Weekend Historical Happenings: 7/19/14 - 7/20/14

WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

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Saturday, July 19 - Margate, Atlantic County

Lucy's 133rd Birthday!

Children Friendly

Lucy the Elephant in Margate, NJ turns 133 this weekend! Join in the celebration on Saturday from 10:00 am - 8:00 pm. There will be a rock climbing wall, moon bounce, giant water slide, dunk tank, carnival games, and food including roasted corn on the cob, hot dogs, popcorn, Philly pretzels, cotton candy, snow cones, and of course birthday cake!

Lucy the Elephant is located at 9200 Atlantic Avenue, Margate, NJ. Free parking will be available at the Union Avenue School Playground. Shuttles to Lucy will leave every fifteen minutes. For more information, call 609-823-6473 or visit www.lucytheelephant.org.

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Saturday, July 19 - Port Norris, Cumberland County

Summer Saturdays by the Bay

Children Friendly

Come to Bivalve, Port Norris Township, NJ on Saturday for Summer Saturdays by the Bay. Summer Saturdays offer hands-on children’s activities, educational programs, entertainment, and an exploration of the outdoor environment. The day's topic, "Maritime Day", will feature the heritage connected to the Delaware Bay, small boats, maritime skills, sea chanteys, and kids crafts. Don’t miss this fun event’s lectures, hands-on activities, and food.

This event will be held from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Bayshore Center at Bivalve, 2800 High Street, Bivalve, Port Norris, NJ. For more information, call 856-785-2060 or visit www.ajmeerwald.org.

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Saturday, July 19 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County

Behind the Barriers Mill Tour
Children Friendly

Join in a behind the barriers tour of Waln’s gristmill on Saturday from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon. Get up close to the gears, pulleys, belts, and vast array of carefully crafted wooden parts that make this ingenious system work. You will visit areas of the mill not generally open to the public with the miller’s undivided attention for your questions this morning. No fee, but space is limited. Please call 609-259-6275 to reserve your spot. This program is for children ages 8 and up.

While there, visit the large, elegant Walnford home built in 1774, the 19th century gristmill and the farm buildings set in a beautiful landscape. Walnford is located at 62 Walnford Road, 08501. For more information, call 609-259-6275 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Saturday, July 19 - Morristown, Morris County

“Extra Baggage”: The Women and Children of the Continental Army

Children Friendly

Washington lamented that the women and children of the Continental Army—the families of the soldiers—slowed down the army on the march but he knew that many had nowhere else to go. They often got jobs with the military performing essential tasks needed to keep the army going. Learn about the surprising roles that women and children played in the life of the Continental Army. Programs at 11:00 am, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 pm at the Wick House at Jockey Hollow within Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, NJ. Cost: Free. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Saturdays, July 19 and 26 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Horse-drawn Hayrides

Children Friendly

The Mercer County Park Commission will offer free Saturday evening hayrides at Howell Living History Farm on Saturday from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. The horse-drawn rides last 20 minutes, carrying visitors over the lanes of the 130 acre working farm, located in Hopewell Township.

During the program, visitors can also take self-guided tours, picnic in the picnic area and join a marshmallow roast.   

Rides will leave the barnyard area every 25 minutes beginning at 5:10 pm, with the last ride departing at 8:00 pm.  Rides will be given on a first come, first serve basis to the first 200 visitors. Rides are intended for individual and family participation; groups cannot be accommodated.

A wheelchair accessible wagon is also available. Individuals who would like to ride on this wagon should call 609-737-3299 in advance and ask for Kathy. The wagon is horse-drawn. On the dates when evening hayrides are offered, the Farm will be closed during the day. Rides will also be offered on Saturdays, July 19 and July 26.

Howell Living History 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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Saturday, July 19 - Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County

The Great John Mathis

On Saturday, the Tuckerton Historical Society presents "The Great John Mathis" presented by Pete Stemmer. Hear about the first permanent settler in Bass River. This presentation will be held from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Giffordtown Schoolhouse Museum, 35 Leitz Blvd., Little Egg Harbor, NJ. For more information, call 609-294-1547.

