Weekend Historical Happenings: 5/16/15 - 5/17/15

NJ WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

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Saturday, May 16 - Vineland, Cumberland County

Vineland Founder's Day
Children Friendly

On Saturday, celebrate the founding of Vineland, NJ during Vineland Founder's Day, sponsored by The Friends of Historic Vineland from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Reminisce about 154 years of Vineland history with a host of family friendly activities:

* Over 50 history exhibits with costumed re-enactors
* Civil War re-enactors with Living History Museum exhibits
* Civil War weapons and artillery demonstrations
* LIVE music
* FREE pony and carriage rides
* Pie Eating Contest and Field Games
* Magnolia Hill Studio Arts & Crafts
* Food Vendors
* Bike Safety Rodeo sponsored by the Police Department
* History Scavenger Hunt with prizes

This event will be held at the Elwyn grounds at 1667 East Landis Avenue, just east of Main Road in Vineland, NJ. This is no admission fee and parking is free! For more information, visit www.vinelandfriends.org.

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Saturday, May 16 - Chester, Morris County

Black River Industry Walk
Children Friendly

Discover the early industries along the Black River on Saturday from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon. This is a 3.5-mile moderate walk along the Hacklebarney Branch of the railroad, lower millpond, mid-1800s iron mining and bloomer forge, and Kay’s dam. Meet in the Cooper Gristmill parking lot. The mill opens after the walk. Cost: $5 per family. The Cooper Gristmill is located at 66 Route 513, Chester, NJ. For more information and to register, call 908-879-5463 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, May 16 -  Morris Township, Morris County

Healthy Home: A Food Revolution Event
Children Friendly

Enjoy food demonstrations and fitness programs featuring vendors from health and wellness organizations at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Also, check out activities on the farm, and cooking in the Farmhouse, from 1:00 - 3:00 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 16 - Titusville, Mercer County

So Many Brave Men: A History of the Battle at Minisink Ford

On Saturday, Peter Osborne will present a PowerPoint presentation titled, "So Many Brave Men: A History of the Battle at Minisink Ford." The Battle of Minisink Ford is the only Revolutionary War battle to take place in the Upper Delaware Valley. The program will discuss the history of the battle and the importance of it on the lives of the settlers who lived in the valley during the Revolutionary War and includes a handout. This program will be held at the Visitor Center Museum in Washington Crossing State Park, 355 Washington Crossing Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ. For more information, call 609-737-0623.

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Saturday, May 16 - Burlington, Burlington County

Beekeeping Traditions in Burlington County

Children Friendly

On Saturday, the Burlington County Historical Society presents "What's the buzz about bees?" with Bob Hughes, beekeeper for 35 years and former President of the New Jersey Bee Keepers Association. Get a chance to get up close to a beehive (don't worry--it's empty). Try a sample of honey! Find out which royal family in Bordentown had the bee as their symbol. Make a bee hat, do bee themed activities, and so much more! The program begins at 2:00 pm and ends at 4:00 pm. $5 per person. Program takes place at the Corson Poly Center, with entrances at 457 High Street and 454 Lawrence Street, Burlington, NJ. For more information, call 609-386-4773, ext. 1, e-mail burlcohistsocprograms@verizon.net, or visit www.burlingtoncountyhistoricalsociety.org.

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Saturday, May 16 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Rebecca Reel’s Quilt Show 
Children Friendly Site

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel as Rebecca Reel’s quilters from Middletown will be demonstrating and exhibiting some of their quilts. This free event runs from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Historic Longstreet Farm is located at 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ. For more information, call 732-946-3758 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Saturday, May 16 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Pleasant Valley House Tours

Children Friendly

The houses of grist miller John Phillips, his farmer-son Henry and Henry’s blacksmith-son Lewis will be featured during a 90 minute walking tour, hosted by Howell Farm historian Larry Kidder on Saturday. A tour of the Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse is included. Transportation to the historic houses is available for those needing assistance.

The walking tour begins at 1:00 pm. Tours of the farmhouse exterior will be held at 11:00 am, 12:00 noon, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm.

