Weekend Historical Happenings: 8/30/14 - 8/31/14
WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS
Know about a historical event happening in your area?
Send me an e-mail to let us know!
Saturday, August 30 - Oldwick, Hunterdon County
20th Annual Tewksbury Flea Market
The Tewksbury Historical Society is hosting its 20th annual Flea Market, which is one of their main fundraisers, on Saturday from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm in the farm field located one half mile north of the village of Oldwick on County Route 517. The rain date will be Sunday, August 31st. There will be 113 vendors in attendance. Last year saw over 1,100 shoppers in attendance. There will be a $1 per car suggested donation to enter. Vendors will display old and new items of all types including antiques, toys and collectibles, farm fresh produce, household items, and more. The Pottersville Volunteer Fire Company will be serving breakfast and lunch to benefit their operations. Early birds can gain admission from 7:00 - 8:00 am at a cost of $10 per person, payable at the gate. Early Birds should enter the site via Homestead Road. The Tewksbury Historical Society booth has an eclectic mix of multiple items, all donated by Society members and residents of Tewksbury. All proceeds benefit the Society's building fund.
The Tewksbury Flea Market is easily accessible off exit 24 on Interstate 78. Following the signs for Oldwick/County Route 523/517 north or from Route 206 from Chester. For more information, contact the Tewksbury Historical Society at 908-832-6734 or visit www.tewksburyhistory.net.
-----------------------------------
This behind-the-scenes tour is especially for people from the greater Morristown area. Learn basics about the history of the site, how the park was established and is managed, and why people come from all over the world to see a corner of the world that you call home. Space is limited to 20 people, first-come, first served, and reservations are not accepted. Tour from 10:00 - 10:45 am 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 www.nps.gov/morr.
The Tewksbury Flea Market is easily accessible off exit 24 on Interstate 78. Following the signs for Oldwick/County Route 523/517 north or from Route 206 from Chester. For more information, contact the Tewksbury Historical Society at 908-832-6734 or visit www.tewksburyhistory.net.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 30 - Morristown, Morris County
Neighbor’s Tour: Washington Slept Here (and so do I!)
This behind-the-scenes tour is especially for people from the greater Morristown area. Learn basics about the history of the site, how the park was established and is managed, and why people come from all over the world to see a corner of the world that you call home. Space is limited to 20 people, first-come, first served, and reservations are not accepted. Tour from 10:00 - 10:45 am 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 www.nps.gov/morr.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 30 - Toms River, Ocean County
Antiques and Collectibles Faire
Celebrate Labor Day with your family and friends at the Ocean County Historical Society's Antiques and Collectibles Faire on Saturday on the grounds surrounding the museum on 26 Hadley Avenue and the Ocean County Parking Garage on Madison Avenue in Toms River, NJ from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Join the fun as you shop for antiques and collectibles as well as items crafted by a local wool spinner, basket maker, and decoy carver. Buy a 50-50 raffle ticket sponsored by OCHS.
Bring your antiques for appraisals by a team from Kravetz Auctions. Enjoy morning performances by musicians from the Music Academy in Toms River, followed by vocal and guitar performances by Sal Aversano in the afternoon. View and purchase new publications by New Jersey authors. Look for breakfast and lunch foods from 4 Bee's Polish Deli and delicious baked goods made by OCHS volunteers. Other Historical Society volunteers will be selling OCHS publications, used books, genealogical research booklets, and interesting antiques. There's a treasure for everyone! Tour the OCHS museum and its current exhibitions. The event will be held rain or shine! For more information, visit www.oceancountyhistory.org.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 30 - Morristown, Morris County
Jersey Lightning: A Story of Booze, Apples, and Local Industry
Long before NJ became known for its wineries, another alcoholic beverage was the king of the Garden State. Trace the history of Apple Jack, also known as Jersey Lightning, and how its production was a major industry in the Garden State at a presentation at Historic Speedwell. This program is included with regular admission and begins at 2:00 pm.
Admission: $5.00 per adult, $4.00 for seniors and $3.00 for children. Historic Speedwell, 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.
-----------------------------------
Admission: $5.00 per adult, $4.00 for seniors and $3.00 for children. Historic Speedwell, 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 30 - Byram Township, Sussex County
Waterloo Canal Heritage Day
Children Friendly
Come visit Waterloo Village between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm for a day in this historic Morris Canal town. Enjoy boat rides on the Morris Canal, Smith's Store - a furnished canal-era store with hands-on activities, blacksmithing, see the operating gristmill, guided tours of 1859 Methodist Church, the Canal Museum - with exhibits and videos, and guided walking tours of the village. Admission is free. Waterloo Village is located at 525 Waterloo Road, Byram, NJ. For more information, call 973-292-2755 or visit www.canalsocietynj.org.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 30 - Morris Township, Morris County
Go With the Flow
Children Friendly
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, visit www.morrisparks.net.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 30 - September 20, 2014 - Orange, Essex County
Looking at the Age of Edison Through the Witness Trees of Glenmont
Children Friendly
A joint program of the Rhode Island School of Design (RSID), the National Park Service (Witness Tree Project), and ValleyArts, this exhibition entitled "Transformed: Looking at the Age of Edison Through the Witness Trees of Glenmont" will be on display at the ValleyArts Firehouse Gallery, 580 Forest Street, Orange NJ from Thursday, August 28 through Sunday, September 21, 2014. Historic Trees, felled by Hurricane Sandy at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, have been transformed by RISD students into objects of art that entice viewers to think more deeply about history. The Gallery is open Thursdays 5:00 - 7:30 pm; Saturdays 10:00 am - 4:00 pm; Sundays 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm and by appointment. Admission is free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 ext. 50.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 30 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Plowing Match
Children Friendly
On Saturday, Howell Living History Farm will hold its Annual Plowing Match and the public is invited to watch and participate in the event, which features old-fashioned plowing and log pulling competitions, a craft and pony rides for children, and lots of food, music and old fashioned fun.
