NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 7/16/16 - 7/17/16

 New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings
A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com
Want to submit an event? Use our event submission form.


Saturday, July 16 - Mount Holly, Burlington County
The Roebling Legacy, presented by Clifford Zink


The Roebling story is a classic American saga, spanning the continent and the more than 200 years since the birth of John A. Roebling in 1806. The Roeblings built the Brooklyn Bridge – the “universal symbol of New York” – and the great cables on the George Washington and Golden Gate Bridges. On Saturday at 1:00 pm, learn more about about the Roeblings with Clifford W. Zink, author of The Roebling Legacy.

Clifford W. Zink is a historic preservation consultant based in Princeton, New Jersey, and an historian specializing in architectural, industrial, engineering, and landscape history. He received an M.S. in Historic Preservation from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.  

Program is free and open to the public. It will take place at the Burlington County Lyceum, 307 High Street, Mount Holly, NJ. Pre-registration is requested. For more information and to register, call 609-267-7111, or e-mail bclhns@bcls.lib.nj.us.

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Saturday, July 16 - River Edge, Bergen County
Calico Frolic

The Bergen County Historical Society hosts a Calico Frolic for St. Swithin’s Day at 6:30 pm on Saturday in the Steuben House at Historic New Bridge Landing. Watch or join in old-fashioned country dancing to the musical accompaniment of Ridley and Ann Enslow on fiddle and hammered dulcimer. Dance Mistress Denise Piccino and the Tricorne Dancers will instruct eager beginners in basic steps and movements at the start of the evening.

Dancing continues until 9:30 pm, when guests may partake of lemonade and light refreshments. Period dress (late 18th or early 19th century) is welcome, but not required. $15 per person and $12 for BCHS members. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Historic New Bridge Landing is located at 1201-1209 Main Street, River Edge, NJ. Free parking available or take a train on the Pascack Valley Line from Secaucus via NJ Transit to the New Bridge Landing Train stop. For more information, call 201-343-9492 or visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Saturday, July 16 - Phillipsburg, Warren County
Rosenberry Homestead Open House



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Saturday, July 16 - River Edge, Atlantic County
Risley Homestead Open House

The Atlantic County Historical Society invites you to the Risley Homestead open house on Saturday from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. Free tours will be given of the c. 1790 oysterman's cottage, which is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. It was home to many generations of the Risley family. Light refreshments will be served. The Risley Homestead is located at 8 Virginia Avenue, Northfield, NJ. For more information, call 609-641-8976 or visit www.atlanticcountyhistoricalsocietynj.org.

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Saturday, July 16 - Morristown, Morris County
A House's Tale
Children Friendly Event

The "Cape Cod" style farmhouse built by Henry Wick still stands, despite over two hundred and sixty years of active use. Travel though time with a ranger and explore the multifaceted story of this historic building. Tours available from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at the Wick House within Jockey Hollow at Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Tempe Wick Road, Morristown NJ (address is approximate). This is a FREE event. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Saturday, July 16 - Morris Township, Morris County
Caroline's Special Place: Cottage & Garden Craft
Children Friendly Event & Site

On Saturday from 1:30 - 2:30 pm at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, get to know Caroline Foster, her ‘Temple of Abiding Peace’ cottage, and its colorful flower garden. Make a paper replica of the cottage, and pot seeds to take home. Included with admission.

Admission: $6/adult, $5/senior (65+), $4/child (ages 4 -16), $2/child (2 and 3). FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, July 16 - 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.

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Saturday, July 16 - Cape May, Cape May County
Ghosts & Guides
Children Friendly Event

Hear stories of unexplained occurrences inside the 1879 Physick Estate, experienced by the very guides who know the house intimately. Hear EVP recordings gathered by paranormal investigators and see photos of possible paranormal activity in the house. Tour is appropriate for most children. The tour begins at 8:15 pm and lasts approximately 1.5 hours. It will start in the Café Tent at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Admission $25. The tour group is limited and reservations are encouraged. Sponsored by the Friends of the Physick Estate, an affinity group of the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturday, July 16 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County
Happy 200th, Sallie Waln!
Children Friendly Event & Site

Celebrate the 200th birthday of this notable member of the Waln family. Born at Walnford on July 16, 1816, Sarah (Sallie) Waln’s 90 years here left an enduring mark on this beautiful property. Bring a picnic to enjoy on the lawn, relax, explore her legacy, and learn a bit about the history of birthday celebrations while you enjoy a slice of cake in Sallie’s honor. This free event will take place from 5:00 - 7:00 pm.

