NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 9/15/18

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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Saturday, September 15 - Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County

Atlantic Highlands Historical Society Outdoor Flea Market

The Atlantic Highlands Historical Society will hold its annual Outdoor Flea Market at the Atlantic Highlands Marina (off First Avenue) on Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. The rain date is Saturday, September 22.

Over 100+ vendors will offer a variety of antiques and collectibles, crafts, second time around, and some new items. Among the merchandise to be found is furniture, tools, fishing equipment, jewelry, books, postcards, tee shirts, handbags, clothing, toys, art, glassware, etc. Also an eclectic array of bargains can always be found at the society's Treasures Table as well as a variety of food, refreshments, and baked goods. Members will also be on hand to answer questions about the society, its mansion, and our other ongoing programs and events.

All proceeds from this event will be used towards the restoration of the AHHS Museum, the Strauss Mansion, at 27 Prospect Circle, as well as educational programs throughout the year. For more information, call 732-291-4313 or 732-291-9337 or visit www.ahhistory.org.

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Saturday, September 15 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Accordion Melodies of the 1890s
Children Friendly Site & Event

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to hear music from yesteryear played on an accordion. 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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Saturday, September 15 - Flemington, Hunterdon County
Suspected Indian Burial Vaults in Hunterdon County

Sponsored by the Hunterdon County Historical Society (HCHS) and the 300th Committee, this fifth annual cemetery seminar, “Suspected Indian Burial Vaults in Hunterdon County” will be held Saturday from 10:30 am until 1:30 pm at the Presbyterian Church, 10 East Main Street in Flemington, NJ.

This year’s seminar will explore recent research on Native Americans in Hunterdon County that led to the rediscovery of a possible Indian burial ground on Cushetunk Mountain. The guest lecturer is Dr. Gregory Herman, geologist and professor at Raritan Valley Community College and the College of NJ. Dr. Herman began researching Native Americans in Hunterdon County when compiling a photographic inventory of the HCHS archeological collection in 2017.

While the nature of the mounds awaits confirmation through professional archaeological work, this fascinating lecture will provide photographic evidence of the stone mounds and their spatial context using GPS, laser-derived terrain maps, and Google Earth. Historical accounts and descriptions of the suspected burial vaults will be placed into context with the first recorded English expedition into Hunterdon County sometime between 1648 and 1655.

The lecture will be followed by a lunch provided by Jersey Mike’s. Registration is required; $10 per person and you can register online at www.hunterdon300th.org.

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Saturday, September 15 - Sandy Hook, Monmouth County

Battery Gunnison/New Peck Restoration
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, Lot G Beach Plaza. For more information, call 718-354-4606 or visit www.nps.gov/gate.

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Saturday, September 15 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Allaire Village's Late-Summer Flea Market

Hunt for hidden treasures amid furniture, books, art work, bottles, knick knacks, and so much more at Allaire Village's Late-Summer Flea Market! The event runs from 8:00 - 3:00 pm. $1 admission for adults and children under 12 get in free. The rain date is September 16.

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, September 15 - Morristown, Morris County
Hiding in Itself: The Historic Art of Letter Locking
Children Friendly Site

On Saturday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm, learn about the ancient art of letter locking, folding letters to be their own envelope to keep their contents secret. Focusing primarily on practices from the 19th century, learn how to fold and seal the messages so that they are ready to be sent. 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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Saturday, September 15 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Canning
Children Friendly Site

It’s the end of summer and the crops are bountiful. It’s time to “put up” some food. At Howell Living History Farm, you can help. The farm will be the site of a canning and cooking program. Not only can you learn how to can and pickle your garden favorites...but you can sample some of the treats.

Throughout the day, farmers will be canning and pickling surplus garden crops like cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes and more. You can sample the results and take home recipes and other secrets that made canning a mainstay of the 1900 farm.

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, September 15 - 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 9:00 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, September 15 - Cape May, Cape May County
Underground Railroad Trolley Tour

On Saturday at 10:15 am, climb aboard our newest trolley tour to hear true tales of Cape May’s connection to the Underground Railroad. Hear how enslaved people in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia braved strong currents and stormy seas to free themselves, guided by the beacon of the Cape May Lighthouse. Hear why the legendary Harriet Tubman walked these streets before her freedom runs to the Eastern Shore. See the summer refuge of the formerly enslaved Stephen Smith, one of America’s wealthiest businessmen whose railroad cars ferried hundreds to freedom. Includes a tour of the Owen Coachman house, a meticulously restored antebellum home of a free Black family whose relative was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Board the trolley at the Washington Street Mall information booth at Ocean Street for this 2-hour tour. Admission is $20. 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, September 15 - 16 - 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 - 4:00 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, September 15 - 16 - Cape May, Cape May County
Civil War Weekend at Historic Cold Spring Village
Children Friendly Event & Site

The Civil War comes to life at Historic Cold Spring Village’s annual Civil War Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. Visitors can tour Union and Confederate camps and meet authentically clad and equipped military and civilian reenactors who will discuss the everyday lives of Civil War soldiers and the roles civilians played in supporting them.

