BEFORE YOU GO HUNTING FOR OUR VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT AND NEWLY ADDED TALK, WE HOPE YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE DETAILS BELOW FOR OUR BUS TOUR NEXT SUNDAY:
SPACE STILL AVAILABLE! BOOK NOW!! THIS FUN, INTERESTING,ALL-INCLUSIVE TOUR (DELUXE COACH BUS, SNACKS, LUNCH, AND MORE) AT $30 PER PERSON IS A REAL DEAL!!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH: BUS TOUR OF THE D&R CANAL FROM BULLS ISLAND TO TRENTON - Join us for a fabulous "on/off" walking tour of the D&R Canal. We will be hopping on and off a deluxe coach bus with private comfort facility for a day walking the scenic and preserved Delaware and Raritan Canal system from Bulls Island State Park to Trenton. Built in 1834 and dug with hand tools mostly by Irish immigrants, the canal starts in New Brunswick and ends in Trenton, which we all know by now was once part of Hunterdon County. The canal was the major shipping hub of West NJ commerce. It has a fascinating set of locks that allowed boats to be raised and lowered.
Our day starts at 9 am when we will meet at the Bulls Island State Park parking lot closest to Route 29. (Do not go over the bridge.) We will spend about an hour learning the history of the canal and walking the Bulls Island section of the Canal with our guides Bob and Linda Barth. Linda is the president of the D&R Canal Watch and has literally spent her life on this canal.
At 10 am we will depart in our deluxe coach and head to the beautiful and preserved Prallsville Mills where Linda and Bob will provide a tour of the grist mill and canal-related sites. The Prallsville Mills is home of the D&R Greenway Commission.
We'll make a brief stop to see the canal aqueduct near the Holcomb-Jimison Farmstead Museum, the oldest farm in Hunterdon County.
Our next stop is in Lambertville to see the lift lock and the outlet lock.
We'll stop for a nice lunch and head out of Lambertville and "2018 Hunterdon County"and then head to "18th Century Hunterdon County" for a stop at Washington Crossing State Park, once ours -- now Mercer County's -- to view the ferry boat reproduction of an 18th-century ferry located there.
From there we head to Trenton to view the Battle Monument and take a short walk to the confluence of the main canal and feeder in Trenton.
Return time to Bulls Island is approximately 4 pm.
$30 per person 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. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hunterdons-dr-canal-onoff-walk-from-bulls-island-to-trenton-tickets-51385475340
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH: SPECIAL VETERANS DAY TALK: "HUNTERDON COUNTY 100 YEARS AGO DURING THE GREAT WAR":
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Armistice and ending of the Great War in 1918, Marcia Karrow will present a talk about the recruitment of Hunterdon's World War I's soldiers and the Red Cross movement in Hunterdon County. Free. Reservations recommended. Refreshments follow. 2 pm. Main Branch Hunterdon County Library.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hunterdon-county-100-years-ago-during-the-great-war-tickets-51442306323
NEW PROGRAM!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH: 'UP A CREEK' IN HUNTERDON COUNTY: CROSSING WATER EVERYWHERE!: ‘Without a paddle’ or with one... either way this program presented by Marilyn Cummings includes the various 18th & 19th-century methods for getting from Point A to Point B without getting wet (well… not too wet)! It covers such topics as fords, ferries, and bridges [stone arch, metal truss, covered bridges] as well as watercraft that were used to navigate our waterways in Hunterdon County B.C. [before cars]. A fun program for adults and students alike that draws to a close our ‘Water, Water Everywhere’ theme for the year. 7 pm Main Branch; free. refreshments follow.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/up-a-creek-in-hunterdon-county-crossing-water-everywhere-tickets-51939833440
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH: AN AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES: "THE TOWN THAT DISAPPEARED OVERNIGHT": Join us as we bring back this Emmy Award nominated documentary about the creation of Round Valley Reservoir and the taking of some of the best agricultural land by the State of NJ. The film's producers, David Kuznicki and Eric Althoff, along with County Historian Stephanie Stevens will be on hand to answer questions. Main Branch of the County Library. Reservations required. Free with free Refreshments. Please reserve either the 1:30 pm or the 3:30 pm showing.
