Ole's Ranch/The Ponderosa, Voorhees, NJ
December 27, 2005

"Ole’s Ranch... was a small lake front complex. It began as a dude ranch owned by Ole Larson featuring two of the largest log cabin structures in the area. In the mid 1960s television personality Sally Starr purchased the "ranch" and turned it into a restaurant/dance hall complex called "The Ponderosa." The complex failed as a commercial venture and was abandoned in the early 1970s. The vacant log cabins were destroyed by fire in the mid 1980s." ~ Voorhees Township History

I had been to Ole's Lake many times, but today I braved shuttling my camera across the lake. The road down to the lake was filled with deep puddles, so I parked and walked in. No matter how many times that I come here, it's always hard for me to believe that this is the same Voorhees that houses multi-million dollar homes, the Echelon Mall, and the Main Street Complex.

The dam/road to the area where the dancehall was demolished many years ago, so getting accross required using a packing crate, a board, and a fallen tree as a bridge. In other words, it was a good time! But only because I didn't drop my camera into the lake.

On the far side of the lake, the burnt out remenants of two log cabins and two large cinderblock structures, as well as some retaining walls by the lake and some random fencing, are all that remain. At one point, each of these lakes, like Kresson Lake a short distance to the north, was used as a cranberry bog. I'd also venture that, like nearby Cedar, Kresson, Sunshine, and Lions Lakes, these lakes were most likely used recreationally at some point. All that they are used for today is fishing and as a place for the local kids to build fires and get drunk, not the best idea because a township police officer lives on the edge of the lake.

The road to Ole's Ranch

Ole's Lake

The bridge/remains of the dam

First of the large cinderblock buildings, this one fronting the lake.

Steps of the "left cabin" (with lake to back)

Left Cabin

Large cinderblock structure to rear of right cabin

Retaining wall

Right Cabin with sign posts in front

Metal post on island in Ole's Lake

Old electric pole

Old metal things

The dam that creates Ole's Lake

Sunset over Ole's Lake

I also hit some other local points of interest on my way to and from Ole's.

Kresson I, currently being restored as a township museum, a two room schoolhouse built in 1924

Mt Zion Church
Originally built in 1800 and a reported stop on the Underground Railroad, this African Methodist Church was built in 1924 and restored after an arson in the mid-80s

Mt. Zion graveyard, burial place to at least twenty African-American Civil War veterans

A former cranberry bog and recreational lake, this lake is now a township park used for fishing

Cedar Lake was another recreational complex, now surrounded by the Kresson Golf Course. Rememenants of this complex are still around, including a pavillion filled with picnic tables, the enterance gate and building, and the bridge. A sign hung until last year that announced that the club was closed "for the season" for insurance reasons, despite the fact that it had been closed for thirty years or so. For more pictures of this from 2004, click here

The Barney home

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