Mr Local History loves history with a social twist. In fact, it’s our motto! So, we thought it would be fun to share some of the most beloved New Jersey businesses that have disappeared. We began researching and putting our artists to work on recreating an offering of vintage retro clothing and accessories that honors the history of these great businesses we all remember.
Over the years, the Mr. Local History Project has been researching Jersey motorsports history and some of the sport’s greatest stories. While we now have the research to share, we thought we would digitally recreate some of these historic icons, creating the largest historic Jersey motorsports collection for t-shirts, hoodies, backpacks, stickers, clocks, blankets, and more.
Any color, any size. All for Jersey Motorsports fans! All proceeds go towards furthering the research and education programs at the non-profit Mr. Local History Project, which preserves and promotes Jersey history “with a social twist.”
As we hear from our readers, the collection keeps growing. It’s amazing how many people remember these former businesses (and a few still standing) that dotted our Jersey landscape: shoes from Thom McAn, lumber from Channel Lumber or Rickels, fun at Storyland or Bowcraft, or eating out at Howard Johnson’s or many of the car hops and drive-ins we remember. Click and look down memory lane and see if there’s any history you’d like to wear from this fun new history collection.
Individual collections include Great Jersey History, Jersey Retro History, Jersey Foodie History, Basking Ridge/Bernardsville, Westfield, Westfield/Cranford, Jersey Motorsports History, Jersey Irish, and our goofy Mr. Local History Fun Collection. Just click on the image below to go to each collection.
Each item is from advertisements we researched when the company was in business. The addresses and telephone numbers are original from that time. The non-profit Mr. Local History Project has partnered with online retailer RED BUBBLE, an internet-based company that prepares our artwork in several styles and products. They process and ship directly to you. We’ll continue to grow the collection based on your thoughts and feedback. If you miss a place, please let us know, and we’ll see what we can do. MLH is a non-profit 501c3 organization with a mission to preserve and promote Jersey History with a social twist. Honesty, we only make
Each item is from advertisements we researched when the company was in business. The addresses and telephone numbers are original from that time. The non-profit Mr. Local History Project has partnered with online retailer RED BUBBLE, an internet-based company that prepares our artwork in several styles and products. They process and ship directly to you. We’ll continue to grow the collection based on your thoughts and feedback. If you miss a place, please let us know, and we’ll see what we can do. MLH is a non-profit 501c3 organization with a mission to preserve and promote Jersey History with a social twist. Honesty, we only make $1 or $2 on each sale, so it’s more about fostering history than making money.
Perhaps we’re missing a favorite that’s been lost track of or an icon, and you’d like to add it to the collection? Please post your feedback in the comments section below, and we’ll do our best to address it.
Known as The Race of Gentlemen, the event has been revived since the 1950s by a local club called the Oilers of New Jersey. For one weekend in early October,… Read More »TROG – The Race of Gentlemen – Pure Jersey…
The former mayor of Paterson, Joey Torres, had committed to seeing the restoration of the stadium by the end of his term in 2018. He left office in 2017 and… Read More »Bring Auto Racing Back to Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson…
Want to go to the #Daytona500 Speedweeks and feel like you know where to go? Here’s 20 years of experience all in one place where we’ve highlighted the top 15 Daytona spots to hit during Speedweeks. We’ve loaded THE BEST.
PREVIEW RELEASE:Our researchers continue to work with this story as there are several conflicting points of view we want to continue researching. We will update over the next few weeks,… Read More »Newark New Jersey’s Incredible Velodrome and Motordrome Racing Venues
Over the last few years, researchers at the Mr. Local History Project here in New Jersey have been busy at work and have released several stories related to the motorsports… Read More »Mr. Local History Motorsports Special Edition Magazine – Free!
As a huge motorsports fan, this topic came up with a few of our researchers who can’t let it go! While the Mr. Local History Project normally focuses on New… Read More »Lost Motorsport Board Tracks Across America – Mapping Them…
You wouldn’t think, but in a quiet suburb of New York City, a man has amassed what is often referred to as the largest collection of Mack and antique trucks… Read More »Largest Antique Truck Collection in the World is in…
This is a tale about auto racing legends of the early 1920s, known as daredevils and speed freaks, who traveled to a tiny new track built outside New York City… Read More »1928 – Woodbridge Speedway – World’s Fastest 1/2 Mile…
The year is 1926. Welcome to the “Board Bowl,” which had 80,000 fans and was one of the world’s greatest motorsport spectacles—and it was right here in New Jersey! It’s… Read More »1926: Atlantic City Opened One of the Greatest Speedways…
Jersey Lost Racetrack Series We found a story in the Paterson Call newspaper on April 22, 1936, stating that on May 15, 1936, after spending over $100,000, the Union (Township)… Read More »Lost Racetrack Series: Auto Racing’s 10,000 Seat Track In…
Jersey Lost Racetrack Series For a short period, racecar drivers from all over the tri-state area gathered just off Raritan Road on the Westfield/Clark border for the most exciting spectacles… Read More »Retrospective: Auto Racing on Jersey’s Westfield-Clark Border
Yes, it’s true. While motorsports history has been very kind to the Daytona and Ormond Beaches in Florida, historians often overlook when Cape May, New Jersey, rivaled Florida for the… Read More »1905 – Cape May Auto Racing on the Beach…
Wildwood, New Jersey, drew summer tourists seeking respite from the Great Depression. Among the attractions on the boardwalk was the “Motordrome Wall of Death,” featuring motorcycles and race cars whirling… Read More »Wildwood’s Motorcycle Wall of Death is Back in New…
The 15th annual High Bridge Soap Box Derby was a blast!History right in front of your eyes! Visions of custom-made and painted cars with young kids bearing helmets and a… Read More »The Soap Box Derby and Ties to New Jersey
It’s been discussed over the years in hushed circles at Brush’s Deli. It has been described as a racing playground, a car junkyard, and a playground for kids over the… Read More »That Historic Sand Pit in Basking Ridge, New Jersey
2025 Daytona 500 Update Glad you dropped in for a look. Daytona International Speedway has announced that the 2025 Daytona 500 grandstands and camping are predicted to sell out as they… Read More »Daytona 500 Ticket Price History – 2025 – Holding…
Nominate your top 5 favorites for our American HO Greatest Slot List. Isn’t it great when you get to go back in time and do things you did as a… Read More »Slot Cars and Motorsports History
Boy, this has turned into an obsession. We keep digging and finding more racetracks that were once part of New Jersey motorsports history! The Mr. Local History Project is a… Read More »Lost New Jersey Racetracks Mapping Project
Perhaps we’re missing a favorite that’s been lost track of or an icon, and you’d like to add it to the collection? Please post your feedback in the comments section below, and we’ll do our best to address it.
