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2015 Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair

2015 Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair
Saturday, May 9, 2015, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monmouth Battlefield State Park, 16 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726


SAVE the DATE! 2015 SPIRIT of the JERSEYS State History Fair

The 2015 NJ State History Fair will be held Saturday, May 9th at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan, NJ from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., rain or shine.

Participation for non-profit historical organizations is FREE - so mark your calendars and plan on catching the SPIRIT in 2015!

Additional information will be posted on the Fair's web site,
http://www.njhistoryfair.org in the coming months. 

Inquiries can be made to historyfair@dep.nj.gov or by calling the NJ Office of Historic Sites at 609-777-0238.

Weekend In Old Monmouth

Weekend In Old Monmouth
May 2, 2015 - 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
May 3, 2015 - 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm
Eden Woolley House, 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ 07712


FREEHOLD, NJ – The annual “Weekend in Old Monmouth” event returns with 45 historic sites throughout Monmouth County opening their doors to visitors interested in local history. Hours for most sites are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3.

“Weekend in Old Monmouth is a wonderful event for anyone interested in history and architecture,” said Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the County’s Historical Commission, coordinator of the weekend event. “The sites on the tour are generally operated independently of one another, but this special tour project coordinates the hours of operation at several locations so history buffs can travel by foot, bicycle or car to enjoy and take in many of the county’s rich historic places all in one weekend.”

“The tour includes 45 sites and each illustrates a piece of local history,” said John Fabiano, executive director of the Historical Commission. “The outlined tours help put the pieces together by theme or geography. Tour visitors can see the places in any order of their own selection. The proposed starting points are just suggestions for those who may be seeking guidance.”

You can start planning your route by previewing the tour sites on the County’s website at www.visitmonmouth.com. After April 15, a detailed tour book and tour map will be available on the Monmouth County website at www.visitmonmouth.com. On the tour dates, each tour stop will also have maps and booklets available.

The tours also represent several historic themes:

Shore: While the tour includes sites on the north, (Sandy Hook), central (Ocean Grove) and southern shores, (National Guard Militia Museum) the drive along the shore is one of the best ways to feel and appreciate Monmouth County’s relationship to the Ocean.

Faith: Architectural gems of each of the last three centuries, 18th century Christ Church in Shrewsbury, 19th century All Saints Memorial in Middletown and 20th century St. Catharine’s in Spring Lake. In addition, Old Tennent Church in Manalapan is closely tied to the Battle of Monmouth and the Friends Meeting House in Shrewsbury represents one of the oldest worship traditions in Monmouth County.

The Revolutionary War: The Revolution is visited here, not only the major sites in the Monmouth Battlefield area, but in lesser known places such as the Burrowes Mansion in Matawan, Marlpit Hall and the Murray Farm, both in Middletown.

Military: There is Fort Hancock at Sandy Hook, the most heavily fortified installation on the East Coast for much of the 20th century, the National Historic Landmark Monmouth Battlefield in Manalapan and one of the more fascinating, but lesser known museums, the New Jersey National Guard Militia Museum in Sea Girt with museum exhibits and fighter aircraft and tanks.

Preservation: Marlpit Hall in Middletown was the first restored house museum in the region, dating from its 1930s opening.

Other elements on the tour also include lighthouses, Victorian homes, agriculture, industry, education and science. All of the sites contributed to the importance of preservation and history throughout Monmouth County. The county supports the preservation movement annually by awarding preservation grants to historic sites. Many of the tour locations have received grants in the past.
A site list and map are available on the County’s website at www.visitmonmouth.com.​

