Historic Happenings Blog

Whitesbog Historic Village is teaming up with Historic Peachfield to offer CAMP IN A BOX this Summer starting July 6th! Registration will be starting this weekend! Each week will have Art, Nature, History and Outdoor activities, learning new things, exploring and each week has a fun THEME: Nature + Art (Nature Mandalas, leaf prints, make your own bandana) Tools & Tech (Legos, NASA, building with marshmallows) Backyard Safari (Moth Night, iNautralist, Wildlife, Bird Watching) Outdoor Skills (shelter building, orienteering, making butter) Discover the Darkness (moon phases, galaxy in a jar, nocturnal animals and plants) Let's Get Dirty (soil science, planting seeds, rock art) Each week you pick up your box at one of the two locations (or have it shipped to your door), unbox your supplies and check-in via Zoom with campers and staff, check out the simple instructions and videos each day and meet up later in the week to see what everyone created! Check-in with staff during the week...

"Step Into History" Summer Camp REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! June 22-26, 2020 9:30 am to 3:00 pm Join the Colonial Dames of New Jersey (NSCDA-NJ) for a week of colonial fun! Children will be able to immerse themselves in colonial culture and learn about a life without wifi, tablets, and tv. Campers will experience the life of colonial children by interacting with Molly Pitcher herself, cook an outdoor colonial meal, learn period games, play with farm animals, and many more fun-filled activities.  This one-week summer camp is for children ages 7-14 and will take place at Peachfield, the 18th-century farm property owned by the NSCDA-NJ in Westampton, New Jersey. The focus of the camp experience will be historical as reflected through the everyday life of children in the 18th century. Snacks will be provided. Please bring a bag lunch. For children ages 6-14, this one-week camp will take place at Peachfield, the 18th-century farm property owned by the NSCDA-NJ in Westampton.  The camp ...

Magnolia Tea -- Registration open! Sunday, May 17, 2020 2:00 to 4:00 pm Rutgers Master Gardener of Burlington County Bobbie Herbs will discuss the care and nurturing of flowering spring trees, shrubs, and perennials in New Jersey. An afternnoon buffet seated tea will feature tea sandwiches and desserts, using China from Peachfield's collection.  Admission: $25 per person, prepaid reservations are required.  Sorry, no refunds. This is a seated tea. In the event of inclement weather or other circumstances, ticket holders will be notified by either phone or email and a full refund will be issued. Any cancellations will also be posted on Facebook and our website.  Otherwise, NSCDA-NJ has a no-refund policy.

Sunday, March 15 -- Burlington County  Postponed Until May 17, 2020 Peachfield Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration ,  2:00 pm - 4:00 pm   Presenter Margaret Quinn will use period recipes and cooking methods as she illustrates the ways food was prepared in Colonial days. Samples and light refreshments will be served.  Admission is $15 per person. Prepaid registration is required as space is limited. Please make checks payable to: NSCDA-NJ and mail to Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060.  We can be reached at 609-267-6996, or email us at  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net . This event takes place at Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road in Westampton, the Headquarters of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in The State of New Jersey.  Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey Historical Commission, Department of State and the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Department of Resource Conservation,...

"Quakers: The Quiet Revolutionaries" documentary to air on NJTV on Thursday, May, 14th at 8:00pm. Part of this documentary was filmed at Peachfield! Those out-of-state should consult their own PBS schedules NSCDA-NJ Please be sure to check our website frequently for updated information regarding our Calendar of Events.

Mrs. Harker's Tea  Sunday, April 19, 2020 2:00 to 4:00 pm In celebration of Miriam Harker, the benefactor of Peachfield, the New Jersey Colonial Dames will host an afternoon buffet tea with many of the delicacies reminiscent of those served in the 1930s by Mrs. Harker at Peachfield. Alicia McShulkis will discuss "The Beauty of Boxwood" and its use in American gardens.  Admission: $25 per person, prepaid reservations are required.  Sorry, no refunds. This is a seated tea.

