TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1ST: THE HISTORY OF GLEN GARDNER: Glen Gardner may be a quiet little borough today, but it was home to many industries and events in the past. Please join the Glen Gardner Historic Committee to delve into the people, places and events of the past. 7 pm, Main Branch of the Library
Free with Free Refreshments.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5TH: WALKING TOUR OF OLDWICK:
TWO OPPORTUNITIES: 10 AM AND 2 PM:
What we know today as Oldwick used to be called New Germantown until 1918, when anti-German sentiment caused the name to be changed to Oldwick. The reason behind the name Oldwick is that wick means village and since at the time of the change the village was old, it was named Oldwick, meaning old village. Prior to New Germantown, the village was named Smithfield, after its principal resident Ralph Smith. Oldwick is on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places and was the first historic district in Tewksbury to have been done so back in 1979, one of the earliest in Hunterdon County. We’ll see over a dozen different types of architecture employed on Oldwick’s historic business and residential buildings.
Tour length: 2 hours
Free but Reservations are Required
RAIN OR SHINE: If there is rain, the tour will be inside and Virtual
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH: WALKING TOUR OF MILFORD:
Meeting location to be disclosed to those with reservations only.
Limited number of attendees and further details to be announced.
SOLD OUT -- WE'RE MAINTAINING A WAIT LIST: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10TH: THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF FLEMINGTON BOROUGH: Join 18th Century patriots, Colonel and Mrs. Thomas Lowery (played by Cynthia and Vann Smith), who will be visiting Flemington. The Lowerys will entertain attendees with stories of Colonial Flemington with a focus on their early lives here as immigrants from Ireland and their relationship with the Fleming family. The Colonel will also tell us about his time in Flemington as a merchant. He also served as Quartermaster to George Washington during the Revolution. His warehouse in Flemington, containing stores for the Patriots, was the object of a British raiding party from Penny Town. This raid resulted in the skirmish with the Flemington Militia led by John Schenk at Geary’s Ridge and the death of Cornet Francis Geary who led the British Cavalry. Esther Fleming Lowery was also active during the Revolution. She raised large sums of money to purchase food and clothes to supply Washington’s Army. Following the Revolution, Esther was one of the Ladies of Trenton who funded and planned the reception to welcome George Washington to New Jersey. Both Esther and Thomas Lowery were dedicated Patriots. This presentation is courtesy of Flemington's Historic Preservation Commission.
Following the talk by the Lowerys, Susan Peterson, owner of Teaberry's and a food historian, will do a brief talk on colonial sweets and treats. Fabulous refreshments after the talk courtesy of Susan and Teaberry's.
7 pm
Main Branch of the County Library.
Free. Reservations Required.
Sign up for the Wait List today for this event!
Saturday, October, 12: New Hampton Walking Tour: The New Hampton Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 for its significance in architecture, commerce, education, transportation, and community development from c. 1780 to 1929. It includes 42 contributing buildings, six contributing sites, and four contributing structures located along Musconetcong River Road. 10 am.
Rain Date: October 13th at 11:30
Free bottled water will be available.
LIMITED TO 20 PEOPLE.
Rain or shine.
FREE BUT RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.
Ticket holders will be provided with the starting location of the tour.
A Wait List will be maintained if you are shut out of this event by emailing us at 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.usor leaving a message at (908) 788-2030.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH: GLEN GARDNER/ "IRISHTOWN": Not much as been written about the Irish in the local histories of Lebanon Township. In 1888, one of the earliest newspaper references to "Irishtown", in connection with Glen Gardner, appeared in the Hunterdon Republican. Another source described Irishtown as a small settlement of Irish families along present day Route 31, between Glen Gardner and High Bridge. The term "small" is misleading. During the period 1845 -1852, large numbers of Irish, fleeing persecution and starvation in Ireland, emigrated to factory towns like Glen Gardner, High Bridge, Clinton and Lambertville seeking refuge and employment. By 1866, the area's Irish population was so large that the congregation of nearby St. Ann's Catholic church numbered over a thousand. As late as 1901, Glen Gardner's local newspaper, The Weekly Avalanche, noted that, the factory and local businesses of Glen Gardner were closed on St. Patrick's Day. This presentation by local historian and author Charlie Speierl will explore the social, ethnic and economic history of Glen Gardner, and its little known Irish community, during the 19th century. Causes and factors leading to the Irish diaspora and settlement will also be discussed with this interesting Powerpoint presentation that includes period photos and illustrations.
