NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 3/18/17 - 3/19/17

 New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Friday, March 17 - Sandy Hook, Monmouth County
Ghost Hunting in East Amwell

The Paranormal Activity Research Society of New Jersey (PARS) has been ghost hunting in East Amwell, and are ready to share their spooky discoveries with you on Friday at 7:00 pm. PARS members will show you the tools of their trade -- cameras, K2 meters, REM-Pods and more. 

Then they'll tell you about their visit to the Clawson House before discussing perhaps the most haunted house they've ever investigated: a 1760 farm house in East Amwell. They will play for you the eerie audio voices and a conversations that occurred while no earthly being was in the room, and then show you what they captured on camera.

EAHS is charging $10 for the entire seat, but you’ll only need the edge. Space is limited. Proceeds benefit our efforts to restore the historic Clawson House. For more information, visit EAHS website at www.eastamwellhistory.org. The talk will be held at East Amwell Township Hall, 1070 Route 202/31.

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Saturday, March 18 - Sandy Hook, Monmouth County
Army Ground Forces Association
Children Friendly Event

The Army Ground Forces Association volunteer group will be dressed in WWII era uniform performing restorations projects and interpreting Battery Gunnison/New Peck at Sandy Hook, a unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. Learn more about the restoration and the historic time of January 1943 at Fort Hancock. This free event will be held from 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm at Battery Gunnison. For more information, call 718-354-4606 or visit www.nps.gov/gate.

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Saturday, March 18 - Atlantic City, Atlantic County

Ghost Investigation at Absecon Lighthouse

Do you want to discover if Absecon Lighthouse is home to ghostly keepers that still watch over the shore in Atlantic City? Come visit the Absecon Lighthouse to partake in your own Ghost Investigation, led by the New Jersey Researchers of Paranormal Evidence (NJROPE). NJROPE will be on property to help you hunt for ghosts in the five paranormal "hot spots" identified at the two-acre property, museum and tower in their previous paranormal investigations. Participants will use equipment such as digital voice recorders, infrared thermal sensors, K2 meters, and digital cameras. Participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment as well. Hear NJROPE's eerie recordings taken during previous paranormal investigations. Guided tours of our grounds and tower will let you experience an authentic paranormal investigation. Reservations are required; call 609-449-1360. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the three hour investigation begins promptly at 7:00 pm and concludes promptly at 10:00 pm. Tickets are $45.00 per person, and must be reserved. There will be five teams of 10 participants in each investigative team, and participants must be at least 16 years of age. Results are not guaranteed.

Since The Inlet Public Private Association renovated the lighthouse tower, rebuilt the Keeper's Cottage and re-opened to visitors, several staff and volunteers have shared stories of being alone on the property but hearing footsteps and voices, smelling smoke and even seeing a few ghostly apparitions. Now is your chance to experience the Absecon Lighthouse as you've never experienced it before. Absecon Lighthouse is a state-owned historic property administered by the non-profit Inlet Public/Private Association. Located at 31 So. Rhode Island Avenue in Atlantic City, it is open to visitors Thursdays through Mondays, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 609-449-1360 or visit www.abseconlighthouse.org.

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Saturday, March 18 - Cape May, Cape May County
Down Jersey Cinema Saturday

Please join us for an afternoon of local films at Borough Hall in Cape May on Saturday! Beginning at 2:00 pm, Historic Cold Spring Village and the Cape May County Film Society will have a screening of the documentary Winter: From the Words of Dallas Lore Sharp by Jim Talone, and the short film New Jersey the Movie by Steve Chernoski. Light refreshments will be available. Admission to Down Jersey Cinema Saturday is free; however, donations will be gladly accepted. All donations will go to both the Cape May Film Society and Historic Cold Spring Village. 

Itinerary: 
2:00 pm: Winter: From the Words of Dallas Lore Sharp with a talk by Jim Talone and JP Hand. Dallas Lore  Sharp, a native of New Jerseyan, is best known as the author of many books that detail the native landscape and wildlife of the area in the 19th and 20th centuries. 
2:45 pm: Refreshment break 
3:00 pm: New Jersey the Movie by Steve Chernoski. Learn about the many similarities and differences between North and South Jersey in this short comedic film.

These film screenings are in collaboration with and in support of The Cape May County Film Society. The Cape May Borough Hall is located at 732 Broadway, Cape May, NJ.

