NJ Memorial Day Weekend Historical Happenings: 5/28/16 - 5/30/16

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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Saturday, May 28 - Princeton, Mercer County
Washington Returns!
Children Friendly Event

On Saturday from 11:30 am - 4:00 pm, find out how the Battle of Princeton on that cold winter’s day, January 3, 1777, saved the American Revolution. Military encampment and mini-reenactments of the Battle of Princeton, a critical turning point in the American Revolution and the first battle won by the Continental Army against professional British soldiers. The Second Pennsylvania Regiment will present drills and firing demonstrations with musketry, cannon, fife and drum.

As a special feature, we will have Jack Kelly, joining with us, author of Band of Giants! Band of Giants is a riveting account of those who worked along-side our most well-known founders, bringing to life those dedicated to fighting for our independence! Mr. Kelly has also authored the books Gunpowder and Heaven’s Ditch (about the Erie Canal), as well as several novels. He will have books for sale and will be happy to sign them!

With muskets, cannon, fifes and drums, there will be tactical formations and drills, and a combined arms assault re-enactment of the two-phased battle, with marching, loading, and firing volleys. A special feature will be the arrival of General Washington who will give his greetings and answer questions. There will also be a duel with pistols between two officers, all with the backdrop and activities of a typical American Revolution military camp with campfires and the cooking and other domestic activities of camp followers.

Another special feature will be a display of 500 flags honoring those who died at Princeton. And there will be a display of artifacts from the collection of Iain Haight-Ashton, a Board Member of the Battlefield Society. 

A special highlight will be training for Young Patriots and marching in formation. Presentations by Jerry Hurwitz, President of the Princeton Battlefield Society, who will explain uniforms, weapons and tactics. The Regiment also will be participating in the Princeton Memorial Day Parade and the Ceremony at the Princeton Battle Monument. The camp will be set up in the morning and struck after 4:00 pm.

Visit the Thomas Clarke House, which was constructed circa 1772 and witnessed the battle! Learn more about its future restoration. Presented by the Princeton Battlefield Society and the Second Pennsylvania Regiment.

This program will be held rain or shine unless it is storming. Free admission. Princeton Battlefield is located at 500 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ. For more information, e-mail princetonbattlefieldsocinfo@gmail.com or visit www.theprincetonbattlefieldsociety.com.

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Saturday, May 28 -  Morris Township, Morris County
Meet the Irish Servant and the Cook at the Willows and Plant Bean Poles
Children Friendly Event and Site

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

From 10:30 - 11:30 am and 1:00 - 2:00 pm, dig in and help the farmers stake poles, and plant a variety of beans.

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, call 973-326-7645 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, May 28 - Morristown, Morris County
Classical Dancing
Children Friendly Site

On Saturday at Historic Speedwell, learn classical dances that have been done through history from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. No prior experience or partners necessary.  Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. Tour included with the price of admission. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, May 28 - Morristown, Morris County
Women and Children of the Continental Army
Children Friendly Event

General Washington may not have wanted them tagging along with his army, however in the end he found he would not have had an army without them. Come to the Soldier Huts to learn the role women and children had in the Continental Army 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, May 28 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Haying and Hayrides
Children Friendly Event and Site

Old fashioned weather forecasting will be put to the test when the farmers at Howell Living Farm do what they do when the sun shines: make hay!

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the weather will be sunny and warm when they hitch their horses to old fashioned mowers, rakes and loaders to bring in another crop of the all-important forage product.  Although they chose the date back in January, they’re confident that the forecast will pan out.

Visitors to the 130-acre farm can watch, photograph and even help as farmers work in hayfields and put loose hay in the mow of a barn with a pulley-operated hayfork.  Mow filling and raking operations will take place during the morning; mowing and hay loading are planned during the afternoon.

