Union County - Plainfield - “Ere the Shadows Fade: New Jersey’s Civil War Era Photographers “


Sunday, May 19 – Union County
“Ere the Shadows Fade: New Jersey’s Civil War Era Photographers “

   The Historical Society of Plainfield will host a lecture entitled “Ere the Shadows Fade: New Jersey’s Civil War Era Photographers” on Sunday, May 19, 2019, starting at 2:00 PM at the Drake House Museum. The lecture will be given by Gary D. Saretzky, Archivist, Educator, and Photographer.

   Why were photographers important during the Civil War Era? The then-new ability to capture images at that time resulted in an increase in demand – from soldiers and families – for images of loved ones. More galleries opened and photographers moved to cities and towns. Several notable New Jersey photographers, including George S. Cook and Theodore Gubelman, contributed to the field. Gary Saretzky will guide the conversation about the evolution of the photography industry and the significance of the images captured.

   The Historical Society of Plainfield will have on display a small collection of images by Guillermo Thorn (1837-1920) who moved to Plainfield in 1864. Thorn established a photography studio on East Front Street, and he took portraits and scenes of the Plainfield area. Thorn’s images can be found in the collection of the Plainfield Public Library, the Nancy Thompson Library at Kean University, and the Getty Museum.

   Gary D. Saretzky has been the Monmouth County Archivist since 1994. Saretzky taught history of photography at Mercer County Community College from 1977 to 2012 and coordinated the Rutgers Public History Internship Program from 1994 to 2016. He has served as a consultant on archives and photographic conservation to more than 50 different repositories, has taught numerous workshops, and lectures on the history of photography and preserving photographs.

 This program is in honor of the City of Plainfield’s sesquicentennial celebration. Seating is limited and is on a first-come first-serve basis. Light refreshments will be served. Program is free, and visitors will receive a Guillermo Thorn Union County History card. Donations are always appreciated. 
Location: 602 W Front St, Plainfield, NJ 07060, USA

Popular posts from this blog

Monmouth County - Atlantic Highlands - Chris Brune: 1890s in Music, Story & Poetry

Image
Chris Brune: 1890s in Music, Story & Poetry Lecture: The 1890's in Music, Story, and Poetry Join us on Wednesday, November 14th as we continue celebrating the Strauss Mansion's 125th anniversary year. Storyteller and performer, Chris Brune shares stories, songs and information in the style popular in the 1890's. Brune will be playing music in various styles and instruments and giving recitations and readings of classic American literature. Admission is free to all. Refreshments served. Strauss Mansion Museum 27 Prospect Circle Atlantic Highlands, NJ, 07716 Email: ahhistoricalinfo@gmail.com Phone: 732 291 1861 
Read more

Mercer County - Lawrence Twp - “Rediscovering the New York University Papyrus Collection: Recent Preservation and Digitization Efforts”

Image
Thursday, February 27 – Mercer County              Princeton Preservation Group to Meet on February 27 about Papyrus     Ask anyone on the street in Princeton what the Princeton Preservation Group is and you are likely to get a raised eyebrow and a guess that they are people who want to preserve the town.  Actually, the Princeton Preservation Group (PPG) has been meeting several times per year since 1983 to hear lectures on a wide range of topics relating to the preservation of cultural artifacts, including books, manuscripts, artwork, furniture, photographs, tombstones, Lucy the Elephant, quilts, costumes, videotapes, and buildings, just to name a few.       The “Princeton” in PPG’s name derives from its founder, the late Susan Swartzburg, Preservation Librarian at Alexander Library at Rutgers. Swartzburg, a Princeton resident, taught a class in the Rutgers graduate librar...
Read more

Somerset County - Kingston - A visit with an 18th-Century Surgeon-Dentist

Image
Sunday, June 9 – Somerset County Save the Date for a visit with an  18th-Century Surgeon-Dentist      Let us be clear: George Washington did not have wooden teeth. However, he did have dental problems through most of his adult life, as did many 18th-century folk of both high and low social class. There were no regular visits to dentists, with tooth brushing and flossing in between at that time.  There weren't even dentists as we know them today. Dentistry was only just evolving as a separate profession through the eighteenth century. Barber-surgeons or surgeon-dentists provided many more services than our modern dentists. Toothbrushes were somewhat new, but rare for most people to use or even own. Germs were an unknown entity.      On Sunday, June 9 at Rockingham, Marjory Wienkop will be in residence in the Dutch barn with a display of colonial-era surgeon-dentist instruments, related objects and much information on the real story of who took...
Read more