NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 2/2/19 - 2/3/19

 New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Saturday, February 2 - Harrison Township, Gloucester County
Annual Groundhog Day Dinner
Family Friendly

The Harrison Township Historical Society’s Annual Groundhog Day Dinner and Silent Auction is set for Saturday at 6:00 pm at Ewan Fire Hall, 312 Ewan Road, in the village of Ewan near Mullica Hill, NJ. This annual event features “Down Jersey” sausage, sausage gravy and biscuits, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, candied yams, fried apples, green beans, and a dessert buffet. Now in its fifteenth year, the supper is a revival of a century-old Richwood tradition.

The first local groundhog day dinners took place in the early 1900s. Farmers belonging to the Richwood Men’s Bible Class made the sausage and prepared supper for the entire congregation of Richwood Methodist Church.

The event is a fun-filled evening for the entire family. In addition to the home-cooked menu, the program includes a popular silent auction and perhaps the only opportunity in South Jersey to sing Groundhog Day songs. Tickets for the event are $15 and available at the Amazing Grace Resource Center, 33 South Main Street, Mullica Hill, NJ (856-478-9800). Doors open at 5:30 pm. Advance purchase is recommended since seating is limited.

All proceeds benefit the Society’s exhibitions and educational programs at the Society's Old Town Hall Museum, located at the intersection of South Main Street and Woodstown Road. For more information, visit www.harrisonhistorical.com.

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Saturday, February 2 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County
Groundhog’s Day
Children Friendly Event

We’ve made it half way through the Winter; have you been to Walnford this season? We have facts and folklore about groundhogs, historical winter fun, seasonal chores, and maybe a few signs of spring to share with you. Sunshine or clouds, come to see the past from a new perspective.

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

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Saturday, February 2 - Union Township, Union County
The Unfortunate History of Slavery in New Jersey

The Union Township Historical Society will host a presentation, "The Unfortunate History of Slavery in New Jersey," by Rick Geffken on Saturday at 2:00 pm at the Union Public Library, 1980 Morris Avenue, Union Township, NJ.

Sadly, our state was the last in the North to outlaw slavery. Mr. Geffken will review the legacy of New Jersey's 200-year history of human bondage with images and stories of slaves, owners, and the abolitionist movement. He has written articles for historical newsletters and blogs, as well as presented research at the NJ History and Historic Preservation Conference. Mr. Geffken also appeared on the NJ cable TV show, Family Historian.

Admission is free. Refreshments will be served. For more information, please call 908-591-4377 or visit www.uniontwphistoricalsociety.webs.com.

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Saturday, February 2 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Purls of Wisdom Knitting Bee
Children Friendly Site

On Saturday, gather your needles and yarn, and come sit a spell! This gathering at Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel is a great opportunity to share patterns, get some work done on a forgotten project, or to learn a new hobby. Farm staff will be on hand to help newcomers with casting on or to teach the basics. More seasoned knitters are welcome to share their love of knitting!  This free event runs from 12:00 - 2:30 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, February 2 - 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. Tours will start at 1:45 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, February 2 - 3 - Cape May, Cape May County
Physick Estate Scavenger Hunt
Family Friendly

Have an adventure the whole family will enjoy at the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate! Use our map to explore the grounds and find the answers to questions about the Physick family and life in Victorian times on this educational scavenger hunt. Turn in your answer sheet at the Carriage House Museum Shop and receive a prize!

$5 includes map and clues. Maps and clues available at the Hill House office or the Carriage House Visitors Center at the Emlen Physick Estate. The Emlem Physick Estate is located at 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, February 2 - 3 - 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 and Sunday at 1:00 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, February 3 - River Edge, Bergen County
Brigid’s Day and Candlemas
Children Friendly Event

On Sunday, the Bergen County Historical Society celebrates Brigid’s Day and Candlemas at Historic New Bridge Landing.

See the wonderful exhibit of the Society’s needlework and samplers including four 18th century girls work and our rarely exhibited 1810 Washington Memorial. Selections of our treasure of Revolutionary War artifacts will be on display. All 3 Jersey-Dutch Houses will be open, connected by a gravel walking path through the historic battleground.

