NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 12/8/18

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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Friday - Saturday, December 7 - 8 - Cape May Court House, Cape May County
Come Home for Christmas
Children Friendly Event

Cape May County’s centuries-old tradition of coming home for Christmas will be celebrated in grand style when The Museum of Cape May County opens its doors to welcome the holiday season. Housed in a home that has continuously sat on its property since 1704, The museum serves as the ancestral home to every citizen of Cape May County.

Young and old alike are invited to this year’s holiday extravaganza that begins on Friday from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Be sure to be on hand at 7:00 pm when Santa makes a special appearance to light the enormous Christmas tree on the front lawn followed by visits with Santa and holiday sweets. Throughout the evening visitors will be able to take an evening stroll through The Museum and see the magnificently decorated and lighted rooms and be taken back to the Christmases of long ago.

On Saturday, the museum will be open from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm for holiday tours, music, and treats. Santa will be on hand to welcome and listen to the wishes or our youngest visitors from 12:00 noon until 1:15 pm.

Come enjoy the museum this holiday season. Be awed by the rooms, each expertly decorated by one of Cape May County’s finest florists. Be surrounded by the holiday music of Middle Township High School’s Middletones along with the songs of local singers John and Jan Haigis. Delight in the glory of Christmases past, bask in the warmth of this county’s long history, meet old friends and new, and enjoy the sounds and sights of Christmas – Cape May County-style!

The Museum of Cape May County is located at 504 U.S. 9, Cape May Court House, NJ. For more information, call 609-465-3535 or visit www.cmcmuseum.org.

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Saturday, December 8 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Christmas Candy Making Demonstration
Children Friendly Event

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel to see Brandy McCann who will be demonstrating the art of candy making, creating tasty chocolate delicacies and other sweet treats from the 1890s Fannie Farmer’s cookbook. 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, December 8 - Washington Township, Morris County
Annual Historic House Tour

The Washington Township Historical Society is pleased to announce the Annual Historic House Tour in Long Valley is back! Our 34th tour will include six homes in the historic districts of German Valley, Schooley’s Mountain, and Middle Valley, four of which have never been on the tour before. A bonus stop will be to see an amazing Dickens Village which is not to be missed.

Tickets purchased the day of tour will be $25 and will be sold at the WTHS Museum at 6 Fairview Avenue, Long Valley, NJ.

In respect of the homeowner’s privacy, NO photography or food or drinks will be allowed in the homes. Homes are not handicapped accessible and the tour is not appropriate for children under 12.

For more information, call 908-876-9696, e-mail info@wthsnj.org, or visit wwww.wthsnj.org.

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Saturday, December 8 - Camden, Camden County
Breakfast with Santa on the Battleship NJ
Children Friendly Event & Site

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Saturday, December 8 - Perth Amboy, Middlsex County
Wassail, Wine, and Song

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Saturday, December 8 - Walpack, Sussex County
Walpack Christmas

Join the Walpack Historical Society for a "Walpack Christmas" at the Rosenkrans Museum, Main Street, Walpack Center, NJ within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The celebration and open house will take place on Saturday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm.

The Rosenkrans Museum will be decorated in the old-fashioned style and refreshments will be served. The museum, a circa 1850 one and a half story frame building with eyebrow windows, was once the typical style of home in the Delaware River Valley. The Walpack Methodist Episcopal Church will not be open on Saturday.

The event is free and the public is invited. All ages are welcome. For more information, call 973-948-4903 or visit www.walpackhistory.org.

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Saturday, December 8 - South Bound Brook, Somerset County
Candlelight Tours at the Abraham Staats House

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Saturday, December 8 - Mount Laurel, Burlington County
Paulsdale Holiday Open House

Paulsdale is open to the public for a Holiday Open House from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Paulsdale is the birthplace of Quaker suffragist Alice Paul. The home will be decorated in Quaker fashion by the Mount Laurel Garden Club and guests can view the Alice Paul: In Pursuit of Ordinary Equality exhibit, enjoy refreshments, shop for holiday gifts in our fun gift shop, and view the Quaker influenced natural holiday decorations. Learn about Alice Paul's life and work and the site's present day use as a girl's leadership center. Admission is free but donations are welcome.

