Sunday, April 16, 2017

"SPRING" UP WITH HUNTERDON HERITAGE AND HISTORY EVENTS!

HAPPY EASTER AND PASSOVER!  
HERE'S WHAT'S UP WITH THE HUNTERDON 300TH:  A BUS TOUR! LIVE MUSIC! AN HISTORICAL FASHION SHOW AND TELL! AND FABULOUS TALKS AND BOOK SIGNINGS!  APRIL, MAY AND JUNE'S EVENTS ARE NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS!

TUESDAY, APRIL 25TH:  THE UNIFORMS OF THE CIVIL WAR:  John Kuhl, author of Hunterdon County in The Civil War, is back as a subject matter expert on the Civil War.  The Home Front and front lines of the Civil War were right here.  John will detail the various uniforms of the Civil War in this fascinating talk and fashion show.  John has spent more than 50 years researching the Civil War.  A passionate collector, John has collected such items as images and memontos, uniform coats worn by injured soldiers, weaponry including muskets and cannonballs.  John is a Trustee of the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association. He is also a founding member and former commander of the 15th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Association.  In the fall, John Kuhl will be back with a companion lecture on the topic of the armaments of the Civil War.  7 pm, Main Branch of the County Library.  Free; Reservations Strongly Recommended.  Refreshments follow. 

TUESDAY, MAY 9TH:  THE JOURNEY:  THE IMMIGRATION OF EUROPEAN JEWS TO HUNTERDON COUNTY: Join Hunterdon County Historian Stephanie Stevens for a talk on turn of the 19th Century Hunterdon and how a people caught up in the turmoil of Europe immigrated to America and found peace in Hunterdon County.  The story of egg farms, merchants and faith.  Stephanie will be available to sign her newest book, published by the Hunterdon 300th, following the talk.  Main Branch of the Hunterdon County Library; 7 pm.  Free.
Refreshments follow.  Reservations recommended. 

SUNDAY, MAY 21ST:  HUNTERDON'S FIRST COUNTY SEAT: THE EARLY HISTORY OF TRENTON:  Join historian Larry Kidder for a detailed history of 18th and early 19th century Trenton.  This settlement was a major player in the French-Indian War and the American Revolution -- it's major infrastructure crossed our county and made Hunterdon one of the most important places during the Revolution.  Larry has been researching this topic for some time and his new book on the subject is being published in late Spring, 2017.  The Hunterdon 300th has Larry for his first talk AND book signing!  You don't want to miss this real treat!  2 pm.  Main Branch of the County Library.  Free;  Reservations Strongly Recommended;  Refreshments Follow.

SATURDAY JUNE 10TH:  HUNTERDON TAKES BACK (REVOLUTIONARY WAR) TRENTON BUS TOUR  BACK BY POPLULAR DEMAND!  RESERVATIONS WILL BE TAKEN IN EARLY APRIL:  DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!  WE SOLD OUT IN 8 DAYS LAST YEAR!  Join us for a unique opportunity to tour Hunterdon County's original County Seat -- Trenton.  This all day bus tour will be guided by two of the best Revolutionary War story tellers around:  our own County Historian and author Stephanie Stevens and the Executive Director of the Old Barracks, Richard Patterson. 

Our deluxe coach, equipped with both a restroom and air conditioning, leaves the East Amwell Municipal Building promptly at 9:30 am (please arrive by 9:15 am) and arrives at our morning stop, the Old Barracks.  During the French and Indian War in 1758, the Old Barracks was constructed by the colony of New Jersey in direct response to petitions from local residents complaining about compulsory quartering of soldiers in their homes.  Throughout the Revolutionary War, British prisoners of war were held in the Officers' House, 4 companies of the Second New Jersey Regiment of the Continental Line were raised here, and in 1777, the Barracks became an army hospital.  At the beginning of the month of December, 1776, British and Hessian troops occupied Trenton, and briefly stayed in the Barracks prior to the Battle of Trenton.  Loyalists also arrived, seeking protection from the soldiers and were believed to be staying at the Barracks when Washington marched into Trenton on the morning of December 26th. 

Following both a guided tour and private time to view the exhibits, lunch will be provided in a private room at the Barracks.  You are free to eat outside on the picnic tables or inside.  
The bus will then bring us to the Trent House built on an estate of 300 acres around 1719 by William Trent for whom Trenton was named.  During the American Revolution, Hessian soldiers occupied the houses.

Later, the then owner of the property, Dr. William Bryant, was thrown out of the house because he was a Tory sympathizer.  It became a supply depot for Washington's army.  Tours are timed, so while some of us enjoy dessert, others will enjoy guided tours of the house and vice versa.


Once back on the bus, Richard and Stephanie will guide our bus around Trenton to see the best and most important Revolutionary War sites including the site of the Battle of Trenton and the location where the original Hunterdon Courthouse stood -- notably the site where, on July 8, 1776, the first reading of the Declaration of Independence occurred in New Jersey.  We will visit historic churches, graveyards and the Quaker Meeting House while Richard and Stephanie share some great stories, banter and tales about Trenton, Hunterdon County's Revolutionary War history.  We will begin to head back to OUR Hunterdon County around 4 pm. 

