NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 4/9/16 - 4/10/16

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

Want to submit an event? Use our event submission form.

Saturday, April 9 - 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 walk around the porch where visitors learn about the Paul family's daily life in the house, the restoration of 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, April 9 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Felting Demonstration
Children Friendly Event and Site

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to see how the process of felting wool can be used in garments. 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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Saturday, April 9 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Early Spring Flea Market
Children Friendly Site

Join Allaire Village for their first flea market of the season! Hunt for hidden treasures amid furniture, books, art work, bottles, knick knacks, and so much more! The event runs from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. $1 admission for adults. Children under 12 and members get in free. The Village, General Store, and Bakery are open as well.  The rain date is Sunday, April 10.

The Historic Village at Allaire is located at 4263 Atlantic Avenue, Farmingdale, NJ. For more information, contact the Allaire Village office during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, at 732-919-3500 or visit www.allairevillage.org.

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Saturday, April 9 - Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County
Bass River State Forest -The First 100 Years

On Saturday, the Tuckerton Historical Society presents a lecture on Bass River State Forest -the first 100 years. It will be presented by Cynthia Coritz, Superintendent. Bass River State Forest is New Jersey's first State Forest, created in 1905. Learn about the forest's beginnings, the connection to former head of the U.S. Forest Service Gifford Pinchot, the improvements made by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and what the forest offers visitors today. 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, April 9 - Edison, Middlesex County
Path to Freedom: Free African Americans in New Jersey

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Saturday, April 9 - Montclair, Essex County
Lenape Trail Walking Tour

Lenape Trail, trees and plants, and points of history! Montclair resident Deb Ellis leads the tour on Saturday from 1:30 - 3:30 pm through three local parks and a local preserve. Co-sponsored by the Montclair Historical Society and Bike&Walk Montclair. Tour will start and end at the Brookdale Park parking lot above the soccer stadium (enter on Bellevue Avenue). Registration not required; walking tour is free. For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Saturday, April 9 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Spring Beekeeping/Spring Cleaning 
Children Friendly Event and Site

Howell Farm's honeybees will take a break from their busy schedules when Bob Hughes stops by for his annual spring visit.

Mr. Hughes, who is a professional beekeeper, will open the hives to give the bees a complete health check, medicate the colony and make sure that the queens, drones and worker bees are properly equipped for the task of manufacturing honey.

Visitors to the Farm can watch the inspection at the hives, and join Mr. Hughes for an hour-long presentation, "Life of a Bee Colony.” Children are also invited to help beekeepers assemble beehives.

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.org.

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Saturday, April 9 - Hamilton Township, Mercer  County
D&R Canal Lock 1 & Towpath Trail Walking Tour

On Saturday, take a walking tour of D&R Canal Lock 1 and Towpath trail from 9:30 - 11:30 am. Guides: D&R Canal Lock 1 area - Barbara Ross, followed by a walk to the eagle nest - Clyde Quin. Please note that there are no guarantees to see an eagle, but the nest has been active. Meet at the northbound parking lot of the I-295 scenic overlook, just north of Bordentown, NJ. Wear walking shoes and dress for the weather. Sponsored by Friends for the Abbott Marshlands, D&R Canal Watch, D&R Canal State Park, & D&R Greenway Land Trust. Check the Marsh website (www.abbottmarshlands.org) for cancellation due to inclement weather (by 9:00 pm.Friday evening). For more information, call 609-924-2683.  

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Saturday, April 9 - Flemington, Hunterdon County
Wine, Cheese, and Music

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Saturday, April 9 - Haledon, Passaic County
Book Talk with James Walsh

On Saturday at 2:00 pm, the American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark proudly welcomes the general public to a book reception and signing event with reporter and author James Walsh. Mr. Walsh will discuss his recently published book, Playing Against The House: The Dramatic World of an Undercover Union Organizer (Scribner, 2016) and will answer questions. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Light refreshments will be served.

