Happy Halloween from the Storage Inn of EHT!

Which Witch is Which? A Brief History

It’s Halloween here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, and along with the falling leaves , and dropping temperatures come our yearly Trick or Treaters. Whether they are our self storage customers, or neighborhood families, it is always great to spend time with visitors to our storage facility. We see all sorts of costumes, from current and topical, to the traditional monsters, witches and goblins. So in the spirit of Halloween, we thought it would be fun to give you a brief history of a most time-honored Halloween symbol… The Witch!

Images of witches have appeared in various forms throughout history—from evil, wart-nosed women huddling over a boiling cauldron to a nose-twitching, suburban housewife. The real history of witches however, is dark and, often for the witches, deadly!

Early Witches

Early witches were people who practiced witchcraft— They used “Spells” to call upon spirits for help or to bring about change. Most witches were thought to be pagans doing the Devil’s work. Many, however, were simply natural healers whose choice of profession was misunderstood.

One of the earliest records of a witch is in the Bible within the book of Samuel. It tells the story King Saul who sought the Witch of Endor to summon the dead prophet Samuel’s spirit to help him defeat the Philistine army. Additional Biblical passages caution against chanting or using witches to contact the dead.

Witch hysteria really took hold in Europe during the mid-1400s. Witch hunts were common and most of the accused were executed by burning at the stake or hanging. Between the years 1500 and 1660, up to 80,000 suspected witches were put to death in Europe. Around 80 percent of them were women thought to be in cahoots with the Devil and filled with lust.

The book Malleus Maleficarum, written in 1486—was essentially a guide on how to identify, hunt and interrogate witches. It labeled witchcraft as heresy, and gave Protestants and Catholics the authority to flush out witches living among them. For more than 100 years, the book sold more copies of any other book in Europe except the Bible.

Witches in the New World

As witch hysteria decreased in Europe, it grew in the New World. Probably the best-known witch trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The Salem witch trials began when two girls claimed to be witches and accused many of their neighbors of witchcraft. Ultimately, around 150 people were accused and 18 were put to death.

In 1730, a satirical article written by Benjamin Franklin brought to light the ridiculousness of some witchcraft accusations. It wasn’t long before witch mania died down in the New World and laws were passed to help protect people from being wrongly accused and convicted.

Modern Day Witches

Modern-day witches of the Western World still struggle to shake their historical stereotype. Most practice Wicca, an official religion in the United States and Canada. Wiccans avoid evil and the appearance of evil at all costs. Their motto is to “harm none,” and they strive to live a peaceful, tolerant and balanced life in tune with nature and humanity.

There you have it – a little witch history.  Well, it’s time for me to go. I have a Halloween party to attend – I’m going dressed as… (wait for it…) a self storage manager – BOO!!!

Breaking News – What’s the Big Scoop on Eating Ice Cream in July?!

Holy Frozen Cow! The crew here at the Storage Inn has just been informed that July is National Ice Cream Month. This made us all so happy that we jumped for joy and decided to share our ice cream enthusiasm with everyone! Now, as a nation, we all have a great reason to curb our diets and celebrate with ice cream!

How did this amazing discovery come about you ask? Well, as the manager at the Storage Inn of Egg Harbor Township, I have the wonderful opportunity to speak with so many storage rental customers everyday. Today I was having a conversation with one of our tenants, Mr Giordano.

I’ve always known that Mr. Giordano is a teacher because he stores his extra classroom items in a storage unit all summer long. But! it turns out that he also has a very delightful summer job. He’s an ice cream man!

That’s right! – During the hot summer months you can find Mr. Giordano cruising around your neighborhood in that big white truck that plays the music you can hear from 5 blocks away!

During our conversation, he informed me that July is indeed National Ice Cream Month; so in honor of National Ice Cream Month and Mr. Giordano, here are some fun facts about America’s favorite frozen treat…

Fun Facts About Ice Cream

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. He recognized ice cream as a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by over 90 percent of the nation’s population.

The waffle cone was created at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis when Abe Doumar, a traveling salesman, encouraged an ice cream vendor to serve their ice cream on rolled waffles made by another nearby vendor when they ran out of paper dishes.

The first known ice cream recipe was handwritten in the recipe book of Lady Anne Fanshawe in 1665, and it was flavored with orange flower water, mace, or ambergris – an intestinal fluid from sperm whales.

