Vernon Chamber of Commerce prepares tourism brochure

Vernon - Members of the Vernon Chamber of Commerce are hard at work preparing a glossy color brochure designed to draw tourists to destinations in Sussex County - and they’re hoping to find local partners to help defray the expenses of printing and mailing. The Chamber is seeking county and township support, and members plan to present their ideas to the Vernon Council sometime in the next several months. “We’ve come up with a model of the kind of brochure we think will bring overnight trippers to Vernon,” said Councilman Austin Carew, displaying a model pamphlet that features photographs and descriptions of noteworthy Sussex County and other area sites, such as High Breeze Farm in Vernon, Space Farms and the Van Bunschooten Museum in Wantage, and the New Jersey Botanical Garden in Passaic County. “People who stay overnight typically spend more money than day trippers do, and that would be good for Vernon’s economy,” Carew continued. “The beauties of this area are a too-well kept secret. How can anyone put a value on beautiful views? And we have them in abundance!” Using the classic Michelin guides as an inspiration, the committee is focusing on including in the brochure a series of self-guided tours that would lead travelers through scenic byways to pleasant lunches in local restaurants and then back to Vernon for the night. “This part of New Jersey, especially Sussex County, is nearly invisible to tourists,” said Hank Capro, owner of Glenwood Mill and a member of the Vernon Historic Preservation Commission. “People seem to think that New Jersey stops at the Raritan River. And yet we have gorgeous scenery and many historical sites. We know that George Washington passed through Hardyston and Vernon and visited the downtown park area of Newton.” Capro also mentioned that few people know that approximately 18 miles of the Appalachian Trail pass through Sussex County and link two historic farms, 19th century High Breeze and early 20th century Lusscroft, each a model of leading-edge agricultural practice for its time. No mention of Sussex County trails appeared in a recent Wall Street Journal story about good hiking trails within a 50-mile radius of Manhattan. Carew noted that an earlier study of overnight tourism in Vernon suggested that Staten Island, N.Y. residents comprise a sizable number of tourists visiting Sussex County, so the Chamber of Commerce is thinking of targeting that group first.