Weekend Historical Happenings: 1/4/14 - 1/5/14

WEEKEND HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

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Friday - Sunday, January 3 -5 - West Orange, Essex County

Holidays at Glenmont
Children Friendly

The sights and sounds of the season will greet visitors when they come to Thomas Edison's home in Llewellyn Park during "Holidays at Glenmont." Glenmont will be decorated much as it was while the Edison family lived there. Greenery and red poinsettias will deck the mantles above the fireplaces. Staircases will be ringed with boughs and red ribbon bows and wreaths will hang in every window. In the den, the majestic ten foot tree will be set and the presents underneath will be waiting as if the Edison children Madeleine, Theodore, and Charles, will soon come running down the stairs from their rooms - after they've checked their stockings in the upstairs living room! Family china will be displayed on the dining room table and the scene will be completed with holiday cards that were received by the family.

The Edison home, Glenmont, is located on a fifteen-acre estate in Llewellyn Park, the country's first private residential community. Built in 1880, the twenty-nine room mansion contains the original furnishings and family items used by the Edisons. The estate grounds include gardens, a greenhouse, barn, and the poured concrete garage containing the family's automobiles. Thomas and Mina Edison are buried on the grounds of the estate.

Car passes and tour tickets must be purchased at the Laboratory Complex Visitor Center at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ. Admission is $7.00, and includes the Glenmont Estate and the Laboratory Complex. Children under age 16 are free. For more information, call 973-736-0550 x11 or visit www.nps.gov/edis.

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Saturday, January 4 - Holmdel, Monmouth County

Farm Chores
Children Friendly

Looking for a fun way to start your day? Come help the staff with their morning chores at the farm on Saturday from 8:00 - 9:00 am. You and your child (age 4 and up) can milk a cow, collect eggs, and feed the animals. The cost is $15 per parent/child pair, $5 per additional person (cash or check only). Be sure to dress warmly! Historic Longstreet Farm is located at 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ. For more information, call 732-842-4000 ext. 4312 or visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com.

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Saturday, January 4 - Princeton, Mercer County

Stony Brook Walking Tour & Open House

Celebrate the 237th anniversary of the Battle of Princeton with the Princeton Historical Society! Following a portion of the trail George Washington took from Trenton to the Battlefield, this 90 minute tour includes stops at the Stony Brook Meeting House and cemetery. The tour begins at Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Princeton, NJ at 1:00 pm. The tour is included with museum admission - $4.00 per person. Registration is not required for the tour. The Farmstead will be open from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm.  For more information, call 609-921-6748 or visit www.princetonhistory.org.

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Sunday, January 5 - Somerville, Somerset County

Christmas Music for the Holidays

On Sunday, Linda Russell will perform 18th-century songs and ballads of the season, during a musical concert at the reception area of the historic site office. Ms. Russell, well-known for her historic musical interpretation, sings and plays period instruments including hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, guitar, and tin whistle. Seating begins at 7:00 pm. $10 per person. Advance reservations required. The Wallace House/Old Dutch Parsonage are located at 71 Somerset Street, Somerville, NJ. For more information and to register, call 908-725-1015 or e-mail whouse3@verizon.net.

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Sunday, January 5 - River Edge, Bergen County

Annual Twelfth Night Party

Finish your holiday season on a high note by joining the Bergen County Historical Society's celebration of Twelfth Night at Historic New Bridge Landing from 2:00 - 5:00 pm on Sunday. Members and guests are invited to bring an old family recipe, favorite food, dessert or drink to share in an afternoon of good fellowship and New Year cheer. Try and find the bean in your slice of King's cake.

In olden times, festivities surrounding Twelfth Night were the most lavish of the year, featuring a great feast with bonfires, plays, music, dancing, and wassailing. The ancient custom of wassailing involved making twelve fires of straw and drinking toasts of cider or ale. A mock king, called the King of Beans, or Lord of Misrule, was elected by lot: the guest who discovered a bean in his or her slice of Twelfth Night Cake was elected sovereign for the revelries. In some places, these kings and queens placed white crosses in the rafters to exclude hobgoblins, witches, and bugs for the remainder of the year.

This members and guests only event takes place in Campbell-Christie House at New Bridge Landing, 1201 Main Street, River Edge, NJ. For more information, call 201-343-9492 or visit www.bergencountyhistory.org.

