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Historic Preservation Committee

E-mail Recollection

  1. Name:

    Laura (Sharp) Smith

  2. Mailing address:

    Madbury, NH

  3. When and where were you born?

    1948, Morristown, NJ

  4. When did you come to Mountain Lakes?

    1948 (I was born here)

  5. Tell us something about your family. Did your parents also live here?

    My parents have lived in NJ since 1948 in the same house. Mother is still there (2003), father deceased.

  6. Where have you lived in the Borough? In which houses?

    116 Intervale Rd, the same house that my Mother lives in to this day.

  7. What do you remember particularly about the houses and properties where you lived?

    I lived in a much smaller house than most of ML t5ypes. Small neighborhood but had great playing area.

  8. What are some of your special memories growing up in Mountain Lakes?

    Many activities to do, close knit community, walking to school, riding bike from top of ML to bottom where I lived.

  9. Where did you go to school? What particular memories do you have from your school years? Are there any special stories you associate with that time of your life?

    I went to each of Mountain Lakes schools. Made great friends. Knew most everyne in your school.

  10. Where did you and your family shop?

    Morristown, Denville, Route 46.

  11. What were the roads and the lakes like?

    Pretty much the same as they are now.

  12. Are there any special people you remember who contributed to the life of the town? Why do they stand out in your mind?

    Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wilkins, very involved coaches.

  13. What did you do for fun formal recreation, sports and entertainment in general?

    Competed in swimming during Summer, skating/skiing in Winter, NY City events & shows, cheerleading.

  14. Are there any special events that stand out in your mind?

    The GAA shows were alwasy great fun!

  15. Did your parents and the parents of your friends work nearby? In New York or elsewhere? How did they get to work? How did commuting change over your time here?

    Most parents (fathers -- mothers were home) worked in NY. Father only had 46 for most of that time.

  16. How did various laws affect the way people lived?

    Don't remember anything out of the ordinary.

  17. Did you have a sense of Mountain Lakes as a unique place in its lifestyle, its homes, as a community?

    Yes, kind of an upperclass, sheltered town (no big city, etc.)

  18. How did the world's events -- World War I, the Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the assassination of JFK, Viet Nam, Watergate, etc. -- affect you and fellow Mountain Lakes residents when you were growing up?

    Was a freshman when JFK was shot -- upset all of us.

  19. What made living in Mountain Lakes special to you, as you think back over your life here?

    Simple, carefree, and a bit sheltered from the real 'city' life. Small town comraderie.




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