 funds to do it.”
In 1917 the Cranford Canoe Club consolidated with the Casino Canoe Club.[17] On February 28, 1924 the Cranford Canoe Club burnt down[18]. In September, 1924 the newly designed Cranford Canoe Club was completed. The club also built tennis courts behind their new club house.
Mid 20th Century
On November 8, 1934 the Cranford Canoe Club began renting their club house to the Cranford Girl Scout Council which renamed it the Neva Sykes Girl Scout House[19].
In 1939, C. J. Collins of 10 Balmiere Parkway in Cranford, owned the Ulhigh Canoe Club at Springfield and Orange avenues. Mr. Collins took over the canoe club in 1915. The club got its name from an Indian word meaning “Crescent Moon” and started as a private canoe club in 1908. Members held races against the now defunct “Cranford Canoe Club” which at the time had been located across Springfield Avenue in what is known today as “Girl Scout Park”.
“There are from two to three miles of river available for canoeing at present. Starting from the Ulhigh Canoe Club, one could paddle under the Springfield and Eastman Street bridges, around the bend at MacConnell Park, under the second Eastman Street bridge, past Hampton Hall, under the second Springfield Avenue bridge and through the Normandie Park section. Some have gone as far as Kenilworth. The Ulhigh Canoe Club had 19 canoes in 1939, once owning as many as 50 in its heyday.[20]
The property and facility across the street later changed names to the Neva Sykes Girl Scout House. The house was demolished in November 1964. There are no visible remnants of the original Cranford Canoe Club (C.C.C.) facility that would have been next to the today’s Town clay tennis court facility.
Photo of one of the C.C.C. awards presented at the annual canoe races on the Rahway River
History – Canoe Clubs in Cranford, New Jersey
Canoe Club owners/operators based in Cranford, New Jersey
Lobster House – Corner of Springfield Avenue and Normandy Place
- The first location for the Cranford Canoe Club. Late 1800’s – The Cranford Canoe Club had its origins in the “Shanty Gang” which held meetings in A. Clark’s red “Lobster Shanty” canoe livery at the intersection of Normandie Place and Riverside Drive.
- 1906 – Ad showing canoe rental in Cranford Chronicle to the public. Telephone number was “54-L”
- 1906 – First regatta sponsored by C.C.C.
- 1907 – 30 members (men and women)
- 1908 – Ad shows rentals for $0.50/hr, $1 per 1/2 day to the public[21]
- 1909 – Ad shows a special Old Town “Rahway River” edition canoe for $36. Second hand canoes as low as $12
- 1909 – C.C.C sponsors the River Carnival. C.C.C Officers – J.A. Plummer (Commodore), W.B. Drysdale (Vice Commodore), F. de G. Sephar (Secretary), M.R. Marston (Treasurer)
Skeeter Canoe Club -Corner of Springfield Avenue and Normandy Place
- 1904 or 1906 – the Shanty Gang renamed themselves the Skeeter Club.
- 1907 – Alfred Clark – President Skeeter Canoe Club
- 1908 – Built and founded
Cranford Canoe Club (C.C.C.) : Girl Scout Park
(across street from 250 Springfield Ave)
Membership supported / clubhouse
- 1910 – The Cranford Canoe Club bought property on Springfield Avenue (across the street from the Uligh Canoe Club, site of the current Cranford Canoe Club, and built a club house furnished in Mission style oak furniture and a player piano.
- 1924 – Cranford Canoe Club burns to the ground down -February 28, 1924
- 1924 – the newly designed Cranford Canoe Club was completed. The club also built tennis courts behind their new club house.
- 1934 – Cranford Canoe Club relocates across Springfield Avenue to 250 Springfield Avenue.
- 1934 – On November 8, 1934 the Cranford Canoe Club began renting their club house to the Cranford Girl Scout Council which renamed it the Neva Sykes Girl Scout House
- 1942 – Neva Sykes Girl Scout House and summer day camp (dedicated November 1, 1942) – Neva Sykes was a charter member and secretary of the Girl Scouts. Property was called “Neva Sykes Memorial Girl Scout House”[22]
- 1945 – In February, 1945, Cranford Township took title to the Club house in lieu of $875 in unpaid taxes[23].
