NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 5/18/19

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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Saturday, May 18 - Flemington, Hunterdon County

“How to Begin your Family Genealogy”

Learn the basics of how to research your family history with a genealogy workshop at The Hunterdon County Historical Society on Saturday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. The workshop will be held at the Society’s headquarters and library located at 114 Main Street in Flemington.

Conducted by Betty DeSapio, PLCGS, of DeSapio Research Services, this workshop is geared for the beginner through the advanced beginner. Ms. DeSapio will focus on taking research to the next step by learning how to analyze and evaluate primary sources and how to determine the reliability of published information. Instruction will be given on keeping research logs, citations and organizing materials relating to your family search. The workshop will include the resources held at the Hunterdon County Historical Society’s library and other County repositories. Hand-outs are included and participants should bring a lunch for a short break at noon.

The workshop is free for members of the Historical Society with a $10.00 program fee for non-members. Registration is required as space is limited. Participants may register by calling or e-mailing: hunterdonhistorypatricia@gmail.com or 908-782-1091.

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Saturday, May 18 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County
Spring Festival, Craft Market, and Auction
Children Friendly Site

Over 50 crafters, Allaire artisans, flowers, historic demonstrations and more! Plus a real 19th century auction in front of the General Store at 1:00 pm!

Join us for our Spring Festival that includes a Craft Market and Historic Demonstrations. Local artists will be demonstrating their work. Paintings, pottery, textiles and more! In addition to our historic buildings being open, we have some special programs for the day which will include may pole dancing, hearth cooking at the Manager's House, story-telling at our Enameling Building and craft demonstrations at the Carpenter, Blacksmith, and Tinsmith shops! An auction at the General Store, to include fresh flowers and other spring items, will take place at 1:00 pm. General Store, Bakery and Enameling Buidling Gift Shop will be open throughout the day!

Admission is $5 per adult, $3 children 2 - 12 years. Under 2 FREE! 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 18 - Piscataway, Middlesex County
Middlesex County History Day
Children Friendly Site & Event

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Saturday, May 18 - Princeton, Mercer County
In Her Footsteps: How Women Shaped Princeton Tour

Wiebke Martens and Jennifer Jang, authors of Discovering Princeton, have developed a brand new tour dedicated to the contributions of women in the community. The walk includes an overview of Princeton’s history and focuses on some of the women who have helped make Princeton – both town and its namesake University – what it is today. Stops include the new Betsey Stockton Garden, Alexander Hall, and Dorothea’s House.

Admission: $15 per person. Tour begins in front of the Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Tour begins at 1:00 pm and ends at 3:00 pm. Space is limited - register online or call 609-921-6748 x102. For more information, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Saturday, May 18 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Corn Planting
Children Friendly Event

If you have been wondering how to tell your children about the origin of their corn flakes, corn chips, polenta, tortillas, and hush puppies, bring them to Howell Living Farm for Corn Planting Day on Saturday.

Farmers will introduce visitors to some of the earthier facts of farm life by having them help with corn seed selection, fertilizing and planting. Afterwards children can grind and sift cornmeal for baking, and sample freshly made cornbread. Special maps will be given to participants to guide them to each production area; those who have their map stamped at all areas will be given a bag of freshly ground cornmeal to take home. Participating children must be accompanied by an adult. Throughout the day, farmers will use work horses and circa 1900 equipment to prepare and plant cornfields.

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 18 - Newton, Sussex County
Memorial Service for Revolutionary War Veterans and Patriot

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Saturday, May 18 - Sparta, Sussex County

Antique & Vintage Marketplace

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Saturday, May 18 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Accordion Melodies of the 1890s
Children Friendly Site & Event

On Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel and stop in the farmhouse to hear melodies from the 1890s played on the accordion.

