NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 5/12/18 - 5/13/18

 New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Saturday, May 12 - Chester, Morris County

Born to be Shorn
Children Friendly Event and Site

On Saturday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Cooper Grist Mill in Chester, visit the lambs and watch hand-shearing of the sheep. See how fleece is processed and made into garments. Hands-on activities include weaving, spinning, and making crafts. Take a guided tour of the 1826 water-powered Cooper Gristmill to complete the day. Cost: $3 per adult, $2 per senior (65+), and $1 per child age 4 - 16. FREE for children under age 4, and Friends of Fosterfields and Cooper Mill members with a current membership card. The Cooper Gristmill is located at 66 Route 513, Chester, NJ. For more information, call 908-879-5463 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Saturday, May 12 - Morristown, Morris County
Celebrate National Public Gardens Day
Children Friendly Event

On Saturday from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, celebrate National Public Gardens Day at Macculloch Hall. Meet an owl from The Raptor Trust at 11:00 am, build a fairy house for our garden, enjoy a guided garden tour at 12:30 pm, and more! This event is FREE and open to all ages. It will be held rain or shine. RSVP to Executive Director, Tricia Pongracz, ppongracz@maccullochhall.org. Macculloch Hall is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit www.maccullochhall.org.

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Saturday, May 12 - 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 walk around the porch where visitors learn about the Paul family's daily life in the house, the restoration of 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, May 12 - Somerset, Somerset County

Fireside Chat: Genealogy, NJ, and You

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Saturday, May 12 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Late Spring Flea Market
Children Friendly Event & Site

Enjoy a day of bargains, treasures, artwork, and more! Rain date is Sunday, May 13. Gates open for shoppers at 8:00 am and the market closes at 3:00 pm. 

Admission is $1 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.

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Saturday, May 12 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Pleasant Valley House Tours
Children Friendly Site

On Saturday at Howell Living Farm, the houses of grist miller John Phillips, his farmer-son Henry and Henry’s blacksmith-son Lewis will be featured during a 90 minute walking tour, hosted by Howell Farm historian Larry Kidder. A tour of the Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse is included. Transportation to the historic houses is available for those needing assistance. Call the site for tour specifics, starting point, and time.

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, May 12 -  Morris Township, Morris County
Tin Punching Designs
Children Friendly Event and Site

On Saturday at Fosterfield's Living Historical Farm, make a family-friendly version of a push-pin design. Create your own pattern, or trace an outline provided. Parental assistance needed. from 1:00 - 3:30 pm.

Admission: $6 for adults; $5 for seniors (65+); $4 for children ages 4 – 16; and $2 for 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, May 12 - Cape May, Cape May County
Underground Railroad Trolley Tour

During the Underground Railroad Trolley Tour on Saturday at 10:15 am, you will hear how legendary anti-slavery fighter, Harriet Tubman walked the streets of Cape May, as did businessman and former slave, Stephen Smith, whose railroad cars carried hundreds to freedom. Includes a guided tour of the Owen Coachman house (a historic free black's house). Admission is $15. Co-sponsored by the Center for Community Arts and 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, May 12 - Cape May, Cape May County
Historic Haunts House Tour
Family Friendly

Get into the spirit of things on a guided tour of the historic (some say haunted) Physick Estate, which includes a discussion of Victorian spiritualism on Saturday at 7:45 pm. This is a limited tour. Admission is $12 for adults, $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, May 12 - Cape May, Cape May County
Historic Haunts Combo Tour
Family Friendly

Combine the Ghosts of Cape May trolley tour with a visit to the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, where you will visit a home séance room of the 1890s and learn of the Victorians' fascination with spiritualism on Saturday at 7:15 pm. Admission is $22 for adults, $14 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, May 12 - Cape May, Cape May County
Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour
Family Friendly

Take this spine-tingling, 30-minute evening trolley ride through the streets of Cape May with a guide who relates the paranormal findings of medium Craig McManus on Saturday at 8:45 pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for children (ages 3-12). Tours leave from the Washington Street Mall Information Booth at Ocean Street. 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 - Sunday, May 12 - 13 - Lower Township, Cape May County
World War II Tower Lookout Museum and Memorial Open
Family Friendly

Fire Control Tower No. 23 on Sunset Boulevard is New Jersey's last freestanding World War II tower, part of the immense Harbor Defense of the Delaware system known as Fort Miles. After an award-winning restoration in 2009, visitors can climb to the 6th floor spotting gallery while learning about the homeland defense efforts during World War II. The ground floor of the tower, the All Veterans Memorial, and boardwalk interpretive panels are fully accessible. Open Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children (ages 3-12) (One child free with paying adult). The World War II Lookout Tower is located on Sunset Boulevard in Lower Township, near Cape May Point. 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 - Sunday, May 12 - 13 - Bedminster, Somerset County
Special Exhibition and Mothers & Mimosas Tour at the Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum

The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House will host a special exhibition and sale of works by American master painter John Phillip Osborne with the J. M. Stringer Gallery of Fine Art (formerly of Bernardsville and now based in Vero Beach, FL).  

