NJ Weekend Happenings: 5/30/15 - 5/31/15

NJ WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

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Saturday, May 30 - Upper Township, Cape May County

26th Annual Strawberry Festival

Children Friendly

The 26th Annual Strawberry Festival will welcome the spring and summer season again this year on Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Gandy Farmstead in Greenfield, Upper Township, NJ. Rain date Sunday, May 31. Presented by The Historical Preservation Society of Upper Township (HPSUT), this event will help raise funds for the society to maintain the three historic locations around Upper Township that they restored.

The strawberries are still the highlight of this festival, along with enjoyable activities for children and adults alike. The event will feature tours of the colonial farmstead, games, live music, crafters and stands for locals to sell homemade items like honey and jam. The nostalgic backdrop for this event provides the perfect environment for an old fashioned day of fun.

The HPSUT always welcomes new members. Anyone who has an appreciation for the historical integrity of Upper Township is welcome to come by the festival and fill out an application for HPSUT membership. Parking and admission are free. There will be strawberry shortcake and a light lunch available to purchase.

The Gandy Farmstead is located at 26 Tyler Road (Route 616), Greenfield, in Upper Township, NJ. For more information visit www.uppertwphistory.org, e-mail UpperTwpHistory@yahoo.com, or call 609-628-2425 and leave a message.

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Saturday, May 30 - Bergen County

5th Annual Northwest Bergen County History Day

Family Friendly

Join the Northwest Bergen History Coalition as they travel through time and explore the various modes of 19th and 20th century transportation on Saturday. From 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, eleven historical homes and museums will be open to the public to tour and enjoy. Joining the Coalition this year will be antique car collectors who will be stopping at the sites allowing visitors to see the "new fangled" motorcars of the early 20th century. The museums and historic homes on the tour include:

* The Fell House, 475 Franklin Turnpike, Allendale, NJ

* The Museum at the Station, 176 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ

* The Hermitage, 335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ

* The Mahwah Museum, 201 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah, NJ

* Old Station Museum 1871 Old Station Lane, Mahwah, NJ

* The Van Allen House, 3 Franklin Avenue, Oakland, NJ

* The Old Stone House, 538 Island Road, Ramsey, NJ

* The Schoolhouse Museum, 650 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ

* The Hopper-Goetschius Museum, 363 E. Saddle River Road, Upper Saddle River, NJ

* Waldwick Signal Tower, 1 Bohnert Place, Waldwick, NJ

* The Zabriskie House, 421 Franklin Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ

Tickets will be on sale at each of the sites on the day of the tour for $15 per person, children 12 and under free.  All proceeds from the ticket sales will be equally divided among the nine historical sites.  The Coalition will be selling grilled hotdogs and soda at the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum in Upper Saddle River.

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to learn more about Northwest Bergen County and the history of early transportation. For more information about the day, call the Schoolhouse Museum at 201-447-3242 or e-mail info@ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org.

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Saturday, May 30 - Mount Holly, Burlington County

The Distaff Muse

Children Friendly

What qualities define the 18th-century woman? Virtue? Piety? Gentility? Spirit? Wit? Fortitude? Resignation? Passion? At 11:00 am on Saturday, historical interpreter Stacy F. Roth explores the private thoughts and popular image of women of the 18th century through songs, quotations, poetry and prose.

In this unique presentation from a revolving repertoire, audiences will visit with humble heroines, brave Amazons, wise wits, and warriors in disguise. For ages 8 and up. Come, be amused with the distaff muse. Sponsored by the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey. This free program is open to the public and will take place at the Burlington County Lyceum, 307 High Street, Mount Holly, NJ. Pre-registration is requested. For more information and to register, call 609-267-7111 or e-mail bclhns@bcls.lib.nj.us.

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Saturday, May 30 -  Morris Township, Morris County

Meet the Irish Servant and the Cook at the Willows
Children Friendly

On Saturday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, discover the life of domestic help at the Foster home on a guided tour. Assist the maid with household chores and see what the cook has prepared using the wood-burning stove. Two tours times available: 1:00 - 2:00 pm and 2:00 - 3:00 pm.

Also, see the farmers weigh the piglets that were born this spring at 1:00 and 2:00 pm.

Admission: $6 for adults; $5 for seniors (65+); $4 for children ages 4 – 16; and $2for children ages 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.

