NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 10/8/16 - 10/9/16

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


Friday - Saturday, October 7 - 8 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
The Chilling Re-Telling of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

Allaire Village is presenting a dramatic rendition of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"written by Washington Irving and performed by Neill Hartley. The performance takes place in the Allaire Village Chapel on Friday and Saturday, at 7:30 pm.

In an exciting performance, Neill Hartley, brings to life the tale of the Headless Horseman, within the candle-lit Allaire Village Chapel. You will be transported back to a time before television, radio, CDs, and electricity. The seating is limited to 100 for each performance, so advanced purchase is recommended. Only ticket-holders will be admitted to the performances. Ticket cost is $20 per person. To purchase tickets or for information, call 732-919-3500 and have your credit card ready. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.allairevillage.org.

The Historic Village at Allaire is located in Allaire State Park, 4265 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, October 8 - 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, October 8 -  Morris Township, Morris County
Call the Leech!
Children Friendly Site

Did you know that in the 19th century, doctors were sometimes called ‘leeches?’ Witness some exploratory surgery on the topic of medicine in history, starting with the gross exhibit, ‘Coffins, Commodes, and Consumption,’ and then dig a little deeper at Historic Speedwell from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Admission: $5 per adult, $4 per senior, $3 per child age 4 - 16, FREE per child under age 4. Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, October 8 - Byram Township, Sussex County
Waterloo Canal Heritage Day
Children Friendly Event

Come visit Waterloo Village between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm for a day in this historic Morris Canal town. Enjoy boat rides on the Morris Canal, Smith's Store - a furnished canal-era store with hands-on activities, blacksmithing, see the operating gristmill, seamstress shop, carpenter's shop, take guided tours of 1859 Methodist Church, the Canal Museum - with exhibits and videos, and guided walking tours of the village. Admission is free. Waterloo Village is located at 525 Waterloo Road, Byram, NJ. For more information, call 973-292-2755 or visit www.canalsocietynj.org.

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Saturday, October 8 - Cape May, Cape May County
19th-Century Mourning

As part of its exhibit, "Forget Me Not: The Final Farewell," the Museum of Cape May County is hosting the second set of lectures in its series of lectures on Victorian death and mourning rituals. On Saturday, three speakers will individually address issues such as the use of jewelry as part of the Victorian mourning customs, 19th century memorial art and its symbolism and African-American funerary customs during the 19th century.

Arthur Schwerdt will discuss the use and meaning of jewelry used during the Victorian mourning process. Schwerdt is well-known throughout the antique community. A noted newspaper columnist for 29 years, he is a lecturer, author of "The Antique Story Book and owner of the August Farmhouse. He is also certified by the National Association of Professional Appraisers.

Donna Matalucci will speak about memorial artwork and symbolism during the 19th century. Matalucci's roots in Cape May County's sand run deep. The daughter of a local funeral director and dealer in memorials, she is also the granddaughter of a funeral director. As director of the Museum of Cape May County, she serves on its board of trustees. She has owned a local business, Signworks, for 30 years and a monument company for 10 years. Her son, Zeth, continues the family tradition of stone artistry.

Funerary practices in the 19th century African-American community will be discussed by retired Middle Township High School Social Studies teacher, Theodore Bryan. A graduate of Glassboro State College, Bryan has been honored throughout his teaching career. He has been recognized for his excellence in teaching by the Governor's Teacher Recognition Program and the Cape May County Chapter of the NAACP. Even in his retirement, he and his wife, Mabel, continue to support educational endeavors in the county.

The three lectures begin at 2:00 pm and will be followed immediately by a guided tour of the museum, which has been transformed into a Victorian house in mourning. Cost of the lecture and tour is $10 per person. The Museum of Cape May County is located at 504 Route 9 North in Cape May Court House, NJ. Reservations for this event are strongly encouraged. For more information or to make a reservation, call 609-465-3535 or visit www.cmcmuseum.org.

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Saturday, October 8 -  Morris Township, Morris County
History a la 'Cart'
Children Friendly Event and Site

On Saturday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, hop aboard an open-air wagon for a narrated ride around the farm. Learn about the historic farm and the people who once lived and worked there. The wagon ride will start at 11:00 am and end at 11:45 am.

