Historic Happenings Blog

The Historical Society of Plainfield/Drake House Museum announces an online exhibit of “Plainfield During WWI and the Influenza Pandemic.”   The exhibit is dedicated to the memory of the 45 soldiers and their Gold Star Families from Plainfield and the surrounding area who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country during WWI. Some were born in Plainfield and others were immigrants, but all served their country with courage, bravery, and valor. Approximately 23 of the men succumbed to the Influenza Pandemic in 1918 and its related diseases. One of the men, Martin J. Kane, died as a result of pneumonia. He was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, and was stationed at Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook. He was called to duty to help guard Sayreville after the T. A. Gillespie Company Shell Loading Plant explosion or the Morgan explosion, which occurred on October 4, 1918. This explosion leveled over 300 buildings, burned for 3 days, and forced the evacuation and reconstruction of ...

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 His...

Sunday, March 24 – Union County “Reclaiming Our Voice: New Jersey’s Central Role in the Fight for Woman Suffrage”      The Historical Society of Plainfield will host a lecture entitled  “Reclaiming Our Voice: New Jersey’s Central Role in the Fight for Woman Suffrage”  on Sunday, March 24, 2019, starting at 2:00 PM at the Drake House Museum.      Carol Simon Levine will portray Lillian Feickert, president of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association from 1912-1920, who lived in Plainfield and North Plainfield. She will tell the story of the role of New Jersey women in the long struggle for woman suffrage.     Two hundred and twenty-five years ago, women had the right to vote in only one state, New Jersey, a right they would lose in 1807, and not win back for more than five generations. New Jersey's role in the struggle to regain that right is largely overlooked.     ...

Sunday, February 24 – Union County “Plainfield’s Hidden Black History”   The Historical Society of Plainfield will host a lecture and discussion entitled  “Plainfield’s Hidden Black History”  on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at 4:00 PM. The lecture and discussion will be led by Nancy Piwowar, president of the Historical Society of Plainfield.  “Plainfield’s Hidden Black History” will include photographs from the Historical Society’s archival collection, a discussion of the “1932 Survey of Negro Life in New Jersey” and the 1947 study of Plainfield.  Plainfield was a part of the “1932 Survey of Negro Life in New Jersey.” This study presented a picture of African-American life in New Jersey and included population, housing, employment, health, and recreation statistics to name a few. The 1947 study was an experimental study that focused on Plainfield, even though Plainfield’s name was not used.  Nancy Piwowar is a graduate of Plainfield High School, att...