In Playing Against The House, the author recounts his undercover experience as he worked to organize co-workers in Miami casinos, while his bosses imagined he was loyal to their vigorously anti-union interests. Mr. Walsh shines a spot light on the shocking practices of large service corporations. His perspective reveals the conditions of low wage workers and their fight for economic survival.

James Walsh's work has appeared on the websites of The New Yorker, Esquire, and GlobalPost. He is on the editorial staff at New York magazine. This is his first book.

"Workers and Their Parade" by Gary Schoichet, a photography exhibit, will be on display at the Museum on April 9th and will remain on view through April 23rd, 2016. Tours of the Museum will be available and the Museum Store will be open for browsing and shopping.

The Botto House National Landmark, home of the American Labor Museum, is 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's hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tours are offered Wednesday through Saturday from 1-4 p.m. or by appointment. For more information, call 973-595-7953973-595-7953, e-mail labormuseum@aol.com, or visit www.labormuseum.net.

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Saturday, April 9 - Morristown, Morris County
Soldier at the Huts
Children Friendly Event

Learn about the life of a common soldier during the winter encampment and see the clothing, equipment, and weapons that a soldier used as you visit the replica soldier huts of the Pennsylvania Line. Stop by the Soldier Huts from 1:30 - 4:00 pm within Jockey Hollow at Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Tempe Wick Road, Morristown NJ (address is approximate). This is a FREE event. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Saturday, April 9 - Flemington, Hunterdon County
Press, Justice, Celebrity: A Panel Discussion on the Lindbergh Kidnapping

Presented at the historic Hunterdon County Courthouse, this panel discussion will explore the themes of press, justice, and celebrity, with special attention to the interplay between Charles Lindbergh's celebrity status, the appeal of press coverage of the trial, and the fragility of justice. Speakers include Landon Jones, former editor of People Magazine; Patty Rhule, Senior Manager of Exhibit Development at the Newseum; William O'Shaughnessy, trial lawyer; and Edward Tenner, historian.

The panel begins at 2:00 pm. The historic Hunterdon County Courthouse is located at 71 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Tickets are $25 per person, $20 for Friends of Morven. For any program-related questions, contact Allison Bixby at abixby@morven.org or 609.924.8144, ext. 106.

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Saturday, April 9 - Mount Holly, Burlington County
Lumberton's Cold War Nike Missile Battery Photography Exhibit

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Saturday, April 9 - Trenton, Mercer County
Spring Planting Day at the Trent House
Children Friendly Event & Site

Come experience the Trent House's restored colonial garden and learn about historic gardening practices on Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Spring Planting Day is a family event with activity stations for children, where they will create their own planting mix and plant heirloom seeds to take home. They will also make craft projects with seeds, take home a coloring book on growing plants from seeds and play colonial games.

Admission: $3 per child, free for accompanying adults. Free books to first 25 children. Rain date: Saturday, April 23, 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Complimentary light refreshments will be served. Free tours of the House and Garden. The Trent House is located at 15 Market Street in Trenton, NJ adjacent to the Hughes Justice Complex. Ample free parking. For more information, call 609-989-3027 or visit www.williamtrenthouse.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, April 9 - 10 - South Bound Brook, Somerset County
Battle of Bound Brook
Children Friendly Event and Site

Join us for an exciting and historic weekend! The two-day program explores the American Revolutionary War during the timeframe of the Battle of Bound Brook and the American army's use of Middlebrook in the years 1777-1779. Learn about and experience this important period in New Jersey and America's history. Weekend activities include:

Saturday:
* Marching, drilling and street battle reenactments in Bound Brook at 10:30 am starting at the Old Stone Arch Bridge, and at 1:30 pm, fighting on Main Street, South Bound Brook, featuring American and British units portraying the soldiers of the American Revolution.

