Wednesday, September 23, 2020

WE'RE HERE FOR YOU! HERITAGE EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTY

THE HUNTERDON 300TH MISSES ALL OF YOU!  As our history and heritage partners are slowly starting to offer events, we are back to help promote them.

Meanwhile, our 2020 theme "Hunterdon's Unique Historic Treasures" has been postponed until 2021.  However, we are working on some special on-line history treats which will, hopefully, be ready soon and throughout the rest of 2020.

STAY TUNED!

EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTY OFFERED BY OUR SOME OF OUR COUNTY'S WONDERFUL HISTORICAL AND HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS:

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4TH:  THE RED MILL MUSEUM VILLAGE is planning a “Quilt Airing” on Oct. 4 from 12-4.  We hope you can attend the event. It will be held outdoors with quilts hanging on clotheslines and fence rails with protection under the quilts. 

There is an admission fee and a senior citizen rate.

Also, they would love to have more quilts on view that day.  You can bring them the morning of the event from 8:30-11:30 or better, you can bring them a few days before. Red Mill staff will hang them.  If you would like to bring in a quilt please contact Lynn at 908-735-4101 or ecole@theredmill.org

READINGTON MUSEUMS VIRTUAL TOURS:  Since the museums’ buildings are closed to visitors, they have been busy developing virtual tours for the public. Links to each tour can be found on the museum website at https://www.readingtontwpnj.gov/community/readington-museum.  Each tour is two to four minutes long and showcases the Readington Museums, including the rooms of the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead. In addition, virtual tours of the Eversole-Hall House, Cold Brook School, and exhibits of the museums’ collections are planned for the future. 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11TH:  The Oldest Grange in Hunterdon County, Ringoes Grange, is holding its 40th annual Pumpkin Festival from 10 am to 2 pm at the Grange, 1101 Old York Road.  Due to Covid, all treats must be pre-ordered; there will be contact-free pick up thru the next door bank's drive thru.  Orders must be placed by October 4th. This fundraiser helps maintain the historic Grange Hall in downtown Ringoes. Homemade pies, cookies, cheesecakes, muffins, soup and bread can be ordered by calling (908) 788-5398 or emailing ringoesgrange@gmail.com.  

The Menu includes:
3 types of Pumpkin pies, a 8" for $9; 6" for $6 and a 6' Sugar-free for $7
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies 3 for $2.00.
Pumpkin cheesecakes, 10" for 28.00 & a 4 pack of 2" cupcake size =$8.00.
Pumpkin-Nut Bread, 5" for $4.00.

Pumpkin Muffins, 4 Pack = $6.00.
Pumpkin soup- Cream of Pumpkin, our regular soup made with Chicken stock, 1 quart = $7.00
Vegan Stew - Vegan - Gluten-free stew with Roasted Squash and corn & other surprises - 1 pint = $ 8.00@

Orders will be tallied, and made to order, then boxed and delivered to your car at one of the times you select. 10- 11;11-Noon; Noon -1 & 1-2, Just let them know what time you would like to pick up, and they will have your order ready. Payment is by EXACT cash only - NO change will be given, or by check. You can also pay pre-pay by sending a check for the total to Ringoes Grange, P.O. Box 53, Ringoes, NJ 08551


LAMBERTVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY is offering a self-guided tour of Lambertville Then and Now thru November 8, 2020.  Walk thru Lambertville and view 20 poster-sized historic images from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s at the sites where they were taken.  For more information, and to download map, QR Code or visit lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org/thenandnow 

Check out LEBANON MUSEUM'S WEBSITE for its "boredom busters" and virtual tours... lots of interesting historical facts and fun.  http://www.lebanontownship.net/services/museum.aspx

ENJOY OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE EVEN DURING COVID! YOU CAN ENJOY OUR MUSEUMS VIRTUALLY OR OUR HISTORY OUTDOORS!


Saturday, April 4, 2020

A HUNTERDON HISTORY QUIZ FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT AND OUR CURRENT, HOPEFUL CALENDAR!

News about the health crisis is everywhere and is, correctly, the main topic of conversation. 

We hope you are staying safe and healthy at home with your loved ones.  Perhaps you are a little bored with all of this physical distancing and no where to go.

Musicians all over the world are posting YouTube videos; authors are reading books, and aquariums and zoos are posting live.  But,

YOU CAN ONLY WATCH SO MUCH YouTube;
YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MANY PUZZLES;
YOU CAN ONLY BINGE WATCH SO MUCH TV;
YOU CAN ONLY READ SO MANY BOOKS.....

SO..... the Hunterdon 300th, the State of New Jersey's largest producer of historical lectures and events (all about Hunterdon all of the time!), gives you.... Hunterdon History at Home!  TaDa!

We thought we'd provide you with a quiz to test your Hunterdon historical knowledge and give you a bit of a diversion. Even if you think it's a little hard, we promise you will find it educational (after all, we are a 501c3 Educational Not-for-Profit!)....

This quiz is fun! The multiple choice answers have a touch of humor and whimsy -- fun and educational for all ages and all levels of Hunterdon knowledge. We hope you'll take it, read it to your children, Skype your friends with your impressive Hunterdon trivia, and self-amuse (as we did when we wrote the multiple choice answers!).  Hugs to John Kuhl, who provided these questions for our calendars and publications "300 Fun Facts About Hunterdon County" and "305 Fun Facts About Hunterdon County's Municipalities."


THE ANSWERS FOLLOW OUR CURRENT (AND HOPEFUL) CALENDAR. 

WE MISS YOU ALL!  STAY SAFE!

Write down your answers and add up your score at the end of this 25 question quiz:




1. What was Richard Ernst Weber arrested for in 1942 by the FBI on a poultry farm in Three Bridges?

a. Blackmailing
b. Spying
c. Counterfeiting
d. Tampering with the US mail

2. At age 21, Three Bridges Farm girl Mildred Saums won a cash prize of $25 and a silver trophy at the 1939 World’s Fair. For what competition did she win?
a. International milking contest
b. International tractor pull
c. International Pie Eating Contest
d. Miss 1939 World’s Fair

3. What famous event occurred at the farm of Richard Schomp in 1939?

a. The State Police raided it over alleged animal cruelty.
b. A two-headed albino calf was born that went to the 1939 World’s Fair.
c. The first artificially inseminated calf was born.
d. The first Woodstock style concert event was held.

