Weekend Historical Happenings: 3/29/14 - 3/30/14

WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

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Saturday, March 29 - South Amboy, Middlesex County

Second Annual Historical Society of South Amboy Open House

Come meet with neighbors and friends on Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm to learn about historic South Amboy. Explore local South Amboy history, old photographs, genealogy requests, historic landmarks, artifacts, a raffle, and more! Guest speaker, genealogist, and author Maureen K. Wlodarczyk will discuss her book Jersey! ...Then Again. Wlodarczyk's talk begins at 2:00 pm followed by book sales. Bring your old photographs to have them scanned on-site to be featured on their Facebook page and web site, as well as being archived for the future! Free refreshments will be served. This open house will be held at the South Amboy Senior Center, 108 South Stevens Avenue, South Amboy, NJ. For more information, e-mail historicalsocietysa@ymail.com or visit www.southamboyhistorical.com.

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Saturday, March 29 - Pennsville, Salem County

Battle for the Rhine
Children Friendly

On Saturday, visit Fort Mott from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm for the 9th Infantry Division Historical Preservation Society's Battle for the Rhine reenactment event. This will be an interactive experience for the public with a lot of demonstrations including mine detection, marching and drilling, using a 1940s GI radio, and much more! There will be a couple of skirmishes with a German unit Fort Mott is located at 454 Fort Mott Road, Pennsville, NJ. For more information, call 856-935-3218 or visit www.9thdivision.com.

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Saturday, March 29 - Trenton, Mercer County

Emily Roebling: The Woman Who Saved the Brooklyn Bridge

Children Friendly

On Saturday from 2:00 - 3:00 pm, the New Jersey State Museum presents a special event for Women’s History Month in recognition of the remarkable contribution of Emily Roebling, without whom the Brooklyn Bridge would not exist as it does today. She was a pioneer of Women in Engineering who taught herself bridge engineering in order to direct the workers at the construction site when her husband Washington became home-bound after a workplace accident and was unable to deliver instructions himself. Emily became his envoy for the final eleven years of the construction and was the first woman to address the American Society of Civil Engineers. She was truly a woman ahead of her time.

Saturday's special presentation on Emily Roebling is derived from script Roebling: The Story of the Brooklyn Bridge by Mark Violi of Hamilton, NJ. It is produced by Theater To Go and is directed by Ruth Markoe of Lawrenceville, NJ. It features Sarah McIlhenny of Browns Mills, NJ and Jennifer Huckleberry of Columbus NJ. An original musical score composed by Frank Grullon of NYC especially for Roebling The Story of the Brooklyn Bridge will be featured as well. This special free event is sponsored by the New Jersey State Museum. It is a prelude to the full theatrical production of RoeblIng: The Story of the Brooklyn Bridge, to be presented by Theater To Go from May 16 - 25, 2014 at the New Jersey State Museum.

Saturday's program will take place in Theater at the New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State Street, Trenton, NJ. Admission is Free. For more information and to reserve tickets for both events, visit www.roeblingplay.com.

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Saturday, March 29 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Old-Fashioned Kit Making
Children Friendly

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel and make an old fashioned kite! Hope for wind! This free event runs from 12:30 - 2:30 pm. Historic Longstreet Farm is located at 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ. For more information, call 732-946-3758 or visit  www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Saturday, March 29 - Morristown, Morris County
Women of the Mansion
Children Friendly

Enter the Ford Mansion through the eyes of Mrs. Ford, her daughter Elizabeth, Martha Washington, and the female servants. Explore the roles each of these women played in making General Washington's headquarters more like home. Programs at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 pm at the Ford Mansion, within Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, NJ. Cost: $4 per adult. For more information, call 973-539-2016 ext. 210 or visit http://www.nps.gov/morr.

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Saturday, March 29 - Plainfield, Union County

Genealogy Through DNA Testing

The Plainfield Public Library's Local History, Genealogy & Special Collections Department invites you to "Finding Out More About Your Genealogy Through DNA Testing" on Saturday from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon at the library.  Learn how to uncover your ethnic origins. Teresa Vega, a member of both the New York and New Jersey Chapters of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, will speak about DNA testing and genealogy research. Ms. Vega has a background in cultural anthropology and is the author of a genealogy blog.

