Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • May 22, 2013 Jersey Lakeland Region organizes a ‘mini-tour’ The rest of the intrepid travelers. by Ray Lemasters Fourteen Jersey Lakeland members and five guests recently set off on a mini-tour of Warren County. Participants traveled in eight vintage Chevys and Bob Jephson’s original 1951 Ford. The first stop was Bread Lock Park in Greenwich Township. This park represents one of the preserved sections of the Morris Canal. It includes the informative Morris Canal Museum with its many interactive displays, including a working model of a canal lock plus an outdoor replica of a canal boat. This was actually the site of Lock 7 West, one of 23 lift locks that, along with 23 inclined planes, allowed more change in elevation than any other man made canal in the world. This lock got its nickname from the fact that, during the years the canal operated, fresh bread was always available for sale there for passing boatmen to purchase. After leaving the park, the group drove over the Concrete Mile. This area of Route 57 represented New Jersey’s first concrete highway and this one-mile stretch has been preserved and has historic markers placed at either end. The group’s next stop was at inclined plane 9W near Stewartsville. This is another preserved part of the Morris Canal. The entire canal system stretched 102 miles from Phillipsburg on the Delaware River to Jersey City on the Hudson River and operated from 1831 until its abandonment in 1924. The plane near Stewartsville is the longest, providing the greatest elevation change of any of the planes. The inclined planes of the Morris Canal were an engineering marvel. Canal boats were guided into a submerged cradle and winched up the inclined plane on railroad tracks using a water-powered turbine. The next stop requires some explanation. Angie Lemasters (the author’s wife) is an avid quilter. She and members of her club recently took a tour of barn quilts in Warren County. Barn quilts are painted quilt squares usually fashioned on boards and then mounted on a barn or other building. While cloth quilts are usually made up of a series of squares of the same pattern placed together, a barn quilt is almost always a single square. Warren County has 10 barn quilts, the largest number in any county in New Jersey. Lo and behold, one of these barn quilts was at the Cole Farm in Stewartsville. Angie learned that Frank Cole is also a vintage car enthusiast and had a collection of cars tucked away at his farm. Angie conveyed Cole’s contact information and asked about making a visit with the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America. That was really the catalyst for this tour. What an unexpected treat this turned out to be. Those who approach Frank and Diana Cole’s house and wellmanicured grounds would not realize what lies beyond. Before his retirement, Frank operated a garage for about 40 years. In one building, he has his business sign and a wall full of repair manuals. Tucked away in building after building were a variety of restored and un-restored vehicles. Included were vintage Chevys, including a couple of 1957s, a low mileage 1971 Impala, and a rare 1996 Caprice SS with only 100 miles on it. Incredibly, Frank Cole said he had sold about 20 Cadillacs last year. The Coles outdid themselves with their hospitality, including doughnuts, coffee served in Frank Cole’s air conditioned man cave -- one of his garage areas where he had moved out one of his cars to make way for tables and chairs. Diana Cole provided a house tour to view their antiques and collectibles and part of her collection of antique sewing machines. They were truly wonderful hosts. Based on the feedback, it seems like a good time was had by all. Lou Faiella at the Bread Lock Museum.