Proprietary House, Perth Amboy. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository

What is so special ‘bout Perth Amboy I thought

Shall I try to make a list, or hadn’t I ought.

Let me see-

New Jersey, first state in the Union to sign

The Bill of Rights, November 20, 1789,

Ratified in Perth Amboy, now wasn’t that fine!

What is so special about Amboy I muse?

Different from any old town in the news.

Of course there’s the water, far as eyesight reaches,

With volunteers helping to clean up the beaches,

And Raritan Bay Hospital our employer of note

And the Petersen School where the first black man cast his vote.

And City Hall on the circle, oldest one in the nation,

Where I pay my taxes, still in operation.

Where city council holds meetings and all can be heard

Complaining about everything, even the absurd!

There’s the Royal Governor’s Mansion, Ben Franklin slept here

It’s our museum of note, it would appear.

It belongs to the state, but the house is our duty

And the Proprietary House Association has made it a beauty!

There’s the Ferry Slip Museum where the ferry did dock

And the Methodist Church steeple’s housing for our old town clock

And according to history we’re proud to relate

That St. Peter’s the oldest Episcopal parish in the state.

The Garden Club’s a gem, they green up the city

For the 11 public gardens, they’re a planting committee!

Which brings to mind artist in residence Tom Ward

Whose art graces houses and buildings restored

He paints murals on fences, garages and walls

Of city buildings and not to forget  dining  halls.

We have fishing piers, the boardwalk, yachts and oil tankers

Sailboats, tug boats and barges with anchors.

There are parks and parades and free Concerts by the Bay

Festivals and fireworks for the 4th on display

There’s the orange roofed railroad station, NJ Transit’s answer to commuter transportation

Go North to New York or south to a seashore destination

As the real estate moguls say, “location, location, location”

There’s routes 1 and 9, the Parkway and 287 and I should mention

440, 35 and the High St extension

What is so special about Amboy I repeat,

And I didn’t include all the places to eat!

Indeed what is so special about our town of Perth,

It’s the people, the mix, the salt of the earth!

Norma Witkin