NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 6/11/16 - 6/12/16

 New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Saturday, June 11 - Mount Laurel, Burlington County
Tour Paulsdale

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

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

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Saturday, June 11 - Washington Township, Burlington County
Thundering Barbara Comes to Batsto
Children Friendly Event

The West Jersey Artillery; along with its butterfly revolutionary canon Thundering Barbara, will make a visit to historic Batsto Village on Saturday. The West Jersey Artillery is an exciting and dynamic Revolutionary War company that brings back to life those patriotic men from New Jersey who fought so long ago to help create the United States.

Several members of West Jersey Artillery will be on hand beginning at 10:00 am to demonstrate throughout the day one of the finest reproduction cannons ever constructed for the Revolutionary War living history community. In addition to firing demonstrations, re-enactors will be on hand in their camp area to answer questions and explain what life was like for soldiers during the American Revolutionary War. The event will end at 4:00 pm.

In addition to the activities outside; a presentation about the Battle of Trenton will take place in the Batsto Visitors Center Auditorium beginning at 1:00 pm. There is a $3.00 per person admission fee for the hour long presentation.

Batsto mansion tours will also being conducted beginning at 10:00 am and conclude at 3:00 pm. The Nature Center will be open with science and nature exhibits and special activities for children. 

Seasonal parking fees of $5 per car in-state and $7 per car out-of-state are in effect through Labor Day. Historic Batsto Village is located within Wharton State Forest in the Pinelands of Burlington County, South Jersey approximately 7 miles east of Hammonton on Route 542 and about 15 miles west of Exit 50 on the Garden State Parkway. For more information, call the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024.

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Saturday, June 11 - Hewitt, Passaic County
Long Pond Ironworks Historic District Walking Tours
Children Friendly

Join the Friends of Long Pond Ironworks on Saturday as they walk through the Historic District. Learn how Long Pond contributed to the American Revolution, Civil War, and the industrial development of New Jersey. Tours last about two hours and follow a circular route through the historic village. Tours are conducted rain or shine, and attendees should wear clothing and footwear appropriate for a walk through the woods. Tours take place at 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm.

Long Pond Ironworks is located at 1334 Greenwood Lake Turnpike, Hewitt, NJ. For more information, call  973-657-1688 or visit www.longpondironworks.org.

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Saturday, June 11 - Pennsauken, Camden County

Flag Day Celebration

Come celebrate Old Glory at the historic Burrough-Dover House’s Flag Day Celebration. There will be tours of the 306 year old house that sits beside the Pennsauken Creek. There will also be tours of the attached Nostalgia Museum. Live music performed by “The Piney Hollow Drifters.” There will be guest speakers, and information on flag etiquette, and demonstrations by members of Colonel Ogden’s 1st New Jersey Regiment Revolutionary Reenactors. Free admission and free parking. The Burrough-Dover House is located off Haddonfield Road in Pennsauken, NJ. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/PennsaukenHistoricalSociety or e-mail pennsaukenhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.

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Saturday, June 11 - Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County

2016 House Tour

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Saturday, June 11 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Crochet/Lacemaking Demonstration
Children Friendly Site

On Sunday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel where Dorothy Gratton will demonstrate the art of crochet and lacemaking in the Victorian era. This free event runs from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Historic Longstreet Farm is located at 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ. For more information, call 732-946-3758 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Saturday, June 11 - Stockton, Hunterdon County
Block Party & Movie Night at the Prallsville Mills
Children Friendly Event

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Saturday, June 11 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County
Horseless Carriages - Antique Autos Come to Walnford
Children Friendly Site

One of the greatest innovations in transportation will dot the shady landscape of Historic Walnford with a display of several beautiful pre-1946 automobiles. Bring a picnic lunch and give yourself time for a leisurely stroll among the cars and their proud owners. Weather permitting. Admission and parking are free.

While there, visit the large, elegant Walnford home built in 1774, the 19th century gristmill and the farm buildings set in a beautiful landscape. Walnford is located at 62 Walnford Road, Upper Freehold, NJ. For more information, call 609-259-6275 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Saturday, June 11 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Baseball
Children Friendly Event and Site

Two New Jersey "farm teams" will take to the field when the Mercer County Park Commission hosts its Annual Old Time Baseball Game.

The match-up features the Howell Farm Hogs vs. the Jersey Bulls, teams that play according to the rules that governed baseball in those early days when bats were made of axe handles and wagon tongues, and when pitchers (called "throwers") could be fined for delivering unhittable balls. The public is invited to watch or play in the game at Howell Living History Farm. Rules will be taught to prospective players during an ongoing practice period.