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Saturday, May 30 - Paterson, Passaic County

Lecture at Lambert Castle

On Saturday at 2:00 pm in Lambert Castle, the Passaic County Historical Society will be hosting Joe McHugh as he presents "Coins in the Ashes: A Tale of Two Families and the Need for Remembrance and Gratitude." This fascinating story chronicles McHugh’s quest to find the family of an African-American woman named Helen, who cared for him as a young child in Paterson. Helen held the McHugh’s together just when tragedy threatened to destroy their family. Through his presentation, McHugh brings to life the experiences of these two unique one white and one black, exploring how race and class have influenced families and society in the United States through much of the twentieth century. The program is free for members, for all others regular museum admission applies.

The Passaic County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, was founded to cultivate interest among individuals and the community-at-large in the rich history of Passaic County. To this end our museum in Lambert Castle showcases examples of the County’s cultural and artistic diversity, as well as examples of the County’s natural, civil, military, and ecclesiastical history. The Society also maintains a library and archive, which houses manuscripts, books and photographs of historical and genealogical interest.

Lambert Castle, home of the Passaic County Historical Society, is located at 3 Valley Road, Paterson, NJ. For more information call 973-247-0085 or visit www.lambertcastle.org.

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Saturday, May 30 - Belle Mead, Somerset County

May in Montgomery: Touring the Township as it Was - Bus Tour

Montgomery is a township of hidden gems - lovely stone bridges, charming pre-revolution neighborhoods, simple Dutch architecture, Victorian grandeur, and rippling brooks to name a few.

On Saturday, two separate tours will explore development and change in Montgomery through lively narration and visits to these gems, to preserved villages, buildings and landscapes, including stops at historic sites both morning and afternoon.

Each bus will take a maximum of thirty passengers with a narrator on board to provide all the tidbits of lore and legend around the township. Relax and leave the driving to us! Along the way you will be taken by the lovely Victorian homes of Rocky Hill and will walk through a mill converted into a charming home as well as the antiques-filled miller’s cottage across the road. You will also stop at the Montgomery Farm Museum barn to see a fine collection of antique agrarian implements.

On the west side, you will go inside the adorable one-room 1853 living history schoolhouse and the preserved 18th century Jochem Gulick house with its orchards and ponds plus enjoy the pastoral countryside of Skillman and the Sourland hills. Each tour takes about two hours.

The buses leave from Harlingen Reformed Church on Route 206 in Belle Mead. The Western Side tour departs at 10:00 am and the Eastern Side tour departs at 2:00 pm.

Each tour is $25 for non-members and $20 for Van Harlingen Historical Society members. Lunch is not provided but may be purchased locally in the village of Harlingen. Restrooms will be available at the church. For more information and to make reservations, e-mail: info@vanharlingen.org. Payment may be made at the bus departure with a prior reservation.

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Saturday, May 30 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Haying and Hayrides

Children Friendly

Old fashioned weather forecasting will be put to the test when the farmers at Howell Farm do what they do when the sun shines: make hay!

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the weather will be sunny and warm when they hitch their horses to old fashioned mowers, rakes and loaders to bring in another crop of the all-important forage product. Although they chose the date back in January, they’re confident that the forecast will pan out.

From 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, visitors to the 130-acre farm can watch, photograph, and even help as farmers work in hayfields and put loose hay in the mow of a barn with a pulley-operated hayfork. Mow filling and raking operations will take place during the morning; mowing and hay loading are planned during the afternoon.

Hayrides will take place from 11:00 - 3:00 and leave every 20 minutes. Rides are first-come, first-served.

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.com.

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Saturday, May 30 - 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 at the Soldiers Huts in Jockey Hollow from 1:30 - 4:00 pm. Cost: Free. Jockey Hollow is located within Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Jockey Hollow Road (approximate), Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Saturday - Sunday, May 30 - 31 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County

Civil War Event
Children Friendly

The Historic Village at Allaire time travels for its Fifth Annual Civil War Event! New Jersey Union regiments camp out in the show fields on Saturday and Sunday!

Discover the Civil War at Allaire! Meet the soldiers, shop at period stores, and experience encampment life! This event will be a Civil War living history presentation of a Training Camp for new recruits in New Jersey service. Throughout the day witness speeches, artillery demonstrations, battalion drills, musket cleaning, dress parades, and a farewell at the train station as troops leave for the front! The event will be open to the public from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Saturday and 10:00 am - 3:00 pm on Sunday. This event is presented by the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association (NJCWHA) and The Historic Village at Allaire. There will be a $5 parking fee for this event.

