NJ Weekend Historical Happenings - 10/10/15 - 10/11/15

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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Friday - Saturday, October 9 - 10 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County

The Chilling Re-Telling of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

Allaire Village is presenting a dramatic rendition of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"written by Washington Irving and performed by Neill Hartley. The performance takes place in the Allaire Village Chapel on Friday and Saturday, at 7:30 pm.

In an exciting performance, Neill Hartley, brings to life the tale of the Headless Horseman, within the candle-lit Allaire Village Chapel. You will be transported back to a time before television, radio, CDs, and electricity. The seating is limited to 100 for each performance, so advanced purchase is recommended. Only ticket-holders will be admitted to the performances. Ticket cost is $20 per person. To purchase tickets or for information, call 732-919-3500 and have your credit card ready. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.allairevillage.org.

The Historic Village at Allaire is located in Allaire State Park, 4265 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, October 10 - West Orange, Essex County

The Legacy of Thomas Edison
Children Friendly

Thomas Edison is best known for the phonograph, light bulb and motion pictures, but his legacy is much more. Join a ranger to explore the laboratory complex and discover the many things that make up Edison's legacy. As part of the program you will make a handprint to leave behind as part of your legacy, just as Edison did. Reservations for this 2:30 pm tour are required. Call 973-736-0550 ext. 89.

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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Saturday, October 10 - Morristown, Morris County

Children's Tour of the Vail House

Children Friendly

On Sunday from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm and 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm at Historic Speedwell, children are welcomed to take a look into the Vail House to explore historical theme food, hobbies, toys, and more through hands-on learning and discovery. 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.

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Saturday, October 10 - Morris Township, Morris County

Horse-Drawn Wagon Ride

Children Friendly

Enjoy an interpretive horse-drawn wagon ride at Fosterfields Living History Farm on Saturday while discovering the importance of sustainable farming. Learn about the methods, equipment, crops, and enterprises of Charles Foster’s farm in the early 1900s. Wagon ride from 10:15 am - 12:00 noon and included in regular admission.

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, October 10 - Cape May, Cape May County
Croquet at the Physick Estate
Family Friendly

Gather family and friends and join in a friendly croquet game on the lawn of the Emlen Physick Estate on Saturday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Equipment provided. Free parking. Free admission. The Emlen Physick Estate is located at 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Mount Laurel, Burlington County

Tour Paulsdale

Paulsdale is open to the public for Second Saturday Tours at 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm. Paulsdale is the birthplace of Quaker suffragist Alice Paul. Tours include a 15-minute presentation about Alice Paul's life and work and a guided tour of the first floor of the property where visitors learn about the Paul family's daily life in the house and its present day use as a girl's leadership center. Tours are $5.00 per person.

Paulsdale is located at 128 Hooton Road, Mount Laurel, NJ. For information about group tours or future tour dates, contact the Alice Paul Institute at 856-231-1885, e-mail info@alicepaul.org, or visit www.alicepaul.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Morristown, Morris County

Ghostly Revelations at the Ford Mansion

The Ford Mansion in Morristown recently underwent a paranormal research study by Gordon Ward, a well-respected investigator of ghosts and hauntings as well as an author on the topic. This program, in collaboration with the Morris County Tourism Bureau, will include new photos, audio recordings, developing theories, and information collected from his study of the Ford Mansion.

After the study's results are presented, program participants may tour the Ford Mansion with park rangers and spend the day at the park. The program begins at 10:00 am in the Washington's Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place, Morristown, NJ. Cost is $20 per person and includes free park admission for the day. Free parking is available in two lots adjacent to the park and also along Washington Place.

To reserve your spot, please call the Morris County Tourism Bureau at 973-631-5151 (open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm).

