4th of July NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 7/2/16 - 7/4/16
New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings
A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com
Want to submit an event? Use our event submission form.
Saturday, July 2 - Princeton, Mercer County
Celebrate Independence Walking Tour
Family Friendly Event
Wear your red, white and blue on this one-hour walk featuring locations central to Princeton’s role in the Revolutionary War. Perfect for the whole family!
Admission: $5 per person. Tours begin in front of the Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Tour begins at 10:00 am and ends at 11:00 am. 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.
Family Friendly Event
Wear your red, white and blue on this one-hour walk featuring locations central to Princeton’s role in the Revolutionary War. Perfect for the whole family!
Admission: $5 per person. Tours begin in front of the Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Tour begins at 10:00 am and ends at 11:00 am. 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.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, July 2 - Morris Township, Morris County
Explore the Farm: Horse-Drawn Wagon Ride
Children Friendly Event & Site
On Saturday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, take a horse-drawn wagon ride! With an emphasis on sustainability, this narrated wagon ride explores the methods, equipment, crops, and enterprises of Fosterfields in the early 1900s. You can also make a special Independence Day craft! The tour runs from 10:15 am - 12:00 noon. Preregistration is required. Please call 973-326-7645 to register.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.
-----------------------------------
WHY July 4th "Begins" at The Metlar-Bodine House Museum
Start the weekend with a BANG! Discover exactly WHERE, HOW, and WHY our nation's July 4th celebration got its start - right here in Piscataway! Come and learn about Piscataway's exceptional history...see new and planned exhibits...AND try out a new app designed to give visitors an audio tour of the museum's extraordinary map exhibit, which visually illustrates the museum's theme: From Indian Trail to Interstate.
You will also have the opportunity to show your support for local history and the Metlar-Bodine House by taking advantage of the museum's mid-year membership drive by joining! You can choose a membership level that best suits you and/or your family - and don't forget - memberships make great gifts too!
The museum will be open for guided tours, every half hour, from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Saturday. Pre-registration is necessary. Admission is $5 per person. Complimentary light refreshments will be available and the Dutch Door gift shop will be open. The museum is handicap accessible and handicap parking is available in the lower parking lot. All parking is free. For more information and to register, call 732-463-8363 or visit www.metlarbodinehousemuseum.org.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, July 2 - 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 - 4:30 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.-----------------------------------
Saturday, July 2 - Bridgewater, Somerset County
Picnic on the Lawn
Family Friendly Event
Join the Heritage Trail Association for an old fashioned family picnic on the lawn on Saturday! Bring your family, blanket, and picnic items and picnic on the lawn of the Historic Van Horne House in Bridgewater, NJ from 6:00 - 10:00 pm. Docents will offer tours of the Van Horne House. The house offers an amazing hill top view of the surrounding area and a great view of the Somerset Patriots Baseball park, all of which was once Van Horne property. After the game, fireworks will be shot from the baseball field in great view of the Van Horne House.
This event is free and there is no registration necessary. Please keep our lot open for handicapped parking and park behind the target store in the Bridgewater Promenade shopping center. Bring your own food and drink and games. You are responsible for your own children. NO DOGS/PETS except service animals. NO ALCHOHOL as the Van Horne is a County owned facility. Please be good neighbors. If you brought it, take it back with you or deposit it in the trash receptacle.
The Historic Van Horne House is located at 941 E. Main Street. Bridgewater, NJ. For more information, visit www.heritagetrail.org.
-----------------------------------
Saturday, July 2 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Evening Hayrides
Children Friendly Event and Site
On Saturday evening, Howell Living History Farm will have hayrides that last 20 minutes, carrying visitors over the lanes of the 130 acre working farm. During the program, visitors can also take self-guided tours, picnic in the picnic area and join a marshmallow roast.
Rides will leave the barnyard area every 25 minutes beginning at 5:10 pm, with the last ride departing at 8:00 pm. Rides will be given on a first come, first serve basis to the first 200 visitors. Rides are intended for individual and family participation; groups cannot be accommodated. There is no charge for the wagon rides.
A wheelchair accessible wagon is also available. Individuals who would like to ride on this wagon should call 609-737-3299 in advance, and ask for Kathy. On the dates when evening hayrides are offered, the Farm will be closed during the day.
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.
-----------------------------------
Evening Hayrides
Children Friendly Event and Site
On Saturday evening, Howell Living History Farm will have hayrides that last 20 minutes, carrying visitors over the lanes of the 130 acre working farm. During the program, visitors can also take self-guided tours, picnic in the picnic area and join a marshmallow roast.Rides will leave the barnyard area every 25 minutes beginning at 5:10 pm, with the last ride departing at 8:00 pm. Rides will be given on a first come, first serve basis to the first 200 visitors. Rides are intended for individual and family participation; groups cannot be accommodated. There is no charge for the wagon rides.
A wheelchair accessible wagon is also available. Individuals who would like to ride on this wagon should call 609-737-3299 in advance, and ask for Kathy. On the dates when evening hayrides are offered, the Farm will be closed during the day.
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.
-----------------------------------
Saturday - Sunday, July 2- 3 - Cape May, Cape May County
Independence Day Celebration at Historic Cold Spring Village
Children Friendly Event & Site
Celebrate all things American at Historic Cold Spring Village's annual Independence Day Celebration, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. A variety of patriotic family activities, programs and music will be taking place and the Village's restored historic buildings will be open, featuring demonstrations of Early American trades and crafts. This event is generously sponsored by the Brigantine VFW.
At 12:30 pm on Saturday and 3:00 pm on Sunday, the Village's Deputy Director for Education, Jim Stephens, will present The Story of Old Glory, a fascinating look at the origins and history of our nation's flag.
On Saturday at 2:00 pm, the John Walter Cape Community Band will perform patriotic music at the Village Gazebo. The Family Activity Area will feature children's dress-up clothes, historic games, and take-home patriotic crafts including a tin-punch American flag. Kids can also take part in the "Patriot Spy Game," visiting Village buildings to look for clues using a real Revolutionary War cipher. At 11:30 am on Saturday and 1:00 pm on Sunday at the Dennisville Inn, children ages 5 to 12 can participate in a militia muster.