Dora Lewis: "Philadelphia Reformer and Suffragist" "FIRST SUNDAY SERIES" features theatrical presentations and is held at Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road in Westampton. Sunday, April 5, 2020 2:00 to 4:00 pm Women began their long journey to achieving the power of the ballot when a determined group of activists gathered in 1848 for the first Woman’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, NY. Across the nation, suffrage societies undertook the difficult battle to convince a democratic government-driven solely by men that “We the People of the United States” included women. For decades, the primary strategy to win the vote for women focused on passing laws state-by-state. The suffragist movement gained momentum when Alice Paul, a young Quaker intellectual, formed the National Woman’s Party, pushing for a federal amendment to the United States Constitution. Dora Lewis, a Philadelphia reformer and suffragist, became Alice Paul’s closest confidant and indefatigable supporter.  Twe...

Sunday, March 1 -- Burlington County First Sunday Series: Carrie Chapman Catt 2:00-4:00 pm The Women Suffrage effort was one of the most intense and difficult campaigns in US history. Women and men worked tirelessly to convince our legislators that every citizen deserved the right to vote. One of the most important individuals in making this a reality was Carrie Chapman Catt, who succeeded Susan B. Anthony as head of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.             Catt's crowning achievement remains with us today in the League of Women Voters, which she founded to help women gain political knowledge to be informed voters, free of religious or racial bias, achieved through non-partisan political education and leadership. Pat Jordan of American Historical Theatre brings her story to life.   Admission is $10 per person. Friends of Peachfield are admitted free. Please make checks payable to: N...

Sunday, February 16 -- Burlington County BLUE WILLOW TEA 2:00-4:00 pm  An afternoon buffet seated tea includes tea sandwiches and a dessert using Blue Willow China belonging to Peachfield. A talk will be given on the history of Blue Willow China, and collectors are encouraged to bring a piece of their own. Admission is $25.00 per person, prepaid reservations are required. Please make checks payable to: NSCDA-NJ and mail to Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060. Contact us at (609) 267-6996, or email at  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net  This event takes place at Peachfield, the Headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of New Jersey, 180 Burrs Road in Westampton.

Sojourner Truth--First Sunday Series Sunday, February 2, 2020, from 2 pm to 4 pm Peachfield, 180 Burrs Rd, Westampton Township, New Jersey 08060 In 1850, Sojourner began speaking on women's suffrage, believing the causes of abolition and women's rights to be intertwined and equally important. Truth also helped recruit black troops during the Civil War for the Union Army, and she worked as a Union nurse. Ms. Truth's most quoted speech, "Ain't I a Woman?" is disputed over the words she spoke and the rhythm of her speech, but there is no debate about the power and integrity of the speaker and her impact. Daisy Century, a commanding performer, will bring to life Sojourner Truth--a woman who was undeterred by incredible obstacles. Admission is $10 per person. Friends of Peachfield are admitted free. Please make checks payable to: NSCDA-NJ and mail to Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060.

Sunday, November 17 – Burlington County PINECONE TEA 2:00-4:00 pm       Forestry expert Mike Martini will discuss "Native Pines and Evergreens to New Jersey and Their Uses in Urban Environments." This seated buffet tea will include tea sandwiches and a dessert.    Admission is $25.00 per person; prepaid reservations are required. Please make checks payable to: NSCDA-NJ and mail to Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060. Contact us at (609) 267-6996, or email at  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net .        This event takes place at Peachfield, the Headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of New Jersey, 180 Burrs Road in Westampton.

Saturday, November 9 – Burlington County Open Hearth Cooking Workshop 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn advanced cooking methods on the open hearth. Presenter Margaret Quinn will lead participants in the preparation of authentic Colonial food, with samples provided.  Admission is $45 per person. Prepaid registration is required as space is limited. Please make checks payable to: NSCDA-NJ and mail to Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060. Call 609-267-6996 or email us at  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net . NSCDA-NJ, Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060; 609-267-6996;  www.colonialdamesnj.org