Tour Sites

All Saints Memorial Church
202 Navesink Avenue, Navesink, NJ 07752
Phone: 732-291-0214
Website: www.allsaintsnavesink.org
Contact: Rev. Pastor Piggins, Interim Rector or
Mary Baechle, Parish Administrator
E-mail: office@allsaintsnavesink.org
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The Historic Village at Allaire/Allaire State Park
4265 Atlantic Avenue, Farmingdale, NJ 07727
Phone: 732-919-3500
Website: www.allairevillage.org
Organization: Allaire Village, Inc.
Note: Although both are located in Allaire State Park,the historic village operates separately from the Pine Creek Railroad.
Free admission to the Historic Village only.
Contact: Shannon Gance
E-mail: info@allairevillage.org
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Allen House
400 Sycamore Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
Phone: 732-462-1466 (MCHA)
Website: www.monmouthhistory.org
Organization: Monmouth County Historical Association
E-mail: info@monmouthhistory.org
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Ardena School Museum
Old Tavern Road, Howell, NJ 07731
Phone: 732-938-2212 (leave message)
Organization: Howell Historical Society
E-mail: SarahAnnB@aol.com
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Battle of Monmouth Monument
71 Court Street, Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: 732-431-7460 x7413
Contact: Randall Gabriellan
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Burrowes Mansion Museum
94 Main Street, Matawan, NJ 07747
Phone 732-566-5605
Website: www.BurrowesMansion.org
Contact: Robert Montfort, President of Society,
E-mail: rwmontfort@aol.com
Phone: 732-583-3846
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Centennial Cottage
McClintock & Central Aves. Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
Phone: 732-774-1869
Website: www.oceangrovehistory.org
Organization: Historical Society of Ocean Grove
Contact: Anna Critelli
E-mail: info@oceangrovehistory.org
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Christ Church
380 Sycamore Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
Phone: 732-741-2220
Website: www.christchurchshrewsbury.org
Contact: Robert Kelly 
E-mail: christchurchshrewsbury@verizon.net
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Covenhoven House
150 West Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: 732-462-1466 (MCHA)
Website: www.monmouthhistory.org
E-mail: info@monmouthhistory.org
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Dr. Robert W. Cooke’s Medical Office
67 McCampbell Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
Phone: 732-946-2743
Website: www.holmdelhistory.org/DrCookes.html
Organization: Holmdel Historical Society
Contact: George Joynson, President,
E-mail: gj@gjoynson.com
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Eatontown Historical Museum
Read House, 75 Broad Street, Eatontown, NJ 07724
Phone: 732-542-4026, (please leave a message)
Website: www.EatontownHistoricalMuseum.org
Contact: Kathy English, 732-389-2959
E-Mail: EatontownHistorian@gmail.com
Phone: 732-542-4026 (please leave a message)
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Eden Woolley House
Township of Ocean Historical Museum, 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ 07712
Phone: 732-531-2136
Website: www.oceanmuseum.org
Contact: Paul Edelson
E-mail: OceanMuseum@verizon.net
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First Presbyterian Church
Four E. River Road, Rumson, NJ 07760
Phone: 732-842-0429
Website: www.rumsonpresbyterian.org
Contact: Rev. John Monroe, Pastor,
john@rumsonpresbyterian.org
Betty Anne Berube, Ad. Asst.
E-mail: bettyann@rumsonpresbyterian.org
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Friends Meeting House
Shrewsbury Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
375 Sycamore Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
Website: www.shrewsburyquakers.org
Email: Gordon4052@gmail.com
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Great Auditorium
21 Pilgrim Pathway, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
Phone: 732-775-0035
Website: www.oceangrove.org
Organization: The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association
PO Box 248, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
E-mail: information@oceangrove.org
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Historic Longstreet Farm
44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
Phone: 732-946-3758
Website: www.monmouthcountyparks.com
Contact: Sandy Byard
E-mail: sandy.byard@co.monmouth.nj.us
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Historic Walnford
62 Walnford Road, Upper Freehold Twp, NJ 08514
Phone: 609-259-6275
Website: www.monmouthcountyparks.com
Contact: Sarah Bent
E-mail: sarah.bent@co.monmouth,nj.us
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Holmes-Hendrickson House
62 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
Phone: 732-462-1466 (MCHA)
Website: www.monmouthhistory.org
Organization: Monmouth County Historical Association
E-mail: info@monmouthhistory.org
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InfoAge Science Center (Camp Evans)
2201 Marconi Road, Wall, NJ 07719
Phone: 732-280-3000
Website: www.infoage.org
Contact: Fred Carl, Director
E-mail: fred-carl@infoage.org
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Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County
310 Mounts Corner Drive, Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: 732 252-6990
This site is open only Sunday, May 4
Website: www.jhmomc.org
Organization: Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County
Contact: Michael Berman
E-mail: michael.berman@cbmoves.com
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Keyport Fire Museum and Edcaton Center
86 Broad Street , Keyport, NJ 07735
Phone: 732 739-5362
Website: www.keyportfd.org
Organization: Keyport Historical Society
Contact: Tom Gallo, Pres. 732 264-1581
E-mail: tdg1cnj@yahoo.com
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MacKenzie House
427 Lakewood-Farmingdale Road, Howell, NJ 07731
Phone: 732-938-2212 (leave message)
Organization: Howell Historical Society
E-mail: SarahAnnB@aol.com
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Marlpit Hall
137 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748
Phone: 732-462-1466 (MCHA)
Website: www.monmouthhistory.org
Organization: Monmouth County Historical Association
E-mail: info@monmouthhistory.org 
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Monmouth Battlefield State Park
16 State Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726
347 Freehold-Englishtown Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726
