NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 8/22/15 - 8/23/15

NJ WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

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Saturday, August 22 - Wharton, Morris County

Wharton Canal Day Music & Craft Festival
Children Friendly

The Wharton Canal Day Music & Craft Festival is an old-time country fair that celebrates the Morris Canal and its contributions to the development of the communities along its banks. The festival is now in its 39th year. Come to a day of free family fun featuring unique craft and fine art items from 150 vendors. Learn about local history by taking a guided Morris Canal walking tour provided by the Canal Society of NJ. Visit a Civil War encampment or learn the art of blacksmithing. Experience life on the canal first-hand on a free boat or kayak ride. Take a hayride on the canal towpath or enjoy a free pony ride. The Wallaby Tales Traveling Zoo will delight children of all ages. Dress up your furry friend and enter the Pet Parade and Costume Contest for a chance to win prizes. View the high energy of Roller Derby competition or lay back and enjoy listening to 10 of New Jersey's best musical performers. The festival is held at Hugh Force Canal Park, 170 West Central Avenue, Wharton NJ from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, rain or shine. For more information, visit www.canalday.org.

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Saturday, August 22 - Ocean Grove, Monmouth County

Ocean Grove Postcard Show

The Historical Society of Ocean Grove invites you to its 25th Annual Ocean Grove Summer Postcards, Antiques, Collectibles, and Jersey Shore Memorabilia Show on Saturday at the Auditorium Pavilion and surrounding grounds directly across from the Great Auditorium. Show hours will be 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Admission is free.

This popular summer event is one of a number of annual fund-raising events to benefit and support the public programs and ongoing research projects of the very active Historical Society of Ocean Grove.

A variety of quality dealers will be set up to provide lots of buying opportunities for the beginning collector or the advanced collector. At this show there is always something for everyone at affordable prices. Postcard collecting is one of America's fastest growing hobbies and is, in fact, the third most popular of all hobbies trailing only stamps and coins. For more information, call 732-774-1869 or visit www.oceangrovehistory.org.

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Saturday, August 22 - Morristown, Morris County

The National Park Service Centennial

Children Friendly

Join a park ranger on Saturday at the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center to learn about the National Park Service's 100th birthday! This 30 minute program includes a look back at the past 100 years of the NPS, followed by what the service is doing to celebrate its centennial, and what we hope to see in the next 100 years. Programs at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm at the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center in Jockey Hollow, within Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Jockey Hollow Road (approximate), Morristown, NJ. Cost: Free. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Saturday, August 22 - Chester, Morris County

Industrial Crafts Day

Children Friendly

On Saturday, from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, discover early industrial crafts, with demonstrations by a blacksmith, tinsmith and tin piercers. Try weaving and spinning, and make a tin-pierced craft to take home. Cost: $3/adult, $2/senior (65+), $1/age 4 - 16 and FREE/under age 4. The 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, August 22 - Ewing, Mercer County

Live Country Auction at Ewing Historical Society

Music, food, and the thrill of a live auction will highlight the Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society's Country Auction to be held on Saturday on the grounds of the society's home at the Benjamin Temple House, 27 Federal City Road, Ewing, NJ.

The public is invited to preview the items for auction beginning at 10:00 am; bidding will begin at 11:00 a.m. The event is scheduled to end at 2:00 pm. In the event of rain, the day's activities will be held on Saturday, August 29.

Patrick Ryan, Director of Studio 353 in Princeton, and a resident of the Temple/Ryan Farmhouse before it was moved to its current location, will be the auctioneer. Mr. Ryan is an experienced art collector and auctioneer, and passionate historian. Items to be auctioned include paintings, furniture, books, music, antiques, tools, and other fascinating objects.

Music will be provided by Bill O'Neal, acoustic guitar, and Wolf Hul, country fiddle. Light snacks will be available for sale, and members of the Society will be on hand to conduct tours of the Benjamin Temple House. Participants are asked to bring a chair. Proceeds of the event will help support the Society and its current goal of installing handicapped access to the Temple House. The Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society was founded in the early 1970s, and seeks to preserve, promote and interpret the history of the township. For more information, call 609-883-2455 or visit www.ethps.org.