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 16 - Somerset, Somerset County

Admiral Farragut ("Damn the Torpedoes") to Speak at the Meadows

Please join the Meadows Foundation at Hageman Farm, 209 S. Middlebush Road, Somerset, on Saturday at 2:00 pm when they welcome Admiral David Farragut. Farragut joined the Navy as a Midshipman at the age of 9 in 1810. He fought in the War of 1812, serving under Captain David Porter. In April 1862, Flag Officer Farragut commanded the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, with his flagship the USS Hartford. After a heavy bombardment, Farragut ran past the Fort Jackson, Fort St. Philip, and the Chalmette batteries to take the city and port of New Orleans on April 29, a decisive event in the war. Congress honored him by creating the rank of Rear Admiral on July 16, 1862, a rank never before used in the U.S. Navy. On August 5, 1864, Farragut won another great victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay. Mobile was then the Confederacy's last major port open on the Gulf of Mexico.

Admiral Farragut will be portrayed by Bruce Tucker, a history lecturer at Rutgers University School of Continuing Education, Naval Historian, and Living History presenter. Tickets are $15 each, and may be reserved by e-mail: chrisflp@aol.com. Refreshments will be served.

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Saturday - Sunday, May 16 - 17 - Morristown, Morris County

Encampment Reenactment Weekend

Children Friendly

The Continental Army encampment comes to life! Join us the weekend of May 16th and 17th as soldiers, their wives and their children return to Jockey Hollow for our Encampment Weekend. It's an event full of activities for the whole family.

Encampment Weekend will let you discover the experiences a soldier went through during the Spring of 1780 in Jockey Hollow. Throughout the encampment site you will be able to experience many parts of camp life. See cooking demonstrations, or participate in our Kid's Drill, where the whole family can learn to be colonial soldiers. Re-enactors will demonstrate various Revolutionary War military tactics and maneuvers throughout the weekend, and the best part is that all activities are free!

Encampment Schedule
*10:00 am: Camp Opens: The Continental Army resumes their encampment of Jockey Hollow. Come and meet the soldiers and camp followers as they drill, prepare food and talk about how they survived the "Hard Winter."
*11:00 am: Inspection of the Troops: Soldiers were inspected daily in the camp. Watch as the park historic weapons safety officer inspects the reenactors weapons and the soldiers go through the manual of arms.
*12:00 noon: Children's Drill: Kids can become new recruits and try their hands at the musket drill under the watchful eye of the drill sergeant at the Wick House.
*1:00 pm: Military Drill Demonstration: Hear the crack of the musket as soldiers demonstrate infantry maneuvers of the Revolutionary War.
*1:30 pm: Children's Drill: Kids can become new recruits and try their hands at the musket drill under the watchful eye of the drill sergeant at the Wick House.
*2:15 pm: Court Martial of Troops: Become an actor and take part in the Court-martial play, where you decide the guilt or innocence of the accused.
*3:30 pm: Military Drill Demonstration: Hear the crack of the musket as soldiers demonstrate infantry maneuvers of the Revolutionary War.
*4:00 pm: Camp Closes.
*4:30 pm: Evening Historical Walk: Join a park ranger for a short one mile hike from the Wick House to the Connecticut Line and back. Hear about mutinies, murder and the various men and women who lived along the old Elizabeth Road in 1780.

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 16 - 17 - Wantage, Sussex County

7th Annual Medicine Wheel Community Garden Celebration & Festival

The Friends of the Medicine Wheel Group of The Heritage & Agriculture Association are busily preparing for the 7th Annual Medicine Wheel Community Garden Celebration & Festival,  which will be held at Lusscroft on Saturday and Sunday.

This two-day event will again feature workshops and seminars, artisans and crafters, a pop-up art gallery, garden tours, a plant sale, live music, food, art and community. $5 suggested donation per person and children are free. The event will open on Saturday at 9:30 am and on Sunday at 10:00 am. The event will close at dusk each day.

Lusscroft Farm is located at 50 Neilson Road, Wantage, NJ. For more information, call 973-222-9651 or visit www.lusscroftfarm.com.