This informative program will be held at the Gallery Room on the lower level of the library. The Plainfield Public Library is located at 800 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ. This is a free event. For more information, call the Local History Department at 908-757-1111, ext. 136 or visit www.plainfieldlibrary.info.

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Saturday, March 29 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Lambing

Children Friendly

Twin lambs, newly hatched chicks, and baby pigs are among the dozens of new faces you will find at Howell Living History Farm these days, as well as a few colonies of bees.

Visitors to the 130-acre working farm will be able to meet these animals up close during the farm’s annual New Faces Day.

Throughout the day, farmers will be present to introduce visitors to babies born this spring, as well as to other animals.  Walk-in visits to the hen-house, sheep barn, and pig pen will be permitted. Visitors to the main barn will be able to meet the farm’s workhorses and oxen.

Howell Living Farm represents typical farm life between 1890 and 1910. The farm is operated by the Mercer County Parks Commission. It is located at 70 Wooden's Lane, Lambertville, NJ. For more information. call 609-737-3299 or visit www.howellfarm.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Madison, Morris County
A Loyalist Farmstead in a World Turned Upside Down

On Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm, visit the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts to hear Donald Sherblom, PhD present "A Loyalist Farmstead in a World Turned Upside Down." Learn about the Vought family and the new roles played by the Vought women during the Revolutionary War. Admission is $7 for nonmembers, $5 for seniors and students and $3 for members. Advance registration recommended. Call 973-377-2982 to register. The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts is located at 9 Main Street in Madison, NJ just two blocks from the Madison train station. For more information, please call 973-377-2982 x10 or visit www.metc.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Hamburg, Sussex County

Germans of New Jersey

The Hamburg Historical Society is hosting a PowerPoint presentation by Dr. Peter Lubrecht entitled "Germans of New Jersey" on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm at Hamburg Borough Hall, 16 Wallkill Avenue, Hamburg, NJ. Social time and a book signing will follow the presentation. Refreshments will be served. The public is invited, and new members are welcome. Admission is free. Reservations are not required. For more information, contact Dr. Marion Wood by calling 973-827-5478 or  e-mail drwoodme@gmail.com.

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Sunday, March 30 - Freehold, Monmouth County

Open Hearth Cooking and Open House
Children Friendly

Monmouth County Historical Association invites the public to enjoy Open Hearth Open House at the Covenhoven House on Sunday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm. Come and observe eighteenth-century style cooking over the blazing  open hearth. Visitors will see food being made from authentic "receipts" provided by our hearth cook, Mr. Glenn May. This Open Hearth program will feature cream toast, gingerbread with orange glaze, apple pie from dried apples, beef vegetable soup, raspberry pomegranate tea, and ginger snaps. As you take a guided tour of the house stories of families living the Colonial Life will be told. The tour will include a demonstration of how tea was served in the eighteenth century.

Guided tours of this preserved landmark house, built in 1752 for William and Elizabeth Covenhoven will be provided. The Covenhoven House later served as headquarters for British General Sir Henry Clinton before the Battle of Monmouth in June of 1778.

Admission is free - bring the family. The Covenhoven House is located at 150 West Main Street in Freehold near the Route 9 overpass. Parking is available at Grace Lutheran Church at the corner of West Main Street and Business Route 33. For more information, call 732-462-1466 or visit www.monmouthhistory.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Morristown, Morris County
Tempe Wick; Truth and Legend
Children Friendly

Did Tempe Wick really hide a horse in the Wick House? Hear the legend and find out the truth as you explore the Wick House and look for potential hiding spots. Program at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 pm at the Wick House in Jockey Hollow, within Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, NJ. Cost: Free. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit http://www.nps.gov/morr.

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Sunday, March 30 - Morristown, Morris County
Book Signing - Historic Summit Homes

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is celebrating the 350th anniversary of New Jersey with book signings by authors whose work explores aspects of the state's history. On Sunday, they welcome Cynthia B. Martin who will be available to sign and sell books to museum visitors during touring hours from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Ms. Martin is the author of Summit Historic Homes which includes more than 200 vintage images of the magnificent homes of Summit, New Jersey.