The exhibition – John Phillip Osborne:  The Thirteen Colonies – will run May 12-13 and May 19-20 with a special artist’s demonstration beginning at 2:00 pm on May 12 and a Mothers & Mimosas Tour, Sunday, May 13 (12:00 - 5:00 pm) in honor of Mother’s Day.  The collection features works – all available for purchase – representing each of the 13 original American colonies. A portion of the sales will benefit the nonprofit Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum.

The exhibition will be open Saturdays 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm and Sundays 12:00 - 5:00 pm during both weekends. Docents will be available for guided tours of the Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum and informational material about the 1772 Dutch-Colonial home, period rooms and furnishings are available throughout the house.

Admission is $10 per person; Members FREE; Children 12 and under FREE. The Jacobus Vanderveer House is located at 3055 River Road (in Bedminster’s River Road Park), Bedminster, NJ. For more information, visit www.jvanderveerhouse.org.

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Sunday, May 13 - Morristown, Morris County

Best Dressed in the Vail House: Behind the Scenes
Children Friendly Program

During this tour, get a peek at the showcase highlights from the collection, and discuss how they are kept in museum-quality condition. This program features costumed interpreters leading tours of the Vail House. The program runs from 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm. Admission: $5/adult, $4/senior (65+), $3/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.

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Sunday, May 13 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Blacksmith Demonstration

Children Friendly Event & Site

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

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Sunday, May 13 - Montclair, Essex County

Open Houses
Children Friendly Event & Site

Get to know ALL of the Montclair History Center's historic houses in one afternoon! 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! 

Your visit then continues to the elegant Shultz House, an amazing, fully-intact time capsule that takes you away to life in the early 20th century. A home chock full of original character, visitors can linger in a classic library full of vintage science instruments, admire Delft handiwork imported from the Netherlands, and marvel at the beautifully crafted woodwork.

Tours of the Crane House & Historic YWCA are on the hour, last tour at 3:00 pm. Tours of the Shultz House are on the half hour, last tour 3:30 pm. Admission is $6/adult; $5/student/senior with ID; $4/child; under 2 free, good for both sites. Member get in free! The Crane House/Historic YWCA is located at 110 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ and the Shultz House is located at 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ. For more information, call 973-744-1796, e-mail mail@montclairhistorical.org, or visit www.montclairhistory.org.

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Sunday, May 13 - Atlantic City, Atlantic County

Mothers Climb Free at Absecon Lighthouse
Children Friendly Site

Looking for a memorable way to tell Mom she's the light of your life? Then bring her to Absecon Lighthouse on Sunday, because dear old Abby is treating Mothers to a free climb. Moms who show their "I Climbed" card at nearby Tony Boloney's Pizza afterward will receive a free slice of pizza as a reward. Hours of operation are 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, with the last climb at 3:30 pm. Parking on-site is free and dogs are welcome on leashes in the museum. First lit in 1857, Absecon Lighthouse is New Jersey's tallest lighthouse and the country's third tallest lighthouse.

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, NJ 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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Sunday, May 13 - Sparta, Sussex County
Life Along the Wallkill River

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Through Sunday, May 13, 2018 - Morristown, Morris County
The Cutting Edge: Medicine in Morris County, 1876 - 1976

Morris County Historical Society will feature the many contributions Morris County doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and veterinarians have made to the field of medicine at both the local and global levels at its upcoming exhibit, "The Cutting Edge: Medicine in Morris County, 1876-1976." The exhibit will open on Sunday, September 10 and run through Sunday, May 13, 2018.

Morris County is a hub of innovation in the medical field. The "Grandfather of the Epidural," James Leonard Corning, MD, lived at Acorn Hall, now the MCHS headquarters; the country's first Doctor of Veterinary Medicine was born in Mount Olive; the biggest studies disproving the benefits of lobotomies took place at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital; and the Right-to-Die controversy first made national headlines through the case of Karen Ann Quinlan in the 1970s and 1980s.

Morris County also is home to The Seeing Eye, Bayer's North American Headquarters, and Morristown Medical Center, a nationally-ranked hospital in the fields of cardiology and orthopedics.

The exhibit will honor the 125th anniversary of Morristown Medical Center, include stories and photos of and objects from Greystone Park never before exhibited, and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the burning of the original All Souls' Hospital. It also will explore the history of The Seeing Eye, right-to-die cases, veterinarian medicine, local pharmaceutical giants, impact of diseases, such as tuberculosis and Spanish Flu, and notable medical professionals who treated Morris County residents.

A formal Exhibit Opening will be held on Thursday, September 21 at 6:00 pm. Morris County Historical Society is located at Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ and is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, and Sundays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Admission, which includes the exhibits and landscaped grounds, is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students, and is free for children under 12 and MCHS members. For more information, call 973-267-3465 or visit www.MorrisCountyHistory.org.

