Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/31/18


The historic Parsil House has stood at the corner of White Oak Ridge and Parsonage Hill Roads in Short Hills for two centuries. It is currently being converted into a small museum.

Monday, July 30, 2018

Houlihan's to Take Over Charlie Brown's in Millburn


MILLBURN, N.J.: There were once Charlie Brown's restaurants throughout Essex County, with outposts in Fairfield, Millburn, Upper Montclair, and West Orange. Today, the only local location left of the chain known for its steak and salad bars sits in Millburn's downtown, but not for much longer. 

William Liedtke of CB Restaurants, which owns Charlie Brown's, confirmed to Essex County Place that Houlihan's Restaurant and Bar is acquiring the location at 35 Main Street. The latter company is based in the suburbs of Kansas City and although many of its locations are franchised, the corporation itself has already applied to purchase the liquor license of the Millburn restaurant through its JGIL Millburn, LLC affiliate. 

Now known as "Charlie Brown's Fresh Grill," the longtime Northeastern chain was previously referred to as "Charlie Brown's Steakhouse" before filing for bankruptcy, closing dozens of locations throughout the region, and ending up under new ownership. Although two of its remaining restaurants are in New York while the rest are in the Garden State, Charlie Brown's is now based halfway across the country in Oklahoma. The company's New Jersey operations office is currently situated directly above the Millburn restaurant, though it is not yet clear where or if it will relocate.

Currently, Essex County's only Houlihan's restaurant sits along Route 46 in Fairfield. There was previously a location at the Livingston Circle, but it later became a Margaritas restaurant before being torn down to make way for a strip mall.

Houlihan's referred questions about their acquisition of the Millburn Charlie Brown's to Liedtke, who stated that this is the only location that is being sold to Houlihan's.

"We're still marching on," he explained, adding that "we just opened a location in Lacey recently and have two sites that we're looking at in the New Jersey area and expect to open one later this year."

Photo of the Day 7/30/18


Port Newark is among the largest of its kind in the country. This photo shows a view of the port from Millburn.

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/29/18


This photo shows Ivy Hill Park in Newark's West Ward.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/28/18


This photo was taken near Walker's Pond in North Caldwell.

Friday, July 27, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/27/18


This photo shows one of Montclair Center's oldest apartment buildings.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/26/18


Built between 1720 and 1740, the Van Ness House in Fairfield is among Essex County's oldest buildings. Owned by the Township, the house currently sits vacant alongside Little Falls Road.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/25/18


This photo shows the Durand-Hedden House & Garden in Maplewood.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/24/18


This photo photos a view of Downtown Newark and Brooklyn from West Orange.

Monday, July 23, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/23/18


This photo shows the former Kiernan's Quarry site in South Orange at sunset.

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/22/18


This photo shows Black Rock Falls at South Mountain Reservation in Maplewood.

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/21/18


This photo shows Glen Ridge's Ridgewood Avenue School.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/20/18


This photo shows a view of the hills in Morris County from Livingston's Bel Air Woods.

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/19/18


Brookside Road in South Orange is one of the village's only private streets,

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/18/18


The gates in front are all that remain of the former Newark City Hospital's Convalescent Branch on Irvington Avenue by the Maplewood border. The property now sits wooded and undeveloped.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/17/18


The Maplewood Jewish Center is in the middle of undergoing an expansion of its Parker Avenue campus.

Monday, July 16, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/16/18


This photo shows South Orange's Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/15/18


This photo shows a view of the Bayonne Bridge from Millburn's Wyoming neighborhood.

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/14/18


The Manton Bradley Metcalf Memorial Playground, located in Orange's Valley neighborhood, is named for a local businessman who worked in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A building on Main Street in Orange is also named in honor of Metcalf.

Friday, July 13, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/13/18


This photo shows a view of South Mountain Reservation in Millburn from Summit.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/12/18


This road in North Caldwell, which is now blocked off, once led to the Essex Mountain Sanatorium.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/11/18


This photo shows a view of Port Newark, the Newark Liberty International Airport tower, and the Budweiser factory on Routes 1 and 9 from Summit, Union County.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/10/18


This photo shows the pond at West Orange's Degnan Park.

Monday, July 9, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/9/18


This photo shows a view of Newark's Vailsburg neighborhood, including the bell tower of the historic Sacred Heart Church on South Orange Avenue, from West Orange. The new 1 Brooklyn Bay tower in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn can be seen in the distance.

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/8/18


The Central Avenue entrance to Highland Drive in West Caldwell is bordered by stone gates, one of which has a vintage sign reading "Arcadia Place" and 1910. It is not clear what the sign on the gate refers to since there is no street or landmark in the area with the name "Arcadia Place."

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Photos of the Day 7/7/18


Construction is nearly complete on the new development at 320 Valley Street in South Orange. The site previously contained an abandoned home, pictured below, that was built in 1895.


Friday, July 6, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/6/18


This photo shows West Orange's Nia Fellowship Baptist Church. The building used to contain the Ridgeview Community Church before the congregation merged with other churches in the township.

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/5/18


The Mount Sinai Congregation within the Ivy Hill Park Apartments in Newark's West Ward is one of the city's only remaining synagogues.

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Photos: Medal of Honor Ceremony Held at The White House


Washington, D.C.: Essex County Place was at The White House last week for a Medal of Honor ceremony. The event on June 26th was to posthumously recognize Army First Lieutenant Garlin M. Conner, who served during World War II. Pauline Conner, the lieutenant's widow, accepted the medal. President Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Army Secretary Mark Esper, and Chief of Staff John Kelly were present during the ceremony.












Photo of the Day 7/4/18


This photo taken on Independence Day in 2017 shows a view of fireworks with the Downtown Newark skyline in the background.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/3/18


South Orange's Baird Community Center, commonly known as The Baird, recently underwent facade improvements.

Monday, July 2, 2018

Photo of the Day 7/2/18


Ivy Hill Park is situated at the western edge of Newark's West Ward near the South Orange and Maplewood borders.

Sunday, July 1, 2018

Photos of the Day 7/1/18


This photo shows the East Orange Water Works complex on the border of South Orange and Maplewood. The facility, which dates to 1904, consists of an underground reservoir.