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Saturday, March 18 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Visit from the Horse Doctor, Dentist & Shoer
Children Friendly

When is a 3/4 ton workhorse a chicken? When the doctor, farrier, and dentist come...maybe. Keeping the horses in tip top shape is very important to our farmers. This annual well visit allows a head to tail examination and is just one of the many ways we can be sure our horses are healthy and happy.

Besides seeing some of the tools, techniques and products that relate to horse care as it was practiced during the farm's circa 1900 time period, visitors will be able to meet a veterinarian, horse dentist, and farrier and even try their own hand at a bit of horse doctoring.

With the veterinarian's help, visitors will be able to listen to a horse's heart through an antique stethoscope and watch the doctor give spring vaccines and worming medicine. The dentist will need assistance counting teeth to determining the age of the horse and leveling any teeth with a dental rasp. The special hoof care that is needed, will be demonstrated by the farrier, this will include trimming and balancing of hooves and re-set shoes if needed.

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, March 18 - Piscataway, Middlesex County
Guided Tours of the Metlar-Bodine House Museum

Curious about the yellow house situated on the hill above River Road, opposite Johnson Park, in Piscataway? On Saturday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm, visitors are welcome to discover the story behind Piscataway's exceptional history, view artifacts from a unique collection of area memorabilia and marvel at the architecture of a house built, over three centuries, in the NJ vernacular style. Visitors even have the option of using a 21st century resource (not usually available in a small museum): an app, designed for the comprehensive map exhibit - a splendid pictorial display of the museum's theme: From Indian Trail to Interstate. Tours are approximately one hour. Light refreshments available (free). Dutch Door Gift Shop open. The Metlar-Bodine House Museum, circa 1728, is listed on the National and NJ State Registers of Historic Sites and is the official historical and cultural museum of Piscataway Township.

Guided tours start on the hour and half hour. Pre-tour registration is highly recommended. Admission: $5 per person. The Dutch Door Gift Shop will be open. The museum is handicap accessible. Handicap parking is located in the lower parking lot. All parking is free. The Metlar-Bodine House Museum is located at 1281 River Road, Piscataway, NJ. For more information and to register for tours, call 732-463-8363. For more information, visit www.metlarbodinehousemuseum.org.

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Saturday, March 18 - Haddonfield, Camden County
The Life of a Revolutionary War Soldier

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Saturday, March 18 - Stockton, Hunterdon County
Delaware & Raritan Canal Feeder Walking Tour

Walk 5.3 miles on the Delaware & Raritan Canal Feeder towpath between Firemen's Eddy and Prallsville Mill (the meeting place), or choose a shorter hike of 2.6 miles. Meet at 10:00 am at the Prallsville Mill Complex, Route 29, Stockton. For more information, contact Pamela V'Combe at 609-635-2783 or pjvcombe@gmail.com.

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Saturday, March 18 - Freehold, Monmouth County
Gallery Workshop

On Saturday, Joseph W. Hammond, Director of Collections at Monmouth County Historical Association, will lead a gallery workshop for our major exhibition entitled "Hartshorne: Eight Generations and Their Highlands Estate Called  Portland." The session will begin at 10:30 am with an introduction in our Discovery Room.

It will be followed by a detailed opportunity to study the wide range of textiles, furniture, paintings, graphics, memorabilia, and text panels on display that tell the story of this remarkable family spanning the years 1670 to the present day. At its maximum extent, the Portland estate comprised more than 2,400 acres east of Atlantic Highlands between the Navesink River and Sandy Hook Bay, including Sandy Hook itself.

Space for the gallery workshop is limited to fifteen persons. A registration fee of $10 will be charged. To make your reservation, visit www.monmouthhistory.org, call 732-462-1466 x 11, or email pgithens@monmouthhistory.org. The Monmouth County Historical Association is located at 70 Court St, Freehold, NJ.

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Saturday, March 18 - Cape May, Cape May County
Search for Clues Tour
Family Friendly

Travel from inn to inn in Victorian Cape May while you try to solve the murder mystery for 2017, "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of The Discarded Woman," from 1:00 - 3:00 pm on Saturday. Admission is $15 for adults, $7.50 for children (ages 3-12). The tour begins at and tickets will be available at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth. Part of Sherlock Holmes Weekend, 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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Saturday, March 18 - Bridgewater, Somerset County
18th Century Dance Workshop

Register online for the dance workshop.

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Sunday, March 19 - Montclair, Essex County
Historic House Tour: Crane House/YWCA and Family FUNday
Family Friendly

Discover the people whose “many voices” and life stories shaped our community, and travel through the ages with the Crane House and Historic YWCA. Hear about the evolution of our young country from New Jersey’s point of view, and learn of a unique story set during a time when the nation was embroiled in the Civil Rights. Visit our community farm to learn more about our agricultural past, and don’t forget to say hello to our happy brood of chickens! 

