Historic Happenings Blog

   With our lives being somewhat at a standstill due to the Covid 19 , the  Heritage Trail Association has missed you . We hope that you and your families are healthy and rested. We hope you have missed us, too! Our great programs that were planned will happen eventually and we want to see you when we are operating again!     We are still planning our guided, interactive tours for Weekend Journey Through the Past, with some modification, on October 10th and 11th. More on our website shortly. ​    But in the meantime here is a little fact sheet--first in a series--for you to enjoy, created by our own Lazarus Turner, who not only is a wiz at 21st-century technology but a grand historian as well. See below:

Publick Dance, Period music and Frivolity Saturday, April 18, 2020, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm This 18th-century publick dance will feature live music by Anne and Ridley Enslow and the dances will be called by the Van Horne's dance master, Lazarus Turner. Open to reenactors and local and not so local friends alike, Colonial attire is welcome but NOT mandatory. Dances will progress from simple to more complex as the evening progresses. 25.00 pp goes toward the musicians! Questions? Call Cindy directly at 310-691-9388 or email at info@htanj.org. Event Details

Sunday, December 8 – Somerset County      Unavoidable Inconveniences: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Revolution .  Dr. Steven Elliott of Rutgers University-Newark will discuss his research about t he Revolutionary War’s Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-1779 in Somerset County, and how that little-known but pivotal time of the war was influenced by previous encampments. Dr. Elliot will discuss the relations between soldiers stationed in Middlebrook and the civilian population that supported them.    The event will be held at the historic Van Horne House, 941 East Main St, Bridgewater, NJ. Doors open at 1:45 PM and the event will begin at 2:00.    Free parking is available at the Target behind the Van Horne House.  Please allow up to two weeks to accommodate any mobility or special access requests. We are unable to offer refunds after the ticket purchase is complete.

Sunday, November 10 – Somerset County    Join the Heritage Trail Association on Sunday, November 10, at 2 PM, for a presentation entitled, "George Washington: Miracles from My Life," by renowned interpreter Sam Davis! Mr Davis will show a series of seven deeply improbable miracles that shaped Washington's career, from wars in the Colonial era through to his Presidency. 1. The Battle of the Monongahela and the prophecy of the Indian chief. 2. Falling into the Allegheny River and being shot at point-blank by a Native American and surviving. 3. Colonel Knox bringing 60 tons of cannon 300 miles from Ticonderoga, New York to Boston. 4. The nor’ easter that occurred before the Battle of Trenton. 5. The frost that made the ground like cement after the second Battle of Trenton. 6. The Battle of Princeton. 7. How Martha Washington saved the Revolution. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased by  clicking here .  The event will be held at the historic Van Horne House, 941 Ea...

Sunday, September 15 – Somerset County      Who murdered the illicit lovers Reverend Edward Hall and Mrs. Eleanor Mills in the 1920s? Join the Heritage Trail on Sunday, September 15 at 11 AM to try to find the answer!    Over the course of three hours, you will be introduced to the players, review the evidence, learn about the politics of the time that affected the case, and learn how the case was investigated.     Twelve lucky people will be randomly chosen to be on the jury, and they will deliberate and render their verdict. Will it be you?     Everyone will enjoy a box lunch and share their opinions of the murders and who is guilty.     As an additional bonus, attendees may purchase our book, "COLD CASE: Hall Mills Murder Revisited" for $5 off the original price. Other books will also be on sale, too.     Seating is limited so reserve your ticket now. Tickets a...

Saturday, August 17 – Somerset County     Members and Friends of the Somerset County Historical Society! It's almost time to celebrate!   It's almost time for our  2nd annual Hungry for Heritage picnic.  Please join us from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, rain or shine at the Van Veghten House, 9 Van Veghten Drive, Bridgewater.    Feel free to bring guests. The program includes a "show and tell" of a personal/family treasure. The picnic is a potluck format, so if you would like, bring a dish to share. We hope to see you there!

Saturday, June 29 -- Somerset County Free Family Picnic!  Saturday, June 29 -- 6 p.m. until the fireworks at the ballpark end (around 10 p.m.) Historic Van Horne House, 941 E. Main St., Bridgewater   Join us for lawn games (including croquet and giant-sized lawn bowling), visits inside the historic Van Horne House, and more! Stay with us and watch the fireworks across the street at TD Bank Park after the Somerset Patriots baseball game ends.   Free gift for every child who attends! Bring your own food, drinks, and lawn chairs and blankets (please carry out your trash). Parking is  available behind the Target store at the Bridgewater Promenade.   Free tickets are available online at  https://www.eventbrite.com/o/heritage-trail-association-10625263828  and will be available at the door.   No alcoholic beverages or smoking.