Chocolate ice cream was invented long before vanilla, and the first documented recipe for it appeared in the book The Modern Steward, published in Italy in 1692.

Vanilla ice cream may be the default flavor today, but it was quite exotic and rare in the late 1700’s, as vanilla was difficult to acquire before the mid-19th century.

Many ice cream flavors popular in the colonial era in the United States are still mainstays – vanilla, strawberry, pistachio, coffee – but others, like oyster, parmesan, and asparagus – didn’t have staying power.

The Häagen-Dazs brand was established by two Americans – Reuben and Rose Mattus – and the name was made up to sound Danish and sophisticated.

Ben & Jerry’s was the first company to sell chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in 1991, and the flavor was created based on an anonymous suggestion on a board in their Burlington, Vt., shop.

Food photographers frequently use modified mashed potatoes as a stand-in for actual ice cream in photos.

“Brain Freeze” happens because the nerve endings on the roof of your mouth are not used to being cold, and they send a message to your brain signaling a loss of body heat.

Apple pie a la mode was invented at the Cambridge Hotel in New York when a customer named Professor Charles Watson Townshend regularly ordered ice cream with his apple pie. Another diner, Berry Hall, coined the dish’s name.

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavors are full of chunky mix-ins in part because co-founder Ben Cohen has no sense of scent, and a lot of his pleasure in ice cream comes from its texture.

The sundae was invented when soda jerks in the late 1890s bowed to criticism from religious leaders for serving “sinfully” rich ice cream sodas on Sundays. They started serving the ice cream and syrups without soda water and called it a “sundae.”

Dreyer’s and Edy’s are the same brand, but the latter name is used in the East and Midwestern United States, and the former is used in the West and Texas.

Hawaiian Punch was originally created and marketed as a syrup intended as an ice cream topping, but it became more popular mixed with water as a drink.

Professional ice cream taste-testers use special gold spoons which allow the tester to taste the product with virtually no trace of flavor left over from what was last on the spoon.

Blue Bell Creamery and Dreyer’s/Edy’s both claim to have invented cookies and cream ice cream, and there is no substantial proof as to which brand was actually first.

The earliest versions of Neapolitan ice cream were made of green pistachio, white vanilla, and red cherry ice cream and was made to resemble the Italian flag.

So, there you have it, a few things that you might not have known about America’s favorite frozen treat!

Boy, all this talk about ice cream reminded me again of Mr. Giordano. Where’d he go? I was gonna, ahem, suggest I keep a close eye on his ice cream truck while he took his good ole time rummaging through his storage unit. 😉

Happy National Ice Cream Month Everyone!

How Memorial Day Came To Be

Memorial Day weekend is finally upon us, and the yard is buzzing here at The Storage Inn in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. People are visiting their storage units, retrieving their barbecue grills and beach chairs in preparation for the big weekend. As I watch the busy storage yard activity, it occurs to me that many of our tenants and quite a few of our employees are veterans.

As a tribute, here are a few Memorial Day facts that you might not have known, courtesy of The Storage Inn.

The observance, which began in the years following the Civil War, was originally known as Decoration Day. By the late 1860s, many Americans had begun hosting tributes to the war’s fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and flags. It gradually came to be known as Memorial Day over the years.

It was Union General John A. Logan who called for an official nationwide day of remembrance on May 30, 1868, a date chosen because it was not the anniversary of any particular battle. However, the southern states originally observed a different day to honor the Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. Eventually the holiday evolved to commemorate fallen military personnel in all wars. There are still 11 states that observe an official day to honor those who lost their lives fighting for the Confederacy—Virginia is the only one that observes Confederate Memorial Day on the same day as Memorial Day.

In 1950, Congress passed a resolution requesting that the President issue a proclamation calling on Americans to observe Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace.

In 1968, Congress established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May, in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. But Memorial Day didn’t actually become an official federal holiday until 1971.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, which asks Americans to observe a Moment of Silence at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day..

Some of the largest Memorial Day parades take place in Chicago, New York, and, of course, Washington D.C. which boasts an audience exceeding 250,000, who watch as marching bands, active duty and retired military units, youth groups, veterans, and floats head down Constitution Avenue.

On Memorial Day, the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico direct the flag to be flown at half-staff until noon on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels.