Sunday, November 3 – Burlington County “First Sunday Series” NSCDA-NJ will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Suffrage in the United States with the signing of the 19th Amendment which took place on August 18, 1920. Theatrical presentations are 2:00-4:00 pm and will feature: Abigail Adams - November 3, 2019 First Sunday Series: Abigail Adams November 3, 2019 2:00-4:00 pm     Abigail Smith Adams was an educated upper-class woman whose well-articulated opinions on government, politics, and life in general influenced at least two American presidents: her husband President John Adams and her son President John Quincy Adams.     She is best remembered for her letter asking her husband to "...remember the ladies..." when  enacting new laws.  She asked John to limit the power of husbands over their wives, advocating the creation of legislation which would empower women with property ownership and access to educational and political opportunitie...

Saturday, October 12 – Burlington County “Let's Go Fly a Kite” Noon-3:00 pm Bring your own kite or make one onsite (supplies will be provided). Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a Saturday afternoon with the kids on the grounds of Historic Peachfield. Admission is $5 per person, children under 6 admitted free. Tickets available at the door. Questions contact (609) 267-6996, or  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net . 180 Burrs Road, Westampton

Sunday, October 6 – Burlington County FIRST SUNDAY SERIES: SUSAN B. ANTHONY October 6, 2019 2:00pm-4:00pm $10. per person. Tickets available in advance or at the door. Contact: 609-267-6996 or  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net .  Join us this season in celebrating the 100 th  Anniversary of Suffrage with the signing of the 19 th  Amendment. Marjorie Goldman will portray Susan B. Anthony, an important suffragist who had a lively sense of humor and a passion for justice. Ms. Anthony’s commitment included the abolition of slavery, women’s rights to their own property and earnings, and women’s right to vote. Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton;  609-267-6996

At Peachfield, Burlington County: Rescheduled for September 15 New Jersey: Where Ideas Grow Sunday, January 20 – Burlington County New Jersey: Where Ideas Grow Something for Sunday 2:00 pm – 4:00 p.m.      From Thomas Edison’s phonograph to Les Paul’s electric guitar, submarines, Band-Aids, movies, color TV, ice cream cones, bar codes, Bubble Wrap, solar panels, flexible film and transistors – all of these things began in New Jersey. Why?  Join author Linda Barth as she explains why and how New Jersey became the great state of inventions.     Admission is $10 per person for everyone. Seating is limited; prepaid reservations are required to guarantee seating. Please call 609/267-6996, or email at  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net .   This event takes place at Peachfield, the Headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of New Jersey, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060.   Funding ...

Sunday, September 8 – Burlington County New Jersey: Where Ideas Grow Something for Sunday 2:00 pm – 4:00 p.m.      From Thomas Edison’s phonograph to Les Paul’s electric guitar, submarines, Band-Aids, movies, color TV, ice cream cones, bar codes, Bubble Wrap, solar panels, flexible film and transistors – all of these things began in New Jersey. Why?  Join author Linda Barth as she explains why and how New Jersey became the great state of inventions.     Admission is $10 per person for everyone. Seating is limited; prepaid reservations are required to guarantee seating. Please call 609/267-6996, or email at  colonialdamesnj@comcast.net .   This event takes place at Peachfield, the Headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of New Jersey, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ 08060.   Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey Historical Commission, Department of State...

COLONIAL SUMMER CAMP June 24 - June 28, 2019 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.      A one-week summer camp for children ages 6-14 will take place at Peachfield, the 18th-century farm property owned by the NSCDA-NJ in Westampton, New Jersey. The focus of the camp experience will be historical as reflected through the everyday life of children in the 18th century.    Meet a real blacksmith at our 4th annual Colonial Summer Camp. Shear a sheep, clean and spin the fleece. Visit with chickens, goats and bunnies, spin wool on an authentic spinning wheel, and cook over an open pit as Colonials did hundreds of years ago. Learn calligraphy, paint a picture of a sandcastle and make soap. Learn how to weave baskets and make a quilt. Dress up like a Colonial and play Colonial games. Join new friends for lots of fun and adventure.      Our camp is suitable for children ages 6 to 14 and is $300 per camper. Additional ...