Saturday, June 3, 2017

HUNTERDON'S HISTORICAL AND HERITAGE HAPPENINGS FOR JUNE


A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO OUR FRIEND
DAN CAMPANELLI

In 2013, renowned artist Dan Campanelli and his wife Marty walked into an early planning meeting for Hunterdon County's 300th anniversary celebration.  This amazing couple came to offer Dan's talent to aid in fundraising efforts for the 2014 year long event.  It is so unusual for someone to actually offer, without being asked, to help raise money by offering the gift of their art and/or themselves.  But Dan Campanelli was not the usual sort of person -- when he found a cause he felt strongly about, he was all in.  He felt that way about people, too.  

Dan painted the beautiful watercolor "Blue Skies" for us -- a gorgeous painting of the Hunterdon County Historic Courthouse.  Only 300 signed, Limited Edition prints were, or ever will be, produced for sale.  Dan and Marty also generously donated the rights to the image to the Hunterdon Tricentennial Committee, now the Hunterdon 300th.  The original painting of the Historic Courthouse hangs in the Hunterdon County Justice Complex on the corner of Park Avenue and Capner Street in Flemington Borough.  Signed Print Number 1/300 hangs in the Freeholder Meeting Room, both donations by the Hunterdon Tricentennial Committee to the people of Hunterdon County. 


                                Dan painting "Blue Skies."  Photo courtesy of Marty Campanelli.

If that wasn't enough, Dan and Marty opened their beautiful historic home to the Hunterdon Tricentennial Committee for an "art party" fundraiser, gave a talk on their amazing research on Hunterdon historic samplers, and, in 2016, Dan painted 26 small watercolors of his interpretation of some of Hunterdon's 18th century taverns. Marty and he researched the taverns' histories and the set of paintings was turned into a 25 month calendar with the 26th painting as the front cover -- yet another fundraiser for the Hunterdon 300th. The calendar covers all of 2017, 2018 and January, 2019.  Poignantly, Marty gave a talk for us last year and read both her and Dan's part as he was in the hospital.  Sadly, this was the last project and last paintings he completed.

We lost Dan after a more than 18 month fight with cancer.  We lost the historian, the artist, and most of all, our friend.  Our condolences and love to Marty.  A June 25th Memorial to celebrate Dan's life will be held at the Quaker Meeting House in Quakertown at 1 pm.  All are welcome.

The Limited Edition of "Blue Skies" will never be produced again and once they are sold out, 300 lucky people will own the only signed and numbered prints of this Campanelli.  There will never be another printing of either the tavern calendar or "Blue Skies" -- just as there will never be another Dan Campanelli. 

Blue Skies Watercolor by Dan Campanelli

If you are interested in acquiring either the Limited Edition print of "Blue Skies" or the two year tavern calendar, please contact us at 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.us.  



THE HUNTERDON 300TH'S JUNE EVENTS:

Amazingly, we still have a few seats left for our spectacular June 10th bus trip to Revolutionary War Trenton -- Hunterdon's County Seat in 1776!  $30 per person includes deluxe coach bus (air conditioned and with rest room); lunch and snacks; entrance fees to the Old Barracks and Trent House; a guided tour around 18th century Revolutionary War sites (both Battles of Trenton, Quaker Friends Meeting House, Historic Churches and graveyards, and the site of the original Hunterdon County Courthouse), two tour guides (Hunterdon County Historian Stephanie Stevens and Old Barracks Executive Director Richard Patterson), and even the tip for the bus driver!  For a full description of the event, see our June calendar at www.hunterdon300th.org.



JUNE 14th:  FLAG DAY:  Ever wonder what happened to the flag raised at Ground Zero by the three firemen on 9-11?  Or the story behind the Flag of Liberation carried by President Franklin Roosevelt during WWII?  Did Betsy Ross in fact make the first flag?  And what were the circumstances that led to the writing of our national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner?  Not only has the flag traveled to outer space, it has climbed the highest peaks on earth, sailed the seven seas and raised the spirits of our fighting men and women during times of war and military conflict. These and other stories connecting the flag to great moments in the American experience are explored in this PowerPoint presentation that pays tribute to some of our nation’s most famous flags and examines the events surrounding their place in history.   Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12, 7 pm.  Free with refreshments.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH FLAG DAY!  Each year, Hunterdon County's chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Old White House - General Frelinghuysen - Colonel Lowrey Chapter, hosts a flag disposal ceremony.  This year's ceremony will be held on Saturday, June 17th at 10 am at the DAR Cemetery and Memorial Park on Route 22 at Washington Drive in Whitehouse Station.  The public is welcome to attend the ceremony and bring flags for disposal, or flags may be dropped off at the Hunterdon County Library, Headquarters Branch, Route 12 and the Flemington United Methodist Church from June 4th thru June 14th.


JUNE 27:  MUSIC FOR ABRAHAM LINCOLN:  In period dress, Ridley and Anne Enslow will perform historic music about Abraham Lincoln, including campaign songs, Civil War tunes, and laments written on the passing of this great American president. The Enslow's will sing and play with  instruments found during the 19th century including the hammered dulcimer and violin. This will be an emotional and moving evening evoking the celebration of election and battlefield victories, tempered by the terrible losses to the nation, families and soldiers. A night not to be missed! 7 pm; Main Branch of the Library. Free. Reservations Recommended. RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW. Refreshments Follow.