Phone: 732-462-9616
Website: www.monmouthbattlefield.nj.gov
Contact: Mark Pitchell, Superintendant
E-mail: Mark.pitchell@dep.state.nj.us
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Monmouth County Historical Association
Museum & Library
70 Court Street, Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: 732-462-1466 (MCHA)
Website: www.monmouthhistory.org
E-mail: info@monmouthhistory.org
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Murray Farmhouse
345 Oak Hill Road, Red Bank, NJ 07701
Phone: 732-842-5966
Website: www.poricypark.org
Contact: Joyce Ferejohn, Director
E-mail: poricypark@poricypark.org
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National Guard Militia Museum
Sea Girt Avenue & Camp Drive, P.O Box 277, Sea Girt, NJ 08750
Phone: 732-974-5966
The NGMMNJ is located in the National Guard Training Center (NGTC)
Adults need to show driver license or other identification to the NGTC gate guard.
Website: www.nj.gov/military/museum/index.html
Contact: Curator, 1st Lt Vincent Solomeno, or
Assistant Curators, Joe Bilby and Carol Fowler
E-mail: vincent.solomeno.mil@mail.mil
E-mail: jgbilby44@aol.com
E-mail: carol.r.fowler@us.army.mail
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Oakley Farm House
189B Oakley Drive, Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: 732-577-9766
Website: www.ftheritage.org
Organization: Freehold Township Historic Preservation Commission
Contact: Cheryl Cook, Manager
E-mail: ftheritage1686@yahoo.com
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Ocean Grove Historical Museum
50 Pitman Avenue, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
Phone: 732-774-1869
Website: www.oceangrovehistory.org
Contact: Anna Critelli
E-mail: info@oceangrovehistory.org
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Old First Church (Middletown Baptist)
69 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748
Phone: 732 671-1905
Website: www.oldfirstchurchnj.org
Contact: Rev. Joyce Antila Phipps, (cell, 908-337-1716)
E-mail: ofc@oldfirstchurch.org
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Old Tennent Church
450 Tennent Road, Tennent, NJ 07763
Phone: 732-446-6299
Web site: www.oldtennentchurch.org
Contact: Pastor, Rev. Mrs. Barbara McDonald.
E-mail address: ot.church@verizon.net 
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Old Wall Historical Society
Allgor/Barkalow Homestead and the Blansingburg Schoolhouse Museum
1701 New Bedford Road, Wall, NJ 07719
Contact: De Hearn, Museum Director,
732-681-3806 or 732-449-7888
Fran Bruno, President, 732-528-9443
E-mail: dehj@optonline.net
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Old Yellow Meeting House
70 Yellow Meeting House Road, Upper Freehold Twp., NJ 08514
Phone: 609-426-4450
Website: www.oymh.org
Contact: John Fabiano
E-mail: alltwnufhistsoc@aol.com
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Red Bank Women's Club
164 Broad Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
Phone: 732-747-7425
Website: www.womensclubofredbank.org
Email: info@WomensClubOfRedBank.org
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Roosevelt Borough Historic District (Jersey Homesteads)
2A School Lane, Roosevelt, NJ 08555
Phone: 609-947-0491
Website: www.web2sons.org (unofficial)
Contact: Michael L. Ticktin, Borough Historian
E-mail: mticktin@aol.com
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St. Catherine Church
214 Essex Avenue, Spring Lake, NJ 07762
Phone: 732-449-5765, ext. 169
Please respect any Church events that may be in progress during a weekend visit.
Website: www.stcatharine-stmargaret.com
Contact: Barbara Harrigan, 732-974-1423
E-mail: stcatharine@Bytheshore.com
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Sandy Hook Lighthouse & Fort Hancock
84 Mercer Road, Middletown, NJ 07732
Phone: (732) 919-3500
Website: www.nps.gov/gate
www.sandyhookfoundation.org
Address: Gateway National Recreation Area,
Highlands, NJ 07732
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Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club
5 Tennis Court Lane, Rumson, NJ 07760
Phone: 732-245-4555
Website: www.sltcc.org
Contact: Betsy Ford
E-mail: betsyford@comcast.net
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Seabrook-Wilson House, Bayshore Waterfront Park
719 Port Monmouth Road, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758
Phone: 732-787-3033
Website: www.monmouthcountyparks.com
Organization: Monmouth County Park System
Contact: Gail Hunton
E-mail: ghunton@monmouthcountyparks.com
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Shrewsbury Historical Museum, Municipal Complex
419 Sycamore Avenue, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
Phone: 732-530-7974
Organization: Shewsbury Historical Society
Contact: Don Burden, President, 732-747-3635
E-Mail: donaldburden@verizon.net
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Strauss Mansion Museum
27 Prospect Circle, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716
Phone: 732-291-1861 (leave message)
Website: www.atlantichighlandshistory.com
Organization: Atlantic Highlands Historical Society
Contact: Ken Frantz, President
E-mail: ahhsinfo@yahoo.com
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Taylor-Butler House
127 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748
Phone: 732-462-1466
Website: www.monmouthhistory.org
Organization: Monmouth County Historical Association
E-mail: info@monmouthhistory.org
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Twin Lights Lighthouse
198 Lighthouse Road, Highlands, NJ 07732
Phone: 732-872-1814
Website: : www.twinlightslighthouse.com
Organization: NJDEP Division of Parks & Forestry and
Friends of Twin Lights
Contact: Margaret Carlsen, Historian
E-mail: Curator13@gmail.com
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Village Inn
Two Water Street, Englishtown, NJ 07726
Phone: 908-907-3523
Website: www.thevillageinn.org
Organization: Battleground Historical Society
Contact: Hans Kernast
E-mail: hkernast@yahoo.com
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West Freehold School Museum
209 Wemrock Road, Freehold, NJ 07728
Phone: 732-577-9766 (including fax)
Website: www.ftheritage.org
Organization: Freehold Township Historic Preservation Commission
Contact: Cheryl Cook, Manager
E-mail: ftheritage1686@yahoo.com
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Woodrow Wilson Hall
Monmouth University, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Phone: 732-571-3546
Website: www.monmouth.edu
Contact: Patricia Swannack
E-mail: mbottone@monmouth.edu
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11th Annual Spring Tea

