2018 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

• Thursday Evening, February 2, 2018 at 7:30 pm., Randal Gaulke, Meuse-Argonne Offensive
  
  Mr. Randal Gaulke will host a presentation on the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I.  This Presentation will marry a selection of “Then and Now” photos with letters, diaries, etc. written by doughboys who participated in the Great War at/near those locations.
  
  The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest independent American offensive against the Imperial German Army during the Great War. It began on September 26, 1918 less than two weeks after the St. Mihiel Offensive ended. The initial assault involved nine AEF divisions—including four green divisions—on approximately a 30-kilometer-wide front. By war end the battle involved portions of 23 American divisions and 1.2 million U.S. troops (not counting French units); and it produced an estimated 110,000 casualties, or more than 2,300 casualties per day. 
  
  On the other side, the Imperial German Army fought tenaciously well into mid-October; even as signs of defeat continued to accelerate. This presentation is dedicated to presenting both sides of that battle. 
  
  Randal Gaulke has been studying WW1 and its battlefields for almost four decades.  His interest began in 1980 with the purchase of the role-playing game “Fight in the Skies.”  His love of the battlefields began in 1986 when he took his first battlefield tour with Lt. Col. Graham Parker, OBE, of Flanders Tours; and his preoccupation with the Meuse-Argonne battlefield began in 1994 when he participated in a work weekend with the Deutsches Erinnerungskommittee Argonnerwald.  Since 1986 he has visited the battlefields, especially the Meuse-Argonne, more than twenty times; and he enjoys guiding groups and individuals on the battlefields.
  
  In 2017 he quit his job as a financial analyst in order to work and live in France for six months as a freelance tour guide to the American battlefields.  During those months he led numerous individual and small-group tours.  Being on the ground for six months allowed him to make connections and understand the terrain to a degree that is not possible during a short vacation.
  
  When not guiding tours, Randal continues to be busy with other WW1 activities; including: maintaining his travel-oriented website, http://meuse-Argonne.com, and Facebook group with the same name; writing and preparing historical presentations; and taking an active role in historical associations such as the World War 1 Historical Association, where he serves as a director.
  
  Randal has written two chapters in Ed Lengel’s book, “A Companion to the Meuse-Argonne Campaign,” (Wiley-Blackwell, May 2014) that describe the Meuse-Argonne Offensive from the viewpoint of two German regiments.  His assistance and scholarship has also been acknowledged in several books, including Mitch Yockelson’s “Forty-Seven Days…” and Stephen Skinner’s “Frank Luke:  The Stand…”  
   

• Thursday Evening, March 1, 2018 at 7:30 pm., Guy Roshto, The McGrath Family: Three sisters
  
  The meeting will be held at our new venue, the All Saints Episcopal Church Parish Hall at 15 Basking Ridge Road, Millington.
  
  Kelly Roshto and Guy Roshto, both board members of our Historical Society, who enjoy discovering new bits of town history and piecing together a story to share, will present:  The McGrath family legacy: Three nuns, a Stirling doctor and Townhall.
  
  This talk begins in the 1840's and spans almost 100 years as it follows the unusual story of the McGrath family as they journey from Ireland to their homestead farm in Gillette, N.J. Involving local history of Long Hill Township, it includes the unlikely story of a small-town doctor becoming a professor at a New York Hospital only to give it all up for a higher calling. Anyone who enjoys bits of local history and has heard rumors of nuns associated with the site of the current town hall should attend.
   

• Thursday Evening, May 3, 2018 at 7:30 pm., Annual School History Contest, Life in Long Hill Schools - Oral Histories
  
  Come and experience how Long Hill Schools have changed and stayed the same through the voices of the students of Long Hill. They have interviewed family and friends in town to get a glimpse of the past and compared them to their typical day at school. Enjoy their ideas and share some of your fondest memories of "readin, writin and arithmetic"!
   

• Thursday Evening, June 7, 2018 at 7:30 pm., Luke Boyd, Investigating Abandoned New Jersey

  
  This program is funded by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
  
  When many think of adventure and exploration, exotic locations and ancient civilizations may come to mind. However, urban exploration, or “UrbEx,” can happen in our backyards. There’s a lot that can be learned from uninhibited and abandoned landscape. In this session, through case studies from the tristate area, participants will examine abandoned properties and the narratives that accompany them. The value of learning about these abandoned spaces in our backyards as well as the safety and ethical aspects of UrbEx will be discussed.
  
