Historic Happenings Blog

Thursday, March 26 – Morris County 7:14 p.m.   North Jersey Civil War Round Table meeting. NORTH JERSEY CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE Presents A Program and A Quarter of a Program ABE LINCOLN and the FRELINGHUYSEN ARBORETUM                       The program: Historian and Author RICHARD SCHWARTZ presents LINCOLN LOSES!!  (or does he?)    One of the most dynamic speakers who has presented before the NJCWRT is Richard Schwartz. He now returns to in what promises (Ed. Note: No promises, will be!) to be another great lecture. Richard Schwartz has taught history and government at Whippany Park High School for 40 years, where he also serves as Social Studies department coordinator. He is Lincoln scholar, having received scholarships with the Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and the Civil War Institute. H...

Thursday, February 27 - Morris County 7:14 p.m.    NORTH JERSEY CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE  presents Historian and Author JOHN HAYWARD   The 5 th  New Jersey Regiment at The Battle of Gettysburg The 5th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry was one of four regiments formed by Governor  Charles Olden  upon the requisition of President  Abraham Lincoln  on July 24, 1861. Fighting in battle on the eastern front, from the siege of Yorktown, the Seven Days Battles, Chancellorsville, the Second Battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Gettysburg  the regiment was then commanded by Col. William J. Sewell, who was wounded on July 2nd. Sewell was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Chancellorsville in May two months before Gettysburg and went on to become a State and U.S. Senator. Capt. Henry H. Woolsey took command for the rest of the battle, even though he was slightly wounded on July 2nd. The 5th brought 221 men to the field and lost 1...

Sunday, February 2 - Morris Township, Morris County Winter on the Farm Enjoy a day of discovery as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm takes you back to the lives of farm families on a typical 1920s winter day! On Sunday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm, you’ll be able to meet the cows, horses, and sheep. Pitch in with daily farm chores, climb aboard the tractor-pulled, open-air wagon for a memorable ride around the farm. Create a fun craft to take home. At the Farmhouse kitchen, discover what seasonal foods are being prepared on the antique wooden stove. Stop by the Visitor Center and marvel at the Transportation Exhibit. See Mr. Foster’s Rockaway carriage and Caroline Foster’s Model “T” Ford! Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (65+), $6 for children ages 4 - 16, and $4 for children ages 2 and 3. FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members with a valid membership card. Fosterfields is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morris Township, NJ 07960. For more information, call 973...

Thursday, January 23 - Morris County 7:14 p.m.  North Jersey Civil War Round Table meeting at the Haggerty Education Center at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 E. Hanover Avenue, Morris Twp. (opp. the Morris County Library). Admission $5 Students – free NORTH JERSEY CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE Presents DR. PATRICIA DREYFUSS THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF THE CIVIL WAR Noted Mountain Lakes gynecologist-obstetrician Dr. Patricia Dreyfus will lecture on the  doctors who served and the medical aspects of the American Civil War, a war that caused 400,000 wounded and 6,000,000 cases of illness and untold misery. The first thoughts of the Civil War are those of the horror of the war and the ignorance and inefficiencies, the stacks of arms and legs of the amputated, but there was a dedicated corps of physician and nurses who strived under appalling circumstances to preserve life,

Saturday - Sunday, December 7 - 8 -  Morris Township, Morris County Currier and Ives Christmas at Speedwell Celebrate the holidays Victorian-era style. Visit the Vail House prepared for a country holiday, and join in the dancing inside the festively decorated Carriage House filled with live period music. Create a fun holiday craft to take home. Shop early in the Speedwell Gift Shop, filled with fun stocking stuffers and unique holiday ornaments. Hours: 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.  Admission: $7 per adult, $6 per senior, $5 per child age 4 - 16, FREE per child under age 4. Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For mor e information, call 973-285-6550 or visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Thursday, November 21 – Morris County 7:00 p.m. at the North Jersey Civil War Round Table meeting held at the Haggerty Education Center at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 E. Hanover Avenue, Morris Twp. (opp. the Morris County Library). Admission $5 Students – Free  THE NORTH JERSEY CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL CIVIL WAR LEGAL ISSUES PRESENTATION PROGRAM:  “THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT AS A RESPONSE TO THE CIVIL WAR” I NTRODUCTION and THE HISTORY, PASSAGE, AND RATIFICATION OF THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT JOHN C. MALONEY, JR., ESQ. Zuber Lawler & Del Duca, LLP – New York, NY THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES OF THE CIVIL WAR  PERIOD THOMAS V. HILDNER ESQ. Mandelbaum Salsburg, P.C. – Roseland, NJ THE LEGACY OF THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT STUART GOLD, ESQ. Mandelbaum Salsburg, P.C. – Roseland, NJ FYI: The North Jersey Civil War Round Table is the only CWRT to present an Annual Civil War Legal Presentation

