NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 6/20/15

NJ WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

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Saturday, June 20 - Trenton, Mercer County

Be an Archaeologist at the Trent House Museum

Children Friendly

The 1719 William Trent House Museum in Trenton announces opportunities to work with professional archaeologists from Trenton's Hunter Research to try to locate the distinctive 1742 kitchen addition referenced in 18th century maps and documents. Public "dig days" are Saturdays June 6, 13, and 20 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Hands-on participation may include digging, soil screening, artifact processing and documentation. As well as building remnants, artifacts from the various notable families who occupied the Trent House over the centuries may be found. Instruction and supervision will be provided. This event is free and open to the public.

The new archaeology at the Trent House will further the scholarly documentation of this important historic landmark. The house was built for William Trent, who immigrated to Philadelphia from Scotland and became a very successful and wealthy merchant trading with Great Britain and the colonies. About 1719, William Trent built his country estate at the Falls of the Delaware River in the settlement that would come to be known as Trenton. The house is a large, imposing brick structure, built in the Georgian style.

After Trent died in 1724, "300 acres plus the brick dwelling house" were sold, and from 1742 to 1746, the house was leased to the first British Governor of New Jersey, Lewis Morris. Upon taking residence, he required that a separate kitchen be built, connected to the main house by a "gangway", which would also be large enough to "lodge servants." Subsequent 19th and early 20th century modernizing additions to the Trent House altered its early appearance, and Governor Morris's distinctive kitchen was lost.

In addition to seeking evidence of the actual location of Governor Morris's kitchen, another goal is to pinpoint the original well location. Artifacts from pre-contact Native Americans may be found, and of particular interest would be artifacts indicating the use and occupation of the Trent House by enslaved people of African heritage during the 18th and early 19th centuries.

For more information about becoming involved, please contact the Trent House office at trenthouseassociation@verizon.net or 609-989-0087. The Trent House is located at 15 Market Street in Trenton, 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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Saturday, June 20 - Chester, Morris County

People Power Day
Children Friendly

On Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm, tour the Cooper Gristmill, and watch demonstrations of tools powered by hands and feet. Try some of these unique tools, yourself. Cost: Suggested donation. $3 per adult, $2 per senior (65+), and $1 per child age 4 - 16. FREE for children under age 4. Cooper Gristmill is located at 66 Route 513, Chester, NJ. For more information, call 908-879-5463 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, June 20 - Morris Township, Morris County

Farm Know-How on the Go: Creamery Confidential
Children Friendly

On Saturday, take a guided walk to the Creamery at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm from 2:00 - 2:45 pm and discover how the building was used. Enjoy a dairy-related project. Admission: $6/adult, $5/senior (65+), $4/child (ages 4 -16), $2/child (2 and 3). FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, June 20 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County

Summer Craft Market and Art in the Park

Looking for something unique and handcrafted for Dad or someone else special in your life? (Or yourself?) Then come out to our Summer Craft Market and Art in the Park at the Historic Village at Allaire from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Browse through handmade items and see what strikes your fancy! The Historic Village, General Store and Bakery will be open as well. There is a $5 parking fee for this event.

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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Saturday, June 20 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Milking; Butter & Cheese Making

Children Friendly

On Saturday, between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, visitors to the 130-acre Howell Living History Farm can meet milking goats, and help farmers make cheese, butter and ice cream. Activities will take place throughout the day: cheese making, ice cream making and butter making. Goat milking demonstrations and bottle feeding baby goats will also take place.

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, June 20 - Morristown, Morris County
Weft to Weave

Children Friendly

Why didn't the colonists clothe the Continental Army? While learning the basics of weaving, discover the amount of labor that was needed to make one outfit. Programs at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm at the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center within Morristown National Historical Park. Cost: Free. For more information, call 973-539-2016 ext. 210 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Saturday, June 20 - Jersey City, Hudson County

"Loves' Labours Lost" at Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery

On Saturday evening at 7:00 pm, enjoy a special benefit at the Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery as they kick off their Hudson Shakespeare Series with "Loves' Labours Lost," a live Shakespeare production, surrounded by over 350 years of nature and history! $10 donation. Folding chair seating available, but feel welcome to bring your own cozy blanket or lawn chair. The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery is located at 435 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ. For more information, call 201-707-0738 or visit www.jerseycitycemetery.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, June 20 - 21 - Morristown, Morris County