The Village is located on Route 9, three miles north of Victorian Cape May and a mile and a half west of the southern terminus of the Garden State Parkway. Admission during the season is $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. Unlimited free admission is available with Village membership. The Village Nature Trail at Bradner's Run is open to the public for free self-guided tours. For more information, call 609-898-2300, ext. 10, or visit www.hcsv.org.
-----------------------------------
Revolutionary Times 2016
Children Friendly Events
For the fourth year in a row, visitors to, and residents of, Morris County will have the opportunity to enjoy an authentically, patriotic 4th of July the way the Founding Fathers might have imagined it. This year, in addition to celebrating the country's independence, the event will also salute the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and the 200th anniversary of the Trustees of the Morristown Green. The schedule of events spans July 2 to July 4, a period during which Morristown National Historical Park will be free and open to the public in honor of their Centennial and the July 4th holiday.
Saturday, July 2nd
The Hanover Township Landmark Commission kicks off the weekend with a free tour of its 1718 Burying Yard located off of Route 10 East in Whippany. This one-hour tour will highlight people who first settled Morris County and are buried in the cemetery.
Morristown National Historical Park will be free and open to the public from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. Visitors will be able to view a special National Park centennial exhibit, as well as the museum and Ford Mansion at the Morristown unit of the park.
Sunday, July 3rd
Morristown National Historical Park will host a Revolutionary War encampment at the Ford Mansion. Costumed reenactors will be on hand demonstrating a soldier's life in the Continental Army. The park will be free and open from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm. Between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm the park welcomes the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps for a lawn concert, on the lawn between the Ford Mansion and the Washington's Headquarters Museum. Bring blankets and chairs. Rain location will be on-site in the Washington's Headquarters Museum auditorium.
The Morris County Park Commission, the Morris County Tourism Bureau and The Town of Morristown are pleased to present a fireworks display, also free to the public, on Sunday, July 3rd. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 pm at Central Park of Morris County, off West Hanover Avenue in Morris Plains-Parsippany. Parking is limited and early arrival and carpooling is recommended. Central Park of Morris County will be open for picnicking beginning at 7:30 pm.
Monday, July 4th
Events will begin at the Ford Mansion where the Continental Army reenactors will march to the Morristown Green at 11:00 am. The public is invited to fall in and march with them. At the Morristown Green there will be family activities beginning at noon. Eric Olsen and Tom Winslow of Morristown National Historical Park's ranger corps will provide the colorful, annual Reading of the Declaration of Independence, a long-standing Morris County tradition, at 12:30 pm.
Following the reading there will be a musket salute and free guided tours of the Presbyterian Church of Morristown's church and Colonial-era graveyard. This is a rain or shine event. In case of rain the event will be held indoors at the Presbyterian Church, 57 East Park Place, Morristown, NJ.
For more information, contact the Morris County Tourism Bureau at www.morristourism.org or call 973-631-5151.
-----------------------------------
Independence Day Celebration at Historic Cold Spring Village
Children Friendly Event & Site
Celebrate all things American at Historic Cold Spring Village's annual Independence Day Celebration, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. A variety of patriotic family activities, programs and music will be taking place and the Village's restored historic buildings will be open, featuring demonstrations of Early American trades and crafts. This event is generously sponsored by the Brigantine VFW.At 12:30 pm on Saturday and 3:00 pm on Sunday, the Village's Deputy Director for Education, Jim Stephens, will present The Story of Old Glory, a fascinating look at the origins and history of our nation's flag.
On Saturday at 2:00 pm, the John Walter Cape Community Band will perform patriotic music at the Village Gazebo. The Family Activity Area will feature children's dress-up clothes, historic games, and take-home patriotic crafts including a tin-punch American flag. Kids can also take part in the "Patriot Spy Game," visiting Village buildings to look for clues using a real Revolutionary War cipher. At 11:30 am on Saturday and 1:00 pm on Sunday at the Dennisville Inn, children ages 5 to 12 can participate in a militia muster.
The Village is located on Route 9, three miles north of Victorian Cape May and a mile and a half west of the southern terminus of the Garden State Parkway. Admission during the season is $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. Unlimited free admission is available with Village membership. The Village Nature Trail at Bradner's Run is open to the public for free self-guided tours. For more information, call 609-898-2300, ext. 10, or visit www.hcsv.org.
-----------------------------------
Saturday - Monday, July 2 - 4 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Children Friendly Event & Site
Celebrate July 4th in an appropriate historical setting at Historic Walnford from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Read the Declaration of Independence then use a freshly sharpened quill pen to scribe your thoughts on freedom, or just practice your “John Hancock”. We will have a variety of historical activities available for young and old to “pursue happiness” this weekend.
While there, visit the large, elegant Walnford home built in 1774, the 19th century gristmill and the farm buildings set in a beautiful landscape. Walnford is located at 62 Walnford Road, 08501. For more information, call 609-259-6275 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.
-----------------------------------
Saturday - Monday, July 2 - 4 - Morristown, Morris CountyLife, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Children Friendly Event & Site
Celebrate July 4th in an appropriate historical setting at Historic Walnford from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Read the Declaration of Independence then use a freshly sharpened quill pen to scribe your thoughts on freedom, or just practice your “John Hancock”. We will have a variety of historical activities available for young and old to “pursue happiness” this weekend.While there, visit the large, elegant Walnford home built in 1774, the 19th century gristmill and the farm buildings set in a beautiful landscape. Walnford is located at 62 Walnford Road, 08501. For more information, call 609-259-6275 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.
-----------------------------------
Revolutionary Times 2016
Children Friendly Events
For the fourth year in a row, visitors to, and residents of, Morris County will have the opportunity to enjoy an authentically, patriotic 4th of July the way the Founding Fathers might have imagined it. This year, in addition to celebrating the country's independence, the event will also salute the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and the 200th anniversary of the Trustees of the Morristown Green. The schedule of events spans July 2 to July 4, a period during which Morristown National Historical Park will be free and open to the public in honor of their Centennial and the July 4th holiday.Saturday, July 2nd
The Hanover Township Landmark Commission kicks off the weekend with a free tour of its 1718 Burying Yard located off of Route 10 East in Whippany. This one-hour tour will highlight people who first settled Morris County and are buried in the cemetery.