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, May 18 - Nutley, Essex County

5th Annual Base Ball Classic at Yanticaw Boys Park
Children Friendly Event

Love Baseball? Love history? Watch 1860s Base Ball! The Kingsland Manor presents the Flemington Neshanock Base Ball Club vs. Kingsland Colonels of Nutley Base Ball Club for the 5th Annual Base Ball Classic, May 18th, 2019 at Yanticaw Park, Nutley on Saturday at Yanticaw Boys Park in Nutley, NJ.

The Flemington Neshanock Base Ball Club plays by 19th-century rules, uses authentic replicas of 19th Century equipment and wears 19th Century uniforms. As was the custom in the mid-19th Century, all fielders play barehanded - they do not wear gloves. Today’s Neshanock were re-established in 2001 by Brad “Brooklyn” Shaw, proudly reviving the original name of the team.

The Nutley Colonels was a semi-professional base ball club that was managed by a local All-State baseball star, Anthony J. San Giacomo. The Kingsland Manor is re-establishing that classic base ball club, fielding a “Colonels” team against the Neshanock Base Ball Club at Yanticaw Park on Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm.

This event is free to attend and donations will be taken by pass the hat. For more information, call 973-661-3410 or email KingslandManorRestorationTrust@gmail.com.

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Saturday, May 18 - Morris Township, Morris County
Yarn Dolls and Button Whirligigs
Children Friendly Event and Site

On Saturday at Fosterfields Living History Farm, create a yarn doll and button whirligig. See how much fun these toys of the past can be for children today. Parental assistance needed. Program lasts from 2:00 - 4:30 pm.

Admission: $6 for adults; $5 for seniors (65+); $4 for children ages 3 – 16. FREE for children under age 3. Friends members half price with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-326-7645 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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The Trenton Historical Society, as a continuing part of its centennial celebration, will host a free public lecture on Saturday at 2:00 pm about the story of Trenton’s Millham Neighborhood , presented by Dennis Waters (today we might call it the Top Road or East Trenton Neighborhood).

It’s been a part of Trenton. It’s been a part of Lawrence. Briefly, it was its own township. It’s Millham, the largely forgotten community that used to straddle the D&R Canal along the Trenton-Lawrence border. Join us to learn the history of this neighborhood, which began as a mill town, evolved into a pottery and rubber center, seceded from its municipal government and then disappeared from memory.

Dennis Waters is a retired internet publisher. He recently stepped down after twelve years of service as Lawrence Township Historian. Dennis has served on the Lawrence Township Planning Board and as a trustee of the Lawrence Historical Commission, the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail and the Lawrence Township Community Foundation. In his spare time Dennis is a lichenologist and has just completed the first lichenological survey of Mercer County in cooperation with the New York Botanical Garden. He received his PhD in advanced technology from the Watson Engineering School at Binghamton University.

This program will be held at East Trenton Center, 601 North Clinton Avenue, Trenton, NJ (corner of North Clinton and Olden Avenues). Free parking is provided in a lot across from the East Trenton Center. For more information, visit www.trentonhistory.org.

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Saturday, May 18 - Cape May, Cape May County
Underground Railroad Trolley Tour

On Saturday at 10:15 am, join the Center for Community Arts' (CCA) Community History Committee on a trolley tour of the places where escaped slaves sought refuge and help to continue their journeys to freedom. Hear the stories and visit some of the places connected with the Underground Railroad, including: a look at the Owen Coachman House; a walk in a historic cemetery where our earliest free Black settlers are buried; and a glimpse of the summer home of Stephen Smith, a leading businessman, abolitionist and unsung hero of the Underground Railroad. Learn how Harriet Tubman found Cape May as a resource for earning money to fund her work. Board the trolley at the Washington Street Mall information booth at Ocean Street for this 2-hour tour. Admission is $25 per adult. 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 18 - 19 - East Amwell, Hunterdon County
Craft Show at the East Amwell Museum

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Saturday - Sunday, May 18 - 19 - Cape May, Cape May County
Welcome to Cape May Trolley Tour

This tour is designed for the first-time visitor to Cape May who wants a quick introduction to the many cultural, historical, and natural attractions on the island. From Cape May Harbor to Sunset Beach, tourgoers will learn all they need to know to make the most of their Cape May visit. Tours begin and end at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth.