4. Who was the youngest woman from Hunterdon County ever elected to the NJ General Assembly?

a. Marcia Karrow
b. Connie Myers
c. Mildred Preen Mortimer
d. Barbara McConnell

5. Which war spurred the name change of New Germantown to Oldwick?

a. The American Revolutionary War when the Hessians invaded Hunterdon County.
b. World War I
c. World War II
d. The War Against the Worlds

6. What happened during the Jutland Massacre?a. Indians were slaughtered by the Dutch.
b. It’s another name for the Peach Blight.
c. Teenagers ransacked a sheep farm.
d. State Police illegally raided a farm.

7. What unsanitary drink did William Griffith accidentally create because he was too cheap to start over?

a. Sweet Tea
b. Grey Water
c. Pink Lemonade
d. Pink Champagne

8. What municipality took its name from a prominent iron work in the northeastern part of its Township?

a. Readington Township
b. Raritan Township
c. Alexandria Township
d. Union Township

9. After a murder occurred in this municipality, the area of the crime was nicknamed Little Easton because Easton PA had an unsavory reputation.

a. Raritan Township
b. Readington Township
c. Bloomsbury
d. Union Township

10. What was the nickname of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania rail road in Whitehouse Station?

a. The BR&W
b. The Del-Bel
c. The Rockabye Baby
d. The Holy Cow

11. Which of the following is not a former name of the hamlet of Barley Sheaf?

a. Camelsville
b. Dromedary
c. Cambellsville
d. Farmersville

12. The hamlet of Cherryville was once called what?

a. Dogtown
b. Cattown
c. Bonetown
d. Goattown

13. Which village is in Alexandria Township?

a. Point Pleasant
b. Sunnyside
c. Landsdown
d. Everittstown

14. What is the westernmost unincorporated town in Hunterdon County?
a. Mount Joy
b. Mount Salem
c. Mount Lebanon
d. Mount Pleasant

15. Which name was NOT an original name of Stockton?


a. Reading’s Ferry
b. Howell’s Ferry
c. Mitchell’s Ferry
d. Robinson’s Ferry
e. Harpers Ferry

16. For what reason did Union Township split from Bethlehem Township?

a. Liquor licensing
b. Two families feuding
c. School policy dispute
d. Taxes

17. What was the name of the bathtub gin moonshine made in Raritan Township?

a. White goat
b. Black Horse
c. White mule
d. Pink elephant

18. What two construction projects did Asbel Welch of Lambertville engineer?

a. Sherrards Ferry and Coryells Ferry
b. Rockefellers Mill and Darts Mill
c. D&R Canal and Bel-Del Railroad
d. National Hotel in Frenchtown and the Union Hotel in Flemington

19. Prior to 1827, Sergeantsville was known as:

a. Hogtown
b. Hensfoot
c. Skunktown
d. Hogswart

20. What tavern was the first in the county to be raided during prohibition?

a. Three Bridges Tavern
b. Millers Tavern
c. Jones’ Tavern
d. Lebanon Hotel

21. Hunterdon has one of the last of these off Black Brook Road in Bethlehem Township. What is it?

a. Pink sheep
b. Bog Turtle
c. Quaking Bog
d. Whistling Meadow

22. How were logs transported south from 1750 thru 1900?

a. The D&R Canal
b. Horse and Wagon
c. Train
d. Log Rafting

23. Which television personality did or does not live in Hunterdon County?
a. Merv Griffin
b. John Amos
c. Chet Huntley
d. Joe Piscopo
e. David Brinkley

24. What was the former gruesome name of Spring Mills in Holland Township?

a. Satan’s Corner
b. Sodom
c. Bonetown
d. Helltown

25. Which of the following names were not a previous name for Frenchtown?

a. Swisstown
b. Sun Beam
c. Sherrerds Ferry Colvins Ferry
d. Lowreys Ferry


OUR 2020 YEAR OF EVENTS AND TALKS  ON THIS YEAR'S THEME:

HUNTERDON'S UNIQUE HISTORIC TREASURES. 
's 2020 the

RESERVATIONS STILL BEING TAKEN:



TUESDAY, MAY 19TH (POSTPONED FROM TUESDAY, APRIL 7TH):  THE FABLED WARRIOR KING AND INDIAN BURIAL VAULT RESEARCH IN HUNTERDON COUNTY:  Was Hunterdon the resting place of the fabled warrior king of the great Raritan Indian Tribe of the 17th century?  Join Dr. Gregory C. Herman, PhD in Geology, in this discussion on his research of native peoples in Hunterdon County.   His fieldwork has led to the possible rediscovery of ancient stone burial mounds located atop the Cushetunk Mountains.  The discovery awaits confirmation through professional archeological work. 
If you wish to read more on this topic, please seehis publication in the Hunterdon Historical Society's newsletter:  2018 Herman, G. C., Indian Burial Vault Research in Hunterdon County: Hunterdon Historical Record, vol. 54, No. 3, pgs. 1287 and 1292.
Dr. Herman earned his BS in geology from Ohio University in 1982. After receiving a MS in structural geology from the Univ. of Connecticut in 1984, he joined the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the water quality management program, regulating industrial facilities having discharge of hazardous wastes to groundwater. He transferred to the NJ Geological Survey (NJGS) in 1985 to map bedrock geology in NJ. In 1997 he received his PhD in Geology from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Having retired from the NJGS after 32 years, Greg now teaches Earth Science at local colleges and a university while consulting on Earth science projects. He also researches impact tectonics and provides Earth-science themes for Google Earth.  In his spare time, he is also helping the Hunterdon County Historical Society clean and rearrange the Deats-Thatcher Collection, a massive collection of American Indian artifacts collected by Hiram E. Deats and John C. Thatcher in the 1800s.  