U.S. citizens are asked to display the flag at half-staff from their homes before noon, as well.

So, while you’re having a great time with family and friends this weekend, do take a moment to remember those who gave their lives, to preserve our American way of life.  Have a great Memorial Day weekend, and God Bless America!

Celebrating Moms for over 100 years!!!

Celebrating Moms for over 100 years!!!

Today is Friday, two days before Mother’s Day, and the rental office here at The Storage Inn Self Storage in Egg Harbor Township, NJ is a buzz with people shuttling back and forth to and from their storage spaces, preparing for various spring activities and events.

Yesterday as one of our tenants, Mr. Hendry, was returning his van rental, I reminded him, “ Don’t forget about your wife this Sunday. It’s Mother’s Day!” “ Yeah”, he groaned, “ Another holiday made up by the greeting card companies.” As Mr. Henry shuffled out the door, and headed toward his storage unit, I realized that this was not the first time I had heard that comment made by someone. I wondered if it was true, so I checked into it, and here’s what I found.

I was surprised to find that Mother’s Day turns 103 this year! The holiday is known mostly as a time for brunches, gifts, cards, and general outpourings of love and appreciation, but the holiday has more somber roots: It was founded for mourning women to remember fallen soldiers and work for peace.

Mother’s Day and The Civil War

It all started in the 1850s, when West Virginia women’s organizer Ann Reeves Jarvis held Mother’s Day work clubs to improve sanitary conditions and try to lower infant mortality by fighting disease and curbing milk contamination during the Civil War. The group also tended to wounded soldiers from both sides of the conflict.

In the postwar years Jarvis and other women organized Mother’s Friendship Day picnics and other events as pacifist strategies to unite former foes. Julia Ward Howe – best known as the composer of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” – issued a widely read “Mother’s Day Proclamation” in 1870, calling for women to take an active political role in promoting peace.

The Modern Mother’s Day

After Ann’s death in 1905, her daughter, Anna took up the cause, and largely through her efforts, Mother’s Day came to be observed in a growing number of cities and states around the country, until President Woodrow Wilson officially set aside the second Sunday in May in 1914 for the holiday.

Today, of course, Mother’s Day is right up there with Valentine’s Day in terms of of consumerism. Americans will spend an average of $162 on mom this year, with total spending expected to reach $19.9 billion. The U.S. National Restaurant Association reports that Mother’s Day is the year’s most popular holiday for dining out, and the third most popular greeting card holiday behind Christmas and Valentine’s Day! About 133 million Mother’s Day cards are exchanged annually, according to Hallmark. After Christmas, it’s the second most popular holiday for giving gifts.

So, on Sunday, give Mom a nice card and some flowers, take her to a nice brunch, and then take her to see a Civil War reenactment – That is, after all, where this whole thing got started. Happy Mother’s Day!

Motorcycle Self Storage Tips for Spring!
Time to Ride!

April is on and there are plenty of motorcycles cruising past our office at The Storage Inn Self Storage facility here in Egg Harbor Township in South Jersey. I’ve also noticed a few of our storage space customers getting their bikes out and who could blame them on a days like these?

As I was making my rounds, I ran into one of our long time motorcycle storage customers, Chuck, who had his storage unit door open. He appeared to be staring intently at the inner workings of his Harley Road King.

“Headed out?” I yelled to him.

“ Not until I do my Spring safety check “  he shouted back at me.

Upon closer investigation, I found that Chuck had a paper checklist that he follows every spring. Being a rider myself, I was curious to see what his list included.

Here is Chuck’s checklist…

1. Check your battery – This the heart of your ride’s electrical system. Chuck says that any biker worth his salt will have already been connected to a trickle charger, and should be good to go, but if you don’t have your battery on a charger, the first thing to make your motorcycle ride-ready is to charge your battery.
2. Change the oil & filter – It’s best to change your bike’s oil before you store it for the winter, but if not, now’s the time to do it. Swap that stale lubricant out for fresh clean oil and a new filter. If you don’t do the work on your bike, make arrangements with your favorite cycle shop to get it done.
3. Kick the Tires : We don’t really want you to kick them, but you should do a full 360 degree check on each tire for any cracking or punctures. Also, check for wear. On many tires, tread wear indicator bars signal a need for replacement. But there also the old trick of using a penny. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head  when facing down and inserted into the tire tread… it’s time for a new tire. If your tires pass the wear test, inflate them to the manufacturer’s inflation specs and your rubber is ready to go!
4. Fuel up  – Ideally, you should have stabilized the fuel in your motorcycle during the winterizing process before you placed it into storage. If you didn’t winterize, and also didn’t fill the tank before storing, check the fuel tank for rust, which may have formed due to water condensation. If the tank is clean, fill it and ‘ride-on’. If there are signs of rust, you’ll live with the consequences – fouled carburetor, clogged fuel filter, etc. – until you replace the tank.
5. Check your Connections – A Spring tune up of cables, plugs, and pivot points is time well spent. Check all electrical connections, cables, and all moving parts that might require lubrication. Things tend to dry out over the winter, so take the time to make sure that the moving parts are kept moving!
   

