NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 8/5/17 - 8/6/17

 New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Saturday, August 5 - Morristown, Morris County

Soldier at the Huts
Children Friendly Event

Learn about the life of a common soldier during the winter encampment and see the clothing, equipment, and weapons that a soldier used as you visit the replica soldier huts of the Pennsylvania Line. Stop by the Soldier Huts from 1:30 - 3:30 pm within Jockey Hollow at Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Tempe Wick Road, Morristown NJ (address is approximate). This is a FREE event. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 5 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Penny Rug Demonstration
Children Friendly

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to take a step back in time to see crafters demonstrate the art of penny rug making. 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.

-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 5 - Morristown, Morris County
Explore the Farm: Horse-Drawn Wagon Ride
Children Friendly Event & Site

On Saturday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, take a horse-drawn wagon ride! With an emphasis on sustainability, this narrated wagon ride explores the methods, equipment, crops, and enterprises of Fosterfields in the early 1900s. You can also make a special Independence Day craft! The tour runs from 10:15 am - 12:00 noon. Preregistration is required. Please call 973-326-7645 to register.

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

-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 5 - Cape May, Cape May County
6th Annual Craft Beer & Crab Festival
Family Friendly Event

Come to the beautiful grounds of the Physick Estate and experience what CBS NY named one of New Jersey's Top Five Summer Festivals! This all-day festival features local craft beers to wash down favorite summer picnic foods such as steamed crabs, crab cakes, steamed shrimp, pulled pork, corn on the cob, potato salad and more. Enjoy live music all day on the outdoor stage. Have fun with jugglers and acrobats, crafts and food vendors, a farmers' market and more. Admission to the grounds is free. There will be a charge for food, beverages, and some activities. Bring home a commemorative pint glass or t-shirt. The festival begins at 10:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm. Free trolley shuttle from Ocean Street at the Washington Street Mall. The Physick Estate is located at 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Presented by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) and sponsored by PNC Bank. For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org. Proceeds benefit MAC's educational outreach programs.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, August 5 - 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 but there is a $5 per car parking fee. Waterloo Village is located at 525 Waterloo Road, Byram, NJ. For more information, call 973-292-2755 or visit www.canalsocietynj.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, August 5 - Montague, Sussex County
Willa Cather: Writer from the Prairie and Enduring Gift to Our Country

On Saturday at 2:00 pm, the Montague Association for the Restoration of Community History (M.A.R.C.H.), is pleased to present a new historical program at the Foster Armstrong House in Montague by local tri-State historian and author, Peter Osborne. The presentation is titled “Willa Cather: Writer from the Prairie and Enduring Gift to Our Country.” This historical presentation explores the important literary legacy left by Willa Cather, one of the most noteworthy women authors of the 20th century.

Born in Virginia, she moved to Nebraska in the later 19th century. She wrote on the struggles on the Great Plains but also on a variety of other topics including the American Southwest. Her best known books are O Pioneers!, My Antonia, and Death Comes to the Archbishop. Many adults were introduced to Willa Cather’s books as assigned reading in school but have retained a love of her writings over the years.

Peter Osborne has recently moved to Red Cloud, Nebraska, the childhood hometown of Willa Cather. He splits his time between Nebraska and back east in North Haledon, New Jersey. Peter will be available afterwards for a book signing for his newest book, The Trains of Our Memory: A History of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, 1965-2015. There will be one Foster Armstrong House museum tour after the presentation.

The Foster-Armstrong House, circa 1790, a two story Dutch colonial, is located on SC521/ 320 River Road, about 1 mile north of the Milford/Montague Bridge. It is listed on the State Historic Register of NJ and is a National Historic Register Site. Ten rooms are set up with local history displays in each room. Rooms contain an original bee hive oven, native Indian artifacts, Duke Mortimer's Dramatic Art Workshop collection, a military room, a quilt room and to scale model covered bridges of the northeast United States.