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Sunday, May 17 - Montclair, Essex County

Essex County Anderson Park Travels Back in Time on Victorian Day

Children Friendly

Antique high-wheel bicycles, live Dixieland music, Victorian games, a demonstration cricket game, birthday cake, and a tree planting will be part of Victorian Day, a celebration of the 110th anniversary of Essex County Anderson Park, which opened in 1905 as part of the pioneering Essex County Parks System.

The public is invited to this free event on Sunday from 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm to sample pastime pleasures as they might have been during 1905 in this Olmsted-designed park, now on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors are encouraged to spread out a blanket, unpack a picnic, and enjoy a leisurely afternoon. The event is sponsored by Friends of Anderson Park, the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, the Montclair Historical Society, Bike&Walk Montclair, the Northern New Jersey chapter of the Victorian Society, the Montclair Cricket Club, and Studio Montclair.

The event features members of The Wheelmen, who collect and ride bicycles made before 1918, displaying a line-up of vintage bicycles, including a penny-farthing, or high-wheel. The Wheelmen have a special connection to Anderson Park: The landscape architect Downing Vaux, who played an instrumental role in the park’s creation, was a founding member of the League of American Wheelmen in 1880. In the decades before cars dominated, that group and other bicycle enthusiasts advocated for paving bumpy dirt roads. Wheelmen will be present to talk about cycling in Victorian times.

In its early days, Anderson Park had a handful of grass tennis courts on what is now a playing field and meadow. On Victorian Day, the greensward will be the setting for classic lawn games from the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as quoits, graces, croquet, and badminton.

From 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm, Brian Nalepka of the Richard Stillman Band will be leading a lively Dixieland trio. At 12:30 pm, a maple tree-planting ceremony will take place with officials from Essex County and Montclair Township.

Starting at 1:00 pm, the grounds will become the setting for a demonstration cricket match with the Montclair Cricket Club. This British sport was avidly played in Anderson Park from 1905 to 1921, back when the athletes belonged to the Bellevue Cricket Club. The game may have been imported by British train engineers who came to work on the expanding railroads. In Upper Montclair, one of its biggest champions of the sport was R.U. Delapenha, an importer of fancy British foods who founded the Bellevue Cricket Club.

Essex County Anderson Park is located at 274 Bellevue Avenue, at the corner of North Mountain Avenue, in Upper Montclair. For more information call 973-477-7207, e-mail info@friendsofandersonpark.com or visit www.friendsofandersonpark.com.

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Sunday, May 17 - Kingston, Somerset County

Annual Children's Day

Children Friendly

On Sunday from 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm, Rockingham will offer its Annual Children's Day. The site will be offering activities and demonstrations of 18th-century life with support from the Montgomery High School Live Historians Club and the Rockingham Association.

In addition to some of our regular activities such as trying on replica 18th-century clothing and learning to write with quill and ink, this year children will have the opportunity to play historic games like Battledore and Shuttlecock and Trap Ball, an early form of baseball or try crafts such as making paper aprons and paper baskets. Past Muster will be on hand to talk about soldier's life and musket drilling and the house will be open for mini tours. The new barn will be open and if the weather is inclement, will be used to house some of the activities. You can visit the Museum Store with its many interesting wares and trinkets for sale and there will be light refreshments available.

No registration is required. Admission to the event is FREE and will be held rain or shine. Rockingham is located at 84 Laurel Avenue, Franklin Township, NJ. For further information, call 609-683-7132 or visit www.rockingham.net.

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Sunday, May 17 - Highlands, Monmouth County
Coastal Defenses Day
Children Friendly

Sunday's Coastal Defenses Day at Sandy Hook showcases Fort Hancock's critical role in the defense of New York Harbor from the Spanish-American War through the 1970s.

From 12:00 noon - 4:30 pm, living historians from the Army Ground Forces Association bring Battery Gunnison and its six-inch guns to life as they were in May 1943. Visitors can help load the artillery guns, visit the magazine and learn how soldiers faced down the threat of Nazi Germany's U-Boats forces prowling off the Atlantic Coast.

