When schools close for snow days, you know where all the neighborhood kids (and adults) will be.
Stokes Hill of course. It has been the sledding spot for decades. A sign posted by the Moorestown Parks and Recreation even states, “Please have FUN.”
The sign also reminds visitors that snowboarding/skiing is prohibited. Children 8 years and under must be accompanied by an adult.
In 2015, Save the Environment of Moorestown (STEM) members joined township officials and dignitaries for the dedication of a bronze plaque at the top of Stokes Hill, located at 200 Block of East Main Street, on the south side.
It tells visitors about the history of the site and how it was preserved.
“For decades a favorite sledding spot,” the sign begins, “this hill was to be sold for development in 1991.
A black and white photo on a local social media page depicts the “favorite sledding spot.”
“The greatest winter memories of my childhood!,” one poster wrote.
Stokes Hill was almost lost to development all those years ago. Fierce public outcry prompted local artist Carol Mastran to begin a fundraising campaign to “Save Stokes Hill.”
“She sold hill-related artwork and rallied the school children to help,” the sign explains. “Their posters of sledders on the hill papered the chambers of the Town Council, who applied for New Jersey Green Acres Funding.
“A combination grant and loan was awarded in 1993 to purchase this 8.3-acre property as open space.”
Mastran died in 2014 at the age of 89, according to her obituary. She and her husband, John, lived in Moorestown for 59 years and it’s where they raised two daughters. Mastran, a native of Haddonfield, owned and operated an art gallery in Moorestown for 15 years and was a signature member of the Philadelphia Watercolor Society.
It was only fitting that donations in honor of Mastran were asked to be made to STEM and/or Perkins Center for the Arts.
In 2015, during the historic marker presentation, then Mayor Victoria Napolitano noted Mastran in the local newspaper.
“This is the story of an individual who stood up and made a huge impact on her community…,” Napolitano said.
Stokes Hill was the first non-binding Open Space referendum in town that supported expenditure of township funds to preserve open space.
“The $525,000 acquisition cost [of Stokes Hill] was funded by Green Acres funds that included a low interest (2%) loan for $375,000 and a 25% grant ($125,000) in recognition of the sites important environmental attributes plus $25,000 from the township,” STEM explains.
Stokes Hill is on the list of STEM’s 12 Open Space sites. STEM was founded in 1972 as a grassroots organization with a mission to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural environment of Moorestown for today and for future generations, according to its website.
STEM’s cooperative efforts with local, county, and state bodies have led directly to the preservation of over 275 acres of land within the township.
Stokes Hill includes a wooded area at the bottom of the hill that is part of the South Valley Woods, which is also preserved as open space.
Next time it snows, head to Stokes Hill located at 200 Block of East Main Street, on the south side. For more information visit stemonline.org.