Known as The Race of Gentlemen, the event has been revived since the 1950s by a local club called the Oilers of New Jersey. For one weekend in early October,… Read More »TROG – The Race of Gentlemen – Pure Jersey…
The former mayor of Paterson, Joey Torres, had committed to seeing the restoration of the stadium by the end of his term in 2018. He left office in 2017 and… Read More »Bring Auto Racing Back to Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson…
Want to go to the #Daytona500 Speedweeks and feel like you know where to go? Here’s 20 years of experience all in one place where we’ve highlighted the top 15 Daytona spots to hit during Speedweeks. We’ve loaded THE BEST.
PREVIEW RELEASE:Our researchers continue to work with this story as there are several conflicting points of view we want to continue researching. We will update over the next few weeks,… Read More »Newark New Jersey’s Incredible Velodrome and Motordrome Racing Venues
Over the last few years, researchers at the Mr. Local History Project here in New Jersey have been busy at work and have released several stories related to the motorsports… Read More »Mr. Local History Motorsports Special Edition Magazine – Free!
As a huge motorsports fan, this topic came up with a few of our researchers who can’t let it go! While the Mr. Local History Project normally focuses on New… Read More »Lost Motorsport Board Tracks Across America – Mapping Them…
You wouldn’t think, but in a quiet suburb of New York City, a man has amassed what is often referred to as the largest collection of Mack and antique trucks… Read More »Largest Antique Truck Collection in the World is in…
This is a tale about auto racing legends of the early 1920s, known as daredevils and speed freaks, who traveled to a tiny new track built outside New York City… Read More »1928 – Woodbridge Speedway – World’s Fastest 1/2 Mile…
The year is 1926. Welcome to the “Board Bowl,” which had 80,000 fans and was one of the world’s greatest motorsport spectacles—and it was right here in New Jersey! It’s… Read More »1926: Atlantic City Opened One of the Greatest Speedways…
Jersey Lost Racetrack Series We found a story in the Paterson Call newspaper on April 22, 1936, stating that on May 15, 1936, after spending over 0,000, the Union (Township)… Read More »Lost Racetrack Series: Auto Racing’s 10,000 Seat Track In…
Jersey Lost Racetrack Series For a short period, racecar drivers from all over the tri-state area gathered just off Raritan Road on the Westfield/Clark border for the most exciting spectacles… Read More »Retrospective: Auto Racing on Jersey’s Westfield-Clark Border
Yes, it’s true. While motorsports history has been very kind to the Daytona and Ormond Beaches in Florida, historians often overlook when Cape May, New Jersey, rivaled Florida for the… Read More »1905 – Cape May Auto Racing on the Beach…
Wildwood, New Jersey, drew summer tourists seeking respite from the Great Depression. Among the attractions on the boardwalk was the “Motordrome Wall of Death,” featuring motorcycles and race cars whirling… Read More »Wildwood’s Motorcycle Wall of Death is Back in New…
The 15th annual High Bridge Soap Box Derby was a blast!History right in front of your eyes! Visions of custom-made and painted cars with young kids bearing helmets and a… Read More »The Soap Box Derby and Ties to New Jersey
It’s been discussed over the years in hushed circles at Brush’s Deli. It has been described as a racing playground, a car junkyard, and a playground for kids over the… Read More »That Historic Sand Pit in Basking Ridge, New Jersey
2025 Daytona 500 Update Glad you dropped in for a look. Daytona International Speedway has announced that the 2025 Daytona 500 grandstands and camping are predicted to sell out as they… Read More »Daytona 500 Ticket Price History – 2025 – Holding…
Nominate your top 5 favorites for our American HO Greatest Slot List. Isn’t it great when you get to go back in time and do things you did as a… Read More »Slot Cars and Motorsports History
Boy, this has turned into an obsession. We keep digging and finding more racetracks that were once part of New Jersey motorsports history! The Mr. Local History Project is a… Read More »Lost New Jersey Racetracks Mapping Project
One thing is for sure: You can guarantee that each of these businesses in New…
Sneak Preview: If you got the word, you get the head start on the End…
The Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster, New Jersey, is celebrating Colonial Christmas, an annual fundraiser…
The town of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, welcomes its annual Christmas Eve Sing on The…
On November 15, 2025, Peapack and Gladstone opened its doors to the past as visitors…
Jersey is all we do. We make each of these collectibles to promote New Jersey…
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