On Saturday evening, there will be a Lantern Tour of Civil War Vignettes and a concert by David Kincaid. The tours begin at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $20 per person. Call 732-919-3500 for details and to reserve your ticket.

The Historic Village at Allaire is located at 4263 Atlantic Avenue, Farmingdale, NJ. For more information, contact the Allaire Village office during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, at 732-919-3500 or visit www.allairevillage.org.

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Sunday, May 31 - Princeton, Mercer County

Historic Princeton Walking Tour

Children Friendly

Enjoy a 1.9 mile, two-hour walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus as you learn about historic sites in the area, including Bainbridge House, Nassau Hall, the University Chapel, and Palmer Square. The early history of Princeton, the founding of the University, and the American Revolution are just some of the stories from Princeton’s history that you will learn on your tour.

Admission: $7 per adult; $4 children ages 6 to 12; free for children age 5 and under. Tickets are sold at Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ starting at 12:00 noon. Tour begins at 2:00 pm and ends at 4:00 pm. Space is limited. For more information, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Sunday, May 31 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County

Butter and Eggs

Children Friendly

On Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, churn and then sample fresh butter, sort and grade the farm fresh eggs, meet a beautiful Jersey cow, and hens and chicks at Historic Walnford. As you sample some chores from the past you’ll also learn how you can make butter at home and pick up some DIY tips for backyard poultry.

While there, tour 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, visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Sunday, May 31 - Allamuchy, Warren County

Warren County Preservation Day
Children Friendly

Warren County's third annual Preservation Day, which aims to promote all of the important preservation efforts throughout the county, will be held on Sunday at Rutherfurd Hall, 1686-R Route 517 in Allamuchy, NJ starting at 10:00 am.

Live musical performances will be presented all day by various artists. Rutherfurd Hall will provide tours to the public from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. There is a suggested donation of $5 for tours.

Free kayaking on the lake will be held 10:00 am - 4:00 pm by the NJ Youth Corps and The Nature Conservancy. Cold Stone Creamery ice cream truck will be at the hall from 11:30 am - 4:00 pm.

All hikes and activities will meet at the front entrance of Rutherfurd Hall. Numerous exhibitors will have tables with information, displays, activities or demonstrations. For more information, call the Department of Land Preservation at 908-453-2650.

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Sunday, May 31 - Montclair, Essex County

House Tours

Family Friendly

Step back through over 200 years of American history at Montclair's historic properties at 108 Orange Road. Visit the newly reinterpreted Crane House to reflect the YWCA period from 1920 - 1965, check out the farm, and meet the chickens. The site is open from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

Free-will donation. Free admission for members! For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, May 31 - Piscataway, Middlesex County

Middlesex County History Day

Children Friendly

History lovers of all ages are invited to the first annual Middlesex County History Day on Sunday! The event will be held at East Jersey Olde Towne Village in Johnson Park in Piscataway and will feature a site-wide celebration filled with demonstrations, performances, and other family-friendly activities.

Demonstrations will include blacksmithing, yarn spinning, weaving, chair caning, antique clocks, furniture making, lace making, and 19th century decorative painting techniques.

The Local History Tent will feature exhibits and displays by the members of 20 historical societies and groups from Middlesex County and beyond.

Several musicians will perform 18th century music in the Church of the Three Mile Run throughout the day. Never-before-seen artifacts from the Raritan Landing excavations, as well as historic documents dating back to the 18th century, will be explained by staff members. Other activities include hard-hat tours of the ongoing restoration of the Wagon House and historical children’s games for young visitors.

Middlesex County History Day will be held from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Sunday. The event will be held rain or shine and is offered free of charge with no advance registration. Operated by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission, East Jersey Olde Towne Village is located inside Johnson Park at 1050 River Road in Piscataway, NJ.

East Jersey Olde Towne Village is an accessible site. Wheelchairs are available upon request for visitors who may need assistance from the parking lot to the event. For more information, call 732-745-3030, ext. 311 or visit www.co.middlesex.nj.us.

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Sunday, May 31- Trenton, Mercer County

Annual Ice Cream Social

Children Friendly

On Sunday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm, take a step back in time to enjoy an Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social at the 1719 William Trent House Museum with free house tours and period games for children and adults.

