This Is My New Jersey

It is finally springtime. The weather is beginning to warm, the juncos are heading north, and we see robins on the horizon. The most beautiful announcement of the season, however, is the blooming of cherry blossoms in Newark and Belleville.

History of Branch Brook Park

In 1867, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the designers of Central Park, presented their report on the 700 acre site to the Board of Commissioners of the Newark Park, which was unfortunately not approved by the state legislature.

When the idea was presented again almost 30 years later, the size of the open space was far smaller. The Olmsted Brothers focused on the same design ideas of their father Frederick and got to work. The park’s total size is 360 acres and includes a pond, a roller rink, and most importantly, more than 5,300 cherry blossom trees representing 18 different varieties.

Memories of “The Cherry Blossom Capital”

Most people think of Newark when they visit Branch Brook Park. And while, yes, most of the park it is Newark, it is also part of my beloved hometown of Belleville. As a child, I remember sledding down the hill nearby Franklin Avenue across from Stephen Crane Village and we attended the Easter egg hunts in the spring. Once I was old enough to drive, I would join many others looking for a shady spot in the park to wax my car. Every spring children will take their first Holy Communion photos under those trees and the park will forever be part of the backdrop of couple’s wedding photos.

A Local Celebration

But it is the cherry blossoms the park is most known for, both locally and nationally. We proudly refer to it as “the cherry blossom capital.” This year marks the 50th Annual “Bloomfest” that takes place over two weekends in April.

Oh, and for the record, Branch Brook Park has at least 1,300 more cherry blossom trees than Washington D.C.

So while many will head to the nation’s capital to see the cherry blossoms in bloom, I’ll head back to my old stomping grounds and enjoy the soft pink petals that create the only kind of snow I like. And who knows? Maybe I’ll find a shady spot and wax the Jeep.