7 pm.  Main Branch of the County Library.  Reservations recommended.  Free with free refreshments following the talk.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fabled-warrior-king-and-indian-burial-vault-research-in-hunterdon-county-tickets-96573607259

TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH (POSTPONED FROM THURSDAY, MARCH 19TH): THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT AND HUNTERDON'S WOMEN WHO MADE POLITICAL HISTORY:  Celebrate Women's History Month and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with us.  Author of "The Franklin Park Tragedy" and Historian Brian Armstrong ("The 1918 Influenza Epidemic in Hunterdon County") will provide a lecture focusing on the development of the women’s suffrage movement in the US that resulted in the 19th amendment to the US Constitution in 1919 permitting women to vote. Profiles of the key players (Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Ida Wells, Alice Paul, etc.), and organizations involved with the movement will be presented along with a timeline of events from the movement’s origination in the abolitionist movement to the passage of the amendment and the first vote in 1920. Mr. Armstrong will also discuss prominent New Jersey and Hunterdon County female politicians who followed in the footsteps of the suffragettes.
7 pm.  Main Branch of the County Library.  Free.  Reservations Requested.  
Refreshments follow.


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-womens-suffrage-movement-and-hunterdons-women-who-made-political-history-tickets-96570768769

NEW DATE PENDING THIS FALL (POSTPONED FROM SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH):  NOT JUST COLONIALS AND GINGERBREADS:  20TH CENTURY HOMES IN HUNTERDON:  Colonial Period?  Victorian Gingerbreads?  Our County has so much more!  When we think of local historic architecture we picture the Greek Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne homes of Flemington, Clinton, Lambertville and the other villages and hamlets of Hunterdon. But what about the buildings constructed post 1900!  After a brief overview of architectural building styles we can then look at the Colonial Revival, Tudor, Foursquare, Craftsman bungalows and Mid-century modern styles that are a larger part of the homes of Hunterdon.  We'll explore the historic and industrial trends that made these popular and possible!  Join Janice Armstrong, noted historian, preservationist, and heritage educator, for a talk focusing on 20th Century architecture.  As a follow up (Summer date to be announced) we'll take a stroll in Flemington to the "newer" side of town, tracing the town's expansion and growth.
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.  

Reservations requested.  Free with free refreshments following the talk.

NEW DATE PENDING AND WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON (POSTPONED FROM SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH):  7TH ANNUAL CEMETERY "CEMENER":  A FAMILY AFFAIR:  REVOLUTIONARY POLITICS, NEWS AND THE WOMEN BEHIND THE PRESS:  Sponsored by the Hunterdon County Historical Society and the 300th Committee, this year’s seminar and meet and greet explores the fabulous treasures found in Bethlehem Presbyterian Church's graveyards.  Speakers include an amazing Key Note, Dr. Joseph M. Adelman, and local historians and notables, John Allen, John Kuhl, Rhonda Witwer, Hank Bonnell, William Honachefsky, and Bob and Leslie Leith.

Registration: 10:30 am.
Key Note Address by Dr. Joseph M. Adelman, Author of "Revolutionary Networks, The Business and Politics of Printing the News":  11 am.
Lunch courtesy of Jersey Mike's:  12 pm.
Cemetery Tours and Demonstrations:  1 pm:

  • Revolutionary Gravestone Tour
  • Mary Claypoole (1st Wife of David Chambers Claypoole)
  • Bonnell Family
  • Robert Taylor Famiy
  • Civil War Gravestone Tour
  • Gravestone Cleaning with D/2 Demonstration

Original "General Advertiser" newspapers from 1796 will be on display from the Hunterdon Historical Society Collection.  Dr. Adelman's book will be available for purchase.

Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, 2 Race Street, Pittstown, NJ  08867

$10 Registration is required.

Register at www.hunterdon300th.org.
Send checks to: Hunterdon County Historical Society, 114 Main St, Flemington, NJ 08822
For further information call 908-782-1091 or go to hunterdonhistoryinfo@gmail.com
   Sponsored by The Hunterdon County Historical Society, The Hunterdon 300th       Committee, and 
The Bethlehem Presbyterian Church.


UPCOMING TALKS AND EVENTS ABOUT HUNTERDON'S UNIQUE HISTORIC TREASURES:


WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT DATES IN MAY WILL NOT BE POSTPONED OR CANCELLED.

SUNDAY, MAY 3RD: HOLCOMBE-JIMISON FARM FESTIVAL:  An extraordinary day at Hunterdon's oldest farmstead!  Certainly one of Hunterdon's Unique Historic Treasures!!  Join us on the farm for a fun packed day with things to see and do no matter your age!!  Live Western and Blue Grass music provided by the "Red Oak Country Boys."


Morning events from 10 am to 4 pm included in the price of admission:
  • Make a rope bracelet for yourself with a machine more than 100 years old!
  • Dip your own wax candle
  • Make a pottery plate for your very own
  • Visit the Hunterdon County 4H Fur and Feathers' Petting Zoo of small creatures
  • Learn to play an Outside Kids' game from Yesteryear
  • Visit the Museum barns and the 1711 House -- filled with memories
  • Visit the Barn of Toys
  • Other sites to see include a Country Store, a Post Office and a Barbershop, Mini-Craft Fair, the Delaware Valley Herb Society's “ International Herb Garden”, and the 1920’s Machine Shop

 Afternoon events from noon to 4 pm included in the price of admission:
  • Take a Tractor/Wagon ride across the lower field
  • Print a Post card on our 3x5 Letter Press from 1880 (Print shop) and learn how paper printing has changed
  • Watch the Blacksmith make a Hook – Can You try?
  • See the Black and River Railroad Road Equipment being used to restore service to Lambertville
Food for sale by Hunterdon County 4H including hamburgers, hot dogs and more PLUS
A Home Made Ice Cream Vendor AND free coffee and snacks in the Office will be available.

                          
$5.00 per Adult or $10.00 a Family - or become a Member for $25.00!
1605 Daniel Bray Highway (Rte. 29) Lambertville NJ 08535                              
(Last New Jersey Exit on route 202, then follow blue signs)
Visit the Farmstead Website at www.Holcombe.Jimison.org

 Rain or Shine.