Adults $15 and children (ages 3-12) $8. Tours on Saturday at 12:45 and 3:15 pm and Sunday at 12:15 and 2:45 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, May 18 - 19 - Lower Township, Cape May County
Climb the Cape May Lighthouse
Children Friendly

On Saturday, the Cape May Lighthouse, Oil House and Museum Shop reopens for the season. The lighthouse is an 1859 structure with 199 steps to the watch gallery for a panoramic view of the Jersey Cape and Atlantic Ocean. For those who choose not to climb, the Oil House contains a fully-accessible Visitors' Orientation Center and a Museum Shop stocked with maritime accessories and lighthouse memorabilia. Open 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Saturday. Cape May Point State Park is located in Lower Township, NJ. Admission to the Visitors' Orientation Center and the ground floor of the lighthouse is free. Tower admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children (ages 3-12). 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 18 - 19 - 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 be at 11:15 am and 12:30 pm on Saturday and 12:30, 1:45, and 3:00 pm on Sunday. Admission is $15 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, May 18 - 19 - 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, May 18 - 19 - 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. Tours begin and end at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth.

Adults $15 and children (ages 3-12) $8. Tours on Saturday at 10:30 am, 11:45 am, 1:15 pm, and 2:30 pm and Sunday at 11:45 am, 1:00 pm, 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, May 18 - 19 - 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 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm 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 18 - 19 - Paterson, Passaic County
Civil War Weekend at Lambert Castle
Family Friendly Event

Come one! Come All! March into history with the Passaic County Historical Society and the Second New Jersey Brigade at Lambert Castle on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Experience Civil War camp life and a full day of demonstrations including infantry, signal corps, civilians, cavalry, artillery, 22nd US Colored Troops, and medical. Lambert Castle Museum will also be open with free admission all day!

Come for a few hours or stay for the day. Parking available in the lot at Lambert Castle. Overflow parking is also available at Rifle Camp Park (387 Rifle Camp Rd, Woodland Park) with shuttle transport to Lambert Castle.

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

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Sunday, May 19 - Upper Freehold, Monmouth County
Walnford Day
Children Friendly Site & Event

The sights and sounds of the past come alive at Historic Walnford in Upper Freehold on Sunday between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. Plan on spending an afternoon taking a step back to explore the past!

Got an ITCH to try something different? We may have the experience you’re looking for: Ingenuity, Technology, Culture, and History come together in one great event. See demonstrations and displays of historical crafts, trades, music, art, that illustrate the impressive ingenuity of our ancestors and 18th and 19th century cutting edge technology. Add in hands-on activities including a ride in a horse drawn wagon, writing with a quill pen and exploring four floors of grand architecture - this is entertaining, educational, FREE family FUN for you to experience.

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

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Sunday, May 19 - Hammonton, Burlington County
Antique Glass and Bottle Show and Vintage Cars
Children Friendly Event

The popular Antique Glass and Bottle Show, held both in the spring and fall, will welcome shoppers beginning at 9:00 am and continue on until 3:00 pm on Sunday. Bottles, glass items, antiques, and collectibles will be available from a variety of vendors. Food and beverages will be available throughout day.

Glass was an important part of Batsto history. For the last thirty-five years, people from far and wide have brought their old glass and bottles to display and sell at the place where glass was once made in the mid-19th century.

If your interest is more in tune with motorized vehicles, the Cruisin' Classics Auto Club of Hammonton (NJ) will present its 9th annual "Shine in the Pines" car show for your enjoyment beginning at 9:00 am and running until 2:00 pm. A variety of classic and modern cars and trucks will be on display.

There is no admission charge to enter the park or for any of these events and they are brought to you by the Batsto Citizens Committee, Inc. The historic Batsto mansion will be open from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm for guided tours. There is a $3.00/person charge to tour the mansion. The famous Batsto Post Office (one of only four in entire United States authorized to cancel mail without a zip code) will also be open to visitors.