Washington's Middlebrook Cantonment  November 1778-June 1779 Saturday, June 8, 2019 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Bridgewater Municipal Courtroom   100 Commons Way, Bridgewater, NJ   (near where the encampment took place)  Reservations required; $25; www.htanj.org You are cordially invited to attend a symposium to mark the 240th Anniversary of General George Washington's Middlebrook Cantonment, November 1778- June 1779. Meet your fellow Revolutionary War enthusiasts and learn about this exciting seven-month cantonment from noted speakers. Topics include: *The importance of the Watchung Mountains to the Continental Army, Mark Di Ionno, author and retired editor of the Star-Ledger *Lessons Learned from Previous Encampments, Steven Elliott, winner of our 2017 Middlebrook Research Award. *Baron Von Stuben's ceremonial review of the troops in honor of Washington and the French minister, M. Girard. We intend to have a historian from the French Consul in NY. *Somerset Coun...

Sunday, May 5 – Somerset County Doris Duke Author Brings Socialite Inspiration to Bridgewater Historic Headquarters History Talk & Book Re-Issue Party Location: 9 Van Veghten Drive, Bridgewater NJ Date & Time: Sunday, May 5 th , 2019 @1:30pm    The Somerset County Historical Society is pleased to announce the third in its 2019 series of History Talks at the society’s headquarters in the Historic Van Veghten House. Ms. Rikki Lyn Hauss will share the story about  Doris Duke and the recent controversy over the demolition of her estate home in Hillsborough.    Ms. Hauss, a Hillsborough resident herself, fell in love with the Duke Estate as a teenager but didn’t discover the extraordinary woman who owned it until a few years later. An active member of the grassroots organization DORIS, she was involved on the front lines in the effort to save Duke’s historic mansion from the bulldozer. After the unsuccessful effort, she captured the dramat...

Saturday, May 4 -- Somerset County An Afternoon with Gordon Thomas Ward, New Jersey's Troubadour Before Gordon leaves NJ, he has consented to making The Heritage Trail Association one of his very last stops. This performance contains a variety of the very best music, inspirational experiences, historical adventures, poignant book passages, and ghostly tales that this Grammy-balloted musician, New Jersey troubadour, popular author, celebrated storyteller, and ghost researcher has to offer.  No doubt, you've enjoyed this Renaissance Man's programs in the past. This one features the cream of the crop with something special for everyone! Gordon will sell his books (16-18.00) and CD's-10.00 **Tickets may be purchased at the door, providing there are seats available. Space is limited. Get your tickets early for your last opportunity to experience  Gordon Thomas Ward in NJ.

Sunday, April 28 – Somerset County    The next  walking tour sponsored by the Somerset County Historical Society will be held on April 28th . If you've missed the other three tours, we tour the protected property behind the Van Veghten House. During the tour, we will mainly be enjoying the beauty that lies behind the house and then also talking about how the land was used over the past 400 years. The tour will start at 2, but if you'd like to join us for some coffee and donuts at 1:30 before we start, we'd love to have you. Sunday, April 28th 1:30-3:00pm Meet at the front of The Van Veghten House, 9 Van Veghten Drive, Bridgewater

Battle of Bound Brook events, April 13-14

Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14 – Somerset County Battle of Bound Brook weekend The British have high-tailed it back to New Brunswick, Lord Cornwallis has vacated the home of Philip Van Horne on his quest to capture General Lincoln to no avail- What do we colonials do? Party at Convivial Hill of course!     Join the Middlebrook Theatrical Society for an evening of pleasant 18th century English and Scottish Country dances with live music by the amazing Anne and Ridley Enslow!   Beginners are most welcome. The series of dances are structured to progress from the very simple, allowing full participation by all attendees. This is a rare opportunity to learn country line dancing in the colonial style!    "Light refreshments served in the manner of Coffee including coffee, chocolate, biscuits, and toast."   Come smartly dressed in shoes for dancing and if you have it, Colonial attire is encouraged. Van Horne House 941 E. Main St., ...