11th Annual Spring Tea
Saturday April 25, 2015 - 2:00 pm to 4:00pm
West Park Recreation Center, 615 West Park Avenue, Oakhurst, NJ 07755


The Township of Ocean Historical Museum will hold it's 11th Annual Spring Tea, which will take place on Saturday, April 25th from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Seating will begin at 1:30 pm. The Tea will be held at the West Park Recreation Center in Oakhurst, NJ 07755. Tickets ($25) are available starting March 1. Call 732-531-2136 to reserve your space. Single tickets are available, but the most fun is coming with friends and reserving tables for four or eight!

All food is prepared by Museum volunteers and includes: tea sandwiches, breads, desserts and scones with whipped cream, butter and jam along with a variety of teas. There will be a gift auction, a boutique of hand quilted crafts and doll clothes, and entertainment. Prizes will be awarded for a fancy hat contest, so plan on wearing a hat.

ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE. EVERY YEAR IS A SELL OUT SO DON'T WAIT TO GET YOUR TICKETS. Please buy your tickets early. They must be purchased in advance--none are sold at the door.

Winter Speaker Event - A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone


Winter Speaker Event - A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone
Tuesday, March 10, 2015, 7:15 pm.
Township of Ocean Board of Education Offices (Old Oakhurst School), Auditorium,
163 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, NJ 07755


Band-Aids. Movies. Color television. Bubble Wrap. Bar codes. The modern submarine. What do all of these things have in common? Give up? They were all invented in the great state of New Jersey! New Jersey is truly the land of inventions. M&M’s, solar panels, transistors, flexible film and Graham crackers are but a few of the useful and unique creations from the minds of Garden State residents. Not to mention the 1,093 patents issued to Thomas Alva Edison.

Since Edison opened the first research and development laboratory in Menlo Park, the Garden State has been known as the Innovation State. As Alex Magoun, former director of the David Sarnoff Library, put it, “The state’s twentieth-century history is filled with the technologies we take for granted, from electronic television and antibiotics to the transistor and liquid crystal displays.”

New Jersey inventors and innovators have changed the lives of people around the world. From the phonograph to the electric guitar, from the telegraph to Telstar and from baseball to college football, hundreds of products and ideas got their start in New Jersey. What makes New Jersey the state where ideas grow? Is it because we’ve been home to so many communications and pharmaceutical companies, including Bell Labs, Sarnoff, Johnson & Johnson and Edison’s invention factory? Is it our proximity to Philadelphia and New York? Or does the fact that we’re the most densely populated state mean that bright people are also densely packed in the Garden State?

Whatever the reason, New Jersey has produced hundreds of thousands of new ideas, including innovations in the fields of transportation (the steam locomotive and the steerable balloon), communications (satellites and cell phones), household improvements (air conditioning and the electric knife), entertainment (movies and the phonograph), food (condensed soup and the ice cream cone) and medicine (streptomycin and the artificial knee).

In 1987, Dr. Saul Fenster and Philip Sperber established the nation’s first and, to date, only statewide hall of fame for inventors. In 1977, the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office began comparing by state the number of patents issued. New Jersey companies and residents have received 115,000 patents since that date. Only California, Texas and New York have more, and those states have much larger populations. 

Linda J. Barth, author of "A History of Inventing in New Jersey" highlights the life-changing breakthroughs--from the transistor to the bar code--invented in New Jersey and documented in her latest book.

The talk, part of the Museum Speakers' Series, is open to the public, free of charge. Donations are always appreciated. Refreshments are served. Please bring a non-perishable item for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

2014 Holiday Show and Craft Sale


Oakhurst School Exhibit premieres on Holiday Weekend

If museums had hearts, there’d be a soft spot in ours for the Oakhurst School (today’s Board of Education offices at 163 Monmouth Road).  It was our home for 25 years. And many of our first member were drawn to the Museum by their memories of the school.  So what better way to culminate our 30th anniversary year than a tribute to the old place?
On Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7, the Museum holds its 30th Holiday Weekend, and included in the attractions is the premiere of a mini-exhibit on the Oakhurst School.

The Woolley House is transformed

For the two days of the Holiday Weekend, the Woolley House is transformed. The permanent exhibit in the Our Town Gallery makes room for model trains. The displays in the Hearth and Home Gallery are tucked away to accommodate an expanded Museum Shop and Bakery, stocked with homemade treats and one-of-a-kind gifts handcrafted by the Museum quilters. The porch is covered with wreaths and sprays freshly made and on sale by the Ocean Township Garden Club.

Weekend has something for everyone

Dropping by the Museum the first weekend in December has become for many families a welcome way to start the season. Children have fun finding hidden Christmas trees a “Holiday Hunt.” Children and adults alike enjoy the model trains. And it’s the perfect place to start holiday shopping - offering a rich source of locally crafted, unique gifts.  The weekend is also the last chance to take a chance on the Museum quilt; the winning ticket is drawn at 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Visitors are the first to see the new exhibit

The Oakhurst School is a rich topic for an exhibit. It operated as an elementary school for 78 years - the first 57 offering kindergarten through eighth grade. In the course of its almost eight decades, students marveled at the addition of electricity (in 1905) and indoor plumbing (1912). They saw gym classes introduced (1919), endured split sessions (1950), and witnessed the start of the space age (with the first U.S. sighting of the Russian Sputnik from our own Deal Test Site, 1957).
The school changed as the township and the country changed. The exhibit is a walk down memory lane for those with personal connections to the school and an engaging insight into Americana for everyone.