Batsto is located in the Pinelands of Burlington County, South Jersey approximately 7 miles east of Hammonton on Route 542 and about 15 miles west of Exit 50 on the Garden State Parkway. Further information may be obtained by calling the Batsto Visitor Center at 609-561-0024 or visit www.batstovillage.org.

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Sunday, May 19 - Westfield, Union County
Cooking with Herbs
Family Friendly

Aromatic, tasty, and healing – herbs were of the utmost importance to the colonial household. They were prized as medicines, dyes, pesticides, air fresheners, and for numerous other purposes. The Miller-Cory House Museum’s program will focus on their culinary uses. Members of the Cooking Committee will include herbs common to the 18th century in demonstrating open hearth cooking for visitors. Authentic open-hearth cooking is a unique feature of the museum’s programming. Volunteers prepare early American recipes using utensils, techniques, and seasonal ingredients of the time in the Frazee Building, a separate structure on the grounds, which, like the museum, dates to the 18th century. Visitors may also view the herb garden, which includes plantings common to colonial days.

The museum will be open from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and includes tours of the fully restored circa 1740 farmhouse museum. Admission is $4 for ages 13 and older, $3 for ages 3-12, and free age 2 and younger. No reservations are necessary. The Miller-Cory House Museum is located at 614 Mountain Avenue, Westfield, NJ. For more information, call 908-232-1776, e-mail millercorymuseum@gmail.com, or visit www.millercoryhouse.com.

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Sunday, May 19 - West Orange, Essex County
Glenmont Open House
Children Friendly Site

Step back into a time gone by as you tour the beautiful Glenmont Estate, Edison's home for 45 years. Glenmont is a shining example of architecture and style that is unmatched today. Don't miss out on your chance to tour the home of the great Thomas Alva Edison, and his beloved Mina. Entrance to the home ends at 3:30 pm.

Tickets must be purchased at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park Laboratory Complex Visitor Center at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ. Admission is $15.00 for adults, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x33 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.

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Sunday, May 19 - Franklin Township, Somerset County
Rockingham's Annual Children's Day
Children Friendly Event

The basics of being a child remain the same throughout history - a need for a time of play, to learn, explore, and experience. All children are welcome to come and enjoy Rockingham's Annual Children's Day, being held this year on Sunday from 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm.

The historic site, which served as General George Washington's final wartime headquarters in late 1783, will be offering activities and demonstrations of 18th-century life with support from the Montgomery High School Live Historians Club and the Rockingham Association. There will be basket-making and outdoor-cooking demonstrations with Deb Buonocore and Diane Lingsch, and information on soldiering and everyday colonial life with Past Muster and NJ History Alive. Activities include trying on replica 18th-century clothing, learning to write with quill and ink, playing games like Battledore & Shuttlecock and Trap Ball, experiencing common activities like washing clothes and hanging them to dry, and making paper crafts such as hats, baskets and a "quilt".

The house will be open for scavenger-hunt-like mini-tours, and the garden will be available for perusing. The barn will be open and will be used to house some of the activities, especially if it rains. You can visit the Museum Store with its many interesting wares and trinkets for sale and there will be light refreshments available. No registration is required. While admission to the event is FREE, donations are very gladly accepted! The event will be held rain or shine, though some activities may be curtailed if it rains.

Rockingham is located at 84 Laurel Avenue, Kingston-Rocky Hill Rd. (Rte. 603) in Franklin Township, 1 mile north of Rte. 27 in Kingston, and 1 mile south of Rte. 518 in Rocky Hill. For more information, call 609-683-7132 or visit www.rockingham.net.

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Sunday, May 19 - Waldwick, Bergen County
Waldwick Signal Tower Open House

The Erie Signal Tower in Waldwick will be open for tours on Sunday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm. The tower is located at 3 Bohnert Place, Waldwick, NJ. It can also be accessed via the Waldwick Museum of Local History via a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks and a short walk. For more information, visit www.allaboardwaldwick.org.

