NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 3/12/22 - 3/13/22

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Saturday, March 12 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

St. Patrick's Day Tours

Children Friendly Site & Ages 5+ Event

Take a 90 minute guided tour of the Historic Village at Allaire to experience the history and culture of Ireland. A period dressed interpreter will escort you to all of our historic buildings and trade shops where villagers are waiting to welcome you and demonstrate traditional Irish cooking, folklore and music! Listen to the Ballycastle Band perform a variety of traditional Irish songs in our historic Chapel, smell the delicious Irish meals and treats prepared by our talented hearth cooks, learn about the history of the holiday and much more! Purchase your tickets early before they sell out!

James P. Allaire’s Howell Works of 1836 consisted of workers from many ethnic backgrounds, including people from Ireland who likely made up the majority of the population. Migrating down to New Jersey from New York, the Irish workers at the Howell Iron Works primarily served as molders for the furnace operation, but also were blacksmiths, farmers, and other skilled furnace workers. They brought with them their customs and traditions as well as their religion, which was, in some cases, Catholic.

Tickets are $15 per person, and must be purchased in ADVANCE.

Food service provided by the Allaire Village Bakery and Pilsen Gourmet's Food Truck. Offering delicious Irish treats and cuisine!

Respectfully, the tour is not recommended for children 5 and under. Strollers are not permitted inside the historic buildings.

Tickets MUST be purchased in ADVANCE and are sold by time block. Tour groups will meet at the Allaire Community Hall (at the head of the Parking Lot) and depart from there.

Absolutely NO refunds will be given once ticket is purchased.

Ticketed patrons on guided tours ONLY will be allowed in the Historic Homes, Chapel, and Trade Shops on this day! General Store & Bakery are open to all.

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Tickets are a donation to Allaire Village Inc, the non-profit organization that operates the Historic Village at Allaire. Purchase tickets here.

In accordance with NJ State guidelines for state-owned buildings, masks are required inside all buildings on our site. CDC and Local Health Guidelines must be followed.

The Historic Village at Allaire is located in Allaire State Park at 4263 Atlantic Avenue, Farmingdale, NJ. For more information, call 732-919-3500 or visit www.allairevillage.org.

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Saturday, March 12 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Cookstove Demonstration & Piano Ballads from the Turn of the Century
Children Friendly Site & Event

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel and stop by the out kitchen to see what’s cooking on the wood-fired stove. Discover how recipes, cooking techniques and kitchens have changed since the 1890s. This free events run from 11:00 am - 3:30 pm.

Also tap your feet, dance a one-step, or sing-along to popular turn-of-the-19th-century ballads as they are played on our farmhouse piano. This free events run from 1:00 - 3:30 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, March 12 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Visit from the Horse Doctor, Dentist, & Shoer

Children Friendly

Shots, worming medicine, dental exams, and hoof trimming are in store for Howell Farm’s six workhorses when the veterinarian and dentist come for their spring visit. Join them in the barns where they will be at work all day ensuring that horses, sheep, chickens, and farm cat Bushy are fit and ready for spring. Visitors can listen to a horse’s heart through a stethoscope, watch an equine dentist at work, and learn about old and new veterinary instruments and techniques. The farrier will be shoeing, and the blacksmith working in the forge. The site is open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Please note that all 2022 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, March 12 - Lambertville, Hunterdon County

“How old is THAT building, anyway?”

Local historian Marilyn Cummings and timber framer Michael Cuba will team up for a fascinating presentation on dendrochronology -- or “tree-ring dating,” as it is sometimes called. This science offers valuable insight into a building’s history by revealing the year when the timbers, used in its construction, were cut down. Cummings will launch the presentation with general information on ways to visually date early houses, and Cuba will follow up by discussing the science of dendrochronology. Of particular interest, the program will include the dendro-testing results of several historic buildings instrumental to Lambertville’s early history. Come out to see which ones will be featured!

Cummings taught at Purdue, Mississippi State, and Colorado State before arriving in Hunterdon County in 2003. She began documenting historic homes shortly after starting the Delaware Township Historical Society. Since that time, she has documented more than 100 houses, and with Cuba’s assistance, numerous barns and outbuildings. She also is the driving force behind the History Mapping website www.historymapping.org.

Cuba began his career in restoration timber framing at the Institute for Social Ecology. He is a co-founder of Knobb Hill Joinery, which focuses on preservation and restoration timber framing. As owner of Transom Historic Preservation Consulting in Bucks County, Cuba has specialized in the documentation and analysis of historic timber-framed buildings. In addition to teaching classes on traditional timber framing, he is editor of Timber Framing, the journal of the Timber Framers Guild.

This program will be held from 1:30 - 2:30 pm at the Pittore Justice Center, 25 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ. Admission is free, but donations accepted. For more information, visit www.lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org.

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Saturday, March 12

Phillis Wheatley: An Enslaved Poet

Virtual Program

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Saturday - Sunday, March 12 - 13 - 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 4:00 pm.