Sunday, November 17 - Morris Township, Morris County Thanksgiving Harvest Home and Armistice Observance Step back in time and celebrate Thanksgiving and Armistice Day in 1918 at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm. Begin by following the enticing aromas to The Willows and Farmhouse kitchens where a Thanksgiving feast is being prepared. While the harvest has been gathered, there is still much to do on the farm. Help husk corn saw the wood that is needed for winter heating and cooking, and make animal food with the one-cylinder gasoline engine operation. Be sure to take a horse-drawn wagon ride around the farm, visit the farm animals, and assist with egg collection. The Armistice, or cease-fire that officially stopped the carnage of WWI, went into effect in Europe on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 am. Over the years, Armistice Day, later named Veterans Day, has honored the men and women who served in the U.S. armed forces. At 1:00 pm, join in a special program ...

Saturday - Sunday, October 26 - 27 - Morris Township, Morris County The Time to Mourn On Saturday and Sunday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm at 1:00 and 2:00 pm, tour the Foster family home, The Willows, to explore the unique death and mourning traditions of the Victorian period. Customs, now considered strange, influenced loved ones for months and years after the deceased had passed. Admission: $6 per adult, $5 per senior (65+), $4 per child age 4 - 16, $2 per child age 2 & 3. FREE per child under age 2. Friends members are half price with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Sunday, October 27 -  Morris Township, Morris County Historic Halloween Happenings at  Fosterfields Living Historical Farm On Sunday from 1:00 - 3:30 pm, play special Halloween games, decorate cookies, and try on old-fashioned costumes. At 3:30 pm, take a guided walk to see how many pumpkins are hiding in the nearby woods. Afterward, board the open-air wagon for a ride. Admission: $6 for adults; $5 for seniors (65+); $4 for children ages 4 – 16; and $2 for children ages 2 and 3. FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Saturday, October 26  -  Morris Township, Morris County Meet the Servants at the Willows On Saturday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, during a special hands-on guided tour, learn about the domestic help at the Foster home,  The Willows , during the WWI era. Assist the maid with household chores and see what the cook has prepared using the wood-burning stove. Two tour times available: 1:00 - 2:00 pm and 2:00 - 3:00 pm. Admission: $6 for adults; $5 for seniors (65+); $4 for children ages 4 – 16; and $2 for children ages 2 and 3. FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Saturday, October 26   -  Morris Township, Morris County Historic Haunting On Saturday from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm, listen to spooky ghost stories and have a blast with Halloween fun and games at Historic Speedwell. Wear your favorite costume and join in an old-fashioned costume contest. Prizes for all winners. Admission: $5 per adult, $4 per senior, $3 per child age 4 - 16, FREE per child under age 4. Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Thursday, October 24 – Morris County 7:14 p.m.   North Jersey Civil War Round Table meeting.  THE CIVIL WAR PHOTOGRAPHY OF ALEXANDER GARDNER and the HORRORS OF WAR Presented by JAMES DELGIUDICE Everyone knows of (or should know of) Civil War photographer, Matthew Brady, but it was Alexander Gardner that went to the battlefields of Antietam, Fredericks- burg, Gettysburg and the siege of Petersburg and for the first time brought the horrors of war to the general public through his graphic pictures.  Jim DelGiudice has used his eyes and voice to document the New Jersey scene for more than half his 56 years. His architectural photography for books published by Rutgers University Press twice won him the state’s Historic Preservation Award, and his plays have been produced by such venues as the Bickford Theatre and Kean University. In the millennium year, Jim was cited by both the state and county legislatures for his lifetime contribution to the arts. He is...