  Presenter: Luke Boyd is a public historian, actor, and museum professional. In his career he has had the privilege to work and study at some of America’s most storied places. As a living historian, Luke has brought personages of the American past to life, from the obscure to the more renowned. Luke has additional interests in urban exploration, cinematic history, and  American commemorative culture
   
   

• Thursday Evening, September 6, 2018 at 7:30 pm., Matt Tomaso, 57 Plainfield Road - Uncovering History
  
  Matt Tomaso returns to LHTHS to present his work in documenting this 18th century historic structure. In 2018, the home at 57 Plainfield Road, Stirling, was demolished to make way for construction of a new business. This is the story of the home, it's occupants and the surrounding history along the Passaic river, rise of Valley Road and the old road long since gone.
  
  Historian and author Matt Tomaso will speak about collecting the history of 57 Plainfield Road before its demolition. Who lived at this place and what was their story? What was family life like?
   

• Thursday Evening, October 4, 2018 at 7:30 pm, Gary D. Saretzky,  HOW NJ PHOTOGRAPHERS CAPTURED LIFE THROUGH PORTRAITURE
  
  This program is funded by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. 
   

• Thursday Evening, November 1, 2018 at 7:30 pm., Laurie Gaulke, "The Letter"
  This month's meeting only will be held in the All Saint's Church Sanctuary, located at 15 Basking Ridge Road in Millington.  Plenty of free parking is available.
  
  Historian and Performer Laurie Gaulke will present "The Letter", a story about one local women's heroic actions that accidentally propel her into the national spotlight.. ( About Mary Hudspetch Benson)
  
  With a Master's degree in Cultural Anthropology along with in-depth research, Laurie Gaulke strives to present each character in a historically, culturally and socially accurate manner.  Using their own words as recorded in diaries, letters, journals and other primary source materials, Laurie breaths life into the extraordinary lives of ordinary women..
   

• DECEMBER and JANUARY BREAK. No meetings until February 7, 2019
   

  2017 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

  • Thursday Evening, February 2, 2017 at 7:30 pm.
    
    Our guest speaker will be Linda Barth, who will discuss the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Ms. Barth is active in the D&R Canal Watch, a group that helps to protect the historic Delaware & Raritan Canal in central New Jersey.
    
    Ms. Barth has combined her interest in canals with writing, and has produced travel articles and books. Two of her volumes for Arcadia Publishing are The Delaware and Raritan Canal and The Delaware and Raritan Canal at Work. She also wrote a children's book, Bridgetender's Boy, about the son of the canal worker, who moved the bridge out of he way so that boats could pass through. A few years ago Ms. Barth was asked to write some articles for the Encyclopedia of New Jersey.
    
    Ms. Barth is a retired fourth-grade teacher, formerly working in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District in Somerset County, New Jersey.
     

  • Thursday Evening, March 2, 2017 at 7:30 pm.
    
    NJ History from 1664 to Present by Michael Aaron Rockland Professor and Chair, Department of American Studies, Rutgers University.
    
    1664 is the date the term “New Jersey,” named for the English Isle of Jersey, began to be used—even though the Dutch had considered it part of New Netherlands earlier and, of course, Native Americans had been here for thousands of years. But there were two Jerseys, West and East, and it would be many years before New Jersey became a single colony. Those uncertain origins, aided by having New York and Philadelphia bracketing it, has been part of New Jersey’s uncertainty about itself right down to today. 
    
    This lecture will also deal with the term “Garden State” as a misnomer and suggest an alternative nickname. It will also look into why New Jersey has been going through something of a renaissance in recent years. 
    
    This program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.in Somerset County, New Jersey.
     

  • Thursday Evening, April 6, 2017 at 7:30 pm.
    
    Everyone loves the Jersey Tomato! by food historian Judith Krall-Russo.
    