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Saturday, October 10 - Byram Township, Sussex County

Waterloo Canal Heritage Day

Children Friendly

Come visit Waterloo Village between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm for a day in this historic Morris Canal town. Enjoy boat rides on the Morris Canal, Smith's Store - a furnished canal-era store with hands-on activities, blacksmithing, see the operating gristmill, seamstress shop, carpenter's shop, take guided tours of 1859 Methodist Church, the Canal Museum - with exhibits and videos, and guided walking tours of the village. Admission is free but there is a $5 per car parking fee. Waterloo Village is located at 525 Waterloo Road, Byram, NJ. For more information, call 973-292-2755 or visit www.canalsocietynj.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Franklin Township, Somerset County

Ghost Stories Around the Campfire

Children Friendly

Come have some October family fun at the Van Wickle House on Saturday! Bring your lawn chair and enjoy lawn games, a tour/history walk (at 4:30 and 5:30 pm) and light refreshments. At 6:30 pm, we will tell you some spooky stories and weird New Jersey tales as you roast marshmallows by the fire.

Bring your carved or decorated pumpkin and enter the Pumpkin Contest - everybody gets to vote on their favorite! Trivia contest and door prizes, too! The events start at 4:00 pm and end at 8:00 pm at the Van Wickle House, 1289 Easton Avenue, in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, NJ (next to Rutgers Prep). Admission: ages 13 and older, $10; ages 5-12, $5; and ages 4 and under, free. Don't forget to bring a chair! Rain date is Sunday, October 11.

This event is sponsored by The Meadows Foundation. 100% of all donations go toward the restoration and preservation of irreplaceable, registered historic homes. For more information, please visit www.themeadowsfoundation.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Paterson, Passaic County

The Headless Horseman Comes to Lambert Castle

Children Friendly

Join the Passaic County Historical Society on Saturday at 5:00 pm on the north lawn of Lambert Castle as we usher in the haunting season by reading a version of Washington Irving's classic story and singing some Halloween songs. You might even have a chance to meet the Headless Horseman in person! Bring the whole family and don't forget your own blankets or lawn chairs. This program is recommended for children age 3-12 years and is free of charge; donations are gratefully accepted.

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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Saturday, October 10 - Princeton, Mercer County

The Early Life of Woodrow Wilson Walking Tour

Learn more about Woodrow Wilson's life in Princeton, before he became the 28th President of the United States. Locations on this walking tour include places in the community that were a part of Wilson's life as a student, faculty member, and President of Princeton University. The tour guide will use these buildings and houses as focal points in a narrative on the influences of Wilson's early life and education that shaped his character, ambitions and goals. 

Admission: $10 per adult - purchase tickets here. The tour begins at Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Tour begins at 10:00 am and ends at 12:30 pm. Space is limited. For more information, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Waretown, Ocean County

21st Annual Pine Barrens Jamboree
Family Friendly

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Saturday, October 10 - Ridgewood, Bergen County

Elizabeth Hawes: A Marriage of Fashion and Feminism, 1903-1971

On Saturday at 2:00 pm in the library auditorium, the Ridgewood Public Library and the Ridgewood Historical Society will present a fascinating look at Ridgewood's own Elizabeth Hawes, daughter of Henrietta Hawes and celebrated fashion designer in the 1930s. Speaker, Dr. Jennie Woodard, from the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Maine, has been researching, writing, and speaking about Elizabeth Hawes for the past seven years. Dr. Woodard has also done significant research on how feminine standards have played a role in women's participation in traditionally male organizations, like labor unions.

Elizabeth Hawes was a bestselling author, a businesswoman with her own fashion design company, and a labor organizer. She thought of herself as a feminist and a Socialist.  She was accused of being a Communist and a rabble-rouser. Come learn about this interesting and talented woman who grew up in Ridgewood and graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1921.

After the lecture, join Dr. Woodard at the Schoolhouse Museum as we explore more fashion history through the current exhibit, Hemlines: Women's Fashions from 1900 to 1969.