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

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Saturday, October 8 - Flemington, Hunterdon County
Meet the Author

On Saturday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, during their open house, the Samuel Fleming Museum House and Gardens will host historical author and Hunterdon County Historian emerita Stephanie Stevens, who is the author of eight books. Her most recent, All Roads Lead to Pittstown, discusses the history of Pittstown together with the men who founded the town. Earlier books include: Beneath These Waters, presenting the history of the making of the Round Valley Reservoir, and Tillers of the Soil which reports on forty Hunterdon County families through generations of farming.

Please join us for a tour of our museum-the oldest building in Historic Flemington Borough  while taking advantage of this opportunity to meet this local author and historian. A wonderful opportunity and important time to discuss history with an expert on Hunterdon County. The Samuel Fleming Museum House and Gardens, 5 Bonnell Street, Flemington, NJ.

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Saturday, October 8- Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Auction
Children Friendly Site

On Saturday, visitors to Howell Living Farm can participate in an auction! This program features opportunities for visitors to participate in two types of auctions: a silent auction; and a live old fashioned barn auction.

Goods to be auctioned include tools, household items, collectibles, books, farm products and items made by the farm's blacksmiths, restoration carpenters, bakers, and sewing group.

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, October 8 - Cape May, Cape May County
Nuts & Bolts Tour of the Physick Estate: Back in 2016!

Take a guided tour of the Emlen Physick House that focuses on the mechanical systems that made things run. Plumbing, heating, construction, lighting, and more will be discussed during the tour. Tours at 11:15 am, 12:15 pm, and 1:30 pm. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets can be purchased at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturday, October 8 - Cape May, Cape May County
Cape May Private Homes Tour

See inside a selection of charming private cottages and homes not normally open to the public on Saturday from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. Admission is $20; children (3-12) $15. Tickets can be purchased at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturday, October 8 - Franklin Township, Somerset County
Honeybees & Beekeeping Fundamentals

In the 18th-century, sugar was very expensive and even in wealthy households used sparingly, (which is a good thing considering that brushing one's teeth wasn't very common). For most people, while molasses was more commonly used, if one had a source of local honey, it was a treat. Towns often had communal beehives and landowners with farmlands and orchards (apple orchards were plentiful in New Jersey) would keep beehives so that the bees could pollinate their agriculture and provide honey and wax. Rockingham would very likely have had hives, with its cultivated fields, two apple orchards and various other fruit trees.

On Saturday at 1:30 pm, Pier Guidi, a Hillsborough Township and Rockingham's own very-knowledgeable resident beekeeper, will be speaking once again about Honeybees and Beekeeping (in the modern age). This program will be followed by (weather permitting) a visit to Rockingham's own on-premises bee yard where Pier maintains bees that produce Rockingham's own local, raw, wildflower honey. You will learn about the interesting lives of honey bees, the fundamentals of beekeeping, requisite beekeeping equipment, and how you can get started on your own "backyard beekeeping" adventure. Pier presented this program in June 2015 and it was met with enthusiastic interest.  If you missed it, or wish to refresh your knowledge base, please join us!

Rockingham is located at 84 Laurel Avenue, Kingston-Rocky Hill Rd. (Rte. 603) in Franklin Township, 1 mile north of Rte. 27 in Kingston, and 1 mile south of Rte. 518 in Rocky Hill. For more information, call 609-683-7132 or visit www.rockingham.net.

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Saturday, October 8 - Manalapan, Monmouth County
Archives and History Day

Join over fifty history organizations who will have exhibit tables for this annual event at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan that began in 1996. Stop by on Saturday between 8:45 am and 3:00 pm and learn about New Jersey's fascinating history and the interesting work and programs offered. The day will include a keynote address by historian Paul W. Schopp who will use historic images and post cards to discuss the roots of The Blue Comet train, the Monmouth County History Forum, tours of the Monmouth County Archives, a history Game with many free prizes, and award presentations.

This event is free to attend. The Monmouth County Library Headquarters is located at 125 Symmes Road, Manalapan, NJ. For a program of events on Saturday, visit www.facebook.com/events/322484598093165.

