Historic Happenings Blog

"Born In The USA" alternative album cover.  The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University. RSVP Join Us For Our 121st Annual Meeting Different Drummers Enjoy a lively discussion about how four cultural institutions in Monmouth County are creatively using music as a gateway to talk about social, cultural and political issues throughout history. 6:30 pm Doors open for the reception 7:00 pm  Annual Meeting 7:30 pm Program Two River Theater 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank   Wednesday, March 11, 2020 The meeting will be in the new building. Please see the map below for directions. Program Participants Monmouth County Historical Association  - Springsteen: His Hometown exhibit featuring  "Bruce Springsteen: Hometown," a short documentary by filmmaker Adam Worth Spring Lake Community Center & Theatre  - "1776" all-female cast will perform a musical number T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center  - 2020: The Year of Basie The Asb...

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Period Clothing Sewing Group 3rd Saturday of the month February to December 2019 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm Monmouth County Historical Association 70 Court St, Freehold 07728 If you're interested in sewing, or like period clothing and want to know more about construction, or are working on period clothing, come on by! Meetings will be held every third Saturday of the month from 12 - 4 pm at the museum in Freehold. This group is free for members and $5 for non-members. Below is a tentative schedule of meetings for 2019. Please note dates and topics are subject to change. February 16 - Aprons & Neckerchiefs March 16 - Caps April 13 - Shortgowns & Bedgowns May 18 - Jackets June 15/16 - Tentative Gown Workshop at Taylor-Butler July 20 - Finishing Ongoing Projects August 17 - Tentative Workshop or Fieldtrip Sept 21 - Hats October 19 - Accessories, (i.e. mitts, hoods, etc.) November 16 - TBD December 21 - TBD If you are interested in in this group or have any question call Outreach Man...

Volume 3, Issue 6 Lightship  Sandy Hook ...in a whole new light! This vivid depiction of the lightship  Sandy Hook  (LV-51) was painted in 1896 by Milton James Burns (1853-1933), an esteemed American artist with a passion for the great outdoors. The steam-powered Sandy Hook was constructed in 1892, the first of its kind to utilize electric lighting. She served post for fourteen years on the southern side of the Ambrose Channel off the coast of Sandy Hook, guiding trans-Atlantic steamers approaching the New York Harbor. In 1919 the retired vessel was rammed and sunk by a Standard Oil barge while relieving lightship Cornfield Point in the Long Island Sound. Coast Guard historians were finally able to locate the wreckage in the fall of 2000, at a depth of 190 feet. The Monmouth County Historical Association received the painting in 1965 in stable condition but suffering from ill-effects of time and exposure. Thankfully, in early June of this year, it...

Revolutionary Rave! Saturday, August 3, 2019, at 1 PM – 4 PM Taylor Butler House, 127 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748 HEAR YE, HEAR YE, THOU MIRTHFUL MERRIE-MAKERS AND MUSICK MAVENS OF MONMOUTH COUNTY: THE MCHA  REVOLUTIONARY RAVE RETURNS TO MIDDLETOWN!        The Monmouth County Historical Association (MCHA) today announced its  second annual  Revolutionary Rave , an authentic re-creation of colonial-era costumes, music, dancing, games and popular period pastimes.    The event will once again be held at the historic  Taylor-Butler House , built in 1853, and widely considered the grandest house in Middletown at the time, located at  127 Kings Highway . The  Revolutionary Rave  is set for  Saturday, August 3, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.  Tickets are $20 for MCHA members and $25 for non-members.   Light refreshments and tasty treats will be served. Free parking is available on-site...

Thuresday , July 4 - Shrewsbury, Monmouth County Annual July 4th Celebration at Allen House Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Join the Monmouth County Historical Association for a historic celebration in honor of Independence Day with a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on Tuesday, at Allen House, 400 Shrewsbury Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ starting at 10:00 am. Much like the day the Colonists first gathered to hear these stirring words, the bells at Christ Church will ring in honor of the signing. Attendees will also have the opportunity to add their own signature to an oversized replica of the Declaration. Rumson Boy Scouts, along with their Troop Leader, will serve as color guard during the Pledge of Allegiance. Merging the 21st century with the 18th, a life-size image of Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and primary author of the Declaration, will be ready for selfies and group photographs. Costumed interpreters will welcome guests and the Allen House will remain open for tours and v...

Save the Date!

JUNE 15 @ 9:00 AM  -  JUNE 16 @ 5:00 PM $20 – $150 JOIN US FOR A 2-DAY WORKSHOP IN 18TH-CENTURY WOMEN’S JACKET CONSTRUCTION! Put your own modern twist on the garment or create a bespoke piece using historically accurate construction methods. Jackets were “undress” wear in the 18th century and the silhouette of the jacket used in the workshop will be the creative starting point for your own designer garment. Included in the workshop are: the jacket pattern, instructions, muslin for fitting, lunch, and pattern grading instructions. On Saturday evening, opt-in for the dinner and share a special meal cooked 18th-century style for the group. Learn how to make your own historic 18 th- century ladies’ jacket – or an haute couture fashion design of your own – at the  2019 Woman’s Jacket Workshop , presented by the Monmouth County Historical Association (MCHA).  This two-day event is the latest in a series of MCHA workshops on making authentic colonial per...