At this month’s Family FUNday, kids can create a tin-punched candle-holder, corn husk creatures, and a woven potholder. They try their hands at writing with a quill pen and serve as “sous chefs” in the hearth kitchen. Busy hands needed to grind spices in the hearth!

The site at 108 Orange Road, Montlair, NJ is open from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Tours are self-guided this day. Admission is $10/family. Family membership gets in free! For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, March 19 - Pemberton Township, Burlington County
Women's History: Taking A Stand
Elizabeth White & Four Mile Colony

In celebration of Women's History Month, the Whitesbog Preservation Trust will explore the contributions made by Elizabeth C. White over three decades to the founding and day-to-day operations of Four Mile Colony, now known as New Lisbon Developmental Center. Learn about the colony's beginning, its expansion and the people involved in its early history. $5/person donation requested. Program begins at 2:00 pm. To reserve a seat, call 609-893-4646 or e-mail WhitesbogPreservationTrust@gmail.com.

Historic Whitesbog Village is located at 120 North Whites Bogs Road, Browns Mills, NJ. It is located at mile marker 13 on County Route 530 (Pemberton Township). For more information, call 609-893-4646, e-mail WhitesbogPreservationTrust@gmail.com or visit www.whitesbog.org.

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Sunday, March 19 - Westfield, Union County
"Busy Fingers" - Ladies' Needlework
Children Friendly Event

One of the major tasks of the colonial housewife's day was the production of clothing and linens for her family. Needlework and other hand work were not only essential skills, but also a way to keep busy during rare spare time. To be called "an industrious woman" was the greatest of compliments!

On Sunday, the Miller-Cory House Museum will highlight these skills from 2:00 - 4:00 om in a program called "Busy Fingers - Ladies' Needlework." Visitors can watch a number of "industrious women" demonstrating hand sewing, knitting, weaving on a lap loom, and crewel embroidery. Children may also participate in a simple doll-sewing craft.

The program includes tours of the fully restored circa 1740 farmhouse museum, as well as open-hearth cooking demonstrations featuring using period techniques and recipes. Admission is $4 for ages 13 and older, $3 for ages 3-12, and free age 2 and younger. The Miller-Cory House Museum is located at 614 Mountain Avenue, Westfield, NJ. For more information, call 908-232-1776, e-mail millercorymuseum@gmail.com, or visit www.millercoryhouse.org.

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Sunday, March 19 - 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, March 19 - Westampton, Burlington County
Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration

With the 10-foot hearth in the Great Room at Peachfield as the backdrop, Margaret Quinn our Colonial cooking expert will share her knowledge of cooking on the Open Hearth. She will prepare a variety of dishes from authentic Colonial Recipes. Sampling and light refreshments are included. This program will take place from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

Admission is $15 per person. Prepaid reservations are recommended to guarantee seating; seating is limited. Peachfield is located at 180 Burrs Road Westampton, NJ. For more information and to reserve a seat, call 609-267-6996 or e-mail colonialdamesnj@comcast.net.

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Sunday, March 19 - Union Township, Union County
Combined Commemoration of Black History and Women's History Month

On Sunday at 2:00 pm, Dr. Betty Livingston Adams will present "Black Women's Christian Activism: Seeking Social Justice in a Northern Suburb" at Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church, 888 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union, NJ. The event will be hosted by the Union Township Historical Society.

Dr. Adams' talk will be based on her book of the same title. One of the women featured in both is Violet Johnson, a domestic servant, who moved to Summit, in 1897. She was one of less than 100 black residents in a town of 6,000. Summit was then a liberal Protestant community, yet observed some race and class barriers. But Violet didn't accept the status quo. She established Fountain Baptist Church in 1898 - "a seemingly moderate act" that affected more that religious services. Miss Johnson challenged thinking on gender and race and worked for an equal place for African Americans in the U. S. She was only one of many working-class activists integral to the birth of the civil rights movement.

Dr. Adams said Miss Johnson and her colleagues used their  religious convictions to work for social change and helped turn New Jersey's women's suffrage movement into a "multiracial, cross-class movement" and started a statewide women's Republican club.

Dr. Adams holds a PhD in American Studies from Yale University and a Master of Divinity degree from Drew University. She researched 19th-and 20th-century African American/American religious and social history from gender, race, and class perspectives. For more information, call Barbara at 908-687-0048 or visit www.uniontwphistoricalsociety.webs.com.