1:30pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/130-showing-the-town-that-disappeared-overnight-tickets-51442387566
3:30pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/330-showing-the-town-that-disappeared-overnight-tickets-51442479842
AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The Towns that Disappeared Overnight's producers, David Kuznicki and Eric Altoff are planning a new documentary on another Hunterdon history topic: the Jutland Massacre. Some of you may know the story: the early 1930's, a neighbor making a complaint about possible mistreated farm animals, the ASPCA and the State Police raiding the family's home; a shoot out; a death. This story riveted the national press as the NJ State Police were put on trial for murder in Hunterdon's historic Courthouse. It was such a huge story across America that the only thing that knocked it off of the front pages was the kidnapping of the Lindbergh Baby and trial of Bruno Hauptmann, also right here in Flemington!
The Hunterdon 300th is proud to announce that we are partnering with David and Eric in bringing this film to reality. As David says, "Few things are as important as curating local history. It is an awesome responsibility and one that I'm both excited and proud to undertake." If you or anyone you know have memories of the event or trial or memorabilia from it, please contact us at 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.us.
DVDs of The Town That Disappeared Overnight will be available for sale on November 18th and all proceeds from the sale will be used to start this project. If you are wondering, a project like this will cost in excess of $20,000, so every little bit helps! You can see more about the work of these two filmmakers on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Media523 and you can also subscribe to their Media 523 YouTube channel where they will be posting snippets and extra footage of the show as it gets further into production.
AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: We will be announcing the Hunterdon 300th's 2019 theme -- and we are really excited about this one -- before each showing of The Town That Disappeared Overnight.... an added bonus. We're kicking next year off early because we have so much territory to cover.... both literally and figuratively.... (that's a hint)...
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4TH: "THE MUSCONETCONG - HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HISTORIC ASBURY MILL AND BEYOND: The Musconetcong watershed has been a great place to live for the last 13,000 years. The watershed’s water, land, and habitat resources made it a great place to be when the glaciers of the last ice age retreated and are what make it a great place for farming and outdoor recreation today. Hear about the history of northwestern New Jersey from the setting of the former Hoffman Grist Mill, a restoration project of the Musconetcong Watershed Association that has been gaining steam over the last couple of years. Located in the Asbury Historic District, it is home to some notable American trends that happened a bit earlier than elsewhere – the early agro-industrial revolution, the Second Great Awakening, and transportation technology innovation. Alan Hunt, PhD, and Executive Director of the Musconetcong Watershed Association will talk about how history of place links with modern-day caring for place, and the linkage between the Association’s ongoing ecological, historical and conservation education efforts. Main Branch County Library, Route 12. 7 pm. Free with free refreshments. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-musconetcong-historical-highlights-from-the-historic-asbury-mill-and-beyond-tickets-51442578136
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15TH: HOLIDAY FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Come with the kiddos or just yourself!
10 AM TO 2 PM: CHILDREN, TWEENS, TEENS (AND YES, YOU, TOO, MOM/DAD) CAN MAKE A BRACELET WITH THE HISTORIC ROPE MACHINE: choose different colors of yarns and make an amazing bracelet to keep or give as a gift! You pick the yarn and turn the crank handle and the machine twists and turns and knits the yarn into a colorful and interesting piece of jewelry! FREE.
11 AM TO NOON: Teacher and Historian Janice Armstrong will be with us for CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL CRAFTS AND GAMES: Corn Husk Toys, Lenape Medicine Pouch and more….
your children can create a toy out of cornhusks just like children would have in the 1800’s. They can make their own Lenape Medicine Pouch to fill with tiny treasures. For children ages 6-12 years old. FREE.
10 AM TO 4:30 PM: Meanwhile, adults can shop their hearts content with our annual Holiday sale where we offer blowout prices on merchandise and have items that are classics for holiday gifts. An amazing goody basket will also be up for grabs that day and we will be serving free hot chocolate, lemonade and fabulous cookies and snacks all day.