In the overall competition, which began in 1988, the match-up is tied with each team holding a record of 12 wins and 12 losses. There was no game in 1999 due to players being needed to bring in a crop of hay.

In addition to town ball, an 1864 base ball (two words at the time) game will take place between the Flemington Neshanocks and the Elkton Eclipse of the Mid Atlantic Vintage Baseball League. Both teams will be in period attire. Prior to this game, Brad Brooklyn Shaw, of the Neshanocks, will narrate “Casey at the Bat”, and give a history of the 1864 game.

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, June 11 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Early Summer Flea Market

The Historic Village at Allaire is hosting a Summer Flea Market as a fundraiser on Saturday, from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. The event is held in the Show Field of Allaire State Park. There is a $5 parking fee for this event. With more than 100 vendors displaying new, used, and collectible treasures of all types, there will be something for everyone.

Shop all day, visit the on-site food vendor, or spend some time in the Historic Village. The General Store and Bakery will also be open beginning at 10:00 am. This event is a fundraiser, benefiting the historic and educational programs presented at the Historic Village at Allaire by the non-profit organization, Allaire Village, Incorporated. The rain date is Sunday, June 12.

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

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Saturday - Sunday, June 11 - 12 -  Morristown, Morris County
Civil War Weekend
Children Friendly Event and Site

The 2nd NJ Brigade brings the battle between the Blue and the Gray to life through camp life demonstrations, musket and artillery drills, mail call, bayonet drills, cannon firings, a medical demonstration, skirmishes, and much more at Historic Speedwell on Saturday and Sunday! Hours on Saturday are 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and Sunday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Admission: $7 per adult, $6 per senior, $5 per child age 4 - 16, FREE per child under age 4. Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown. For more information, visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday - Sunday, June 11 - 12 - Cape May, Cape May County
Hands-On History Weekend
Children Friendly Event & Site

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

Historic Cold Spring Village is a nonprofit, open-air living history museum that portrays the daily life of a rural South Jersey community of the Early American period. It features 26 restored historic structures on a 30-acre site. From late June to early September, interpreters and artisans in period clothing preserve the trades, crafts and heritage of "the age of homespun." Fun and educational activities for children are featured Tuesday through Sunday, with special events every weekend through mid-September.

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.

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Saturday - Sunday, June 11 - 12 - Montclair, Essex County
Quilt Exhibition and Preservation Project

The Montclair Historical Society and the Nubian Heritage Quilters Guild have jointly been awarded a Common Heritage grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for a quilt exhibition and preservation project that will take place on Saturday and Sunday. The exhibit will run through the end of July at the Montclair Historical Society's Crane House and Historic YWCA.  All events this weekend are free.

The exhibit, Common Heritage: Uncommon Quilts, features quilts made by the Nubian Heritage Quilters using traditional quilts in the Montclair Historical Society's collection as inspiration. The exhibit kicks off the weekend of the event on Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at the Crane House and Historic YWCA. The exhibit will be on display through July for public viewing on Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

Workshops
Through free hands-on demonstrations and workshops that run through the weekend, quilters of different ages and levels will have an opportunity to exchange their knowledge of the craft and learn a variety of techniques in the art of quilting. Workshops available:
Saturday, June 11 at 10:00 am: Quilt Preservation Workshop by textile conservation expert Alison Costanedo
Saturday, June 11 at 11:30 am: A Community Conversation on African American Material Culture by Dr. Lillie Edwards
June 11 and 12, from 1:00 - 4:00 pm: free hands-on quilting workshops demonstrating various quilting skills (hand quilting, design -your-own heritage block, quilt binding, image transfer quilt blocks, creating felted quilt blocks, hand-applique and yo-yo quilting).

Digitization Event
The preservation component of this event allows visitors to bring quilts form their own homes and get digital copies made of their work by photographer Peter Jacobs. Digitization appointments can be made by signing up with the Montclair Historical Society. Appointments accommodate up to 3 quilts, if time allows more quilts may be digitized, staff will inform visitors regarding this on the day. Visitors will be given tissue paper and instructions on how to preserve their quilts. Digital copies of the quilts will also be archived on the New Jersey Digital Highway, in the Montclair Historical Society's archives, and with the Nubian Heritage Quilters Guild.

The Crane House/Historic YWCA is located at 110 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ. For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, June 12 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex County
Arrest of the Royal Governor

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Sunday, June 12 - Princeton, Mercer County

Princeton Ciclovia
Children Friendly Event

From 1:00 - 4:00 pm, rain or shine, Quaker Road in Princeton will be closed to traffic at the intersections with Mercer Road and Nassau Park Blvd. Participants can walk, push baby strollers, skate, run, bike, use wheelchairs and walkers, rollerblade, or dance. Leashed dogs are welcome to walk or run, too. Updike Farmstead will be open FREE to the public. Updike Farmstead is located at 354 Quaker Road, Princeton, NJ.

