Tatum County Park
Middletown Township, Monmouth County
368 acres
Directions:
Northeast of Garden State parkway exit 114, across from Deep Cut Park (devoted to the home gardener and consisting of gardens and greenhouses). The entrance to this park is across from Deep Cut Park on Red Hill Road in Middletown.
The Holland Road Activity Center (Holland Road Exit 114 on the Garden State
Parkway):
From the north, exit the Parkway and turn left at the traffic light onto Red
Hill Road. From the south, exit the Parkway and turn right at the traffic light
onto Red Hill Road. Continue on Red Hill Road for about 0.1 miles to the traffic
light at Van Schoick Road. Turn left on Van Schoick and go approximately 0.9
miles to Holland Road. Turn right onto Holland Road and the Activity Center will
be 0.4 miles on your right. Restroom facilities are available.
The Red Hill Road Activity Center (Red Hill Road Exit 114 on the Garden State
Parkway):
From the north, exit the Parkway and turn left at the traffic light onto Red
Hill Road. From the south, exit the Parkway and turn right at the traffic light
onto Red Hill Road. Continue onto Red Hill Road for about 1.4 miles to the Red
Hill Road Activity Center.
History:
1905 – Charles Tatum of New York City purchases the land as a summer home near his factories in Keyport and Millville that manufactured laboratory glassware, bottles, decanters, paperweights, and glass insulators. (Some of these pieces are displayed at the park’s Holland Activity Center.)
1920 – son Frederick inherits the property (with 170 acres being farmed).
1973 – Frederick’s widow Genevieve donates 73 acres of the property to Monmouth County. The remainder is purchased with funds from Federal Land and Water Conservation.
The former Tatum mansion on Holland Road serves as the Special Services building.
Facilities:
Holland Activity Center – off Holland Road, this center is used for sports and fitness, as well as other programs.
Red Hill Activity Center – off Red Hill Road, this activity center focuses on plays and programs for children.
Red Hill Activity Center (Heath Wing) – African-American Bertha Heath of Middletown donated funding to the park system. Bertha Heath’s father was a freed slave from North Carolina who became the first black farmer to settle in Middletown. In the wing is a permanent display of memorabilia from Monmouth County’s early black community. The wing is also the site of the Park System’s annual exhibit and programs in honor of African-American History.
Habitats:
open fields, deciduous woods and freshwater wetlands
Hiking:
The trails wind through open fields and rolling hills. There is a 3.8 mile hike using the park’s blue-blazed multi-use Tatum Ramble and Meadow Run Trails. Other trails are the Holly Grove, Dogwood, and Indian Springs Trails.
March 27, 2004. We took the Green trail that goes through the Holly Grove. The trail is on top of the hill and looks down onto flatter ground along with a ravine filled with American holly trees (hence the name Holly Grove).
There are marked hiking trails.
If you like to explore hiking trails or cross country ski, sample the delights of this scenic park. The trails wind through open fields and rolling hills covered with chestnut, oak, beech, tulip and popular trees. The former Tatum mansion on Holland Road serves as the Special Services building. Children's theater is on of the programs at the Activity Center with its Heath Wing on Red Hill Road.
Trails:
March 27, 2004. We took the Green trail that goes through the Holly Grove. The trail is on top of the hill and looks down onto flatter ground along with a ravine filled with American holly trees (hence the name Holly Grove).
Holly Grove Trail – an easy 0.5 mile loop through a grove of holly trees, walkers only.
Dogwood Hollow Trail – a moderate 0.9 mile walk in the woodlands, walkers only.
Indian Springs Trail – a moderate 0.9 mile trail on old farm road providing a country stroll up to Red Hill Road.
Tatum Ramble Trail – a moderate 2.3 mile multiple use trail exploring fields and forests.
Meadow Run Trail – a moderate1.0 mile multiple use trail through fields.
(See http://www.monmouthcounty parks.com)
PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney
* = blooming on date of visit, March 27, 2004
Trees:
Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven)
Castanea dentata (American chestnut)
Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
Ilex opaca (American holly)
Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip)
Picea abies (Norway spruce)
Populus sp. (poplar)
Quercus alba (white oak)
Quercus spp. (oak)
Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock tree)
Shrubs:
Lindera benzoin (spice bush)
Vines:
Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)
Herbs:
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)
Allium vineale (field garlic)
Crocus sp. (crocus) *
Geum sp. (white avens)
Narcissus sp. (daffodil) *