Also on Sunday will be the grand reopening of History House, which has been closed since Hurricane Sandy! The house will be open from 1:00 - 5:00 pm! The house is an 1898 lieutenant's residence along Officer's Row, furnished in the 1940s manner when Fort Hancock saw its peak population. Living historians in period attire will discuss life on the home front at the fort.

The Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Lighthouse Keepers Quarters / Visitor Center is also open and tours of the lighthouse will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis from 1:00 - 4:30 pm.

All events are free and open to the public. The entrance to Sandy Hook is 128 South Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, NJ. For more information, visit www.armygroundforces.org or www.nps.gov/gate.

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Sunday, May 17 - Dumont, Bergen County
Old North Reformed Church Tours
Children Friendly

On Sunday at 12:00 noon and 1:15, the Old North Reformed Church in Dumont opens its doors for tours with local historian Carol Banicki. Tours are FREE and no reservations are required. The Old North Reformed Church is located at 120 Washington Avenue, Dumont, NJ. For more information, call 201-385-2243 or e-mail oldnorthdumont@gmail.com.

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Sunday, May 17 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County

Walnford Day

Children Friendly

Formerly held in the fall, this annual event has been moved to May! The sights and sounds of the past come alive at Historic Walnford in Upper Freehold on Sunday between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. Plan on spending an afternoon taking a step back to explore the past!

Activities planned for the day include:

• Quill Pen Calligraphy

• Blacksmith Demonstrations

• Old-Fashioned Games

• Dressing up in period garments

• Weaving & Spinning Demonstrations

• Horse Drawn Wagon Rides from 1:00 - 4:00 pm

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 17 - Cranford, Union County

Cranford Heritage Walk, A Walking Tour of Cranford's History

The Cranford Historical Society presents "Cranford Heritage Walk, A Walking tour of Cranford's History" on Sunday. Meet at the Crane-Phillips House Museum at 2:00 p.m. Tour begins promptly at 2:15 pm and will end back at Crane-Phillips House Museum.

Enjoy a walk back in time as you learn about Cranford's past by visiting important landmarks and homes with Cranford Historical Society Trustee and Education Chairperson Christine Glazer. This walking tour was created for an Eagle Scout Project by Matthew Parlapiano with the help of the late Township Historian Lawrence Fuhro and sponsored by the Cranford Historical Society. Matthew's love of both Cranford and history inspired him to create this Cranford Heritage Walk. There will be one tour. The tour is free but reservations are required. The tour will be canceled if it rains.

The Crane-Phillips House Museum is located at 124 North Union Avenue, Cranford, NJ. The Cranford Historical Society was founded in 1927 with a mission to preserve the unique history of Cranford, New Jersey. For more information, call 908-376-0082 or visit www.cranfordhistoricalsociety.com.

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Sunday, May 17 - Montclair, Essex County

House Tours and Reopening of the Shultz House

Family Friendly

Today you can visit ALL of the Montclair Historical Society’s properties, with the spring reopening of the Shultz House at 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ. This amazing gem of a house is an intact time capsule of life in the early 20th century. Wait until you see the woodwork, the Delft fireplace surround, the science equipment in the library!

You can also discover history through the “many voices” who made our community what it is today at the Crane House and Historic YWCA at 108 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ. The people who lived, worked, and relaxed in this building tell the story of not only Montclair, but also New Jersey and nation from its early years of a fledgling country to a country embroiled in Civil Rights. While you’re here, make sure you see what’s growing at the farm, meet the chickens, and visit the Museum Shop for unique, one-of-a-kind treats.

Both houses are open from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Admission is free, but donations are always welcome. Please note there will be a lecture at the Shultz House from 2:00 - 3:00 pm, so please plan your visit accordingly. For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - 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 17 - River Edge, Bergen County

Pinkster - A Colonial Celebration of Spring

Children Friendly

Pinkster is the Dutch name for Whitsunday or Pentecost, when a flower-crowned May Queen and King led merry-makers from door-to-door, gathering dyed eggs, butter, bread, cream, coffee, sugar, and tallow candles in baskets for a festive supper and dance. Toasts with buttermilk, known as “white wine,” and recital of the Pinkster Ode welcomed the return of summer.