The Ridgewood Public Library is located at 125 N. Maple Avenue and the Schoolhouse Museum is at 650 E. Glen Avenue, Ridgewood. For more information, call Sarah Kiefer at 201-670-5600 x 135 or e-mail at skiefer@ridgewoodlibrary.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County

Tucker's Island

On Saturday, the Tuckerton Historical Society presents "Tucker's Island," presented by authors Deborah Whitcraft and Gretchen Coyle. Whitcraft and Coyle are writing a book on Tucker's Island, which washed away. It was once a thriving community, which included a lighthouse. Come hear its history. You may purchase a copy from the authors. Deborah and Gretchen have also written, Inferno At Sea: Stories of Death and Survival Aboard the Morro Castle. This presentation will be held from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Giffordtown Schoolhouse Museum, 35 Leitz Blvd., Little Egg Harbor, NJ. For more information, call 609-294-1547 or visit www.tuckertonhistoricalsociety.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Atlantic City, Atlantic County

"The Atlantic City Experience: La Ciudad Atlántica" Exhibit Opening

The Atlantic City Historical Museum, presented by the Atlantic City Free Public Library, will unveil its exhibit, “The Atlantic City Experience: La Ciudad Atlántica,” at a grand opening celebration on Saturday from 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm at Garden Pier. The public is invited to this free event, which is being held in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

As part of the project, the library conducted oral history interviews with local residents from various Hispanic countries to explore their backgrounds, immigration stories and experiences here in Atlantic City. Portions of the interviews will be available for the public to hear during the grand opening celebration.

The Atlantic City Historical Museum is located on Garden Pier, at South New Jersey Avenue and Boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ. The Atlantic City Historical Museum showcases the culturally diverse, exciting history of Atlantic City in a nostalgic timeline. Visitors can enjoy exhibits of Mr. Peanut, sand sculptures, Miss America and casinos – along with vintage photographs and local artifacts. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. For more information, call 609-345-2269, ext. 3062 or visit www.atlanticcityexperience.org.

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Saturday, October 10 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Quilting Bee

Children Friendly

On Saturday between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, the Howell Farm quilters invite the public to join them for a quilting bee, quilt display, demonstrations, and other old fashioned fun.

Throughout the day, visitors of all ages can experience the stages of quilt making from piecing scrap fabric on a treadle-type sewing machine to joining the Farm staff around an antique quilt frame. In this process experienced quilters from Mercer County will share techniques in hand quilting with all visitors who join them at the quilting bee.

A special children’s “scavenger hunt” on the farm for the sources of traditional quilt names will be ongoing during the day and will include farm chores, rail-fence making, and visits to the blacksmith.

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 - Sunday, October 10 - 11 - Sussex County

5th Annual Sussex County Heritage Weekend

Children Friendly Sites

On Saturday and Sunday, historical museums and heritage organizations throughout Sussex County will join with the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council for a Heritage weekend. It is a wonderful opportunity to explore the history and uniqueness of Sussex County. Several participating organizations will be open including the Byram Historical/Roseville Schoolhouse Museum, DAR Elias Van Bunschooten Museum, Franklin Mineral Museum, Franklin Historical/Heritage Museum, High Point Monument State Park, Ogdensburg Historical Schoolhouse and Firehouse Museum, Peter's Valley Craft Center, Space Farms Museum, Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Stillwater Historical Museum, Sussex County Harvest and Honey Festival, Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council, Sussex County Historical Society, Vernon Historical Price's Switch Schoolhouse, Walpack Historical Van Campen Inn, Waterloo Village Heritage Day. Many of the sites do not charge admission - but appreciate donations.

The Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council is located at 133 Spring Street, Newton, NJ. For additional information, a complete listing of sites, directions, and an updated schedule of events call 973-383-0027 or visit www.scahc.org. 

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Saturday - Sunday, October 10 - 11 - Somerset County

Somerset County Weekend Journey Through the Past

Children Friendly Sites

Somerset County's tenth annual Weekend Journey through the Past, a collaborative heritage tourism program, will showcase 30 significant historic sites countywide that will be open to the public free of charge on Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. There will be a wide range of tours and activities to provide an enjoyable free weekend outing for the entire family.

This  annual event, initiated and widely promoted by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission in cooperation with the county Board of Freeholders, brings the past to life through the dedicated efforts of the many participating historical societies and organizations, municipal historic commissions and their enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers.

Through the enthusiastic involvement, collaborative partnerships and support of Somerset County's many historic societies and commissions, the event features many special activities, including a contest for prizes; interpreted tours led by costumed docents; special collections and exhibitions; period military drills and encampment with living  history reenactors; open-hearth cooking; colonial tavern life; traditional blacksmithing; 19th-century firefighting wagons and apparatus and much more.

