Historic Happenings Blog

Dressed to Kill: From Arsenic in Clothing, Lead in Cosmetics to Blazing Crinolines at Bouman Stickney Farmstead Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 1:00 pm  -  4:00 pm   Free Dressed to Kill From Arsenic in Clothing, Lead in Cosmetics to Blazing Crinolines Readington Township, NJ-   On  Sunday, March 1 from 1:00-4:00 pm,   Dana Bala  will present  Dressed to Kill:  From Arsenic in Clothing, Lead in Cosmetics to Blazing Crinolines.  Throughout history, we have worn deadly clothing and makeup to be the height of fashion even if it kills us! Bala will discuss some of the most lethal fashion practices during history, focusing on the Victorian period, when people were Dressed To Kill. Bala has presented at other historic sites such as the Abraham Staats House, the Miller-Cory Museum, and volunteers at Washington Crossing Park. Her other areas of interest/expertise include embroidery, cooking and genealogy. This Open House Sunday program will b...

Sunday, November 3  -  Readington Township, Hunterdon County "Buckwheat - from the fields to the Table" at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead Buckwheat, an ancient grain, was introduced into Colonial America by the earliest colonists including the Dutch. Susan McLellan Plaisted MS RD CSP LDN will demonstrate how these early farmers, such as the original owners of the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead, would have grown and milled buckwheat. This hands-on program involves grinding and sieving buckwheat flour as well as preparing buckwheat cakes for the open hearth. This program will be held from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. This Open House Sunday program will be held at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead, located at 114 Dreahook Road in the Stanton section Readington Township. For GPS use Lebanon, NJ 08833. This is a free family friendly event, although donations will be gratefully accepted. In case of inclement weather please call the Museums to find out the status of the program. For more information,...

Saturday,  October 12   - Readington Township, Hunterdon County Barn Dance Put on your dancing shoes for a night of family fun as the Readington Museums hosts its bi-annual Barn Dance on Saturday from 7:00 - 9:30 pm. The dance will be held inside the eighteenth-century Wade-Wyckoff Barn at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead located at 114 Dreahook Road in the Stanton section of Readington Township, NJ (for GPS use Lebanon). This family-friendly event is a wonderful way to have fun with the entire family as no experience is necessary. Caller Betsy Gotta will give easy to follow instructions before each dance so even a beginner will be able to dance the night away. There is a suggested donation of $5.00 per adult and $2.00 per child. Refreshments will be available. Groups of six or more please call for a reservation. For more information, call Program Director Margaret Smith at 908-236-2327 or visit  www.readingtonmuseums.org .

Sunday, September 8  -  Readington , Hunterdon County Beer and Punch Making From teas to toddies and tankards to teacups, domestic historians, Bev Altrath and Arlene Soong, will discuss typical colonial drinks. In addition, historic brewer, Rich Wagner, will show the step-by-step process of turning water and grain into beer. For hundreds of years, folks in Europe knew better than to drink the water, as it could make you deathly ill. Instead, people, including children, brewed and drank beer. This was a natural jump for immigrants arriving in the New World to bring their tradition of brewing and drinking beer with them. Much of the beer was brewed at home until breweries could be established in larger towns and cities. Today, there is a resurgence in interest in home brewing. Although today you will find exotic flavors or seasonal brews, the basic method of beer production has not changed. This program will be held at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead in the Stanton section of Read...

Sunday, April 7  - Readington, Hunterdon County Colonial Toys and Games at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead People through the ages have enjoyed games and played with toys for recreational and educational purposes. Come on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. as colonial interpreters, Bev Altrath and Arlene Soong, present Colonial Toys and Games. There will be some toys on display as well as games on hand for both adults and children to play. Come roll hoops, toss rings, and play games such as skittles, draughts, graces, and more.  This Open House Sunday program will be held at the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead, located at 114 Dreahook Road in the Stanton section Readington Township. For GPS use Lebanon, NJ 08833. This is a free family-friendly event, although donations will be gratefully accepted. In case of inclement weather please call the Museums to find out the status of the program. For more information,  call 908-236-2327 or visit   https://www.readingtontwpnj.gov/visiting/mu...