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.

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Saturday, July 16 - Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County
Atlantic Highlands Arts & Crafts Fair and Film One Fest
Family Friendly Event

The Atlantic Highlands Historical Society presents its annual Arts and Crafts Fair at Veterans Park, First Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, NJ from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Art, gifts, jewelry, toys, wood crafts, and much more! Free admission. The Society will hold a chance auction to benefit the Society's restoration and maintenance of the Strauss Mansion Museum. In the evening after the fair, walk to the Gazebo at the Marina for Film One Fest to enjoy a series of one minute films. The films begin at dark. Rain date is Sunday, July 17. For more information, call 732-291-4313 or visit www.ahhistory.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, July 16 - 17 - Cape May, Cape May County
12th Annual Celtic Festival at Historic Cold Spring Village
Children Friendly Event & Site

Celebrate all things Irish and Scottish at Historic Cold Spring Village's 12th Annual Celtic Festival on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. The festival features musical entertainment throughout the grounds, interactive demonstrations and a pub area with all-day live music. The Village's restored, historic buildings will also be open, with historical interpreters demonstrating the trades and crafts of the 1800s. This event is generously sponsored by Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni & Kelly Certified Public Accountants.

Main stage performances will include sets by Nae Breeks Pipes & Drums Band, which is comprised of members of the famed Atlantic City Sandpipers, at 12:00 and 3:00 pm both Saturday and Sunday. South Jersey favorite Smitty's Kitchen will also play at the Village Gazebo at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm both days. Dancers from the Emerald Isle Academy take the stage at 1:30 pm both days. Joe McGonigle will entertain all weekend long at the pub tent, with world-renowned musician Tom Brett performing a set at 1:00 pm. The New Jersey Irish Setter Rescue will join the event, accompanied by the loveable breed to meet with visitors. Back by popular demand, the Village will host the Kiddie Highland Games with child-sized versions of the infamous tests of strength including the caber toss, shot put and hammer throw.

Historic Cold Spring 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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Sunday, July 17 - 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, July 17 - Montclair, Essex County
Historic House Tours: Crane/YWCA & Shultz Open
Family Friendly Event

Today you can visit ALL of the Montclair Historical Society’s properties, including the Shultz House at 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ. This amazing gem of a house is an intact time capsule of life in the early 20th century. Wait until you see the woodwork, the Delft fireplace surround, and the science equipment in the library!

You can also discover history through the “many voices” who made our community what it is today at the Crane House and Historic YWCA at 108 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ. The people who lived, worked, and relaxed in this building tell the story of not only Montclair, but also New Jersey and nation from its early years of a fledgling country to a country embroiled in Civil Rights. While you’re here, make sure you see what’s growing at the farm, meet the chickens, and visit the Museum Shop for unique, one-of-a-kind treats.

Both houses are open from 1:00 - 4:00 pm on Sunday. Tours on the hour with the last tour at 3:00 pm. Admission is $6/adult; $5/student/senior with ID; $4/child; under 2 free. For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, July 17 - Morris Township, Morris County
The Broody Hen
Children Friendly Event & Site

On Sunday at 1:00 and 2:00 pm at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, discover the special traits of a broody hen, and learn how she hatches her chicks. Each program lasts approximately one hour and is included with admission.

Admission: $6/adult, $5/senior (65+), $4/child (ages 4 -16), $2/child (2 and 3). FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Sunday, July 17 - 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.

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Sunday, July 17 -  Morristown, Morris County
Junior Engineer Day
Children Friendly Event and Site

It’s a fine day for science at Historic Speedwell where you can come and be an engineer for the day from 2:00 - 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, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Sunday, July 17 - Bridgeton, Cumberland County
Historic Potter's Tavern Open house
Family Friendly Site

On Sunday, you are invited to stop in and tour the the historic Potter’s 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 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.

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Sunday, July 17 - Princeton, Mercer County
Historic Princeton Walking Tour

Enjoy a 1.9 mile, two-hour walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus as you learn about historic sites in the area, including Bainbridge House, Nassau Hall, the University Chapel, and Palmer Square. The early history of Princeton, the founding of the University, and the American Revolution are just some of the stories from Princeton’s history that you will learn on your tour.