There also will be antiques sales; arts and crafts; live period music performances and participatory colonial dance instruction; a scheduled theatrical performance; guidance on genealogical resources; daily chores of 18th century life; military history; demonstrations; local history videos; antique cameras, music boxes and unique musical instrument collections; participatory activities; interesting architecture; access to some sites not generally open to the public.

For comprehensive details, participating historic sites featured this year (including three new, first-time participating sites), information about how to qualify to win one of many pre-paid gasoline gift cards and advance information about the new "What in the World is That" kids/family detective investigation activity, call 908-231-7110 or visit www.SCHistoryWeekend.com.

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Saturday - Sunday, October 10 - 11 - Manalapan, Monmouth County

Living-History/ Musket Demonstration Weekend
Children Friendly

On Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm each day, come see how the British Army lived on campaign and fought at the Battle of Monmouth! Members of the 17th Regiment of Foot will be encamped on the Visitor Center grounds throughout the weekend. Rain or shine! Monmouth Battlefield State Park is located at 16 New Jersey Business 33, Manalapan, NJ. For more information, visit www.friendsofmonmouth.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, October 10 - 11 - Morris County

The Pathways of History

Children Friendly Sites

The Pathways of History Weekend Tour on Saturday and Sunday offers an admission-free opportunity to visit 23 northern Morris County landmark sites. Pathways began in 2010 when five neighboring museums established the event to entice visitors to their historic properties. In 2015, the group has grown to include 23 historic groups in Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Denville, Dover, Florham Park, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lake Hopatcong, Mine Hill, Montville Township, Mt. Olive, Mt. Tabor, Parsippany, Pequannock Township, Randolph, Rockaway Township, Roxbury, and Washington Township. The properties are all independently operated, but for the Pathways Weekend Tour on Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and on Sunday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm, all sites will open their doors in simultaneous welcome.

There is something for everyone to experience and enjoy on this family-friendly tour. Whatever your interest - it’s certain to be covered by this notable assemblage of small, volunteer-run historic groups. Some highlights of themes and subjects include: New Jersey’s original inhabitants, the Lenape people; Morris County’s pivotal role in the American Revolution; iron mines and forges during the American Revolution and in the years following; and the continued commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial. Exhibits document how the Morris Canal, railways, industry, mining, commerce and agriculture have influenced and shaped the Pathways communities through the years. The museum buildings themselves, many listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, present an outstanding collection of architectural periods and styles. Venerable 18th century homes offer examples of Dutch Stone, Georgian and Saltbox construction. Designs of the 19th century are represented in buildings of varied uses and sizes including a Folk Victorian Camp Meeting Cottage, a Second Empire Victorian, an 1890’s Colonial Revival, a diminutive two-family iron miner’s dwelling included on the New Jersey Women’s Heritage Trail, schoolhouses, a railway station, a Morris Canal lock tender’s house, a general store, a church and several wonderful examples of vernacular farmhouses. 

If your own community museum or heritage site is part of the Pathways group you might begin your tour there; perhaps a specific property you’ve always wanted to visit would make the perfect starting point. During the event a brochure and map will be available at each venue to guide you to your next history stop of choice. Visit one, two, five, ten, or more! Helpful “Tours Within the Tour” have been suggested to assist in planning your route. Whatever Pathways you choose will lead you to a warm welcome and an enlightening historical journey. At sites along the way, you will see docents in period costume demonstrating crafts such as spinning, weaving and hearth cooking. Music and light refreshments are featured at some venues for your added enjoyment. Various locations will include special activities for children. Many of the museums have wonderful shops offering a selection of books, gifts, and souvenirs.

For more information, a full list of participating sites, and directions, call 973-316-0976 or visit www.pathwaysofhistorynj.com.

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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, October 11 - Ewing Township, Mercer County

Industry & War: The Influence on a Community

Please join Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society (ETHPS) and Ellie Calcagno on Sunday at 2:00 pm for a fascinating look at the history of the General Motors Plant and the Naval Air Propulsion Testing Center-and the connection of two industries. Ellie is administrator for the ETHPS and site manager of the Benjamin Temple House. With pieces from the archives-photos, telegrams, diagrams and news clippings - she will weave the stories of the Naval Turbine Testing Center, the US Navy, Fisher Body and the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors. Her talk will show how they transformed Ewing from an agrarian community into the eastern hub of industrial giant GM and a major testing and research site for the US Government. Come listen and see how Industry and War influenced the Ewing community.

