Five years ago, as part of the N.J. Meadowlands Commission’s Oral History Project, we interviewed lots of folks about the region in the old days. We are reprinting the best of them here, every Tuesday, for 11 weeks. This week: Jim Kazalis.
Growing up in Kearny in the 1950s, lifelong Meadowlands resident Jim Kazalis spent much of his free time hunting and fishing with his dad on the Hackensack River near Laurel Hill and exploring local landfills.
In the following audio interview, Jim shares several detailed recollections of his boyhood adventures hunting, trapping and seeking treasure in the Meadows.
Now a Rutherford resident, Jim brings the conversation full circle as he talks about introducing the next generation – his 6-year-old grandson – to the Meadowlands’ wonders.
Click “Continue reading …” below to hear Jim’s stories, read his account about growing up in the Meadowlands, and view archival photos. Continue reading