- 1964 – Girl Scout House demolished (November)
- Current – Girl Scout Park owned by the Township of Cranford
Ulhigh Canoe Club / Cranford Canoe Club at the 250 Springfield Avenue
Club Pennant – A brown and white flag with the initial U inscribed in an embroidered white triangle.
- 1908 – Built and founded Ulhigh Canoe Club – At Decoration Day Ulhigh C.C. President Leeds hosted the opening celebration. Club Captain was C.A. Gardner.
- 1909 – New Jersey Canoe Association formed at Ulhigh Canoe Club (February 18, 1909)
- 1915 – 1939 C. J. Collins – Owner/Operator (Ulhigh Canoe Club)
- 1934 – Cranford Canoe Club moves across street – Ulhigh Canoe Club closes.
- TBC -1972 – George Apgar, Owner/Operator
- 1987 – NY Times recognizes Cranford Canoe Club as a premier canoeing destination[24]
- 1972 – 1990 – Frank Betz, Owner/Operator
- 1990 – 1993 – Township of Cranford/Owner – Brooks Betz/Operator
- 2004 – 2007 – Township of Cranford/Owner – Michael Pender/Operator
- 2007 – Current – Township of Cranford/Owner – Ralph Circelli Construction/Operator
References
- “New York Times”. New York Times. March 8, 1992.
- Images of America: Cranford. Arcadia Publishing, Dover NH. 1995. p. 18.
- Fridlington, Robert (1995). Images of America: Cranford Vol. II. New Hampshire: Arcadia Publishing, Dover NH. p. 17.
- “Cranford Canoe Club”. Cranford Chronicle. November 6, 1895.
- “Cranford parades and festivals on the Rahway River” (PDF).
- Bragdon, William (1937). Cranford – An Outline History.
- The Cranford Chronicle”. Cranford Chronicle. November 10, 1900.
- “Historic District proposed for Cranford’s ‘Little Venice”. Newark Star Ledger. October 28, 2010.
- “Cranford Club Races” (PDF). Cranford Chronicle. 1907-08-01.
- “Canoe Club News” (PDF). Cranford Chronicle. 1908-06-08.
- “NJ Monthly: Canoe Club Among Best in State”.
- “Canoe Locals News” (PDF). Cranford Chronicle. 1908-04-30.
- “Canoeing Hudson Fulton Regatta”. Forrest and Stream Vol. 73. 73. October 16, 1909.
- “Cranford Map c1911”. New Jersey Digital Highway. 1911.
- “Cranford Locals Paddle from Cranford to Philadelphia” (PDF). Cranford Chronicle. 1907-08-15.
- Fridlington, Robert. Cranford, New Jersey (Images of America Series). Arcadia Publishing.
- “Cranford Canoe Club Consolidates with Casino”. Cranford Chronicle. May 24, 1917.
- “Cranford Canoe Club Burns in Blaze”. Cranford Citizen. February 28, 1924.
- “Neva Sykes Girl Scout House”. Cranford Chronicle p.1. November 8, 1934.
- “Renewed Interest Locally in Canoeing this Season” (PDF). Cranford Chronicle. August 3, 1939.
- “Advertisement”. Cranford Chronicle Newspaper. May 1, 1908.
- “Girl Scout Movement Enjoys Rapid Growth in Cranford” (PDF). Cranford Chronicle. July 1, 1948.
- “Cranford Township purchases Canoe Club”. Cranford Chronicle. February 8, 1945.
- LIPPMAN COLLINS, Helen (May 31, 1987). “Something for Everyone in a Canoe”. New York Times.
External Links
- The Cranford Canoe Club home page
- Cranford Township home page
- Cranford Historic Preservation Advisory Board (HPAB)
- The Cranford Historical Society
- Narrated history of Cranford by Cranford resident Bernie Wagenblast
- Another Canoe Company closes – Jersey Paddler – Brick, New Jersey – 2016The devil likes to trick us and tell us lies, lies like "there's no hope for me," or "I could never repent for that," or "God would never forgive me for what I did."  

They are straight-up lies.    God is infinite in His love and mercy.  A perfect God has perfect love.  It's hard for us to see that because we're flawed; therefore our mercy and love are imperfect, so we tend to apply the same standards to God.  Well God doesn't conform to our standards.  