Several ice cream flavors will be available. Board members will scoop the ice cream while families can add toppings from the toppings bar. This event is free and open to the public. This year's theme is Welcome (Back)! Friends, museum supporters, and the community are invited to come back to the Trent House Museum for a visit. A special invitation is extended to those who may have visited the museum as a child, perhaps on a school trip. Come back for another visit and bring the family.

Built in 1719, the magnificent Trent House is the oldest building in New Jersey's state capital. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is restored and carefully furnished as it would have been in the early 18th century. The Trenton House is located at 15 Market Street in Trenton, NJ adjacent to the Hughes Justice Complex. Ample free parking. For more information, call 609-989-0087, e-mail trenthouseassociation@verizon.net, or visit www.williamtrenthouse.org.

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Sunday, May 31 - Lakehurst, Ocean County
Museum Open House and 25th Anniversary Celebration

The Lakehurst Historical Society will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Sunday from 2:00 - 5:00 pm at the Community Center, Center Street, Lakehurst, NJ. The celebration will include a video presentation of years past, memorabilia of the society, and comments from community dignitaries. There will be cake, coffee, tea, and good fellowship. All are welcome to help celebrate. The Society's museum, which is across the street from the Community Center, will be open so that those attending will have the opportunity to view firsthand their lovely little church, which houses the treasures of the Lakehurst area. For more information, call 732-32-657-0751 or 732-657-4391.

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Sunday, May 31 - Morristown, Morris County

Nast the Homebody

This spring Macculloch Hall Historical Museum (MHHM) presents a speaker series related to  the current exhibits on display at the museum, on the last Sunday of the month, through June, at 4:30 pm. The series continues on Sunday with "Nast the Homebody." Join Ken and Nancy Miller for a peek into the home of Thomas Nast. Political cartoonist and Morristown resident from 1872 - 1902, Nast loved his home of 30 years and also to fill it with beautiful objects of the Victorian era. A large collection of photographs that are part of the collection at MHHM show what the house looked like when Nast purchased it, how he changed it and moments from the family life that occurred there.

Ken and Nancy Miller, current owners caretakers of the house, will talk about Nast's home and life there using pictures from his time and today, the changes that have occurred to the house since it was sold by Sarah Nast in 1908 and the challenges of restoring and caring for an old house that is a National Historic Landmark. Nancy and her husband, Ken Miller, have lived in the Thomas Nast home for 22 years. After a career in nursing, Nancy started Miller's Antiques & Collectibles which has a space at the Summit Antiques Center. She has also served as a volunteer for a variety of organizations and is a former President and Trustee of MHHM. Ken Miller served as a Naval Flight Officer, and then pursued a career in finance before retiring. Ken is currently focused on volunteerism, is a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of the New Jersey Historic Trust and serves as chair of Morristown New Jersey's Historic Preservation Commission. Ken is also actively working on the restoration of his National Historic Landmark residence.

Tickets for the program go on sale beginning at 1:00 pm on Sunday - no advance sales - and remain on sale until the presentation begins at 4:30 pm. Speaker tickets include admission to the museum exhibits during the afternoon and a guided tour of period rooms. The last tour ticket is sold at 3:00 pm. Speaker tickets remain on sale until 4:30 pm. The museum's collection of "Currier & Ives" prints on display throughout the second floor of the museum and the second floor "The Civil War Through the Eyes of Thomas Nast" and "Canals of New Jersey" exhibits will remain on view until 4:30 pm. The first floor "Thomas Nast: Unknown Works and American Icons" exhibit will close from 3:30 - 4:00 pm in preparation for the program. Tickets to hear speakers are Adults $8; Seniors and Students $6; Children 6 - 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are admitted free.

The museum is open for house and exhibit tours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Adults $8; Seniors and Students $6; Children 6 - 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are free. Macculloch Hall is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-538-2404 ext. 10 or visit www.maccullochhall.org.

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Through June 28, 2015 - Paterson, Passaic County

Highlights of the Paterson Evening News Collection Exhibit and Reception

The Passaic County Historical Society announces its newest exhibit, Highlights of the Paterson Evening News Collection. On exhibit until Sunday June 28, 2015, the display will showcase this newly digitized photograph collection. The Paterson Evening News Collection consists of over 16,000 images, dating from 1946 through 1972. Together these photographs offer an invaluable look at the history of Passaic County and the State of New Jersey. Over seventy photographs have been selected for this exhibit to highlight the variety of subjects incorporated within the collection. Visitors can access the exhibition during regular museum hours (Wednesday - Sunday). General museum admissions apply.

