Letter: Community, Residents Make Historic House Tour a Success in Long Valley

Dear Editor,

Although the weather was gray, damp and cold, the Annual Historical House Tour – “Autumn in the Valley” - was a success!

The homeowners and caretakers of the Middle Valley Community Center and the Obadiah LaTourette Grist Mill as well as the associations who care for the German Valley Rural Cemetery and the Middle Valley Cemetery must all be thanked first and foremost. Without your kind offer to open your homes, buildings and properties, the tour could never have taken place.

A special moment of the day was the dedication of the Chapel at the German Valley Rural Cemetery, now called the Naughright Chapel. The cemetery and chapel are both located in what was, at one time, Naughrightville and several members of the family attended the dedication. Steve Firtko, author of History of Middle Valley – Where the Past is Present, also deserves a special thank you for being a tour guide at the Middle Valley Cemetery and for designing and printing a brochure on well-known people buried in the cemetery.

The phrase, “It takes a Village” always comes to my mind when trying to thank all the people involved. Police Officer Phil Seabeck once again approved the homes to be on the tour, The Zion Lutheran Church provided parking while people bought tickets and visited the two sites downtown, and The Long Valley Pub and Brewery hosted a discounted lunch. The Garden Club of Long Valley created outstanding pumpkin and floral designs for each of the sites on the tour. Many local patrons are to be thanked for their generous contributions and support.

As president of the Washington Township Historical Society, I personally wish to thank all the members who, year after year, give of their time and talent to ensure the success of our annual tour.

Betsy Guzenski
Long Valley, NJ