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Saturday, July 19 - Morris Township, Morris County

Caroline's Special Place: Cottage Garden Craft

Children Friendly

Take a walk through Caroline Foster’s Cottage garden. Help design a felt board garden, and pot some seeds to take home. Program runs from 1:30 - 2:30 pm. Admission: $6/adult, $5/senior (65+), $4/child (ages 4 -16), $2/child (2 and 3). FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-326-7645 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, July 19 - Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County

Atlantic Highlands Arts & Crafts Fair, Street Fair, and Film One Fest

The Atlantic Highlands Historical Society presents its annual Arts and Crafts Fair, at Veterans Park, First Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, NJ from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Art, gifts, jewelry, toys, wood crafts, and much more! Free admission. In conjunction with the town street fair, there will be music, entertainers, games and activities for the children, and a variety of food and refreshments. The Society will hold a chance auction to benefit the Society's restoration and maintenance of the Strauss Mansion Museum. In the evening after the fair, walk to the Gazebo at the Marina for Film One Fest to enjoy a series of one minute films. The films begin at dark. Rain date is Sunday, July 20, 2014. For more information, call 732-291-4313 or visit www.atlantichighlandshistory.com.

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Saturday, July 19 - Jersey City, Hudson County

Shakespeare's "Cymbeline" Live Performance

On Saturday, stop by the Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery for a live Hudson Shakespeare theatrical performance of "Cymbeline" at 7:00 pm. Come discover a touching story that will leave you in hysterics.

This benefit performance will help the cemetery raise funds needed for their important preservation work and a new roof for the historic gatehouse. A $10.00 donation is suggested. The Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery, is located at 435 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ. For more information, call 201-707-0738 or 973-204-9888, or visit www.jerseycitycemetery.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, July 19 - 20 - Ringwood, Passaic County
Grand Victorian Tactical Field Days
Children Friendly

The Victorian British living history event will transform the grounds of Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, NJ into South Africa for the weekend and will feature patrolling, encampments, period cooking, armed drilling, and demonstrations of civilian and military life during the Boer War of the late 19th century. 

Skirmishes will take place at 12:00 noon and 3:00 pm on Saturday and demonstrations and drills throughout the day on Sunday. Admission to the event is free. $5 parking fee per car for in-state residents; $7 parking fee per car for out-of-state residents. Sponsored by the Royal Sussex Regimental Society and Ringwood State Park staff. Ringwood Manor is located at 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ, within Ringwood State Park. For more information, call 973-962-2240 or visit www.ringwoodmanor.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, July 19 - 20 - Cape May, Cape May County

‘Hands-on History’ Weekend

Children Friendly

Two days of family-friendly, interactive, and educational fun are planned for Historic Cold Spring Village’s ‘Hands-on History’ Weekend from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. Children will be given a ‘Pastport’ at the start of their Village trip, which can be stamped at the buildings they visit after completing a take-home craft or activity, like writing with a quill pen, carding wool, or making a pinch pot. Pastports can be redeemed at the Country Store for a free treat! The Family Activity Area will feature children’s dress-up clothes, historic games, and take-home crafts including corn husk dolls. Other family-friendly activities include nursery rhymes with Mother Goose, a seek and find, and live entertainment from traditional musician Mary Roth. This jam-packed family-fun weekend event is sponsored by PNC.

Historic Cold Spring Village is a non-profit, open-air living history museum that portrays the daily life of a rural South Jersey community of the Early American period. It features 26 restored historic structures on a 30-acre site. From late June to early September, interpreters and artisans in period clothing preserve the trades, crafts and heritage of “the age of homespun.”

Historic Cold Spring Village is located at 720 Route 9, three miles north of Cape May City and four miles south of Rio Grande. Admission during the season is $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. Unlimited free admission is available with Village membership. As a member of the national Blue Star Museums program, Historic Cold Spring Village is proud to offer free admission to active duty military personnel and up to 5 family members. The Village Nature Trail at Bradner's Run is open to the public for free self-guided tours. For more information, call 609-898-2300, ext. 18 or visit www.hcsv.org.