Mark you calendars and start the holiday season with us. Recommended donations: adults, $3; children admitted free.

Ocean Museum remembers the 80th anniversary of the Morro Castle tragedy



On Saturday, September 8, 1934, the burning hulk of the disabled luxury liner Morro Castle broke free of its towline and drifted dangerously near Convention Hall to run aground just yards off the Asbury Park beachfront. The tragedy (at the time the worst in U.S. merchant marine history) made national headlines. It turned local lifesavers into heroes and Asbury into a sightseeing mecca for the next six months.

Eighty years later (almost to the day), the Township of Ocean Historical Museum, located in the Eden Woolley House at the Ocean Township Library complex on Deal Road, opens a mini-exhibit remembering the Morro Castle. The highlight of the September 7 opening is a dramatization of a radio interview with fictional Morro Castle survivor Ellen Van Brunt. Imagining a WCAP (“City of Asbury Park”) broadcast from Convention Hall, the performance, scheduled for 1:30 and repeated at 3:00, brings events to life.

Bad weather, bad behavior, bad design

A confluence of misfortunes added up to tragedy for the Morro Castle. The liner was on its 174th return trip from Havanna to New York when its captain died mysteriously. That same night, a fire of suspicious origin broke out on board. The acting captain delayed signaling for help, thinking at first he could make it to New York. An oncoming Nor’easter fanned the flames. By 3 a.m. the ship--whose design and materials contributed to the fire’s spread--was ablaze. They were six miles off Sea Girt. Launch of the lifeboats was hampered by fire. Just 6 made it to shore, carrying only 85 people--80 of whom were crew members! Panicked passenagers, who had received no lifesaving instruction, jumped into the sea. Nearby ships sped to pick up survivors.

Local heroes

From shore, local fisherman and boat owners defied the storm to join the rescue. Ambulance crews, police, and fire departments (including Ocean Township’s) rushed to the scene. Local lifeguards pulled corpses and survivors from the water. In the final toll, 400 were saved, 137 died.

Rescue of a different sort

By early afternoon, the Coast Guard cutter Tampa had begun towing the Morro Castle to port. In a final twist of an ill-fated journey, the towline snapped, leaving the ship adrift and headed for shore. Its dramatic landing brought notice to Asbury. Tens of thousands flocked to see the wreck, which sat off the beach for six months. Merchants dealing with Depression Era downturns and a city burdened by debt realized an economic boon. The story of the Morro Castle, already a significant chapter of maritime history, became the stuff of local lore.

Visit the Eden Woolley House September 7 to learn the full story. The exhibit will be up through the end of November.

The Township of Ocean Historical Museum, founded in 1984, is a member-supported, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey. Its headquarters, the Eden Woolley House, is one of the few 18th century structures still in existence in the Township and is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), Thursday Evenings (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and the first and second Sundays of each month (1p.m. to 4 p.m.). For more information, please call 732-531-2136.

New Exhibit – The History of Houses and the Things That Make Them Home

 
New Exhibit – The History of Houses and the Things That Make Them Home
Exhibit Opens Sunday, June 29, 2014 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Eden Woolley House, 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ 07712


Since prehistoric times, where we live has been about much more than shelter (think of those cave paintings). A new exhibit explores just how our human instinct to nest has played out in the structures we inhabit and the stuff we put in them. “The History of Houses and the Things that Make Them Home” opens Sunday, June 29, in the Richmond Gallery of the Eden Woolley House.

The new exhibit examines the influences on the design and content of the American home--from the traditions early settlers brought with them, to the availability of materials, to the transforming power of technology. It takes guests on a virtual house tour, revealing room by room how things have changed and how those changes have shaped our lives.

What is home?

It’s where the heart is and there’s no place like it. Beyond shelter, our homes express our tastes, values, and social status. Our neighborhoods abound with homes that illustrate the point, and the new exhibit asks us to see our familiar surroundings in a new light.

It reveals the lineage of familiar house styles--colonial, neoclassical, Victorian, and modern, for example. It explains that the colonists of the new world built houses in the style of the old. That the founding fathers, all men of the Enlightenment, adapted the designs of Greeks and Romans whose rationality they admired. That the clutter and ornamentation of the Victorians expressed their fascination with goods made possible by the Industrial Revolution and made available by the railroads. And that twentieth century architects rejected Victorian fussiness in favor of designs that challenged old assumptions and took advantage of new technologies and building techniques.

The exhibit takes us inside

House design is just the beginning. The exhibit takes us inside, room by room.
For all but the rich, our earliest homes were one-room dwellings. The very concept of a single-purpose room (living, dining, bathing, etc.) is relatively new. And even in early multiple-room houses, people moved from room to room more in pursuit of sunlight and warmth than specific activity. In effect, all rooms were “living rooms.”