Paulsdale is located at 128 Hooton Road, Mt. Laurel. 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 - Sunday, December 8 - 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
Santa's Trolley Ride
Children Friendly Event

Bring the kids to the Physick Estate on Saturday and Sunday for a trolley ride around Cape May with stories and songs led by Mrs. Claus. Then, Santa will greet children with a sweet in the Carriage House. Adults $10 and children (ages 3-12) $8. Trolley rides on Saturday at 11:00 am, 12:00 noon, and 1:00 pm and Sunday at 12:45, 1:45, and 2:45 pm. Advance reservation strongly recommended. 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 - Sunday, December 8 - 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
Physick Family Christmas House Tours
Family Friendly Tour

On the Physick Family Christmas House Tour, you will visit the Physick Estate, decorated in true Victorian style, for a unique living history experience with members of the Physick Family household of the 1890s. Also see the Christmas Traditions exhibit at the Carriage House Gallery, a breathtaking Dickens Village beneath the boughs of a giant Christmas tree. On Saturday, tours will start at 11:15 am, 12:30 pm, and 1:45 pm. On Sunday, the tour start at 12:30, 1:45, 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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Saturday - Sunday, December 8 - 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
Cape May Historic District Trolley Tour

Enjoy a 45 minute guided tour with entertaining and enlightening stories about the nation's oldest seaside resort and how it survived. Accessible trolley available with advance notification. Tour begins at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth. Tours begin and end at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth.

Adults $12 and children (ages 3-12) $8. Tours on Saturday at 10:30 and 11:45 am, 1:00, 2:15, and 3:30 pm. Tours on Sunday at 11:45 am and 1:00 and 2:15 pm. 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 - Sunday, December 8 - 9 - South Bound Brook, Somerset County
Holiday at the Abraham Staats House

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This year’s Old Fashioned Holidays theme is “Angels & Elves and Miniature Christmas Villages.” Representations of the treasured classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas will be found and an operating Model Train Christmas Display will be featured. Tours of the circa 1790’s house will be held Saturdays and Sundays, November 24 and 25, and December 1, 2, 8, and 9 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

Our gift shop, The Foster General Store, will be open during tours with handmade items for sale from our historic crafters and local artisans. Also available for purchase will be a number of rare and limited edition books from our collection.

The Foster-Armstrong House is located on CR521/320 River Road, about 1 mile north of Route 206 and the Milford/Montague Bridge and within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Snow dates, pictures, and more information about M.A.R.C.H. can be found online at www.facebook.com/MontagueNJHistory or by calling 973-293-3106.

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Saturday - Sunday, December 8 - 9 - West Orange, Essex County
Holidays at Glenmont
Children Friendly

The sights and sounds of the season will greet visitors when they come to Thomas Edison's home in Llewellyn Park during "Holidays at Glenmont." Glenmont will be decorated much as it was while the Edison family lived there. Greenery and red poinsettias will deck the mantles above the fireplaces. Staircases will be ringed with boughs and red ribbon bows and wreaths will hang in every window. In the den, the majestic ten foot tree will be set and the presents underneath will be waiting as if the Edison children Madeleine, Theodore, and Charles, will soon come running down the stairs from their rooms - after they've checked their stockings in the upstairs living room!

The Edison home, Glenmont, is located on a fifteen-acre estate in Llewellyn Park, the country's first private residential community. Built in 1880, the twenty-nine room mansion contains the original furnishings and family items used by the Edisons. The estate grounds include gardens, a greenhouse, barn, and the poured concrete garage containing the family's automobiles. Thomas and Mina Edison are buried on the grounds of the estate.

Car passes and tour tickets must be purchased at the Laboratory Complex Visitor Center at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ. Admission is $10.00 and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children 15 and under are free. No advanced reservations. Tour times may vary each day. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x11 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.