THURSDAY, MAY 14TH:  THE ARCHITECTURE AND INTERPRETATION OF THE 1759 VOUGHT HOUSE - THE ONLY LOYALIST HOUSE MUSEUM IN NJ:  In this lecture, Historical Architect, Michael Marguiles, AIA, will discuss the the significance of the architecture of the Vought House - among the most unique in the United States - and the fight to save and preserve it.  
Built in 1759, the house was acquired by the Clinton Township Board of Education and slated for demolition.  it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 16, 2008. The building is on Preservation New Jersey's 2010 "10 Most Endangered Historic Sites list." It was acquired by a newly formed not-for-profit to save and preserve the house for $17.59. 
The house is a heavy timber frame, and the walls are made with wattle and daub. Distinctive features of the interior are four original plaster ceilings with geometric designs.  The most unique of the ceilings is the serpentine design with a snake's head at one end near the front entrance - still intact since it was originally installed in 1759! This may be the only house in the United States with four mid-eighteenth century wattle and daub decorative plaster ceilings.  The ornamental plasterwork is very similar to another Palatine German stone farmhouse in Berks County, PA, the Hehn-Kershner House, circa 1755. In 1958, the architectural elements were purchased by and relocated to Winterthur Museum.
Christoffel Vought was a loyalist during the American Revolution and volunteered to join the British Army. Vought was captured by the Patriots and found guilty by a Jury of Inquisition. Vought and his family went into exile in Nova Scotia. The land and house were sold at auction.
When preserved, this will be the first museum in New Jersey interpreted as a Loyalist site, recognizing the significance of the civil war that raged within New Jersey during the American Revolution. 
7 pm.  Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12. 
Free with free refreshments following the talk.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4TH:  HOW GROWING UP IN HUNTERDON INFLUENCED MY LIFE - WITH GOVERNOR CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN:  Governor Whitman created the Open Space and Farmland Preservation Program for the State and also enacted the largest tax cuts in State history.  An activist who speaks her mind, Governor Whitman made history when she became the first and only woman Governor in New Jersey history.  Join us for a special evening with a unique, history-making, Hunterdon treasure.
7 pm. Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12, Flemington.
Free with refreshments following the talk.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH:  THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF HIRAM DEATS:  Join our great treasure, author and historian John Kuhl as he discusses the importance of Hiram Deats, wealthy entrepreneur, businessman, collector, historian.  The legacy of Hiram Deats to Hunterdon County, including the founding of the Hunterdon County Historic Society and his bequeathing priceless artifacts to the Society, is one of both generosity and significance.
7 pm. Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12, Flemington.
Free with refreshments following the talk.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH: READING CEMETERY TOUR WITH TOUR GUIDE DAVID READING: 10 am; details to be announced.

TICKETING NOW --  LOCK IN THE 2019 PRICE BY BOOKING NOW!  SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24TH:  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 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.  Return time is approximately 5:00 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-74589474125

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH:  HUNTERDON HISTORY BOWL:  We had so much fun last year, we thought we'd do it again!!! 2 pm Main Branch of the County Library.

WE WILL RESUME POSTING OUR

HISTORICAL AND HERITAGE PARTNERS' 

EVENTS AS SOON AS THEY RESUME.

ANSWERS TO THE HUNTERDON HISTORY QUIZ: GIVE YOURSELF 4 POINTS FOR EVERY CORRECT ANSWER. SEE HOW YOU DID AT THE END.

1. Answer B
The small town of Three Bridges in Readington Township was shocked in 1942 when the FBI moved in and arrested Richard Ernst Weber, a German spy and radio agent operating on a local poultry farm.

2. Answer: A
At age 21, Three Bridges farm girl Mildred Saums won the international milking contest at the 1939 World’s Fair. She brought home a cash prize of $25 plus a handsome silver trophy, and went on to a lifetime of farming.

3. Answer: C
Hunterdon has long been a leader in the state’s agriculture. In 1939, the nation’s first artificially inseminated calf was born on the Stanton farm of Richard Schomp located just north of the Reformed Church in that town.

4. Answer: C
Mildred Preen Mortimer’s father owned the stone quarry at Oldwick. She grew up as a hands-on person. In 1941, at age 22, she was elected to the NJ State Assembly, the youngest ever. Born in 1918, she died in 1979.

5. Answer: BStarting in the 1720s, much of northern Hunterdon was settled by Germans. But the WW I anti-German hysteria saw the town of New Germantown renamed Oldwick. To the north, German Valley became Long Valley.

6. Answer: D
Jutland Massacre saw the Meany family of Jutland chasing off SPCA officials in 1926. Police shot two Meany’s, killing Beatrice. Two police officers were convicted of theft. It nearly short-circuited the new State Police force.

7. Answer: C
William Griffith of Three Bridges was featured on 1937 ABC radio as the inventor of pink lemonade. Wind had blown the fat lady’s pink tights into his vat of circus lemonade. He sold it anyway and a new popular craze was born.

8. Answer: D
When Union Township was divided from Bethlehem in 1853, some said it should be called Rockhill Township for its prominent colonial family. But it took its name from the Union Forge Iron works in the northeastern part of the township.

9. Answer: A
Little Easton was the nickname of an area in Raritan Township “on the first crossroad to the left off Route 12” from Flemington. A woman living there was found dead in her home in 1853, hinting at skullduggery. Easton’s (PA) reputation was less than savory.

10. Answer: C
Whitehouse Station was once a railroad hub. Across the Jersey Central RR of NJ tracks, it had a station for the New Jersey and Pennsylvania RR that was locally known as the Rockaway Valley RR running up into Morristown. It was also termed “the Rockabye Baby” for the swaying occasioned by its flimsy engineering. It opened in 1888, failed and closed in 1913.

11. Answer: B
Barley Sheaf is a small hamlet in Readington Township along C.R. 523 between Whitehouse Station and Flemington. The name was granted in 1868, coming probably from its local tavern. Its previous names had been Cambellsville, Camelsville, or Farmersville.

12. Answer: A
Cherryville is an old Franklin Township town named for the Cherry family in 1834, which owned much of the land around it. For some time around 1830 it had been called Dogtown for the old tavern kept there from 1761. It had its own post office from 1850 to 1919.

