The Mount, Mount Holly, New Jersey

     Mike informed me the other day that "The Mount" was neither mountain nor hill.
     "It's just a bump," he said.  "The town should be called Bump Holly."  Bump Holly came out sounding like Bum-polly.
     This area's colonial settlers were so tickled by the sight of topographical prominences that they called any high point a mountain.  We have Mount Laurel just down the road, and Arney's Mount lies to the east.  All mounts considered, I think Mount Holly's peak has the best story.
     The Mount was originally called Cripps' Mountain after John Cripps.  Mr. Cripps came to America in 1677 aboard the ship Kent.  Cripps climbed The Mount and was so taken with the holly trees and the view that he bought the property.  He named the area Mount Holly and built the town's first home.  The National Geodectic Survey placed two markers on The Mount.  The source I read stated that the markers were placed around 1840.  These markers are used for mapping and charting.  I looked for the markers, and I found two, but they appear to be dated 1976 and 1988.  Easter sunrise services used to be held on The Mount.  The altar and benches are still there, but the words "Holy, Holy, Holy" carved into the altar have been painted over.  I seem to remember those words being emphasized with white paint when I was in high school. The Mount has always been a playground for children.  In the 1920's the army built an observation tower on the top, but it had to be torn down because the children wouldn't stop climbing it.
     There are no human graves on the rise, but there might be two resting places which hold supernatural beings.  According to one tale, a witch was thrown into a well on The Mount.  She screamed and beat the walls of the well until she died.  Some people claim to hear her screams still.  There is another legend that the Jersey Devil is buried under the Easter Sunday altar.
     At 185 feet above sea level at its summit, The Mount is not the top of the world, but it is a world away from the town below.  So take a hike to the top of Mount Holly, but if you run into the old witch or Mrs. Leeds' evil spawn, don't mention that I sent you.

Deep Shade.

The Altar and Benches.

You have to get close to see the words.

One Geodetic Marker.

The Second Geodetic Marker.