Historic Happenings Blog

Sunday, June 14 – Somerset County #lookfortheriver: How “Finding” Lost Waterways Can Help Us Adapt Sunday, June 14 at 3pm      Did you know a Raritan River tributary flows below the Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage? Centuries of piping, culverting, and development have hidden the vast majority of waterways in urban areas. This program will help community members explore their own local landscapes by learning to read topographic maps, identify watersheds and #lookfortheriver.  Dr. Heather Fenyk, founder and president of the Lower Raritan Watershed  Partnership, leads this presentation. This program is funded by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities with additional support from the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association. Free admission. Register at 908-725-1015 or  wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov . Wallace House, 71 Somerset Street, Somerville

Saturday, June 13 – Somerset County Caesar, Cincinnatus, and Gloriana: Shakespeare's  Julius Caesar at 10:30 a.m.      Classical Greece and Rome were part of the popular culture of Revolutionary America just as they were in Elizabethan England when Shakespeare wrote  Julius Caesar . We’ll consider the resonance of this play in the Elizabethan era as Shakespeare’s contemporaries considered the loss of a long-reigning monarch and again in the Revolutionary War as General Washington eschewed a potential military dictatorship in favor of civilian rule by Congress.  This program begins a series of play discussions in conjunction with author Ian Doescher's Shakespeare 2020 Project. Free admission. Register at 908-725-1015 or  wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov . Wallace House State Historic Site, 71 Somerset Street, Somerville.

Saturday, March 21 – Somerset County The Hole in the Dike:  Children's Storytime & Museum Activities at 10:30 a.m. Children and families gather for storytime as we read  The Hole in the Dike  retold by Norma Green with pictures by Eric Carle.  Hear how the little Dutch boy Peter saved Holland and then join activities for all ages to learn how New Jersey children can protect the environment here at home.  Free admission. Register at (908) 725-1015 or  wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov . 71 Somerset Street, Somerville

Sunday, March 15 – Somerset County Postponed to June 14 #lookfortheriver: How “Finding” Lost Waterways Can Help Us Adapt Sunday, March 15 at 3pm      Did you know a Raritan River tributary flows below the Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage? Centuries of piping, culverting, and development have hidden the vast majority of waterways in urban areas. This program will help community members explore their own local landscapes by learning to read topographic maps, identify watersheds and #lookfortheriver.  Dr. Heather Fenyk, founder and president of the Lower Raritan Watershed  Partnership, leads this presentation. This program is funded by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities with additional support from the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association. Free admission. Register at 908-725-1015 or  wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov . Wallace House, 71 Somerset Street, Somerville

Saturday, March 14 – Somerset County Rescheduled to Saturday, June 13 Caesar, Cincinnatus, and Gloriana: Shakespeare's  Julius Caesar at 10:30 a.m.      Classical Greece and Rome were part of the popular culture of Revolutionary America just as they were in Elizabethan England when Shakespeare wrote  Julius Caesar . We’ll consider the resonance of this play in the Elizabethan era as Shakespeare’s contemporaries considered the loss of a long-reigning monarch and again in the Revolutionary War as General Washington eschewed a potential military dictatorship in favor of civilian rule by Congress.  This program begins a series of play discussions in conjunction with author Ian Doescher's Shakespeare 2020 Project. Free admission. Register at 908-725-1015 or  wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov . Wallace House State Historic Site, 71 Somerset Street, Somerville.

Sunday, February 23 – Somerset County     Annual Meeting of the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association will be held on Sunday, February 23 at 1:30 pm. at the sites’ Visitor Center at 71 Somerset Street in Somerville.       The annual meeting will include a review of upcoming programs and events and an opportunity to meet Paul Soltis, the new curator. In honor of George Washington’s 288 th  birthday, noted historian and author William L. (Larry) Kidder will provide insights on George Washington from his recent book  Ten Crucial Days  at 2:30 p.m. At 3:30 p.m., Commander Andrea Cahill-Adair and members of Somerville's American Legion Post 12 will participate in the raising of the American flag as well as General George Washington's headquarters flag. 

Sunday, September 8 - Somerville, Somerset County Comparing Country Houses: George III's America & George V's England Downton Abbey fans know King George V’s photograph watches over the Servants’ Hall. American Revolution buffs recognize King George III in painted pomp. Prepare for  Downton Abbey ’s cinematic debut on a historic houses tour exploring the bonds between the country houses of these different places and times at the Wallace House in Somerville, NJ. Call 908-725-1015 or email  wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov  to reserve a place on tours that take place at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 pm. Admission is FREE.  The parking lot entrance and interpretive center for the site is located at 71 Somerset Street, Somerville, NJ. For directions and more information about the site, visit  www.wallacehouseassociation.org  or call 908-725-1015.

Sunday,  February 17  - Bridgewater, Somerset County Five Generals Bus Tour of Washington's Middlebrook Cantonment Visit and discover all five existing houses where George Washington, Henry Knox, Baron Von Steuben, Nathaniel Greene, and Lord Alexander were headquartered during the Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-1779.  The tour will begin at the Van Horne House where guests will enjoy an overview of Middlebrook . Once guests are properly 'schooled' in the importance of the Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-1779, we will board the buses and head off to:  The Abraham Staats House, The Jacobus Vanderveer House, The Wallace House and the Van Veghten House, ending at the Van Horne House for refreshments in the tavern. Tours are limited to 22 people each tour.  Tours at 10:00 am, 12:00 noon,  1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm and last approximately 2.5 hours. Tours may be consolidated to fill available seating.  Bottled water will be provided upon check in.  Ti...