    Discover where the tomato originated and why it became one of New Jersey’s favorite crops. Find out when New Jersey was known for its tomato packing industry and what happened to it. Did you know that tomatoes were considered poisonous at one time and it was a New Jerseyean who decided to prove everyone wrong? Hear about heirloom varieties and modern hybrids and the folklore attached to this fruit..
    
    This program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
     

  • Thursday Evening, May 4, 2017 at 7:30 pm.
    
    Remember When? by Philip E. Jaeger.
    
    The program focusses on 20-plus historical events introduced by relevant popular songs. Events are memorable moments primarily in the areas of entertainment, sports, transportation, politics and business. Years covered range from the late 1930s through the end of that century. It is anticipated that audience participation will be an integral part of the program. 
    
    Philip E. Jaeger is a lifelong New Jerseyan. He was born and raised in Irvington. After graduating from Irvington High School, he received his undergraduate degree from Upsala College. He then served in Counterintelligence Corps in the U.S. Army, and subsequently earned a Master's degree in statistics from Rutgers University.
     
    After working in two historic buildings in New York City, first with Shell Oil at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and then with Lever Brothers at Lever House at 390 Park Avenue, in 1974 Phil began a second career as a mathematics and computer science teacher. He taught at Millburn High School for more than 20 years, retiring in 1994. As a testament to his teaching career, he still keeps in touch with many of his former students.
     
    Phil has lived in Cedar Grove with his wife of more than 45 years, Jean, since 1964. They currently live in the house in which Allen B. Du Mont made significant advances in the cathode ray tube, which was used in televisions and computer monitors until the early 21st century.
     
    Phil is currently a trustee of the Passaic County and Cedar Grove Historical Societies, and is a former member of the board of directors of the Canal Society of New Jersey. For more than 40 years he has also been a member of the Metropolitan Railroad Club. In addition to making presentations at historical societies, libraries, civic groups, and other organizations, he is frequently consulted on historical matters in northern New Jersey and for his large archive of postcards, maps, and New Jerseyana.
     

  • Sunday Afternoon June 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm
    Special Outing Location: Whippany Railway Museum, 1 Railroad Plaza, Whippany (across from the intersection of Route 10 and Whippany Rd.)
    
    Members and guests of the Long Hill Township Historical Society will enjoy a free behind the scenes tour of NJ’s largest collection of historic railroad passenger cars, locomotives, cabooses, anthracite coal memorabilia and equipment, and a small collection of old farm tractors.  
    
    The tour will include climbing aboard a huge old steam locomotive and sitting in the engineers seat, relaxing inside a magnificently restored parlor car that once carried millionaires to and from work on the Central RR of NJ between Red Bank and Jersey City, also experience life working in an old (restored) railroad caboose with its coal fired pot belly stove, seeing a variety of early 1900’s railroad equipment including a 1920s era bus with railroad wheels that ran between Morristown and Whippany for many years, as well as small steam and diesel locomotives, etc..
    
    Additionally, those on the tour will visit the museum that specializes in preserving and displaying rare and interesting items from New Jersey’s railroads, including the railroad that served residents of Long Hill Twp. for well over 100 years.  In addition to railroad items a section of the museum specializes in steamboats of our region, has a model railroad layout, and has a small gift shop.
    
    Other unusual items at the museum include an early 1900s elevated wooden water tank to fill steam locomotives with water and their newest acquisition, a 1906 trolley car built in Elizabeth NJ by the John Stephenson Co.  The trolley display track has just been completed on and the trolley may or may not be placed on it by June 11.  Other historic items on display range from old NJ highway signs to a 1950s Civil Defense siren that was just installed (it works).
    
    This tour will take place rain or shine.  The tour guide will be Stirling’s railroad historian and former railroad official Frank Reilly along with museum officials.  There is no charge for this outing.  Please consider carpooling with your fellow Historical Society friends.

     

  • Thursday Evening, September 7, 2017 at 7:30 pm.
    
    The Castles of New Jersey by Phil E. Jaegar
    
    Although not as numerous or grand as their European counterparts, a surprisingly large number of castles were built in New Jersey a century or more ago. This program will take you on a tour of well-known castles such as Lambert and Kip's castles as well as lesser known ones throughout the state. Many of them still exist, some have been disguised over the years, and others have vanished.
    