Originally sought out by city dwellers as a refuge from the tribulations of urban life, Summit developed from a bucolic rural spot in 1836 to a fully established suburb by 1940. The town's growth was intrinsically tied to the development of the railroad and the convenience of the commute it offered to nearby New York City. The houses constructed during these years reflected their owner's wealth, social standing and aesthetic sensibilities, and exemplified the trends of their times. Some of these houses served as summer residences; others as primary dwellings. Some were designed by well-known architects; others by local talent. Many of these residences are still standing, although some have been altered or even demolished to suit modern lifestyles. The book contains rarely seen before images of residences designed by local architects.

A New Jersey native, Cynthia B. Martin grew up in Madison. Since 1988, Martin, her husband and their three children have lived in one of Summit's historic houses. Martin's enthusiasm for Summit is reflected in her active participation in the life of the community. She was elected to three terms on Summit's Common Council from 1997-2006 and has served on the boards of many local organizations. Currently she is a volunteer and trustee of the Summit Historical Society and serves as Chair of the Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustees. An art history major at Smith College, Martin has a longtime interest in American decorative arts and architecture. She followed up on this interest by receiving a Certificate in Historic Preservation from Drew University in 2010. The author's profits from sales of the book are being donated to the Summit Historical Society.

The museum is open for house and exhibit tours on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The last tour ticket is sold at 3:00 pm. Adults $8; Seniors & Students $6; Children 6 - 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are free. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-538-2404 ext. 10 or visitwww.maccullochhall.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Cranford, Union County

Early American Art Glass

The Cranford Historical Society presents "Early American Art Glass: Tiffany, Quezal, Durand" with Vic Bary on Sunday at the Crane-Phillips House Museum from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. The program begins at 2:15 pm.

Art glass, hand-blown vases and lamp shades made for decorative purposes, flourished from the turn of the 20th century to the Great Depression. Its earliest incantations were influenced by the Art Nouveau movement, and sought to mimic natural forms, such as the jack-in-the pulpit, gourds, and various flowers. It also drew from the forms used by historical cultures and from recent discoveries of ancient Egyptian burial sites. Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) was the earliest and most prominent force in the production of American art glass, aided by an artistic eye and a family fortune. Individuals who were either glass mixers or glass blowers for Tiffany would be central to two of the great successor American art glass firms - the Quezal Art Glass and Decorating Company, and the "fancy shop" Victor Durand Jr.'s Vineland Flint Glass Works.

Cranford Historical Society Trustee and art glass collector Vic Bary will lead an historical and visual tour through the output of these three important American art glass firms with copious  visuals and a few examples.

Admission is free.  Space is limited so reservations are required. To reserve your seat, please call 908-276-0082 or e-mail cranfordhistoricalsociety@verizon.net. Established in 1928, the Cranford Historical Society, a non-profit organization, has been dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of Cranford's history. The Crane-Phillips House Museum is located at 124 North Union Avenue, Cranford, NJ. For more information, visit www.cranfordhistoricalsociety.com.

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Sunday, March 30 - Bridgewater, Somerset County

Local History Day Luncheon

The Heritage Trail Association and Somerset County Historical Association are jointly sponsoring a free, open public program for the county’s history community. The event will be an opportunity to meet representatives from many of the county’s history organizations, learn more about historic resources available in the county, and find out about several recent historic preservation initiatives.  

At 1:00, special guest speaker Arthur Green present a lecture on "The Continental Soldier." Using examples from his extensive collection, Mr. Green will discuss the firearms, equipment, and uniforms used by the soldiers of the New Jersey Soldiers of the Continental Line, 1775-1782, known as the “Jersey Blues.”

Mr. Green is an historian and collector of military arms and equipment. He is the Borough of West Long Branch’s Historian, life member of the Long Branch Historical Society, and caretaker of an extensive collection of original military items spanning from mid-19th century to WWII. 