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Sunday, January 5 - Madison, Morris County
Harp Ensemble Concert

Join musician Odarka Stockert as she gathers several of her fellow harpists, known as Harpantics, in one unbelievable afternoon of music at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts on Sunday at 2:00 pm. Be swept away with the beauty of the ensemble's sound. Space is limited. Pre-registration is strongly recommended. Admission is $10 for non-members and $5.00 for members. The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts is located at 9 Main Street, Madison, NJ. For more information and to register, call 973-377-2982 x14 or visit www.metc.org.

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Sunday, January 5 - Morristown, Morris County

Victorian Christmas at Acorn Hall

Renowned local interior designer, Kevin Fitzpatrick, joins the Morris County Historical Society in ‘Decking the Halls’ for this year’s Victorian Christmas celebration at Acorn Hall. Mr. Fitzpatrick has worked professionally with Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, and has designed for a wide variety of celebrities. Come celebrate the splendor of the holiday season with the Society, and enjoy generous Victorian decorations throughout its period rooms and hallways.

Special features this year include a custom feather tree decorated in authentic mid-19th century ornaments, mantels decorated in lavish period silk fabrics, and, of course, our ornately decorated upside-down Christmas tree. Colorful evergreen garlands highlighted by shining ornaments and numerous themed-decorations on bright Christmas trees and arrangements are certain to place guests in the holiday spirit.  

The Oakleaf Gallery Gift Shop at Acorn Hall offers many unique and perfect solutions to fulfill all of your holiday gift-giving needs. Vintage clothing and jewelry, one-of-a-kind hand-crafted accessories, refurbished Victorian-era hooks and hardware, distinctive books on Morris County history, and adorable items sure to make any child smile, await visitors stopping by the shop. 

Acorn Hall was built in 1853 and remodeled in the Italianate Villa-style in 1860. It is open for tours on Sundays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, and by appointment. 

The gift shop is open Monday - Friday, from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Sunday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, and by appointment. We are scheduling special wine and cheese shopping-nights-out, please make your appointment soon. 

Tours of the house and exhibit are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for students. Children under 12 and members are free. There is no admission fee for those who are only visiting the gift shop. Acorn Hall is located at 68 Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-267-3465 or visit www.acornhall.org.

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Sunday, January 5 - South River, Middlesex County

Open House
CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

Stop by the South River Historical & Preservation Society on Sunday from 1:30 - 3:30 pm and view exhibits on all aspects of Borough history including: schools; churches and houses of worship; local businesses and organizations; daily life; events and celebrations; and more. While you are there, see the cemetery located behind the building, ask questions, drop off donations, or exchange hometown stories with the docents. The museum is located at 64-66 Main Street, South River. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njsrhps/museum.html

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Through Tuesday, January 5, 2014 - Princeton, Mercer County

Festival of Trees

Morven Museum and Garden's annual Festival of Trees has become a must-see Princeton holiday tradition. Enjoy the museum’s elegant galleries decorated for the holidays and adorned with trees artfully decorated by local businesses, garden clubs, and non-profit organizations.

This year’s Festival of Trees exhibitors include: Arts Council of Princeton, Stony Brook Garden Club of Princeton, Dogwood Garden Club, Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton Doll & Toy Museum, Vicki Trainer, Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County, McCarter Theatre, Keris Tree Farm & Christmas Shop, Barbara L. Mulea, Landau of Princeton, Hulit’s Shoes, One Simple Wish, D & R Greenway Land Trust, Garden Club of Princeton, and West Elm by Gordon Goode.

No reservations necessary. Morven is open to the public on Wednesdays through Fridays from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and Saturdays through Sundays from 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm.

Admission $6, $5 for Seniors, and special pricing for families during Festival of Trees, $15 per group. Friends of Morven, free. Please note that during the Festival of Trees in December and early January, no formal tours are given, but docents are available to answer any questions. No reservations necessary. Morven Museum and Garden is located at 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ. For more information, call 609-924-8144 or visit www.morven.org.

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Through Tuesday, January 7, 2014 - Tuckerton, Ocean County

Festival of Trees
Children Friendly Site

Roll out the holly and sharing in some holiday cheer at Tuckerton Seaport's Festival of Trees. The Festival of Trees will feature dozens of trees, each one decorated for a local nonprofit organization with a unique theme. Open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. General admission: adults $8, seniors $6, ages 5-12 $5, under five free and Seaport members free. The Tuckerton Seaport and Baymen's Museum is located at 120 West Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ. For more information, call 609-296-8868 or visit www.tuckertonseaport.org.