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Through June 3, 2018 - Princeton, Mercer County
A Gentleman’s Pursuit: The Commodore’s Greenhouse

Morven Museum & Garden presents A Gentleman’s Pursuit: The Commodore’s Greenhouse, which reveals the remarkable findings at Morven from Hunter Research’s excavation of one of New Jersey’s earliest greenhouses on view from through June 3, 2018.

Research done in the 2000s, revealed that Commodore Robert F. Stockton (1795-1866) had built the greenhouse during his tenure at Morven. Account books showed that the Commodore had paid for the installation of gutters on the building in October 1854, placing its construction at approximately 1852-54. An inventory upon his death indicated that the greenhouse contained 15 lemon trees, 100 Japonicas, 10 cati, 4 azaleas, 3 Daphnes and “Misc. plants.” Based on research it is believed that the greenhouse was torn down in the 1880s.

Little else was known about the greenhouse until a 2013 archaeological dig conducted by Hunter Research, Inc., who is partnering with Morven for his exhibition, uncovered the brick and stone foundation of the structure. Excavations over the next two summers revealed thousands of cultural artifacts, including the remains of the cast iron furnace which heated the greenhouse, and glass from the window panes that allowed sunlight in. The greenhouse denotes the refined gentleman’s pastime of the Commodore, reflecting his social prominence and financial standing to enjoy such an exquisite hobby. Due to New Jersey’s gradual emancipation law, the Commodore no longer owned any enslaved people by the time the greenhouse was constructed.  The maintenance of the structure and plants within was likely left to a trained gardener and paid farm hands.

“This exhibition is unique in that it allows visitors to follow the process of archaeologists and historians as they work their way from identifying archaeological digs, unearthing and dating artifacts, researching primary documents, and comparing contemporaneous sites to reveal a fuller picture of what Morven’s greenhouse would have been like,” says, Elizabeth Allan, Curator of Collections & Exhibitions.

“The exhibit shows how archaeology opens a fascinating window into the greenhouse that serviced Morven’s gardens,” says Richard Hunter, President/Principal, Hunter Research, Inc. For the past 30 years, Trenton-based Hunter Research, a historic preservation and cultural resources consulting firm, has been actively engaged in interpreting historic sites for the benefit of the general public.

A Gentleman's Pursuit: The Commodore’s Greenhouse is on view at Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ, through June 3, 2018. Admission: Adults - $10, Seniors (60+)/Students/Active Military Personnel - $8, Children 6 and under - Free, Friends of Morven - Free. Morven’s Hours: Wednesday through 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 2018 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County
New Jersey and the Great War: Local Stories of World War I 

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.

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Through Wednesday, October 31, 2018 - Cape May, Cape May County
Capturing Cape May's Architecture: The Making of a National Historic Landmark

In the early 1970s, a team from the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) produced pen and ink drawings of Cape May, NJ's most significant historic structures that were instrumental in saving this seaside town - "the best-preserved late 19th century resort in America." The drawings enabled Cape May to become a National Historic Landmark and a national tourist destination. Now, for the first time, these intricate drawings and the stories of the architects whose hands created them are on exhibit at the Carroll Gallery. Curator Karen Fox, author of The Chalfonte, provides visitors with a unique look at how a small band of preservationists saved not only the buildings, but a culture of the past creating a future. The exhibit "Capturing Cape May's Architecture: The Making of a National Historic Landmark" is on display at the Carroll Gallery in the Carriage House of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. The exhibit is presented by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) and is open daily through Wednesday, October 31, 2018; times vary. Admission is free. MAC is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation, and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information about MAC's year-round schedule of tours, festivals, and special events call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC's www.capemaymac.org.

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Through 2018 - Woodbury, Gloucester County
Out of the Box: Rare & Unusual Objects

Intrigued about what might lie behind closed doors in a museum? Out of the Box: Rare & Unusual Objects, our new exhibit at the Gloucester County Historical Society Museum, will give visitors a peek into some of our most exceptional artifacts. Objects that have not been on view to the public for years will be out on display for all to see. We have chosen an array of unique items from every category imaginable in the museum’s collection. Most of these artifacts are between 100 – 200 years old, and haven’t seen the light of day in decades. Come to experience the rare, odd, quirky, beautiful, and even creepy treasures just waiting to be revealed. The exhibit opens on Sunday, April 29 when admission will be free that day! The exhibit will be closed on Mondays, and summer Sundays, but open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm from May 2 through the summer months. Monday hours will resume on September 5, 2018, along with last Sunday of the month hours. Please visit www.gchsnj.org for further details. The Gloucester County Historical Society Museum is located at 58 N. Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ. For more information, call 856-848-8531 or visit www.gchsnj.org.

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Through December 30, 2018 - Piscataway, Middlesex County
Over There, Over Here: New Jersey During orld War I 

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