Hear more about the collection at the exhibit reception held at Lambert Castle on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm. Co-curator and digitization specialist Boris Von Faust will discuss his digitizing process and share more of his favorite images from the collection. The reception is free for members; otherwise regular museum admission applies.

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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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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Through July 2015 - Ridgewood, Bergen County

"Hemlines" Exhibit

The Ridgewood Historical Society and the Schoolhouse Museum are pleased to announce their new exhibit, Hemlines, open through July 2015. This exhibit features women's hats, shoes, handbags, jewelry, furs, wedding attire, and fabulous dresses from 1900 to 1969. Hemlines will run through the end of July. The Schoolhouse Museum is open Thursdays and Saturdays from 1:00 - 3:00 pm and Sundays from 2:00 - 4:0 pm. Hemlines is a "must see" exhibit for anyone interested in fashion! The Schoolhouse Museum is located at 650 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. For more information, call 201-447-3242 or visit www.ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org.

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Through July 2015 - Plainfield, Union County

Plainfield's Local Clubs & Organizations Collection, 1884 to 2015

The Plainfield Public Library announces their new spring-summer exhibition. The library is displaying a variety of materials from our collection of records of significance from local clubs and organizations that date back to 1884. The 120-piece exhibit consists of wall exhibits and display cases on both levels of the library. The oldest items on exhibit are the 1884 board meeting minutes from the Plainfield Reform Club, a temperance organization, and an 1884 letter from Craig Marsh announcing the first meeting of the Union Club, a conservative men's social club.

The entire Local Clubs & Organizations Collection contains records from over 100 clubs and documents over a century of community activities in the City of Plainfield. Twenty-two clubs are represented in the displays, which feature the Monday Afternoon Club, Plainfield Garden Club, and Freemasons - including a rare panoramic photograph of African-American Masonic Lodge members from New Jersey attending the 1937 annual convention held in Plainfield. Other organizations in the exhibit are the Plainfield B.P.O. Elks, Boy & Girl Scouts, Camera Club, Laurel League, Ric-Charles Choral Ensemble, Shakespeare Club, and twelve others. The exhibit presents thirty-nine photographs and postcards, forty-five pieces of paper ephemera and documents, fifteen newspaper articles, twelve artifacts, five examples of ledgers and manuscripts, as well as several loaned items.

The exhibition will run through July. It is free to the public. The Plainfield Public Library is located at 800 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ. For hours of operation and more information, call 908-757-1111 or visit www.plainfieldlibrary.info.

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Through July 2015 - Morristown, Morris County
The Civil War through the Eyes of Thomas Nast

Before radio, TV, or the Internet, there was political cartoonist Thomas Nast. Nast illustrated battles, Union and Confederate troop movements, and their activities throughout the Civil War. He also captured the poignancy of those back home, who worried about their family members in combat. Nast covered both the home and battle fronts; his work was the main source of information about the war for many people. His illustrations in publications like "Harper's Weekly" brought the information about what was happening into the homes of the American public, the way mass media does today. Like all media agents, he not only depicted what was happening by reporting on the events taking place, but also created propaganda by trying to stir emotions and support for the Union side. Mounted to commemorate the final year of the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011-2015), this second floor exhibit will include a number of these stirring images. "The Civil War through the Eyes of Thomas Nast" opens September 7, 2014­ and will be on exhibit through 2015.

Thomas Nast (1840-1902) is one of the most recognized names in the world of political cartoons.  Often called the father of American political cartooning, Nast's images remain popular today.  His well-known depictions of the Democratic donkey and Republican elephant, conceived more than 100 years ago, continue to represent both parties.  Uncle Sam and Columbia, two of his favorite figures to draw, are still recognized as symbols for the United States of America.  His spirit lives on through his iconic representations of Santa Claus. The classic images which Nast popularized of the jolly old elf still appear on a variety of surfaces each year during the holiday season, and Nast's Civil War images of battlefront and home front were powerful tools for bringing the war into people's homes.

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. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-538-2404 ext. 10 or visit www.maccullochhall.org.