The free event will be held at historic Van Horne House, 941 East Main Street, Bridgewater, NJ, just across from the Patriots Ballpark. Free parking is available behind Target and at the ballpark. Space is limited and reservations are required. To register and for more information, call 732-356-8856 or visit www.heritagetrail.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Burlington, Burlington County

New Jersey Baseball During the Civil War Era

The Burlington County Historical Society is pleased to present "New Jersey Baseball during the Civil War Era, 1855-1870" by John Zinn on Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Join us for this presentation and learn about the start of baseball in New Jersey, the impact of the Civil War on the development of the sport, and how New Jersey soldiers took the game with them to the front. John Zinn is the author of "The Mutinous Regiment: the Thirty Third New Jersey in the Civil War," and "The Major League Pennant Races of 1916." A question and answer period and light refreshments follow the talk. $5 per person. Please RSVP to burlcohistsoc@verizon.net. This talk will be held at the Society's Corson Poley Center with entrances at 454 Lawrence Street and behind 457 High Street in Burlington, NJ. For more information, call 609-386-4773 or visit www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Paterson, Passaic County
Spring Recital - CANCELLED

On Sunday at 5:00 pm in Lambert Castle (home of the Passaic County Historical Society), the William Paterson Department of Music will present its Spring Recital. This recital will showcase a number of performers, both faculty and students from William Paterson's Department of Music, on a number of instruments including the piano, brass and woodwind. Admission to the concert is $15 or $10 for students with a valid student ID. Seating is limited and no reservations will be taken, so please arrive promptly.

This recital marks the opening of this year's Lambert Castle Concert Series. Featuring local musicians and a variety of musical genres, all concerts are performed in the beautiful atmosphere that is Lambert Castle. Lambert Castle is located at 3 Valley Road, Paterson NJ. For more information, call 973-247-0085 or visit www.lambertcastle.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Toms River, Ocean County

First Ladies According to Martha Washington

Traveling Literary Theater member Maggie Worsdale will entertain guests at the Ocean County Historical Society, 26 Hadley Avenue, Toms River, NJ on Sunday at 2:00 pm as she shares the intriguing tales of happiness, love and loss, fashion, and scandal in the lives of First Ladies after Martha Washington. Fans will recognize the singing accomplishments of Ms. Worsdale from prior performances and will delight in hearing both colonial and original songs in her show. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free. Make your reservations today for an enjoyable afternoon by calling 732-341-1880. 

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Sunday, March 30 - River Edge, Bergen County

Lenape New Year
Children Friendly

The Bergen County Historical Society celebrates the Lenape New Year, Chwame Gischuch (Shad Moon), at Historic New Bridge Landing on Sunday from 1:00 - 5:00 pm. The first Dark Moon after the Long Moon marks the arrival of Chwame gischuch, the Shad Moon, and the New Year of the ancient Sanhicans and Minisinks, locally known as the Hackensacks and Tappans. Native peoples returned from their winter villages, gathering at the narrows of the great streams, in places such as Acquackanonck (Garfield) and Aschatking (New Bridge), to set their fykes and weirs and catch smelt and later shad as these fish ran up the rivers in great numbers.

At 1:30 and 3:30 pm, historian Kevin Wright, author of 1609: A Country That Was Never Lost, will present an illustrated talk in the Steuben House, entitled "The Peach War of 1655" as part of the Bergen County Historical Society's yearlong commemoration of the 350th anniversary of New Jersey's founding and the end of New Netherlands in 1664. In keeping with the Lenape New Year, his talk explores a little known chapter in Bergen County history, illuminating the relationship between its Native American inhabitants and Dutch settlers. The talk reviews the events of September 15, 1655, when 64 canoes, carrying 500 warriors from ten Indian tribes, landed on the western shore of Manhattan island, instigating a destructive conflict misnamed the Peach War, which resulted in the death of 50 colonists; the capture of another hundred, mostly women and children; the burning of 28 farms, together with 12,000 schepels of grain, and the loss of nearly 600 cattle. It is the seldom told story of how rivalries among native societies and the competition to supply firearms among European colonial powers, expressed through diplomacy and warfare, turned eastern North America into an arena of international conflict in 1655. It is also a story of early attempts to regulate firearms and liquor and of the exchange of arms for hostages. Selections from the Bergen County Historical Society's collection of local Native American artifacts will also be displayed.

