WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE A NEW LINDBERGH LECTURE HAS BEEN ADDED TO OUR OCTOBER CALENDAR! JOIN US AS WE WELCOME AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN JIM DAVIDSON BACK HOME TO FLEMINGTON FOR TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR HIM SPEAK ON "WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN" HIS NEW BOOK ABOUT THE THREE WEEKS OF THE LINDBERGH TRIAL IN FLEMINGTON. THESE TALKS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE HUNTERDON COUNTY HISTORIC COURTHOUSE ON MAIN STREET IN FLEMINGTON -- THE ACTUAL COURTHOUSE WHERE THE TRIAL OF THE CENTURY OCCURED. AS A SPECIAL BONUS, SHERIFF FRED BROWN WILL BE OPENING UP THE ACTUAL JAIL CELL WHERE BRUNO HAUPTMANN WAS KEPT PRISONER LOCATED RIGHT BEHIND THE COURT ROOM! AFTER THE TALK, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STROLL BOROUGH STREETS AND SEE THE LOCATIONS WHILE THEY ARE FRESH IN YOUR MIND -- WHERE FAMOUS REPORTERS STAYED, EVENTS OCCURED, AND EVEN THE HOME WHERE LINDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPER BRUNO HAUPTMAN'S WIFE, ANNA, STAYED DURING THE TRIAL. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE HUNTERDON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (HISTORICALLY, THE FREEHOLDERS), SHERIFF FRED BROWN, AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BRAD MYHRE FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN! SEE BELOW FOR TICKETING.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24: WALKING TOUR OF RINGOES - BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, 10 AM: SOLD OUT We are maintaining a waiting list if you email us. Take a walking tour of downtown Ringoes and discover its rich history. Our tour guide is Dave Harding, former Hunterdon County Historical Society trustee, founding member of the East Amwell Historical Society, and author of a self-guided walking tour of Ringoes. Dave will tell us about John Ringo’s arrival in the early 1700s where he became a reluctant tavern owner, and discuss the legend of his buried treasure. We'll learn about the Sons of Liberty meeting at the tavern of “the second” John Ringo, an ardent patriot who hung a portrait of George Washington outside his establishment (unless the British were passing through!). We’ll swing past the Henry Landis House where the Marquis de LaFayette convalesced after falling ill, and we’ll talk about the local doctor who rushed to his aid. Speaking of doctors, we’ll also tell you all about Dr. Mary Tidd Bennett, the town’s rare 1800s female physician, and we’ll stand beside the home and publishing house of Dr. Cornelius Larison, and discuss this physician, teacher, publisher, author, interviewer of ex-slave Sylvia DuBois and advocate of phonetic spelling. We’ll also learn about the impact of the railroad on the community and what the village looked like a century ago. Join us to learn about the fascinating, historic hamlet.
Reservations are required. Approximately 90 minutes.
Meet at the Clawson House in Ringoes, the home of the East Amwell Historical Society.
Walk limited to 20 people.
WE ARE SORRY BUT THERE IS NO RAIN DATE FOR THIS EVENT.
For ticketing use this link or cut and paste into your url if trouble with the link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-ringoes-tickets-375365738027
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8: WALKING TOUR OF MOUNTAINVILLE (TEWKSBURY), 10 AM; RAINDATE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1PM: Come hear the history of what was originally known as Bulls Head, where the confluence of 3 streams allowed Mountainville in Tewksbury Township to take advantage of the power of water and where the Potter family became an influential family. We’ll see the former one-room school, the local general store and post office, the hotel, the former Kitchen Caboodle cooking school and the site of a former tannery. Tour led by Tewksbury Township Historian Shaun Van Doren.
Meet at the Tewksbury Historical Society, 60 Water Street (use Lebanon, NJ 08833 for GPS).
Rain Date Sunday, October 9 at 1 pm.
For ticketing use this link or cut and paste into your url if trouble with the link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-mountainville-tickets-374553257877
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14TH, 7 PM AND SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2 PM: "WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN": FLEMINGTON NJ AND THE LINDBERGH KIDNAPPING TRIAL, A NEW TALK AND BOOK BY JIM DAVIDSON: On March 1, 1932, Charles Lindbergh, Jr. disappeared. In January and February of 1935, a rambunctious kidnapping trial was held in an old county courthouse in the sleepy farm town of Flemington, NJ. For those six weeks, the eyes of the world rested on Flemington that was, at least for a short time, the center of the universe.
In a fascinating chronicling of the chain of events that followed in the courtoom and beyond, local historian and former history teach Jim Davidson, details the Trial of the Century as fifty thousand people encroached on Flemington, including over 700 reporters, 150 photographers, and countless sketch artists. Jim examines the colorful stories surrounding such famous news writers and commentators as Adela Rogers St. Johns, Damon Runyon, Dorothy Kilgallen, Walter Winchell, Gabriel Heater, and others as well as the craziness that ensued in Hunterdon's small county seat.
Jim will have copies of his new book for sale. The actual jail cell in which Bruno Hauptmann was kept prisoner will be open for viewing on Friday night from 5:30 to 7 pm before the talk; on Saturday, the jail cell will be open following the talk from approximately 3:00 to 4:30 pm.
Enjoy leaving the Historic Courthouse and strolling downtown Flemington to see the actual locations which Jim discusses. Enjoy dinner before the talk on Friday or lunch or afternoon tea after the talk on Saturday. Please make sure you make reservations as appropriate for before or after dining.
Special thank you to the Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners, Director John Lanza, Deputy Director Zach Rich, Members Sue Soloway, Shaun Van Doren, and Jeff Kuhl, Hunterdon County Sheriff Fred Brown, and County Administrator Brad Myhre for making this happen.TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO BOOK THIS FREE TALK!
For ticketing use this link or cut and paste into your url if trouble with the link:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14: 7 PM:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15: 2 PM:
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16: 👀 "ALL HALLOWS EVE SONGS OF LOVE, DEATH AND THE SUPERNATURAL" - ENCORE PERFORMANCE (SEE READINGTON MUSEUMS BELOW, OCTOBER 2ND): WE LOVED PARTNERING WITH READINGTON MUSEUMS IN AUGUST SO MUCH WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN! JOIN US AT BOUMAN-STICKNEY FARMSTEAD, 2 PM. FOR AN ENCORE CONCERT OF HISTORICAL MUSIC PERFORMED BY Anne and Ridley Enslow: Balladeers, Ridley and Anne Enslow will perform an All Hallow’s Eve concert at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead on Sundays, October 2 and 16 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Readington Museums and history partner, www.Hunterdon300th.org will sponsor these events.
In addition to singing, Ridley will be on the violin and Ann on the hammered dulcimer. They will trace the legends, beliefs, and superstitions about Halloween beginning in medieval times through the 18th century and beyond. Halloween as we know it today did not exist before the 1870s. But, the roots of Halloween reach back centuries into our past—to All Hallow’s Eve and ancient holidays and rituals, superstitions, and folklore. Anne and Ridley Enslow bring these ancient mysteries to life with a program of music spanning several centuries.
Each show will be held outdoors. Please bring a chair or blanket. In case of rain, the program will be moved inside the barn on the property. The program is free, but donations are appreciated, and reservations are required. All donations go to benefit Readington Museums.
Please register for either program online through the link on Readington Museums' homepage, www.readingtonmuseums.org, contact the museum by email at readingtonmuseums@gmail.com or call 908-236-2327. GPS location: 114 Dreahook Road Lebanon NJ.
👀FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28th👻: THE TALE OF THE MURDERER, LITTLE JIM: 7:30 pm: Sightings of Little Jim around Hunterdon County occurred long after he was hung -- or do they still occur? Join us for a creepy Halloween tale steeped in folklore but with serious historical documentation. Stephanie Stevens, retired educator and County Historian Emerita, weaves the true story about a horrific murder, the teenaged murderer, his victim, and the last hanging in Hunterdon County's history. The murder weapon is owned by the Hunterdon County Historical Society, located just around the corner at 114 Main Street in Flemington, and may be on display that night. This story is a truly creepy historic tale and will be preceded with a true accounting of strange happenings in the Choir School. Halloween goodies will be provided. This event is not recommended for children under the age of 8 years old.
Free but reservations are required. Limited to 40 big and little people.
Flemington Choir School is located at 3 Chorister place, Flemington Borough. Park on Main Street or in the public parking lot behind 113 Main Street (near the former Mikasa building).
For ticketing use this link or cut and paste into your url if trouble with the link:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 (RAINDATE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30): WALKING TOUR OF ROSEMONT CEMETERY: 10 AM TO 11:30 AM: Looking for a story with a good plot? Well, how about a plot with a good story? Join Hunterdon County Historical Society Administrator Dave Harding on a walking tour of Rosemont Cemetery (100 Kingwood-Stockton Road in Rosemont). Dave will share stories about a number of denizens buried there including Captain Daniel Bray (later General), who was among several officers who collected all the boats on the upper Delaware River and hid them from the British troops snapping at the heels of General George Washington in late 1776; Aaron Rittenhouse Lewis, who as a hand-writing expert played a key role in the Lindbergh baby murder trial; Anne Elstner Matthews, a long-time Stockton resident and popular radio star for almost two decades; and Anton Schuck, a master mechanic, who built an automobile that ran on coal.
For ticketing use this link or cut and paste into your url if trouble with the link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-tour-of-rosemont-cemetery-tickets-405867971027
EVENTS FROM OUR FABULOUS HISTORICAL PARTNERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY!:
NOW THRU SEPTEMBER:LEBANON MUSEUM CELEBRATES FORTY YEARS:
Join the Lebanon Museum, voted best museum in Hunterdon County, in their celebration of their first forty years. The exhibit runs through September. 57 Musconetcong River Road. Phone: (908) 638-8523 x405
SEPTEMBER 24TH: LEBANON MUSUEM PRESENTS "PATH TO PRESERVATION: A SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF FOUR LOCAL HISTORICAL SITES, 10 AM TO 3:30 PM. Early autumn’s the perfect time for taking a drive through winding country roads and learning some local history along the way! Get a taste of the past at your own pace with the Path to Preservation self-guided tour, a free and fun activity for all ages. Pick up a passport* and travel to the local destinations, each representing different aspects of historic life (industry, education, religion, agriculture, home) as well as varying stages of site preservation.
The locations are the Asbury Graphite Mill (industry), the Lebanon Township Museum (education), the Mount Lebanon Church/Grange (both religion and agriculture) and the Solitude House (home). There is no particular order to visit the sites in; however, the suggested and most scenic route would be to go in the order listed above (or in reverse).
*Available at all participating sites
SEPTEMBER 24TH: EAST AMWELL HISTORIC SOCIETY CELEBRATES THE RINGOES GRANGE - ONE OF THE OLDEST IN OUR NATION: "HARVESTING OUR HISTORY": East Amwell Historical Society will be hosting the celebration of Ringoes Grange#12's 150th anniversary from 1-4 pm at the East Amwell Museum at 1053 Old York Road Ringoes by Clawson Park. All are welcome. It will also be the launch of the Grange exhibit at the museum. This new exhibit will feature many items discovered as part of the archival project undertaken by the Grange and the Historical Society over the summer as part of the anniversary commemoration.
OCTOBER 2ND: READINGTON MUSEUMS PRESENT: ANNE AND RIDLEY ENSLOW PERFORMING 👀"ALL HALLOW'S EVE: SONGS OF LOVE, DEATH, AND THE SUPERNATURAL", 2-3 PM: A new musical program by Anne and Ridley Enslow at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead. Balladeers, Ridley and Anne Enslow will perform an All Hallow’s Eve concert at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead on Sundays, October 2 and 16 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Readington Museums and history partner, www.Hunterdon300th.org will sponsor these events.
In addition to singing, Ridley will be on the violin and Ann on the hammered dulcimer. They will trace the legends, beliefs, and superstitions about Halloween beginning in medieval times through the 18th century and beyond. Halloween as we know it today did not exist before the 1870s. But, the roots of Halloween reach back centuries into our past—to All Hallow’s Eve and ancient holidays and rituals, superstitions, and folklore. Anne and Ridley Enslow bring these ancient mysteries to life with a program of music spanning several centuries.
Each show will be held outdoors. Please bring a chair or blanket. In case of rain, the program will be moved inside the barn on the property. The program is free, but donations are appreciated, and reservations are required.
Please register for either program online through the link on our homepage, www.readingtonmuseums.org, contact the museum by email at readingtonmuseums@gmail.com or call 908-236-2327. GPS location: 114 Dreahook Road Lebanon NJ.
The Readington Museums received an operating support re-grant from the Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, with funds from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
For more information, please visit
https://www.readingtontwpnj.gov/departments/museums or call 908-236-2327. Free. Donations appreciated.
The Readington Museums received an operating support re-grant from the Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, with funds from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
OCTOBER 2ND: LEBANON MUSEUMS PRESENT AN ART SHOW AND AUCTION: If you're an art lover, you'll love seeing all of the original art that will be created (28 & counting!) artists that are registered for the Paint the Town Plein Air Event! The Art Show & Silent Auction will be held from 5-8pm on Sunday October 2nd at the Inn at Glen Gardner. Artists will compete for cash prizes while the public is invited to enjoy and purchase art for sale. The bar and kitchen will be open until 9.
Sunday, October 23RD: Lambertville House Tour returns! 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Presented by the Lambertville Historical Society. For further information visit their website at https://lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org/
SPECIAL NEWS FROM THE HUNTERDON COUNTY CULTURE AND HERITAGE COMMISSION ABOUT THOSE HISTORIC BLUE SIGNS YOU SEE ALL OVER OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTY:
ADD A SIGN RIDER: BROADCAST YOUR MESSAGE. ENTICE PASSERS-BY. INFORM THOSE WHO WANT TO LEARN MORE LOCAL HISTORY.
Historic markers rarely convey more than a couple of words to passersby. Many are on the side of a road where drivers may grab a few words as they whiz past. If they pass by repeatedly, drivers may memorize the marker or stop and read the sign. Yet the story told is severely shortened to fit the sign. How to get more than a few words across?
Working with the County Division of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the Culture & Heritage Commission is making local history more widely available with technology most people have at home or carry with them: computers, tablets, and smartphones.
When you pass or are at an historic site, you may see a HuntHistory.Org "sign rider" below the marker. If you scan the QR code with your phone or enter the URL on your device, it will open an interactive map with more information.
This project has just begun. A few American Revolution sites are done. More are in progress. We hope to mark every Revolutionary Era site before the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
A total of ten categories encompass the variety of activities and locations of historic note. Local historians are invited to contribute a three to five page narrative on any historic site, preferably one marked by the County, a municipality, or a not-for-profit, although requests for new markers are always welcome. Help put local history on the map. For more information, please call Don Sherblom (908) 797-9900 or email cultural@co.hunterdon.nj.us
Guidelines for HuntHistory.Org web pages
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