For the past 170 years Mary Ellis has resided on what she probably thought would always be a stately piece of property overlooking the scenic Raritan River. In actuality though, Mary has really just been monopolizing a prime parking space for the better part of the twentieth century. How poor Mary came to rest beneath the asphalt of the Loews Theater parking lot on Route 1 in New Brunswick is a romantic, and ultimately tragic story, not unlike a Bronte novel.
As the legend goes, Mary Ellis came to New Brunswick in the 1790's to stay with her younger sister Margaret. It was around this time that she met and fell in love with a man who was a sea captain, and former Revolutionary War officer. The Captain sailed down the Raritan and out to sea one day, vowing that when he returned he and Mary would be wed. He even left her his beloved horse to look after in his absence.
Every day after her captain's departure, Mary would ride his horse from her sister's house, on what is now Livingston Avenue, down to the banks of the river to eagerly await a glimpse of her lover's returning ship.
In 1813, she purchased a parcel of farmland overlooking the river from which she would maintain her daily vigil. Mary died there fourteen years later in 1827, still faithfully anticipating her captain's return. She was buried on the property, along with her sister, some other family members, and according to local lore, the captain's horse.
The plot, which was originally surrounded by an ornate wrought iron fence, lay in a rural, wooded setting until the twentieth century. Over the years the ownership of the land has changed hands several times, and the neighboring area has given bloom to a blight of strip malls, and cut-rate outlets. Mary's farm was paved over, and for many years was the site of the Route 1 Flea Market. Stranded high and dry in the market parking lot, Mary’s four-foot-high grave remained adrift in a sea of tarmac and bargain hunter-mobiles. Until recently, the small, grassy island was enclosed by a chain-link fence and sporadically maintained by Mary's descendants. Often though, the weeds on the plot were so tall that one could park right next to the grave without even noticing the two and a half foot tall marble head stone.
Those who did take note of the parking lot grave have always been curious about, and sometimes even inspired by it. In the early 1970’s pop hit "Brandy," the song was really an ode to Mary. The Looking Glass, the band that wrote and recorded the song, were in fact from New Brunswick, and did record other songs based on local sites. "Brandy," the fine girl, according to the song, was in love with a ship captain who could not leave his true love, the sea, to marry her. Sound familiar?
After the demolition of the Route 1 Flea Market a few years ago the property was redeveloped and became the Loews Cineplex. The parking lot was re-graded, making Mary’s grave stand even taller than before. Still parked in a prime spot, Mary’s grave has been given a new retaining wall, and a few small trees have even been planted close by. The final resting-place of Mary Ellis seems to have been given a new lease. It’s just too bad the new theater isn’t a drive-in.