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Saturday - Sunday, October 8 - 9 - Sparta, Sussex County
Lime Crest Quarry:  Eons in the Making, Men in the Mining


The Sparta Historical Society will feature in the Van Kirk Homestead Museum, located at 336 Main Street, Sparta (use Sparta Middle School driveway), the first major exhibit on this important and historic quarry. It will explore the geology, minerals, men and companies, that held and interest in the quarry’s development over the past 125 years including Thomas Edison’s involvement. Exhibit is sponsored by Braen Stone of Sparta. Open Saturday & Sunday, October 8-9, and Sundays, October 23, November 13, November 27, and December 11th from 1:00 - 4:00 pm with a 2:00 pm talk.

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Saturday - Sunday, October 8 - 9 - Sussex County
6th Annual Sussex County Heritage Weekend
Children Friendly Sites

On Saturday and Sunday, historical museums and heritage organizations throughout Sussex County will join with the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council for a Heritage weekend. It is a wonderful opportunity to explore the history and uniqueness of Sussex County. Several participating organizations will be open including the Byram Historical/Roseville Schoolhouse Museum, DAR Elias Van Bunschooten Museum, Franklin Mineral Museum, Franklin Historical/Heritage Museum, High Point Monument State Park, Ogdensburg Historical Schoolhouse and Firehouse Museum, Peter's Valley Craft Center, Space Farms Museum, Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Stillwater Historical Museum, Sussex County Harvest and Honey Festival, Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council, Sussex County Historical Society, Vernon Historical Price's Switch Schoolhouse, Walpack Historical Van Campen Inn, Waterloo Village Heritage Day. Many of the sites do not charge admission - but appreciate donations.

The Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council is located at 133 Spring Street, Newton, NJ. For additional information, a complete listing of sites, directions, and an updated schedule of events call 973-383-0027 or visit www.scahc.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, October 8 - 9 - Somerset County
Somerset County Weekend Journey Through the Past
Children Friendly Sites

Somerset County's tenth annual Weekend Journey through the Past, a collaborative heritage tourism program, will showcase 30 significant historic sites countywide that will be open to the public free of charge on Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. There will be a wide range of tours and activities to provide an enjoyable free weekend outing for the entire family.

This  annual event, initiated and widely promoted by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission in cooperation with the county Board of Freeholders, brings the past to life through the dedicated efforts of the many participating historical societies and organizations, municipal historic commissions and their enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers.

Through the enthusiastic involvement, collaborative partnerships and support of Somerset County's many historic societies and commissions, the event features many special activities, including a contest for prizes; interpreted tours led by costumed docents; special collections and exhibitions; period military drills and encampment with living  history reenactors; open-hearth cooking; colonial tavern life; traditional blacksmithing; 19th-century firefighting wagons and apparatus and much more.

There also will be antiques sales; arts and crafts; live period music performances and participatory colonial dance instruction; a scheduled theatrical performance; guidance on genealogical resources; daily chores of 18th century life; military history; demonstrations; local history videos; antique cameras, music boxes and unique musical instrument collections; participatory activities; interesting architecture; access to some sites not generally open to the public.

For comprehensive details, participating historic sites featured this year (including three new, first-time participating sites), information about how to qualify to win one of many pre-paid gasoline gift cards and advance information about the new "What in the World is That" kids/family detective investigation activity, call 908-231-7110 or visit www.SCHistoryWeekend.com.

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Saturday - Sunday, October 8 - 9 - Morris County
The Pathways of History
Children Friendly Sites

The Pathways of History Weekend Tour on Saturday and Sunday offers an admission-free opportunity to visit 20 northern Morris County landmark sites. Pathways began in 2010 when five neighboring museums established the event to entice visitors to their historic properties. In 2016, the group has grown to include 20 historic groups in Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Dover, Florham Park, Kinnelon, Lake Hopatcong, Mine Hill, Montville Township, Mount Tabor, Parsippany, Pequannock Township, Randolph, Riverdale, Roxbury Township and Washington Township. The properties are all independently operated, but for the Pathways Weekend Tour on Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and on Sunday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm, all sites will open their doors in simultaneous welcome.

