Monday, September 2, 2019

HISTORY IN HUNTERDON SEPTEMBER, EARLY OCTOBER - SOME VERY SPECIAL EVENTS!

WE WANTED TO SHARE A STORY from one of our 300th volunteers.  After working the late shift for us one night at the 4-H Fair, our volunteer could not find her car in the dark, enormous parking lot.  As she wandered around, two teenagers who were clearly a couple, noticed that she could not find her car and offered to help.  The three of them split up and went back and forth until the young lady found our volunteer's car.  The the two teens insisted on escorting her back to her car to make sure that she got there safely.  As our volunteer noted:  "It was a lot farther from the gate than I had remembered, and I appreciated their concern and monitoring of my safety.  I asked if they were Hunterdon County high school students, and the young man proudly said, 'Yes!  Del Val!'"  Our volunteer commented how great it is that she had moved to a county where kids are nurtured and grow up with great values.  Fyi, our volunteer is a retired school superintendent, so she knows great kids when she meets them!
   SPACE AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF OUR WALKS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER!                                  

NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR THESE                    TALKS, TOURS AND EVENTS:                        


A VERY SPECIAL EVENT:  TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD:  BOOK LAUNCH PARTY AND TALK!  "STARS OVER NEW JERSEY WITH AUTHOR JOHN KUHL:  We are so excited to host Civil War Historian and author John Kuhl's book launch party of his newest book Stars Over New Jersey!  Co-authored by Dr. David Martin, this coffee table worthy book has the biographies of 285 New Jersey related generals, admirals and commodores.  

Join us for the party at 6:30 pm and John's talk at 7:15 at the Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12, and celebrate another amazing historical work by this Hunterdon County treasure!

FREE WITH GREAT REFRESHMENTS!


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH:  WALKING TOUR OF GLEN GARDNER:  Join us for this walking tour in historic Glen Gardner, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year! Glen Gardner was a hamlet even before the Revolution about 1760 when the tavern was built along with a grist mill, a saw mill and a few cabins.  The first of this hamlets many names would be "Eveland", after the prominent Eveland Family that owned the tavern.  About 1827, the name would be changed to Clarksville in honor of Mr. Clark an old merchant who kept the first store and   first post office.  When the Central Railroad came through the village in 1852, it would not only bring an increase in commercial activity and population, it would bring the five Gardner Brothers from NYC.  These young, inventive geniuses would bring wealth, power and status to the Town of Clarksville and in 1871 the Town would officially be named Glen Gardner in their honor.  Come and spend a Fall morning walking through this quaint, historic town.  See the grand houses built by the Hunt doctors, the first store/post office, The Lemmon Clinic (yes, Glen Gardner had a hospital), the birthplace of Wesley Lance, the lavish homes built by the Gardner's in the mid 1800s, and so much more.  (allow 2 hours for this walk) 10 am.
Limited to 20 people.  

Reservations required.  Meeting location will be given to those who make reservations.  Rain or shine.  A Wait List will be maintained.  If you are closed out of this event and wish to be on our Waiting List, please email us at 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.us or call (908) 788-2030 and leave a message.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH:  WALKING TOUR OF SERGEANTSVILLE:  This village was established at a crossroads and had a tavern by 1780.  It went by a rather unattractive but descriptive name during its early history!  Come find out what it was and why it was called that.  It has since grown into the charming place it is today… and boasts one of the finest inns in the area -- stay after the walk and enjoy a great lunch there!  
10:00 am; Rain Date:  September 15, 10:00 am
Limited to 15 people.  

Reservations required.  Meeting location will be given to those who make reservations.  Rain or shine.  A Wait List will be maintained.  If you are closed out of this event and wish to be on our Waiting List, please email us at 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.us or call (908) 788-2030 and leave a message.

NEW EVENT!  SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH:   
THE SAMUEL FLEMING HOUSE MUSEUM AND GARDEN OPEN HOUSE: APPLES & SPICE CELEBRATION!:  Come to our Open House for a dose of local Colonial History and learn about the use of spice while enjoying complimentary, fresh baked apple pies, cakes, breads and cider!   There will be pies, cakes, breads and music to celebrate the upcoming fall season along with a Colonial Spice talk.
FREE.  NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. 1:00pm-4:00pm.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH:  WALKING TOUR OF COKESBURY:  We’ll tour the village that is almost equally divided between Clinton and Tewksbury Township’s and was named for two Methodist bishops, Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury.  We’ll tour the Cokesbury Methodist Church, which remains the focal point of the hamlet, as well the Cokesbury Cemetery.  We’ll see the former Cokesbury Reformed Church, which had formed by a group of Methodists who were mad at the then current leadership back in the 1800s.
1 pm.  
Tour length:  75 minutes.  
There is no rain date for this event.  Should it rain, the talk will be moved indoors for a Virtual Tour.
Free but are Reservations Required.
Meeting locations will be disclosed to people with reservations only.
Walk limited to 30 people. 