Throughout the afternoon, Bob Wills, of the Sunrise Trading Post, will share his knowledge of Lenape foods, herbs and customs, showing and selling reproduction trade items and Native American crafts.

Historic New Bridge Landing is located at 1201-1209 Main Street, River Edge, NJ. Suggested donation: $7 adult, $5 children, BCHS members free. For more information, call 201-343-9492 or visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Plainfield, Union County

National Medal of Honor Day

In commemoration of National Medal of Honor Day, the Historical Society of Plainfield will host a gallery talk on Sunday at 2:30 pm about Congressional Medal of Honor winners Julian Scott and James Madison Drake. Both men received their medals for service during the Civil War, and both have an association with the Drake House Museum in Plainfield. 

Julian Scott was an artist who, after the Civil War, settled in Plainfield and had a studio in the Babcock building. Five of his paintings are on exhibit in the Harberger Library in the Drake House. James Madison Drake was a descendant of Nathaniel Drake, whose home is now the Drake House Museum.

Last year the County of Union commemorated both Julian Scott and James Madison Drake  along with other Union County residents on a memorial stone, which is located outside the Union County Courthouse. The County of Union recently donated Julian Scott's and James Madison Drake's biography boards to the Historical Society of Plainfield. The boards will be on display in the second floor ballroom of the Drake House Museum.

The public is invited to attend the gallery talk presented by Historical Society of Plainfield trustee Nancy Piwowar. The men's stories are interesting pieces of local history that had a national impact. Julian Scott became a Civil War artist and later worked as a census taker of Native Americans for the US government. James Madison Drake was a prisoner of war held in Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia; he escaped from the Confederates by jumping off a train in Georgia and walking through the Carolinas to the Union Lines in Tennessee.

The talk will take place in the second floor ballroom of the Drake House Museum. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome during regular tour hours (2:00 - 4:00 pm on Sundays) or by appointment. For more information, call 908-755-5831 or visit www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org.

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Sunday, March 30 - Bedminster, Somerset County
Vanderveer House Open House

Visitors to Bedminster's historic Jacobus Vanderveer House can get a firsthand look at life during the American Revolution during a free open house on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

The circa 1772 Dutch Colonial home was once the headquarters of General Henry Knox while he presided over the nearby Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment established by the Continental Army during 1778-1779.

Visitors to the house will have an opportunity to view a new 3D visualization of the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment recently commissioned by the Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, as well as authentic artifacts from the Vanderveer House, period rooms, the Prich Matthews History Center, paintings by John Phillip Osborne and John Ward Dunsmore, maps and other objects representative of Colonial life.

The Jacobus Vanderveer House is located at 3055 River Road (in Bedminster's River Road Park), Bedminster, NJ. For more information, call 908-396-6053 or visit www.jvanderveerhouse.org.

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Through Sunday, April 6, 2014 - Cranbury, Middlesex County

The Shimer Cookie Jar Exhibit

The Shimer Cookie Jar Exhibit at the Cranbury Museum features an extensive assortment of whimsical and delightful cookie jars assembled by long-time Cranbury resident and artist, Wilma Shimer. It also includes vintage kitchen accessories such as tablecloths, aprons, cookie cutters, rolling pins, cookbooks and recipes. One special item on display is the "Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls" which was published in 1957 and featured a test panel of twelve Cranbury boys and girls.  The exhibit will be on display through April 6, 2014.

The Cranbury Museum is located within a lovely 1800s house that is furnished with period antiques. The museum is open Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm and located at 4 Park Place East, Cranbury, NJ. For more information, call 609-655-2611 or visit www.cranburyhistory.org.