Revolutionary new technologies --indoor plumbing, central heating, and electric light, in particular--made room specialization practical. The bathroom, bedchamber, dining room, library, and parlor emerged as distinct spaces in ways that both reflect and influence life style.

Take the living room (aka parlor, drawing room, sitting room, and salon). It has come full circle. As parlor, it was a room often reserved to receive visitors. In time, it became the place where the family “withdrew” to gather around the piano --later the radio and then television. Today, the “great room” has assumed that role and in many homes, the living room is again a more formal space reserved for entertaining guests.

The exhibit makes that case that every house has a story, every room has a history. Join us June 29 to learn more. “The History of Houses and the Things that Make Them Home” will be up through June 2015.

The Township of Ocean Historical Museum, founded in 1984, is a member-supported, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey. Its headquarters, the Eden Woolley House, is one of the few 18th century structures still in existence in the Township and is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), Thursday Evenings (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and the first and second Sundays of each month (1p.m. to 4 p.m.). For more information, please call 732-531-2136.

Spring Speaker Event – The History of Homes


Spring Speaker Event – The History of Homes
Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at 7:15 pm
Old Oakhurst School Auditorium, 163 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, NJ 07755

This 1971 Deal home was designed by Paul Rudolph, dean of the Yale School of Architecture from 1958 to 1965 and a leading mid-century American architect known for his use of concrete and complex floor plans.
On Tuesday, June 10 at 7:15, in the old Oakhurst School Auditorium at 163 Monmouth Road, architect Frank Tomaino hosts a virtual tour of the some of the area's most fascinating houses. His talk, "An Architectural History of Homes," draws on rich examples from nearby communities.

The examples span the centuries and the range of architectural styles--from the earliest colonial, to Levittown-inspired tract homes, to the boldly modern. Along the way, Frank talks about the building techniques, materials, and aesthetic trends that shaped the shore's built environment. He highlights houses designed by some of the world's best architects, and shares his personal stories.

One such tells of the time Frank was called in by Leon Avakian, a prominent local civil engineer, to review plans for a Deal home drawn up by Paul Rudolph. Rudolph was internationally renown architect acclaimed for his striking buildings of the 1960's-70's Brutalist period that pre-dated Postmodernism. Rudolph's work included the Yale School of Architecture Building, the Orange County New York Government Center, and a great glass tower in Hong Kong.

"Leon did not think Rudolph's structure worked and asked me to look at it with him," Frank recalls. "He asked Rudolph's office to beef up some of the cantilevers that you see in the picture. After some 20 years, some did sag and were repaired. Leon was right!"

Frank Tomaino is a Deal native who now lives in Oakhurst. In his distinguished 45 year practice, he has designed homes, schools, and public buildings throughout the country. His awards include the NJ Society of Architects "Architect of the Year (2001)."

The talk, part of the Township of Ocean Historical Museum Speakers' Series, is open to the public, free of charge. Donations are always appreciated. Refreshments are served. Please bring a non-perishable item for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

The Township of Ocean Historical Museum, founded in 1984, is a member-supported, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its headquarters, the Eden Woolley House, is one of the few 18th century structures still in existence in the Township and is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), Thursday Evenings (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and the first and second Sundays of each month (1p.m. to 4 p.m.). For more information, please call 732-531-2136.