M.A.R.C.H. is a nonprofit historical society and there is no admission fee for the museum or presentation but donations and new memberships are always welcomed. The Foster-Armstrong House is located within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/MontagueNJHistory.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, August 5 - Haddonfield, Camden County
Electrical Fire with Dean Howarth

-----------------------------------

Saturday, August 5 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Coast Liner Concert

Join us for an evening of Doo Wop with the Coast Liners on Saturday from 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm at the Historic Village of Allaire Chapel. The Coast Liners are an accapella group that will get your toes tappin’ and you dancin’ in the rows. From an Elvis tribute to The Duprees and the Five Satins, they know it all. Tickets are $15 per person.

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

-----------------------------------

Saturday, August 5 - Chester, Morris County
Sail, Sail Your Boat
Children Friendly Event & Site

Decorate boats and sail them in the tail-race at the Cooper Gristmill in Morris County from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Please wear closed-toe shoes or boots. Cost: FREE. Boats can be purchased for $10 (Friends members $5), or borrowed for FREE. The Cooper Gristmill is located at 66 Route 513, Chester, NJ. For more information, call 908-879-5463 or visit www.morrisparks.net.


-----------------------------------
Saturday, August 5 - Morristown, Morris County
Jr. Engineer Day
Children Friendly Event

On Saturday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at Historic Speedwell, dig into S.T.E.A.M. and be an engineer for a day with hands-on activities. Learn how to use science, technology, and mathematics to solve everyday problems. Admission: $7/adult, $6/senior (65+), $5/child (ages 4 -16). FREE for children under age 4 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Historic Speedwell is located 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, August 5 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Honey Harvest
Children Friendly Event and Site

All of Howell Living Farm's bees will be on their best behavior on Saturday according to beekeepers, who have invited the public to meet the queens, drones and workers who are responsible for this year’s crop of clover honey. Visitors will be able to help uncap and extract honey, to taste and buy honey, and to see the insides of working hives between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm.

The "bee yard" will open for visits when beekeeper Bob Hughes removes the boxes that contain frames of honey. Visitors who want a close-up view of the action, which involves "brushing" the bees off the frames, should avoid wearing perfume, cologne or hairspray. Children can help spin honey from the frames by turning the crank of an "extractor."

Howell Living Farm represents typical farm life between 1890 and 1910. The farm is operated by the Mercer County Parks Commission. It is located at 70 Wooden's Lane, Lambertville, NJ. For more information. call 609-737-3299 or visit www.howellfarm.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, August 5 - 6 - Brick, Ocean County
Civil War Encampment
Children Friendly Event & Site

The Brick Township Historical Society will sponsor a Civil War Encampment at its Havens Homestead Museum on Saturday and Sunday. The 61st New York Volunteer Regiment will spend the weekend and show visitors what life was like in camp.  They will march, fire guns, and answer questions.  The public is invited to share experiences with them.

Please note: since the soldiers are staying overnight, the hours for visiting are daytime on Saturday and until 3:00 pm on Sunday. In addition to the Encampment, the society will hold a bake sale and there will be sale items in the Lizzie Herbert Gift Shop. Civil War "Hanky Dolls" will be featured. There will be free tours of the Havens Homestead Museum from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm on both days, and the other buildings, such as the barn, the cranberry shed, and the fishing shack will be open for viewing. Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted.

The Havens Homestead Museum is located at 521 Herbertsville Road, Brick, NJ. Parking is in a lot 150 feet east of the property accessed by a sign that says “Havens Farm.” For more information, call 732-785-2500 or visit www.bricktwphistoricalsociety.com.

-----------------------------------

Saturday - Sunday, August 5 - 6 - Cape May, Cape May County
'Down on the Farm' Weekend at Historic Cold Spring Village
Children Friendly Event & Site

Experience life on an Early American farm through hands-on activities and exhibits at Historic Cold Spring Village's 'Down on the Farm' Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. Historic Cold Spring Village, an open-air living history museum, presents the trades, crafts, architecture and lifestyles of an Early American, rural South Jersey farming community. The Village is also home to a working 8-acre organic heritage farm complex.