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Sunday, July 20  - Hunterdon County

Hunterdon County Museums Open

Family Friendly

The Hunterdon County 300th celebration continues with a tour of the county's local museums on two consecutive Sundays in July. This is a rare opportunity as there is normally varied hours and days that the museums are open and a chance to tour the hidden gems of Hunterdon County. Most have no admission fees, have waived them, or reduced them for this special event.

In addition to the more established museums, new ones have joined the list: the 1760 Joseph Turner House/Solitude Heritage Museum in Union Township and the 1759 Vought House in Annandale, where an archeological dig will be taking place. The Prevost House in Alexandria will feature displays from Alexandria, Milford, Frenchtown and Holland, reuniting the original Alexandria Township.

Museums participating include: The Prevost House in Alexandria, 1759 Vought House in Annandale, The Station at Califon, Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, Red Mill Museum Village in Clinton, Doric House in Flemington, Samuel Fleming House in Flemington, Choir School in Flemington, Historic Courthouse in Flemington, Solitude House in High Bridge, Township of Lebanon Museum, Oak Summit School in Kingwood, James Wilson Marshall House in Lambertville, Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead in Lambertville, Case-Dvoor Farm in Raritan, Readington Township Museums, Black River & Western Railroad in Ringoes, Prallsville Mills in Stockton, Tewksbury Historical Society, 1760 Joseph Turner/Solitude Heritage Museum in Union Township.

Most museums will be open from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm on July 13 and 20. Some select sites will open earlier or be open until 5:00 p.m. For more information, site addresses, and times, visit www.hunterdon300th.org.

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Sunday, July 20 - Montclair, Essex County

Historic House Tour and Last Day of Exhibit

Family Friendly

Visit the 1896 Charles Shultz House (Evergreens, 30 North Mountain Avenue) and see this time capsule for the turn of the century. See the current exhibition (which closes on Sunday) entitled "A Persistent Passion: The Art of Lora Eberly Ballou: 1870-1976, Places in a One Hundred Six Year Life." This exhibition is sponsored by Robert M and Patricia C Phillips. Robert M Phillips is the grandson of Lora Ballou and a former resident of Montclair, NJ. The exhibit will be on display during regular public tours from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. With the generosity of Robert M and Patricia C Phillips, admission to the Shultz House is free. For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, July 20 - Morristown, Morris County

New Jersey 350th History Hike
Children Friendly

Celebrate the 350th anniversary of New Jersey's founding as a colony by hiking the 2.25 miles yellow trail and hear about the historical forces that have affected New Jersey for more than 350 years, including a north/south divide, and the roles of transportation and immigration in the development of the state. The hike will begin at 10:00 am and end at 12:00 noon. Meet at the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center within Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, NJ. Cost: Free. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Sunday, July 20 - Bedminster, Somerset County

General Henry Knox Birthday Celebration and Open House

Children Friendly

On Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, the Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House will host an open house and a birthday celebration in honor of General Henry Knox, the artillery commander who lived at the Jacobus Vanderveer House while establishing a military training academy in nearby Pluckemin during the American Revolution.

General Henry Knox (portrayed by Bob Heffner of the American Historical Theatre) will greet visitors and speak about his role as one of George Washington's chief military advisors, the nation's first military academy he built in Pluckemin, and his life at the Jacobus Vanderveer House during 1778-1779.

General Henry Knox (July 25, 1750 - October 25, 1806) was a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, and also served as the first United States Secretary of War. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, he owned and operated a bookstore there, cultivating an interest in military history and joining a local artillery company. When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, he befriended General George Washington and received acclaim for bringing captured British artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in 1776. He quickly rose to become the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army and accompanied Washington on most of his campaigns. The military training academy and manufacturing facilities for weaponry he established were valuable assets to the fledgling nation.

Following the adoption of the United States Constitution, President Washington appointed him the nation's first Secretary of War. He retired to what is now Thomaston, Maine in 1795 and died in 1806. The General Henry Knox Museum, founded in 1985 by citizens of Thomaston, Maine, pays tribute to his life and times.