If you are closed out of this event and wish to be on our Waiting List, please email us at 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.us or call (908) 788-2030 and leave a message.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH:  THE JUTLAND MASSACRE WITH JOHN KUHL:   POSTPONED.  NEW TIME AND DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED THIS FALL.  This timely talk falls on National Constitution Day.  The Jutland Massacre, also known as the Siege at Jutland, follows a dark story of illegal trespass, invalid search, and manslaughter in 1926.  With a story-line right out of today's headlines, John Kuhl will relate the tale of a family accused of animal abuse that turned into a shoot out with the nascent NJ State Police.  This event was so big that it took the Lindbergh Kidnapping Case to take if off national headlines.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST:  WALKING TOUR OF ANNANDALE:  Historical Annandale is the settlement located in the center of Clinton Township (State Route 31, Interstate 78 and County Roads 633 & 626).  This village grew as Clinton Station, a depot of the New Jersey Central Railroad.  Named for a town in Scotland, the population reached 380 people by 1880. A fairly dense and well-defined village, it is composed of 12 blocks and approximately 150+ structures.  The one church in town is the Reformed Church, located on the corner of Beaver Avenue and West Street.  The vast majority of the structures are single-family, detached homes dating from 1840-1910. Please join us for a walking tour of our Annandale Village with historian Dennis Bertland as our guest speaker on September 21st.

10 am; Rain Date September 22nd. 
Free bottled water will be available.
Approximately 60 minutes long.
LIMITED TO 20 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.us or leaving a message at (908) 788-2030.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND:  HUNTERDON HISTORY BOWL -- TEAM STEPHANIE STEVENS VS. TEAM JIM DAVIDSON:  FIRST EVER -- BATTLE OF THE HISTORIANS!  Join us for some great fun!  Some of Hunterdon's finest county and local historians battle for glory and for prizes for audience members! We promise that this will be funny, witty, playful and spirited!  Participants (currently signed up) in the frivolity include (in alphabetical order) , Brian Armstrong, Janice Armstrong, Marilyn Cummings, Jim Davidson, Sal DeSapio, Dave Harding, Bill Honechevsky, Jr., Lora Jones, John Kuhl, Doug Martin, Carl Molter, Paul Muir, Stephanie Stevens, and Shaun Van Doren.    

2 pm, Main Branch of the County Library (this venue is subject to change if demand for reservations is high).  

There will be an intermission in between two rounds of competition with refreshments during the intermission and after the game sponsored by Costco of Flemington.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hunterdon-history-bowl-team-stephanie-stevens-vs-team-jim-davidson-tickets-69816790901

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH:  THE HISTORIC HAMLETS OF FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP:  Lora Jones, Franklin Township Historian, will take us on a tour through the nine hamlets of Franklin: Cherryville, Sunnyside, Landsdown, Sidney, Grandin, Kingtown, Littletown, and Oak Grove. Starting with the first settlers in the 1720s, she tracks the history of the area, tells some personal stories of its people, and offers  a virtual walking tour of a few dwellings in each hamlet.

7 pm, North Branch of the Library.
Free.  Refreshments follow.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-historic-hamlets-of-franklin-township-tickets-69329902605
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH: WALKING TOUR OF MOUNT AIRY:  A small village with a big heart and one of the most picturesque barns in Hunterdon County. Start the day at the historic Mount Airy Presbyterian Church and continue with a tour of the Mount Airy Cemetery, Historic School Building and various other historic sites as guided by members of the West Amwell Township Historical Society.

10 am  FREE BUT RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. 
Rain date September 29th at 2 pm.
Free bottled water will be available.
LIMITED TO 30 PEOPLE. 

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.us or leaving a message at (908) 788-2030.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-mount-airy-tickets-69818636421

 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH: ALEXANDRIA'S PREVOST HOUSE MUSEUM OPEN HOUSE:  Now known as "The Museum of Local History," the Prevost House tours include displays, photos and artifacts from Alexandria, Frenchtown, Holland Township and Milford. 1100 Milford-Frenchtown Road in Alexandria.
1-4 pm -- FREE.  NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

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.

Free bottled water will be available.
Approximately 105 minutes long.LIMITED TO 20 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.
1:30 pm, rain or shine

 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-milfor-tickets-71285907067
LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE!!  THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10TH:  THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF FLEMINGTON BOROUGH:
IF YOU RESERVED SEATS IN APRIL, YOU STILL HAVE A RESERVATION! 
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.  
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW

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.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/glen-gardneririshtown-tickets-71288093607

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19TH:  WALKING TOUR OF FLEMINGTON:  "BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED IN THE BOROUGH":  Join Historian, retired educator and Flemington architecture expert Janice Armstrong as she gives us a glimpse of the County Seat's past. This event is courtesy of Flemington's Historic Preservation Commission.
2 pm; Rain Date:  October 20, 2 pm

Free bottled water will be available.
LIMITED TO 20 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.


