Historic Happenings Blog

Tuesday, May 26 – Essex County The Toll of the Garden State Parkway in Bloomfield 7:30 PM at the Presbyterian Church on the Green, 147 Broad Street      Join Bloomfield historian Richard Rockwell as he explores  the impact the Garden State Parkway had on the township of Bloomfield when it was built in the 1950s. Through historical photos, maps and newspaper articles,  explore the controversies and protests surrounding the project, as well as the hundreds of houses that were demolished or moved to make way for the GSP.  Love it or hate it, you’ll be fascinated by the history of the Garden State Parkway through Bloomfield.     The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Parking  is available next door at the School Administration Building lot on the corner of Belleville Avenue and Broad Street. Caption:  “ Do you recognize this scene in Bloomfield? If you don’t, it’s because most of these hous...

Saturday, April 27 – Essex County Morris Canal Greenway Hike through Bloomfield DATE:  Saturday, April 27, 2019 TIME:  10:00 AM to 2:30 PM COST:  $5.00 ORGANIZATION : The Historical Society of Bloomfield, NJ (HSOB), the Bloomfield Morris Canal Greenway Committee and the Bloomfield Recreation Dept. CONTACT:   MorrisCanal@gmail.com    Join the Historical Society of Bloomfield, NJ (HSOB) for a three-mile hike conducted by Bloomfield Councilman Rich Rockwell and Ron Rice. Explore the path of the Morris Canal through Bloomfield using historic maps and photos, then take a bus ride for an additional two miles, stopping at the newly reclaimed section of the canal at Oak Tree Lane.    Reservations are required. $5.00 donation requested to cover the cost of the bus and 20-page handout with historic photos and color maps. To reserve a space, email  MorrisCanal@gmail.com Space is limited. Reservations are required. The excursion will be co-spon...

Tuesday, March 26 – Essex County Historical Society of Bloomfield presents “ Iron Coffin Mummies of New Jersey and New York ” 7:30 PM at the Bloomfield Civic Center, 84 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ COST:  FREE & open to the public      On March 26, experience a holistic glimpse into the investigation surrounding the identity of a woman found inside a Fisk iron coffin that was disturbed by construction crews in New York City. Through forensic investigation with archaeology, biology and history, Warnasch identified the woman as an African American domestic servant who had died of smallpox in the early 1850s.       Archeologist/ Anthropologist and Bloomfield resident Scott Warnasch will also tell of two other iron coffin mummies  he has discovered in Newark, NJ, and will include background on the coffins and what they teach us about this critical period of American history. A Q&A session will follow the lecture. Warnasch has be...