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Through Thursday, January 30, 2014 - Morristown, Morris County

"Not a Creature Was Stirring"

This year's Christmas exhibit at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is entitled "Not a Creature Was Stirring" - 'Christmas Animals, Toys and Thomas Nast'" and is available to view on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday afternoons during touring hours, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The museum will reopen after the holiday break on January 2 and the exhibit will remain on display until Thursday, January 30. This second floor gallery exhibit features several of the museum's holiday-themed Thomas Nast images, as well as toys and ornaments from a century ago. This is the sixth year antique dealers and local collectors have assembled their unique treasures to create a universally charming Christmas holiday exhibit. This year's display features an animal theme, displayed in the form of toys, animals and more. This exhibit was once again created through generous object loans from Joe and Sharon Happle of Sign of the Tymes Antiques, Lafayette NJ, Lauren V. Rethwisch of Wooly Sheep Antiques, Robbinsville NJ, and objects from Barbara Silverstein's collection.

Guided tours leave throughout touring hours, with the last tour leaving around 3:00 pm. The galleries and gift shop, which stocks a range of Thomas Nast Christmas items including cards, prints and ornaments as well as other gift items, are open until 4:00 pm. 

The Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-538-2404 or visit www.maccullochhall.org.

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Through June 30, 2014 - Piscataway, Middlesex County

Got Work? Exhibit

View the exhibit "Got Work? New Deal/WPA in New Jersey" at the 1741 Cornelius Low House Museum in Piscataway. The museum is open Tuesday - Friday, 8:30 - 4:00 pm and Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The exhibit will run through June 30, 2014.

The Cornelius Low House, built in 1741, was the home to its namesake and is only one of two remaining buildings from historic Raritan Landing. This high-style Georgian mansion is listed on the National Register and operated by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Admission to the museum is FREE. The museum is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ . For more information, visit http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage.

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Through February 2014 - Madison, Morris County

Ghosts, Ghouls, & Gravestones Exhibit

Children Friendly Site

The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts presents "Ghosts, Ghouls, & Gravestones: The Trades of Burial," which will examine the progression of the burial trade. Passing away from this world was once a family affair, but over time, the process spread through the social and economic ties of the community. By 1900, a robust funeral industry had developed that saw to a family's every need. The exhibit will also explore the strict protocols that dictated mourning and the artistry in gravestones.

Regular Museum admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, students & children (ages 6 and older), and free for members and children under 6. Family maximum admission $13.00. The Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm. The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts is located at 9 Main Street in Madison, NJ just two blocks from the Madison train station. For information, please call 973-377-2982 x10 or visit www.metc.org.

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Through February 14, 2014 - Woodbury, Gloucester County

The Civil War: Echoes of New Jersey’s Finest 

As the 150th anniversary of the Civil War is being observed across America, the Gloucester County Historical Society Museum is featuring an exhibit of artifacts that tell unique stories about local soldiers during this traumatic time in our nation’s history.  Along with military equipment, there are also photographs, Civil War letters, the first Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to a NJ soldier, a thirty-three foot long flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the Civil War, personal items that belonged to local union soldiers, and much more.

Gloucester County Historical Society Museum is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm and the last Sunday of the month from 2:00 - 5:00 pm. Adult admission $5; children 6-18 years $1; children under 6 free. The museum is located at 58 North Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ. For more information, call 856-848-8531 or visit www.rootsweb.com/~njgchs.

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Through Sunday, February 23, 2014 - Trenton, Mercer County

Historic Maps of the Garden State Exhibit

Children Friendly Activities

Often overlooked as a decorative art form, maps are ideal artifacts for exploring New Jersey history. Stories of New Jersey’s social, economic, military, environmental and political history – as well as the state’s role in the history of American transportation – can be told through the visual splendor of the Garden State’s historic maps.

Opening on September 7 and running through February 23, 2014, “Where in the World is New Jersey? Historical Maps of the Garden State” is comprised of nearly 100 maps depicting the colony and state of New Jersey from 1635 through 1950 on display at the New Jersey State Museum.

This unprecedented exhibition provides the visitor with an introductory survey of historical maps depicting the colony and state of New Jersey from 1635 until 1950. The nearly 100 maps on display – most of which are original hand-colored copperplate engravings or chromolithographs – come from the collections of four public institutions – the New Jersey State Museum, State Archives, State Library, and Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. They were selected for their rarity, their ability to convey aspects of New Jersey history, and their artistic merit – underscoring the dual role of maps as both works of art and utilitarian tools essential to the human experience. 