Civil War Weekend
Children Friendly

On Saturday and Sunday, the 2nd NJ Brigade brings the battle between the Blue and the Gray to life through camp life demonstrations, musket and artillery drills, mail call, bayonet drills, cannon firings, a medical demonstration, skirmishes, and much more to Historic Speedwell in Morristown! The site will be open on Saturday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Cost: $7 per adult, $6 per senior, $5 per child 4 - 16, and FREE for children under age 4. For more information, call 973.285.655 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday - Sunday, June 20 - 21 - Cape May, Cape May County

Military Timeline

Children Friendly

Interested in the Civil War or World War II? Want to learn about the weaponry and tactics used by the British infantry in the Victorian Era? Or maybe you are just a history buff who loves it all. Historic Cold Spring Village will host its annual Military Timeline Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, which will feature encampments, weaponry displays, and demonstrations from living history groups depicting various conflicts throughout the centuries. This event will be held from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm.

The reenactment groups, encampments and displays span many centuries and periods of conflict. Highlights include Union and Confederate encampments, interpreters of the Boer War (1898-1902), World War II Allied and Axis reenactors, Cold War and Vietnam War era reenactors and displays. Additional programs include historian Mike Kochan as Benjamin Franklin discussing Franklin’s military activities and inventions. At 2:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, HCSV Education and Interpretation Director Jim Stephens will present his lively program, "The Story of Old Glory," in which he tells the colorful history of the American flag with reproduction flags on display.

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

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Saturdays & Sundays through October 25, 2015 - Ringwood, Passaic County

Child’s Life Tour at Ringwood

Children Friendly

The “A Child’s Life” tour was developed for children and is all about the Hewitt children. The program uses first-hand accounts to help younger visitors understand what it was like to spend summers at the Ringwood estate 150 years ago. If you thought living without modern entertainment like television, DVDs, and computers was boring, think again! Designed to be fun and amusing, these tours are great for families and visitors of all ages!

Like any family, the Hewitt children were full of energy. With 22,000 acres of property, they could often be found fishing, hunting, swimming, and horseback riding. The large, rambling mansion provided plenty of indoor fun with activities like hide-and-go-seek and sliding down the staircase banisters. In addition, Eddie and his brother Cooper were getting into all sorts of trouble at their summer home, going on adventures and playing many practical jokes on their guests. So, if you’d like to hear about the family’s pet bear, or how the Hewitt boys played a prank using a raccoon and a suitcase, this tour is for you!

“A Child’s Life” tour is approximately 45 minutes long and takes visitors through the historic house while these amusing stories are being told. All thirty of the rooms open to the public are shown, but the tour proceeds at a faster, more energetic pace. Scavenger hunts are provided to encourage visitors to look for some of the unusual features in the manor. At the end of the tour, children and adults are invited to play with reproduction 18th and 19th century toys on the front lawn of Ringwood Manor.

“A Child’s Life” tours will be offered to the public at 1:00 pm every Saturday and Sunday through October 25th. Tours are $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-12, and children 5 and under are free. Ringwood Manor is located at 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ, within Ringwood State Park. For more information, call 973-962-2240 or visit www.ringwoodmanor.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, June 20 - 21 - Atlantic City, Atlantic County

Dads Climb Absecon Lighthouse FREE!

Children Friendly

If your family is looking for a memorable way to show Dad he's the light of your life, then bring him to Absecon Lighthouse on Saturday or Sunday because dear old Abby is treating Fathers to a free climb on Father's Day weekend.

And if Dad makes it all the way to the top and gets an "I Climbed Absecon Lighthouse" card, he can show it at Tony Boloney's Pizza on Oriental Avenue and get a free slice of pizza! Hours of operation for the lighthouse are 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, with the last climb at 3:30 pm. So Moms and kids, what better way to say thanks to Dad than make him climb 228 steps with you and eat pizza?!?!

Absecon Lighthouse is 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, June 21 - 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, June 21 - Whippany, Morris County

Father's Day 2015 Excursion Train Rides

Children Friendly

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

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Sunday, June 21 - Matawan, Monmouth County
Open House

The Matawan Historical Society will holding an open house on Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Burrowes Mansion located at 94 Main Street, Matawan, NJ. Learn how this circa 1723 home and its owners played a role in the Revolutionary War. Suggested admission: $5 per person. For more information call 732-566-5605 or visit www.burrowesmansion.org.

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Sunday, June 21 - Montclair, Essex County

Historic House Tours: Crane/YWCA & Shultz Open
Family Friendly

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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NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 6/20/15 - 6/21/15

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