Admission: $7 per adult; $4 children ages 6 to 12; free for children age 5 and under. Tours begin in front of the Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Tour begins at 2:00 pm and ends at 4:00 pm. Walk up ticket sales are cash only; guides cannot provide change. Space is limited. For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Sunday, July 17 - Morristown, Morris County
What's Cooking?
Children Friendly Event

Even on a hot day, colonists needed a fire to cook their meals. Visit the Wick House to learn how cooking with fire is not much different than cooking today. Demonstration will include the use of a variety of 18th century cooking ovens. Program runs from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm at the Wick House within Jockey Hollow at Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Tempe Wick Road, Morristown NJ (address is approximate). This is a FREE event. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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Sunday, July 17 - Walpack Center, Sussex County
Walpack Historical Society Meeting

The Walpack Historical Society will hold a meeting on Sunday at 1:00 pm in the Walpack M.E. Church located on Main Street in Walpack Center in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Sussex County, NJ. Following the meeting there will be a presentation of images of the Walpack Valley with Mike Orlowski entitled "Walpack - A Journey Through Time." The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information, call 973.948-4903.

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Sunday, July 17 - Sparta, Sussex County
Tewksbury Barn Tour 

Tewksbury Township's highly anticipated 10th biennial Barn Tour will be held this year on Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Co-sponsored by the Tewksbury Historical Society and the Tewksbury Trail Association, the event attracts visitors from near and far as it showcases some of the township's most unique barns, both old and new.

There are seven barns on the tour this year offering a diverse display of country life in Tewksbury.  Some of the barns have horses, some are old and some are new. The cost of the tour is $20.00 per person; $5.00 for children 12 and under. Tickets, while they last, may be purchased the day of the tour. No advance reservations without payment.

The Barn Tour will take place rain or shine. Tickets will be available for pick-up the day of the tour, along with a guide booklet and road map at the Christie Hoffman Farm, 108 Fairmount Road West (Route 512), Califon, NJ (the Fairmount section of Tewksbury Township). For more information, call 908-832-6734 or visit www.tewksburyhistory.net.

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Sunday, July 17 - Freehold, Monmouth County
Summer Celebration Concert and Open House at the Museum
Children Friendly Event


Join Monmouth County Historical Association for an afternoon of music with Marel Hidalgo & Friends on the Museum lawn on Sunday at 70 Court Street, from 3:00 - 6:00 pm. The summer concert and open house is in celebration of a new collaboration with the Latino Coalition of Monmouth County to recruit and train Spanish speaking volunteers to better serve the growing Hispanic community.

Led by astonishing 7-year-old electric guitar and electric banjo player, Marel Hidalgo of Bradley Beach, Marel Hidalgo & Friends is a unique multicultural and multi-generational project. His band comprises "grown-up" musicians Joe Nevolo (drums), Rob Crowther (drums-percussion), Jerry Franklin (bass-guitars), Dawn Hopkins (bass-guitars-vocals) and Sergio DuBois (keyboard), all possessing impressive artistic careers. The band plays a wide variety of music including rock, soul, rhythm & blues, and Latin. The concert also will showcase young talented students from Big Beat Studio School of Music in Neptune City where Marel studies.

The musicians will perform under a tent on the front lawn of the Museum at 70 Court Street. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Food trucks will offer a variety of foods and the Historical Association will also provide free water, lemonade, and snacks. In the event of rain, the music will move inside.

In addition to enjoying music and food, children can take part in 18th and 19th century games and try their hand at drawing and sketching inside the Museum. The Museum will be open with three exhibitions on view. Docents will be available to give tours in both English and Spanish.

This event is sponsored by OceanFirst Foundation, The Latino Coalition and Casa Freehold and is free and open to the public.

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

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Sunday, July 17 - Dover Township, Morris County
Open House & Ice Cream Social
Children Friendly Event

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016, the Dover Area Historical Society is sponsoring an open house and ice cream social at the Museum House, 55 West Blackwell Street, Dover, NJ on Sunday, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 973-361-3525 or visit www.dovernjhistory.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 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.

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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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1st and 3rd Saturdays through November 2016 - Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County
Atlantic Highlands Architectural Walking Tours



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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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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.

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

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