Stirring battle reenactments will occur both days at 2:00 pm, and vendors of reproduction period merchandise will be found on “Sutler’s Row.” The Village, which re-creates a rural community in the 1800s, serves as the perfect backdrop in presenting this event to the public.

The 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 $14 for adults and $12 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. Unlimited free admission is available with Village membership. The Village Nature Trail at Bradner's Run is open to the public for free self-guided tours. For more information, call 609-898-2300, ext. 10, or visit www.hcsv.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, September 15 - 16 - Hardwick, Warren County
Millbrook Days at Millbrook Village
Children Friendly Event

Are you tired of the fast pace of the 21st century? Step back to a quieter time where the high price of gas, credit cards, cell phones, and computers are not found. Experience Millbrook Days where Millbrook Village comes alive as it was over a century ago on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Volunteers in period clothing will demonstrate 19th century crafts and trades recreating the atmosphere of a late 19th century rural farming community. Try the stilts, jump rope or roll the hoop. There will be kid’s games throughout the village. Marbles, checkers, ring toss, tug of war, sack race and corn husk doll making to name a few. Kids of all ages can join the fun. No batteries needed!

Millbrook’s “residents” will be busy plying their trades and doing everyday chores and activities. Woodstove cooking, butter churning, spinning yarn, weaving, natural dyes, gardening, lace making, sewing, quilting, food drying and preserving, gourd decorating, open hearth cooking and other things will be demonstrated.

The blacksmith, wood workers, wheelwright, carvers, slate splitter, tinsmith, miller, rope maker, chair caner, shaker box maker, chair maker, wooden pitch fork maker, wet plate photographer and other craftsmen will be demonstrating their skills. Step in and ask if you can help; there are lots of hands-on things to try.

An assortment of hit and miss engines will be setting the tempo for the corn Sheller, grinder and other vintage machinery. To some the sound of the old engines is music too. I hear they‘ll be making some ice cream with an engine driven ice cream churn, too. What flavor might that be?

Apples are in season. The grinder and press will be turning out some fresh cider and the kettle will be cooking down some apples for delicious apple butter. Lend a hand, it’s fun.

There’s something for everyone to see and enjoy. A friendly atmosphere abounds and new friends are sure to be found at Millbrook Village. Everything is free of charge and family oriented. Donations are accepted.

Picnic and restroom facilities are available. A food concession is available on both days provided by the Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church. Parking and admission is free. This event will be held rain or shine.

Millbrook Days is presented by the Millbrook Village Society in cooperation with the National Park Service. 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 and directions, call 908-841-9531, 908-537-2544, or 973-875-3461 or visit their Facebook page.

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Sunday, September 16 - Cape May, Cape May County
Emlen Physick Estate Tour
Family Friendly Tour

Take a guided tour of Cape May's Emlen Physick Estate, the magnificent Stick Style mansion attributed to renowned Victorian architect Frank Furness. A tour of the 15 beautifully restored rooms gives you a glimpse into the lifestyle of this Victorian-era Cape May family. Physick Estate Tours take approximately 45 minutes and end with a visit to the 1876 Carriage House where you can see the current exhibit in the Carroll Gallery. The tours start at 12:30 pm, 1:45 pm, and 3:00 pm. 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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Sunday, September 16 - Union Township, Union County
The Precedents of the *Prefident – George Washington and the Creation of the Executive Office

The Union Township Historical Society will host Rich Rosenthal at Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church on Sunday at 2:00 pm. Rich will speak on "The Precedents of the *Prefident – George Washington and the Creation of the Executive Office." *In 1789 print “s” was written as “f”.

When George Washington was about to become the first President under the new U. S. Constitution, he said, “I walk on untrodden ground to shape America.” That he did! Every action as President--from the inaugural oath, through the establishment of the U. S. Treasury and financial system, to the creation of the Coast Guard, cabinet meetings, appointment of ambassadors and Supreme Court justices, his dealings with Congress, to his refusal to run for a third term--was a precedent.

There can only be one Number One--and George Washington was that Number One, setting the guidelines for all future presidents.

Rich Rosenthal has lectured on numerous historical subjects and is president of the North Jersey Civil War Round Table, was a board member and one of the founding members, with the pre-eminent New Jersey historian, the late John T. Cunningham, of the North Jersey American Revolution Round Table. He resides in Parsippany with his wife, Harriet; they have two daughters and three grandchildren.

The Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church is located at 888 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union, NJ.