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, March 12 - 13 - 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 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, March 12 - 13 - 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 on Saturday at 12:30 and 1:45 pm and Sunday at 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, March 12 - 13 - 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 - 3:00 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, March 12 - 13 - 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, March 12 - 13 - 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, March 12 - 14 - 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. Guests are asked to arrive before 4pm. Check in at the Lighthouse upon arrival for info on exhibits open for touring both indoors and outdoors. The Gift Shop is now located inside the Lighthouse. Masks will be required at all times. 

Tickets are $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 Tuckerton 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, March 13 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Horse-Drawn Plowing Demonstration
Children Friendly Site & Event

Historic Longstreet Farm's draft horses and teamsters are turning the soil over in preparation for the upcoming spring planting. Stop by  the field on Sunday to chat with the staff about the steps needed to insure a good harvest, and maybe even get a chance to plow (with the farmer’s help). This program is weather dependent and runs from 12:00 noon - 2:00 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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Sunday, March 13 - Princeton, Mercer County
Historic Princeton Walking Tour
Children Friendly Tour

Enjoy a 90-minute 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.

Tickets are $10. Advance purchase is required. Tour starts in the courtyard of the Princeton Battle Monument (GPS address: 1 Monument Drive).

Tour begins at 2:00 pm. Please note: Space is limited to 15 participants. Given this is an outdoor tour, masks are optional. If participants have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days of the tour, we ask that they stay home and contact us for a full refund. For more information and to reserve tickets, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Sunday, March 13 - Salem, Salem County

Quarterly Meeting: Salem County Historical Society

At the March meeting, Kimberlee Moran will discuss the background and history of the Whispering Woods Dig Site in Pilesgrove Township, Salem County, New Jersey.

Kimberlee Sue Moran has been a forensic consultant and educator since 2002. She holds an undergraduate degree in Classical and Near Eastern archaeology from Bryn Mawr College and a Master’s of Science in forensic archaeological science from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London. Kimberlee worked as a contract archaeologist for Hunter Research, a CRM firm based in Trenton, NJ, prior to moving to the UK. She moved back to New Jersey in 2010. Her archaeological research includes ancient fingerprints, artificial cranial deformation, the Whispering Woods site in Salem County, NJ, and the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia also known as “The Arch Street Project.”

The meeting will be held at 1:30 pm at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 76 Market St. Salem, New Jersey. Masks are required in the Church. For more information, call 856-935-5004 or visit www.salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com.

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Sunday, March 13 - Westfield, Union County

The Big Cheese: Cheese-Making in Early America plus Story Time and Craft

Children Friendly

Did you know that in 1801 President Thomas Jefferson was given a giant wheel of cheddar cheese? Made by town folk from Cheshire, Massachusetts, the cheese weighed 1,235 pounds. It took a wagon pulled by six horses to deliver it to the White House! Learn more about this historic cheese at a special cheese-y story time with craft, then learn how cheese was made in early America. Our cooks will also be demonstrating open hearth cooking using period recipes and techniques. Program from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

Admission is $5 ages 13 and older; $3 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, March 13 - Flemington, Hunterdon County

What’s the age of ‘this old’ Hunterdon County house?

At the Hunterdon County Historical Society’s annual spring meeting on Sunday, attendees can learn about determining the age of older homes. The event will be held at 2:00 pm at the Flemington Presbyterian Church.

Marilyn Cummings and Michael Cuba will team up to discuss dendrochronology - or “tree-ring dating” - which offers insights into a building’s history by revealing the year when the timbers used in its construction were felled. Cummings will begin by providing general information on and clues to visually dating early houses, and Cuba will delve into the science of dendrochronology.

The program will spotlight the duo’s research into three important early Hunterdon County buildings. “I don’t want to tell too much here, but our results . . . will change history,” Cummings teased.

The program is free and open to all; reservations are not required. The church is located at 10 E. Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Before the talk, HCHS members will vote on new organization bylaws and will approve two new Board of Trustee members.

Cummings taught at Purdue, Mississippi State and Colorado State universities before arriving in Hunterdon County in 2003. She began documenting historic homes shortly after starting the Delaware Township Historical Society. Since that time, she has documented more than 100 homes, and with Cuba’s expertise, numerous barns and outbuildings. She also is the driving force behind the History Mapping website www.historymapping.org.

Cuba’s began his career in restoration timber framing at the Institute for Social Ecology. He is a co-founder of Knobb Hill Joinery, which focuses on preservation and restoration timber framing. As owner of Transom Historic Preservation Consulting in Bucks County, Cuba has specialized in the documentation and analysis of historic timber-framed buildings.

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Sunday, March 13 - Maplewood, Essex County

Sojourner Truth: Suffragist and Abolitionist

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Sunday, March 13

The Real Housewives of New Jersey, 1730

Virtual Program

As part of an ongoing outreach virtual program series hosted by the Historical Activities Committee of the NSCDA-NJ, Dr. Lesley Parness will present a free program on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey - 1730" on Sunday at 1:00pm via Zoom.

Dr. Parness will present her program exploring how colonial women ran their households, grew food, made cloth, clothing, and medicine.