Morristown National Historical Park will be free and open to the public from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. Visitors will be able to view a special National Park centennial exhibit, as well as the museum and Ford Mansion at the Morristown unit of the park.
Sunday, July 3rd
Morristown National Historical Park will host a Revolutionary War encampment at the Ford Mansion. Costumed reenactors will be on hand demonstrating a soldier's life in the Continental Army. The park will be free and open from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm. Between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm the park welcomes the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps for a lawn concert, on the lawn between the Ford Mansion and the Washington's Headquarters Museum. Bring blankets and chairs. Rain location will be on-site in the Washington's Headquarters Museum auditorium.
The Morris County Park Commission, the Morris County Tourism Bureau and The Town of Morristown are pleased to present a fireworks display, also free to the public, on Sunday, July 3rd. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 pm at Central Park of Morris County, off West Hanover Avenue in Morris Plains-Parsippany. Parking is limited and early arrival and carpooling is recommended. Central Park of Morris County will be open for picnicking beginning at 7:30 pm.
Monday, July 4th
Events will begin at the Ford Mansion where the Continental Army reenactors will march to the Morristown Green at 11:00 am. The public is invited to fall in and march with them. At the Morristown Green there will be family activities beginning at noon. Eric Olsen and Tom Winslow of Morristown National Historical Park's ranger corps will provide the colorful, annual Reading of the Declaration of Independence, a long-standing Morris County tradition, at 12:30 pm.
Following the reading there will be a musket salute and free guided tours of the Presbyterian Church of Morristown's church and Colonial-era graveyard. This is a rain or shine event. In case of rain the event will be held indoors at the Presbyterian Church, 57 East Park Place, Morristown, NJ.
For more information, contact the Morris County Tourism Bureau at www.morristourism.org or call 973-631-5151.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - Morris Township, Morris County
Huzzah for King George!
Children Friendly Event & Site
Loyalists! On Sunday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, visit the Ogden Farmhouse for a spot of tea, and help a genteel colonist with her textile projects. Program runs from 1:00 - 3:30 pm.
Admission: $6/adult, $5/senior (65+), $4/child (ages 4 -16), $2/child (2 and 3). FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit www.morrisparks.net.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - Morristown, Morris County
Revolutionary Era Powder Mill Walking Tours
On Sunday at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 pm, the Morris County Historical Society features interpretive walking tours to the site of a Revolutionary era Powder Mill located just behind Acorn Hall, along the Whippany River. The guided walking tours follow Patriots’ Path to where the mill once stood, giving an opportunity to learn more about this important archaeological resource and its history. The Morris County Historical Society is pleased to offer this program as part of Revolutionary Times 2016, sponsored by the Morris County Tourism Bureau and the Morristown National Historical Park. Additionally, the walking tour offers a view of the Society’s progress recovering its historic woodlot, lost during Superstorm Sandy. The admission to participate in a Powder Mill site walking tour is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for students. It is Free for children under age 12 and MCHS members.
For a guided tour of Acorn Hall and to see the current exhibit “Fine, Fancy, and Fashionable: 125 Years Dressing the Bride,” there is a separate admission of $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for students. Free for children under age 12 and MCHS members. To see the exhibit, only, is one half of the price of a regular admission. Acorn Hall is located at 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-267-3465 or visit www.acornhall.org.
-----------------------------------
Sunday - Monday, July 3 - 4 - Cape May, Cape May County
Dinner & Fireworks
Here's an exclusive chance to see the area's Independence Day fireworks from the ideal vantage point: atop the Cape May Lighthouse. Participants will be transported by trolley from the Washington Street Mall Information Booth to the Red Store in Cape May Point for a delicious, seasonal, five-course dinner prepared by Chef Lucas Manteca. After dinner, hop back on board the trolley for a short ride to Cape May Lighthouse, where you will climb to the top to watch the fireworks from the watch gallery. Reservations necessary - limited to 12 people each night. Event starts at 6:15 pm. Tickets $100. 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.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Piscataway, Middlesex County
Independence Day Celebration with Dolley Madison
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Shrewsbury, Monmouth County
July 4 Kick Off Celebration at Allen House
Family Friendly Event
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Join the Monmouth County Historical Association for a historic celebration in honor of Independence Day with a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on Saturday, at Allen House, 400 Shrewsbury Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ starting at 10:00 am. Association President Linda Bricker will act as master of ceremonies. Mayor Donald W. Burden of Shrewsbury, Reverend Lisa Mitchell from Christ Church along with Church Historian Bob Kelly will also join in the festivities.
The bells at Christ Church will ring in honor of the signing. Members of the public are invited to participate in reading parts of the Declaration. Shrewsbury Boy Scouts, along with their Troop Leader, will serve as color guard during the Pledge of Allegiance. Attendees will have the special opportunity to see one of the original copies of the Declaration before it makes its way to a permanent home in the archives of the Monmouth County Library in Manalapan. After the reading, Christ Church will be drawing the winners of their raffle to climb their clocktower. Tickets will be on sale at the event.
Costumed interpreters will welcome guests and the Allen House will remain open for tours and visitors until 12:00 noon. Christ Church will also be conducting performances of their Dead Actors Guild. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony. Parking is available in the Shrewsbury municipal parking lot across the street from the Allen House. For more information, call 732-462-1466 or visit www.monmouthhistory.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Caldwell, Essex County
Ice Cream Social
Family Friendly Event
In between viewing spectacular fireworks and attending family barbecues on this upcoming 4th of July weekend, be sure to take part in another summertime American tradition - enjoying ice cream. Ice cream, a magician, soft drinks, popcorn, lemonade, burgers ‘n’ dogs by the Cloverleaf, and tours of the Grover Cleveland historic birthplace are all part of the fun at the ice cream social, to be held on Monday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm.
Take a stroll through history with free tours of the historic birthplace museum and peak into the past with the traveling trunks. Enjoy entertainment from a strolling magician and of course free ice cream for everyone! Children may dress up in Victorian costumes, watch Phydeau's fleas perform, enjoy Cleveland era games such as marbles, and potato sack races. Food services are by Cloverleaf Tavern, and old fashioned lemonade and popcorn are also available.