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Sunday, December 9 - Cape May, Cape May County
Evening Yuletide Tour

Revel in the sparkly lights of Cape May’s beautiful Victorian homes decorated for Christmas on this Holiday Lights Trolley Ride followed by a guided tour of the first floor rooms of the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, authentically decorated for a Victorian Christmas. Afterwards, visit the Carriage House for holiday refreshments and a visit to “An Old-Fashioned Christmas” exhibit. Tour begins and ends at the Ocean Street trolley stop. Adults $22 and children (ages 3-12) $14. Tours at 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 pm. 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, December 9 - Titusville, NJ and Washington Crossing, PA
Washington Crossing the Delaware: Dress Rehearsal
Children Friendly Event

Each December, thousands gather on the banks of the Delaware River to watch the reenactment of George Washington’s daring Christmas Day 1776 river crossing. During the event, several hundred reenactors in Continental military dress listen to an inspiring speech by Washington and then row across the river in replica Durham boats.

The public has two opportunities to view the reenactment. The first is on Sunday, December 9, 2018 when the park will hold a full dress rehearsal from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (actual crossing at 1:00 pm).

On this day, in addition to the crossing reenactment, special colonial-era activities and demonstrations throughout the historic village will provide families with a full day of fun and learning. Cost to attend the dress rehearsal is $8 for adults, $4 for children age five to 11, and free for those under five. Proceeds from the dress rehearsal support future programs in the park. There is no fee to watch the crossing itself from the New Jersey side of the river. There is no cost to watch the crossing from the New Jersey side in Titusville.

The annual Christmas Day crossing will take place from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm on December 25, 2018 (actual crossing at 1:00 pm). The Christmas Day crossing is free.

River crossings are contingent upon safe conditions for participants. However, even if conditions do not allow for crossing, ceremonies, speeches, and commemorative activities still occur. It is recommended that visitors arrive before 1:00 pm on Christmas Day to ensure a good place along the viewing line.

Washington Crossing Park is located at the intersection of Routes 32 and 532 in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.washingtoncrossingpark.org.

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Sunday, December 9 - Morristown, Morris County
An Afternoon with Thomas Nast

Morristown and Morris Township Library’s North Jersey History and Genealogy Center and Macculloch Hall present “An Afternoon with Thomas Nast” on Sunday at 1:30 pm.

Meet at Morristown and Morris Township Library (1 Miller Rd., Morristown, NJ, 07960) in the Lower Level Meeting Room at 1:30 pm for the screening of two half hour length documentaries, "The Grand Caricaturama" and "Villa Fontana." Then join Macculloch Hall’s F.M. Kirby Curator of Collections, Ryan Hyman, and the North Jersey History and Genealogy Center’s, James Lewis, to walk past Nast’s home, Villa Fontana, and on to Macculloch Hall where Ryan will give a tour of Bringing Down the Boss: Thomas Nast Takes on Tweed and Tammany Hall and Macculloch Hall’s latest Christmas exhibit.

Please R.S.V.P. to njhgc@jfpl.org. Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. For more information, please contact The North Jersey History and Genealogy Center, Morristown and Morris Township Library at 973-538-3473 or by e-mailing njhgc@jfpl.org.

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Sunday, December 9 - Montclair, Essex County
Come See the Holiday Decorations!
Children Friendly

Self-guided tours at the Montclair Historical Society, 108 Orange Road and the Charles Shultz House-Evergreens, 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ on Sunday between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm. See the Crane House & Historic YWCA decorated by the Garden Club of Montclair, then visit the hearth to learn about holiday food traditions. Move forward in history to the Shultz House featuring Molly Shultz’s own collection on Christmas decorations, mantle decorations from Bartlett's Greenhouses & Florist of Clifton antique toys, and children’s book exhibit.

Suggested donation: $5 per person. Members free! For more information, call 973-744-1796 or visit www.montclairhistorical.org.

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Sunday, December 9 - Morristown, Morris County
Decades of Iconic Jewelry

If it’s true that jewelry makes the outfit, then Morris County Historical Society has a lot to show! Featured as part of MCHS’s newest exhibit, Iconic Culture: From Little Black Dress to Bell Bottoms, comes “Decades of Iconic Jewelry,” a presentation by vintage jewelry collector, Nancy Cooper, on Sunday at 1:30 pm.

Longtime member, docent, and former MCHS trustee, Ms. Cooper, will discuss the type of jewelry most women wore as part of their daily repertoire. The jewelry, all from Ms. Cooper’s collection, will be examined for materials used, style and reflection with the styles of clothes, and the timelessness of the styles.