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Sunday, May 19 - Maplewood, Essex County

Genealogy: It’s Not a Tree or a Chart – It’s a Story!

Join genealogist and author Maureen Wlodarczyk at Durand-Hedden House & Garden in Maplewood, NJ, on Sunday at 2:00 pm to learn how to layer historical context (social, economic, religious, military, and other aspects) of the times in which your ancestors lived into your family tree, giving dimension to their lives, struggles, and experiences. Researching your family history and authenticating names, dates, and places is only the starting point. Maureen uses her own New Jersey Irish family in her PowerPoint talk to illustrate how adding “flesh” to our ancestral “skeleton” brings our forebears alive. She will provide handouts and welcome questions.

An unrepentant history and genealogy addict, Maureen Wlodarczyk is an officer and genealogical researcher with the Flannery Clan organization based in Dublin, Ireland, and is a member of the Irish American Writers and Artists organization, the Genealogical Society of New Jersey, and the Hudson County Genealogical Society. She has helped many people research and discover their own family history and ancestral roots and offers her genealogical services to the public upon request. She is a frequent speaker on topics of genealogy research, New Jersey history, writing your own family history, and self-publishing how-to. Maureen has a blog (www.past-forward.com/blog) with additional genealogical and historical stories. She writes a genealogy column, “History & Mystery: Perfect Together,” for Garden State Legacy e-magazine and is a contributing writer for the genealogy e-magazine Irish Lives Remembered. Maureen has authored four books, each focusing on 19th and early 20th century life in New Jersey.

Durand-Hedden House & Garden will be open from 1:00 - 4:00 pm for visitors who would like to view the house and herb garden, take in the popular exhibit Exploring Golf Island, and shop at the Country Store.

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, May 19 - Sandy Hook, Monmouth County

Coastal Defense Day
Children Friendly Event

The Army Ground Forces Association volunteer group will be dressed in WWII era uniform interpreting Battery Gunnison/New Peck and its 6-inch guns at Sandy Hook, a unit of Gateway National Recreation Area as if they were in final modernization and activation in May 1943. Learn about Army Harbor Defense Operations, restored 1920s to 1940s vintage electric and telephone systems, and Fort Hancock Army medical support in May 1943 . Visitors can participate in loading the guns, tracking ships, learn artillery math, machine shops, and experience soldier life. This free event will be held from 11:00 am- 4:00 pm at Battery Gunnison, Lot G Beach Plaza. For more information, call 732-872-5970 or visit www.nps.gov/gate.

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Sunday, May 19 - Sandy Hook, Monmouth County

Battery Potter and Mortar Battery Tours

Meet with park staff to tour two historic batteries at Sandy Hook.

Battery Potter: Explore and tour Sandy Hook's oldest disappearing gun battery. This is also the first concrete gun battery that was built in America, completed in 1895.

Mortar Battery: Join a park ranger guided tour of the Mortar Battery and learn about the first Endicott era (1894 - 1910) concrete gun battery that defended New York and its harbor against attack by enemy warships.

These free tours begin at 12:00 pm and run continuously until 4:00 pm. Both are located with the Fort Hancock Historic Post at Sandy Hook. Sandy Hook is part of Gateway National Recreation Area. For more information, call 732-872-5970 or visit www.nps.gov/gate.

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Sunday, May 19 - River Edge, Bergen County
Pinkster - A Colonial Celebration of Spring
Children Friendly Event

Pinkster is the Dutch name for Whitsunday or Pentecost, when a flower-crowned May Queen and King led merry-makers from door-to-door, gathering dyed eggs, butter, bread, cream, coffee, sugar, and tallow candles in baskets for a festive supper and dance. Toasts with buttermilk, known as “white wine,” and recital of the Pinkster Ode welcomed the return of summer.

Lift your spirit with a joyous celebration of Pinkster at Historic New Bridge Landing on Sunday from 1:00 - 5:00 pm and imagine you are back in the days when country folk celebrated greening woodlands and flowering meadows with a dance around the Maypole and sporting contests.