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Sunday, September 16 - Raritan Township, Hunterdon County
The Dark Side of the Sourland Mountains

Learn all about the sordid history of the Sourland Mountains in a free program by East Amwell Historian Jim Davidson on Sunday at 10:00 am during the Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market.

“Up until recent times the Sourlands were not only inhospitable, but downright dangerous to wander around in,” Davidson said. “They did not get the nickname ‘the hills of missing men’ or ‘the Bermuda Triangle of Central Jersey’ for nothing.”

The Dark Side of the Sourland Mountains features fascinating tales of missing men, bootlegging, and murders. Davidson will describe the ax murders of Richard Wyckoff and his housekeeper and the infamous Put's Tavern. You’ll also learn why Charles Sutphin warned Charles Lindbergh not to build on the mountain, along with some of the strange, little known events associated with the Lindbergh baby kidnapping.

This program will run in the Dvoor Farm wagon house at 111 Mine Street in Raritan Township, NJ.

The Farmers’ Market is open from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm and features about 20 local farmers and vendors offering organic produce, all-natural meats, honey, fresh-baked breads, vegan burgers, fresh-cut flowers, cave-ripened cheese, eggs, locally roasted coffee, hummuses, salsas, native plants, and more. Visitors can enjoy a flatbread pizza made with ingredients provided by local farmers while listening to live music with Ed Jankiewicz.

For more information, visit www.hunterdonlandtrust.org.

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Sunday, September 16 - Morristown, Morris County
Poets in the Garden

On Sunday at 2:00 pm, award winning poets David Petruzelli and Professor Gail Holst-Warhaft share their work in Poets in the Garden at Macullouch Hall .

David Petruzelli grew up in New Jersey. He is the author of Everyone Coming Toward You (Tupelo Press, 2005), selected by Campbell McGrath for the Tupelo Press First Book Judge’s Prize. A professional philatelist, he lives in New York City.

As well as being a poet, Gail Holst-Warhaft has been a journalist, broadcaster, prose-writer, academic, musician, and translator. After living and studying in Australia and Greece, she moved to Ithaca, New York, in 1980. There she married, completed a Ph. D. in Comparative Literature and Classics and had a family. In the 1990’s, having joined the Institute for European Studies, she wrote two books on laments and grief and began publishing her own poetry.

Admission is $10 per adult. FREE for members! The program will be held rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, programs will be held in the Schoolroom Gallery. Macculloch Hall is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit www.maccullochhall.org.

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Through September 2018 - Freehold, Monmouth County
Summer at the Jersey Shore Exhibition

The months of June through August mean a time of sun, fun, and outdoor activities at the Jersey Shore. Monmouth County Historical Association now features an exhibition that captures some of the various pastimes that were offered to visitors years ago during the summer season. Summer at the Jersey Shore will remain on view through September 2018. Museum hours are Tuesdays - Saturdays 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Paintings, prints, and drawings dating from 1850 to 1940 illustrate such things as horse racing, sun and sea bathing, sport fishing, casino gambling, preaching on the beach, steamboats that served the shore, and shore landscapes. Artists represented include Alfred T. Bricher, George C. Lambdin, Winslow Homer, August Kollner, John W. Alexander, Theodore R. Davis of Asbury Park, and Michel Jacobs of Rumson. Scenes depict activities at Sea Bright, Long Branch, Monmouth Park, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Manasquan, and Cape May. Souvenirs displayed from Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, and Red Bank displays the types of mementos that shore visitors could purchase as a token of their summertime experience, either as a day-tripper or as an extended stay guest at one of the many hotels and boarding houses available in New Jersey's coastal communities.

In many respects, shore visitors of the twenty-first century can take advantage of the same range of activities as those who enjoyed the area's attractions in the nineteenth century, with a large gap in between. In 1894, New Jersey outlawed horse racing and gambling. In the intervening years, they have been restored. Horse racing returned to a new Monmouth Park in 1946, casino gambling to Atlantic City in 1976, and Governor Murphy placed the first bet under the new sports betting law at Monmouth Park on June 13. The sun, sandy beaches, saltwater fishing, social life, and easy access from Philadelphia or New York continue to draw thousands of visitors to the Jersey Shore each year.

For more information, visit www.monmouthhistory.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 December 28, 2018 - Morristown, Morris County
George Washington’s Headquarters: Photographs by Xiomáro

Morristown National Historical Park (NHP) invites the public to view the exhibition George Washington’s Headquarters: Photographs by Xiomáro. The 22 large images of the Ford Mansion – Washington’s base of operations during the Revolutionary War winter of 1779-1780 – are on view in the museum until December 28, 2018. The exhibition of Xio’s photographs of Washington’s Revolutionary War headquarters highlights the house’s dual role as a residence.