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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Sunday, July 20 - Paterson, Passaic County

An Afternoon of Opera Favorites

On Sunday at 5:00 pm in Lambert Castle, Anna Stefanelli and Rory Angelicola will return to present "An Afternoon of Opera Favorites." Lyric Soprano Anna Stefanelli teams up with tenor Rory Angelicola to present a program of operatic arias, duets, and songs surrounded by the scenic atmosphere of Lambert Castle. Admission to the concert is $15. Seating is limited and no reservations will be taken. 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, July 20 - Morristown, Morris County
Summer Concerts in the Garden Series

On Sunday, a great double bill will be in store when Collin J. Rocker and Gary Reed, crowd favorites in 2013, take the stage at Macculloch Hall. Musician and songwriter Collin J. Rocker will start the show at 4:00 pm with "Country Blues for the Here and Now". With gritty tradition, Collin turns timeless themes of heartbreak, the road, and the past into songs suiting today's common man. His music is born from the hills of beautiful lingering farms, and once thriving small towns, juxtaposed with strip malls, asphalt, and suburban sprawl. Collin has performed alongside national acts such as Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna), Rory Block, and The New Riders of The Purple Sage on a number of legendary stages and opened shows for Grande Ole' Opry Member Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives in Sellersville, PA. Singer-songwriter & guitarist Gary Reed will continue the program with "21st Century Songs with Roots in the 1960's & 70's". Mr. Reed has reemerged as an accomplished and contemporary voice - with lyrics that resonate from that earlier time. An outstanding guitar player and performer, he is a premier fingerstyle guitar player and guitar champion who writes and plays unique solo guitar arrangements ranging from Joplin to the Beatles, New Age to Yazoo and "Finger Popping" original tunes.

The Summer Concerts in the Garden series takes place on Sundays in July at 4:00 pm. Tickets for each concert will go on sale beginning at 1:00 pm on the day of the performance - no advance sales. Concert tickets are $15; $10 for members, seniors, students. Free for children under 12. On concert days the Museum building is open 1:00 - 4:00pm. A special $5 Museum admission ticket can be purchased during the afternoon by concert ticket purchasers. The last guided tour is at 3:00 pm and the galleries remain open until 4:00 pm. Concert goers should bring blankets or chairs as there is no seating is available. Only service animals permitted, so please leave your pets at home. In the case of inclement weather the performance will be moved indoors (limited seating). The announcement will be made on Museum voicemail by 12:00 noon.

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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Sunday, July 20 - Matawan, Monmouth County

Open House

The Matawan Historical Society will holding an open house on Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Burrowes Mansion located at 94 Main Street, Matawan, NJ. Learn how this circa 1723 home and its owners played a role in the Revolutionary War. Suggested admission: $5 per person. For more information call 732-492-6069 or visit www.burrowesmansion.org.

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Sunday, July 20 - Whippany, Morris County

Excursion Train Rides

Children Friendly

Spend Sunday at the Whippany Railway Museum on a 10-mile, 45-minute round trip excursion from Whippany to Roseland on a mid-1900s Excursion Train. The combined age of the equipment used on the vintage train is an astounding 635 years! Be on the lookout for deer, turtles, wild turkeys, hawks, and rabbits, as the route takes you past a natural swamp with abundant wildlife. Trains depart at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 pm from 1 Railroad Plaza at the Intersection of Route 10 West & Whippany Road in Whippany, NJ. Train fare is: Adult: $14; child (under 12): $9; infants (1 year and under): Free. Train Fare includes admission to Whippany Railway Museum Building.  The "Excursion Train Ride" is a fundraising effort to benefit the Whippany Railway Museum, a 501 (c)3 non-profit Operating Heritage Railroad that is staffed by Volunteers. Donations from the public help to keep the Museum operational, but funds are still required to support this unique New Jersey treasure. Proceeds from the train rides will further enhance the Museum's mission and its Historic Preservation efforts. For more information, call 973-887-8177 or visit www.whippanyrailwaymuseum.net.