This is a FREE virtual program. Register in advance for this meeting by clicking this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsdOihqTwoGdwwLfxp7jLAA_vLYOfrs1Ig 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Through Saturday, March 26, 2022 - Paterson, Passaic County

Paterson Great Falls: From Power to Park

Museum is Temporarily CLOSED

The Paterson Museum is excited to announce the opening of its newest changing exhibit, Paterson Great Falls: From Power to Park. The Paterson Great Falls has dual, sometimes conflicting, identities. The first, as a natural wonder, a scenic beauty, and a tourist attraction. The second, as a source of power, providing the energy needed by the industries that developed into the City of Paterson. This exhibit explores the waterfall’s long journey from a natural resource and industrial tool to becoming a protected park.

Paterson Great Falls: From Power to Park features historical and modern photographs, original artwork inspired by the Falls, scale models of park and much more. The exhibit will be on display through Saturday March 26, 2022 in the Hannah Memorial Gallery, at The Paterson Museum.

The Paterson Museum is located at 2 Market Street (on the corner of Market and Spruce Streets) in the heart of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. To learn more about the Paterson Museum, visit https://patersonmuseum.com.

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Through Spring 2022 - Freehold, Monmouth County

Let Us Play

In celebration of the holiday season, Monmouth County Historical Association debuted Let Us Play on November 27, the newest exhibition at the Association’s Museum and Library & Archives in Freehold, NJ. Drawing on MCHA’s extensive collection, Let Us Play traces several centuries of children’s joyful pastimes and their evolving playthings.

Let Us Play features every child related article in the Association’s collection, many on display for the very first time. From the colonial era through the 20th century, the exhibit traces the evolution of play and the effect the industrial revolution, consumerism, and the burgeoning influence of advertising had on children’s ideas of fun and their beloved toys. Childhood treasures displayed  range from dolls and dollhouses, games and cast iron banks to books, carriages and historic photos.

Let Us Play will generally be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays each week from 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm at the MCHA Museum, Library and Archives, 70 Court Street, Freehold, NJ but please check for current hours before visiting. For more information, visit www.monmouthhistory.org.

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Through April 23, 2022 - Haledon, Passaic County

The 1913 Paterson Silk Strike: Paintings for the Children’s Story

The American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark proudly opened The 1913 Paterson Silk Strike: Paintings for the Children’s Story by Thomas Germano on January 5th, 2022.

The 1913 Paterson Silk Strike: Paintings for the Children’s Story features contemporary artworks, including nine watercolors and one oil painting, which Mr. Germano created as illustrations for a new children’s book about this historic strike.

Thomas Germano studied painting at the Yale School of Art, where he earned an MFA. He has exhibited his art throughout the US and abroad. His artwork is in the collection of the American Postal Workers Union in Washington D.C. He teaches painting, drawing and art history at the State University of New York at Farmingdale.

The 1913 Paterson Silk Strike: Paintings for the Children’s Story Original Paintings by Thomas Germano exhibit closes on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

The Botto House National Landmark, headquarters of the American Labor Museum, is located at 83 Norwood Street in Haledon, NJ. It was the meeting place for over 20,000 silk mill workers during the 1913 Paterson Silk Strike.  Visitors are welcome Wednesday through Saturday from 1PM-4PM and at other times by appointment. For more information, visit www.labormuseum.net.

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Through May 1, 2022 - Piscataway, Middlesex County

Discover Greatness: An Illustrated History of Negro Leagues Baseball

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Through June 2022 - Asbury Park, Monmouth County

“One Voice Is Not Enough: Asbury Park’s Musical Diversity Since 1871”

The Asbury Park Museum’s new pop-up exhibit, “One Voice Is Not Enough: Asbury Park’s Musical Diversity Since 1871” explores the many styles of early Asbury Park music. The exhibit is on display in the east lobby of the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel, 1401 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ. It is free to visit at any time between now and June 2022.

Music historians Pamela and Charlie Horner have curated the exhibit. It covers the first 100 years of Asbury Park music – a story told through stand-up banners, wall-mounted posters, a music soundtrack with 4 hours’ worth of selected recordings, two continuously running 35-minute informative slide shows (175 slides total), and two display cases full of Asbury Park music artifacts. The exhibit covers spirituals, gospel, brass bands, marching bands, concert bands, ragtime, stride piano, jazz, blues, pop, rhythm & blues, rock & roll, doo wop, soul, and rock music from the early 1870s to the early 1970s. On display are items like Bobby Thomas’ personal 78 RPM copy of “Doll Face,” the first Rhythm & Blues by an Asbury Park group plus Bobby’s handwritten lyrics from the flip side; Stormin’ Norman Seldin’s classic cowboy hat; an 1898 wax cylinder by baritone J. W. Myers; an Arthur Pryor 78 RPM record; sheet music by Billy Terrell & Ray Dahrouge and Lenny Welch; a red vinyl 45 RPM record by Nicky Addeo & the Darchaes; an album and program from the Missionary Jubilaires; a Southside Johnny autographed harmonica; a framed autograph and print of Fats Waller; and much more. 

Funded in part by a Diversity Innovation grant from Monmouth University, the exhibit design is by Stan Cain Designs, and the exhibit is hosted by the historic Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel. For more information, visit www.AP-Museum.org.

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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