Housing historic artifacts, collections and exhibits, the museum buildings themselves represent an outstanding anthology of architectural periods and styles; most are listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Some are legacy buildings, revered and treasured by their communities. Others have been rescued from oblivion just in the nick of time by concerned, preservation-minded groups and individuals who understood their significance. Learn the stories of how some of the antique buildings were saved. Glenburn, a grand heritage home, was given a “New Beginning” when Riverdale residents and neighbors in surrounding communities saved it from the wrecker’s ball. The Oscar A. Kincaid Home of History was also rescued from an unknown fate with a successful grassroots campaign by the Historical Society of Boonton Township. Learn about Pequannock Township’s current effort to save the pre-Revolutionary Martin Berry House whose legacy began almost 300 years ago.

Venerable 18th century structures, many predating the Revolutionary War, offer German folk-tradition and Dutch stone examples, as well as those of Georgian and Saltbox construction. The 1758 Randolph Friends Meeting House is purported to be Morris County’s oldest extant hand-hewn building. Designs of the 19th century are represented in buildings of varied uses and sizes including a Folk Victorian Camp Meeting Cottage; an 1890’s Colonial Revival; a diminutive two-family iron miner’s dwelling which is included on the New Jersey Women’s Heritage Trail; three schoolhouses; two 19th century railway stations; a Morris Canal lock tender’s house; a general store and several wonderful examples of vernacular farmhouses. Old graveyards are part of several sites and are open to respectful visitation by the public.

If your own community museum or heritage site is part of the Pathways group you might begin your tour there; perhaps a specific property you’ve always wanted to visit would make the perfect starting point. During the event a brochure and map will be available at each venue to guide you to your next history stop of choice. Visit one, two, five, ten, or more! Helpful “Tours Within the Tour” have been suggested to assist in planning your route. Whatever Pathways you choose will lead you to a warm welcome and an enlightening historical journey. At sites along the way, you will see docents in period costume demonstrating crafts such as spinning, weaving and hearth cooking. Music and light refreshments are featured at some venues for your added enjoyment. Various locations will include special activities for children. Many of the museums have wonderful shops offering a selection of books, gifts, and souvenirs.

For more information, a full list of participating sites, and directions, call 973-316-0976 or visit www.pathwaysofhistorynj.com.

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Saturday - Sunday, October 8 - 9 - Bedminster, Somerset County
Colonial Brewer on Tap at Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum
Children Friendly Site

The Jacobus Vanderveer House, once the headquarters of General Henry Knox during the American Revolution, will be open for tours on Saturday, October 8, 2016 from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and Sunday, October 9, 2016 from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm during Somerset County’s 11th Annual Weekend Journey Through the Past.

Colonial brewer Rich Wagner will demonstrate and discuss beer making both days. Wagner will discuss how beer played a central role in the social, economic and political life of our regional ancestors. He performs the demonstration in period dress, and all of his brewing equipment is handmade with Colonial-era materials.

Rich is a regular contributor to Mid-Atlantic Brewing News, the American Breweriana Journal, the Eastern Coast Breweriana Association’s the KEG as well as other publications. He has published a book, entitled Philadelphia Beer – The Heady History of Brewing in the Cradle of Liberty (History Press 2012).

Tours of the Jacobus Vanderveer House throughout the weekend are free. For more information, visit www.jvanderveerhouse.org. The Jacobus Vanderveer House is located at 3055 River Road (in Bedminster’s River Road Park), Bedminster, NJ 07921.