Lift your spirit with a joyous celebration of Pinkster at Historic New Bridge Landing on Sunday from 1:00 - 5:00 pm and imagine you are back in the days when country folk celebrated greening woodlands and flowering meadows with a dance around the Maypole and sporting contests.

There will be dancing around the Maypole at 1:30 and 3:00 pm. The public is invited to participate after each session. Ridley Enslow and Linda Russell on fiddle and hammered dulcimer. 

Throughout the day members of the 3rd New Jersey will be doing demonstrations. There will be a spinning demonstration in the Demarest House Museum and tours of the Campbell-Christie House garden.

For visitors of every age, there will be tours of the Demarest House, with its display of Jersey Dutch furnishings, and colonial cooking demonstrations in the Out-Kitchen throughout the day. Pinkster cake, doughnuts, strawberries and cream, and lemonade will be served in the restored eighteenth-century tavern in the Campbell-Christie House.

Experience history in one of the storied places where it was made! Come to Historic New Bridge Landing, 1201-1209 Main Street, River Edge, NJ. Selections from the collections of the Bergen County Historical Society will be on view in the three Jersey-Dutch houses. Suggested donation: $7 adult, $5 children, BCHS members free. For more information, visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Montclair, Essex County

Looking at New Jersey: The Arts and Crafts Movement and How It Changed Our World

The Montclair Historical Society will host artist, arts journalist, and author Helen Schwartz presenting "Looking at New Jersey: The Arts and Crafts Movement and How It Changed Our World." The Arts and Crafts Movement was the aesthetic bridge that carried us from an era of Victorian Excess to the simpler forms and easier lifestyle of modernism. Much of the energy for the movement originated in New Jersey as did the revival of interest and activity that continues today. We will look at the movement, past and present, with an eye to what survives and how to find it. The program will be held on Sunday from 2:00 - 3:00 pm at the Shultz House, 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ. The program is free and funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Ledgewood, Morris County

Museums at Drakesville Open House

On Sunday between 1:00 and 4:00 pm, the Roxbury Historical Trust will host an open house at the eighteenth century Silas Riggs Saltbox House, the historic King House and the King Store Museums. The sites are located at 213 Main Street in the Ledgewood Village section of Roxbury Township. Tours are free and historic interpreters will be on hand. For more information, call 973-927-7603 or visit www.roxburynewjersey.com.

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Sunday, May 17 - Mahwah, Bergen County

Gallery Talk: School Days, School Days

Join us at the Mahwah Museum as Gail Doscher gives a Gallery Talk about the history of Mahwah's Schools at the Mahwah Museum on Sunday at 1:15 pm. The Mahwah School System from its early beginnings to present day will be discussed. Did you know there are four buildings standing today that were once one-room schoolhouses? Find out about them and what it was like to attend a one-room school. If you have an old photo of you at school in Mahwah, bring it along!

Gail Doscher, a retired teacher, is a former Mahwah Museum Trustee and long-time volunteer and docent. As past chair of the Museum's lecture series she has hosted many interesting and informative programs; she has also given talks for school groups and museum visitors.

Gallery talks are included with museum admission ($5 per adult, $3 per child over 5 under 12, free per child under 5, and family $10). Seating is limited; reservations are strongly suggested to ensure a seat. Call 201-512-0099 or e-mail gallerytalks@mahwahmuseum.org for reservations. The Mahwah Museum is located at 201 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah, NJ. For more information, visit www.mahwahmuseum.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Westfield, Union County

Basket Weaving Demonstration

Children Friendly

It's a Yankee Doodle Celebration! On Sunday from 2:00 - 3:30, children will learn about the origins of the song “Yankee Doodle,” make a Yankee Doodle hat, and participate in a little parade with music around the grounds of the museum. Fun for ages 3-7. Light refreshments will be served. The museum will also celebrate the 275th anniversary of the Miller-Cory House and dedicate its new commemorative walkway in the lovely herb garden with a short program at 3:30 pm. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.