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Sundays Through October 2014 - Ringwood, Passaic County
Grounds and Garden Tour

Did you ever wonder what all that “stuff” is placed around the grounds at Ringwood Manor? What about all those other buildings on the property? What were they used for? If you have ever been curious about the estate at Ringwood Manor, this tour is for you! The 2 hour guided walking tour will take visitors around the main property at Ringwood Manor, discussing the historic objects, the planned gardens & landscape features, the out-buildings, and the cemetery. Historic photographs of the property will also be shown. These free tours meet at 2:00 pm in front of Ringwood Manor every Sunday from June - October. It is advised that participants wear walking or hiking shoes, dress appropriately for the weather, and bring bug spray and sun block. Steady Rain cancels. No reservations necessary. For more information and to call ahead to confirm a tour, call 973-962-2240. Ringwood Manor is located at 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ, within Ringwood State Park. For more information, visit www.ringwoodmanor.org.

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Through July 20, 2014 - Montclair, Essex County
A Persistent Passion: The Art of Lora Eberly Ballou - LAST WEEKEND

The Montclair Historical Society presents the exhibition "A Persistent Passion: The Art of Lora Eberly Ballou: 1870-1976, Places in a One Hundred Six Year Life" at the Charles Shultz House (Evergreens), 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ from April 27 through July 20 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm on first and third Sundays of the month. Lora Eberly Ballou was a unique woman who lived during the last quarter of the 1800s in Ohio, then moved to the suburbs of New York City, residing in an elegant home in Montclair, NJ with her husband John Ballou and two daughters, Margaret and Harriet. Ballou's work focuses on an interest and passion for gardening and travel, and depicts many of the places she lived, including a winter scene of Tony's Brook.

Ballou's artwork will be on display at the Montclair Historical Society's Charles Shultz House, an 1896 home that remains virtually untouched. It showcases a time capsule of the Shultz family and lifestyle during the same period when the Ballou family lived in Montclair. This home provides a unique setting for the exhibition, placing Lora Ballou's artwork against the backdrop of a Montclair family active in the community, unveiling similarities in their lifestyles and interests during this period in history. This exhibition is sponsored by Robert M. and Patricia C. Phillips. Robert M. Phillips is the grandson of Lora Ballou. A free public reception will be held on April 27 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm with light refreshments. For additional information or to schedule a private tour, contact the Montclair Historical Society at 973-744-1796, visit www.montclairhistorial.org, or e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org.

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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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Sundays through August 30, 2014 - Cranbury, Middlesex County

"At Long Last...Summer" Exhibit

The Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society is bringing a bit of the seashore to its museum in Cranbury. After a harsh winter, the society is happy to present a new exhibit  at the Cranbury Museum, entitled, "At Long Last...Summer."  Featuring treasures of the sea and seashore, the exhibit includes oil paintings, watercolors, a rare sea glass collection, antique whale bone, shells, Sailor valentines, ephemera, and vintage toys and souvenirs. The exhibit will continue through August 30, 2014. Celebrate summer and join us on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, to view the exhibit! The Cranbury Museum is located at 4 Park Place East, Cranbury. For more information, visit www.cranburyhistory.org.

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Through August 23, 2014 - Haledon, Passaic County

"The Mill Girls" Exhibit

The American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark in Haledon, NJ proudly opens the exhibit "The Mill Girls," a unique three-dimensional display that showcases images of three mill girls on large-scale replicas of the wooden bobbins used in early textile mills, by visual artist Donna Berger. The exhibit will be on view through August 23, 2014. 

The Botto House National Landmark, home of the American Labor Museum, is located at 83 Norwood Street, Haledon, NJ. It was the meeting place for over 20,000 silk mill workers during the 1913 Paterson Silk Strike. The Museum's hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Tours are offered Wednesday through Saturday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm and by appointment. For more information, call 973-595-7953, visit www.labormuseum.net, or e-mail labormuseum@aol.com.

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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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Through Sunday, September 14, 2014 - Princeton, Mercer County
Micah Williams: Portrait Artist Exhibition

Traveling portrait artist and New Jersey resident Micah Williams (1782 - 1837) was a prolific artist who has 272 known existing works. His works are represented in many major museums and are highly sought after by folk art collectors. Yet, there has never been an exhibition dedicated solely to the work of Micah Williams. "Micah Williams: Portrait Artist," on loan to Morven from the Monmouth County Historical Association, tells a story about the new America of the 19th century. With over 40 portraits on view, visitors can come face-to-face with the state's nineteenth century farmers, orchard growers, militia officers, politicians, silversmiths, potters, carpenters, and their families.

