Historic Happenings Blog

December 5, 7, 12, 19 – Middlesex County HOLIDAY SHOPPING at THE HISTORIC METLAR-BODINE HOUSE MUSEUM     Holidays mean a season of celebrations and being with family, friends - and of course, finding the perfect gifts! So be sure to visit by the Metlar-Bodine Museum’s Dutch Door Gift Shop, where you’ll discover unique seasonal items, books, jewelry, art, fine china, and so much MORE! The shop will be open from 11:30am to 5:00pm on Saturday, December 7 th , and Thursdays, 12/5, 12/12 and 12/19/, 10:00am-4:00pm.        If you’ve ever been curious about the museum and the story it holds within its walls, stop by for a tour! You will be amazed! For information and/or directions, please visit the museum’s website or call the museum.  DISCOVER PISCATAWAY! December Guided Tours Schedule “From Indian Trail to Interstate”  Tour hours: Thursdays 12/5, 12/12, 12/19: 10:00AM-4:00PM (last tour at 3:00PM) ...

June 30, July 2, 4, and 6 – Middlesex County Metlar-Bodine House Museum July 4 th  Week events & programs The museum will be closed July 1&5     Dutch Door  Gift Shop  open  during event & tour days June 30, 2019 Star-Spangled Sing Along  - A patriotic event to celebrate July 4th!  Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm   Admission: Free      Piscataway Twp. elementary & high school students sing traditional 18th century-present-day American Patriotic songs. Sing “Happy Birthday” to America and enjoy birthday cake to celebrate America’s 243 rd  birthday! Under a tent. Bring lawn chairs! No rain date; no museum tours. July 2, 2019 Bees – What Are They Good For?  NJ beekeeping – 1700s to Modern Day  2:00pm-4:00pm. Admission free Bob Kloss: Certified Master Beekeeper  (EAS)              Interactive program: A brief history ...

Saturday, May 11 – Middlesex County    Spring Celebration Walk in Mapleton Preserve with Rick Henkel and Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands   Saturday, May 11, 2019, at 2 PM, D&R Canal State Park Headquarters/Mapleton Preserve at 145 Mapleton Road, Kingston NJ     Join the Friends of Princeton Lands for a celebration of spring and a walk through the former Princeton Nurseries Kingston Site. The walk will be led by Rick Henkel, formerly Sales Manager for Princeton Nurseries, for which he worked for 32 years. Rick has an extraordinary knowledge of trees and knows the Kingston Site and its trees intimately. Meet at the Main Office for the D&R Canal State Park at 145 Mapleton Road in Kingston for this leisurely two-hour afternoon walk. The event is free and open to the public. https://fpnl.org/

Seeking 1950s NJ Car Culture Artifacts by Gordon Bond As I have posted here before, I am curating an exhibit called "Mid-Century New Jersey" that will be at the Cornelius Low House museum in Piscataway from April 2019 to June 2020. It looks at the 1950s from a Garden State perspective. I had posted here looking for artifacts. One area I find we are a bit thin on is the automotive room. I need physical artifacts to fill it out, including anything pertaining to: Auto racing - programs, posters, trophies, etc. The NJ Turnpike and Parkway - Anyone knows where we could get an old toll booth? Tokens, pamphlets, signs, etc. Car parts - While we can't fit a whole car inside, perhaps we could have a collection of hubcaps, a grill, steering wheels, a fin! Anything iconic from 1950s era cars. Drive-in movies - Posters, speakers, etc. We are defining "The Fifties" as between the end of the Second World War and the Kennedy assassination, so there is a little wiggle room for ...

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