There will be a candle-making demonstration using authentic materials including lard in the Outkitchen, located behind the tavern.

At 2:00 pm, there will be a lecture entitled, "Sampler Makers: Preserving Their History" presented by Patricia A. Hrynenko, who is a founding member of the Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild. The guild awarded BCHS a grant to conserve a pair of needlework.

Brigit’s Day and Candlemas come midway between the winter solstice and spring equinox, when snowdrops, the first flower of spring, make their appearance, signaling nature’s awakening from winter’s sleep. Candlemas is named for the blessing of candles, used to protect homes and for procession through farm field and orchard. As evidenced by Groundhog’s Day, weather prognostication was commonly practiced in anticipation of spring sowing. Good weather at Candlemas is taken to indicate severe winter weather later. Hence, the saying, “If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year. Another old English proverb proclaimed, “If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, winter will not come again.” Rush crosses, woven for Brigid’s Day, were believed to protect house and livestock from adversity.

All three Jersey-Dutch Houses will be open for tours, with refreshments available in the Campbell-Christie Tavern for an additional charge. Admission: $12 adult, $7 children, BCHS members free. Historic New Bridge Landing is located at 1201-1209 Main Street, River Edge, NJ. For more information, call 201-343-9492 or visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Sunday, February 3 - Morris Township, Morris County
Winter on the Farm
Children Friendly Event

Enjoy a day of discovery as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm takes you back to the lives of farm families on a typical 1920s winter day! On Sunday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm, you’ll be able to climb aboard the open-air, tractor-pulled wagon and meet the resident farm animals. Weather permitting, watch the farmers harvest blocks of ice from the pond using special ice-cutting tools. Then see Calvin and Hobbes, the Belgian draft horse team, haul the ice up to the ice house by horse-drawn sleds. Assist with farm chores, such as cracking corn, collecting eggs, churning butter, and sawing wood.

At the Farmhouse kitchen, discover what seasonal foods are being prepared on the antique wooden stove. Stop by the Visitor Center and marvel at the Transportation Exhibit. See Mr. Foster’s Rockaway carriage and Caroline Foster’s Model “T” Ford!

Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (65+), $6 for children ages 4 - 16, and $4 for children ages 2 and 3. FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members with a valid membership card. Fosterfields is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morris Township, NJ 07960. For more information, call 973-326-7645 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Sunday, February 3 - Princeton, Mercer County
Historic Princeton Walking Tour
Children Friendly Tour

Enjoy a 1.9 mile, two-hour walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus as you learn about historic sites in the area, including Bainbridge House, Nassau Hall, the University Chapel, and Palmer Square. The early history of Princeton, the founding of the University, and the American Revolution are just some of the stories from Princeton’s history that you will learn on your tour.

Admission: $7 per adult; $4 children ages 6 to 12; free for children age 5 and under. Tours begin in front of the Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Tour begins at 2:00 pm and ends at 4:00 pm. Walk up ticket sales are cash only; guides cannot provide change. Space is limited. For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Sunday, February 3 - Westfield, Union County

Remembering the Greenwich Tea Burning

On Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm, Dr. John Fea of Messiah College, author of the book The Way of Improvement Leads Home: Philip Vickers Fithian and the Rural Enlightenment in Early America, will be discussing the Greenwich Tea Burning in regards to its history and how it is remembered. This program will be held at the Warren and Reba Lummis Genealogical & Historical Library, located at 981 Ye Greate Street, Greenwich, NJ. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 856-455-8580 or visit www.cchistsoc.org.

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Sunday, February 3 - Westampton, Burlington County
Hercules: Culinary Artist - What Washington Ate

Known for his culinary excellence, Hercules cooked for George Washington at Mt. Vernon, New York, and Philadelphia. Considered a "dandy," Hercules expected perfection in his kitchen and accepted nothing less. Though he was a slave he had high standards and demanded they be kept. Keith Henley of the American Historical Theatre as Hercules will explain the foods the Washington enjoyed and the service he provided.

Program begins at 2:00 pm. Admission is $10 per person; Friends of Peachfield admitted free of charge. Prepaid reservations are required to guarantee seating. Peachfield is located at 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ. For more information and to register, call 609-267-6996, e-mail colonialdamesnj@comcast.net, or visit www.colonialdamesnj.org.