The exhibition will also debut Morven's newest acquisition: a pastel portrait of Commodore Robert Field Stockton (1795-1866) completed by Micah Williams around 1821. Stockton was a third-generation resident of Morven, head the Pacific Fleet and a U.S. Senator. With this exhibition, the portrait makes its return to the walls at Morven. "Micah Williams: Portrait Artist" exhibition will be on display at Morven through September 14, 2014.

Morven Museum & Garden is a museum and public garden located at 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ. A National Historic Landmark, Morven was the home to Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the former Governor's mansion of New Jersey. Public Hours: Wednesday - Friday 11:00 am - 3:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 609-924-8144 or visit www.morven.org.

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Through Sunday, October 12, 2014 - Trenton, Mercer County
"Before There Was Trenton" Exhibit

This year New Jersey observes the 350th Anniversary of its political establishment in 1664. To commemorate the event, the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie in Cadwalader Park is hosting a display of items related to the mid-1600s - before there was a place called Trent's-town. "Before There Was Trenton," on view through October 12, 2014 is curated by Trenton Museum Society Trustee David Bosted and son Nicholas Bosted. A formal lecture, "Before There Was Trenton" will be given by the curators on Sunday October 12, at 2:00 pm, on the last day of the display. 

Prior to 1664, New Netherland was a colony founded by the Dutch on the east coast of North America. The Dutch colony extended from Hartford, CT in the east to Albany, New York, in the north to Delaware in the south, encompassing parts of what are now the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut and Delaware. The New Netherland colony included three major Rivers: Nord (North River, now the Hudson River), Sud (South River, now the Delaware River) and the Versche (Fresh) River (now the Connecticut River). The English wrested control of the colony from the Dutch in 1664, turning its capital, New Amsterdam, into New York City.

The Dutch colonial efforts were mostly directed toward trade with Native Americans. However, their permanent settlements in some cases caused conflict with native peoples as well as with several other European powers, especially England, Sweden and France. 

Beaver pelts were especially sought after for the fur trade. Marten, fox, otter and mink were also bartered.  In 1624 (the year New Amsterdam was first settled), Dutch settlers shipped 1,500 beaver and 500 otter skins to Europe. Thereafter, the fur trade grew enormously under the Dutch. Fort Orange (now Albany) and New Amsterdam (now New York City) were the centers of the fur trade, reaching deep into the Lenni Lenape and Mohawk tribal territory, and promoting contact between the Dutch and the Native peoples.

"Before There Was Trenton" recalls that early period of exploration, contact and settlement. Among the items on display are items highly valued in the fur trade: hand-forged trade axes, knives and other metal tools; easily transportable and popular trading commodities like the red "white heart" glass trade beads made in Venice; objects reflecting Dutch nautical exploration and the fur trade; and Lenni Lenape stone tools from the Delaware Valley as well as early agricultural items. Tobacco, another highly desirable trade commodity, is represented in the display by early tobacco pipes. Because tobacco was so expensive, the 17th century pipe bowls were small, holding only a pinch of tobacco.

The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie is located in Cadwalader Park in Trenton, NJ. For more information about the exhibit or the talk, call 609-989-1191, e-mail tms@ellarslie.org, or visit www.ellarslie.org.

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Through October 31, 2014 - Trenton, Mercer County
Trenton's Old Barracks Museum Shows Iron Art

The Old Barracks Museum will feature the sculpture of AbOminOg Intl. Arts Collective in an exhibit entitled "Founding the Future: A Continuum of Iron Casting in Trenton with AbOminOg Intl. Arts Collective." The exhibit will run from April 26 to October 31, 2014.

