Historic Happenings Blog

Sunday, January 18 - Atlantic City, Atlantic County Absecon Lighthouse Turns 163! Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey's tallest, will host a Birthday Celebration to honor the 163rd birthday of the lighthouse on Saturday with free climbs from 11:00 am - 3:30 pm. If you truly want to "DO AC," then don't miss this opportunity to experience a 360-degree view of Atlantic City's sparkling skyline, and wish a Happy Birthday to Atlantic City's oldest historic structure, as well as the country's third tallest lighthouse. Absecon Lighthouse is a state-owned historic property administered by the non-profit Inlet Public/Private Association. Located at 31 South Rhode Island Avenue in Atlantic City, it is open to visitors Thursdays through Mondays, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. For more information, call 609-449-1360 or visit  www.abseconlighthouse.org .

Sunday, August 25   - Sandy Hook, Monmouth County Founders Day - 103rd Birthday of the National Park Service Participate in various National Park Service themed games/activities trivia at the Visitor Center at Sandy Hook on Saturday from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Cake and refreshments will be served in the Visitor Center/Sandy Hook Lighthouse Keepers Quarters. This event is FREE. When visiting Sandy Hook, tell the fee collector that you are visiting Fort Hancock and want to participate in the Founders Day Celebration at the lighthouse (there will be no admission charge to enter Fort Hancock). For more information, visit  www.nps.gov/gate .

Location T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center 94 Drs. James Parker Blvd Red Bank, NJ 07701 Grand Opening in 2019

Saturday, August 10 – Manhattan    Join the Hamilton Grange National Memorial and the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society as we celebrate Eliza Schuyler Hamilton's birthday. Born on August 9th, 1757, Eliza would have been 262 years old this year.    Guided tours will not be offered on the day of the event, but the period rooms of Hamilton's historic home will be open for self-guided tours. Self-guided tours of the historic floor will be offered from 10:00am to 1:00pm and again from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Admission is free! 11:00 am - “The Hamilton Children: Legacy of a Founding Father"     There were eight Hamilton children and seven of them were alive at the time of their father's tragic death. What happens to them after this heart-breaking moment? Eliza is now left to raise them as a single mother. How does she instill in them the ability to follow their own dreams while shouldering their father's legacy? Join us as we dive into the paths ...

Saturday, August 3   - Farmingdale, Monmouth County James P. Allaire’s Birthday and Guild Day Join us in celebrating our founder’s birthday! James P. Allaire founded the Howell Iron Works in 1822 as an iron factor town.  Now as a living history museum, we like to take a day and celebrate our almost 200-year history.  We will have craft demonstrations, speeches, and fanfare. All of our guilds will be out demonstrating their crafts.  This is a great day to come out see what the village is all about if you are interested in volunteering. Tour Mr. Allaire’s home, enjoy birthday cake and entertainment throughout the village! Participate in our field day activities and try your hand at horseshoes and Whist! The Historic Village at Allaire is located at 4263 Atlantic Avenue, Farmingdale, NJ. For more information, contact the Allaire Village office during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, at 732-919-3500 or visit  www.allairevillage.org .

Sunday, March 17 – Morris County      As luck would have it, Mount Tabor was founded on St Patrick’s Day, 1869. Now the town will be celebrating its 150th anniversary with a free event featuring food, arts, theater, and gingerbread houses on Sunday, March 17 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.     Mount Tabor, NJ, originally founded in 1869 as a Methodist camp retreat, quickly flourished into a year-round, all-inclusive community, with streets named after ministers, a celebrated "Children's Day," and Gingerbread Victorian houses that could almost be described as delicious.      Although Mount Tabor was incorporated into the township of Parsippany in 1980, this village off Route 53 retains its own post office, zip code, and independent spirit.     So 150 years after its founding, new residents, alongside descendants of the original ones, will be honoring their heritage with a free, open-house event with tables including: ...