Catherine Hyland Zavorskas has lived in Aberdeen for almost 55 years. She was president of the Matawan-Aberdeen Chamber of commerce, and served on the Matawan-Aberdeen Board of Education. She shares with us the history of Aberdeen as a Levitt & Sons community, and how they convinced people to move to the area from New York. She has witnessed many shifts in the local landscape over the years.
Joseph Kacirek, a retired educator and ex-principal, is a life-long resident of Matawan. Remembering when dirt roads had to be sprayed with oil to keep the dust from blowing around, to the early days of commuting to NYC from the original Matawan train station, Joe shares his memories with us. Joe’s over seventy years spent in the area has provided many stories.
Maureen Starace moved to Matawan approximately 33 years ago. Maureen and her husband are avid history enthusiasts and chose the area specifically because of its rich history. Maureen is an active member of the Matawan Historical Society and shares stories from the Burrows mansion and its place in the history of the town to Matawan’s famous shark attack of 1916.
Patti Johnson has lived in the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen (formerly Matawan Township) for 60 years. She has many memories going back to when the streets weren’t even paved, when the A&P site was a farm, and when the Cliffwood Beach boardwalk and pool was the place to be in the 50’s-60’s. She also remembers when there was no middle school, and students went right from Cliffwood Elementary to the High School., and how the town has changed over the years.