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, May 28 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Felting Demonstration
Children Friendly Event & 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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Sunday, May 29 - Cape May, Cape May County
Ghosts of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour

A trolley tour through parts of West Cape May to the Cape May Lighthouse, with tales of ghostly activity throughout. Participants will be met at the lighthouse by a costumed keeper who will relate a ghostly tale inside the lighthouse with time available to climb. Begins and ends at the Ocean Street trolley stop in Cape May, NJ. Tour is Sunday at 8:45 p.m. Admission: $22 for adults and $14 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, May 29 - Cape May, Cape May County
Cape May Music Festival - Atlantic Brass Band

Opening the 27th Annual Cape May Music Festival on Sunday at 8:00 pm is the 35-piece Atlantic Brass Band, a long time Cape May favorite, under the baton of Salvatore Scarpa. The Atlantic Brass Band returns to present a rousing concert of American music, perfect for a Memorial Day weekend celebration. The concert will be held at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ. Admission is free. Part of the Cape May Music Festival. Co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) and the City of Cape May. For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Sunday, May 29 - 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, May 29 - Ocean County
Memorial Day Service

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Sunday, May 29 - Morristown, Morris County
Peter Toth: Centennial Series Piano Recital

Please join Morristown National Historical Park for a series of special piano recitals to celebrate the NPS Centennial. Playing on the park's 1873 Steinway grand piano, celebrated pianist Peter Toth will perform solo piano works from a variety of beloved composers.

Hungarian pianist Peter Toth is one of the most recognized artists of his generation. He has concertized in most countries in Europe, South America, and Asia. His first released CD recording won the Grand Prize of the Hungarian Liszt Society (2006). Mr. Toth is a regular guest artist at various piano festivals and has been member of the American Liszt Society since 2011.

The recital will be held at the Museum Building, 30 Washington Place, Morristown, NJ. It begins at 1:00 pm and will be held FREE of charge. No reservations necessary. For more information, call 973-539-2016 x 204 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Monday, May 30 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Village Open for Memorial Day

The Historic Village at Allaire will be open for Memorial Day! This marks the beginning of their summer hours when the village will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:0 pm. The parking fee also goes into effect Memorial Day through Labor Day.

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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Monday, May 30 - Hackensack, Bergen County
Memorial Day Wreath Laying
Children Friendly Event

At 10:00 am on Monday, join the Bergen County Historical Society as they honor the veterans of all wars with a wreath-laying at the grave of General Enoch Poor in the burial ground of the First Dutch Reformed Church on the Green, 42 Court Street, Hackensack, NJ. Excerpts from chaplain Israel Evans' graveside funeral oration will be read at the ceremony, followed by a tour of the historic cemetery.

Brigadier-General Enoch Poor, of New Hampshire, died at 44 years of age from either typhus fever or diphtheria on September 8, 1780, while about 14,000 Continental troops were encamped on "a high Ridge of land in a place called Steenrapie," the old name for the high ground extending from northern River Edge through Emerson. The main cantonment was situated between River Edge Avenue in River Edge to the vicinity of Soldier Hill Road, where Oradell, Emerson and Paramus intersect. While encamped at Steenrapie between September 4 and 20, 1780, the Continental army lost no fewer than twenty-three soldiers to disease. General Poor's body was brought from "Paramus" to the Brower House on Main Street, River Edge, where it was placed in a mahogany coffin for burial in the churchyard of the Dutch Reformed Church-on-the-Green in Hackensack on September 10, 1780. Six generals served as pallbearers while officers of the New Hampshire Brigade followed the coffin, together with officers of the new light-infantry brigade, which General Lafayette assigned to General Poor’s command shortly before his death. General George Washington, who made headquarters in the Zabriskie-Steuben House at New Bridge, marched with other generals in the funeral procession. On July 14, 1825, General Lafayette stopped at General Poor’s grave in Hackensack on his return tour of the United States as the Nation’s Guest and last living Major General of the American Revolution.