There will be dancing around the Maypole at 1:30 and 3:00 pm. The public is invited to participate after each session. Ridley and Anne Enslow on fiddle and hammered dulcimer.

In the outkitchen, cooks will be naturally dyeing eggs for Pinkster and making oliebollen, Dutch Donuts. This event features children’s games.

For visitors of every age, there will be tours of the Demarest House, with its display of Jersey Dutch furnishings, and colonial cooking demonstrations in the Out-Kitchen throughout the day. Pinkster cake, doughnuts, strawberries and cream, and lemonade will be served in the restored eighteenth-century tavern in the Campbell-Christie House. Tour the kitchen garden.

Experience history in one of the storied places where it was made! Come to Historic New Bridge Landing, 1201-1209 Main Street, River Edge, NJ. Selections from the collections of the Bergen County Historical Society will be on view in the three Jersey-Dutch houses. Admission: $12 adults, $7 children, BCHS members free. For more information, visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Sunday, May 19 - Park Ridge, Bergen County

“A W.A.S.P. Takes Wing: The Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII”

During World War II, more than one thousand women volunteers completed the WASP military pilot training program. They endured terrible Texas weather, snakes, spiders and scorpions, as well as the hostility of some male instructors. Graduating WASPs piloted every kind of military aircraft, tested new and overhauled airplanes (some with defective parts or dangerous reputations), delivered more than 12,000 planes, and flew over 60,000,000 miles (sometimes towing targets that soldiers shot at with live ammunition!) Thirty-eight of them died serving their country. Then they were told that men needed their jobs and they were dismissed and forgotten. Carol Simon Levin tells the story of the amazing WASPs through the eyes of Ann Baumgartner Carl, the Jersey girl who trained as a WASP, became the only American woman to test-fly experimental planes during the war, and the first American woman to fly a jet airplane!

Admission is free. This program starts at 2:00 pm at the Pascack Valley Historical Society, 19 Ridge Avenue, Park Ridge, NJ. For more information, visit www.pascackhistoricalsociety.org.

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Sunday, May 19 - Westampton, Burlington County

~~Colonial Brewing~~ - CANCELLED

An entry in the diary of a Mayflower passenger explains the unplanned landing at Plymouth Rock: “We could not now take time for further search… our victuals being much spent, especially our beer.” The Colonial Brewers from Pennsbury Manor will tell stories of Colonial brewing while cooking a batch of the libation for tasting. Brewing beer was preferred to beer imported from London. For this reason, the Boston Tea Party almost became the Boston Beer Party. The program begins at 2:00 pm on Sunday.

Admission is $10 per person. Seating is limited; prepaid reservations are required to guarantee seating. Peachfield is located at 180 Burrs Road Westampton, NJ. For more information and to reserve a seat, call 609-267-6996 or e-mail colonialdamesnj@comcast.net.

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Sunday, May 19 - Plainfield, Union County
"Ere the Shadows Fade: New Jersey’s Civil War Era Photographers"

The Historical Society of Plainfield will host a lecture entitled “Ere the Shadows Fade: New Jersey’s Civil War Era Photographers” on Sunday starting at 2:00 pm at the Drake House Museum. The lecture will be given by Gary D. Saretzky, Archivist, Educator, and Photographer.

Why were photographers important during the Civil War Era? The then-new ability to capture images at that time resulted in an increase in demand – from soldiers and families – for images of loved ones. More galleries opened and photographers moved to cities and towns. Several notable New Jersey photographers, including George S. Cook and Theodore Gubelman, contributed to the field. Gary Saretzky will guide the conversation about the evolution of the photography industry and the significance of the images captured.

The Historical Society of Plainfield will have on display a small collection of images by Guillermo Thorn (1837-1920) who moved to Plainfield in 1864. Thorn established a photography studio on East Front Street, and he took portraits and scenes of the Plainfield area. Thorn’s images can be found in the collection of the Plainfield Public Library, the Nancy Thompson Library at Kean University, and the Getty Museum.