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Saturday, August 22 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Blacksmithing & Horseshoeing 

Children Friendly

Experiencing  the ring of an anvil, the roar of the forge and the sizzle of hot steel hitting cold water is just part of the fun in store for visitors to Howell Living History Farm, when the blacksmiths fire up their forges on Saturday.

Throughout the day, visitors off all ages can help the blacksmith by turning the crank of his forge blower, adding coal to the fire, and carrying water needed for cooling hot steel.  The smithies’ hooks, initialed horseshoes and other items will be for sale.

In the barn, farm farriers will be shoeing the farm’s work horses and checking their feet.

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, August 22 - Clinton, Hunterdon County

My Clinton Stories: Photographing Clinton

Come learn more about Clinton's history and photography at the Red Mill's "My Clinton Stories: Photographing Clinton" gallery talk! Elizabeth Cole, Curator of Collections, will talk about the role of photography in creating their Clinton 150th exhibit "Small Town, Big History." Guests will even be given advice on preserving and scanning their own photographic collections! The event starts at 2:00 pm on Saturday and is included with regular museum admission (free for members and children under 6, $6 for children 6 to 12, $8 for seniors, active duty military, and veterans, and $10 for adults). The Red Mill Museum Village is located at 56 Main Street, Clinton, NJ. For more information, call 908-735-4101 or visit www.theredmill.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, August 22 - 23 - Cape May, Cape May County

Seafarers' Weekend

Children Friendly

Ahoy, matey! Historic Cold Spring Village invites you to celebrate the maritime culture and history of the Jersey Cape at Seafarers' Weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. The event will feature pirates, music, family fun, and a variety of displays and demonstrations of all things nautical. The Village buildings will also be open, featuring historical interpreters in period clothing who demonstrate the trades, crafts and lifestyles of Early America.

Valhalla's Pirates will join the event, bringing thrilling fight scenes both days at 12:00 noon and 3:00 pm. Captain Black and his crew will also meet with guests throughout the day to take pictures and tell tales of the sea. The Sea Dogs, an authentic maritime reenactment crew, will perform sea chanties on both Saturday and Sunday at the Village Gazebo. New Jersey historian, Lee Ireland, will offer a talk on his book, American Pirates and Their Hidden Treasures, at 1:00 pm in the Welcome Center on both Saturday and Sunday. The Friends of HCSV will host a traditional South Jersey corn roast at the Village Pavilion from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. And visitors should be on the lookout for gold coins hidden throughout the Village that can be redeemed for cool prizes!

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 $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. Unlimited free admission is available with Village membership. 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. 10 or visit www.hcsv.org.

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Saturdays and 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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Sunday, August 23 - Morris Township, Morris County

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

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

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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Sunday, August 23 - Montague, Sussex County

"Lost Lacers"

The Montague Association for the Restoration of Community History (MARCH) will open the circa 1790 Foster-Armstrong House on River Road and the Nelden-Roberts Stonehouse, at 501 Route 206 for Sunday afternoon tours between 1:00 and 4:00 pm. Both are situated within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Montague, NJ and were originally part of the Tocks Island Dam acquisitions. These two sites are utilized by MARCH and portray the area's heritage.

On Sunday, join the ladies of the "Lost Lacers" at the historic Foster-Armstrong House as they show samples of gorgeous handmade lace. This group will demonstrate the lost art of how fine lace was made by hand and its significance to fashion of both past and present. For more information, call 973-293-3106 or visit www.facebook.com/MontagueNJHistory.

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Sunday, August 23 - 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, August 23 - West Orange, Essex County

Geothermal Tour at the Glenmont Estate

Go "behind the scenes" at the Edison home. Join a guide for a walk through the basement of the famous house and learn about its new geothermal heating and cooling system. This program will last about 30 minutes at take place at 1:30 and again at 2:30 pm. It focuses on the technical aspects of the environmentally friendly geothermal system. The basement is not wheelchair accessible.

The tour is included with regular admission. Tickets must be purchased at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park Laboratory Complex Visitor Center at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ. Admission is $10.00 for adults, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x33 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.

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Sunday, August 23 - Fair Lawn, Bergen County

Garretson Forge and Farm Open House

Garretson Forge and Farm will hold an open house on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The Gerretson, one of the oldest historic sites in Bergen County, was home to six generations of the Garretson family and remains a rare surviving example of simple farming life that was prevalent in the 1700s and 1800s. Admission is free but donations are welcome. The Forge and Farm are located at 4-02 River Road, Fair Lawn, NJ. For more information, call 551-206-4380 or 201-797-7545 or visit www.garretsonfarm.org.

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Sundays through October 25, 2015 - Ringwood, Passaic County

Grounds and Garden Tour

Did you ever wonder what all that “stuff” is placed around the grounds at Ringwood Manor? What about all those other buildings on the property? What were they used for? If you have ever been curious about the estate at Ringwood Manor, this tour is for you! The 2 hour guided walking tour will take visitors around the main property at Ringwood Manor, discussing the historic objects, the planned gardens, and landscape features, the out-buildings, and the cemetery. Historic photographs of the property will also be shown. These free tours meet at 2:00 pm in front of Ringwood Manor every Sunday from June 7 - October 25. It is advised that participants wear walking or hiking shoes, dress appropriately for the weather, and bring bug spray and sunblock. Steady rain cancels. No reservations necessary. For more information and to call ahead to confirm a tour, call 973-962-2240. Ringwood Manor is located at 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ, within Ringwood State Park. For more information, call 973-962-2240 or visit www.ringwoodmanor.org.

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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 August 29, 2015 - Haledon, Passaic County
Got Work? The New Deal/WPA in New Jersey Exhibit

The American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark located in Haledon, New Jersey is hosting the exhibit "Got Work? The New Deal/WPA in New Jersey," on loan from the Middlesex County Museum.

Got Work? The New Deal/WPA in New Jersey presents a portrait of the experience of New Jersey's families and the Works Progress Administration programs during The Great Depression. The exhibit will be on display through August 29, 2015.

The American Labor Museum is headquartered in the historic Botto House National Landmark, located at 83 Norwood Street, Haledon, NJ. It was the meeting place for over 20,000 silk mill workers during the 1913 Paterson Silk Strike. The Museum offers a free lending library, restored period rooms, changing exhibits, Museum Store, Old World Gardens, educational programs and special events. The museum's hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Tours are offered Wednesday through Saturday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 973-595-7953, e-mail labormuseum@aol.com, or visit www.labormuseum.net.

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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 September 13, 2015 - Hoboken, Hudson County
The Beadist: Artworks by Jan Huling

On August 2, the Hoboken Museum celebrated the opening of a new art exhibit in the Upper Gallery, "The Beadist: Artworks by Jan Huling," which will remain on  view through Sunday, September 13. The recipient of a 2015 fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Huling produces unique works of art by applying intensely colorful beads in intricate patterns on various found objects that strike her fancy, from musical instruments to vintage toys to old globes. She is self-taught, drawing on her training and career as a product designer and textile artist and children's book author. She first stumbled into beadwork in 2001, after her sister showed her some Pez candy dispensers that she had decorated with beads. Jan thought it looked like fun, and tried her hand at gluing beads onto a kazoo. Her kazoo, and its equally colorful beaded box, were featured on a program on cable channel HGTV, and her beaded artwork became her full-time occupation.

From kazoos, Huling moved on to beading other objects that struck her fancy--kewpie dolls, animal figurines, globes-things ranging in size from 3 inches to over 6 feet that she finds mostly at thrift shops and flea markets. Sometimes she combines items, such as an exotic taxidermy beetle and matchbox, in a beaded frame, titled "Forgiven." Her work is widely exhibited and she has cultivated a nationwide following of collectors, and happily embraces a description of her work in The New York Times as "oddball assemblages." She will visit the museum on August 30, 2015 at 4 :00 pm for an artist's talk. For a preview, visit www.janhuling.com. The Hoboken Museum is located at 1301 Hudson Street, Hoboken, NJ. For more information, call 201-656-2240 or visit www.hobokenmuseum.org.

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Through October 4, 2015 - Paterson, Passaic County
Patriotism and Propaganda in American Posters From the Great War 1917-1918

The Passaic County Historical Society would like to announce the opening of its newest exhibit, “Can the Kaiser”: Patriotism and Propaganda in American Posters From the Great War 1917-1918. When one thinks about America’s great promotional posters of the First World War, Uncle Sam’s “I Want You” springs to mind. Posters were used to incite patriotism and aid the war effort, promoting everything from the purchase of liberty bonds and Red Cross sponsorship to enlistment, hard work, and frugal lifestyles.

This exhibit of original World War I posters from the Society’s collection will be on display until October 4 in the third floor gallery at Lambert Castle (home of the Passaic County Historical Society) at 3 Valley Road, Paterson NJ. Visitors can access the exhibition during regular museum hours (Wednesday - Sunday). General museum admissions apply.

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

For more information, call 973-247-0085 or visit www.lambertcastle.org.

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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 December 17, 2015 - Trenton, Mercer County

John A. Roebling's Sons Company

At Ellarslie, the City Museum of Trenton, the second floor exhibit features art, artifacts and memorabilia from the world-renowned John A. Roebling's Sons Company, makers of steel and wire rope, most famous for the wire cable used in the suspension bridge over the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn - the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

The John A. Roebling's Sons Company, the largest employer in Trenton and a world leader in the construction of suspension bridges had its beginnings when John Roebling started making wire rope in 1841 in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, and moved his factory to Trenton in 1848. His sons built the steel and wire mill and town of Roebling, NJ, in 1905. In 1953, the family sold the Trenton and Roebling plants to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I). CF&I closed the Trenton plants in 1973 and the Roebling, NJ, plant in 1974.

As the largest employer in Trenton for many decades, John A. Roebling's Sons Company had a major impact on the city and its workers and citizens. It had an international reputation for wire and wire rope making and bridge building, and its wire was used in hundreds if not thousands of industrial, commercial and consumer products.

The business was owned by four generations of the Roebling family over 112 years, a remarkable and rare achievement. John A. Roebling was the world's foremost builder of suspension bridges in the 19th century and his bridges spanned major rivers when people said it couldn't be done. His son Washington A. Roebling completed the most famous Roebling bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, in 1883, and today it is an iconic national landmark.

The Roebling Company built suspension bridge cables for many bridges over the next 80+ years, from Canada to South America, including the George Washington Bridge connecting New York and New Jersey and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

The Roebling Company manufactured wire rope for many other uses - elevators, cable cars, tramways, airplanes, shipping, mining, construction and ski lifts - and it made wire for  electrical lines, telegraphs and telephones, wire cloth and screens, and pre-stressed concrete.

The exhibit includes five large paintings from the Roebling Company's exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair depicting the Brooklyn and George Washington Bridges and interior factory scenes. These paintings are part of the museum's collection but are rarely exhibited.

The exhibit includes a bronze plaque from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair that commemorates the Skyride, an innovative and popular ride at the fair that the Roebling Company helped engineer and for which it supplied the wire ropes. Also on display from the museum's collection but rarely seen are three boards showing dozens of types of electrical wire made by the Roebling Company. Artifacts in the display will include sections of wire rope, tools, artwork depicting Roebling bridges, and wooden forms used to make parts for the company's machinery, as well as advertisements, photos, books and company catalogs

The exhibit was curated by Richard Willinger, Chair of the Museum Society's Collections Management Committee. Items are being loaned to the exhibit by the Roebling Museum in Roebling, NJ, and several individuals.

Talks and a tour of remaining buildings of the Roebling complex in Trenton will be conducted by Clifford W. Zink, the foremost expert on the Roebling family and company who authored the book The Roebling Legacy. Ellarslie is located in Cadwalader Park in Trenton, NJ. Visit www.ellarslie.org for dates and times.

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Through December 31, 2015 - Ridgewood, Bergen County

"Hemlines" Exhibit

The Ridgewood Historical Society and the Schoolhouse Museum are pleased to announce their new exhibit, Hemlines, open through December 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 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