13. Answer: D
Everittstown is a village on the Nishasakawick Creek in Alexandria Township. It was named for brothers who had a mill in the area by 1759 when it was known as Everitts Mills. A church, a tavern, a store, some artisan’s shops, and homes came later. The name changed to Everitts by 1816. A post office was established in 1848 and served until closing in 1912.

14. Answer: A
Mount Joy is an unincorporated town in Holland Township and has the distinction of being the westernmost town in Hunterdon County. It seems never to have had a post office but did have the advantage that it was a local stop on the Bel- Del RR, later part of the Pennsylvania RR system.

Mount Pleasant sits mostly in Alexandria Township at the intersection of C.R. 518 and Jake Rick Rd. It has old origins to match its large cemetery. A tavern opened there by 1767. Besides the usual artisan shops, a post office opened in 1825 but was phased out in 1912 as rural free delivery took over service.

Mount Salem is an unincorporated area northwest of Pittstown along C.R. 579, which forms the border between Alexandria and Union Townships. It also edges what used to be known as “The Barrens”. Its most conspicuous feature is its 1864 Methodist Episcopal Church, now inactive.
Mount Lebanon is fictional.

15. Answer: E
Stockton dates back to the early 1700s and has had a succession of names: Reading’s Ferry, Howell’s Ferry, Robinson’s Ferry, Mitchell’s Ferry, Centre Bridge, Centre Bridge Station, and finally Stockton presumably after that prominent New Jersey family when the post office was established in 1851.

16. Answer: C
Union Township split off from Bethlehem Township in 1853 over school policy disagreements. There was a battle over the new name with several suggested. One was Rockhill from a family near Pittstown. In the end Union prevailed after the old iron forge.

17. Answer: C
White Mule Corner is not a name you will find on maps or old records but was the name of a corner on the Voorhees Corner road where it is crossed by Barley Sheaf Road (C.R. 650) in Raritan Township. The name came in the bathtub gin era of Prohibition days for its powerful and illegal liquid product.

18. Answer: C
Asbel Welch of Lambertville was a leading construction engineer of his time. He built the Delaware & Raritan Feeder Canal along the Delaware in the 1830s, and its paralleling route, the Belvidere & Delaware Railroad by 1853.

19. Answer: C
Sergeantsville was named for the Sergeant family of the area but its residents today would probably overwhelmingly choose that new name over Skunktown, as it was known prior to 1827. 

Hensfoot is an area in the vicinity of the two schools of the Union Township school system just south of Perryville off I-78. This name was already in use before 1814 when a new road was laid out to it at and a new tavern was built and named at Perryville.

Pigs were important to early agriculture. The village of Swinesburg lay along C.R. 579 on the hill above Bloomsbury on the border of Alexandria and Union Township where Turkey Hill Road branches off to the north. As early as 1791 in a mortgage description its earlier name of Hogtown is listed.

20. Answer: A
Its liquor license was shifted to White House some years ago, but the Three Bridges Tavern was the first in the county to be raided during the earliest Prohibition days in the 1920s. Prohibition lasted until 1933 when repealed.

21. Answer: C
A quaking bog is a long-time wet area that features specialized plant species and layers of sphagnum moss and peat that undulate underfoot. Hunterdon has one of the last off Black Brook Road in Bethlehem Township.

22. Answer: D
It was a perilous occupation, but log rafting of a thousand or more logs was the most expedient method of sending timber down the Delaware. Begun before 1750, it continued until the timber supply had petered out by 1900.

23. Answer: E
Merv Griffin bought the Teetertown mill for a country retreat in 1961. His talk show moved to Los Angeles in 1972 and, spending less time there, he sold it in 1980. He called his show business company Califon Productions, after that nearby town.

John Amos is an actor and New Jersey native, best known for his roles in Good Times and ground-breaking mini-series Roots. He lived in Tewksbury Township.

Chet Huntley was a popular and well-remembered co-anchor of the long-running Huntley Brinkley Report on NBC Television. He owned a cattle farm in Delaware Township just above the covered bridge where he lived part-time.

Joe Piscopo, Lebanon Township resident, is best-known for his work on Saturday Night Live. He is also an actor, musician, and radio talk show host.
24. Answer: D
Hunterdon County Place Names says the small country town of Spring Mills in Holland Township had the former name of Helltown in the 1760s from a local tavern which apparently often got a bit boisterous in the evenings.

Of many Hunterdon town names, Sodom was one that is perhaps most suggestive and unusual. It had formerly been known as Eveland’s Tavern and forms the northern section of today’s Glen Gardner.

It is nowhere near Sodom in north county but where County Route 579 branches off State Route 31 just north of Linvale, is the area once known as Satan’s Corner, named for a theological squabble amongst members of the Linvale Methodist Episcopal Church.

25. Answer: A
Colvins Ferry, Sun Beam, Sherrerds Ferry in 1778, Lowreys Ferry; all were preceding names for Frenchtown named after French officer Paul Henry Mallet-Prevost as of 1794. He actually was Swiss. Should it have been called Swisstown?

HOW DID YOU DO? 

92-100:  YOU OBVIOUSLY ATTEND ALL OF OUR TALKS, TOURS AND EVENTS! You are a veritable Stephanie Stevens or John Kuhl and we don't have to explain to you who these two people are!
76-88:  ARE YOU A LOCAL HISTORIAN? A MEMBER OF A HISTORICAL SOCIETY OR COMMITTEE?  YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF!
60-72:  BETTER THAN MOST - YOU CLEARLY GO TO HISTORICAL EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTY.
36-56:  YOU CLEARLY DABBLE IN HUNTERDON HISTORY-- WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU MORE!
0-32:  YOU GET OUR BLOG, PROBABLY PLAYED A LOT WITH US IN 2014 - OUR 300TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR -- BUT JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO ATTEND A LOT OF EVENTS AND TALKS.... WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT HISTORICAL TOPICS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PRODUCE TO BRING YOU BACK OUT! LET US KNOW BY EMAILING US AT 300info@co.hunterdon.nj.us

NOW MORE THAN EVER OUR HISTORICAL MUSEUM PARTNERS NEED YOUR SUPPORT! 

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MEMBERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE RED MILL MUSEUM, THE LEBANON MUSEUM, THE LAMBERTVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, READINGTON MUSEUMS, UNION FORGE HERITAGE ASSOCIATION, TEWKSBURY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE PREVOST HOUSE, FLEMING MUSEUM, THE PRALLSVILLE MILL, OR THE OTHER COUNTLESS WONDERFUL HISTORICAL MUSEUMS AND SOCIETIES THAT HAVE AND MAINTAIN FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTY, NOW IS THE TIME TO JOIN!  OUR MUSEUMS ARE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE STAFFS AND BILLS TO PAY.  DURING THIS NATIONAL CRISIS, THEIR ABILITY TO SURVIVE IS FRAGILE, TOO.
WON'T YOU CONSIDER JOINING ONE TODAY?

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE!

Monday, March 2, 2020

OUR 2020 THEME AND HISTORY EVENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY

Here's a riddle: 

What do Governor Christie Whitman, Indian Burial Mounds, and the Black River & Western Railroad have in common?

How about the oldest farmstead in Hunterdon, an 18th century architectural marvel, and the site where Julia Child was married?

Intrigued?  Give up?  Here's the answer:

All of the above are part of the Hunterdon 300th's 2020 theme: 


HUNTERDON'S UNIQUE HISTORIC TREASURES. 300th's 2020 the
This theme is as unique as its subject matter so our calendar is still under construction.  We will be providing updates as we book talks and events occur for this interesting exploration of some of the less visited facets of Hunterdon's history and heritage.  We hope you follow along this journey with us.  We don't think you will be disappointed.

RESERVATIONS NOW BEING TAKEN:

THURSDAY, MARCH 19TH: THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT AND HUNTERDON'S WOMEN WHO MADE POLITICAL HISTORY:  Celebrate Women's History Month and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with us.  Author of "The Franklin Park Tragedy" and Historian Brian Armstrong ("The 1918 Influenza Epidemic in Hunterdon County") will provide a lecture focusing on the development of the women’s suffrage movement in the US that resulted in the 19th amendment to the US Constitution in 1919 permitting women to vote. Profiles of the key players (Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Ida Wells, Alice Paul, etc.), and organizations involved with the movement will be presented along with a timeline of events from the movement’s origination in the abolitionist movement to the passage of the amendment and the first vote in 1920. Mr. Armstrong will also discuss prominent New Jersey and Hunterdon County female politicians who followed in the footsteps of the suffragettes.
7 pm.  Main Branch of the County Library.  Free.  Reservations Requested.  
Refreshments follow.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-womens-suffrage-movement-and-hunterdons-women-who-made-political-history-tickets-96570768769


TUESDAY, APRIL 7TH:  THE FABLED WARRIOR KING AND INDIAN BURIAL VAULT RESEARCH IN HUNTERDON COUNTY:  Was Hunterdon the resting place of the fabled warrior king of the great Raritan Indian Tribe of the 17th century?  Join Dr. Gregory C. Herman, PhD in Geology, in this discussion on his research of native peoples in Hunterdon County.   His fieldwork has led to the possible rediscovery of ancient stone burial mounds located atop the Cushetunk Mountains.  The discovery awaits confirmation through professional archeological work. 
If you wish to read more on this topic, please seehis publication in the Hunterdon Historical Society's newsletter:  2018 Herman, G. C., Indian Burial Vault Research in Hunterdon County: Hunterdon Historical Record, vol. 54, No. 3, pgs. 1287 and 1292.
Dr. Herman earned his BS in geology from Ohio University in 1982. After receiving a MS in structural geology from the Univ. of Connecticut in 1984, he joined the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the water quality management program, regulating industrial facilities having discharge of hazardous wastes to groundwater. He transferred to the NJ Geological Survey (NJGS) in 1985 to map bedrock geology in NJ. In 1997 he received his PhD in Geology from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Having retired from the NJGS after 32 years, Greg now teaches Earth Science at local colleges and a university while consulting on Earth science projects. He also researches impact tectonics and provides Earth-science themes for Google Earth.  In his spare time, he is also helping the Hunterdon County Historical Society clean and rearrange the Deats-Thatcher Collection, a massive collection of American Indian artifacts collected by Hiram E. Deats and John C. Thatcher in the 1800s.  

7 pm.  Main Branch of the County Library.  Reservations recommended.  Free with free refreshments following the talk.


SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH:  NOT JUST COLONIALS AND GINGERBREADS:  20TH CENTURY HOMES IN HUNTERDON:  Colonial Period?  Victorian Gingerbreads?  Our County has so much more!  When we think of local historic architecture we picture the Greek Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne homes of Flemington, Clinton, Lambertville and the other villages and hamlets of Hunterdon. But what about the buildings constructed post 1900!  After a brief overview of architectural building styles we can then look at the Colonial Revival, Tudor, Foursquare, Craftsman bungalows and Mid-century modern styles that are a larger part of the homes of Hunterdon.  We'll explore the historic and industrial trends that made these popular and possible!  Join Janice Armstrong, noted historian, preservationist, and heritage educator, for a talk focusing on 20th Century architecture.  As a follow up (Summer date to be announced) we'll take a stroll in Flemington to the "newer" side of town, tracing the town's expansion and growth.
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.  

Reservations requested.  Free with free refreshments following the talk.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH:  7TH ANNUAL CEMETERY "CEMENER":  A FAMILY AFFAIR:  REVOLUTIONARY POLITICS, NEWS AND THE WOMEN BEHIND THE PRESS:  Sponsored by the Hunterdon County Historical Society and the 300th Committee, this year’s seminar and meet and greet explores the fabulous treasures found in Bethlehem Presbyterian Church's graveyards.  Speakers include an amazing Key Note, Dr. Joseph M. Adelman, and local historians and notables, John Allen, John Kuhl, Rhonda Witwer, Hank Bonnell, William Honachefsky, and Bob and Leslie Leith.

Registration: 10:30 am.
Key Note Address by Dr. Joseph M. Adelman, Author of "Revolutionary Networks, The Business and Politics of Printing the News":  11 am.
Lunch courtesy of Jersey Mike's:  12 pm.
Cemetery Tours and Demonstrations:  1 pm:

  • Revolutionary Gravestone Tour
  • Mary Claypoole (1st Wife of David Chambers Claypoole)
  • Bonnell Family
  • Robert Taylor Famiy
  • Civil War Gravestone Tour
  • Gravestone Cleaning with D/2 Demonstration

Original "General Advertiser" newspapers from 1796 will be on display from the Hunterdon Historical Society Collection.  Dr. Adelman's book will be available for purchase.

Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, 2 Race Street, Pittstown, NJ  08867

$10 Registration is required.

Register at www.hunterdon300th.org.
Send checks to: Hunterdon County Historical Society, 114 Main St, Flemington, NJ 08822
For further information call 908-782-1091 or go to hunterdonhistoryinfo@gmail.com
   Sponsored by The Hunterdon County Historical Society, The Hunterdon 300th       Committee, and 
The Bethlehem Presbyterian Church.


UPCOMING TALKS AND EVENTS ABOUT HUNTERDON'S UNIQUE HISTORIC TREASURES:

SUNDAY, MAY 3RD: HOLCOMBE-JIMISON FARM FESTIVAL: An extraordinary day at Hunterdon's oldest farmstead!  Certainly one of Hunterdon's Unique Historic Treasures!!  Join us on the farm for a fun packed day with things to see and do no matter your age!!  Live Western and Blue Grass music provided by the "Red Oak Country Boys."


Morning events from 10 am to 4 pm included in the price of admission:
  • Make a rope bracelet for yourself with a machine more than 100 years old!
  • Dip your own wax candle
  • Make a pottery plate for your very own
  • Visit the Hunterdon County 4H Fur and Feathers' Petting Zoo of small creatures
  • Learn to play an Outside Kids' game from Yesteryear
  • Visit the Museum barns and the 1711 House -- filled with memories
  • Visit the Barn of Toys
  • Other sites to see include a Country Store, a Post Office and a Barbershop, Mini-Craft Fair, the Delaware Valley Herb Society's “ International Herb Garden”, and the 1920’s Machine Shop

 Afternoon events from noon to 4 pm included in the price of admission:
  • Take a Tractor/Wagon ride across the lower field
  • Print a Post card on our 3x5 Letter Press from 1880 (Print shop) and learn how paper printing has changed
  • Watch the Blacksmith make a Hook – Can You try?
  • See the Black and River Railroad Road Equipment being used to restore service to Lambertville
Food for sale by Hunterdon County 4H including hamburgers, hot dogs and more PLUS
A Home Made Ice Cream Vendor AND free coffee and snacks in the Office will be available.

                          
$5.00 per Adult or $10.00 a Family - or become a Member for $25.00!
1605 Daniel Bray Highway (Rte. 29) Lambertville NJ 08535                              
(Last New Jersey Exit on route 202, then follow blue signs)
Visit the Farmstead Website at www.Holcombe.Jimison.org

 Rain or Shine.

THURSDAY, MAY 14TH:  THE ARCHITECTURE AND INTERPRETATION OF THE 1759 VOUGHT HOUSE - THE ONLY LOYALIST HOUSE MUSEUM IN NJ:  In this lecture, Historical Architect, Michael Marguiles, AIA, will discuss the the significance of the architecture of the Vought House - among the most unique in the United States - and the fight to save and preserve it.  
Built in 1759, the house was acquired by the Clinton Township Board of Education and slated for demolition.  it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 16, 2008. The building is on Preservation New Jersey's 2010 "10 Most Endangered Historic Sites list." It was acquired by a newly formed not-for-profit to save and preserve the house for $17.59. 
The house is a heavy timber frame, and the walls are made with wattle and daub. Distinctive features of the interior are four original plaster ceilings with geometric designs.  The most unique of the ceilings is the serpentine design with a snake's head at one end near the front entrance - still intact since it was originally installed in 1759! This may be the only house in the United States with four mid-eighteenth century wattle and daub decorative plaster ceilings.  The ornamental plasterwork is very similar to another Palatine German stone farmhouse in Berks County, PA, the Hehn-Kershner House, circa 1755. In 1958, the architectural elements were purchased by and relocated to Winterthur Museum.
Christoffel Vought was a loyalist during the American Revolution and volunteered to join the British Army. Vought was captured by the Patriots and found guilty by a Jury of Inquisition. Vought and his family went into exile in Nova Scotia. The land and house were sold at auction.
When preserved, this will be the first museum in New Jersey interpreted as a Loyalist site, recognizing the significance of the civil war that raged within New Jersey during the American Revolution. 
7 pm.  Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12. 
Free with free refreshments following the talk.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4TH:  HOW GROWING UP IN HUNTERDON INFLUENCED MY LIFE - WITH GOVERNOR CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN:  Governor Whitman created the Open Space and Farmland Preservation Program for the State and also enacted the largest tax cuts in State history.  An activist who speaks her mind, Governor Whitman made history when she became the first and only woman Governor in New Jersey history.  Join us for a special evening with a unique, history-making, Hunterdon treasure.
7 pm. Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12, Flemington.
Free with refreshments following the talk.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH:  THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF HIRAM DEATS:  Join our great treasure, author and historian John Kuhl as he discusses the importance of Hiram Deats, wealthy entrepreneur, businessman, collector, historian.  The legacy of Hiram Deats to Hunterdon County, including the founding of the Hunterdon County Historic Society and his bequeathing priceless artifacts to the Society, is one of both generosity and significance.
7 pm. Main Branch of the County Library, Route 12, Flemington.
Free with refreshments following the talk.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH: READING CEMETERY TOUR WITH TOUR GUIDE DAVID READING: 10 am; details to be announced.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24TH:  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 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.  Return time is approximately 5:00 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. 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH:  HUNTERDON HISTORY BOWL:  We had so much fun last year, we thought we'd do it again!!! 2 pm Main Branch of the County Library.


UPCOMING EVENTS FROM OUR HISTORIC AND HERITAGE PARTNERS:

SUNDAY, MARCH 1ST:  READINGTON MUSEUMS PRESENTS: DRESSED TO KILL:  1PM TO 4PM
Dana Bala will present Dressed to Kill: From Arsenic in Clothing, and Lead in Cosmetics, to Blazing Crinolines.  Throughout history, we have worn deadly clothing and makeup to be the height of fashion even if it kills us!

Bala will discuss some of the most lethal fashion practices during history, focusing on the Victorian period, when people were, “Dressed To Kill”.
Bala has presented at other historic sites such as the Abraham Staats House, the Miller-Corey Museum, and volunteers at Washington Crossing Park. Her other are-as of interest/expertise include embroidery, cooking and genealogy.
Visit Readington Museums website for more information

SUNDAY, MARCH 15TH: HUNTERDON HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROGRAM FOCUSES ON HISTORY OF EARLY MEDICINE IN NJ WITH DR. GARY GROVER:  Cayenne pepper enemas to treat lung diseases? Swallowing ground glass to treat gastro-intestinal disorders? Chewing tree bark to shake the shivers?
Each of these treatments was considered legitimate at the time, but did any of them work?
Dr. Gary Grover knows the answers, and will share with you the results of years of research into early medical treatments and drug discoveries in New Jersey. The talk will be presented during the Hunterdon County Historical Society’s spring meeting on Sunday, March 15 at 2 p.m. at the Flemington Presbyterian Church, 10 East Main Street. The meeting is free, and everyone is welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM


SUNDAY, MARCH 15TH: 2020 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY AND LECTURE BY BRIAN ARMSTRONG ON PROHIBITION & NEW JERSEY: 1919-1933: 1 pm – Society Headquarters 60 Water Street - Mountainville Prohibition and New Jersey, 1919-1933. Come hear Brian Armstrong lecture about how Prohibition came to be passed, the problems with enforcement, and how it ultimately was repealed. The unforeseen consequences of the “noble experiment” such as increasing the size of government and the development of organized crime will also be discussed. The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 was the only time in US history when an amendment to the US Constitution (18th) was removed by another amendment (21st).

Brian Armstrong is an independent historian, researcher and author who frequently lectures throughout the state on local history. He was born in Flemington New Jersey and grew up in Stanton, New Jersey. Armstrong received a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from American University in Washington, D.C. He was President of the South River Historical & Preservation Society for ten years and is now the Vice-President, Central Region, for the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey. In 2015, Armstrong co-wrote the Arcadia Book, South River, with Stephanie Bartz and Nan Whitehead. On August 19, 2019, his book, "The Franklin Park Tragedy. A Forgotten Story of Racial Injustice in New Jersey,” was published by The History Press. Armstrong frequently writes articles for the Bar Harbor Historical Society in Bar Harbor, Maine where his mother’s family lived for several hundred years. He is currently working on a book about the resort town for release in 2021. Mr. Armstrong lectures throughout the state on historical topics such as Women’s Suffrage and the 19th Amendment, Prohibition, World War I, the Spanish Influenza, and political history. He is a collector of US Presidential election memorabilia and is a member of American Political Items Collectors (APIC). In the event of inclement weather (snow or ice) the meeting will be cancelled. Check the Society's website at www.tewksburyhistory.net or call 908-832-6734 for more information or to check for any cancellation.

SUNDAY, MARCH 22ND:  LEBANON TOWNSHIP MUSEUM PRESENTS HOME HISTORY RESEARCH SEMINAR:  Interested in discovering the story of your old home? Hit a dead end at an early handwritten deed for your property? The Lebanon Township Historians Committee is hosting an introductory seminar on how to trace the history of your home and the families associated with it. With a special emphasis on the late 18th through 19th centuries, the seminar will cover the many resources available including Hunterdon County archives at Records Hall and the Surrogate’s Court, State of NJ archives, early Hunterdon County maps, census records, local history books, genealogy resources and more.
2pm to 3:30 pm
Lebanon Township Fire Department 3 - 528 West Hill Road, Glen Gardner, NJ
The program is FREE but registration is requested.
Please email historians@lebtwp.net to sign up.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4TH: RED MILL MUSEUM: MILITARY HERITAGE DAYS:
Visit the Red Mill Museum Website for more information

SUNDAY, APRIL 5TH: READINGTON TOWNSHIP MUSEUMS PRESENTS CHOCOLATE MAKING
ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED on FEBRUARY 02, 2020:  How did a bitter seed become the chocolate that so many of us love? As the drink of choice in Colonial America, and popular among all social classes, it was not unusual to start one’s day with a hot, spicy cup of chocolate. It was perceived to cure common ailments and was even sold in Benjamin Franklin’s Philadelphia print shop.

Susan McLellan Plaisted MS RD CSP LDN, demonstrates the use of the metate by turning the cacao bean into chocolate. Find out what really went into making chocolate from bean to drink, from drink to sweets, and from sweets to the modern candy.
This Open House Sunday program will be held at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead, located at 114 Dreahook Road in the Stanton section of Readington. For GPS use Lebanon, NJ.
This is a free family friendly event, although donations will be gratefully accepted. In case of inclement weather please call the Museums to find out the status of the program. For more information please visit the Readington Museums website or call 908-236-2327.
1pm to 4pm
DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

MONDAY, APRIL 6TH:  THE WOMEN'S CLUB OF CLINTON PRESENTS: HUNTERDON COUNTY NEEDLEWORK SAMPLERS BY MARTY CAMPANELLI:  The author of books and magazine articles about historic schoolgirl embroidery will present her updated research into Hunterdon's talented needlework instructors and the local girls who created these exciting textiles.
1:00 pm @ Clinton Presbyterian Church

SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH: RED MILL MUSEUM: RETRO RIDE & PICNIC:  12:30PM TO 4PM
A family friendly, vintage themed Bicycle Ride, Catered Picnic and Retro Bike Show taking place at the Red Mill Museum Village and along the historic and lovely Landsdown Trail in Clinton NJ. A celebration of the history of Clinton and Hunterdon County NJ and a fundraiser to support the restoration of the Mill’s waterwheel. Details and tickets to be announced and available soon.