2014 Weekend In Old Monmouth

FREEHOLD, NJ – The annual “Weekend in Old Monmouth” event returns with 45 historic sites throughout Monmouth County opening their doors to visitors interested in local history. Hours for most sites are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 4.
“Weekend in Old Monmouth is a wonderful event for anyone interested in history and architecture,” said Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the County’s Historical Commission, coordinator of the weekend event. “The sites on the tour are generally operated independently of one another, but this special tour project coordinates the hours of operation at several locations so history buffs can travel by foot, bicycle or car to enjoy and take in many of the county’s rich historic places all in one weekend.”
“The tour includes 45 sites and each illustrates a piece of local history,” said John Fabiano, executive director of the Historical Commission. “The outlined tours help put the pieces together by theme or geography. Tour visitors can see the places in any order of their own selection. The proposed starting points are just suggestions for those who may be seeking guidance.”
You can start planning your route by previewing the tour sites on the County’s website at www.visitmonmouth.com. After April 15, a detailed tour book and tour map will be available on the Monmouth County website at www.visitmonmouth.com. On the tour dates, each tour stop will also have maps and booklets available.
The tours also represent several historic themes:
Shore: While the tour includes sites on the north, (Sandy Hook), central (Ocean Grove) and southern shores, (National Guard Militia Museum) the drive along the shore is one of the best ways to feel and appreciate Monmouth County’s relationship to the Ocean.
Faith: Architectural gems of each of the last three centuries, 18th century Christ Church in Shrewsbury, 19th century All Saints Memorial in Middletown and 20th century St. Catharine’s in Spring Lake. In addition, Old Tennent Church in Manalapan is closely tied to the Battle of Monmouth and the Friends Meeting House in Shrewsbury represents one of the oldest worship traditions in Monmouth County.
The Revolutionary War: The Revolution is visited here, not only the major sites in the Monmouth Battlefield area, but in lesser known places such as the Burrowes Mansion in Matawan, Marlpit Hall and the Murray Farm, both in Middletown.
Military: There is Fort Hancock at Sandy Hook, the most heavily fortified installation on the East Coast for much of the 20th century, the National Historic Landmark Monmouth Battlefield in Manalapan and one of the more fascinating, but lesser known museums, the New Jersey National Guard Militia Museum in Sea Girt with museum exhibits and fighter aircraft and tanks.
Preservation: Marlpit Hall in Middletown was the first restored house museum in the region, dating from its 1930s opening.
Other elements on the tour also include lighthouses, Victorian homes, agriculture, industry, education and science. All of the sites contributed to the importance of preservation and history throughout Monmouth County. The county supports the preservation movement annually by awarding preservation grants to historic sites. Many of the tour locations have received grants in the past.
A site list and map are available on the County’s website at www.visitmonmouth.com.
Tour Site, Municipality
All Saints Memorial Church, Middletown
Allaire Historic Village, Wall
Allen House, Shrewsbury
Ardena School Museum, Howell
Burrowes Mansion Museum, Matawan
Centennial Cottage, Ocean Grove, Neptune
Christ Church, Shrewsbury
Covenhoven House, Freehold
Dr Cooke’s Medical Office, Holmdel
Eatontown Museum, Eatontown
Eden Woolley House, Ocean
Old First Church, Middletown
First Presbyterian Church, Rumson
Friends Meeting House, Shrewsbury
Great Auditorium, Ocean Grove
Holmes-Hendrickson House, Holmdel
InfoAge Science Center (Camp Evans), Wall
Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County, Freehold Township
Keyport Fire Museum, Keyport
Longstreet Farm, Historic, Holmdel
MacKenzie House, Howell
Marlpit Hall & Taylor-Butler House, Middletown
Monmouth Battlefield Monument at the Monmouth County Courthouse, Freehold
Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan
Monmouth County Historical Association Museum, Freehold
Joseph Murray Farmhouse, Middletown
National Guard Militia Museum, Sea Girt
Oakley Farm House, Freehold Township
Ocean Grove Historical Museum, Ocean Grove
Old Yellow Meeting House, Upper Freehold
Red Bank Woman’s Club, Red Bank
Roosevelt Borough
St. Catharine’s Church, Spring Lake
Sandy Hook Lighthouse, Middletown
Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, Rumson
Seabrook-Wilson House, Middletown
Shrewsbury Historical Museum, Shrewsbury
Strauss Mansion Museum, Atlantic Highlands
Old Tennent Church, Manalapan
Twin Lights Lighthouse, Highlands

10th Annual Spring Tea

10th Annual Spring Tea
Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
West Park Recreation Center, 615 West Park Avenue, Oakhurst, NJ 07755


The Township of Ocean Historical Museum will hold it's 10th Annual Spring Tea, which will take place on Saturday, April 26th from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Seating will begin at 1:30 pm. The Tea will be held at the West Park Recreation Center in Oakhurst, NJ 07755.


All food is prepared by Museum volunteers and includes: tea sandwiches, breads, desserts and scones with whipped cream, butter and jam along with a variety of teas. There will be a gift auction, a boutique of hand quilted crafts and doll clothes, and entertainment. Prizes will be awarded for a fancy hat contest, so plan on wearing a hat.


ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE. EVERY YEAR IS A SELL OUT SO DON'T WAIT TO GET YOUR TICKETS.


Township of Ocean Historical Museum
Address: 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ 07712
Mailing: P.O. Box 516, Oakhurst, NJ 07755-0516


Phone - (732) 531-2136


Email Address: OceanMuseum@verizon.net


The Township of Ocean Historical Museum received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.

2013 Holiday Show and Craft Show – The History of Asbury Park High School


2013 Holiday Show and Craft Show –
The History of Asbury Park High School
Saturday, December 7, 2013, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, and
Sunday, December, 8, 2013, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Eden Woolley 703 Deal Road, Ocean, NJ 07712

 


What better way to launch this year’s holiday season than a visit to the Eden Woolley House, 703 Deal Road, Ocean Township, the first weekend of December? For two days—from 11 to 4, Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8—the Museum is transformed for the holidays. One gallery is bedecked with model trains and miniature houses. Another is turned into a charming Museum Shop and Bakery, packed full of home--‐made treats and locally crafted items—from hand--‐knit hats and toys, to hand--‐quilted throws and table runners, to hand--‐sewn doll outfits. It’s the perfect time and place to shop local for one--‐of--‐a--‐kind, work--‐of--‐art holiday gifts.


The Holiday Weekend is also the premiere of the Museum’s mini--‐exhibit on the history of Asbury Park High School, featuring vintage photos, school newspapers, yearbooks, and memorabilia. The story of the school is a fitting complement to the Museum’s major exhibit: “Asbury Park: The History of a Jersey Gem,” currently on display. Whether Asbury alums (as many from the Township of Ocean were, as we were a sending district until the opening of Ocean Township High School in 1965) or newcomers to the area, guests will find the facts, photos, and artifacts of both exhibits well worth the visit.