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Through August 16, 2015 - Morristown, Morris County
275th Anniversary of the Founding of the Township of Morris, 1740-2015

In conjunction with the Mayor and Township Committee of Morris Township and The Historic Preservation Commission of Morris Township, The Morristown and Morris Township Library is hosting an exhibit celebrating the 275th anniversary of the founding of Morris Township. The exhibit will be on display in the second floor, F.M. Kirby Gallery from through August 16, 2015. The exhibit is also supported by the Friends of the Morristown & Morris Township Library.

The colonial legislature of New Jersey created Morris County on March 15, 1739 naming the county, for the Governor of New Jersey, Colonel Lewis Morris (for which the Township and Morristown would later also be named). The county was initially divided into three townships in 1740: Pequannock, Hanover, and Morris. Morris Township originally took up half of the county but has been subdivided many times since and now encompasses 15.45 square miles. In its first two hundred years, the Township was primarily farmland but this changed drastically over time as much of New Jersey morphed into the “urban” designation tagged currently with the U.S. Census Bureau. The anniversary exhibit will focus not only on Morris Township’s agricultural past, but also its part in the American Revolution and its fame as home to Gilded Age, New York City millionaire mansions. The exhibition will also examine the history of the Township’s fire and police departments, The Seeing Eye, the College of Saint Elizabeth and other institutions as well as famous Township residents.

The Morristown and Morris Township Library is located at 1 Miller Rd, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call the Library’s North Jersey History & Genealogy Center at 973-538-3473 or visit www.jfpl.org/NJHistoryHome.cfm.

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Through August 2015 - Lyndhurst, Bergen County
Lyndhurst Business: Building a Community

From a ship's horn manufactured by Leslie Company to photos of steel and heat-treating plant Benedict-Miller, Inc., the Lyndhurst Historical Society is showcasing just a sampling of the many businesses that contributed to the community and beyond in its latest exhibit, "Lyndhurst Business: Building a Community," which runs from now until August 2015.

"It's New Jersey's 350th birthday and, in addition to celebrating the state as a whole, we wanted to give a nod to our local community," said Doris Bergquist, who, along with members Dale Jankowski and Doris Ludwig, curated the exhibit. "There have been and continue to be many highly regarded businesses in Lyndhurst. The Leslie Company, for example, was once in Lyndhurst and built one of the horns used on the Queen Mary."

The exhibit is free and open to the public, though a small donation to the society would be appreciated. The Little Red Schoolhouse Museum, located at 400 RIverside Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ is open on the second and fourth Sundays of every month from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 201-804-2513 or visit www.lyndhursthistoricalsociety.org.

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Through September 1, 2015 - Morristown, Morris County
Treasures from the Collection

There's something for everyone to enjoy in the Morris County Historical Society's new exhibit, "Treasures from the Collection," now featured at Acorn Hall through September 1, 2015. See everything from clothing to documents, militaria to fine arts, and furniture to photography, and more in this treasure trove display from Morris County, and beyond. Highlights include heirlooms from notable local families such as the McEwans, the Condits, the Lindsleys, and the Bonsalls, and spectacular stickpins from the remarkable collection of MCHS Board Member Emeritus Learned T. Bulman.

Pieces from across the country include an 1876 ball gown worn to the Centennial Celebration in Washington, D.C., an assortment of 19th-century U.S. flags, a scarab stick pin from the reign of Ramesses II, and various 19th-century weaponry and artifacts related to the Civil War. Compare earlier fashion trends to the haute couture Pucci-inspired mini-dress, circa 1960s. For the furniture aficionados, marvel at a Victorian-era papier-mâché chair, a mahogany Chippendale chair, and a Hitchcock-style chair from Morristown furniture maker, H. Frazee. Travel with ease to faraway Japan, and experience Asian art in the form of wood block prints and porcelain vases.

Admission to tour Acorn Hall and to see the exhibit is $6 for adults; $5 for seniors; $3 for students, and free for children age 12 and under and MCHS members. To view the exhibit, only, is one half of the admission. Acorn Hall is open for tours on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, and on Sundays from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. For more information, call the Morris County Historical Society at 973-267-3465 or visit www.acornhall.org.

