By: Richard L. Smith
I was just heading to the United States Postal Service in Metuchen to pick up a money order — nothing out of the ordinary — when I happened to look across the street and noticed something that immediately caught my attention.
Sitting quietly along Main Street was a small, historic cemetery. What started as a quick errand turned into a moment of reflection.
Curious, I took a closer look and realized I was standing in front of the Old Colonial Cemetery, a site that dates back to the early 1700s and is connected to the First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen.
As someone who appreciates history, I couldn’t help but pause. Walking past those aged headstones, I thought about the people buried there, early settlers and even soldiers from the American Revolutionary War.
It really puts into perspective how important New Jersey was during that time, not just a place on the map, but a state deeply tied to the fight for independence.
What stood out to me most was how this cemetery still stands today, preserved right in the middle of a busy town.
Life is moving all around it, but this quiet space holds stories that go back hundreds of years.
It was one of those unexpected moments — running a simple errand and walking into history.
And it reminded me that here in the Garden State, you never know when you’ll come across a piece of the past that still speaks today.