Ms. Cooper has a long-standing passion for both fashion and, in particular, jewelry. From an early age she recognized that jewelry enhances not only the clothing, but the woman in particular.

From the timeless designs of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel to the trend-setting bell bottoms of Sonny and Cher, MCHS explores more than 50 years of cultural history through a retrospective featuring nearly 100 pieces from its historic textile collection. Iconic Culture examines how changes in clothing styles mirrored the social climate of their time and the seminal moments and people who defined their decade – with a focus on New Jersey history.

In addition to the fashions, Iconic Culture highlights cultural milestones in local, state, and national history that coincided with the Roaring 20s, Great Depression, World War II, Civil Rights Movement, and Vietnam Era.

This multimedia exhibit features music, television shows, and radio broadcasts. Visitors will also have an opportunity to share personal recollections about significant events, such as the assassination of President Kennedy.

The Gallery Gift Shop has a wide selection of vintage and New Jersey-made jewelry in addition to vintage-inspired.

The exhibit is available through Sunday, June 16, 2019. Morris County Historical Society is located at Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ and is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:000 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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Sunday, December 9 - Franklin Township, Somerset County
Candlelight Christmas Tours

Have you heard of Madame Moose? Or Sweetlips? Or how about Nelson and Blueskin? What do Shire, Devon and Hog Island have to do with 18th-century farming? What animals did George Washington have a strong hand in introducing to America? Rockingham will be presenting its annual Candlelight Holiday Tours on Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. This year's theme revolves around the "beasts" - pets, working animals, wild - that were part of Washington's and his family's life. Learn about the funny names some of his many dogs had, what wild animals were important to Mount Vernon's (Washington's main farm) economy and what various creatures served as pets in the Washington household.

The Live Historians Club of Montgomery Township High School will be presenting the faunal information in period dress as visitors are touring from room to room of the historic house, which will be enhanced in the restrained 18th-century style of holiday decoration. Practitioners of Musik will be on hand providing lilting melodies, Rockingham Association members will have the Museum Store open and there will be refreshments available in the Dutch barn.

Advance tour reservations are REQUIRED for admission with a suggested donation of $5 per person or $10 per family and must be made by calling 609-683-7136. Tours will be offered at least every half-hour with the last tour beginning at 3:30 pm.

Rockingham is located at 84 Laurel Avenue, Franklin Township, NJ between Route 518 in Rocky Hill and Route 27 in Kingston. For more information, call 609-683-7132 or visit www.rockingham.net.

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Sunday, December 9 - Maplewood, Essex County

Celebrate the Holiday Season at Durand-Hedden
Children Friendly Event

Celebrate the season at the Durand-Hedden House & Garden on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm with a gingerbread-house contest, featuring unique creations from young kids through professional bakers. We'll also have a visit from a Victorian Santa, and shopping at our charming Country Store.

Gingerbread House Contestants must enter by Saturday, December 8. Visit www.DurandHedden.org for details and to enter. Kids, teens, adults, and professionals are welcome. Children can also visit with our Victorian Santa on the Sunday – be sure to have your camera ready.

The creative entries of the 2018 Durand-Hedden Gingerbread House competition will be on display as well as on December 15 and 16 (at the Country Store) and at the Hilton Library December 18 through January 17.

The Country Store has special inexpensive gifts for family, friends and teachers, while benefiting the Durand-Hedden House. The historic-themed selection includes such items as early American children’s games, books and toys, facsimile documents, quill pens and ink, historic cook books, cookie molds, tin lanterns, reproduction decorative ceramics, vintage photos, hiking sticks and more. The hard-to-find original Doors of Maplewood poster and Smile, the history of Olympic Park, and the new acid-free reproduction of the charming 1931 map of Maplewood.

Durand-Hedden House is dedicated to telling the history of the development of Maplewood, New Jersey and the surrounding area in new and engaging ways. It is located in Grasmere Park at 523 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood, New Jersey. For more information, call 973-763-7712 or visit www.durandhedden.org.

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Sunday, December 9 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Christmas at The Historic Village at Allaire
Children Friendly Event

Join the members of the Howell Iron Works Co as they celebrate the holiday season. Each historic home will be decorated according to a different Christmas traditions. Experience the sights and smells of an early American Christmas with hearth cooking, singing, dancing, wagon rides, Santa and more! As visitors explore the village they will learn how our holiday traditions developed. This is a wonderful family friendly activity!