7 pm.
Main Branch of the County Library
314 Route 31, Flemington
Free with free refreshments.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19TH: VIRTUAL AND WALKING TOUR OF FLEMINGTON: "BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED IN THE BOROUGH": Foran Park Gazebo was originally located? Have you ever wondered why or how a house or building reached its final destination? Had it been moved from somewhere else in the Borough? Join Janice Armstrong, noted historian, preservationist, and heritage educator, for a “Talk and Walk” focusing on 19th and 20th Century House Moving in Flemington Borough. Janice is a life-long resident of Hunterdon County and a retired teacher from Readington Township. Her preservation experience includes working with the New Jersey Historic Trust, Preservation New Jersey, and the Samuel Fleming House Museum and Gardens. She has also taught classes at Drew University for their Historic Preservation program.
Janice is currently writing a walking tour script and training tour guides for tours of Flemington. What started as a simple question about the original location of the Gazebo in Foran Park, led Janice to some interesting stories and photos on house moving.
Relocating buildings was a common practice in the late 19th and 20th centuries here in Flemington. Unlike today when we tear down and build again, back then building recycling was the norm. Janice will share some of her stories about and photos of relocated structures, some of which look as though they have always been in their places. We will need to see some of these “in situ”, so following the “Talk” we will “Walk” to see some of Flemington’s relocated houses, particularly along Mine and Main Streets.
This talk and walk is open to everyone: feel free to come just for the talk portion of the program if you are not up to walking afterwards.
This event is courtesy of Flemington's Historic Preservation Commission.
Rain Date: October 20, 2 pm
Free bottled water will be available.
Virtual tour starts at 2 pm at the Flemington Municipal Building on the corner of Park and Courts Streets (Behind the Flemington Fire Department). Following the virtual tour, folks who want to walk and see some of the buildings discussed will be escorted by Janice.
A Wait List will be maintained if you are shut out of this event by emailing us or by leaving a message at (908) 788-2030
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW!!
Free bottled water will be available.
LIMITED TO 40 PEOPLE.
FREE BUT RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.
Ticket holders will be provided with the starting location of the tour.
A Wait List will be maintained if you are shut out of this event by emailing us at 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.usor leaving a message at (908) 788-2030.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26TH: HISTORY, HERITAGE AND HARVEST: BUS TOUR OF HUNTERDON'S 26 MUNICIPALITIES WITH 6 STOPS: 9 AM TO 4:30 PM: Join us for a fabulous Autumn drive thru Hunterdon County's scenic 26 municipalities. We will be hopping on and off a deluxe coach bus with private comfort facility while enjoying history, heritage and harvest.
Our day starts at 9 am when we will meet at the NJ Water Supply Authority Park parking lot. From there we begin our amazing journey winding through county roads, hamlets, small towns and townships. On our route, we will go thru many historic hamlets within our 14 townships and all of our 12 small towns. Our day includes four short stops to see some lesser known or viewed historical sites as well as some that every "Hunterdonian" should see! Two longer stops include our lunch stop, which will be at a wonderful winery and includes some of their finest, and a stop at a cidery in the afternoon. On this trip you will have the opportunity to purchase fresh apples, pumpkins, squash and other fresh Hunterdon produce at two farmstands, as welll as award winnng wines, hard cider, and the best apple cider in New Jersey. The sites along the roadways and brief histories of all 26 municipalities will be provided by Historian and Author John Kuhl and Hunterdon 300th Chair Marcia Karrow.
Tour is all inclusive: lunch with wine, snacks, hard or sweet cider in the afternoon, bus, bottled water, even the tip for our bus driver. Sponsored by Costco of Flemington.
Return time to NJ Water Authority is approximately 4:30 pm.