Edward Erie Poor, President of the National Park Bank of New York City, decorated General Poor’s grave every Memorial Day between 1864, when he first settled in Hackensack, and his death in 1900. The then newly organized Bergen County Historical Society organized the successful effort effort to construct a monument to General Enoch Poor on the Hackensack Green, gathering contributions of $1,000 from the State of New Jersey, $500 from the State of New Hampshire, and $500 from the Sons of the Revolution. Emilio Platti sculpted the figure, which Ernest Vatier cast in his Newark foundry. John and William Passmore Meeker, of Newark, N. J., designed the granite pedestal. The Poor monument was dedicated on Memorial Day 1904. For more information, visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Monday, May 30 - Jersey City, Hudson County
Honoring Our Heroes
Children Friendly Event

The Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery will present their 8th annual "Honoring Our Heroes" event, a military and musical tribute on Monday at 1:00 pm. This FREE public event is a very moving and patriotic one hour program, and at the end of the program, all guests are welcomed to participate by placing a flag on a Hero's grave. Our thousands of Veterans participated in battles from Revolutionary era War of 1812, Civil War and up through Desert Storm.

The cemetery has once again contracted a small group of new 'helpers', a herd of young goats, who will spending the summer with a special task - a special ecological project of eradicating acres of invasive weeds on some of the property's hilly and and rough terrain. 

Families are encouraged to attend and bring the children to our Memorial Day tribute, and then enjoy the afternoon touring the grounds (including the underground War of 1812 bunker and vaults). Children and adults are also welcomed to meet, greet, pet, and feed the friendly little goats, and watch them do their magic as they start their mission of chowing down the Japanese knot-wood and poison ivy that is not only tasty to them, but good for their four-stomach digestive system.

Refreshments will be served. The Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery is located at 435 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ. For more information, call 201-707-0738 or 973-204-9888 or visit www.jerseycitycemetery.org.

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Monday, May 30 - Mahwah, Bergen County
Museum Open House

The Old Station Museum and Caboose in Mahwah will open on Memorial Day from 9:30 am - 12:00 pm. Stop in and visit before or after the ceremony. The museum is located at 1871 Old Station Lane, Mahwah. Additionally, the Old Station Museum and Caboose will be open on Sundays, beginning June 26 until October, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Admission is free on Memorial Day. For more information, visit www.mahwahmuseum.org.

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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 June 26, 2016 - Park Ridge, Bergen County
The Jazz Age: Fashions, Flappers, and Flasks

Pascack Historical Society volunteers invite you to revisit a historical time when conservative American traditions and mores were pushed to the limit. A new exhibit, The Jazz Age: Fashions, Flappers, and Flasks, will open on Sunday, April 17 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, at 19 Ridge Avenue, Park Ridge, NJ. Admission is free, but donations are happily accepted at the door to the barrier-free 1873 museum. Children are welcome when accompanied by an adult. The exhibit will run during regular visiting hours through June 26.

The Jazz Age, the time between the end of World War I (1918) and the Stock Market crash of 1929, was noted for increased nationwide prosperity, liberated social and sexual behaviors, Prohibition, and the accompanying production of bootleg liquor, speakeasies, jazz and ragtime music.

Young carefree women drank liquor freely from decorative flasks and smoked cigarettes in public, dangling them from jeweled cigarette holders, as they danced the Charleston and Blackbottom with wild abandon. Short skirts, plunging necklines and low backs on dresses put more of the female body parts on display than ever before. The female fashion silhouette presented a boyish figure with flattened breasts and very loose fitting clothes. Emancipation from traditional gender styles encouraged women to cut their long hair and free them from the complicated styles of the Edwardian Age. The short "bob" hairstyle needed to be cut more regularly and a plethora of beauty parlors opened nationwide according to exhibit PHS Trustees Helen Whalen and Grace Wohn, exhibit curators.

Visitors will see many day and dinner dresses, coats and accessories worn and used by the women of the Pascack Valley during this short and exciting time in American history. For more information, call 201-573-0307 or visit www.pascackhistoricalsociety.org.