The Old Barracks Museum is pleased to feature the metal sculpture of members of one of Trenton's illustrious artist collectives in an exhibit entitled, "Founding the Future: A Continuum of Iron Casting in Trenton with AbOminOg Intl. Arts Collective." Exhibiting artists include Kate Graves, Aylin Green, Bruce Lindsay, Rory Mahon, Steve Morse, Joanna Platt, Matt Reiley, David  Robinson and Scot Thompson.

This outdoor exhibit is part of the statewide celebrations of the 350th anniversary of the founding of New Jersey by representing the connection between the history that the Old Barracks Museum interprets and AbOminOg Intl.'s focus on the revolutionary industrial material of iron. As the first art installation at the Old Barracks, it will allow the visiting public a new perspective on the relationship between the past and the present in the formation of the future.

The Old Barracks Museum is adjacent to Petty's Run, site of the only excavated Colonial steel furnace in America. Trenton's history of industry, manufacturing and self-reliance is reflected in the AbOminOg Intl. model of collaboration through sweat equity, upcycling crushed iron scrap into sculpture. The essence of the artist collective's cause- to teach and facilitate artists of diverse backgrounds, age groups and skill levels in the creation of cast-metal sculptural artworks within an inspiring, supportive and sustainable setting while positively affecting the community and the art world at large- has remained the same since their inaugural iron pour in a Trenton backyard on December 31, 1999. The Old Barracks Museum is located at 101 Barracks Street, Trenton, NJ. For more information, call 609-396-1776 or visit www.barracks.org.

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Through December 29, 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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1st and 2nd Sundays through June 2015 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County

The History of Houses and the Things That Make Them Home

Since prehistoric times, where we live has been about much more than shelter (think of those cave paintings). A new exhibit explores just how our human instinct to nest has played out in the structures we inhabit and the stuff we put in them. "The History of Houses and the Things that Make Them Home" is on display in the Richmond Gallery of the Eden Woolley House / Township of Ocean Historical Museum.

The exhibit examines the influences on the design and content of the American home - from the traditions early settlers brought with them, to the availability of materials, to the transforming power of technology. It takes guests on a virtual house tour, revealing room by room how things have changed and how those changes have shaped our lives.

What is home? It's where the heart is and there's no place like it. Beyond shelter, our homes express our tastes, values, and social status. Our neighborhoods abound with homes that illustrate the point, and the new exhibit asks us to see our familiar surroundings in a new light. It reveals the lineage of familiar house styles--colonial, neoclassical, Victorian, and modern, for example. It explains that the colonists of the new world built houses in the style of the old. That the founding fathers, all men of the Enlightenment, adapted the designs of Greeks and Romans whose rationality they admired. That the clutter and ornamentation of the Victorians expressed their fascination with goods made possible by the Industrial Revolution and made available by the railroads. And that twentieth century architects rejected Victorian fussiness in favor of designs that challenged old assumptions and took advantage of new technologies and building techniques.

House design is just the beginning. The exhibit takes us inside, room by room. For all but the rich, our earliest homes were one-room dwellings. The very concept of a single-purpose room (living, dining, bathing, etc.) is relatively new. And even in early multiple-room houses, people moved from room to room more in pursuit of sunlight and warmth than specific activity. In effect, all rooms were "living rooms."

Revolutionary new technologies - indoor plumbing, central heating, and electric light, in particular - made room specialization practical. The bathroom, bedchamber, dining room, library, and parlor emerged as distinct spaces in ways that both reflect and influence life style.

Take the living room (aka parlor, drawing room, sitting room, and salon). It has come full circle. As parlor, it was a room often reserved to receive visitors. In time, it became the place where the family "withdrew" to gather around the piano - later the radio and then television. Today, the "great room" has assumed that role and in many homes, the living room is again a more formal space reserved for entertaining guests.

The exhibit makes that case that every house has a story, every room has a history. "The History of Houses and the Things that Make Them Home" will be up through June 2015. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (1:00 - 4:00 pm), Thursday evenings (7:00 - 9:00 pm) and the first and second Sundays of each month (1:00 - 4:00 pm). The Township of Ocean Historical Museum is located at 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ. For more information, please call 732-531-2136 or visit www.oceanmuseum.org.

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