For more information, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Sunday, June 12 - Ringwood, Passaic County
Antiques & Vintage Fair!

Ringwood Manor is excited to announce the return of the Antiques & Vintage Fair on Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm! JC Promotions, Inc. is bringing their antique & vintage marketplace to the historic site for the second year in a row. Collectors, treasure hunters, and decorators can spend the day shopping for their favorite antiques from a variety of vendors while surrounded by the beautiful and historic grounds of Ringwood Manor. 

The marketplace will feature vendors selling antiques, collectibles, and vintage items such as coins, US & World stamps, comic books, toys, military items, currency, trains, sports & non-sports cards from the early 20th century, watches, clocks, jewelry, furniture, records, and more! New this year will be a book sale featuring new and historic books from the North Jersey Highlands Historical Society and a fine arts and crafts sale section from the Ringwood Manor Association of the Arts. Every visitor will be able to find the unique treasure to add to their collection! While you shop, enjoy live performances from jazz & acoustic musicians. After working up an appetite, grab a tasty treat from the variety of gourmet food trucks on site serving empanadas, soups, lobster rolls, ice cream, waffles and more. Younger visitors can stop at the kids craft area to create their own treasures that will available to them at no charge. There is no cost to enter the antiques & vintage marketplace, but there is a $5 per car in-state and $7 per car out-of-state parking fee to enter Ringwood State Park.

And while you are at the fair, find out the value of your own antiques! Certified appraiser Jon Felz of RMZ Fine Arts & Antiques will be performing verbal appraisals between 11am and 4pm. Mr. Felz has more than 30 years of experience as an appraiser and selling antiques at auction. He will look at any and all items with the exception of antiquities (items more than 700 years old) for $10 an item, no more than 2 items per person. No appointments are necessary. Proceeds from the antiques appraisal will benefit the preservation of Ringwood Manor and its collections. Bring your antiques, garage sales finds, and inherited antiques to see if they are your ticket to an early retirement!

Ringwood Manor will be available to the public in a self-guided, open house format the day of the antiques & vintage fair. The home was the summer estate of the Cooper-Hewitt family and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Constructed between 1807 and 1910 and given to the State of NJ in 1938, the Victorian mansion contains 51 rooms and all the original belongings of the family. The surrounding property was part of their historic estate and contains various gardens, outbuildings, and historic objects. Visitors may view 30 of the fully furnished rooms and are given information on the history of the spaces and objects. The fee to enter Ringwood Manor is $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 6 to 12, and children ages 5 and under are free. The rain date is June 19.

Ringwood Manor is located at 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood NJ. For more information, call  973-962-2240 or visit www.ringwoodmanor.org.

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Sunday, June 12 - 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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Sunday, June 12 - Morristown, Morris County
Soldier's Viewpoint
Children Friendly Event & Site

Step back in time to June 1780 and hear a soldier's viewpoint on the army and the winter encampment. A park ranger at the Wick House will take on the character of a soldier and answer your questions. Ask him about conditions in the camp and the progress of the war up to that point. Program runs from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at the Wick House at Jockey Hollow, within Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Jockey Hollow Road (approximate), Morristown, NJ. Cost: Free. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Sunday, June 12 through Columbus Day - 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 opening reception will be held Sunday, June 12, from 3:00 - 6:00 pm with a gallery discussion at 4:00 pm. Summer season hours: Friday thru Monday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. 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. For more information, visit www.BayHeadHistoricalSociety.com.

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Sunday, June 12 - Little Silver, Monmouth County
Old-style 'base ball' in Little Silver
Children Friendly Event

The 1864 version of America's pastime will be played on Sunday in Little Silver. That means catching the ball bare-handed, with no fielding gloves! The Monmouth Furnace Base Ball Club will take on another vintage team, the Chesapeake 9 from Baltimore, beginning at 1:00 pm in Sickles Park, 200 Rumson Road, Little Silver, NJ. Admission will be free.

Nearby, Little Silver's historic Parker Homestead will be open from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm to showcase rare 1909 baseball cards. The Monmouth Furnace team is from the Historic Village of Allaire in Wall Township. Their next New Jersey game will be at "Pitching the Past" on June 25, 2016 at Allaire State Park.

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Sunday, June 12 - Griggstown, Somerset County
D&R Canal Watch Annual Meeting

Take a whirlwind paddle down the D&R Canal of the future. Find out how our canal can become more canoe and kayak-friendly. Don Griffin, from the Mohawk Canoe Club, and Barbara Ross, Canal Watch vice president, will lead the audience on a whirlwind paddle down the D&R Canal of the future.