$35 per person. Checks payable to the Hunterdon 300th and mailed to, or dropped thru the mail slot at 3 Chorister Place, Flemington, NJ 08822 by October 20th.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bus-tour-of-hunterdons-26-municipalities-in-one-day-35-per-person-tickets-74588842235
A WAITING LIST IS BEING MAINTAINED ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS. PEOPLE ON THIS WAITING LIST WILL BE ASKED, IN ORDER OF SIGNING UP, TO FILL ANY CANCELLATIONS FOR THE TRIP ON OCTOBER 26, 2019 BUT WILL HAVE A GUARANTEED, RESERVED SEAT ON THIS TOUR ON OCTOBER 24, 2020 AT THE SAME $35 PRICE AS THE 2019 TRIP. IF YOU ARE CLOSED OUT OF THIS TRIP, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE WAITING LIST AT THIS LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/waiting-list-for-bus-tour-of-hunterdons-26-municipalities-in-one-day-35-per-person-tickets-74589474125
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27: WALKING TOUR OF AMSTERDAM: 1 PM: The 19th century inhabitants of the Hamlet of Amsterdam in Holland Township built fascinating houses, barns, and outbuildings that will be explored on a walking tour of the hamlet. Amsterdam is in the northwest corner of Holland Township in Hunterdon County. Many of the early settlers migrated from Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania shortly after the turn of the 19th century. The members of the Rapp family were known for their carpentry and engineering skills; their barn which was built in 1824 and enlarged in 1844 (according to dendrochronology), shows unique construction features; their gravity fed water supply accompanied a Victorian bank house. Jacob Ulmer was a cobbler whose shop remains over a springhouse in a rare combination outbuilding. "Sinclair and Snyder" operated a store and John Snyder was a blacksmith. Five bank barns can be seen within the hamlet including one an intricate switchback engineered to access the upper level . Also illustrated are several house plan types, including an early two-story single room stone dwelling and the John Kooker house with two front doors.
Walk limited to 20 people.
Walk begins at 1 pm; meeting location will be disclosed to people with reservations only.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-amsterdam-tickets-73210218735
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH: JOSEPH TURNER HOUSE OPEN HOUSE: 1 to 4 PM: The land that the Joseph Turner House occupies was once part of the 1742 Union Iron Works tract. The Iron Works were owned by William Allen and Joseph Turner, Philadelphia businessmen. The Turner House, constructed about 1760, is believed to be part of the Union Iron Works and was likely later used as a tenant house for the adjacent Union Farm. The original section of the structure was two bays wide (smaller right side of the house) and two stories tall, consisting of four rooms and a large cooking hearth. It was built of stone walls and hand-hewn timbers, covered by a cedar shingle roof. Today, it is a wonderful museum with great talks, demonstrations, tours and events. As part of the celebration of 305 Years of Hunterdon's Historic Hometowns and Hamlets, the Joseph Turner House, courtesy of the Union Forge Heritage Association, opens it doors for you. 117 Van Syckels Road, Hampton, NJ 08827.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND: WALKING TOUR OF REAVILLE (RARITAN AND EAST AMWELL TOWNSHIPS): 10 am; Rain or Shine. Details to follow.
Limited to 20 people.
Free but Reservations are Required
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-reaville-tickets-74763594925
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH: WALKING TOUR OF FRENCHTOWN – FRENCHTOWN CEMETERY WITH RICK EPSTEIN: 2 pm; Rain Date: November 10, 2 pm.
The Cemetery Tour stops at the pink granite monument to the victims of the spinal-meningitis outbreak of 1907, and at the graves of combat casualties, captains of industry, the mayor who arrived with the circus, a man who swam away from the Milford train wreck of 1877, a bottler of patent medicine, the man who owned Uhlerstown, Pa., Miss Frenchtown of 1931, Frenchtown's only woman mayor, the Man Who Worked One Day a Year, and many, many more. Metal grave markers and Victorian symbolism will be explained.
Rick Epstein started gathering Frenchtown history when he was editor of the Frenchtown's Delaware Valley News in 1970s and '80s, interviewing old-timers for the newspaper. He soaked up more history as editor of the Hunterdon County Democrat, and intensified his research more recently to begin his historical tours in 2016. He currently reports on Frenchtown for the Bucks County Herald.
2 pm - Rain date, Sunday, November 10, 2 pm
Free but Reservations are Required
Free bottled water will be available.
Approximately 75 minutes long.
LIMITED TO 15 PEOPLE. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Ticket holders will be provided with the starting location of the tour.
A Wait List will be maintained if you are shut out of this event by emailing us or call and leave a message at (908) 788-2030.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-frenchtown-frenchtown-cemetery-tickets-74764030227
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH: THE HISTORY OF THE HAMLET OF WERTSVILLE:
2 pm
Main Branch of the County Library
314 Route 12, Flemington
Free. Refreshments follow.
Reservations recommended.
details coming soon
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-history-of-the-hamlet-of-wertsville-tickets-74764513673
COMING LATE FALL AND WINTER: MORE CELEBRATIONS OF OUR HOMETOWNS AND HAMLETS OVER THE LAST 305 YEARS!:
Saturday, November 23: SPECIAL EVENT: THE JUTLAND MASSACRE - THE HISTORY AND THE MAKING OF THE DOCUMENTARY
Tuesday, December 3: Lebanon Township's New Hampton Hamlet, 7pm, North Branch of the Library
Saturday, December 14: The Hunterdon 300th’s Annual Holiday Children’s Historic Crafts and Sale, 10 am to 2 pm, Main Branch of the County Library
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR COOKIE ANGEL, JANICE GROVER, OWNER OF GROVER GLOBAL FOOD MARKETING IN EAST AMWELL, WHO CONTINUES TO PROVIDE IMPORTED COOKIES FOR OUR TALKS.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPECIAL SPONSOR FOR 2019,
COSTCO OF FLEMINGTON!
HISTORICAL AND HERITAGE
EVENTS FROM AROUND
THE COUNTY:
SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS THRU OCTOBER: THE ART OF NATURAL EXPRESSION EXHIBIT: East Amwell Township Museum
Featuring the art of Angela Marie Franco and Donna Foran
Saturday and Sundays
1pm to 4pm
East Amwell Township Museum
1053 Old York Road, Ringoes, NJ
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH: READINGTON MUSEUMS PRESENTS 19TH CENTURY READINGTON SCHOOL VISIT AT COLD BROOK SCHOOL: The Readington Museums’ Cold Brook School, originally built in 1828, will be open for visitors to see what it was like to attend school in the early nineteenth-century.
Visitors will have the opportunity to become abecedarians, try their hand at orthography using a quill pen and ink, cipher mathematical problems, and learn a sample of New Jersey history. For recess, visitors can play a variety of nineteenth-century games, such as rolling hoops in the meadow.
Apple cider and homemade bread with apple butter will be available.
Readington Township acquired the property in 1993, and volunteers worked together to rebuild the school house and furnish it as it would have been in the 1830s, with slab benches and board desks around the outside walls and a schoolmaster’s desk in the center. A wood stove provided the only heat, and the families were responsible for providing the firewood. The School Master or Mistress would start the fire early in the morning, and the school boys would be responsible for keeping it going throughout the day. A typical school day went from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon. It was not uncommon for children to attend school for a half day on Saturdays as well. Parents paid for their children’s schooling—usually about $1.50 per child per term.
1PM TO 4PM
190 Potterstown Road, Lebanon, NJ
Visit the Readington Museums Website
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH: READINGTON MUSEUMS PRESENTS BARN DANCE: Put on your dancing shoes for a night of family fun as the Readington Museums will host its bi-annual Barn Dance. The dance will be held inside the eighteenth-century Wade-Wyckoff Barn on the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead property. This family friendly event is a wonderful way to have fun with the entire family as no experience is necessary. Caller, Betsy Gotta, will give easy to follow instructions before each dance so even a beginner will be able to dance the night away. There is a suggested donation of $5.00 per adult and $2.00 per child. Refreshments will be available.