The Grover Cleveland Birthplace is located at 207 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ. While there are no admission charges and many events are free, donations are accepted. For more information, call 973-226-0001 or visit www.presidentcleveland.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Haddonfield, Camden County
Independence Day Celebration
Children Friendly Event
On July 4th, before Haddonfield's annual parade on Kings Highway, an interpreter will read the Declaration of Independence at 9:30 am on the steps of the Indian King Tavern. At 10:00 am the parade through Haddonfield begins! An open house will follow the parade until 3:00 pm. Revolutionary War reenactors from the Second Pennsylvania Regiment will be encamped at the Indian King hanging out to celebrate, so be sure to join them! The Indian King Tavern is located at 233 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, NJ. For more information, visit www.indiankingfriends.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Independence Day Celebration
Family Friendly Event & Site
.JPG)
Independence Day was a festive time in the 1890s at Longstreet Farm. Patriotism was celebrated with music, games and good picnic food. Join the staff at Longstreet Farm on July 4th as they celebrate the holiday with games and contests from 12:00 noon - 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.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Bridgeton, Cumberland County
Historic Potter's Tavern Open house
Family Friendly Site
Celebrate the Fourth of July by visiting the historic Potter’s Tavern on Saturday. You are invited to stop in and tour the tavern between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00 pm. The tavern is located at 51 West Broad Street in Bridgeton, NJ (opposite the Cumberland County Court House).
Potter’s Tavern will be open every Sunday during the month of July (2016) between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00 pm. Tavern keeper, Matthew Potter, Jr. came to Bridgeton from Philadelphia and opened the tavern in 1773. It became a favorite meeting place for the local young men just before the Revolutionary War. Today, it is one of New Jersey’s most significant historical shrines and is an excellent example of the type of frame houses built in New Jersey during the 17th and 18th century. It was here that the Plain Dealer, Cumberland County’s pioneer newspaper, was published for the purpose of supporting the drive for American liberty from the Crown rule. The fact that Matthew Potter gave a home to the Plain Dealer placed him in personal danger, risking a charge of treason during this time. The distinguished historian, John T. Cunningham, said that the fact the Plain Dealer appeared every Tuesday morning probably made it New Jersey’s first regular “newspaper.” For more information, call the Cumberland County Historical Society at 856-455-8580.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Princeton, Mercer County
July 4th Jubilee
Children Friendly Event
Celebrate July 4th at Morven, the former home of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence! This FREE family event will take place on the front lawn from 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm! The Back Door Band will be performing on the front porch and various activities including a "Meet and Greet with Benjamin Franklin", portrayed by David Emerson, an opportunity for children of all ages to “sign” the Declaration of Independence, games, and MORE! Oink & Moo BBQ will also be on-site to provide refreshments! This event is SHINE only (due to the outdoor activities, it will be cancelled if there is prolonged rain). Guests are invited to use the Princeton Theological Seminary or Monument Hall parking lots, or can park on the street. There will be no parking at Morven since so many children will be on the grounds. Morven Museum & Gardens is located at 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ. For more information, call 609-924-8144 or visit www.morven.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - New Brunswick, Middlesex County
Declaration of Independence Reading
Family Friendly Event
In 1776, the third reading of the Declaration of Independence took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Come celebrate the 4th of July with a reenactment of that historic event at historic Christ Church, 5 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Several activities are planned as part of our commemoration of this historical event. Paul Ambos will play the role of Colonel John Neilson, who gave the third reading in New Brunswick on July 9, 1776, following readings in Philadelphia and Trenton. Professor Chris Rasmussen, who teaches history at Fairleigh Dickinson University, will speak on New Brunswick and the Revolution. Patriotic music will be performed by Director of Music John Sheridan on the church’s Richards Fowkes tracker organ. Prayers will be offered at the grave of Brigadier General Anthony White, who was an aide-decamp to General George Washington.
The event begins at 11:00 am. Free admission. Free parking in the Church Street Parking Deck is available via a voucher system. Please see an usher for a voucher card and instruction sheet. For more information, visit www.christchurchnewbrunswick.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Ringwood, Passaic County
July 4th Celebration
Family Friendly Event
The staff at Ringwood Manor is thrilled to once again announce the details for the annual Declaration of Independence celebration! Monday marks the event'’s 17th year, having become an exciting and educational tradition for many families in the northern New Jersey area. The highlight of the event is a dramatic delivery and reading of the Declaration of Independence on the steps of the Manor’s porch along with colonial crafters, activities, and demonstrations. The front lawn of the Manor is transformed into a colonial town square with Revolutionary War reenactors from New Jersey Militia- Heard’s Brigade, the 35th Royal Sussex Regiment, Outwater’s Militia, the Friends of Long Pond Ironworks, and individual volunteers. All help to celebrate the 240th anniversary of American independence and bringing the historic experience to life.
Following its creation, news of the Declaration spread to the colonists through public readings, which took place in large centralized spaces such as town squares, churches, and taverns. The Declaration was formally adopted on July 4th, 1776. The first public readings of the document took place four days after its creation in front of large crowds in Philadelphia, PA, Trenton, NJ, and Easton, PA. A day later, on July 9th, 1776, it was read aloud to Washington’s Continental troops in New York City. Readings of the document continued throughout the colonies during the months of July and August of 1776, with readings taking place from Watertown, MA and Portsmouth, NH to Halifax, NC and Savannah, GA. The celebration at Ringwood Manor attempts to recreate the same excitement felt by colonists when they first heard those famous words 240 years ago.
The festivities will begin in front of Ringwood Manor at 1:00 pm, when colonial era toys and games will be available for visitors to play with. Visitors young and old can try to sign their “John Hancock” on a copy of the Declaration using a traditional quill pen and ink. Colonial crafters, demonstrations, and displays will turn the front lawn of Ringwood Manor into an 18th century town square. An exhibit on Ringwood’s own Surveyor General Robert Erskine and his role in the American Revolution will also be on display.
