelry and Gifts is celebrating 45 years in business in Clinton. Read about it on page 26 of this issue in Rachel Sprague's Clinton 3Q article. Congratulations Pam! C U S T O M PA I N T F I N I S H Transformations for Your Cabinetry & Furniture • D E S I G N 9 0 8 . 8 3 2 . 6 0 3 2 T E W K S B U R Y Julie Flynn DAYS TO KEEP IN MIND Monday May 1 May Day Tuesday May 2 Kentucky Derby Thursday May 4 National Day of Prayer Thursday May 4 Star Wars Day ("May The Fourth Be...") Friday May 5 Cinco de Mayo Friday May 5 African World Heritage Dayy Saturday May 6 National Nurses Day May 8 , 1945: Victory in Europe Day ("VE Day") celebrates the surrender of Nazi Forces to the Allies during World War II Friday May 12 Military Spouse Appreciation Day Sunday May 14 Mother's Day May 14, 1607: Founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America Thursday May 18 Ascension Day Thursday May 25 Shavuot Sunday May 28 Pentecost

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