Ralph Space, the legend and tales of Beemerville

Ralph Space was not the type of young man you would want your daughter to meet. An eccentric maverick at an early age, he was a man not committed to standard social conventions. After ‘graduating’ from the fourth grade, he left formal education behind him. A hunter, trapper, moonshiner and silk truck armed guard in the 1920s, Space matured into a shrewd business man and public relations expert. Turning his love and knowledge of nature into three renowned businesses, he and his wife, Elizabeth, founded the Space Farms Mink Ranch, Zoo and Museum, located in Beemerville. Fred T. Space, son of Ralph and Elizabeth, has recently published “Ralph Space, The Legend and Tales of Beemerville,” which chronicles his father’s life and adventures. Ralph Space’s life is the story of a dirt-poor sustenance farm boy, striking out on his own to become an astute businessman. He was one of the first contracted trappers and hunters for the State of New Jersey in 1929 and his expertise in the fur industry was widely recognized. Space’s foresight in the collection and foundation of the Space Farms Museums made him the envy of institutions such as the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. Space passed down his unorthodox, informal, observational and common sense education to his son, Fred, who expanded Ralph’s early native animal zoo into the 100-acre multi species complex it is today. Many people still remember Ralph Space, who passed away in 1986. His sense of humor was only outweighed by his business acumen. “Ralph started a legacy, perpetuated by his family, that has made lasting memories for countless families long after his passing,” says Clayton Taylor, son of Joe Taylor of Camp Taylor, located in Blairstown. The elder Taylor and Ralph Space were both early trappers for the state of New Jersey, comparing trade secrets in the 1920s and forging a lifelong friendship. “He was a savvy old cadger who never threw anything away and saw the value in what others thought was worthless,” adds Clayton Taylor. “My book came about because I told people stories of Dad, the beginnings of Space Farms, and the early Beemerville folks, that had been told to me,” explains author Fred Space. “I heard the stories repeatedly as a kid. Through the years, these stories have been etched in my mind, folklore based on oral history. People told me I should write them down for the generations to come. So I did.” Having taken Fred Space three years to compose, the book is peppered with rural Beemerville vernacular, old family snapshots, letters, poems, home remedies and old sayings. With the publication of “Ralph Space, the Legend and Tales of Beemerville“, Fred Space hopes to preserve the narratives he heard as a boy for future generations. Space Farms Zoo and Museum, located on Route 519 in Beemerville, will host a book signing for Fred Space from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26. The author will be on hand to sign copies of “Ralph Space, the Legend and Tales of Beemerville,” which is available in the Space Farms Gift Shop at a price of $10. For more information, call Space Farms at 973-875-5800.