2PM TO 4:15 PM: MOVIE SHOWING "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE": Following our festivities, join us for a special holiday showing of "Its a Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed in Frank Capra's classic. "Water, Water Everywhere" indeed! -- this classic film opens up with our hero pondering if his life is worth living on a historical truss bridge over churning water in a small town called Bedford Falls.... The inspiration for this was our very own Califon Borough and their gorgeous, restored historic truss bridge! The villain of the story, Mr. Potter, creates a depressing vision of a residential development called "Pottersville" -- perhaps taken from nearby Potterstown.... Free hot chocolate, lemonade and treats will be available. FREE.
Come for the sale, goodies, music and crafts and stay for a holiday classic with deep Hunterdon roots! Our holiday gift to you!
Main Branch, Hunterdon County Library, Route 12. Festivities start at 10 am and end at 4:30 pm. No reservations required.
OUR GREAT FRIEND, JANICE GROVER, OWNER OF GROVER GLOBAL FOOD MARKETING IN EAST AMWELL, HAS DONATED FABULOUSLY DELICIOUS ITALIAN COOKIES FOR ALL OF OUR TALKS THRU THE END OF 2018. COME FOR THE COOKIES AND STAY FOR THE LECTURE! THANK YOU, JANICE!!
PLEASE WATCH FOR FUTURE E-NEWSLETTERS AND OUR CALENDAR AT
NOVEMBER and DECEMBER HISTORY AND HERITAGE EVENTS FROM OUR PARTNERS AROUND OR ABOUT HUNTERDON COUNTY
NOW ON DISPLAY AT THE RED MILL MUSEUM VILLAGE:
Clinton, NJ: The Red Mill Museum Village is proudly announces the opening of our brand new exhibit: The Sound of the Times: The Michael Molnar Collection
This new exhibit highlighs the radio, one of the most important inventions of the 20th century. A collection of antique and vintage radios is on loan to the Museum from collector and radio enthusiast Michael Molnar, who has been collecting for over 30 years. He has co-curated this very special exhibit which traces the evolution of radio and shares stories of the cultural impact it had on society.
For enjoyment, visitors can listen to a radio from over 70 years ago, hearing the sounds of the time. Ever wonder how was radio different from today? Try to tune a radio from a hundred years ago and find out for yourself! Relive the Golden Age of Radio by visiting this amazing collection, currently on display on the 2nd floor of the Mill through March 2019.
This exhibition was made possible thanks to funding generously provided by the Astle-Alpaugh Family Foundation.
NOW ON DISPLAY... IN PENNSYLVANIA!
Our great friend and favorite Vexillologist, Richard Pierce, has curated a new exhibit. Although the exhibit is across the river in New Hope, Richard is pure Hunterdon County!! You can see some fine American flags from Richard's collection in the Eastlake Room of the Parry Mansion located at 45 S. Main Street, New Hope. Richard Pierce has assembled an extraordinary collection of rare and important flags that has been displayed in museums throughout the country. The exhibit is ope to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 pm through November 18th.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH: CRAFTS regular meeting - open to all with special guest: the Directors of CRAFTS are pleased to announce that renowned furniture and tool restoration expert, John Porritt, will be our presenter. John’s topic will be: “Welsh Folk Life, an appreciation of Welsh folk art as evidenced by welsh stick chairs, rare love spoons and textiles”. The talk will include a hands-on experience and discussion of various forms of these crafts, and some thoughts and conjecture about the circumstances that brought them into being. John has a love of folk culture and the influence that it provides to the design of local craft items. He has always worked in wood. From making little boats of elder wood to sail on the Hampshire streams to making bows and arrows to play in the woods. His initial formal training was at Stokecroft Arts in North London in the mid 70s. He followed this with six months carpentry training in a government skill center in Sittingbourne, Kent. The icing on the cake for him was attending Shrewsbury College of Art and Technology in 1979-80, studying fine furniture making with John Price, who trained with Edward Barnsley in the Arts & Crafts furniture tradition. Since 1980, John has been self-employed, working as a designer/maker/furniture restorer/Windsor chair collector and specialist and maker of Windsor chairs and Welsh stick chairs. John is a member of the Regional Furniture Society of Great Britain, CRAFTS of NJ, Mid West Tool Collectors Association, The Early American Industries Association, and the Austerlitz Historical Society. He has spoken at numerous tool and furniture groups. John can be contacted at porritt3@gmail.com
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH: HUNTERDON HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESENT THEIR FALL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND LECTURE - FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: "For Citizens and Strangers: New Jersey Taverns During the Early American Period": Architectural historian Dennis Bertland is the guest speaker at the Society’s fall meeting on Sunday, November 4, 2018 @ 2:00 p.m. The meeting and lecture will be held at the United Methodist Church, 116 Main Street in Flemington, directly adjacent to the Historical Society Library and headquarters.
