Historic Happenings Blog

Monday, January 20 – Morris County New Exhibit: Surveying the New Jersey Landscape Opens January 20, 2020 January 20, 2020, to June 14, 2020 New Jersey’s beautiful and varied landscapes give its residents many reasons to celebrate. The Garden State’s backdrop is a colorful, diverse scenery – from the Great Swamp, to the coastal Jersey Shore, to the mountain ranges. Its natural features have drastically shaped the lives of the people who have inhabited the area for thousands of years. But how have people interacted with this land over time? Historic maps, surveying tools, and other accounts provide the keys to better understanding our relationship to our environment. Artistic renderings reveal the creativity that our natural surroundings often spark within us. As you explore  Surveying the New Jersey Landscape , consider your own connection to the landscape and the human impact that we have had on the local topography, wildlife, and vegetation over time. Thank You To Those Who Helpe...

Thursday, February 6 – Morris County #lookfortheriver: How “finding” lost waterways can help us adapt February 6 from 7:00 pm  -  8:30 pm   Included with Admission In this Public Scholars Program session on February 6, 2020, at 7pm, Heather Fenyk, founder & president of the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership, will discuss the changes made to our urban streams over time; how to read a topographic map, identify watersheds, and #lookfortheriver – to empower community members to explore their own local landscapes. As we travel through our communities, few of us think about the hidden world of streams and rivers that once flowed across the landscape. In the face of climate change and increased precipitation, real life has shown us that stormwater runoff and flooding have intensified. Centuries of piping, culverting and development have hidden the vast majority of waterways in urban areas. The impact of these factors can be devastating: communities are alienated from their...

Sweet Treats: Desserts & Delicacies from the Garden StateExhibit open June 25, 2019 through January 5, 2020 Visit METC Today! Sharing special foods is a timeless tradition that has shaped our social gatherings for centuries, even though our taste buds and cooking methods have changed quite a bit over time. Next time you indulge in your favorite dessert, think about how it was prepared and where the ingredients came from. Was the recipe handed down through generations? Sweet Treats: Desserts & Delicacies from the Garden State will indulge your senses in the rich culinary traditions that find their roots here in the Garden State. The exhibit features historic cookware, and draws from local recipes to help shape our understanding of the expertise and artisanship involved in creating these special dishes, many of which continue to be enjoyed today. Hours Monday:    Closed Tuesday–Saturday:    10am–4pm Sunday*:   Noon-5pm Closed on Easter, Sunday, April...

Saturday, October 19 – Morris County METC Architecture Tour Back by Popular Demand     The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts (METC)  will host an  Architecture Tour of the magnificent James Library Building  on  Saturday, October 19, 2019, at 11am.  Tickets to this specialty tour are $ 15 per person  and are available at  www.metc.org .  Pre-registration is required.     This will be the second Architecture Tour of the building. The first tour held on July 20, 2019, sold out.  Alison Grenier-Poupel will lead an hour-long exterior and interior tour of the Richardsonian Romanesque structure. Grenier-Poupel is a METC Docent and architectural historian.  She is a former member of the French Ministry of Culture and has worked with restorers, architects, and other professionals in Paris and the Cathedral in Lyon, France.     Built in 1899, the building was a gift to the residents of...

Monday, October 14 – Morris County      Madison Historical Society presents  Dr. Herman Huber  (pictured)  speaking on “Lt. Samuel S. Coursen, Madison’s Medal of Honor Recipient”  on October 14, 2019 (a Monday evening) in the Chase Room of the Madison Public Library. The talk will be followed by a demonstration of the Library’s “Madison Eagle Archive” by David Luber.      Dr. Huber was raised in Philadelphia and attended Temple University. He then attended graduate school in Clinical Psychology at Rutgers University in New Brunswick where he earned a PhD. He had a private practice for many years, and also worked for the Social Security Administration reviewing disability claims.  He was an adjunct assistant professor at Drew University and later at the College of Saint Elizabeth was professor and chair of the psychology department. He is the author of a number of children’s books. Herm now enjoys h...

Thursdays, beginning on October 10 – Morris County Spanish Language After School at the Museum: Toys & Games of the Past Spanish Language After School at the Museum: Toys & Games of the Past (This class is taught in Spanish) Thursdays, October—November, 4:15-5:15pm Start Date: October 10  FREE -- Grades: K-2 Join us for some fun at METC! Discover many of the toys and games children played with 200 years ago while creating, developing and decorating your own. Funding provided by METC Scholarship Program.  Click here to register! Para informacion en español, visite  www.metc.org .