The ceremony itself will begin at 2:00 pm with a short introduction about the history of the event, noting that the afternoon recreates events that happened in the area spanning a three-year period, from 1775 to 1777. A lively debate among members of the crowd will break out, involving British soldiers, area Loyalists, and the supporters of the cause for independence, the colonial rebels. After the debate concludes, the local militia unit will form and muster up as it did original in 1775. Soon after, the Declaration will be delivered to the front steps of Ringwood Manor by a horse and rider. The document will then be read to the crowd by local reenactor, Larry Stephan, at 2:30 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to listen closely and cheer and jeer during the reading. Following the reading, the British “Grand Union” flag will be replaced with the first version of the new country’s flag, known as the “Hopkinson” flag. It was designed in 1777 by Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence representing New Jersey. After the flag is raised, the militia will perform a ceremonial musket volley. The bell atop Ringwood Manor will then be rung thirteen times, concluding the ceremony.
But the fun does not stop there! The public is encouraged to stay after the ceremony as the celebration continues, with children able to join the Continental Army and learn military drills with the reenactors. The North River Historical Dancers will perform 18th century dances in the back gardens with members of the public who wish to join in! Along with the activities, the Sugar Loafe Baking Company will be back again, selling delicious 18th century baked goods to the crowd. Colonial items and keepsakes will also be available for purchase from sutler Lady Ellen. Free watermelon slices are available to everyone who attends. All are welcome to join the fun!
While there is no charge for the Independence Day celebration, there is, however, a parking fee of $5 per car for in-state residents and $7 per car for out-of-state residents to enter Ringwood State Park. Ringwood Manor'’s interior will be open to the public in a self-guided format between 10:00 am and 1:30 pm with the ceremony and celebration to proceed shortly thereafter. The fee to enter Ringwood Manor is $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-12, with children 5 and under free. The event will take place rain or shine. Ringwood Manor is located at 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ, within Ringwood State Park.
Independence Day at Ringwood Manor is sponsored by the North Jersey Highlands Historical Society and the Ringwood State Park staff. For information, call 973-962-7031 ext. 0 or visit www.ringwoodmanor.org.
----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Tuckerton, Ocean County
4th of July in Tuckerton
Family Friendly Event & Site
The Pinelands 4th of July Committee presents Fireworks and Family Fun at Tuckerton Seaport! Celebrate the 4th of July in Tuckerton! A parade down Main Street starts at 10:00 am. From 4:30 - 9:30pm there will be food vendors and family fun at Tuckerton Seaport, including live music and jugglers. Enjoy complimentary Seaport admission all day! End the day with fireworks over the lake at dusk. Enjoy a family-friendly day of fun free of charge! Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum is located at 120 West Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ. For more information, call 609-296-8868 or visit www.tuckertonseaport.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Princeton, Mercer County
Independence Day Celebration
Family Friendly Site
.JPG)
On Monday, celebrate Independence Day at Princeton Battlefield. The battle on this site on January 3, 1777 is considered to be the fiercest fight during the American Revolution. General George Washington led his troops to this otherwise peaceful winter field and defeated a force of British Regulars, giving Washington his first victory against the British Regulars on the battlefield. Between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, the Clarke House will be open for tours. Admission is free. Princeton Battlefield is located at 500 Mercer Road, Princeton, NJ. For more information, call 609-921-0074 or visit www.theprincetonbattlefieldsociety.com.
-----------------------------------
Huzzah for King George!
Children Friendly Event & Site
Loyalists! On Sunday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, visit the Ogden Farmhouse for a spot of tea, and help a genteel colonist with her textile projects. Program runs from 1:00 - 3:30 pm.
Admission: $6/adult, $5/senior (65+), $4/child (ages 4 -16), $2/child (2 and 3). FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit www.morrisparks.net.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - Morristown, Morris County
Revolutionary Era Powder Mill Walking Tours
On Sunday at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 pm, the Morris County Historical Society features interpretive walking tours to the site of a Revolutionary era Powder Mill located just behind Acorn Hall, along the Whippany River. The guided walking tours follow Patriots’ Path to where the mill once stood, giving an opportunity to learn more about this important archaeological resource and its history. The Morris County Historical Society is pleased to offer this program as part of Revolutionary Times 2016, sponsored by the Morris County Tourism Bureau and the Morristown National Historical Park. Additionally, the walking tour offers a view of the Society’s progress recovering its historic woodlot, lost during Superstorm Sandy. The admission to participate in a Powder Mill site walking tour is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for students. It is Free for children under age 12 and MCHS members.
For a guided tour of Acorn Hall and to see the current exhibit “Fine, Fancy, and Fashionable: 125 Years Dressing the Bride,” there is a separate admission of $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for students. Free for children under age 12 and MCHS members. To see the exhibit, only, is one half of the price of a regular admission. Acorn Hall is located at 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-267-3465 or visit www.acornhall.org.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - 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.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - West Orange, Essex County
Geothermal Tour at the Glenmont Estate
Go "behind the scenes" at the Edison home. Join a guide for a walk through the basement of the famous house and learn about its new geothermal heating and cooling system. This program will last about 30 minutes at take place at 1:30 and again at 2:30 pm. It focuses on the technical aspects of the environmentally friendly geothermal system. The basement is not wheelchair accessible.
The tour is included with regular admission. Tickets must be purchased at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park Laboratory Complex Visitor Center at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ. Admission is $10.00 for adults, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x33 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Music at the Farmhouse
Children Friendly Event & Site
On Sunday, visit the farmhouse at Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to enjoy music from 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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - West Orange, Essex County
Geothermal Tour at the Glenmont Estate
Go "behind the scenes" at the Edison home. Join a guide for a walk through the basement of the famous house and learn about its new geothermal heating and cooling system. This program will last about 30 minutes at take place at 1:30 and again at 2:30 pm. It focuses on the technical aspects of the environmentally friendly geothermal system. The basement is not wheelchair accessible.The tour is included with regular admission. Tickets must be purchased at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park Laboratory Complex Visitor Center at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ. Admission is $10.00 for adults, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x33 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.
-----------------------------------
Sunday, July 3 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Music at the Farmhouse
Children Friendly Event & Site
On Sunday, visit the farmhouse at Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to enjoy music from 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.