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Sunday, October 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
Physick Estate Self-Guided Tour

Explore at your own pace during the new self-guided tour of the Emlen Physick Estate. Spend time exploring the rooms and collections of the Physick House Museum with knowledgeable interpreters and volunteers to answer questions. In some rooms you will meet a member of the Physick family or domestic staff, who will discuss the "hows and whys" of the objects found there. Offered Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 m. Last ticket sales at 3:30 pm; museum closes at 4:15 pm. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets can be purchased at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Sunday, October 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
The Dr. Is In

Meet "Dr. Emlen Physick" on his Estate's grounds in Cape May from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Sunday. Opt for a guided tour of his house with its theme in 2016: "What the Heck Is that Thing?." Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets can be purchased at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Sunday, October 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
Our Nation's Security: How Intelligence History Affects the Future


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Sunday, October 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
Victorian Weekend Crafts & Collectibles Show

Crafters and collectibles dealers from throughout the region display and sell their wares on the lawn of the Emlen Physick Estate from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Free admission. Free parking available. The Emlen Physick Estate is located at 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Sundays, October 9 & 16 -  Morris Township, Morris County
Victorian Mourning Themed Home Tours

Take a step back in time and visit a household in mourning in the late 1800s. The rooms of the historic 1760 Turner House at 117 VanSyckles Road in Hampton, NJ will be set up as they would have been for a Victorian mourning. Costumed docents will be on hand to greet visitors and guide them on tours of the rooms.

Although topics like grave robbing, vampire panics, and fear of being buried alive may seem more suited to Halloween and horror movies than historic themed tours, these, and other Victorian beliefs and superstitions regarding death, are based in history.

The tours will explore these and other topics using artifacts from the collection at Turner House as well as antique items on loan from other sources and reproductions. These items include a collection of vintage mourning jewelry from The Vintage Shoppe in downtown Clinton, and a "toe pincher" coffin from long time local resident Doug Martin, a retired funeral director.

Requested donation is $10 per person. Tours start at 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, and 3:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are required so please contact Union Forge Heritage Association at ufhaevents@gmail.com for more information and to make reservations. For more information, visit www.unionforgeheritage.org.

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Sunday, October 9 -  Morris Township, Morris County
Farm Know-How on the Go: Carriage House
Children Friendly Event and Site

On Sunday from 2:00 - 2:45 pm at Fosterfields Living History Farm, walk to the Carriage House and discover how the building was once used by the coachman. Learn about tack and harnessing from the farmer. Included with regular admission.

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

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Sunday, October 9 - Whippany, Morris County
Excursion Train Rides & Not So Scary Halloween
Children Friendly Event & Site

Spend Sunday at the Whippany Railway Museum on a 10-mile, 45-minute round trip excursion from Whippany to Roseland on a mid-1900s Excursion Train. The combined age of the equipment used on the vintage train is an astounding 635 years! Be on the lookout for deer, turtles, wild turkeys, hawks, and rabbits, as the route takes you past a natural swamp with abundant wildlife. Trains depart at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 pm from 1 Railroad Plaza at the Intersection of Route 10 West & Whippany Road in Whippany, NJ. Train fare is: Adult: $14; child (under 12): $9; infants (1 year and under): Free. Train Fare includes admission to Whippany Railway Museum Building.  The "Excursion Train Ride" is a fundraising effort to benefit the Whippany Railway Museum, a 501 (c)3 non-profit Operating Heritage Railroad that is staffed by Volunteers. Donations from the public help to keep the Museum operational, but funds are still required to support this unique New Jersey treasure. Proceeds from the train rides will further enhance the Museum's mission and its Historic Preservation efforts. For more information, call 973-887-8177 or visit www.whippanyrailwaymuseum.net.

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Sunday, October 9 - Princeton, Mercer County
Historic Princeton Walking Tour
Children Friendly 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, October 9 - Wantage, Sussex County
Open House and Tours

The DAR Elias Van Bunschooten Museum is decorated for fall and is open to the public for house tours. The Chinkchewunska Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will take part in the National DAR Day of Service on Sunday to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The museum will be open from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm and will offer free tours along with cookies and apple cider. The Elias Van Bunschooten Museum is located at 1097 Route 23, Wantage, NJ. For more information, visit the Elias Van Bunschooten Museum Web Site.