The presentation on tavern history in colonial America by Mr. Bertland is based on the extensive research that he conducted for the Merchants and Drovers Tavern Association. The findings were used for an interpretive exhibit at its tavern museum in Rahway, New Jersey. The exhibit script and book based on his research and authored by Mr. Bertland, is pending publication.
Over his forty-year career, Mr. Bertland has studied and written extensively about New Jersey’s early architecture. His firm, Dennis Bertland Associates, is based in Stockton, New Jersey and specializes in historic preservation.
The talk will last about 50 minutes, followed by questions; refreshments will be served.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH: READINGTON MUSEUMS SMOKEHOUSE DEOMONSTRATION:Susan McLellan Plaisted MS RD CSP LDN, will demonstrate and discuss methods and traditions for smoking pork during the 18th century. At that time, most homes had a smokehouse in their backyard, and the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead has become no exception. Thanks to Eagle Scout, Derek Scott, the farmstead is proud to showcase his recent Eagle Scout project, the smokehouse, as Plaisted demonstrates the art of smoking meat. 1pm - 4pm.
This program is held at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead in the Stanton section of Readington, GPS address: 114 Dreahook Road Lebanon NJ 08833. Although there is no fee, donations are gladly welcome. In case of inclement weather please call the Museums to find out the status of the program. For more information please call 908-236-2327or For more information visit the Readington Museums website
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH: BUS TRIP TO THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN REVOLUTION, PHILADELPHIA, PA: The Raritan Township Local Historians Committee is hosting a trip to the Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia, Pa. on November 10, 2018.
The cost for each attendee is $55/person. For Veterans. Gold Star family members, and active duty service personnel the price is $43.
The price includes the tour bus, general admission, and a private Highlights tour of the Museum.
Lunch is not included, however there is a cafe on sight, and numerous recommended restaurants are within walking distance in Old City Philadelphia.
The bus will leave the Raritan Twp. Municipal Building parking lot at 9am and return at approximately 4:30 pm.
Tickets are available at the Municipal Building's Clerk's Office and also at Raritan Township Community Day on September 29th at Lenape Park. Contact Pete Kinsella or Kerry Rhea at 797-3291 and 806-7116 respectively.
EMAIL US FOR TO REGISTER
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH: THE HUNTERDON SYMPHONY: CELEBRATING 100 YEARS SINCCE ARMISTICE DAY - HONOROING COMPOSERS WHO SERVED IN WWI: Playing the music of Still, Parry, Kreisler, Coles, Ravel, Butterworth, Vaughan Williams. Lawrence Kursar, Conductor; Marcia Karrow, Narrator; Alex Costantino, Tuba; with Special Guests Voorhees High School Concert Choir & Woodglen Choir. Hunterdon Central High School. 3 pm. Tickets: $20 Adults; $15 Seniors; $10 Students. For tickets and information contact
www.hunterdonmusicalarts.org
TEWKSBURY HISTORIAL SOCIEITY - EQUESTRIAN HERITAGE OF THE SOMERSET HILLS WITH HISTORIAN W. BARRY THOMSON
The Tewksbury Historical Society will be holding its annual covered dish supper beginning at 5 pm, followed by Thomson’s illustrated lecture at 6:15 pm. Both the covered dish supper and lecture are free and open to the public, however for those attending the supper attendees are asked to bring a hot or cold casserole or salad or a dessert. The main course of ham and all refreshments will be provided by the Society.
Reservations can be made for the supper by calling (908) 832-6734 or email the Historical Society and indicate your name and number in your party. Please reserve by Friday, Nov. 9.
Thomson will present a broad overview of the so-called “Mountain Colony” and these many equestrian activities followed by the history of the Farmer’s Day races that have evolved into the Far Hills Race Meeting Steeplechase and the history and art of the four-in-hand road coaches that were owned by the area’s then wealthy landowners.