-----------------------------------
Dinner & Fireworks
Here's an exclusive chance to see the area's Independence Day fireworks from the ideal vantage point: atop the Cape May Lighthouse. Participants will be transported by trolley from the Washington Street Mall Information Booth to the Red Store in Cape May Point for a delicious, seasonal, five-course dinner prepared by Chef Lucas Manteca. After dinner, hop back on board the trolley for a short ride to Cape May Lighthouse, where you will climb to the top to watch the fireworks from the watch gallery. Reservations necessary - limited to 12 people each night. Event starts at 6:15 pm. Tickets $100. 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.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Piscataway, Middlesex County
Independence Day Celebration with Dolley Madison
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Shrewsbury, Monmouth County
July 4 Kick Off Celebration at Allen House
Family Friendly Event
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Join the Monmouth County Historical Association for a historic celebration in honor of Independence Day with a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on Saturday, at Allen House, 400 Shrewsbury Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ starting at 10:00 am. Association President Linda Bricker will act as master of ceremonies. Mayor Donald W. Burden of Shrewsbury, Reverend Lisa Mitchell from Christ Church along with Church Historian Bob Kelly will also join in the festivities.
The bells at Christ Church will ring in honor of the signing. Members of the public are invited to participate in reading parts of the Declaration. Shrewsbury Boy Scouts, along with their Troop Leader, will serve as color guard during the Pledge of Allegiance. Attendees will have the special opportunity to see one of the original copies of the Declaration before it makes its way to a permanent home in the archives of the Monmouth County Library in Manalapan. After the reading, Christ Church will be drawing the winners of their raffle to climb their clocktower. Tickets will be on sale at the event.
Costumed interpreters will welcome guests and the Allen House will remain open for tours and visitors until 12:00 noon. Christ Church will also be conducting performances of their Dead Actors Guild. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony. Parking is available in the Shrewsbury municipal parking lot across the street from the Allen House. For more information, call 732-462-1466 or visit www.monmouthhistory.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Caldwell, Essex County
Ice Cream Social
Family Friendly Event
In between viewing spectacular fireworks and attending family barbecues on this upcoming 4th of July weekend, be sure to take part in another summertime American tradition - enjoying ice cream. Ice cream, a magician, soft drinks, popcorn, lemonade, burgers ‘n’ dogs by the Cloverleaf, and tours of the Grover Cleveland historic birthplace are all part of the fun at the ice cream social, to be held on Monday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm.Take a stroll through history with free tours of the historic birthplace museum and peak into the past with the traveling trunks. Enjoy entertainment from a strolling magician and of course free ice cream for everyone! Children may dress up in Victorian costumes, watch Phydeau's fleas perform, enjoy Cleveland era games such as marbles, and potato sack races. Food services are by Cloverleaf Tavern, and old fashioned lemonade and popcorn are also available.
The Grover Cleveland Birthplace is located at 207 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ. While there are no admission charges and many events are free, donations are accepted. For more information, call 973-226-0001 or visit www.presidentcleveland.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Haddonfield, Camden County
Independence Day Celebration
Children Friendly Event
On July 4th, before Haddonfield's annual parade on Kings Highway, an interpreter will read the Declaration of Independence at 9:30 am on the steps of the Indian King Tavern. At 10:00 am the parade through Haddonfield begins! An open house will follow the parade until 3:00 pm. Revolutionary War reenactors from the Second Pennsylvania Regiment will be encamped at the Indian King hanging out to celebrate, so be sure to join them! The Indian King Tavern is located at 233 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, NJ. For more information, visit www.indiankingfriends.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Independence Day Celebration
Family Friendly Event & Site
Independence Day was a festive time in the 1890s at Longstreet Farm. Patriotism was celebrated with music, games and good picnic food. Join the staff at Longstreet Farm on July 4th as they celebrate the holiday with games and contests from 12:00 noon - 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.-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Bridgeton, Cumberland County
Historic Potter's Tavern Open house
Family Friendly Site
Celebrate the Fourth of July by visiting the historic Potter’s Tavern on Saturday. You are invited to stop in and tour the tavern between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00 pm. The tavern is located at 51 West Broad Street in Bridgeton, NJ (opposite the Cumberland County Court House).
Potter’s Tavern will be open every Sunday during the month of July (2016) between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00 pm. Tavern keeper, Matthew Potter, Jr. came to Bridgeton from Philadelphia and opened the tavern in 1773. It became a favorite meeting place for the local young men just before the Revolutionary War. Today, it is one of New Jersey’s most significant historical shrines and is an excellent example of the type of frame houses built in New Jersey during the 17th and 18th century. It was here that the Plain Dealer, Cumberland County’s pioneer newspaper, was published for the purpose of supporting the drive for American liberty from the Crown rule. The fact that Matthew Potter gave a home to the Plain Dealer placed him in personal danger, risking a charge of treason during this time. The distinguished historian, John T. Cunningham, said that the fact the Plain Dealer appeared every Tuesday morning probably made it New Jersey’s first regular “newspaper.” For more information, call the Cumberland County Historical Society at 856-455-8580.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Princeton, Mercer County
July 4th Jubilee
Children Friendly Event
Celebrate July 4th at Morven, the former home of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence! This FREE family event will take place on the front lawn from 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm! The Back Door Band will be performing on the front porch and various activities including a "Meet and Greet with Benjamin Franklin", portrayed by David Emerson, an opportunity for children of all ages to “sign” the Declaration of Independence, games, and MORE! Oink & Moo BBQ will also be on-site to provide refreshments! This event is SHINE only (due to the outdoor activities, it will be cancelled if there is prolonged rain). Guests are invited to use the Princeton Theological Seminary or Monument Hall parking lots, or can park on the street. There will be no parking at Morven since so many children will be on the grounds. Morven Museum & Gardens is located at 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ. For more information, call 609-924-8144 or visit www.morven.org.-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - New Brunswick, Middlesex County
Declaration of Independence Reading
Family Friendly Event
In 1776, the third reading of the Declaration of Independence took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Come celebrate the 4th of July with a reenactment of that historic event at historic Christ Church, 5 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Several activities are planned as part of our commemoration of this historical event. Paul Ambos will play the role of Colonel John Neilson, who gave the third reading in New Brunswick on July 9, 1776, following readings in Philadelphia and Trenton. Professor Chris Rasmussen, who teaches history at Fairleigh Dickinson University, will speak on New Brunswick and the Revolution. Patriotic music will be performed by Director of Music John Sheridan on the church’s Richards Fowkes tracker organ. Prayers will be offered at the grave of Brigadier General Anthony White, who was an aide-decamp to General George Washington.