Special exhibits throughout the Village will include collections of antique and modern farming equipment and tools. Visitors can tour the historic Gandy Barn, c. 1880, which is now home to Levi the Village horse. In the morning, Levi and the Village farmers will demonstrate horse-driven farming techniques. Visitors interested in participating should wear closed-toe shoes. During the afternoon, visitors can take horse and carriage rides around the Village - free with admission! Guests can also visit the Village sheep, pigs, chickens and calf. The Family Activity Area will feature children's dress-up clothes, games, and take-home crafts. Children may also participate in farm chores at the Corson-Gandy Barn throughout the day.

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

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.

-----------------------------------

Every Sunday through September 3 - Walpack Center, Sussex County
Rosenkrans House and Museum and Van Campen Inn - Open House

Visit the Rosenkrans House & Museum, one of the oldest buildings in Walpack Center. Volunteers from the Walpack Historical Society will be present to answer any questions you may have about the area and its history.  The grounds at Walpack Center are open from dawn to dusk. 

The open houses are made possible by volunteers from the Walpack Historical Society, and may be subject to their volunteer schedule. Call 973-948-4903 for any updates on their scheduled Sunday open hours. The Rosenkrans House & Museum and the Van Campen Inn are part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/dewa.

-----------------------------------

Every Sunday through September 3 - Hardwick, Warren County
1800's Village Life at Millbrook Village

Stroll at your leisure through Millbrook Village on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Several buildings will be open and staffed with rangers and volunteers demonstrating traditional skills and reminiscing about 1800's life in the village. By 1875, Millbrook had reached a peak of 75 inhabitants and about nineteen major buildings. Today's Millbrook Village does not replicate the Millbrook of 1832 or 1900. Rather, it evokes the feeling of countryside hamlets where most of the nation's people lived until the end of the 19th century. Please take a step back in time and see how things have (or haven't) changed! Millbrook Village is free to tour. Millbrook Village is part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Millbrook Village is located in Hardwick Township, NJ at the intersection of Old Mine Road and Millbrook Road, County Route 602N. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/dewa.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, August 6 - Pennsauken, Camden County

Griffith Morgan House: Militia Drill Day
Children Friendly Event

Join with the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment and others at the Griffith Morgan House for our Militia Drill Day on Sunday from 12:00 - 4:00 pm. The militia will be going through training drills in the yard. Hear the call to arms to defend your homes against the Red Coats! There will be free tours of the historic house and museum, as well as demonstrations and exhibits of life for 18th century soldiers and civilians.

Dating to about 1715, the Griffith Morgan is one of the oldest stone houses in Camden County. The house has been restored to the way it would have looked in the 1770s. Its three stories contain both reproductions and authentic artifacts from life along the Delaware at a time when nearby Philadelphia was the first capital of a newly-independent nation. Admission is free, but memberships and donations are most welcome! Free parking is plentiful. The Griffith Morgan House is located at 243 Griffith Morgan Lane, Pennsauken Township, NJ. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/GriffithMorganHouse.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, August 6 - Ringwood, Passaic County
The Great War Comes to Ringwood Manor
Children Friendly Event

On Sunday the grounds of Ringwood State Park will be transformed into a military encampment with displays, information, lectures, and music all commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Great War. Reenactors representing soldiers from the Central Powers and the Allies will be present. Drills and demonstrations will be taking place throughout the day to give visitors a greater understanding of the history of the “war to end all wars.”

While war was declared in Europe in 1914, the United States did not officially enter the conflict until April of 1917. Over the course of the war, more than 70 million military personnel mobilized in what was to become one of the largest wars in modern history. Technological and industrial advances in weaponry led to deaths of more than 9 million soldiers and 7 million civilians, and the conflict is often noted for the tremendous use of trench warfare. The war also set the stage for major political and economic changes that would unfold across the globe in future decades.