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Through Sunday, April 13, 2014 - Cape May, Cape May County

African American Heritage Exhibit

This 15th annual Center for Community Arts (CCA) exhibit - "The Way We Were...Cape May County's Once Thriving Black Business Communities" will highlight African Americans' contributions to the local community. The exhibit will be on display at the Carriage House Gallery on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Admission is free. Exhibit will be on display through Sunday, April 13. Open Saturdays in January, 11:30 am - 2:00 pm. Sponsored by the Center for Community Arts (CCA) in association with the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For information, call 609-884-7525 or visit www.centerforcommunityarts.org. For gallery hours call 609-884-5404 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturdays and Sundays through May 18 - Harrison Township, Gloucester County

Originals: 50 Years of Artistic Expressions

Creativity is the theme of the Harrison Township Historical Society’s newest exhibition at the Old Town Hall Museum entitled "Originals: 150 Years of Artistic Expression." The first floor gallery is filled with paintings, drawings, and folk art from the 19th and 20th centuries, all drawn from the Society’s rich holdings. The exhibition celebrates New Jersey’s 350th anniversary by focusing on the theme of innovation. Many of these works will be on view for the first time.

Folk art dominates the work from the 19th century. An album quilt from Richwood and a remarkable portfolio of sketches by Josiah B. Chester of Ewan, on exhibit for the first time, are highlights.

Twentieth century work includes paintings by Mullica Hill’s Paul Avis Colson, including a tri-partite screen that was recently restored and on exhibit for the first time. Also premiering is a landscape painted by Otto Rick, a German prisoner of war who worked on a farm in Richwood during World War II.

The exhibition is open Saturdays and Sundays, from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, March 8 - May 18, 2014 (closed Easter Sunday and Mother's Day). Admission is free. Old Town Hall is located at the intersection of South Main Street and Woodstown Road in the heart of Mullica Hill’s Historic District. For more information, call 856-478-4949; or visit www.harrisonhistorical.com.

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Through June 30, 2014 - Piscataway, Middlesex County

Got Work? Exhibit

View the exhibit "Got Work? New Deal/WPA in New Jersey" at the 1741 Cornelius Low House Museum in Piscataway. The museum is open Tuesday - Friday, 8:30 - 4:00 pm and Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The exhibit will run through June 30, 2014.

The Cornelius Low House, built in 1741, was the home to its namesake and is only one of two remaining buildings from historic Raritan Landing. This high-style Georgian mansion is listed on the National Register and operated by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Admission to the museum is FREE. The museum is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ. For more information, call 732-745-4177 or visit http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage.

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Through June 2014 - Morristown, Morris County
"Controversies: The More Things Change..." Exhibit

Currently on display at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is an exhibition about topics that helped shape our world. "Controversies: The More Things Change..." opens new territory for the Museum, presenting challenging subject matter that may not be suitable for casual dinner conversation. This new exhibit explores topics that helped shape our world through local history events which had national significance: medical experimentation, immigration, and the right to die.

"Controversies: The More Things Change..." inspires people to consider, even reconsider, the ways in which they think about these important, frequently debated issues. The exhibit explores local history events which had national significance: the 1833 Antoine LeBlanc murder trial and public execution; the immigration issues of the late nineteenth century as depicted by political cartoonist Thomas Nast, a Morristown resident, and the 1976 Karen Ann Quinlan "right to die" case.

The museum is making a major departure in exhibit presentations with "Controversies."  Where most exhibits typically provide detailed information about the objects on view, "Controversies" offers limited information about the objects, essentially forcing personal thought, and inspiring discussion, about the areas represented.  Each object and concept in the exhibit represents a part of New Jersey's history - specifically Morris County's history. The ideas expressed through the historical objects in the exhibit, however, are not confined to New Jersey boundaries- the significant concerns raised by the important and controversial issues showcased in this exhibit continue to be debated throughout the United States and the world.

"We wanted to give our visitors a chance to participate in an exhibit in a new way - to have a reaction without being guided by the institution's interpretation of what the objects represent, which labels typically provide," said Executive Director Carrie Fellows. Instead, curator's books of supplementary information will be available within the exhibit, should the visitor want to learn more, drawn from primary sources like news articles, contemporary commentary, and images. Visitors are encouraged to leave comments about the themes presented.

The exhibition was inspired when Fellows and Ryan C. Hyman, the Museum's curator, heard Burt Logan, Executive Director of the Ohio Historical Society speak at a conference about the organization's groundbreaking "Controversy: Pieces You Don't Normally See" exhibit, and its sequel, "Controversy 2: Pieces We Don't Normally Talk About". During his talk, Mr. Logan strongly encouraged other museums to adapt the concept and develop similar exhibits. Inspired by the presentation, Hyman and Fellows began discussing how they might create an exhibit using themes from the Morris area's rich history.