The New Jersey State Museum, located at 205 West State Street in Trenton, NJ is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 am - 4:45 pm. The Museum is closed Mondays and all state holidays. The NJ State Museum has a “suggested” admission fee. For more information, visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov or call the recorded information line at 609-292-6464. On weekends, free parking is available in lots adjacent to and behind the Museum. Please visit www.trentonparking.com for a number of options for parking in downtown Trenton during the week.

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Through June 2014 - Morristown, Morris County
"Controversies: The More Things Change..." Exhibit

Currently on display at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is an exhibition about topics that helped shape our world. "Controversies: The More Things Change..." opens new territory for the Museum, presenting challenging subject matter that may not be suitable for casual dinner conversation. This new exhibit explores topics that helped shape our world through local history events which had national significance: medical experimentation, immigration, and the right to die.

"Controversies: The More Things Change..." inspires people to consider, even reconsider, the ways in which they think about these important, frequently debated issues. The exhibit explores local history events which had national significance: the 1833 Antoine LeBlanc murder trial and public execution; the immigration issues of the late nineteenth century as depicted by political cartoonist Thomas Nast, a Morristown resident, and the 1976 Karen Ann Quinlan "right to die" case.

The museum is making a major departure in exhibit presentations with "Controversies."  Where most exhibits typically provide detailed information about the objects on view, "Controversies" offers limited information about the objects, essentially forcing personal thought, and inspiring discussion, about the areas represented.  Each object and concept in the exhibit represents a part of New Jersey's history - specifically Morris County's history. The ideas expressed through the historical objects in the exhibit, however, are not confined to New Jersey boundaries- the significant concerns raised by the important and controversial issues showcased in this exhibit continue to be debated throughout the United States and the world.

"We wanted to give our visitors a chance to participate in an exhibit in a new way - to have a reaction without being guided by the institution's interpretation of what the objects represent, which labels typically provide," said Executive Director Carrie Fellows. Instead, curator's books of supplementary information will be available within the exhibit, should the visitor want to learn more, drawn from primary sources like news articles, contemporary commentary, and images. Visitors are encouraged to leave comments about the themes presented.

The exhibition was inspired when Fellows and Ryan C. Hyman, the Museum's curator, heard Burt Logan, Executive Director of the Ohio Historical Society speak at a conference about the organization's groundbreaking "Controversy: Pieces You Don't Normally See" exhibit, and its sequel, "Controversy 2: Pieces We Don't Normally Talk About". During his talk, Mr. Logan strongly encouraged other museums to adapt the concept and develop similar exhibits. Inspired by the presentation, Hyman and Fellows began discussing how they might create an exhibit using themes from the Morris area's rich history.

"Controversies: The More Things Change..." will be on view during Museum touring hours through June 2014. Please note the subject matter may not be suitable for all audiences. Visitor discretion advised. Recommended for visitors 12 years of age and older.

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum preserves the history of the Macculloch-Miller families, the Morris area community, and the legacy of its founder W. Parsons Todd through its historic site, collections, exhibits, and educational and cultural programs. The Museum is open for house and exhibit tours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The last tour leaves at 3:00 pm. Adults $8; Seniors & Students $6; Children 6 - 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are free.  For more information, call 973-538-2404 ext. 10 or visit www.maccullochhall.org. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is located at 45 Macculloch Avenue, Morristown, NJ.

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Through August, 2014 - Lyndhurst, Bergen County

Let's Play! An Exhibit of Beloved Toys

Children Friendly

From a china-head doll to a Lionel train, several toys are on display at the Little Red Schoolhouse Museum as the Lyndhurst Historical Society recalls fun times with favorite toys. The new exhibit, "Let's Play! An Exhibit of Beloved Toys," is open now through August 2014.

The exhibit is free and open to the public, though a small donation to the Society would be appreciated. The Little Red Schoolhouse Museum is open on the second and fourth Sundays of  every month from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The Lyndhurst Historical Society was established in 1984 in an effort to preserve the 1893 schoolhouse, located at 400 Riverside Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ. For more information, call 201-804-2513 (leave a message) or visit www.lyndhursthistoricalsociety.org.

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Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey