NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 11/6/21 - 11/7/21

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Saturday, November 6 - Holmdel, Monmouth County
Yarn Bee
Ages 10+

Whether starting a new hobby or working on an old project, all are welcome to this gathering on Saturday at Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel! The relaxed atmosphere means no pressure - you can knit or crochet at your own pace, and farm staff will be on hand to assist those wanting to learn a new skill. Bring your own supplies or borrow ours for the session. Open to ages 10 and up; under 18 with adult. The cost is $5 per person; cash or check only. This event run from 12:00 noon - 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, November 6 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Piano Ballads
Children Friendly Site & Event

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel and head to the farmhouse to experience a sing-along with ballads from the turn of the century. This free events run 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, November 6 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Cider Making

Family Friendly Site

Fresh apple cider awaits those who help make it! To earn a taste, all you have to do is turn the crank of the cider press...and then help re-fill the hopper with the Macs, Cortlands, and Red Delicious apples that make for a perfect blend. In the farmhouse kitchen, apple pie is in the oven and applesauce is on the stove.

The site is open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Please note that all 2021 programs will be modified to encourage social distancing and reflect current State guidelines for public events. Visitors are required to carry masks at all times, and wear them when social distancing isn't possible.

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, November 6
Tips for Interviewing Relatives

Virtual Program

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Saturday, November 6 - Cape May, Cape May County

Welcome to Cape May Trolley Tour

This 45 minute 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 $20 and children (ages 3-12) $15. Tour on Saturday at 12:30 pm. Cape May MAC membership is open to all. 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, November 6 - Cape May, Cape May County

Mansions by the Sea Trolley Tour

You’ll hear how the rich lived in the early 1900s in the most elegant part of town on this trolley tour that includes the eastern beachfront. You’ll see the broad streets and massive plots on Cape May’s east side – an area marketed as “New Cape May” at the turn of the 20th century. Today, new, beachfront second homeowners have continued the tradition, running the gamut from the mere wealthy to the fabulously rich. This narrated tour travels along Beach Drive through the early 20th century East Cape May Development areas. Guides discuss history and architecture. Begins and ends at the Ocean Street trolley stop.

Adults $20 and children (ages 3-12) $15. Tour on Saturday at 11:15 am. Cape May MAC membership is open to all. 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, November 6 - 7 - Cape May, Cape May County

Emlen Physick House 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 on Saturday at 12:30, 1:45, and 3:00 pm and Sunday at 12:30 and 1:45 pm. Admission is $20 for adults, $15 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets can be purchased online or at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Sponsored by Cape May 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, November 6 - 7 - 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! Participate anytime between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Price is $5. Purchase tickets online or at the Carriage House Museum Shop. The Emlem Physick Estate is located at 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. 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, November 6 - 7 - Lower Township, Cape May County

World War II Tower Lookout Museum and Memorial Open
Family Friendly Site

Fire Control Tower No. 23 on Sunset Boulevard is New Jersey's last freestanding World War II tower, part of the immense Harbor Defense of the Delaware system known as Fort Miles. After an award-winning restoration in 2009, visitors can climb to the 6th floor spotting gallery while learning about the homeland defense efforts during World War II. The ground floor of the tower, the All Veterans Memorial, and boardwalk interpretive panels are fully accessible. Open Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 - 3:00 pm. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 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 Cape May MAC. For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, November 6 - 7 - Lower Township, Cape May County

Climb the Cape May Lighthouse
Family Friendly Site

The Cape May 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 12:00 - 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. 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 $12 for adults, $8 for children (ages 3-12). Children under 3 and active military are FREE. Sponsored by Cape May MAC. For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, November 6 - 7 - 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 $20 and children (ages 3-12) $15. Tours on Saturday at 11:45 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:15 pm and Sunday at 11:45 am and 1:00 pm. Sponsored by the Cape May 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, November 6 - 7 - Warren County

Explore Warren History Trail

Many of Warren County’s historic sites have coordinated plans for a self-guided county-wide tour, with family activities at each location, on the weekend of November 6 - 7, 2021. Join us for a weekend of fun and discovery as each stop along the trail offers something different and exciting for the whole family. Start at any site and pick up your map and guide.

As it approaches its bicentennial in 2024-2025, Warren County will celebrate a remarkable history as well as its reputation for the cleanest waterways and richest farmland in New Jersey. Stemming from wilderness times well before the county’s official formation through 1824 legislation, the area’s earliest settlements were in Greenwich, Oxford Furnace, and Pahaquarry. Situated at the confluence of the Delaware and Musconetcong Rivers, Greenwich was the gateway for the northward migration of Quaker, German, and Scots-Irish settlers landing at Philadelphia. Oxford Furnace’s first pioneers arrived in 1726, but real growth followed the building of the furnace in 1741, creating Warren County’s first hub of commercial activity and population growth. In 1732, Abraham Van Campen built a mill in what became the tiny village of Calno in Pahaquarry, the southernmost settlement in a chain of Dutch villages extending down the Minisink Valley from Esopus (now Kingston), New York. Warren County’s agricultural heritage, in combination with eighteenth and nineteenth century innovations in transportation and industry, are important chapters in the rural American tradition.

For more information and a listing of participating sites, visit www.warrenhistorytrail.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, November 6 - 7 - Atlantic City, Atlantic County

Absecon Lighthouse Open
Family Friendly

Absecon Lighthouse will be open Thursdays through Mondays, from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, with the last climb 1/2 hour before closing. 

Parking, exhibits, and Keeper’s Cottage museum are free. Admission to climb the 228 steps to the top is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and college students, $6 for children 4-12, and $5 for Atlantic City residents; active military and children under 4 are free. Dogs on leashes are welcome on the two-acre lawn and in the museum space. Masks and social distancing are required, plexi-glass shields are installed in the gift shop and Watch Room at the top for your safety, and plastic gloves will be issued to climbers. 

First lit in 1857, Absecon Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey and the third tallest in the country. It is the oldest man-made structure in Atlantic City, boasts a first-order Fresnel lens still in place at the top, and offers fabulous views of Atlantic City and Brigantine.

The Absecon Lighthouse is located at 31 South Rhode Island Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ. For more information, call 609-449-1360 or visit www.abseconlighthouse.org.

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Saturday - Sunday, November 6 - 7 - Camden, Camden County

Battleship New Jersey Fire Power Tour
Family Friendly

This self guided tour of the overall view of the Battleship New Jersey takes guests five levels up and two decks below. The Main Deck features an Exhibit Museum that encompasses the 48 years in and out of service. Guides are available for questions in the Captain's Quarters and CEC.

Active Military, World War II Veterans, and former Crew Members of BB-62 are asked to stop at the Box Office in the Battleship NJ Visitor's Center. Proudly inform our Ticketing Staff of your service to our Great Nation and receive a complimentary ticket to board the "Big J".

* All guests will be screened in the Visitors Center before entering the Battleship’s Pier, must wear a face covering and practice social distancing.
* Please check your email after purchase for your ticket to either print or save to your mobile device and take with you for check-in in the Visitors Center.

Firepower tour tickets are available to use at any date and time we are open for tours. Admission: Adults are $25.00 and children ages 5-11, veterans, and seniors (62+) are $20.00. Tickets can be purchased online. Battleship New Jersey is located at 62 Battleship Place, Camden, NJ. For more information, call 856-966-1652 or visit www.battleshipnewjersey.org.

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Saturday - Monday, November 6 - 8 - Tuckerton, Ocean County

Outdoor Strolling Admission: Tuckerton Seaport

Family Friendly

Tuckerton Seaport is open for strolling for long weekends. The Tuckerton Seaport will be open on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Reserved timed tickets will be required for everyone. This helps us limit capacity and maintain social distancing. Masks will be required at all times. Tuckerton Seaport reserves the right to make changes to the schedule or cancel at any time due to circumstances beyond our control at the discretion of the museum. Safety always comes first around here. In the event that we need to cancel any dates, guests who have pre-purchased tickets will receive a full refund.

Tickets are just $5/person. Members will be required to bring their Membership Card with them when visiting or the discount will not be valid. Membership benefits for Seaport Family Members include two adults as well as any accompanying children under 18. Everyone needs a ticket for entry with the exception of children under age 5 who are complimentary.

The Tukerton Seaport is located at 120 W. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ. For more information, call 609-296-8868 or visit https://tuckertonseaport.org.

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Sunday, November 7 - Eatontown, Monmouth County

Veterans Day Concert

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Sunday, November 7 - Union, Union County

"The Revolutionary War Battles Almost in Your Backyard”

On Sunday at 2:00 pm, the Union Township Historical Society will host John Kieser at Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church, 888 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union. Mr. Kieser will present "The Revolutionary War Battles Almost in Your Backyard” in the church sanctuary. The program will be followed by refreshments in the adjacent Westminster Hall. Admission is free.

Mr. Kieser is a local history expert on the Battles of Connecticut Farms (Union), Springfield, and Elizabeth, in June 1780. His other credentials include: Historian, Sons of the American Revolution, Jockey Hollow Chapter; member, SAR, West Fields Chapter; Trustee, Summit Historical Society; member, Union and Springfield Historical Societies. Mr. Kieser is a retired Professional Engineer and real estate developer.

For more information, call 908-591-4377.

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Sunday, November 7 - Jefferson Township, Morris County

Open House

The Jefferson Township Museum, also known as the George Chamberlin House, will have an open house on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Learn about the Jefferson Township Historical Society. Our award-winning costumed docents are available to help on your tour. Admission is free. Masks are required for entry.

November’s theme continues from October, “As We Ponder…Gothic Romance Authors,” and will feature selected readings by the docents and guides.

Miss Elizabeth’s Garden plantings are labeled for self-guided tours. Be sure to visit Miss Elizabeth’s Shoppe in the basement, which was the original kitchen of the house. The Shoppe is packed with new and vintage items for sale. Also be sure to visit the Museum’s lovely gardens.

The Jefferson Township Museum is located at 315 Dover-Milton Road, Jefferson Township, NJ. For further information, call 973-697-0258 or visit https://www.jeffersontownship.net/360/Historical-Society.

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Sundays, November 7, 21, and 28 - Somerville, Somerset County

Old Nassau On The Banks: Queen's College's First Tutor

In November 1771 Old Dutch Parsonage's Frederick Frelinghuysen offered the first tutorials for Queen's College, launching two and a half centuries of teaching that continue today at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

This historic houses tour goes indoors at Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage to explore the Jersey Dutch background of Queen's College's first tutor, the early national and religious diversity that produced two colonial colleges Princeton and Rutgers in New Jersey, and the role of taverns including the Sign of the Red Lion in New Jersey's intellectual and political life before and during the American Revolution. This program runs from 3:00 - 4:00 pm.

The site is located at 71 Somerset Street, Somerville, NJ. Click here to reserve your FREE ticket.

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Sunday, November 7

Cemetery Journeys: Understanding Local Cemeteries and Gravestones

Virtual Program

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Through 2022 - Middletown, Monmouth County

Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall

Beneath the Floorboards: Whispers of the Enslaved at Marlpit Hall is the first exhibit to come out of the Monmouth County Historical Association's Living and Breathing initiative, which will reinterpret our Colonial-era historic houses to include the stories of the enslaved African Americans who once resided within them. The exhibition will offer a better understanding of how slavery took root in early Monmouth County, as well as the complex dynamics of daily life and relationships among the enslaved.

The telling of New Jersey’s history is often fragmented, with little remembrance of the thousands of men, women, and children living under forced servitude for more than two centuries. The curators, Bernadette Rogoff and Joe Zemla, have framed the exhibit upon the lives of seven of these individuals: Ephraim, William, Elizabeth, Clarisse, Hannah, Tom, and York, all of whom once lived at Marlpit Hall. Extensive archival documentation, archaeological evidence, and objects from MCHA’s museum collection - some on view to the public for the first time - help tell the larger story of slavery in Monmouth County and New Jersey.

Marlpit Hall is located at 137 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ. For more information, visit www.monmouthhistory.org.

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