You can also bring your holiday cards to be sent from the historic post office located in the General Store. Bring your addressed envelopes with a stamp, and they will receive a special Allaire cancellation showcasing a historic building.

* The historic buildings will be open 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Each building will be decorated and interpreted according to a different Christmas tradition.
* Interactive music program in the Chapel: 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm.
* Storytelling in the Enameling Building: 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm.
* Silhouette Cuttings in the Visitor Center: 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm
* Santa will be visiting the village 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.
* Carolers will be singing throughout the village from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm.
* The General Store and Bakery will be open from 10:00 am - 4:00pm.
* Holiday drink-making in the Allaire Mansion.
* Sample the Holiday wassail in the villlage buildings as you call on the residences of the Howell Iron Works.
* Visit the Carriage House, warm by the fire pit, and see the carriages and sleds decorated for the Holidays.
* Make a pine-cone feeder for our feathered friends (take home if you wish) or decorate our Christmas Tree!
* String cranberries and popcorn at the Manager's House (for take home too!).
* Trains! The history of trains as an iconic Christmas toy favorite! Lionel model train layout!
* Music throughout the village.

The event runs from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Admission: $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for children under the age of 12. Wagon rides are first come, first serve and included in the ticket price. The Historic Village at Allaire is located in Allaire State Park at 4263 Atlantic Avenue, Farmingdale, NJ. Tickets are available at the gate or can be purchased online. For more information, call 732-919-3500 or visit www.allairevillage.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 Sunday, January 1, 2018 - Cape May, Cape May County
An Old-Fashioned Christmas Exhibit
Family Friendly

An exhibit of holiday traditions through the years complete with model trains, toys, and much more! At the Carroll Gallery at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. The exhibit will be available for viewing from Friday, November 17, 2017 through Sunday, January 1, 2018. The Gallery is open daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas); hours vary. Free admission. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). For more information or gallery hours, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturdays and Sundays through January 6, 2019 - Princeton, Mercer County
Festival of Trees

Morven Museum and Garden's annual Festival of Trees has become a must-see Princeton holiday tradition. Enjoy the museum’s elegant galleries decorated for the holidays and adorned with trees artfully decorated by local businesses, garden clubs, and non-profit organizations.

This year’s Festival of Trees museum decorators include: C. Raymond Davis & Sons, Inc., Contemporary Garden Club, Garden Club of Princeton, Grounds for Sculpture, Homestead Princeton, Keris Tree Farm & Christmas Shop, McCarter Theatre Center, Stony Brook Garden Club, and West Trenton Garden Club.

No reservations necessary. Morven is open to the public on Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Morven Museum & Garden is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Admission $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (60+)/students/active military personnel, and children 6 and under are free. Friends of Morven, free. Purchase tickets online. Please note that during the Festival of Trees in December and early January, no formal tours are given, but docents are available to answer any questions. Morven Museum and Garden is located at 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ. For more information, call 609-924-8144 or visit www.morven.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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Through June 2019 - Morristown, Morris County
Iconic Culture: From Little Black Dress to Bell Bottoms

Morris County Historical Society’s upcoming exhibit, Iconic Culture: From Little Black Dress to Bell Bottoms, promises to be a one-stop spot for a stroll down memory lane.

From the timeless designs of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel to the trend-setting bell bottoms of Sonny and Cher, MCHS explores more than 50 years of cultural history through a retrospective featuring nearly 100 pieces from its historic textile collection. Iconic Culture will examine how changes in clothing styles mirrored the social climate of their time and the seminal moments and people who defined their decade – with a focus on New Jersey history.

In addition to the fashions, Iconic Culture will highlight cultural milestones in local, state, and national history that coincided with the Roaring 20s, Great Depression, World War II, Civil Rights Movement, and Vietnam Era.

This multimedia exhibit features music, television shows, and radio broadcasts. Visitors will also have an opportunity to share personal recollections about significant events, such as the assassination of President Kennedy.

The exhibit is available through Sunday, June 16, 2019. Morris County Historical Society is located at Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ and is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:000 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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Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey

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