NJ Weekend Historical Happenings: 3/19/22 - 3/20/22

New Jersey Weekend Historical Happenings

A Weekly Feature on www.thehistorygirl.com

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

Saturday, March 19 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Accordion Melodies of the 1890s
Children Friendly Site & Event

On Saturday, visit Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel and stop by the farmhouse to hear melodies from the 1890s played on the accordion. 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, March 19 - Hopewell Township, Mercer County

Sawmilling & Tree Planting

Children Friendly

Barn beams, siding, and floorboards for horse stalls will be the order of the day when logger-sawyer Scott Stevens makes his annual stop at Howell Farm - a visit reminiscent of days when contractors with portable engines and mills came through Pleasant Valley to help farmers cut lumber from trees growing in their woodlots. 

During the day there will be opportunities for visitors to help roll logs to the mill with logging tools, cut firewood for the kitchen stove, make pegs for use in barn framing, and plant replacement trees in the farm's woodlot. Helpers will receive a free tubling from the NJ Tree Foundation to take home and plant, while supplies last! 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 19

“Respect:” Signifying through Song

To the memory of Trenton’s own Sarah Dash (1945-1921)

Virtual Program

 

The Trent House Association presents a virtual talk on how the lives and music of African American women contributed to the women’s Empowerment Movement. This free program will be held on Saturday at 1:00 pm via Zoom at https://tinyurl.com/THAMar19. Capacity is limited and pre-registration at https://tinyurl.com/Mar19Ticket is recommended to ensure admission. A pay-as-you-wish donation is encouraged and can be made by PayPal at https://williamtrenthouse.org/donation.html.

African Americans have been at the forefront among women using popular music to promote personal dignity and social equality. Whether in soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and other song forms, women like Aretha Franklin, Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in the Rock, and Trenton’s own Sarah Dash lent their voices for women’s empowerment. Dr. Linda Caldwell Epps, historian and CEO of 1804 Consultants, will recount the lives and contributions of some of these strong voices. Ms. Danielle Miller-Winrow will share how her aunt, Sarah Dash, used her talents to inspire women to soar.

The Trent House Association dedicates this presentation to the memory of Sarah Dash, who died in September 2021. Ms. Dash was a Trenton native who had a long and illustrious career in a wide range of musical forms including soul, disco, rock, and jazz. The program is the first of a collaborative series among Trenton’s cultural institutions honoring Ms. Dash. The Trenton Museum at Ellarslie will announce details of their program shortly.

Dr. Linda Caldwell Epps is founder and CEO of 1804 Consultants, through which she works with libraries, museums, schools, and other organizations on research projects, exhibit and program development, and organizational assessment. She is also a co-founder of the Sankofa Collaborative, along with the Trent House Museum, Grounds For Sculpture, Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, and the New Jersey Historical Society, where she previously served as president and CEO.

Ms. Danielle Miller-Winrow is founder and headmaster of Sprout U School of the Arts in Trenton. The private school serves children from infancy to grade 12 in the creative arts and experiential learning. Sarah Dash, Ms. Miller-Winrow’s aunt, taught voice at Sprout U. Ms. Miller-Winrow grew up in Trenton and Lawrenceville, graduating from Lawrence High School where she participated in theater productions.

For more information, visit https://williamtrenthouse.org.

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Saturday, March 19 - Fieldsboro, Burlington County

Living History Day at White Hill Mansion

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Saturday, March 19 - South Bound Brook, Somerset County

9 Commerce Lane: Where Thomas Mundy Peterson Lived...and Why it Matters!

In Person and Virtual Program

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Saturday - Sunday, March 19 - 20 - 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 19 - 20 - 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 19 - 20 - 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 19 - 20 - 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 19 - 20 - 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 19 - 20 - 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 19 - 21 - 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 20 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Starting Your Spring Garden
Adults

The soil is beginning to warm up and the farmers are getting ready to start planting seeds at Historic Longstreet Farm. Learn what vegetables you can start now that will flourish in spring’s cool weather. With the help of our gardeners, you will make a newspaper pot and start a collection of seeds that you will be able to transplant into your garden at home. The cost is $5 per person; cash or check only.  This program runs 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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Sunday, March 20 - 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 20

Tracing Cranberry Inlet History

Virtual Program

Join Ocean County Historical Society’s Zoom presentation at 2:00 pm on Sunday. Enthusiastic storyteller, Ron Post, a surveyor, sailor, racer of catamarans, car collector, and 1970 graduate of the University of Walt Disney World, will present his research on the history of the Cranberry Inlet that once connected Barnegat Bay with the Atlantic Ocean.

Ron grew up in Morris County, collaborated with a surveyor after high school graduation, was drafted into the Army, returned to Morris County to collaborate again with a surveyor, and at age 29, moved with his sailboat to Orlando, FL. He became a marina supervisor at the Contemporary Hotel in Disney World, married his wife Karen in 1980, and then returned to the Jersey Shore.

Earning his surveyor’s license in 1983, Ron started his own surveying business in Toms River. With Karen’s help, their “mom and pop” business working out of the basement has morphed into the present Ronald W. Post Surveying Inc. offering property, utility, and aerial surveying to the public.

Bringing his love of surveying and maps to his presentation, Ron will explain how Mother Nature created, then destroyed the Cranberry inlet, until enterprising developers and builders finally tamed it.

To register for Ron’s program, email us at oceancountyhistory.zoom@gmail.com stating: 1) your name and March 20; 2) your zip code; 3) the email address we should use to send you instructions for accessing the Zoom program.

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Sunday, March 20

19th Century NJ Women Photographers

Virtual Program

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Sunday, March 20 - Tewksbury, Hunterdon County

The Evolution of the American Flag

Due to inclement weather and the cancellation of the Tewksbury Historical Society's Annual Meeting in January, J. Richard Pierce will be the guest speaker at the society's next regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday at the Zion Lutheran Church Christian Education Building, 18 Miller Avenue, Oldwick, NJ 08858, at 1:00 pm. The parking lot entrance is on Church Street, just after Miller Street. Election of officers and the 2021 Year End Financial Report, originally scheduled for January, will take place. The meeting is open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Pierce, a retired bank executive, will talk about the American flag, tracing its history from the beginning in 1777 to the present. Using his personal collection of American Parade Flags, he chronicles the growth of the nation. For two centuries, the flag has been a lasting tribute to the founding fathers of the republic and an enduring memorial to all who have served to preserve the American way of life.

A graduate of Rutgers University, Pierce served in the US Army and Reserves. He is the author of "The Stars and Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit", based on his flag collection. He is the recipient of the Rutgers Loyal Son Award, the Abraham Lincoln Medal from the Union League of New York and the Guardian of History Award from the Red Mill Museum Village. He is a past trustee of the Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts, a current trustee of the Morven Museum and Gardens in Princeton, the Philadelphia Flag Day Association, a lecturer with the Hunterdon County 300th Committee, and does projects for the Hunterdon County Historical Society.

If bad weather occurs the meeting will be canceled. For information, call 908-832-6734 or visit www.tewksburyhistory.net.

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Sunday, March 20

The Morris Canal: North Jersey's Water Highway

Virtual Program

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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