Gary D. Saretzky has been the Monmouth County Archivist since 1994. Saretzky taught history of photography at Mercer County Community College from 1977 to 2012 and coordinated the Rutgers Public History Internship Program from 1994 to 2016. He has served as a consultant on archives and photographic conservation to more than 50 different repositories, has taught numerous workshops, and lectures on the history of photography and preserving photographs.

This program is in honor of the City of Plainfield’s sesquicentennial celebration. Seating is limited and is on a first-come first-serve basis. Light refreshments will be served. Program is free, and visitors will receive a Guillermo Thorn Union County History card. Donations are always appreciated.

The Drake House Museum is located at 602 West Front Street, Plainfield, NJ. For more information, call 908-755-5831 or visit www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org.

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Sunday, May 19 - 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, May 19 - Morristown, Morris County
The 11th Annual Historic Fashion Show-Fashion Wars!

Battle stations! March through the history of American fashion during war times, and see how military uniforms influenced civilian attire at Historic Speedwell. Tours are at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 pm.

Admission: $7/adult, $6/senior (65+), $5/child (ages 4 -16). FREE for children under age 4 and Friends members, with a current membership card. Historic Speedwell is located 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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Sunday, May 19 - East Brunswick, Middlesex County

The Mystery of the Inscribed Rocks & Tunnel

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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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Through Sunday, November 3 - Cape May, Cape May County
The Iconic Cape May Lighthouse Exhibit
Family Friendly

Illuminating the darkness over the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay for 160 years, Cape May’s lighthouse is the third beacon to guide mariners through the tumultuous waters at the confluence of the ocean and bay. Memories and historic images abound, from the keepers who dedicated their lives to maintaining the light, the MAC preservationists who restored it, and all those who’ve relied upon it for more than a century and a half.

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 November 11, 2019 - Woodbury, Gloucester County
War to End Wars: Centennial of WWI & Veterans’ Day

War to End Wars: Centennial of WWI & Veterans’ Day, our new exhibit at the Gloucester County Historical Society Museum, honors the centennial of World War I and its veterans. Come view uniforms worn by local, youthful doughboys as well as original liberty bond and enlistment posters carefully preserved by our librarians for over one hundred years! The exhibit also honors veterans of all wars since World War I as Americans now celebrate the day the war ended as Veterans’ Day. The exhibit is now open and will run through Veterans’ Day. The exhibit will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The museum is also open on the last Sunday of each month September through April from 2:00 - 5:00 pm as well as Saturdays April 6 and May 4 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. 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 2019 - Ridgewood, Bergen County
Here Comes The Bride - Chronicling Two Hundred Years of Wedding Customs & Traditions

Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue. Tossing the bouquet. Bride and Groom cake toppers. Putting a sixpence in your shoe. Where did these traditions originate? Why do we still honor them today? Please join us as we walk down the aisle and trace the history of Ridgewood’s wedding traditions.

The Schoolhouse Museum celebrates the opening of its current featured exhibit “Here Comes The Bride - Chronicling Two Hundred Years of Wedding Customs & Traditions.” This new exhibit features items dating from 1789-1989, showcasing many beautiful wedding gowns from the museum's collection - some of which have never been on exhibit before.

While at the museum, see the curio cabinet exhibit “50 Small Things with Big Histories.” The exhibits are open until December 2019 and are free to the public with donations suggested at the door. Museum hours are Thursdays and Saturdays from 1:00 - 3:00 pm and Sundays from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

The Schoolhouse Museum is a historic one-room schoolhouse in Ridgewood, New Jersey, originally built in 1872, that has been turned into a gallery space which now houses the Ridgewood Historical Society. Entirely volunteer-run, the non-profit Historical Society presents annual exhibits, events and workshops in a community that values education, family and local and national history. The museum is located at 650 E Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ.

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Through June 28, 2020 - Piscataway, Middlesex County
Mid-Century New Jersey Exhibit

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

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