"Controversies: The More Things Change..." will be on view during Museum touring hours through June 2014. Please note the subject matter may not be suitable for all audiences. Visitor discretion advised. Recommended for visitors 12 years of age and older.

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum preserves the history of the Macculloch-Miller families, the Morris area community, and the legacy of its founder W. Parsons Todd through its historic site, collections, exhibits, and educational and cultural programs. The Museum is open for house and exhibit tours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The last tour leaves at 3:00 pm. Adults $8; Seniors & Students $6; Children 6 - 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are free.  For more information, call 973-538-2404 ext. 10 or visit www.maccullochhall.org. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ.

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Saturdays and Sundays through July 27, 2014 - Ridgewood, Bergen County

A Community's Journey: Our Place in New Jersey History

The Schoolhouse Museum's new exhibit, on display now through July 27, 2014 celebrates New Jersey's 350th anniversary. "A Community's Journey: Our Place in New Jersey's History" showcases the area's evolution over the last three centuries using the themes of liberty, innovation, and diversity.

The Liberty collection highlights uniforms and other war-time memorabilia while the Innovation collection chronicles the history of performing arts in the village including items from the Ridgewood Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, such as a silk wedding kimono worn by Yum Yum in the "Mikado." Also on display are items owned by Ridgewood magician Harry Rouclere. Especially noteworthy is the Diversity collection which tells the story of the African American, Jewish, Irish, and  Korean communities through personal artifacts.

The museum is open Thursdays and Saturdays from 1:00 - 3:00 and Sundays 2:00 - 4:00. The Schoolhouse Museum is located at 650 East Glen  Avenue in Ridgewood, NJ. For more information, call  201-447-3242  or visit www.ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org.

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Through August, 2014 - Lyndhurst, Bergen County

Let's Play! An Exhibit of Beloved Toys

Children Friendly

From a china-head doll to a Lionel train, several toys are on display at the Little Red Schoolhouse Museum as the Lyndhurst Historical Society recalls fun times with favorite toys. The new exhibit, "Let's Play! An Exhibit of Beloved Toys," is open now through August 2014.

The exhibit is free and open to the public, though a small donation to the Society would be appreciated. The Little Red Schoolhouse Museum is open on the second and fourth Sundays of  every month from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The Lyndhurst Historical Society was established in 1984 in an effort to preserve the 1893 schoolhouse, located at 400 Riverside Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ. For more information, call 201-804-2513 (leave a message) or visit www.lyndhursthistoricalsociety.org.

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March 30, 2014 through October 26, 2014 - Woodbury, Gloucester County

Be Prepared:  Scouts of Yesteryear

Children Friendly

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been a tradition in America for over a century. The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum is presenting a remarkable exhibit with scouting artifacts from over the decades. Numerous uniforms, merit badges, equipment, manuals, and accessories from the 1930’s on are on display.  

The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm and the last Sunday of the month from 2:00 - 5:00 pm. Adult admission $5; children 6-18 years $1; children under 6 free. The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum is located at 58 North Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ. For more information, call 856-848-8531 or visit www.rootsweb.com/~njgchs.

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Through February 13, 2015 - Madison, Morris County

The American Revolution in New Jersey

Children Friendly

New Jersey spent much of the American Revolution as a theater of war. A new exhibit at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, "The American Revolution in New Jersey: Where the Battlefront Meets the Homefront," explores the rarely told story of New Jersey's farmers, women, and tradesmen and their actions during the war. Topics discussed include the local civil wars that erupted between revolutionaries and loyalists, the multiple roles that women took on as their men went off to war, and how civilian life was affected by the regular presence of troops. The exhibit will be open until February 13, 2015. 

Regular Museum admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, students & children (ages 6 and older), and free for members and children under 6. Family maximum admission $13.00. The Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday from 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm. The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts is located at 9 Main Street in Madison, NJ just two blocks from the Madison train station. For more information, please call 973-377-2982 x10 or visit www.metc.org.

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Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey