NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 9/5/15

NJ WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

Know about a historical event happening in your area?

Send me an e-mail to let us know!

Be the first to find out about these events on Facebook!

Saturday, September 5 - Oldwick, Hunterdon County

21st Annual Tewksbury Flea Market

The Tewksbury Historical Society is hosting its 21st annual Flea Market, which is one of their main fundraisers, on Saturday from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm in the farm field located one half mile north of the village of Oldwick on County Route 517. The rain date will be Sunday, September 6. There will be 115 vendors in attendance. Last year saw over 1,100 shoppers in attendance. There will be a $1 per car suggested donation to enter. Vendors will display old and new items of all types including antiques, toys and collectibles, farm fresh produce, household items, and more. The Pottersville Volunteer Fire Company will be serving breakfast and lunch to benefit their operations. Early birds can gain admission from 7:00 - 8:00 am at a cost of $10 per person, payable at the gate. Early Birds should enter the site via Homestead Road. The Tewksbury Historical Society booth has an eclectic mix of multiple items, all donated by Society members and residents of Tewksbury. All proceeds benefit the Society's building fund.

The Tewksbury Flea Market is easily accessible off exit 24 on Interstate 78. Following the signs for Oldwick/County Route 523/517 north or from Route 206 from Chester. For more information, contact the Tewksbury Historical Society at 908-832-6734 or visit www.tewksburyhistory.net.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 5 - Toms River, Ocean County

Antiques and Collectibles Faire

Celebrate Labor Day with your family and friends at the Ocean County Historical Society's Antiques and Collectibles Faire on Saturday on the grounds surrounding the museum on 26 Hadley Avenue and the Ocean County Parking Garage on Madison Avenue in Toms River, NJ from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Join the fun as you shop for antiques and collectibles as well as items crafted by a local wool spinner, basket maker, and decoy carver. Buy a 50-50 raffle ticket sponsored by OCHS.

History buffs will be thrilled to know that they can chat with Civil War reenactors who make history come alive. Children are welcome to participate in games and crafts of the Civil War era. Families may visit the medical tent and learn more about the work of the full Union surgeon, carrying the rank of major, who will display surgical, dental, and other medical instruments and explain where the full surgeon worked during the Civil War.

The Artists' Garden and Music Garden will feature the fine arts. Several NJ authors will have their latest books available for sale and signing on the grounds. There will be food vendors and delicious baked goods made by OCHS volunteers. Other Historical Society volunteers will be selling OCHS publications, used books, genealogical research booklets, and interesting antiques. There's a treasure for everyone! Tour the OCHS museum and its current exhibitions. The event will be held rain or shine! For more information, visit www.oceancountyhistory.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 5 - Chester, Morris County

Miller's Pancake

Children Friendly

On Saturday from 1:00 - 2:00 pm, join in this live adaptation of Eric Carle’s Pancakes, Pancakes! Learn where the ingredients for making a pancake come from, see grain ground into flour or meal, and watch the Miller make a pancake. Cost: FREE but donations appreciated. The Cooper Gristmill is located at 66 Route 513, Chester, NJ. For more information, call 908-879-5463 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 5 - Morristown, Morris County
Feeding the Army

Children Friendly

As a famous general said, an army does travel on its stomach. Come find about the food rations Washington's soldiers were promised - but didn't always get. Program runs from 1:00 - 3:00 pm at the Visitor Center at 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.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 5 - Morris Township, Morris County

Explore the Farm: Horse-Drawn Wagon Ride
Children Friendly

On Saturday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, take a horse-drawn wagon ride! With an emphasis on sustainability, this narrated wagon ride explores the methods, equipment, crops, and enterprises of Fosterfields in the early 1900s. Tour runs from 10:15 am - 12:00 noon. Preregistration is required. Please call 973-326-7645 to register.

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.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 5 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Plowing Match

Children Friendly

Howell Living History Farm will hold its Annual Plowing Match and the public is invited to watch and participate in the event, which features old-fashioned plowing and log pulling competitions, a craft and pony rides for children, and lots of food, music and old fashioned fun.

A dozen teams of draft animals from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York are entered in the match, which tests the performance of farmers, their horses and oxen, and their plows as they turn furrows. Judging will take place from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon. Winners of the Fine Plowing Class will receive trophies, ribbons and cash prizes.

Members of the general public aged 16 and older can try their hand at plowing in the Visitor Plowing event. Winners receive ribbons.

Sheep, chickens and pigs can be seen in the farmyard area all day.

Beginning at 12:00 noon, hungry plowers and visitors can lunch on roast pork sandwiches, a chicken BBQ, Kosher franks and Howell Farm potatoes and sweet corn. Noontime festivities will include music by the Jugtown Mountain String Band, door prizes, and plowing award presentations.

After the plowing competition, visitors can watch as teamsters use their animals to navigate an obstacle course.

Cash prizes for professional classes are furnished by the Friends of Howell Farm, and made possible through donations from the Pleasant Valley Vigilant Society and J. & G. Conard of Flemington.

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.

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, September 5 - 6 - Cape May, Cape May County

'Hands-on History' Weekend

Children Friendly

Two days of family-friendly, interactive and educational fun are planned for Historic Cold Spring Village's 'Hands-on History' Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. Children will be given a 'Pastport' at the start of their Village trip, which can be stamped at the buildings they visit after completing a take-home craft or activity, like writing with a quill pen, carding wool, or making a pinch pot. Pastports can be redeemed at the Country Store for a free treat! The Family Activity Area will feature children's dress-up clothes, historic games, and take-home crafts. Other family-friendly activities include face painting and live entertainment from traditional musician Mary Roth.

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.

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, September 5 - 6 - Manalapan, Monmouth County

Musket Demonstrations / Living History Display
Children Friendly

On Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, come out to Monmouth Battlefield State Park to see firing demonstrations throughout the day and uniformed interpreters talk about the Continental Army at the Battle of Monmouth. Monmouth Battlefield State Park is located at 16 New Jersey Business 33, Manalapan, NJ. For more information, visit www.friendsofmonmouth.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Monday, September 5 - 7 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County

Historical Fun and Games!
Children Friendly

Experience two centuries of fun this weekend at Historic Walnford! On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, they will offer a variety of historical games both indoors and out, for all to enjoy. Young or older, passive or active, there will be something to engage everyone. Admission and parking are free.

While there, visit 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, Upper Freehold, NJ. For more information, call 609-259-6275 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - Morris Township, Morris County

Farm Know-How on the Go: Granary and Ensilage Pits
Children Friendly

On Sunday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm from 2:00 - 2:45 pm, take a guided walk to the Granary and Ensilage Pits to discover how they were used. Help prepare ensilage, and use the root cutter to chop beets and turnips. Preregistration is required. Please call 973-326-7645 to register.

-----------------------------------
Sunday, September 6 - Montague, Sussex County
A History of New Jersey’s Washington Crossing State Park

The Montague Association for the Restoration of Community History (MARCH) will open the circa 1790 Foster-Armstrong House on River Road for Sunday afternoon tours between 1:00 and 4:00 pm. The house is situated within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Montague, NJ and was originally part of the Tocks Island Dam acquisitions.

On Sunday at 2:00 pm, Peter Osborne will discuss the state park that was created where Washington and the Continental Army disembarked after a bone-chilling crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776. Admission is free. For more information, call 973-293-3106 or visit www.facebook.com/MontagueNJHistory.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - Morristown, Morris County

Best Dressed in the Vail House
Children Friendly Site

On Sunday from 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm, experience life in a historic place through costumed interpreters leading tours of the Vail House at Historic Speedwell. Admission: $5/adult, $4/senior (65+), $3/child (ages 4 -16). FREE for children under age 4 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Historic Speedwell is located 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - 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.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County

New Exhibit - Ocean Township High School at 50

Early in September 1965, the doors of Ocean Township High School (OTHS) opened for the first time. It was a momentous day - the culmination of an impassioned campaign and a turning point for both Ocean Township and Asbury Park, the district that up to then had educated most of the township's teens.

Fifty years later, almost to the day, a mini-exhibit opens at the Eden Woolley House commemorating the milestone. "OTHS at 50," premiering 1:00 - 4:00 on Sunday, uses photographs, press clippings, and artifacts to demonstrate how the school's history mirrors five decades of social and political change.

The campaign for a high school:

Ocean Township's commitment to education is long standing. Between 1784 and 1960, it built at least nine schools. None was a high school.

Graduating eighth graders had a choice:

Asbury Park or Long Branch. Most chose Asbury. By 1962 Ocean students at Asbury High outnumbered city students 713 to 558. Ocean was booming and more than 1,000 high school-age students were projected by 1966. Asbury High, on split session since 1959, was already overcrowded. Something had to be done.

Asbury asked Ocean to sign a 20-year contract with the city as a condition for its undertaking a building expansion. Ocean refused. There was talk of regionalization, at first rejected and later revisited by the city. But it was too late. A full-blown campaign for an Ocean Township high school, spearheaded by the PTAs, was underway. On June 12, 1962, by a nearly 3-to-1 margin, the voters of Ocean approved a $2,969,000 bond to built their own school.

OTHS changes with the times:

Ocean High opened in 1965 without a senior class. Ocean seniors had returned to Asbury to graduate with their class. The next year, OTHS held its first graduation and published its first yearbook, The Sandpiper.

A look through almost a half century of yearbooks reveals more than changing hair styles and hemlines. Here's a sample:

* In the 1960s, Industrial Arts were just for boys, Home Economics, just for girls (who also have a "Homemaking Club").

* Title IX (prohibiting discrimination in federally funded programs) shaped the 1970s: for the first time girls had golf, tennis, and soccer teams; girls fixed cars, boys baked cakes.

* The technology revolution is evident. Keypunch machines of the 1970s give way to desktops in the late 1980s and electronics redefine the classroom in the new millennium.

Proof of the pudding:

In recent years, OTHS has made its share of "best high school" lists. Its own list of notable alums is impressive: Academy Award, Emmy, and Pulitzer Prize winners; distinguished educators, journalists, authors, and scientists; a fashion designer, a network news anchor, innovative entrepreneurs, and more.

Join us on Sunday to learn more about these talented graduates and the history of the school that shaped them.

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.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - Whippany, Morris County

Excursion Train Rides

Children Friendly

Spend Sunday 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 & Whippany Road in Whippany, NJ. Train fare 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.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - Pennsauken, Camden County

Open House

This is your chance to spend a last beautiful Sunday summer afternoon at the beautiful and historic Griffith Morgan House in Pennsauken before Autumn leaves begin to fall! Free admission and free tours of the house and museum are offered, access to our library and archival collection are also available from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Plenty of free parking. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy your afternoon of family, friends, community and history in our yard and garden!

Our sister historic house, Burrough-Dover House, off Haddonfield Road on Burrough-Dover Lane will also be open and staffed by Pennsauken Historical Society, so come see both houses and share a lovely afternoon of your Labor Day weekend!

Admission to the Griffith Morgan House is free, but memberships and donations are most welcome! The Griffith Morgan House is located at 243 Griffith Morgan Lane, Pennsauken, NJ. For more information, call 856-486-9561 or visit them on Facebook.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - Hackettstown, Warren County

31st Annual Scandinavian Fest
Children Friendly

On Sunday from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, attend the 31st Annual Scandinavian Fest is held at Vasa Park, which was built in the 1920s. It is a not for profit event to celebrate and promote the cultures, histories and current life of the Nordic area countries.

Vasa Order of America is a Swedish-American fraternal, cultural and educational organization that was started in 1896. This event is held rain or shine. Tickets are $11 per person online or $14 at the gate for adults and $13 for seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Entry will be free for those dressed in authentic folk dress. Free parking. Vasa Park is located at 1 Vasa Drive, Hackettstown, NJ. For more information, visit www.scanfest.org.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - South River, Middlesex County

Open House

Stop by the South River Historical & Preservation Society on Sunday from 1:30 - 3:30 pm and view exhibits on all aspects of Borough history including: schools; churches and houses of worship; local businesses and organizations; daily life; events and celebrations; and more. While you are there, see the cemetery located behind the building, ask questions, drop off donations, or exchange hometown stories with the docents. The museum is located at 64-66 Main Street, South River. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njsrhps/museum.html

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 6 - Haledon/Paterson, Passaic County

2015 Labor Day Parade: Celebrating Working People

The 23rd Annual Labor Day Parade, co-sponsored by the American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark, the Borough of Haledon and the City of Paterson, is scheduled for Sunday. Step-off will take place at 1:30 pm at the Botto House in Haledon. The parade will finish at the Great Falls Historic District in the City of Paterson, where the Great Falls Festival will be taking place.

This year's labor Day Parade will be lead by Grand Marshals Patrick LoPresti, President and Anthony Caifano, Secretary-Treasurer of the Amalgamated Lithographers of America, Local 1, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). Local 1's history spans more than 125 years. Local 1 continually strive to improve and secure working conditions, wages and benefits for workers employed in the graphic communications industry throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont. As of 2011, Local 1 represents more than 4,000 members. Local 1's parent organization, the Graphic Communications Conference of the Teamsters (GCC/IBT), is the largest graphic trades union in the US and Canada, and serves almost 70,000 members.

It was on June 28th, 1894 that President Grover Cleveland (a native of Caldwell, NJ) signed the bill that made Labor Day a legal national holiday. In that same year, on Monday, September 3rd, 1894, the first official holiday was celebrated and every first Monday of September thereafter.

The Botto House National Landmark, home of the American Labor Museum, is located at 83 Norwood Street in Haledon, NJ. The Museum offers a free lending library, restored period rooms, changing exhibits, museum store, old world gardens, educational programs, and special events. For more information, call 973-595-7953, e-mail labormuseum@aol.com, or visitwww.labormuseum.net.

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------
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.

-----------------------------------
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.

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

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

Search This Blog

The Time Voyagers

NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 9/5/15 - 9/6/15

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Birth and Death of a Ski Area: Craigmeur

The Golden Age of Shopping: Downtown Newark

The Industrial Remains of Long Pond Ironworks