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Sunday, October 9 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Quilting Demonstration
Children Friendly Site

On Sunday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to take a step back in time to view a traditional quilting demonstration in the farmhouse. 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, October 9 -  Morris Township, Morris County
Paper Faces on Parade
Children Friendly Event & Site

As you prepare your Halloween costume, take time to learn about the historic uses of masks, with the opportunity to make one of your own at Historic Speedwell from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Admission: $5 per adult, $4 per senior, $3 per child age 4 - 16, FREE per child under age 4. Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Sunday, October 9 - Piscataway, Middlesex County
A Revolutionary Legacy: the Cornelius Low House 275 Exhibit

The newest exhibit to open at the Middlesex County Museum exhibit delves into the history of the Low family and the role they played in the shaping of the United States. A Revolutionary Legacy: the Cornelius Low House 275 exhibit is housed inside the County’s Historic Cornelius Low House/Middlesex County Museum. The Museum is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ.

This seven-room exhibit contains artifacts that date to the 1700s and includes handcrafted furniture from New Brunswick, paintings by artist Micah Williams, a document signed by Cornelius Low and his wife Johanna, portrait miniatures of several Low family members, and a chair that George Washington used on a visit to the New Brunswick area. These items are on loan from the DAR Jersey Blue Chapter Buccleuch Mansion, the Suffolk County Historical Society and private collections.

The grand opening will be held from 1:00 - 4:00 pm on Sunday. The event is free of charge, but registration is required. Please call 732-745-3030 to register. For more information, visit www.middlesexcountynj.gov.

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Sunday, October 9 - Morristown, Morris County
Walk Through Time

Come join Macculloch Hall for a Walk Through Time featuring seven elegant homes in Morristown's national landmark historic district from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm. Tickets are $40 in advance; $45 same-day purchase (at Macculloch Hall). Tickets available online, at Macculloch Hall and at the following locations in Morristown: Lauren b., 55 South Street, Morristown, 07960. Suzi's Salon, Spa & Wellness, 126 South Street, Morristown, 07960; Just Jersey, 163 South Street, Morristown, 07960; British Home Emporium, 91 Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940
Tickets ordered online may be picked up at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum either in advance of the tour or on October 9 at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum together with your guidebook. Macullouch Hall is located at 45 MacCulloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-538-2404, ext.11 or visit www.maccullochhall.org.

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Sunday, October 9 - West Orange, Essex County
Harry's Magical Invention Bag
Children Friendly

Learn about invention and the important role Edison played in taking invention from a cottage/hobby activity to a full commercial activity - practiced by all major corporations. Hear Harry Roman, a Thomas Edison National Historical Park volunteer, retired engineer, as well as inventor and patent holder, as he discusses the major role NJ plays in the national invention scene-and all the great inventions NJ inventors have brought into our world.

Harry, a nationally known inventor, was a critical player in establishing the NJ Inventors Hall of Fame in 1989, and later went on to chair the organization from 1996-2004. The Hall of Fame honored him with an Inventor of the Year award in 2005 for his pioneering work in robotics, and honored him again in 2012 with a special achievement award for his dedication to the organization.

The program runs from 1:00 - 2:00 pm and 3:00 - 4:00 pm and 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, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x11 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.

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Through Monday, October 10 (Columbus Day), 2016 - Bay Head, Ocean County
Tommy's Folly: The 200th Anniversary of Congress Hall

See the current exhibit at the Carroll Gallery, "Tommy's Folly: The 200th Anniversary of Congress Hall." Guest curated by Congress Hall owner Curtis Bashaw and Exit Zero publisher Jack Wright, this exhibit features the history of Congress Hall, one of America's most illustrious hotels. The exhibit is in the Carriage House of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Admission is free. Exhibit is open from Friday, April 29 through Monday, October 10. Open daily; times vary. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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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 - Morristown, Morris County
History of NJ Diners
Children Friendly

When was the last time you ate at a diner? If you are like millions in New Jersey, the answer is not too long ago. Dubbed “the land of diners,” New Jersey’s highways and main streets are dotted with silver airstreams and neon signs of the classic American diner. Moreover, New Jersey was and still is the diner manufacturing industry’s hub. This exhibition at the Morris Museum explores the rich history of the Garden State’s favorite casual eatery through classic photographs and historical artifacts, as well as original oil paintings by Wyckoff, NJ based artist Mark Oberndorf. Admission: adults, $10; seniors and children ages 3-18 $7; children under 3, free. The Morris Museum is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-971-3706 or visit www.morrismuseum.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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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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