This program is free, open to the public, and appropriate for all ages. Refreshments served! The Benjamin Temple House is located at 27 Federal City Road, Ewing, NJ.

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Sunday, October 11 - Cape May, Cape May County

D-Day, Why It Still Matters

Distinguished author and military expert Col. Cole Kingseed will deliver his lecture "D-Day, Why It Still Matters: How America's European war established the United States as a global power" on Sunday at 4:00 pm - the fourth lecture in the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) annual Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series - at Cape Island Baptist Church, 115 Gurney Street, Cape May, NJ. The lecture will be followed by a meet-the-speaker reception with wine and tapas hosted by Doug and Anna McMain at The Queen Victoria Bed & Breakfast Inn, 102 Ocean Street, Cape May, NJ.

D-Day was the climactic battle of the European Theater of World War II. The lecture will explore the ramifications of the Allied victory on June 6, 1944, not only on the course of World War II, but also as the pivotal step in the United States' rise to global dominance.

Col. Cole C. Kingseed, Ph.D., is a 30-year Infantry veteran who commanded at the platoon, company, and battalion level. A graduate of the University of Dayton (Ohio) in 1971, he served in a variety of military assignments, culminating in his tenure as Full Professor of History and Chief of Military History at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Col. Kingseed holds a Master of Arts and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.

Col. Kingseed is the internationally acclaimed author of New York Times bestseller Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters (2006) and is the author of a number of important historical works, including Eisenhower and the Suez Crisis of 1956 (1995), The American Civil War (2004), From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge (2005), and Old Glory Stories (2006).  A recognized expert on military history and leadership, he has written and edited five books and written more than 50 articles on leadership and 300 book reviews.  A featured expert for the History Channel, he has appeared in documentaries on Generals George S. Patton, Jr., and Douglas MacArthur. In 2009, he received the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Writing Award for his article on U.S. Army leadership during World War II.

This lecture is co-sponsored by MAC and Martel & Associates. Tickets for this limited event are $30. The reception is $20. To purchase tickets, please call 609-884-5404 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation, and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Sunday, October 11 - Cape May, Cape May County
Victorian Weekend Crafts & Collectibles Show at the Physick Estate

Crafters and collectibles dealers from throughout the region display and sell their wares on the lawn of the Emlen Physick Estate. 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Day runs from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Free admission and parking. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Sunday, October 11 - Cape May, Cape May County
The Dr. Is In

Meet "Dr. Emlen Physick" on his Estate's grounds at 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Sunday. Opt for a guided tour of his house with its theme in 2015: "At Home with Nature." Admission: $12 for adults, $8 for children (ages 3-12). Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Sunday, October 11 - Wantage, Sussex County

Open House and Tours

The DAR Elias Van Bunschooten Museum is decorated for fall and is open to the public for house tours. The Chinkchewunska Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will take part in the National DAR Day of Service on Sunday to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The museum will be open from 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm and will offer free tours along with cookies and apple cider. The Elias Van Bunschooten Museum is located at 1097 Route 23, Wantage, NJ. For more information, visit the Elias Van Bunschooten Museum Web Site.

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Sunday, October 11 - 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, October 11 - Sparta, Sussex County

Mining History Exhibit Opening

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Sunday, October 11 - Morris Township, Morris County

Farm Know-How on the Go: Carriage House

Children Friendly

On Sunday from 2:00 - 2:45 pm at Fosterfields Living History Farm, walk to the Carriage House and discover how the building was once used. Learn about the horse barn that was nearby, and help with harnesses. Included with regular admission.

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, October 11 - Montclair, Essex County

House Tours and Second Sunday Family Funday: Harvest Festival!