$30 all inclusive day trip includes deluxe coach, two amazing tour guides, all your admissions, lunch, snacks, tip!  Once you have ordered your ticket(s) from Eventbrite, please send your check to confirm your reservation(s) to The Hunterdon 300th, 3 Chorister Place, Flemington, NJ, 08822. 

 Your payment MUST BE RECEIVED within 3 days of reserving your seats for the tour or your ticket(s) will be released.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14TH:  FAMOUS FLAGS THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY -- IN HONOR OF FLAG DAY:  It's Flag Day and the Hunterdon 300th is proud to bring back our favorite Vexillologist, Richard Pierce.  In this talk, Richard has prepared new research on some of the most famous flags throughout American History. More details to follow.  7 pm; Main Branch of the Library.  Free.  Reservations Strongly Recommended.  Refreshments Follow.

TUESDAY, JUNE 27TH:  HISTORY THROUGH MUSIC:  THE CIVIL WAR:  In period dress, Ridley and Anne Enslow will perform historic Civil War songs played on instruments found during the 19th century.  The Enslow's last played this concert for us in March of 2014.  It was a very emotional and moving evening of music that evoked the pain, the boredom and the patriotism of the American Civil War.  A night not to be missed!  7 pm; Main Branch of the County Library.  Free.  Reservations Recommended.  Refreshments Follow.

FIND ALL OF OUR EVENTS PLUS OUR HERITAGE PARTNER'S EVENTS, ON OUR CALENDAR  AT WWW.HUNTERDON300TH.ORG.  FOR TICKETS TO ANY HUNTERDON 300TH EVENT, PLEASE CLICK ON THE EVENT'S "GET TICKETS NOW" LINK OR CALL US AT (908) 788-2030.

OUR SPECIAL PARTNERS' SPRING EVENTS ARE HERE!

FRIDAY, APRIL 21ST:  THE CENSUS THAT TAKES YOU BACK TO THE HERITAGE OF THE TOWNSHIP DURING 1870:  presented by the East Amwell Historical Society.  7 pm.  East Amwell Municipal Builidng.  This intriguing presentation focuses on the movers and shakers of East Amwell nearly 150 years ago.  Presented by John Allen.  $5.00 donation goes to support the Clawson House restoration.  No reservations are necessary.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22ND:  THE ELDER STATESMEN OF RARITAN TOWNSHIP:  HENRY KUHL, DON SHUMAN AND RICHARD STOTHOFF "THE HISTORY OF GROWTH IN RARITAN TOWNSHIP":   presented by the Raritan Township Local Historians Committee.  Saturday, April 22nd, 9 to 11 am at the Raritan Township Municipal Building, One Municipal Drive, Flemington, NJ.  Refreshments.  For further information, please call (908) 797-3291.

FRIDAY, MAY 5:  "WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN" WITH JIM DAVIDSON:  7 pm, Hunterdon Central High School Little Theatre:  Lindbergh and East Amwell Historian, Jim Davidson gives a talk that is neither about the Lindbergh Kidnapping Trial nor about Bruno Hauptmann's guilt or innocence.  It is about all the crazy things that happened in Flemington and in the courtroom.  He promises a richness of revelations and never-before-seen pictures taken in Flemington during the trial.  Suggest donation $10 to the Friends of Historic Flemington.

SATURDAY, MAY 6:  HISTORIC WALKING TOUR OF DOWNTOWN FLEMINGTON:  following a rally to save the historic downtown.  1 to 4 pm:  Historic Downtown Flemington is one of the 11th most endangered historic places in America on the 2016 National Trust for Historic Places List.  According to National Trust President and CEO, Stephanie Meeks, "As a testament to Flemington's proud history as a county seat and home of the 'Trial of the Century,' the Union Hotel and its adjacent historic buildings should be an integral part of Flemington's future."  Flemington's unique history is threatened by development that would demolish the now-shuttered Union Hotel along with three other adjacent buildings listed on the National Register of Historic.  Free.

Sunday May 7th:  Readington Museums Presents Eighteenth Century Ice Cream:  Susan McLellan Plaisted MS RD CSP LDN, presents ice cream making from harvesting ice to moulding (molding) of ice cream. For this demonstration, ice cream will be made in a reproduction 18th century sabotiere. Documented flavors of the 18th century will be reproduced using original receipts (recipes). Plaisted is the Proprietress of Heart to Hearth Cookery, a food history business based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She offers demonstrations of 17th century through 19th century Colonial American and European cooking methods, practices, and receipts (recipes), as well as pre-European-contact and post-European-contact Native American foodways. Plaisted is a founding member, past president, and past newsletter editor of the Historic Foodways Society of the Delaware Valley, a member of Culinary Historians of New York, The Colonial Chocolate Society, and was active in Past Masters in Early American Domestic Arts. In addition, she is a member of the Food History Committee of both ALHFAM (Association of Living History Farms and Museums) and IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals).  Bouman-Stickney Farmstead, 114 Dreahook Road, Lebanon NJ 08833. This program runs continuously from 1 to 4 pm.  Donations welcomed. 
For more information please visit the Readington Township Museums website or call 908-236-2327.