Middletown exhibit in spirit of spooky season Spy House collection on display by appointment at Heath Farm BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN - A sign inside the Heath Farm's Spy House exhibit reads "Legend has it that Gertrude Neidlinger's spirit lingers here to watch over her collection." Surrounding the sign are photos of the late curator of the supposedly haunted house, as well as other objects that were in the house, which has since been vacated. The "Spy House" exhibit was open to the public on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of the History Timeline presented by Boy Scout Troop 122, New Monmouth section of Middletown, and Past Muster Historical Impressions. The house received its name during the Revolutionary War, when American colonists would watch as British troops used the house to eat and rest. The Americans would then attack the ships of the British while they were undermanned, for the majority of the troops were eating. Middletown resident Keith Maidlow made himself available throughout the day to answer any questions from the public. Though he claims to not be a historian or a curator of any kind, he has helped to make the exhibit accessible and presentable for the public. Along with Heath Farm owner Walter Spradley and others, Maidlow made sure that the artifacts from the house made it to the exhibit. "Walter and I went through his lawyer and got all of the property," Maidlow said. "We didn't throw anything out. If it was still useable, we kept it." Spradley is a descendant of Neidlinger, the famed curator of the "Spy House" for over 19 years. He constructed the museum to honor his late relative, and tours can be taken by request. Chairs, rugs and pottery that were inside the house were all on display, as well as articles written over the year about the haunted house and its longtime curator. The legend has it that the house was haunted by a woman named Abigail who would look out to sea. Abigail is one of many spirits seen throughout the house over the years, along with a sea captain looking through a telescope and the Rev. William Wilson, a one-time owner of the house who walks around holding a Bible. But this exhibit was geared toward the actual artifacts in the house, not the ghosts. With deer heads and a model train set surrounding the walls, the exhibit is a doorway to the remains of the museum - an exhibit some believe Gertrude Neidlinger still looks over. "If you utter her name with your lips or in your heart and say, 'Thank you, Gertrude,' " the sign continues, "the angels who watched over her for 87 years will make their presence felt in your life." Tours of the exhibit are available on appointment. To schedule a tour, call Walter Spradley at (732) 671-0566.