   Mature man,working on motorcycle in garage

6. Lights! Camera! Action! Turn on your motorcycle’s power and check all the lights for any that have inoperative bulbs and replace them. (i.e.  brake lights, turn signals, headlights, etc.) Often, replacement bulbs come in twos, so save extras for the next time you need one. If a new bulb does not light, it’s time to check the fuse box. If that doesn’t work, it’s time to visit your local cycle shop. Electrical problems are best left to the experts.
7. Ready, Set, Stop! Stopping your motorcycle safely is just as important as ensuring your bike can accelerate. Before you hit the road, thoroughly check all the components of your brake system – lever adjustment, cables, calipers, brake pads, etc. If things don’t seem right and you’re not comfortable making adjustments, seek professional help. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
8. Stay Hydrated – Check all of the motorcycle’s fluid levels – brake, clutch, oil, coolant. Top them off as needed. Look for any leaks on the floor where your motorcycle’s been stored. Another way to check for leaks is to start and warm your bike to running temperature, then turn it off and check for leaks.
9. Keep it Clean – The old adage, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” is true – especially for your motorcycle. When you’ve taken all the steps to prepare your motorcycle mechanically, thoroughly clean the exterior. Your bike will look as good as it runs and you’ll look good riding it!!!
10. Ride safe! Always watch out for other drivers! 

So there you have it. Chuck’s checklist. Get ready, get that bike out of storage, and get riding!

The Storage Inn investigates South Jersey’s Underground Railroad

South Jersey’s Underground Railroad

Its mid February at The Storage Inn Self Storage here in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey, and we’ve already been through Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras, and Valentine’s Day. February, however, is also a month-long celebration of our nation’s Black History. The Storage Inn is located just outside Atlantic City, New Jersey, a city rich in Black History – Club Harlem, Chicken Bone Beach, and the Boardwalk Empire Prohibition Era come to mind immediately, but what many people don’t know, is that Atlantic and Cape May counties in southern New Jersey were integral in the success of the Underground Railroad in the mid 1800’s.

This was brought to light by one of our storage customers who happens to be the curator for the Black History section of the Atlantic City Heritage Collections at the resort’s public library. Below are the highlights of our conversation regarding the underground railroad in our area.

The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used in the 19th century by slaves to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause.

These safe houses were located in small communities, so those seeking freedom could go from town to town without anyone noticing them, For slaves using the Underground Railroad to escape the south, reaching Atlantic and Cape May counties offered hope that the journey to freedom might soon be over.

Communities such as Somers Point and Egg Harbor City in Atlantic County offered those escaping slavery a direct path to Pennsylvania, a state that had already outlawed slavery.

“The goal of slaves on the Underground Railroad was to make it to Pennsylvania, so when they got to Egg Harbor City, NJ they knew that freedom was just days away. I’m sure that many people don’t realize how much of an impact South Jersey had on the Underground Railroad,” said Ava, our curator.

Cape May also played a prominent role in the Underground Railroad. Cape May sits directly across the Bay from Delaware and Maryland. During that time, land crossings were actually more difficult than water crossings, so places that had water access became more popular.

Cape May was known to those seeking freedom, as a place with safe locations that they could count on.

Finding reliable numbers for escaped slaves who traveled through New Jersey, let alone Atlantic County, has proven tricky. The national estimate for those who used the Underground Railroad as a path to freedom is between 30,000 and 40,000 escapees.

You know, they say that you learn something new everyday, and today I learned something that makes me just a bit more proud of the South Jersey area!  Until the next time!