Jamesburg revisited (Old Bridge, Oakland: crime rates, hotel, homes)

[dougielindsay]

I am a native of Jamesburg, N.J...Now living in Carlisle, England.. In June, 2007, it was my 50th birthday and my wife treated me to a trip to New York..On my arrival at the hotel I was very surprised to find my brothers and sister at the hotel and we had a fantastic time..We went back to Jamesburg for a day and it was just about the same as it was 35 years ago...We visited Oakland Road, where we used to live, and talked to some of the neighbours who actually remembered us..We visited the schools and playgrounds and this brought back many memories..Sorry to see the High School gone, I can still remember watching he soccer team winning all the time..Not so good at baseball and basketball though..I also played baseball, basketall and soccer in the town while I was there..I looked up an old friend (don't know if you can mention names) and he treated us to dinner at his house...We even went to Mendokers and ate until we couldn't move...All in all a great time and I hope to visit again soon..

[j1234567890]

I grew up in Old Bridge and moved to Jamesburg about 3 years ago, so I am not a "lifer" who has a jaded opinion. I bought here for a few key reasons:

-The quaint downtown (which could use more restaurants and bars but is still very functional). Most of the stores are owner-operated, which creates a nostalgic and customer friendly environment;
-The very nice and down-to-earth people. Before living here, I barely knew my neighbors. In Jamesburg, they come over to watch football games and cut my lawn without me asking!;
-The convenient location. We are within 3 minutes of Exit 8A on the Turnpike and within 10 minutes of various shopping centers on Routes 1, 130, 9 and 18.
-Contrary to popular belief, Jamesburg has one of the lowest crime rates in the county. The police have a huge presence and know when something is wrong. Sure there is a small issue here and there, but Jamesburg is just like any other town.
- The town is in the midst of a revitalization. They are renovating parks, adding decorative sidewalks to downtown, etc. New buildings are being built and the older ones are being restored. The county has plans to fix the crazy intersection and homeowners are improving their homes on every block.

If anyone is considering moving to the area, put Jamesburg at the top of the list!