Tours and 18th century open hearth cooking demonstrations are included. The museum’s gift shop will be open, offering a variety of colonial toys, crafts, books and educational materials. Admission: Adults/Children age 13 and older: $3.00; Children age 3 to 12: $2.00; Under age 3: free. The Miller-Cory House Museum is located at 614 Mountain Avenue in Westfield. For more information, call 908-232-1776 or visit www.millercoryhouse.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Westampton, Burlington County
Weaving and Flax Preparation

Early colonists faced many challenges, not the least of which was cloth necessary for daily life. The process began with growing flax that was harvested and spun into thread to be woven into linen.

The equipment used in this process will be on display and demonstrated.  Follow the process of flax from seed to flowering to drying to teasing out the casing with a heckle. The result is a silky fiber ready for spinning.

Demonstrations will be held at noon and 2:00 pm with a tour immediately following each demonstration. Admission is free. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. Peachfield is located at 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ. For more information and to register, call 609-267-6996, or e-mail colonialdamesnj@comcast.net.

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Sunday, May 17 - Atlantic City, Atlantic County

Pirate Activity Day

Children Friendly

Aye, matie! Absecon Lighthouse is hosting a day for young seafarers to come and experience a swashbuckling good time! The Philadelphia Fight Ensemble will present their live rapier skills in a show full of exciting swordplay and comedy for young and old. Trade quips with notorious Buccaneers, thrill as historical figures engage the audience with their swords whilst passing on a bit of their history through interactive fun. 

But, that's not all! Kids will enjoy crafts and Pirate "Jeoparrrrghdy," a scavenger hunt, goodie bag surprises and snacks, and a thrilling climb to the top of the Lighthouse to look out for the ghosts of shipwrecks. Dress as your favorite pirate! Admission is $12 for kids and $6 for adults. PLUS! The first 120 visitors to check in will be treated to tickets for a cruise out of Gardner's Basin on Atlantic City Cruises 'Cruisin One. The lighthouse is open from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. The show will be presented at 1:00 pm and the cruise leaves at 3:00 pm. Guests can climb and enjoy all activities prior to or after the show.

Absecon Lighthouse is a state-owned historic property administered by the non-profit Inlet Public/Private Association. Located at 31 South Rhode Island Avenue in Atlantic City, NJ it is open to visitors Thursdays through Mondays, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 609-449-1360 or visit www.abseconlighthouse.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Walpack, Sussex County
30th Anniversary Homecoming Church Service

On Sunday, celebrate the Walpack Historical Society's 30th Anniversary with a Homecoming Church Service at the Walpack M.E. Church, Main Street in Walpack Center, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Sussex County, NJ at 1:00 p.m. The service will be followed by early views of Walpack and vicinity, a slide show by Mike Orlowski. This event is free and the public is welcome. The Walpack Historical Society is looking for images of former pastors, weddings, and other events held at this church which has a very interesting trompe-l'œil interior. For more information, please call 973-948-4903 or visit www.walpackhistory.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Trenton, Mercer County
2015 Annual Meeting and Program: "An Apple Orchard for William Trent"

In anticipation of recreating a historically accurate orchard on the property of the William Trent House, historic horticulturist Charlie Thomforde will present a fascinating program about America's favorite fruit, the apple, and its place in the colonies. Many of the heirloom varieties of apple were cultivated in colonial New Jersey or nearby Pennsylvania, and they were used for cooking, eating raw, and especially for hard cider making. Refreshments will be served beginning at 1:00 pm and the program starts at 1:30 pm. Free and open to the public. No RSVP necessary.

Built in 1719, the magnificent Trent House is the oldest building in our 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. Located at 15 Market Street in Trenton, adjacent to the Hughes Justice Complex. Ample free parking. For more information, call 609-989-0087 or visit www.williamtrenthouse.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Park Ridge, Bergen County
Beauty in the Cemetery

The Pascack Historical Society will explore a rich, but vastly unexplored area of local history cemeteries at "Beauty in the Cemetery," on Sunday at 2:00 pm. Guest speakers Peggy Norris and Joe Suplicki bring decades of research and exploration to their talk. The noted husband and wife team serve as Ridgewood's Village Historians and have presented many programs together on diverse historical subjects. They became interested in cemetery research about seven years ago and have been studying and taking pictures ever since. They will show some local tombstones as examples during their talk.