On the feeder canal they will put in at Bulls Island and take out at Ewing Township's Lower Ferry Road, then jump to the main canal and paddle from Cherry Tree Lane in Lawrence Township to Franklin Township's DeMott Lane.

Proposed new trailheads and bridge, portage, launch, and signage improvements will be highlighted, with glimpses of the countryside, communities, and adjacent waterways along the canal's route.

This program is designed to introduce the public to a proposed D&R Canal Water Trail and to gather suggestions and comments before the plan is presented to the several regulatory agencies that maintain jurisdiction over the canal. It is important that paddlers and other recreational users have a stake in this exciting new venture.

Following the PowerPoint presentation, those interested are encouraged to remain for an in-depth discussion about the future of the canal state park, fundraising, the 5K run, and other events. The D&R Canal Watch is seizing this opportunity and seeking new ideas. Those members interested in volunteering or otherwise participating in the future of the Canal Watch are especially urged to attend.

The meeting will take place at 2:00 pm in the Muletender's Barracks, 4 Griggstown Causeway, between River Road and Canal Road. (If using a GPS, use Princeton as the town, even though it's nowhere near Princeton). For more information, call Linda Barth at 908-240-0488 or e-mail barthlinda123@aol.com.

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Sunday, June 12 - Ewing, Mercer County
Tuneful Felicity: Francis Hopkinson and Musick

On Sunday at 2:00 pm, the Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society will present a program featuring music scholar and lecturer John Burkhalter in a program entitled "Tuneful Felicity: Francis Hopkinson and Musick" at the Benjamin Temple House, 27 Federal City Road in Ewing, NJ.

One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Hopkinson lived in New Jersey and is widely acknowledged as America's first composer. The program will survey Hopkinson's musical world and will draw specifically on printed music he is known to have purchased in Philadelphia and from London publishers and from his ca. 1764 manuscript volume of music for [or arranged for] the harpsichord. For more information, call 609-883-2455 or visit www.ethps.org

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Sunday, June 12 - Cape May, Cape May County
5th Annual George Mesterhazy Tribute Concert

Come to Cape May Convention Hall on Sunday at 8:00 pm to celebrate with friends and fans for the 5th Annual George Mesterhazy Tribute concert. The performance is an evening of selections from the Great American Songbook, under the direction of Barry Miles, featuring performances by some of George's favorite colleagues. General admission is $25, seniors $20, and students $10. Cape May Convention Hall is located on Beach Avenue at Stockton Place. Part of the Cape May Music Festival, presented 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, June 12 - Ledgewood, Morris County
Museums at Drakesville Open House

On Sunday between 1:00 and 4:00 pm, the Roxbury Historical Trust will host an open house at the eighteenth century Silas Riggs Saltbox House, the historic King House and the King Store Museums. The sites are located at 213 Main Street in the Ledgewood Village section of Roxbury Township. Tours are free and historic interpreters will be on hand. For more information, call 973-927-7603 or visit www.roxburynewjersey.com.

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Sunday, June 12 - Cape May, Cape May County
Community Day

Cape May County residents enjoy free admission to the area's popular tours and sites on Community Day on Sunday. Climb the Cape May Lighthouse and the World War II Lookout Tower, visit the Emlen Physick Estate, take a Historic District Trolley Tour or Combination Trolley/Physick Estate Tour - any or all free of charge, with a proof of county residency, such as a driver's license, voter registration card, passport or utility bill. Children under 18 need not prove residency, but must be accompanied by an eligible adult. Community Day is sponsored by Sturdy Savings Bank and presented 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, June 12 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Blacksmith Demonstration
Children Friendly Event & Site

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

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Sunday, June 12 - Bedminster, Somerset County
Make Your Own Corn Husk Doll
Children Friendly Event & Site

On Sunday, the Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House invite children and adults to learn how to make Colonial-era corn husk dolls. Holly Doyle, an artist who specializes in using recycled materials, will present a brief history of the corn husk doll, how they were constructed and why they were an important part of the harvest season. Attendees will have the opportunity to create their own corn husk dolls, complete with colonial costumes.

Workshops are at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm and each are limited to 15 children. All participants must be age 8 or older. Admission to the program is $10 for adults and $5 per child 8 and older (free to members of the Jacobus Vanderveer House and children 7 and under). Special rates for school and scouting groups. Pre-registration is required. The Jacobus Vanderveer House is located at 3055 River Road East (in Bedminster's River Road Park), Bedminster, NJ. For more information and to register, call 908-396-6053 or visit www.jvanderveerhouse.org.

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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