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Sunday, March 19 - West Orange, Essex County
Harry's Magical Invention Bag
Children Friendly Event

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.

The program, held from 1:00 - 2:00 pm and 3:00 - 4:00 pm, 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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Sunday, March 19  - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Blacksmith Demonstration
Children Friendly Event

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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Through March 31, 2017 - Plainfield, Union County
Funky Turns 40: Black Character Revolution Firsts Opening Reception and Curators' Talk

The Plainfield Public Library announces a new guest exhibit from the Museum of Uncut Funk, Funky Turns 40: Black Character Revolution Firsts. The exhibit commemorates the 40th anniversary of 1970s Saturday morning cartoons that featured positive Black animation characters for the first time in television history.

The pioneering cartoon characters featured in this exhibition present an unheralded legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and several animation, American, and Black History firsts. This flat-panel exhibit has traveled to the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, and the Purdue University Black Cultural Center. Plainfield Public Library is pleased and honored to be able to present this one-of-a-kind, traveling exhibit to the residents of Plainfield and Union County. Visitors are encouraged to join exhibit curators Loreen Williamson and Pamela Thomas for a special talk about the importance of the materials found in this exhibition. Free commemorative buttons will be given to program attendees on February 11 (as long as supplies last). All Ages Welcome! The exhibit opens at 10:30 am in the ALD Room (lower level) of the Plainfield Public Library, 800 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ. For more information, call 908-757-1111 or visit www.plainfieldlibrary.info.

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Through Sunday, April 9 - Cape May, Cape May County

Moore History: The Story of William J. Moore of Cape May

The Center for Community Arts (CCA) once again presents an exhibit in association with the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) that highlights and illuminates African-American life and history in Cape May and the surrounding region. This year's exhibit, in the Carroll Gallery of the Emlen Physick Estate, is entitled "Moore History: The Life and Works of William J. Moore."

The CCA History Committee has selected important original documents, objects, and photographs of Mr. Moore's long and honored life. William J. Moore was principal of the segregated West Cape May Elementary Annex school for 52 years, inspiring many of his students to go on to college and careers. He served as the executive of Cape May Golf Club and then the pro at Cape May Tennis Club, which was named in his honor at his 100th birthday. He raised nine children with his wife, Susie (Smothers) Moore, and founded the William J. Moore Scholarship Fund.

Many of his students and friends remember him to this day. Their testimonies and recollections accompany Mr. Moore's own words and those of his children. The exhibit will be open to the public on Saturday, January 14 with an official opening ceremony on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 16 at 4:00 pm at the Carroll Gallery in the Carriage House at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street. The exhibit opening is free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served.

The exhibit is open to the public as follows: Saturdays, January 14 - February 4, 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm; Saturday, February 18, 11:00 am - 3:30 pm, Sunday, Feb. 19, 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, Monday, February 20, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, Saturday, February 25, 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm, Saturday, March 4, 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, Saturday, March 11, 11:00 am - 2:30 pm. The exhibit is open daily, March 18 - April 19. Hours vary.

The Emlen Physick Estate is located at 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Admission is free. Sponsored by the Center for Community Arts (CCA) in association with the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For information on the exhibit, call 609-884-7525 or see www.CenterforCommunityArts.org. For gallery hours call 609-884-5404 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Through Friday, April 28, 2017 - Trenton, Mercer County
Toy World Exhibit
Children Friendly

Bring the whole family to enjoy this fun new exhibition spotlighting the little-known history of toy manufacturing in New Jersey. Step back to another era and enjoy a bit of nostalgia with more than 100 toys made in New Jersey between 1880 and the late 1960s, during New Jersey's golden era of manufacturing. See how world events helped shape the toys produced here, from tin toys, porcelain dolls, and model trains, through the development of plastics, which ushered in little green army men, Colorforms, Suzy Homemaker ovens and more. Innovations such as the first "talking" doll, created by Thomas Edison, will also be featured.

The exhibition features a play area for children and a spot to share your favorite childhood toy memories. Randomly selected memories will be featured on the Museum's Facebook page throughout the exhibition. "Toy World" will be on view from through April 28, 2017. 

“Toy World” will be on view in the Riverside Gallery on the New Jersey State Museum's second floor. The Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 am to 4:45 pm and closed on all State holidays. The Museum is located at 205 W State St, Trenton, NJ. For more information, visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov.