Both days: 
* 18th-century soldiers' encampment on the grounds of the Abraham Staats House. Come walk through camp and see what life was like for American and British troops during the time of the American Revolution.
* Historic House Tours: The Abraham Staats House, with the original structure c. 1740, was home to the Staats family for nearly 200 years and served as the headquarters for George Washington's "Drillmaster" Baron von Steuben.   
* Exhibits, period music, special activities focused on the Colonial Era.

Sunday:
* 11:30 am Lecture - H. Kels Swan presenting "A Trilogy of Local Patriots Serving in the War for American Independence: Michael Field, Hendrick Fisher, and Abraham Staats"
* 1:00 pm Lecture - Bill Schleicher & Sue Winters presenting "Contest of Militias: Suppressing the Tories in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, New Jersey 1775-1776"

The Abraham Staats House is located at 17 von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook, NJ. For more information, visit www.staatshouse.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, April 9 - 10 - Towaco, Morris County
Revolutionary Weekend at the Henry Doremus Dutch Stone House
Children Friendly Event and Site

Tour a circa 1760 Dutch American stone house that housed General George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, June 25-27 1780 and the Nicholas Vreeland Out Kitchen on Saturday, April 9 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday, April 10 from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm.

There will be Spinning and weaving demonstrations, live period music with fiddler and accompanist, continuous tours of the sites and Dutch architecture, 18th century antiques on display, a document display of George Washington letters and expense account.

Come see how our early settlers lived during the Revolutionary War. You never know when General George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and 2,000 soldiers will drop in for 2.5 days. Parking available in the Sea Breeze parking lot across the street from the house. The Henry Doremus Dutch Stone House is located at 490 Main Road (US 202) Towaco, NJ. The Nicholas Vreeland Out Kitchen is located at 52 Jacksonville Rd, Towaco, NJ.

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Sunday, April 10 - Princeton, Mercer County

Historic Princeton Walking Tour

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. Tours begin in front of the Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Tour begins at 2:00 pm and ends at 4:00 pm. Walk up ticket sales are cash only; guides cannot provide change. Space is limited. For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Sunday, April 10 - Montclair, Essex County
Historic House Tour: Crane House/YWCA and Sunday Family Fun Day
Children Friendly Site

Step back through over 200 years of American history at Montclair's historic properties at 108 Orange Road. Visit the reinterpreted Crane House to reflect the YWCA period from 1920 - 1965, check out the farm, and meet the chickens. The site is open from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

Down at the Farm: Bring your kids for tours and activities designed for the family. In celebration of National Farm Animals Day, activities will incorporate what life was like when you lived, worked, and cooked around a farm and livestock. Chicken demonstrations will be given each half hour and hearth demonstrations throughout the day! Admission is $10/family.

For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, April 10 - Park Ridge, Bergen County
The United States and Cuba: A Troubled Relationship

Former County of Bergen Executive William "Pat" Schuber, Esq. will kick of the Pascack Historical Society's 2016 lecture series with "The United States and Cuba: A Troubled Relationship," on Sunday at 2:00 pm.

Schuber is a senior lecturer at the School of Administrative Science at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He lectures frequently on government, law, military history, historical leadership, ethics, communication and conflict resolution. He has written many scholarly articles and co-authored books on topics of history leadership and Homeland Security. He is a Captain in the US Army Reserve (Retired). His extensive world travels have given him a a bird's eye view of historical sites and situations all over the world.

From the Spanish-American War to the Missile Crisis to the reopening of relations between the United States and Cuba allows the speaker to refocus on the history of this fragile relationship which has gone from the threat of nuclear war to mutual love of baseball. Colorful personalities such as Teddy Roosevelt, William Randolph Hearst, Jose Marti, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara will be discussed. Schuber will speak of the future of Cuba after Castro and the long- term relationship we may have with this island nation when that occurs.