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Through June 26, 2016 - Sparta, Sussex County
Vintage Costume Jewelry Exhibit

With a focus on vintage costume jewelry “Made in America,” you are invited to “Faux and Fabulous: 100 Years of Vintage Costume Jewelry” at the Sparta Historical Society’s Van Kirk Homestead Museum. 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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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

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 August 2016 - Cranbury, Middlesex County
Merchants of Main Street: A Stroll Through the Shoppes of Cranbury's Past

Stop by the Cranbury Museum to view "Merchants of Main Street: A Stroll Through the Shoppes of Cranbury's Past," the Cranbury Museum's current exhibit which celebrates the creativity, hard work, and entrepreneurial skills of the Main Street merchants of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

Main Street was filled with a diversity of businesses-general stores and candy stores, millinery and hat shops, blacksmith and harness shops, banks, and newspaper offices. Through the centuries, Main Street met the needs of the Cranbury shopper. Come take a stroll down Main Street, visit our merchants and view their wares and services. This exhibit will be displayed through August 2016 at Cranbury Museum, 4 Park Place East, Cranbury, NJ. The museum is open on Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 609-655-2611 or visit www.cranburyhistory.org.

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Through September 1, 2016 - Morristown, Morris County
Two Centuries of Cultivating Green Space: The History of Macculloch Hall's Gardens

The reputation of the "New Jersey Tomato" may be legendary, but George Macculloch, the original resident and builder of what is today known as Macculloch Hall Historical Museum (MHHM), is credited with growing the first New Jersey tomato. Writing in his journal in 1829, in what is believed to be the earliest mention of the tomato, George Macculloch listed his cultivation of "tomatas." George's journal, a detailed record of his gardening successes and challenges, is a major highlight of the new exhibition at MHHM, Two Centuries of Cultivating Green Space: The History of Macculloch Hall's Gardens, which will be on view in the Schoolroom Galley of the Museum through September 1, 2016.

This unique exhibition traces the history of the gardens established at 45 Macculloch Avenue by Louisa (1785-1863) and her husband, George Macculloch (1775-1858) in 1810. The Maccullochs were avid gardeners who cultivated their 26 acres for a variety of reasons: to feed their family, for profit, and as a form of creative expression. Through photographs, design plans, and the historic crop journal meticulously kept by George Macculloch from 1829-1856, this exhibition explores a variety of gardens at Macculloch Hall-from the early nineteenth-century kitchen garden and farm; to the later Victorian and early-twentieth century gardens favored by later generations of the Miller and Post families, to the mid-twentieth-century design created at the bequest of W. Parsons Todd by the Garden Club of Morristown.

Two Centuries of Cultivating Green Space: The History of Macculloch Hall's Gardens also anticipates the interest of children in gardens and includes a special children's display focusing on the plants and animals often found in the backyard gardens of New Jersey residents. Through interactive displays such as a tabletop flower garden and a puppet tree, children can explore pollination and learn about the bees, butterflies, worms, and birds that help to make our gardens thrive.

Children are also invited to participate free of charge in MHHM's summer garden program, Dig it! Plant it! Eat it! Programming for Two Centuries of Cultivating Green Space: The History of Macculloch Hall's Gardens includes special tours of the gardens, free with admission, Sundays in June, July, and August at 2:00p m.

The garden is open daily, free to the public from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. MHHM is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00pm. Admission is $8, Adults; $6, Seniors and Students; $4, Children 6-12; and free for Members and children under 5. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-538-2404 or visit www.maccullochhall.org.

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Through October 23, 2016 - Morristown, Morris County
"Fine, Fancy, and Fashionable: 125 Years Dressing the Bride"

"Fine, Fancy, and Fashionable: 125 Years Dressing the Bride" offers an opportunity to experience the joy, magic, and elegance of 30 different wedding days and a visual timeline of bridal dresses from Mary Johnson Condit's 1840 silk gauze A-line gown to Alice Woodridge's 1954 lace tea-length dress. Join a bride and groom as they arrive at their reception in the dining room, a bride and her mother on the special day, and a busy bride creating her gown on an 1852 Florence sewing machine. Bridal accessories including shoes, gloves, veils, headpieces, photos, invitations, newspaper clippings, diary entries, and even a cake-topper, complete the display. The exhibit is on view through October 23, 2016. Acorn Hall is located at 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-267-3465 or visit www.acornhall.org.

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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