A dozen teams of draft animals from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York are entered in the match, which tests the performance of farmers, their horses and oxen, and their plows as they turn furrows. Judging will take place from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon. Winners of the Fine Plowing Class will receive trophies, ribbons and cash prizes. Members of the general public aged 16 and older can try their hand at plowing in the Visitor Plowing event. Winners receive ribbons.
Sheep, chickens and pigs can be seen in the farmyard area all day. Beginning at 12:00 noon, hungry plowers and visitors can lunch on roast pork sandwiches, a chicken BBQ, Kosher franks, and Howell Farm potatoes and sweet corn. Noontime festivities will include music by the Jugtown Mountain String Band, door prizes, and plowing award presentations. After the plowing competition, visitors can watch as teamsters use their animals to navigate an obstacle course.
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.com.
A dozen teams of draft animals from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York are entered in the match, which tests the performance of farmers, their horses and oxen, and their plows as they turn furrows. Judging will take place from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon. Winners of the Fine Plowing Class will receive trophies, ribbons and cash prizes. Members of the general public aged 16 and older can try their hand at plowing in the Visitor Plowing event. Winners receive ribbons.
Sheep, chickens and pigs can be seen in the farmyard area all day. Beginning at 12:00 noon, hungry plowers and visitors can lunch on roast pork sandwiches, a chicken BBQ, Kosher franks, and Howell Farm potatoes and sweet corn. Noontime festivities will include music by the Jugtown Mountain String Band, door prizes, and plowing award presentations. After the plowing competition, visitors can watch as teamsters use their animals to navigate an obstacle course.
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.com.
-----------------------------------
Saturday - Sunday, August 30 - 31 - 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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, August 31 - Haledon/Paterson, Passaic County
2014 Labor Day Parade: Celebrating Working People
The 22nd Annual Labor Day Parade, co-sponsored by the American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark, the Borough of Haledon and the City of Paterson, is scheduled for Sunday. Step-off will take place at 1:30 pm at the Botto House in Haledon. The parade will finish at the Great Falls Historic District in the City of Paterson, where the Great Falls Festival will be taking place.
This year's Labor Day Parade will be led by Grand Marshals Peter Busacca, President of the Hudson County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO and Mike Schneider, President of the Bergen County Central Trades & Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Peter Busacca is a member of Local 59, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), AFL-CIO. He currently works to recruit high school juniors and seniors from across the State of New Jersey to become apprentice stage technicians. Mike Schneider is a member of Local 32 of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (AWIU), AFL-CIO. Both Busacca and Schneider are lifelong unionists who lead Labor Councils which represent a total of over 100,000 New Jersey union members and their families.
It was on June 28th, 1894 that President Grover Cleveland (a native of Caldwell, NJ) signed the bill that made Labor Day a legal national holiday. In that same year, on Monday, September 3rd, 1894, the first official holiday was celebrated and every first Monday of September thereafter.
The Botto House National Landmark, home of the American Labor Museum, is located at 83 Norwood Street in Haledon, NJ. The Museum offers a free lending library, restored period rooms, changing exhibits, museum store, old world gardens, educational programs, and special events. For more information, call 973-595-7953, e-mail labormuseum@aol.com, or visitwww.labormuseum.net.
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Sunday, August 31 - Morristown, Morris County
Colonial Games
Children Friendly
-----------------------------------
Saturdays and 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 Saturday and 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.
-----------------------------------
Sundays through August 30, 2014 - Cranbury, Middlesex County
"At Long Last...Summer" Exhibit - LAST WEEKEND
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
Through Sunday, October 5, 2014 - Paterson, Passaic County
The History of the Silk City Diner Company of Paterson Exhibit
On exhibit through Sunday October 5, 2014 in Lambert Castle, home of the Passaic County Historical Society, view "Pancakes, Patties, and Pies...the History of the Silk City Diner Company of Paterson." The humble origin of American diners can be traced back to 1872. Since then, diners have evolved to become an iconic representation of the American lifestyle. This type of dining, with its comfort foods, distinct architecture, and unique aesthetics has captivated the appetites and imaginations of generations. In this exhibit, learn how the Paterson Vehicle Company contributed to this phenomenon with their Silk City Diners. Exhibit co-curated by Clifton native and author Michael Gabriele. Visitors can access the exhibition during regular museum hours (Wednesday-Sunday). General museum admissions apply.
Admission: Adults $5.00, Senior Citizens (65+) $4.00, Children ages 5-17 $3.00, and children under age 5 and members of the Historical Society are free. Lambert Castle is located at 3 Valley Road, Paterson, NJ. For more information, call 973-247-0085 or visit www.lambertcastle.org.
Admission: Adults $5.00, Senior Citizens (65+) $4.00, Children ages 5-17 $3.00, and children under age 5 and members of the Historical Society are free. Lambert Castle is located at 3 Valley Road, Paterson, NJ. For more information, call 973-247-0085 or visit www.lambertcastle.org.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
1st and 2nd Sundays through June 2015 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County
The History of Houses and the Things That Make Them Home
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.
-----------------------------------
Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for the comments!