There is something for everyone. Children will have fun finding the hidden treasures in “History Hunt.” Children and adults alike can enjoy the model train encircling Steinbach’s Department Store, Christmas 1955. Those who have bought their raffle tickets will learn at 3 on Sunday, December 8, this year’s winner
of the Museum’s hand--‐made quilt.

Suggested donation is $3.00. Children are admitted free.

A Christmas Carol - Bus Trip to Performance by Gerald Charles Dickens


Gerald Charles Dickens, great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens, and himself an actor in Britan, comes to the United States to perform a one-man show of Charles Dicken's classic, "A Christmas Carol." The New York Times calls Mr. Dicken's performance "a once in a lifetime brush with literary history."

We will be leaving the Eden Woolley House at 10:00 am for a 1:00 pm performance in Burlington. Tickets will be $45.00 and include transportation, a box lunch and the show.

Space is limited. Call 732-531-2136 or e-mail ( OceanMuseum@verizon.net )now to reserve seating.

Fall Speaker Event - Train Travel and the Transformation of the Jersey Shore


 
 
Some inventions make small differences. Others change everything. At 7:15 on Tuesday, November 12, at Board of Education offices at 163 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, local author and historian Gary Crawford makes the case that the steam locomotive was one such history-changing innovation.

In his talk, “Train Travel and the Transformation of the Jersey Shore,” Gary lays out the role that railroads played in the development of Monmouth County and the Jersey shore. Successful lines, and some not so successful, cr...eated a transportation system that linked large population centers with remote seashore communities--destinations that, no matter how inviting, had for generations remained practically inaccessible to the large populations in New York, Newark, and Philadelphia.

Trains changed all that. They gave families a way to escape the oppressive, pre-air-conditioning city heat for the cool Altantic breezes. Travelers packed their trunks and headed to the shore--often for the season. (Wage-earners commuted by Shoretrain from their vacation homes or hotels into the city.) Ocean Grove, Asbury Park, and Deal were among the coastal communities planned and developed in response to the opportunities made possible by train travel.

Join us 7:15, Tuesday, November 12 at the Board of Education Offices, 163 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst. The presentation is open to the public, free of charge. Donations are appreciated. Refreshments are served. (We collect and will deliver non-perishable items for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.)

5th Annual History Ghost Walk - Asbury Park: The History of a Jersey Gem



 
Ghost players (left to right) Abbey Wilson, Madison Spoonire, and Heather MacDonald pose in from of the Eden Woolley House with Ghost Walk Chairperson Brenda Wityk after a recent rehearsal.
 
On Sunday, October 20, the Ocean Township Historical Museum holds its fifth annual History Ghost Walk, this year featuring the characters from its exhibit “Asbury Park: The History of a Jersey Gem.” It is a ghost walk designed to delight, not fright--and well, yes, to share some history, too.

The event has two parts.

1) Outside, guests are guided along the path east of the Woolley House to meet and interact with the talented young actors who bring the spirits of Asbury back to life. You never know for sur...e who will turn up--we are dealing with the other side, after all. But as we go to press, we have reason to expect the likes of James Bradley (Asbury’s founder), Arthur Pryor (Asbury’s “Music Man”), Lorenzo Harris, Sr. (Asbury’s gifted “Sand Man” artist and civil rights leader), Barbara Samaha (lingerie peddler who opened Dainty Apparel and became the city’s leading woman business owner), Agnes Frick (an usherette at the Mayfair), and more!

2) Inside the Library’s Terner Gallery, guests enjoy performances from Asbury’s Victorian, jazz, and pop eras. Here they are hosted by the spirit of Evelyne Kane, a member of Queen Titania’s court in the 1924 Baby Parade. Guests sing along with turn-of-the century tunes, swing to numbers from the 30s and 40s, and meet “our own” Connie Francis.

The Ghost Walk is known to sell out. Call the Museum (732-531-2136) to make your reservation. Come shop the Museum Store, enjoy free refreshments, and spend a fun and informative Sunday afternoon. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for children. (Rain Date - Sunday November 3, 2013 - 5:30 pm)

What's It Worth – Antique Appraisals

YOU HAVE A NATIONAL TREASURE! Okay, maybe not. But as any fan of “Antiques Roadshow” will testify, it’s great fun to learn the history and value of the stuff we collection and cherish.

From 7 to 9, Friday evening, September 20, in the Terner Gallery of the Ocean Township Library, 701 Deal Road, expert appraisers Chris and Rose Myer will estimate the value of your treasures. For $5 an item, you’ll learn what they’re worth and why. All proceedings benefit the Eden Woolley House, home of the Township of Ocean... Historical Museum.

Together, Chris and Rose Myer have more than 60 years experience as art, estate, and antique consultants. Collectively, their credentials include a degree in art history, post graduate and certified appraisal studies, a fine arts gallery directorship, and a professional record appraising art, furniture, pottery, glass, and much more. For over two decades, the Myers have owned and operated the Shore Antique Center (previously in Point Pleasant Beach and for the last 5 years, in Allenhurst). The oral appraisal you receive for your $5 fee cannot be used for insurance purposes.

But the expert estimate of the value of your item will let you know if it is worth following up to secure the written appraisal required by insurance companies.

(If a piece you would like appraised is oversized or extremely fragile, please leave it home and bring photos!)