The event begins at 11:00 am. Free admission. Free parking in the Church Street Parking Deck is available via a voucher system. Please see an usher for a voucher card and instruction sheet. For more information, visit www.christchurchnewbrunswick.org.
-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Ringwood, Passaic County
July 4th Celebration
Family Friendly Event
The staff at Ringwood Manor is thrilled to once again announce the details for the annual Declaration of Independence celebration! Monday marks the event'’s 17th year, having become an exciting and educational tradition for many families in the northern New Jersey area. The highlight of the event is a dramatic delivery and reading of the Declaration of Independence on the steps of the Manor’s porch along with colonial crafters, activities, and demonstrations. The front lawn of the Manor is transformed into a colonial town square with Revolutionary War reenactors from New Jersey Militia- Heard’s Brigade, the 35th Royal Sussex Regiment, Outwater’s Militia, the Friends of Long Pond Ironworks, and individual volunteers. All help to celebrate the 240th anniversary of American independence and bringing the historic experience to life.Following its creation, news of the Declaration spread to the colonists through public readings, which took place in large centralized spaces such as town squares, churches, and taverns. The Declaration was formally adopted on July 4th, 1776. The first public readings of the document took place four days after its creation in front of large crowds in Philadelphia, PA, Trenton, NJ, and Easton, PA. A day later, on July 9th, 1776, it was read aloud to Washington’s Continental troops in New York City. Readings of the document continued throughout the colonies during the months of July and August of 1776, with readings taking place from Watertown, MA and Portsmouth, NH to Halifax, NC and Savannah, GA. The celebration at Ringwood Manor attempts to recreate the same excitement felt by colonists when they first heard those famous words 240 years ago.
The festivities will begin in front of Ringwood Manor at 1:00 pm, when colonial era toys and games will be available for visitors to play with. Visitors young and old can try to sign their “John Hancock” on a copy of the Declaration using a traditional quill pen and ink. Colonial crafters, demonstrations, and displays will turn the front lawn of Ringwood Manor into an 18th century town square. An exhibit on Ringwood’s own Surveyor General Robert Erskine and his role in the American Revolution will also be on display.
The ceremony itself will begin at 2:00 pm with a short introduction about the history of the event, noting that the afternoon recreates events that happened in the area spanning a three-year period, from 1775 to 1777. A lively debate among members of the crowd will break out, involving British soldiers, area Loyalists, and the supporters of the cause for independence, the colonial rebels. After the debate concludes, the local militia unit will form and muster up as it did original in 1775. Soon after, the Declaration will be delivered to the front steps of Ringwood Manor by a horse and rider. The document will then be read to the crowd by local reenactor, Larry Stephan, at 2:30 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to listen closely and cheer and jeer during the reading. Following the reading, the British “Grand Union” flag will be replaced with the first version of the new country’s flag, known as the “Hopkinson” flag. It was designed in 1777 by Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence representing New Jersey. After the flag is raised, the militia will perform a ceremonial musket volley. The bell atop Ringwood Manor will then be rung thirteen times, concluding the ceremony.
But the fun does not stop there! The public is encouraged to stay after the ceremony as the celebration continues, with children able to join the Continental Army and learn military drills with the reenactors. The North River Historical Dancers will perform 18th century dances in the back gardens with members of the public who wish to join in! Along with the activities, the Sugar Loafe Baking Company will be back again, selling delicious 18th century baked goods to the crowd. Colonial items and keepsakes will also be available for purchase from sutler Lady Ellen. Free watermelon slices are available to everyone who attends. All are welcome to join the fun!
While there is no charge for the Independence Day celebration, there is, however, a parking fee of $5 per car for in-state residents and $7 per car for out-of-state residents to enter Ringwood State Park. Ringwood Manor'’s interior will be open to the public in a self-guided format between 10:00 am and 1:30 pm with the ceremony and celebration to proceed shortly thereafter. The fee to enter Ringwood Manor is $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-12, with children 5 and under free. The event will take place rain or shine. Ringwood Manor is located at 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ, within Ringwood State Park.
Independence Day at Ringwood Manor is sponsored by the North Jersey Highlands Historical Society and the Ringwood State Park staff. For information, call 973-962-7031 ext. 0 or visit www.ringwoodmanor.org.
----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Tuckerton, Ocean County
4th of July in Tuckerton
Family Friendly Event & Site
The Pinelands 4th of July Committee presents Fireworks and Family Fun at Tuckerton Seaport! Celebrate the 4th of July in Tuckerton! A parade down Main Street starts at 10:00 am. From 4:30 - 9:30pm there will be food vendors and family fun at Tuckerton Seaport, including live music and jugglers. Enjoy complimentary Seaport admission all day! End the day with fireworks over the lake at dusk. Enjoy a family-friendly day of fun free of charge! Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum is located at 120 West Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ. For more information, call 609-296-8868 or visit www.tuckertonseaport.org.-----------------------------------
Monday, July 4 - Princeton, Mercer County
Independence Day Celebration
Family Friendly Site
On Monday, celebrate Independence Day at Princeton Battlefield. The battle on this site on January 3, 1777 is considered to be the fiercest fight during the American Revolution. General George Washington led his troops to this otherwise peaceful winter field and defeated a force of British Regulars, giving Washington his first victory against the British Regulars on the battlefield. Between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, the Clarke House will be open for tours. Admission is free. Princeton Battlefield is located at 500 Mercer Road, Princeton, NJ. For more information, call 609-921-0074 or visit www.theprincetonbattlefieldsociety.com.-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
Through June 2017 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County
Presidents at the Monmouth County Shore Exhibit
One hundred years ago this September, 25,000 people gathered on the grounds of what is today Monmouth University—then a private estate called Shadow Lawn—to see Woodrow Wilson officially accept the nomination of the Democratic Party for a second Presidential run. Wilson was following a popular tradition among American Presidents to retreat to our slice of the Jersey Shore to escape the heat and hubbub of Washington. At the Eden Woolley House, this major exhibit tells the wide-ranging stories of eleven Presidents who spent time here, at the Monmouth County shore.