Tuesdays, beginning September 24 – Morris County After School at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts: Innovative Women of New Jersey Tuesdays, September—November, 4:15-5:15pm Start Date: September 24 Cost: $96 for 8 week session (10% off for members) Grades: 1-4 Explore the wide range of roles women have played throughout New Jersey history and create related crafts, including basket making and sculpture, in this interactive and hands-on program.  Click here to register!

Saturday, September 21 – Morris County  Smithsonian Museum Day and Grand Opening of Our Newly Renovated Children's Multi-purpose Room at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts 10am - 4pm Admission by donation     METC is participating in Smithsonian Magazine’s National Museum Day, offering free admission to all Museum Day ticket holders. Tickets will be available for the public to download beginning August 15, 2019, at  www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday. As part of the celebration, bring the whole family for the grand re-opening and dedication of the Children's Multi-purpose Room. Ribbon cutting ceremony is at 2pm! 9 Main Street, Madison

Tuesday, September 17 -- Morris County The Madison Historical Society presents Rob Dunne, who will speak about the  history of the Madison Fire Department at 7:00 p.m. in the Chase Room , Madison Public Library on Keep Street. About Rob Dunne    Rob Dunne joined FD in 1994 (as a volunteer fireman), hired (as a full-time professional) in 2008. The project started in 2015 with scanning photos. Photos include 15,000+ photos and slides scanned and cataloged . The research includes a membership database of over 350 people, an obituary collection of over 350 along with grave photos, 5 binders of newspaper articles, 20 digitized vintage film files. Book began writhing in September 2016 and is currently 250 pages. The book contains member profiles and photos since 1881, apparatus, Chiefs, firehouses, fires, anniversaries and history of the fire department.

June 28 – Rosewood July 12 – Zaire Band July 26 – Brynn Stanley August 9 – House of Hamill August 23 – Jumping the Gun September 6 – Hatchet Jack

Thursday, August 29 -- Morris County Drop-in Kids' Craft: Leather Stamping  11:00am - 3:30pm -- $5 per participant Join an METC educator in exploring the art of leather stamping! Stop by any time between 11:00 and 3:30 to stamp and decorate your own leather ornament or accessory.  Registration recommended as supplies are limited. Click here to register

Friday, July 26 – Morris County 6:00 - 8:00 pm –  Downtown Concert Series on the lawn of the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, 9 Main Street, Madison. Free    Tonight  Brynn Stanley will charm audiences with standards from The Great American Songbook with her smooth, silky voice.  A unique blend of classic vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald with modern stars like Norah Jones.  ·        Bring a blanket/chair and sit back and relax with a pleasant evening of music. ·        Picnicking welcome! ·        This event will be held rain or shine! In the case of inclement weather, the concert will be held at the Museum with first-come, first-serve seating. "

Madison's Contribution to World War 1 Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Madison Public Library 39 Keep St, Madison, New Jersey 07940 Join the Madison NJ Historical Society at the Chase Room at the Madison Public Library for an intererting lecture by historian, Jim Malcolm. Hear the stories behind some of the 300+ names on Madison's WWI monument. Learn about the activities on the Home Front and on the front lines to support the war effort. Uncover the role of immigrants, Four Minute Men, Hello Girls, and Peach Pits in winning the war

For centuries, people in New Jersey have been producing a stunning variety of textiles. From quilts to woven coverlets and clothing, textiles are often both decorative and practical, revealing a maker’s artistry while also serving vital functions for a family. Whether in front of the loom, around the hearth, or at church, friends and neighbors passed along traditions of community and technique through generations. They often worked with a freedom unknown in other parts of their lives. Narrative Threads: New Jersey Quilts and Textiles showcases historic textiles from the collection of the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts. The exhibit also features pieces made by contemporary New Jersey textile artists who draw inspiration from the past, while continuing to forge an exciting new future for the craft. Hours Monday:   Closed Tuesday–Saturday:   10am–4pm Sunday*:  Noon-5pm *Closed on Sundays in July and August Admission Adults – $5 Students, Children, and Adults ...

Thursday, June 6 – Morris County Museum of Early Trades and Crafts to Host Narrative Threads Artist Panel     On Thursday, June 6, 2019, at 6:30 pm,  the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts  (METC) will host a special evening event,  Narrative Threads Artist Panel .   Contemporary textile artists Helen R. Kaar, Linda Rae Coughlin, and Elisa Kessler Caporale will participate in a panel discussion and showcase their respective work. The panel will highlight the evolution of traditional techniques of hooked rugs, woven textiles, and quilting to contemporary interpretations and approaches. Visitors will be able to ask questions and there will be an opportunity to speak with the artists individually after the panel.    The Narrative Threads Artist Panel is in collaboration with METC’s exhibition,  Narrative Threads: New Jersey Quilts and Textiles . For centuries, people in New Jersey have been producing a stunning variety of textile...