The military encampment on the grounds of the historic 19th Century manor will take place from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and will include lectures on the Women's Emergency Services Corps and chemical weaponry used during World War I. There will be an on-going medical nursing display along with uniform exhibitions and arms demonstrations. Historical musical group, Linda Russell & Company, will be performing songs from the Great War in front of the Manor. Visitors are encouraged to visit the encampment and talk with the reenactors, who will eagerly answer questions!

The Hewitt family was the owner of Ringwood Manor during the Great War, and several members were involved with the war effort, both at home and abroad, during their lifetimes. The historic house museum will be open for guided tours the day of the event from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm and a variety of World War I items from the collection will be on display as part of the special historic presentation.

Members of the Royal Sussex Regimental Society a New Jersey/New York based living history group that interpret the military and civilian aspects of the British Empire from King George III to Queen Victoria are co-sponsoring the event along with Ringwood State Park and the New Jersey Division of Parks & Forestry. The living history event is free of charge. There is, however, a parking fee to enter Ringwood State Park of $5 per car for in-state residents, $7 per car for out-of-state residents. Tickets to enter Ringwood Manor are $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-12, and children 5 and under are free.

A complete schedule of the day’s programs will be posted on Ringwood Manor’s website at www.ringwoodmanor.org/calendar-of-events.html. For more information on the Royal Sussex, please visit www.royalsussex.org. For information about Ringwood Manor, visit www.ringwoodmanor.org or call 973-962-2240.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, August 6 - Eatontown, Monmouth County
Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore

Rick Geffken's and George Severini's new book, Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore, brings together rarely seen images from the Library of Congress, local historical societies, and private collections to document how the Jersey Shore became the most famous vacation and recreational destination in the coastal United States. The remarkable details in these pictures capture a simpler way of life in our country, when families took their children to boardwalks to savor candy apples, salt water taffy, hotdogs and hamburgers, popcorn, and, of course, the rides.

Sponsored by the Eatontown Historical Museum, Rick will present an informative slide show and discussion on the famous and less-famous resorts along the shore on Sunday at 2:00 pm at the Eatontown Community Center, 72 Broad Street, Eatontown, NJ. Light refreshments will be served.

Rick has written numerous articles on Monmouth County history for The Two River Times, The Howell Times, the on-line Patch blogs, The Crown newsletter of Christ Church Shrewsbury, and The Monmouth Connection, the newsletter of the Monmouth County Genealogy Society. He is also the publisher of "The Monmouth Connection."

-----------------------------------

Sunday, August 6 - West Orange, Essex County
Geothermal Tour at the Glenmont Estate

Go "behind the scenes" at the Edison home. Join a guide for a walk through the basement of the famous house and learn about its new geothermal heating and cooling system. This program will last about 30 minutes at take place at 1:30 and again at 2:30 pm. It focuses on the technical aspects of the environmentally friendly geothermal system. The basement is not wheelchair accessible.

The tour is included with regular admission. Tickets must be purchased at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park Laboratory Complex Visitor Center at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ. Admission is $10.00 for adults, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x33 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, August 6 - Morristown, Morris County
What is It?
Children Friendly Event

According to Henry Wick's bill of inventory, he owned a bed key, a beetle, and a riding chair. Join a Park Ranger at the Wick House to discover these and other curious items that Mr. Wick owned. Program runs from 1:30 - 4:00 pm at the Wick House at Jockey Hollow, within Morristown National Historical Park, 580 Jockey Hollow Road (approximate), Morristown, NJ. Cost: Free. For more information, call 973-543-4030 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

-----------------------------------
Sunday, August 6 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County
Edible History - Ice Cream!
Children Friendly Event & Site

Learn a little of the history of this cooling summer time treat as you help us crank, and then consume, several ice cream flavors made from 19th century recipes. Can you imagine a better way to spend an hour on a summer afternoon? We’ll begin in the shade of the trees by the ice house at Historic Walnford. This is free historical family fun at at its best. 

Program lasts from 3:00 - 4:00 pm and is FREE!

While there, visit the large, elegant Walnford home built in 1774, the 19th century gristmill and the farm buildings set in a beautiful landscape. Walnford is located at 62 Walnford Road, 08501. For more information, call 609-259-6275 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

-----------------------------------
Sunday, August 6 - Morristown, Morris County
Best Dressed in the Vail House
Children Friendly Site

On Sunday from 12:30 pm - 6:00 pm, experience life in a historic place through costumed interpreters leading tours of the Vail House at Historic Speedwell. Admission: $7/adult, $6/senior (65+), $5/child (ages 4 -16). FREE for children under age 4 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Historic Speedwell is located 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, August 6 - Montague, Sussex County
Montague Open Houses

MARCH, the Montague Association for the Restoration of Community History, is pleased to announce that both its museum sites will be open on Sunday. The Foster-Armstrong House and the Nelden-Roberts Stonehouse will be open to the public from 1:00 - 4:00 pm for museum house tours. Tours will be held every 30 minutes and docents will be available at both sites to guide you through our local history and artifact collections.

The Foster-Armstrong House, circa 1790, a two story Dutch colonial, is located on SC521/ 320 River Road, about 1 mile north of the Milford/Montague Bridge. It is listed on the State Historic Register of NJ and is a National Historic Register Site. Ten rooms are set up with local history displays in each room. Rooms contain an original bee hive oven, native Indian artifacts, Duke Mortimer's Dramatic Art Workshop collection, a military room, a quilt room and to scale model covered bridges of the northeast United States.

The Nelden-Roberts Stonehouse, circa 1820, is located at 501 Route 206 North, about 1 mile south of the Milford/Montague Bridge. It is listed on the State Historic Register on New Jersey. The first floor is set up as a schoolhouse, which is what the building was originally built for. The second floor has a schoolmaster's bedroom and native Indian artifacts.

Both museums are located within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/MontagueNJHistory.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, August 6 - 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.

-----------------------------------
Sunday, August 6 - South River, Middlesex County
Open House

Stop by the South River Historical & Preservation Society on Sunday from 1:30 - 3:30 pm and view exhibits on all aspects of Borough history including: schools; churches and houses of worship; local businesses and organizations; daily life; events and celebrations; and more. While you are there, see the cemetery located behind the building, ask questions, drop off donations, or exchange hometown stories with the docents. The museum is located at 64-66 Main Street, South River. For more information, visit http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njsrhps/museum.html.

-----------------------------------
Sunday, August 6 - Morris Township, Morris County

Wash and Wear Sheep
Children Friendly Event & Site

On Saturday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, help the farmers wash lambs that were born in the spring. Program runs from 1:00 - 2:00 pm and 2:00 - 3:00 pm.

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

-----------------------------------

Through Sunday, August 13, 2017 - Morristown, Morris County

Unfurling Femininity

In the many centuries pre-air conditioning – or even electric fans, woman relied on their own energy to cool themselves. But their “appliances” of choice were far more eye-catching than any electric air cooler invented since: fans and parasols.

Beginning Sunday, July 16, and running through August 13, Morris County Historical Society’s (MCHS) Unfurling Femininity exhibit at Acorn Hall will display a variety of 19th and 20th century fans, parasols, and feminine accouterments decorated in American, European, and Asian motifs.

Originally designed to help beat the heat of the ancient world, fans and parasols later became symbols of fashion, grace, elegance, and wealth, a role they proudly maintained through the early 20th century. Displayed parasols and fans highlight craftsmanship and the wide variety of styles, materials, and sizes often employed in creating these genuine works of art.

Timely for the hot and sunny summer season,  Unfurling Femininity will present a wide variety of classy commodities made of silk, satin, lace, wood, papers, feathers, mother of pearl, ivory, and whale bone.

In addition to seeing these treasures, visitors also will learn more about how women often used these items to enhance their feminine wiles.

The Morris County Historical Society is located at Acorn Hall and 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.

-----------------------------------

Through Sunday, September 3, 2017 - Madison, Morris County
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.

-----------------------------------
Through Monday, September 4, 2017 - Morristown, Morris County
Art in the Park: Students Celebrate "Ingenuity in the Face of Adversity" with Dream Rocket Collaboration
Family Friendly

Morristown National Historical Park debuts its first collaboration with Dream Rocket Project (DRP), a project of the International Fiber Collective, Inc (IFC), to collect thousands of artworks from kids around world and use those works to wrap a 385-foot Space Launch System (SLS) rocket replica. DRP's aim is to expose kids to the importance of collaboration and the multi-disciplinary learning that inspires youth to "DREAM big, THINK big, and make a difference." Launched in 2009, this project hopes to collect over 9,000 submissions and estimates over 36,000 people will participate.

For its part, Morristown NHP's participants focused on the theme of 'Ingenuity in the Face of Adversity," a nod to Morristown's storied history of endurance, inventiveness, and survival.

In total, 73 works of art by 763 participants were created and are on display in the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center. The participants are from 59 classes throughout 17 schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. See a sampling of the artwork and photos of it on display at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thedreamrocket/sets/72157660798869378.

The exhibit is in the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center until September 4, 2017. The Visitor Center is located 580- 600 Tempe Wick Road, Morristown, NJ. The days of the week that it is open varies throughout the season. For more information and for hours, call 973-539-2016 ext. 210 or visit www.nps.gov/morr.

-----------------------------------
Through Sunday, September 17, 2017 - Trenton, Mercer County
Cadwalader Park: An Olmsted Vision

The Trenton Museum Society, along with the Cadwalader Park Alliance, is pleased to announce an exciting summer exhibit highlighting Cadwalader Park and its world-famous designer, Frederick Law Olmsted. Exhibitions on both floors of the museum will run from July 8 through September 17 with various complementary events, lectures and tours. Frederick Law Olmsted (FLO) is widely regarded as the Father of Landscape Architecture in America.

Born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1822, Frederick Law Olmsted spent many years experiencing various professions and touring the world seeking and absorbing knowledge before honing in on landscape design as his life's passion. He first studied surveying, engineering, chemistry and farming and toured Europe visiting numerous parks and private estates. He published books on his travels and used his literary activities to oppose slavery and to argue for abolition of slavery in the southern United States. By the time FLO began his work in landscape architecture, he had developed a belief in community and understood the importance of public institutions. Olmsted believed that the public realm should be a respite; a place to retreat from the stress of urban life, and that public open space should be accessible to all people. In 1857 he took the position of superintendent of Central Park in New York City and, along with architect Calvin Vaux, won the design competition for the park the following year. He then spent the next seven years as the primary administrator in charge of the construction of Central Park. Olmsted's success in park-making in NYC led to his renowned career designing and creating some of our nation's most important urban parks. By the time FLO began to design Cadwalader Park in 1890, he had been planning parks in this country's leading cities for over 30 years. Cadwalader Park in Trenton is Olmsted's last great urban park.

Cadwalader Park has the distinction of being the only New Jersey park designed personally by Frederick Law Olmsted. While many other New Jersey parks and spaces were designed by the Olmsted firm in the years following the creation of Trenton's largest park, Cadwalader is the only New Jersey park to be designed by FLO himself. Trenton is fortunate to possess one of these urban treasures which still preserves many of the landscape and spatial qualities of the original plan. Cadwalader Park is beloved by many of Trenton's residents who nostalgically recall pony rides, picnics, concerts, and the balloon man and, also, by many who come today to experience tennis matches, baseball games, and family outings not to mention those who flock to the various exhibits offered at the Trenton City Museum. In addition, Mercer County is privileged to accommodate Olmsted's greatest campus design, the grounds of Lawrenceville School. Olmsted's core design principles are evident at Lawrenceville School in the rolling landscape and curving paths throughout.

For more information and tour times, call 609-989-3632, visit www.ellarslie.org, or e-mail tms@ellarslie.org.

-----------------------------------

Last Sunday of the month through September 29, 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.

-----------------------------------
Through Sunday, October 1, 2017 - Paterson, Passaic County
From the Photographic Archives, The Men Who Served: 1861-1964 Exhibit

The Passaic County Historical Society would like to announce the opening of its newest exhibit, From the Photographic Archives, The Men Who Served: 1861-1964. On exhibit until Sunday, October 1, 2017, the display showcases some of the military photographs from the Society's permanent collection. Over thirty photographs have been selected for this exhibit to demonstrate the common experience of American servicemen, from the American Civil War to the conflict in Vietnam. Their uniforms, equipment, and weapons changed over time, but their fears, triumphs and trials remained constant.

Visitors can access the exhibition, which is on display in the changing exhibit gallery on the 3rd floor, during regular museum hours (Wednesday - Sunday, July 12 - Sept 3: 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm; September 6 - October 1: 1:00 - 4:00 pm). General museum admissions apply (adults $5, seniors $4, children $3, and members free).

Passaic County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, was founded to cultivate interest among individuals and the community-at-large in the rich history of Passaic County. To this end our museum in Lambert Castle showcases examples of the County’s cultural and artistic diversity, as well as examples of the County’s natural, civil, military, and ecclesiastical history. The Society also maintains a library and archive, which houses manuscripts, books and photographs of historical and genealogical interest.

Lambert Castle is located at 3 Valley Rd, Paterson, NJ. For more information, visit www.lambertcastle.org or call 973-247-0085.

-----------------------------------

Through June 2018 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County
New Jersey and the Great War: Local Stories of World War I 

Opening - Sunday, June 25, 2017 - 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 

Bringing World War One Home
Though overshadowed by its sequel, World War One had profound and lasting effects on politics, social order, and individual lives. “New Jersey and the Great War: Local Stories of World War One,” the exhibit opening to the public at the Eden Woolley House, Sunday, June 25, sets out to make that case—with particular emphasis on the people and happenings of our state.

The Big Picture
The Great War reshaped the world. The U.S. emerged a world power. The seeds were sown for the rise of fascism and the spread of communism. Middle Eastern national boundaries were redrawn, fueling ethnic conflicts that continue to threaten.

At home, the scope and power of the U.S. government grew. A national army took over state militias. National security clashed with civil rights. Ethnic tensions grew--as did opposing organizations that either fed or defended against them. Women entered the work force in unprecedented numbers—and developed a irreversible taste for independence.

New Jersey’s Role
New Jersey was an industrial powerhouse that supplied the Allies even before we entered the war—and for that drew the attention of saboteurs. Once in the war, we boosted our manufacturing output. The army built facilities here that played major roles in the war effort, including Camps Dix, Merritt (a major embarkation base), and Vail (later Fort Monmouth).

New Jersey supplied two high-profile figures of the war era, most notably, the President himself. Wilson was a former New Jersey governor who ran his presidential campaigns from right here in Monmouth County. His nemesis during the war years, Alice Paul, was a militant suffragist from Burlington County who labelled the president “Kaiser Wilson.” Her White House picketing and arrest drew national attention and in large part led Wilson to reverse his opposition to the 19th Amendment.

One Man’s Story 
Behind the headlines are the stories of people. The exhibit tells, among others, of Joe Marino (born Giuseppe Maranaccio). Joe ended up in Asbury Park, U.S. citizen, father of four, and owner of Marino’s Bar on Main St. But he started life in Accadia, Italy. 

Italy, originally allied with Germany, remained neutral at the onset of war, then sided with the Allies. Nearly 6 million Italians served—including a teenaged Joe Marino. He was captured and imprisoned for years in Austria. Near the end of the war, he escaped and walked under cover of darkness the hundreds of miles back to his village. His sweetheart, assuming him dead, had married. Heartbroken, Joe moved to Rome where he worked three years to save the money to immigrate to the states.

This exhibit runs through June 2018. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum offers exhibits on the history of coastal Monmouth County and a full calendar of events. The Museum also houses a library and archive of local history. It is open, free of charge, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Thursday evenings, and 1:00 - 4:00 pm the first and second Sundays of each month. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum is located at 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ. For more information, visit www.oceanmuseum.org.

-----------------------------------

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