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Through September 13, 2015 - Oceanville, Atlantic County
Pine Barrens: Life and Legends

This historic exhibition at The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University revisits the work and play of life in the Pine Barrens. Industries of charcoal, glass, paper and iron once thrived in the Pines, while music and merrymaking filled the dance halls and stories of witches and the Jersey Devil abounded. The exhibition is a collaboration between the South Jersey Culture & History Center (SJCHC) and the Noyes Museum of Art. Admission to the museum is: Adults $5; Seniors (60 and older) $4; Students with ID $4; Stockton Students, Faculty, and Staff with ID Free; Members Free; and Children (6 and under) Free. The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University is located at 733 Lily Lake Road, Oceanville (Galloway Township), NJ. For more information, call 609-652-8848 or visit www.noyesmuseum.org/exhibitions.html.

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Through October 30, 2015 - Morristown, Morris County

“Canals of New Jersey” Exhibit

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum (MHHM) has partnered with the Canal Society of New Jersey (CSNJ) to present their traveling exhibit “Canals of New Jersey”. The exhibit was created in 1985 in part to commemorate the Society’s 25th anniversary. The display consists of panels that tell the story of New Jersey’s two towpath canals, the Morris and the Delaware and Raritan. In 1824, the Morris Canal & Banking Company was chartered to build a canal that would carry coal to developing markets along the eastern seaboard. The Morris Canal would pass through the heart of New Jersey’s iron district and provide the long-needed transportation system that would promote commercial activity and enable rustic settlements to grow into thriving industrial towns. The canal extended 102 miles from Pennsylvania, across varied terrain through New Jersey, ending at Newark. By the early 1900s the canal had become obsolete. Today, the Morris Canal Greenway, a partnership between local communities and the Canal Society of New Jersey, seeks to preserve the surviving historic remains of the canal, interpret canal sites, and offer recreational opportunities to the public. 

For the installation at MHHM the exhibit has gotten a facelift, with new titles and new art work. The CSNJ’s display is supplemented by objects including some from MHHM’s collection and information about Macculloch Hall founder George Macculloch who had the idea for the Morris Canal. In the early 1820s, George Macculloch had a vision of a waterway to connect the Delaware River to the Hudson River in Northern New Jersey. This exhibit in part celebrates Macculloch’s part in the vision, promotion, and impact that the Morris Canal had on New Jersey. The canal would become an engineering feat of its day, using locks and inclined planes to climb the elevation differences in the land. The canal was a technical marvel of its time and helped to spur the economy in New Jersey by allowing goods to reach further afield than ever before. The exhibit shares some of the stories of the workers and families who lived and worked on the canal, as well as other details about its construction using photographs and drawings, as well objects including model canal boats and images. The “Canals of New Jersey” exhibit will be on display in the second floor gallery during touring hours from March 15th through October 30, 2015.

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

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Through January 6, 2016 - Woodbury, Gloucester County

Gloucester Abbey: Downton Style Fashions Exhibit

Gloucester Abbey: Downton Style Fashions is currently on display at the exhibit at the Gloucester County Historical Society Museum in Woodbury, New Jersey. The exhibit will conclude on January 6, 2016. This remarkable exhibit features ladies’ fashions from the society's collection from the time period covered by the popular PBS Masterpiece Theater series Downton Abbey. Over 100 vintage dresses/ensembles from the museum’s collection dating from 1910 through the 1930s are showcased, including period wedding gowns. Also on display are ladies accessories, including hats, shoes, purses, jewelry, and lingerie. Don’t miss this fantastic exhibit!

The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, and the last Sunday of the month from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Private tours may be booked for days/times other than our regular public hours. Adult admission $5; children 6-18 years $1; children under 6 free. The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum is located at 58 N. Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096. For more information, call 856-848-8531 or visit www.rootsweb.com/~njgchs.

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Through June 26, 2016 - Piscataway, Middlesex County

The Icons of American Culture: History of New Jersey Diners Exhibit

Children Friendly

When was the last time you ate at a diner? If you are like millions of New Jerseyans, the answer is not too long ago. Dubbed “the land of diners,” New Jersey has forged a unique relationship with these casual eateries. Stainless steel, neon, and menus that go on for days are part of the Garden State landscape. Come explore their rich history with us! This seven-room exhibit tells the story of some of the of the Garden State’s most iconic eateries. This exhibit runs from April 12, 2015 - June 26, 2016 and is free of charge.

The exhibit is open Tuesday – Friday from 1:00 – 4:00 pm and Sundays from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Closed Mondays, Saturdays, and Holidays. The Cornelius Low House Museum is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ. For more information, call 732-745-4177 or visit www.co.middlesex.nj.us.

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

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