Sunday, October 20   -  Morris Township, Morris County Junior Engineer Day Junior Engineers are invited to build an invention  at Historic Speedwell from 2:00 - 4:00 pm  to take home and create a poster to advertise it. Preregistration is required. To register, 973-285-6537. Admission: $5 per adult, $4 per senior, $3 per child age 4 - 16, FREE per child under age 4. Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. For more information, call 973-285-6550 or visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Saturday - Sunday, October 19 - 20 - Morris Township, Morris County The Time to Mourn On Saturday and Sunday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm at 1:00 and 2:00 pm, tour the Foster family home, The Willows, to explore the unique death and mourning traditions of the Victorian period. Customs, now considered strange, influenced loved ones for months and years after the deceased had passed. Admission: $6 per adult, $5 per senior (65+), $4 per child age 4 - 16, $2 per child age 2 & 3. FREE per child under age 2. Friends members are half price with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Saturday - Sunday, October 12 - 13 - Morris Township, Morris County The Time to Mourn On Saturday and Sunday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm at 1:00 and 2:00 pm, tour the Foster family home, The Willows, to explore the unique death and mourning traditions of the Victorian period. Customs, now considered strange, influenced loved ones for months and years after the deceased had passed. Admission: $6 per adult, $5 per senior (65+), $4 per child age 4 - 16, $2 per child age 2 & 3. FREE per child under age 2. Friends members are half price with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Sunday, October 6 -  Morris Township, Morris County Hitch A Ride & Save those Seeds Enjoy a leisurely open-air wagon ride at Fosterfields Living History Farm on Saturday around the historic farm and visit the animals, too! Wagon ride from 12:15 - 2:00 pm and included in regular admission. From 1:00 - 2:00 pm: As the growing season ends, help collect seeds from vegetables and flowers in the garden to sow next spring. Admission: $6 for adults; $5 for seniors (65+); $4 for children ages 4 – 16; and $2 for children ages 2 and 3. FREE for children under age 2 and Friends members with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Saturday - Sunday, October 5 - 6 - Morris Township, Morris County The Time to Mourn On Saturday and Sunday at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm at 1:00 and 2:00 pm, tour the Foster family home, The Willows, to explore the unique death and mourning traditions of the Victorian period. Customs, now considered strange, influenced loved ones for months and years after the deceased had passed. Admission: $6 per adult, $5 per senior (65+), $4 per child age 4 - 16, $2 per child age 2 & 3. FREE per child under age 2. Friends members are half price with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Saturday, October 5 - Morris Township, Morris County Orchard Cooking Fosterfields once had extensive apple, pear, and peach orchards. On Saturday from 12:00 noon - 2:30 pm, learn about these heirloom fruit trees, and watch as delicious dishes are prepared in the Farmhouse kitchen. Admission: $6 per adult, $5 per senior (65+), $4 per child age 4 - 16, $2 per child age 2 & 3. FREE per child under age 2. Friends members are half price with a current membership card. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is located at 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown, NJ. For more information, visit  www.morrisparks.net .

Thursday, September 26 – Morris County 7:14 p.m.   North Jersey Civil War Round Table meeting.      Bestselling author Barbara Dreyfuss will present Cape May’s role in the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement and where the most famous leader of the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman earned needed money to continue her historic rescue trips to the Eastern Shore across Delaware Bay     Before the Civil War, Cape May a popular summer resort at the southern tip of New Jersey, was in fact the meeting place of north and south, where southern planters enjoyed its cool breezes alongside abolitionists from Philadelphia and New York. In the part of town where the large seaside hotels were, fights often broke out between planters, abolitionists and the free blacks working there. But a few blocks away black leaders of Philadelphia’s Underground Railroad came in the summers to relax and retool for th...