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

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Sunday, April 10 - River Edge, Bergen County
Authors' Day at Historic New Bridge Landing
Children Friendly Event and Site

On Sunday, attend Authors' Day at Historic New Bridge Landing. Authors will have books available for purchase and signing in the Steuben House. Titles cover Native Americans and early explorers, the Revolutionary War, town histories, biographies, and more, including several authors of children’s books. At 2:00 pm Jim Wright, author of "The Bird Watcher" column in the Record, and author of The Nature of the Meadowlands, Duck Enough to Fly, Icky the Hungry Heron and The Ghosts of Allendale, will read from his children’s books. At 3:30 pm, Ree Hopper will lead a book discussion on the 2015 historical novel, Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. This 1914 story is based on the real-life adventures of Bergen County's Kopp sisters who took on a silk baron and won. Ree provided historical research for the book.

Cost: Adults: $10; Students: (6-21 yr) FREE. BCHS members free. Historic New Bridge Landing is located at 1201 Main Street, River Edge, NJ. For more information, call 201-343-9492 or visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Sunday, April 10 - Ewing, Mercer County
The History of Glendale: The Development of a Ewing Neighborhood

The Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society is pleased to present The History of Glendale - Precision Built Homes - The Development of a Ewing Neighborhood. Architectural historian Alison Haley will present a brief history of Glendale, a neighborhood that was constructed between Parkway, Parkside and Olden Avenue during the second quarter of the 20th century. Glendale began as a community with modest, well-built houses and tight-knit neighbors. The program will be held on Sunday at 2:00 pm at the Benjamin Temple House, 27 Federal City Road, Ewing NJ. This program is free to the public and donations are appreciated. For more information, call 609-883-2455 or visit www.ethps.org.

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Sunday, April 10 through June 26, 2016 - Sparta, Sussex County
Vintage Costume Jewelry Exhibit Opening

With a focus on vintage costume jewelry “Made in America,” you are invited to “Faux and Fabulous: 100 Years of Vintage Costume Jewelry” which opens at the Sparta Historical Society’s Van Kirk Homestead Museum on Sunday, April 10, 2016. This exhibition in the Changing Gallery, curated by Joyce Zakierski Simmons, features period costume jewelry adornments.

Faux jewelry played an eminent part in our American society. Featuring major American designers and manufacturers, the accessories on exhibit illustrate the historic design styles prevalent from 1900-2000. With discoveries and inventions, new materials prevailed. Glass, silk, metal, wood, leather, imitation stones and especially plastic materials are used in each piece of costume jewelry. These components, known as findings, were made all over the world, but the final product was assembled here in the USA. What makes this exhibit exciting is that the costume jewelry industry basically started in America, with Providence, RI its home. The rarely seen hand manipulated beaded Miriam Haskell archival jewelry, will add to the other giant early 20th century manufacturing houses of Coro, Trifari, Monet, and Napier.

This wearable art of glamorous necklaces, brooches, earrings and bracelets will dazzle you throughout the exhibit. As you learn of the history of retro costume jewelry, these treasures will delight both the collector and the interested visitor. There are fun facts for future collectors and smart tips on choosing investment pieces. Simply stop in to see what was in grandma’s jewelry box.

The exhibit hours are from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, on the second and fourth Sunday of the month and runs through Sunday, June 26, 2016. Gallery talks will take place at 2:00 pm on Sundays. The show is open to the public and handicap accessible. Special group viewing hours may be arranged through the Sparta Historical Society, Van Kirk Homestead Museum and History Education Center, 336 Main Street (Route 517, use Sparta Middle School Driveway), Sparta, NJ 07871. For more information, call 973-726-0883 or SpartaHistoricalSocNJ@gmail.com.

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Sunday, April 10 - Somerset, Somerset County
Second Sunday

The next "Second Sunday" of the Meadows Foundation is coming up on Sunday, April  10 at the Wyckoff-Garretson Museum House and Carriage Barn. From 1:00 - 4:00 pm, guides will conduct tours and discuss colonial life. Refreshments will be available also. The Carriage Barn will feature our used book and gift shop. A craft demonstration of crocheting techniques will be conducted in the conference room and videos will be shown in the media room concerning life in colonial times. We encourage you to come (bring the family!) and enjoy an interesting afternoon with us. The Wyckoff-Garretson Museum House and Carriage Barn is located at 215 South Middlebush Road, Somerset, NJ.

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Sunday, April 10 - Paterson, Passaic County
Original Blue Valley Music and Acoustic Favorites

On Sunday at 5:00 pm in Lambert Castle, Blue Valley will return to the Lambert Concert Series and present Original Blue Valley Music and Acoustic Favorites. Blue Valley is a Clifton-based, acoustic rock band. Their music focuses on vocal harmonies, and memorable melodies and lyrics. Their performance will feature original music, including songs from their first CD, "Between Rock and a Soft Place," as well as a few of their favorite covers. Admission to the concert is $15. Seating is limited, no reservations will be taken.

This performance is a part of the 2016 Lambert Castle Concert Series. Featuring local musicians and a variety of musical genres, all concerts are performed in the beautiful atmosphere that is Lambert Castle.

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. 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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Sunday, April 10 - Chatham, Morris County
The Lenape Delaware Heritage

The Chatham Township Historical Society invites you to join us for our April program, The Lenape Delaware Heritage on Sunday at 2:00 pm at the Chatham Township Municipal Building, 58 Meyersville Road, Chatham, NJ.

The speaker will be John T. Kraft, Director of Lenape Lifeways Educational Programs, Inc. This engaging and substantive slide-illustrated program is an attempt to reconstruct the culture and history of the indigenous people who once populated New Jersey and the surrounding area. The program covers the region's 12,000 years of Native American history with a focus on the formation of the Lenape culture, including later European contact and Native displacement. By examining Lenape legends, art, religious beliefs, customs and traditions; describing the daily life, economy and system of government and recounting the interaction of new settlers, this program will help audiences develop an historical comprehension of these people and separate misinformation from historical fact. Participants will also have an opportunity to handle authentic and recreated objects such as masks, clothing, musical instruments and tools.

John Kraft is an archaeologist/educator who has presented thousands of programs on the Lenape or Delaware Indians of NJ and the surrounding region. He has helped discover and excavate Lenape villages and artifacts, and through his research has added much new information about their family life, dwellings, diet, spiritual beliefs and technology. Creator and former director of the Lenape Village at Waterloo, John has collaborated with NJ Network on various films and Internet projects to promote distance learning. He has also published The Indians of Lenapehoking, an educational unit on the Indians of NJ, and has illustrated The Lenape or Delaware Indians and other books. John has been creating museum exhibits and lecturing for over 20 years. Currently, he is a speaker for the NJ Council for the Humanities' Horizons Speakers Bureau program. His goal is to share with others his enthusiasm and appreciation for the remarkable people called the "Lenape."

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Sunday, April 10 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Blacksmith Demonstration
Children Friendly Event and Site

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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Through June 10, 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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Through July 9, 2016 - Freehold, Monmouth County

19th Century New Jersey Chairmaking Exhibit

Monmouth County Historical Association's newest exhibition Of the Best Materials and Good Workmanship: 19th Century New Jersey Chairmaking at the Museum at 70 Court Street will remain open through July 9, 2016.

This exhibition explores the diversity of products made by chairmakers in New Jersey from the late 18th century through 1900 and explores four different galleries: the craft of chairmaking, Windsor chairs, common chairs, and factory made chairs. It draws from chairmakers from throughout the Garden State, including a large collection of chairmaking tools, equipment, benches, patterns and stencils collected by William H. MacDonald of Trenton. MacDonald, who had one time worked in Freehold, donated the collection to the Association in the mid and late 20th century. The exhibition represents the first time the entire collection of tools, equipment and patterns have ever been displayed together.

Hammond explained that the name for the exhibition is taken from the language commonly used by New Jersey manufacturers in their newspaper advertisements promoting themselves against craftsmen from New York and Philadelphia.

Many of the items in the exhibition come from throughout the Garden State, from Bergen to Cumberland and Salem counties, and span the era from 1780 to 1900. Some of the items on display are on loan from several different historical societies as well as the Rutgers archives’ special collection and are representative of both local and regional chairmakers.

Of particular interest is one section devoted to the Ware family of Cumberland County, a family that represents a unique chapter in the history of American furniture production. Nineteen members of the family spanning four generations made traditional slat back, rush-seated chairs in the Delaware Valley tradition from the late 18th century to about 1940.

The gallery portraying factory made chairs includes perforated furniture made by Gardener and Company in 1872, a business in Glen Gardner, folding chairs popular on ocean liners dating back as far as 1868 and made by the Collignon Brothers in Closter, in Bergen County, using wood from the sawmill across the Hackensack River from the plant, and the Cooper Chair factory of Bergen, noted for its delicate chairmaking styles.

The Gallery devoted to Windsor chairs includes the earliest known marked Windsor chair, one made by Ezekiah Hughes in Salem County in the 1780s. The exhibition at the Museum displays one of the largest collections of Windsor chairs ever shown.

Monmouth County Historical Association is a private non-profit organization that has been working to preserve history and provide educational opportunities since its founding in 1898. The Historical Association’s Museum and Library is located at 70 Court Street in Freehold, NJ. Museum hours are: Tuesdays - Saturdays 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. The Library is open Wednesdays through Saturdays. For more information about the Association, call 732-462-1466 or visit www.monmouthhistory.org.

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Through August 28, 2016 - Boonton, Morris County
Boonton and the Electronics Industry Exhibit Opening

Our new changing exhibit features the numerous electronics companies that existed in Boonton during the infancy of electronics. Aircraft instrumentation, electronic testing instruments, and radios will be on display. Learn more about Boonton's significant contributions to the electronics industry by visiting us at the historic Dr. John Taylor House in Boonton NJ. The site is open on Sunday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm. The museum is located at 210 Main Street, Boonton NJ. For more information, call 973-402-8840.




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Through December 31, 2016 - Far Hills, Somerset County
More Than a Game Exhibit at the USGA Museum
Children Friendly

Visitors to the USGA Museum in Far Hills will be surprised to learn that there is much to discover about the game of golf. Originally installed in February of 2014, the exhibit "More Than a Game" focuses on how the creation of African-American golf clubs positively impacted the community, despite the pervasive prejudice and racism of the Jim Crow era. They founded institutions that celebrated the game, and their culture, setting a new standard for what a free and open society could be.

Local schools and youth groups are invited to arrange a field trip to the museum to learn about diversity in golf through the exhibit's centerpiece which is the story of William "Bill" Powell and the Clearview Golf Club. Founded in 1946 in East Canton, Ohio, Clearview is the only public golf course in the United States designed, built, owned, and operated by an African American. Celebrating their 70th anniversary this year, its existence is a testimonial to the vision, determination and integrity of Powell, who overcame numerous obstacles in the pursuit of his dream. Lesson plans are available upon request for teachers and group leaders prior to or following their onsite experience.

Powell's Clearview Golf Club was not the only African-American golf institution founded in this era. The exhibit also honors other clubs that made significant contributions to minority golf including Shady Rest Country Club in Scotch Plains, NJ, home course of John Shippen, the first American and the first African American to play in a U.S. Open Championship in 1896. Also featured are significant trophies from the United Golfers Association and many other various artifacts that celebrate the men and women who made sacrifices in an effort to realize their dream of equality on the greens.

The USGA is one of the world's foremost authorities on research, development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game's history and invests in the development of the game through the delivery of its services and its ongoing "For the Good of the Game" grants program. Additionally, the USGA's Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.

For more information about the museum, this exhibit and field trip opportunities, please contact Kim Gianetti at 908-326-1948 or by email at kgianetti@usga.org. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.

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