Family Friendly

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

Activities include:

- Museum and farm equipment tours for the family with a viewing of farm equipment by our well known neighbor Rocky  

- Live hearth demonstrations with food historian Carolina Capehart 

- Visit the Montclair Community Farm Coalition farmers for a site tour and purchase an affordable pumpkin from the pumpkin patch to support their mission! 

- Live pumpkin carving and painting demonstrations with volunteer John Morey on the half hour

- Apple crafts throughout the day

-Weaving demonstrations throughout the day by Transition Montclair

Tours on the hour in our museum designed for the family. $5 admission this day for the entire family - members get in free! The site is open from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

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

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Sunday, October 11 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Blacksmith Demonstration

Children Friendly

On Sunday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to take a step back in time to watch blacksmiths perform their craft. They will be shaping iron into everyday products. Blacksmiths were as common as an auto mechanic in towns and on farms of the 1890s. This free event runs from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Historic Longstreet Farm is located at 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ. For more information, call 732-946-3758 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Sunday, October 11 - Cranford, Union County

Open House at Crane-Phillips House

Children Friendly

The Cranford Historical Society will be hosting tours of the Crane-Phillips House Museum, located at 124 North Union Avenue, Cranford, NJ on Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Admission is free.

The Cranford Historical Society was founded in 1927 with a mission to preserve the unique history of Cranford, New Jersey. The Society maintains the Crane-Phillips House Living Museum, an important costume collection, and archives. For more information, call 908-376-0082 or visit www.cranfordhistoricalsociety.com.

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Sunday, October 11 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County

All Hallows' Eve

Children Friendly

What IS the origin of the Jack O'Lantern? Why do we trick or treat? Ever wonder what makes Halloween "Halloween?" Come out to the Historic Village at Allaire's Annual 19th-century All Hallows' Eve. Find out all about the early traditions that make up Halloween today!

The Village will be open from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm. Admission is $7 per adult and $5 for children under 6 years. Free pumpkins (limited quantity for first come first serve). There will be a costume parade with prizes for children under age 12. Face Painting and village activities for children of all ages!

Other events include:

• Cider pressing at Manager’s House 

• Children’s games and town ball at Gardner’s Cottage 

• Cooking in Manager’s House

• Storytelling in Carriage House

• Pumpkin painting at Carriage House (limited quantity, first come first serve)

• Arts and crafts across from Carriage House

• Face painting/balloon art/glitter tattoos next to General Store

Allaire Village, Incorporated is licensed by the State of New Jersey to operate the 40-acre, Historic Village at Allaire, the site of James P. Allaire's Howell Iron Works Company in the 1830s. Allaire Village, Inc. receives no state funding towards the educational programming presented throughout the year, but is strongly supported through private donations, membership fees, fund-raising events, and patronage of their retail stores. 

The Historic Village at Allaire is located in Allaire State Park, 4265 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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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 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 December 31, 2015 - Morristown, Morris County

Morristown: 1865-2015: Identity, Tradition and Enterprise

Morristown once comprised territory stretching from Mendham to Chatham until 1865 when, amidst the chaos of the Civil War, mysterious forces acted to separate it from Morris Township.

The Morristown & Morris Township Library invites you to explore an exhibit that details the lives of those who came to Morristown seeking wealth, redemption, conflict, or a new beginning. Utilizing rare and previously unseen archival materials, visitors will witness the development of the Green as the center of commerce, public affairs, and leisure, and how nearby houses of worship focused residents' spiritual and social lives.

Long a center of commerce and trade, early settlers struggled with the limitations of dirt roads until residents developed interstate canals, rail and trolley lines, and sophisticated highway systems. Changes in criminal behavior and law enforcement will be explored, as well as efforts to educate productive upstanding citizens through forward-thinking private and public schools.

In addition to the generations of innovators and immigrants who built Morristown's many businesses and infrastructure, we will take a look at those who celebrated cultural and religious events, grieved over shared disaster and commemorated war dead, and fought to make Morristown a place where everyone could gather in peace.

The exhibit will be on display through December 31 and is sponsored by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission and by funding from the Friends of the Library. The Morristown and Morris Township Library is located at 1 Miller Road, 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 December 31, 2015 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County

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 opened at the Eden Woolley House commemorating the milestone. "OTHS at 50," 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.

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 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