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Sunday, February 3 - Eatontown, Monmouth County
The Story of Sojourner Truth

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Sunday, February 3 - Lambertville, Hunterdon County
LHS Annual Meeting & How to Research the History of Your Home

On Sunday, after a brief business meeting of the Lambertville Historical Society, Ms. Marfy Goodspeed will inform and assist attendees on how to find information on the history of a home. Goodspeed has been researching the history of Hunterdon properties since 1982. A resident of the County since 1976, she has served on the Delaware Township Planning Board, the Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission, and as Delaware Township Historian for several years.

She has contributed articles to the "Hunterdon Historical Newsletter" and the Delaware Township newsletter. In 2009, she began her website Goodspeed Histories, featuring a blog and articles about the early years of West New Jersey and of Hunterdon County. This free program begins at 1:00 pm at the Pittore Justice Center - 25 S. Union Street, Lambertville, NJ. For more information, visit www.lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org.

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Sunday, February 3 - South River, Middlesex County
Open House

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

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Through Friday, February 15 - East Amwell, Hunterdon County

Jim Amon Wildlife Photo Exhibit
Family Friendly

Camera in hand, Jim Amon heads to the Sourlands whenever he can. Amon, a resident of Lambertville, has a deep and long connection with the Sourlands. In the 1980’s he and three others founded the D&R Greenway Land Trust, who now have nature preserves extending over several hundred acres in the Sourland Region. Then, in 2005, upon retiring after thirty years as Executive Director of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission, he became the Director of Stewardship for the D&R Greenway. In that capacity, he did ecological restoration on the Greenway’s nature preserves and built about twenty miles of recreational trails. Upon retiring from the Greenway he served on the Board of Directors for the Sourland Conservancy. For the last five years, the Conservancy has been publishing “Seeing the Sourlands,” Amon’s monthly photo/essays on the plants and animals that can be found in the Sourlands, as an eNewsletter feature. This series, which can also be found on the Sourland Conservancy’s web site www.sourland.org, has been widely praised. The photos and essays will soon be published as a book.

Amon says that he began his photographic career by taking pictures of his growing family. Gradually, however, his interest in photography as an art form grew. He studied at the Maine Media Workshop and took several classes elsewhere. His work has been published in many local newspapers, magazines and planning books. He has exhibited at the Perkins Art Center, the Phillips Mill Photography Exhibit, Gallery 14, and other venues in central New Jersey.

“The East Amwell Historical Society show brings two of my great passions together,” Amon said. “I think that it is important for people to realize the ecological value of native plants, but also to realize that they are every bit as beautiful as exotics from foreign lands that are promoted for your home landscape. Stalking butterflies with my camera, posing native wildflowers with formal black backgrounds, and always being alert for the special beauty of the natural world brings me great pleasure.”

The East Amwell Historical Society and the Sourland Conservancy will present An Exhibition of Photographs of Plants and Animals Native to the Sourlands by Jim Amon at the East Amwell Museum 1053 Old York Road, Ringoes, NJ. The opening reception will be held on January 11th at 7:00 pm. Admission to the East Amwell Museum and exhibit will be free and open to the public on weekends from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The exhibit will be on display from January 5 through February 15, 2019. For more information, visit www.eastamwellhistory.org and www.sourland.org.

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Through Sunday, April 14 - Cape May, Cape May County
Collecting History: Personal Collections of Cape May's African American Community
Family Friendly

Collecting is a lifelong passion for many individuals who hunt, preserve, and curate items of importance and interest. It's not just the object that holds curiosity, but the story it has to tell. Never before seen personal collections of dolls, stamps, postcards, hats, books, art, and pocket watches will be exhibited along with John Nash's collection. Mr. Nash was a beloved community historian whose dedication to collecting Cape May's African American history formed the basis for Center for Community Arts' Nash African American History Archives.

This exhibit will be held at the Carroll Gallery on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate. Admission to the exhibit is free. Visit www.capemaymac.org/carriage-house-hours for exhibit hours. The Emlem Physick Estate is located at 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. 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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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