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Through Sunday, May 21, 2017 - Princeton, Mercer County
Bruce Springsteen: A Photographic Journey

Like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan before him, Bruce Springsteen is a pillar of American music. Springsteen has turned his guitar into an instrument of change, using it to tap into the American psyche and connect with the blue-collar man and woman through his melodies and lyrics. From his humble beginnings of rehearsing in New Jersey garages to selling out arenas around the world, Springsteen's career has spanned decades and crossed genres-and has never wavered from its upward trajectory.

This fall, Morven Museum & Garden presents Bruce Springsteen: A Photographic Journey. Traveling from the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, this exhibition features forty photographs of the rock legend and video interviews with five of the six noted photographers: Danny Clinch, Ed Gallucci, Eric Meola, Barry Schneier, Pamela Springsteen, and Frank Stefanko. Together they revisit Springsteen's career as a frontman and songwriter, capturing his charisma and off-stage vulnerability.

The exhibition is on view from November 18, 2016 through May 21, 2017 at Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ. Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 609-924-8144 or visit www.morven.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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Sunday, February 19 through Sunday, June 25, 2017 - Morristown, Morris County
1917: World War, Women’s Rights, and Weaponry Sciences Exhibit Opening

In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I, Morris County Historical Society offers a provocative exhibit highlighting The Great War’s impact on Morris County. The new exhibit 1917: World War, Women’s Rights, and Weaponry Sciences, displayed throughout Acorn Hall, will be available from Sunday, February 19 through Sunday, June 25, 2017. Stories of Morris County’s brave men and women during the WWI era will be complimented by authentic WWI uniforms, weaponry and militaria, period clothing, and ephemera.

Focusing on sacrifices of Morris County residents, the exhibit honors the men and women who gave their lives during the war, highlights the culture clash of women seeking recognition as equals and the right to vote, and features the tremendous advances in weaponry science credited to the work of men and women at Picatinny Arsenal and throughout Morris County.

The Morris County Historical Society at Acorn Hall is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, and on Sundays from 1:00- 4:00 pm. For a tour of Acorn Hall and to see the exhibit is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students, and Free for children under age 12 and MCHS members. To see the exhibit, only, is one half of the price of admission.

The Morris County Historical Society, founded in 1946, is a member-supported, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Acorn Hall, an Italianate Villa, is located at 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-267-3465 or visit www.acornhall.org.

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Sundays through June 30, 2017 - 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. 

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 Cornelius Low House/Middlesex County Museum is open on Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm and is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ. For more information, call 732-745-4177 or visit www.middlesexcountynj.gov.

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Through September 3, 2017
Garden State: Living Off the Land in Early New Jersey Exhibit
Family Friendly

How far is the distance from farm to table? For families in early New Jersey it was measured in inches. These families did not make their living “by bread alone.” They relied not only on wheat and corn, but also on bees, cows, apples, and vegetables to support themselves and their communities. The Garden State: Living off the Land in Early New Jersey explores the technology and tools, from bee smokers to cradle scythes, that farmers in 18th and 19th century New Jersey utilized in order to survive. The exhibit also features a new generation of Garden State farmers who are working to make the distance from farm to table a little bit shorter for today’s families.

This exhibit is on display through September 3, 20017 at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts located at 9 Main Street, Madison, NJ. Admission: Adults – $5; Students, children and adults 65+ – $3; METC members and children under 6 – FREE; Family maximum rate – $15.00. For more information, call 973-377-2982 or visit www.metc.org.

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Last Sunday of the month through Fall 2017 - Woodbury, Gloucester County
White Lace and Promises: Two Centuries of Weddings Exhibit

White Lace and Promises: Two Centuries of Weddings, is the Gloucester County Historical Society Museum's most comprehensive wedding exhibit to date! This gorgeous exhibit features over 50 wedding gowns from the museum’s collection, representing the time period from the 1810’s through most of the 20th century. From the hooped dresses and bustles of the 19th century, to the many variations of gowns during the 20th century, nearly every popular wedding gown style is represented. Also showcased are bridal accessories including headpieces, veils, shoes, fans, lingerie, and jewelry. Documentation such as invitations and wedding certificates, along with beautiful photographs from many of these weddings, are also on display. This extensive exhibit will be up until fall of 2017 – do not miss it!

The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm, and the last Sunday of the month from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. If interested in scheduling a private tour during non-public hours to see this exhibit, this may be organized for you and/or your group with advance. Adult admission $5; children 6-18 years $1; children under 6 free. The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum is located at 58 N. Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096. For more information, call 856-848-8531 or visit www.rootsweb.com/~njgchs.

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