BUS TOUR RESERVATIONS WILL BE TAKEN WITH THE NEXT E-NEWSLETTER/BLOG - LOOK FOR IT IN MID-SEPTEMBER.  WE EXPECT THIS TRIP TO SELL OUT FAST.  WE WILL BE TAKING A WAIT LIST AND MAY BE OFFERING THIS EXPERIENCE AGAIN IN THE SPRING OF 2020!

 COMING LATE FALL AND WINTER:  MORE CELEBRATIONS OF OUR HOMETOWNS AND HAMLETS OVER THE LAST 305 YEARS!:

Saturday, October 26:  Bus Tour of 26 Municipalities with 3 Stops 9 am to 4:30 pm, details tba
Sunday, October 27:  Walking Tour of Amsterdam, 1 pm
Sunday, October 27: Joseph Turner House Open House, 2 - 5 pm
Saturday, November 2:  Walking Tour of Reaville, 10 am; Rain Date:  November 3, 2 pm
Saturday, November 9:  Walking Tour of Frenchtown – Cemetery, 2 pm; Rain Date:  November 10, 2 pm
Sunday, November 17:  The History of the Hamlet of Wertsville, 2 pm, Main Branch of the Library
Tuesday, December 3:  Lebanon Township's New Hamden 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!       

BACK IN STOCK:  OUR FABULOUS WOVEN THROW:  NAVY BLUE WITH 9 WHITE ICONS OF HUNTERDON HISTORICAL SITES AND ALL 26 OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES LISTED.  STILL OFFERED AT THE 2014 PRICE OF $35.  100% COTTON MADE IN THE USA!  CONTACT THE HUNTERDON 300TH IF INTERESTED.  A GREAT GIFT -- MAKES A GREAT "GOING AWAY TO COLLEGE" PRESENT!  WEAR OUR T-SHIRT TO THE FAIR AND PURCHASE IT FOR ONLY $28!!  

   HISTORICAL AND HERITAGE        
           EVENTS FROM AROUND        
               THE COUNTY:                    


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH:  READINGTON MUSEUMS PRESENTS 18TH CENTURY BEER MAKING:  From teas to toddies and tankards to teacups, domestic historians, Bev Altrath and Arlene Soong, will discuss typical colonial drinks. In addition, historic brewer, Rich Wagner, will show the step-by-step process of turning water and grain into beer. For hundreds of years, folks in Europe knew better than to drink the water, as it could make you deathly ill. Instead, people, including children, brewed and drank beer. This was a natural jump for immigrants arriving in the New World to bring their tradition of brewing and drinking beer with them. Much of the beer was brewed at home, until breweries could be established in larger towns and cities. Today, there is a resurgence in interest in home brewing. Although, today you will find exotic flavors or seasonal brews, the basic method of beer production has not changed.
This open house program will be held at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead, located at 114 Dreahook Road in the Stanton section of the Readington Township. For GPS, use Lebanon, NJ.1PM TO 4PM
DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE
Visit the Readington Museums Website

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH: HUNTERDON LAND TRUST PRESENTS HISTORIC DELAWARE RIVER SERIES - DOWNTOWN WALKING TOUR WITH RICK EPSTEIN:  FREE.  3 pm.
Downtown Frenchtown Walking Tour with Rick Epstein: Come learn about the town’s early settlement and the importance of the Delaware River, the Great Fire of 1878 and more. Free but please register in advance and to learn where the tour begins by calling 908-237-4582 or email the Land Trust.
Program sponsored by the National Park Service’s Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic Program that explore the outstanding natural, cultural and historical value of the Delaware River, and why it should be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH:  WEST PORTAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY FALL PRESENTATION BY RETIRED HISTORY TEACHER/AUTHOR, LARRY KIDDER: Based on Mr. Kidder's latest  book, "The Ten Crucial Days:  Washington's Vision for Victory Unfolds" -- focusing on the people of NJ, AND, obviously, including Bethlehem Township; and how their lives were influenced by events from December 25, 1776, to January 3, 1777. 
Entry:  $5 donation.
6:30pm at the Bethlehem Township Community Center at 405 Mine Road, Asbury, NJ
Light refreshments.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29TH:  HUNTERDON LAND TRUST PRESENTS PROHIBITION AND NEW JERSEY WITH BRIAN ARMSTRONG:  We’ll toast the centennial anniversary of Prohibition with this program that discusses the unforeseen consequences of the “noble experiment” and includes some interesting tales from Hunterdon County and surrounding environs.
FREE
Dvoor Farm, Flemington, NJ
10:30am
For more information visit the Hunterdon Land Trust Website

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5TH: 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.
7PM TO 9:30PM
Visit the Readington Museums Website

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