Gravestones are really America's first sculptured artwork. They are the only artifacts which are dated and remain in their original locations. Most gravestone carvers were tradesmen or farmers, who could read and write, for whom stone cutting was a secondary occupation. It is thought that most carvers copied lettering styles from their school books. Each generation had different designs commemorating the death of loved ones. Artisans have left their designs behind for posterity, many displaying their identifying signatures as well.

A question and answer period will follow the talk. Complimentary homemade coffee and cake. Free admission to the barrier-free museum. Children welcome when accompanied by an adult. The Pascack Historical Society is located at 19 Ridge Avenue, Park Ridge, NJ. For more information, call 201-573-0307 or visit www.pascackhistoricalsociety.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Whippany, Morris County

50th Anniversary and 2015 Railway Hobby Show

Children Friendly

Spend Sunday at the Whippany Railway Museum helping them celebrate their 50th birthday!

The 2015 Railway Hobby Show will be set up on the Great Lawn of the Whippany Station from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, where vendors will offer everything from railroad models, lanterns, photos, history books, etc. Excursion trains will be running at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 pm (all sold out). Tour the museum and see all of the great trains on-site.

The Whippany Railway Museum is located at 1 Railroad Plaza at the Intersection of Route 10 West & Whippany Road in Whippany, NJ. 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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Sunday, May 17 - Woodbridge, Middlesex County
The Old Neighborhood: A Stroll Down Memory Lane

The Steering Committee of the Woodbridge Township Heritage Tourism Project invites you to "The Old Neighborhood: A Stroll Down Memory Lane," a group interview of three long-time Woodbridge residents on Sunday at 2:00 pm.

Township Historian Brenda Velasco will lead a group interview of Sophie Bader, Frank Caparo, and Harry Bernstein. Each person will be asked to share their recollections of growing up in Woodbridge during the 1940's to the 1960s. After the group interview, light refreshments will be served.

This event will take place in the Woodbridge Middle School Auditorium, 525 Barron Ave, Woodbridge, NJ. This is a fundraiser for the Historical Association of Woodbridge Township, to support their efforts to create a Woodbridge History Center. A donation of $5.00 per person is suggested at the door. Channel 35 Woodbridge Township Cable TV will be filming during this presentation for future broadcast. For more information, call 732-634-4500 or e-mail wthpc1699@hotmail.com.

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Sunday, May 17 - Chatham, Morris County
Edgar Holden, M.D. of Newark and Chatham: Local Physician on a National Stage

On Sunday at 2:00 pm, the Chatham Township Historical Society will present a program on Edgar Holden, M.D. given by Sandra Moss, M.D.

Upon graduation in 1861 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, Edgar Holden entered the Union Navy as a surgeon during the Civil War. He witnessed the Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack (Virginia) and subsequently served as medical officer on the Passaic, the Union's second monitor-class ironclad. Later, he became a prominent Newark physician, was an early specialist in laryngology, conducted extensive research in medical technology, served for 39 years as the medical director for a national life insurance company, used his wide-ranging talents in writing, sketching and painting and, in retirement, lived on a summer estate in Chatham Township.

Sandra Moss is a retired internist and has a Master's degree in the history of medicine from Rutgers. Her interests center on 19th-century medicine and the medical history of New Jersey. She recently completed a new book, Edgar Holden, M.D., of Newark: Provincial Physician on a National Stage.

This program will be held at the Chatham Township Municipal Building, 58 Meyersville Road, Chatham Township, NJ. For more information, visit www.chathamtownshiphistoricalsociety.org.

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Sunday, May 17 - Walpack, Sussex County
A Walk in the Park with George
Children Friendly

On Sunday morning at 9:00 am, join the Washington Crossing Park Association and George Washington for the first walk to raise community support for the Johnson Ferry House's fund for restoration and educational advancement at Washington Crossing State Park.

Registration starts at 8:15 am at the Washington Crossing State Park's Visitor Center and Museum, Titusville, NJ. The one-mile walk, led by General Washington, begins at 9:00 am.  For more information, e-mail Bill at wrmarsch@earthlink.net.

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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 - 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