Mrs. Lincoln got the ball rolling
There’s a case to be made that it all started with Mary Todd Lincoln. Mrs. Lincoln travelled to Long Branch in the summer of 1861, probably at the invitation of William Newell, family friend and then supervisor of the life-saving services in New Jersey. Long Branch was already a popular resort, and national coverage of the First Lady’s visit added immeasurably to its fame and appeal.
That fame and appeal continued to draw the wealthy and influential—including the seven presidents who vacationed in resort city, starting with Ulysses Grant.
Seven Presidents in Long Branch
In 1870, a group of wealthy businessmen who summered in the Elberon section of Long Branch presented President Grant with an oceanfront cottage where he vacationed for the next 15 years. When Grant died in 1885, city officials feared the resort might lose its cachet. They needn’t have worried. Six of the next ten Presidents--Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, McKinley, and Wilson--chose to spend time in Long Branch.
The most tragic of these Presidential visits was James Garfield’s last. Mrs. Garfield was in Long Branch recuperating from illness, when, on July 2, 1881, Garfield was shot by an assassin in the Washington train station. He was taken to the White House, where his condition worsened. In hope the sea air might help, Garfield was taken to Elberon. Famously, locals worked through the night to build the spur to carry the President’s railroad car from Elberon Station to the ocean side cottage. He died there 12 days later, September 19.
Beyond Long Branch
Long Branch was not the only Monmouth County destination of Presidents. Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and Richard Nixon visited our area, if only, in some cases, for a political rally. And then, of course, there’s Warren Harding, whose local connection was a bit less public and a good deal more scandalous. Join us June 26 to learn the full story. The new exhibit is on view through June 2017.
The Township of Ocean Historical Museum offers exhibits on the history of coastal Monmouth County and a full calendar of events. The Museum also houses a library and archive of local history. It is open, free of charge, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Thursday evenings, and 1:00 - 4:00 pm the first and second Sundays of each month. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum is located at 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ. For more information, visit www.oceanmuseum.org.
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.
-----------------------------------
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.-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
Through Monday, October 10 (Columbus Day), 2016 - Bay Head, Ocean County
All Aboard!
All Aboard! is an insightful look at how the railroad impacted on the development of the northern Barnegat Bay barrier island. A model railroad diorama of the Bay Head Railroad Loop, photographs, maps, videos, and railroad memorabilia will be on display. The museum is open to the public and a small donation is suggested for non-members. The Bay Head Historical Society and the Loveland Homestead Museum is located at the corner of Bridge and Bay Avenues at the Bay Head/Point Pleasant border. Summer hours: Friday through Monday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. For more information, visit www.BayHeadHistoricalSociety.com.
-----------------------------------
All Aboard!
All Aboard! is an insightful look at how the railroad impacted on the development of the northern Barnegat Bay barrier island. A model railroad diorama of the Bay Head Railroad Loop, photographs, maps, videos, and railroad memorabilia will be on display. The museum is open to the public and a small donation is suggested for non-members. The Bay Head Historical Society and the Loveland Homestead Museum is located at the corner of Bridge and Bay Avenues at the Bay Head/Point Pleasant border. Summer hours: Friday through Monday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. For more information, visit www.BayHeadHistoricalSociety.com.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
"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.
-----------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------
Through June 2017 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County
Presidents at the Monmouth County Shore Exhibit
One hundred years ago this September, 25,000 people gathered on the grounds of what is today Monmouth University—then a private estate called Shadow Lawn—to see Woodrow Wilson officially accept the nomination of the Democratic Party for a second Presidential run. Wilson was following a popular tradition among American Presidents to retreat to our slice of the Jersey Shore to escape the heat and hubbub of Washington. At the Eden Woolley House, this major exhibit tells the wide-ranging stories of eleven Presidents who spent time here, at the Monmouth County shore.Mrs. Lincoln got the ball rolling
There’s a case to be made that it all started with Mary Todd Lincoln. Mrs. Lincoln travelled to Long Branch in the summer of 1861, probably at the invitation of William Newell, family friend and then supervisor of the life-saving services in New Jersey. Long Branch was already a popular resort, and national coverage of the First Lady’s visit added immeasurably to its fame and appeal.
That fame and appeal continued to draw the wealthy and influential—including the seven presidents who vacationed in resort city, starting with Ulysses Grant.
Seven Presidents in Long Branch
In 1870, a group of wealthy businessmen who summered in the Elberon section of Long Branch presented President Grant with an oceanfront cottage where he vacationed for the next 15 years. When Grant died in 1885, city officials feared the resort might lose its cachet. They needn’t have worried. Six of the next ten Presidents--Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, McKinley, and Wilson--chose to spend time in Long Branch.
The most tragic of these Presidential visits was James Garfield’s last. Mrs. Garfield was in Long Branch recuperating from illness, when, on July 2, 1881, Garfield was shot by an assassin in the Washington train station. He was taken to the White House, where his condition worsened. In hope the sea air might help, Garfield was taken to Elberon. Famously, locals worked through the night to build the spur to carry the President’s railroad car from Elberon Station to the ocean side cottage. He died there 12 days later, September 19.
Beyond Long Branch
Long Branch was not the only Monmouth County destination of Presidents. Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and Richard Nixon visited our area, if only, in some cases, for a political rally. And then, of course, there’s Warren Harding, whose local connection was a bit less public and a good deal more scandalous. Join us June 26 to learn the full story. The new exhibit is on view through June 2017.
The Township of Ocean Historical Museum offers exhibits on the history of coastal Monmouth County and a full calendar of events. The Museum also houses a library and archive of local history. It is open, free of charge, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Thursday evenings, and 1:00 - 4:00 pm the first and second Sundays of each month. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum is located at 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ. For more information, visit www.oceanmuseum.org.
-----------------------------------
Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey
.JPG)
+-+Copy.JPG)
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for the comments!