Xiomáro (pronounced “SEE-oh-MAH-ro”) is an internationally-recognized artist and speaker whose photography has been covered by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and CBS Eyewitness News. His work has been widely exhibited at venues such as Harvard University and New York City’s Fraunces Tavern Museum. Next year, Arcadia Publishing is releasing Xio’s photo book, Weir Farm National Historic Site, about Julian Alden Weir, the father of American Impressionist painting.

A free eBook of the photographs is available at www.xiomaro.com. The exhibit is at the Morristown National Historical Park’s Washington Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place, Morristown, NJ. Admission is free. For more information. visit www.nps.gov/morr.

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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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Through January 11, 2019 - Trenton, Mercer County
Changing Face/Changing Place: A Look at the Architectural History of the Trenton Area

The Trenton Museum Society and FVHD Architects - Planners are proud to announce an exhibit celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the full service architectural design firm founded in Trenton by PL Fowler in 1918. The exhibit, displaying historical and architectural photographs, drawings and artifacts from the FVHD - Architects Planners firm's history is on view in the second floor galleries at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie in Cadwalader Park from September 15, 2018 through January 11, 2019.

The firm is proud of its long history of design excellence in the Trenton area starting in 1918 and continuing today as FVHD Architects. The work of the firm and its predecessors has made a significant impact on the built environment in Mercer County.

The long project history includes many original school buildings for Trenton, Lawrence, and Ewing Township School Districts; the restoration of the 1719 William Trent house; the GM Fisher Body Plant; Mercer Hospital; Waterfront (now Arm & Hammer) Stadium; Ewing Township Municipal/Police Facility; several Trenton City branch library buildings; Trenton public housing and numerous others.

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

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Through June 2019 - Ocean Township, Monmouth County
"Wet as the Atlantic Ocean: Prohibition in New Jersey”

The 18th Amendment—the measure that made the manufacture, sale, or transport of alcoholic beverages a federal offense for the 13 years, 10 months, 19 days, and 17 hours of Prohibition—was repealed in 1933. It is the only Constitution Amendment ever to be undone. And its doing and undoing were the results of a tug-of-war between the “Wets” and the “Drys” that played out across the country.

A new exhibit opening to the public Sunday, in the Richmond Gallery of the Eden Woolley House reveals where New Jersey stood in that tug-of-war. “Wet as the Atlantic Ocean: Prohibition in NJ” brings the debates, glamour, and violence of the Roaring Twenties home.

How did it happen?
The prohibition debate had been argued across the country for nearly a century before the 18th Amendment outlawed alcohol nationwide. Maine passed the first state prohibition law in 1846 and by the Civil War, several other states had followed suit.

So what happened in the first decades of the next century to elevate debate into a campaign for a Constitutional Amendment—that took the fight national?

• Drunkenness was a real problem. The proliferation of saloons fueled a drinking culture, and between 1900 and 1913, beer and alcohol consumption soared. Women and families suffered.
• Women had been campaigning for abstinence since the early 1800s, By the turn of the century they were finding their voice, stridently advocating for the vote-— and increasingly for prohibition. Organizations like the Women’s Christian Temperance Union were gaining ground.
• Many Americans felt threatened by the influx of immigrants whose cultural norms around alcohol threatened prevailing white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant values.
• On the global scene, the unthinkable carnage of the First World War and the alarming success of the Russian Revolution fueled a nostalgic longing for control and order.

Under these conditions, pro-prohibition sentiment grew. By 1919 more than half the country lived in dry states, counties, or towns. If the 18th Amendment were to be passed, it needed to happen before the 1920 census, the results of which would give greater power to the anti-prohibition cities.

The last state to Ratify
Ours was the last state to ratify the 18th amendment and it did so in 1922, two years after the measure was in effect. (Rhode Island and Connecticut never ratified.) We fought Prohibition in court. New Jersey joined Rhode Island in a losing challenge before the Supreme Court (1920). And we were back in 1931, when the Supreme Court overruled a New Jersey federal judge’s decision invalidating the 18th Amendment.

New Jersey’s Resistance
It’s no surprise, then, that Prohibition enforcement in New Jersey was lax. Local fishermen and boaters shuttled bootlegged liquor to shore from rum-running ships lined up just outside the legal limit. Speakeasies thrived with little risk of raid. The state underfunded enforcement. Corruption was rampant. Local police turned a blind eye. Even the teetotaling and incorruptible Ira Reeves, the man put in charge of federal enforcement in New Jersey, resigned after eight months and took up the anti-Prohibition cause!

This exhibit runs through June 2019. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum offers exhibits on the history of coastal Monmouth County and a full calendar of events. The Museum also houses a library and archive of local history. It is open, free of charge, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Thursday evenings, and 1:00 - 4:00 pm the first and second Sundays of each month. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum is located at 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ. For more information, visit www.oceanmuseum.org.

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

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NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 9/15/18 - 9/16/18

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