History is haunted on special tour

(Continued from Page 7) town’s gambling hall and beer bottling plant. The “ghost” encouraged the young women in the group: “Don’t give up. This is 2023. The sky’s the limit.”

The group also “met” the ghost of Maggie, the wife of Ernest E. Tyree, manager of the Cranford Stars, which later became The Cranford Dixie Giants, an all-black baseball team.

Then there was Detective William Wagner, who solved a murder mystery. The victim, Mildred Mowry, was burned so badly, she was beyond recognition. Her remains were found on Feb. 23, 1929. Her killer was Henry Colin Campbell-Close, who she met through a Lonely Hearts matchmaking agency. Campbell-Close was notorious for preying on women who were widows with money. Campbell-Close confessed to the killing and was sent to the electric chair, which was known as “Old Smokey.”

Carrie Brown was a New York prostitute who enjoyed quoting Shakespeare and was allegedly one of Jack the Ripper’s victims to have been killed outside of London, in the “New World,” although another man was eventually convicted of her murder. Jack the Ripper — or his copycat killer — could have been from the Hopelawn section of Woodbridge.

Cyrus Drake, the owner of a former Lenape Indian trading post, is said to now haunt the Riverside Inn in Cranford, where he once had his trading post. He shared his story from his teepee which was set up in back of the Riverside Inn.

The tour ended with Laughlin herself, assuming the captivating persona of “Miss Cookie.” She jokingly referred to herself as a “ghost writer,” adding, “We make learning about history fun.”

To learn more about Haunted History Productions, visit: www.hauntedhistoryproductions.com/.

Cranford’s library offers many events

Families with children of all ages are invited to Family Storytime on Friday, Dec. 1, at 10:15 a.m. at the Cranford Public Library, 224 Walnut Ave., Cranford. Children in kindergarten and older are invited to a Winter Storytime on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m. No registration is required for either event.

Readers in grades 3-5 are invited to sign up for the Cranford Public Library’s Graphic Novel Book Club. The club meets on Monday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. Visit the library’s calendar to reserve a spot.

Young readers are invited to hone their skills by reading to certified therapy dogs. Dogs are a perfect, non-judgmental audience for children learning to read independently. This program meets from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Dec. 19 and Jan. 23. No registration is required but space is available on a first come, first served basis.

Independent readers in grades 2-3 are invited to the library’s Early Readers Book Club on Wednesday, Dec. 20, from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Read the book “Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem” together and create art inspired by the story. Registration is required and can be done online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ 747695586627?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Make holiday creations using Lego bricks and display them in the library. This group welcomes friends in kindergarten and older on Thursday, Dec. 21,

See CRANFORD, Page 15

Josh Ketschke, varsity soccer player

What’s your favorite memory of this season?

“My favorite memory of this season was our first win. Our win over New Providence on Sept. 19 started our winning streak and gave us a needed boost in confidence, which was essential to our success.”

How do you get ready for a game?

“Prior to each game, I made sure to hydrate, stretch and foam roll my muscles. These three things were all key aspects of my pregame routine.”

Besides sports, what else do you love to do?

“Something else I love to do is to go to the beach. My two favorite hobbies are surfing and fishing so I spend much of my time at the beach. “

What’s the most important thing your coach taught you?

“One of the most important things my coach has taught me is to be resilient. The coaching staff continuously harped upon this, making sure we worked hard through good and bad times.”

What was your biggest accomplishment this season?

“My biggest accomplishment from this season was my season stats, 17 goals and 7 assists.”

What are your plans for after high school?

“After high school, I plan to go to college and further my academic learning.”

What are you looking forward to for the holidays?

“I’m looking forward to seeing my family and having time off from school.”