    Phil Jaeger, a resident of Cedar Grove, is a former mathematics and computer science teacher.  He is the author of books on Montclair and Cedar Grove, both in Arcadia's Images of America series.  Phil is a former board member of the Canal Society of New Jersey and the Passaic County Historical Society.  He and his wife Jean are frequent presenters of programs of local historical interest.
    
    This program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
    
    All are welcome. We hope you can join us. You needn’t be a member to attend. Donations are always appreciated.
    
     

  • Thursday Evening, October 5, 2017 at 7:30 pm.
    
    "Northern Women in the Aftermath of the Civil War" by Joanne Hamilton Rajoppi
    
    We are pleased to announce that noted author and historian, Joanne Hamilton Rajoppi, will speak at the Long Hill Township Historical Society on October 5th at 7 pm. at the Long Hill First Aid Squad building.  Ms. Rajoppi will present her most recently published book, Northern Women in the Aftermath of the Civil War. The book follows the women of the Hamilton family after the war and charts the sacrifices and unique role of women in the north following the war years.
     
    A contributor to Meet Your Revolutionary Neighbors: Crossroads of the American Revolution, she also chronicled the military service of her great-grandfather during the Civil War in her book New Brunswick and the Civil War: The Brunswick Boys in the Great Rebellion based on the letters he wrote to his family. 
     
    Ms. Rajoppi is also a trustee and officer of the Union County Historical Society. During the Civil War Sesquicentennial, she established and chaired a four-year revolving exhibit in the historic Union County Courthouse.  She serves as the Union County Clerk and is a former mayor of her hometown.
     
    She will be available after the event to autograph her books which are available on Amazon.com as well as at the October 5th event.
     
    Bring a friend and enjoy an interesting and historical night out.  Refreshments will be served.
    
     

  • Thursday Evening, November 2, 2017 at 7:30 pm.
    
    "Archaeological investigations at Union County’s Deserted Village of Feltville in Glenside Park" by Matthew Tomaso, who has led this investigation.
    
    Archaeological investigations at Union County’s Deserted Village of Feltville / Glenside Park, a National Register of Historic Places District, have been on-going for over 30 years and historical studies of the village have an even longer tenure. Within the last 18 years, these efforts have become increasingly integrated and focused upon the interplay between archaeological, geographic, and historic information.  This somewhat retrospective presentation provides a chronologically-arranged overview of the village’s particular history and the archaeological and landscape findings that have changed our understanding of not just the village’s day-to-day life, but its context as a representative of major social, industrial, and ideological trends of the 18th, 19th and even 20th centuries. Through answering questions that history alone cannot reliably address, archaeology and historical geography have helped us understand how and why major changes have occurred during the village’s long history.
    
    Matt Tomaso is a native of Warren Township, educated in Maine and Texas, who returned to New Jersey in 1995 after completing his graduate studies to practice archaeology professionally and to teach at Montclair State University.  He taught at Montclair for ten years in the Earth and Environmental Studies, Classics and Anthropology Departments and directed a research center there.  In 1997, he founded the Feltville Archaeological Project – a long-term research project designed to investigate the social and economic history, archaeology, and geography of Union County’s Deserted Village.  He has since been regarded by the County as “the village’s archaeologist”.  Today, he is back in Warren Township, directing the cultural resource management practice of Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor, a local Architecture, Engineering, and Environmental consulting firm.  Mr. Tomaso is an Advisor to the Society for American Archaeology’s Awards Committee for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management, a regional contributor to the Archaeological Conservancy and a member of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey’s Executive Board. His broad and ever-changing interests are, today, primarily focused upon archaeological method and theory and improving the practice of regulatory archaeology.
    
     

  • Special EventSunday Afternoon, December 3, 2017 at 1:30 pm.
    
    "LONG HILL HISTORIC HOUSE TOUR IN MILLINGTON"

    A perfect opportunity has recently arisen. At this time there are four Historic Homes on the market, that are all  located in Millington and within five minutes of each other! The Historical Society thought this would be an ideal time to take advantage of this unusual circumstance and open the houses to the public. This has been made possible by the generosity of Theresa Filippone with Coldwell Realtors and the current home owners. 
    
    Space is limited, so reservations will be required by calling  Kathy Pfeil at 908-350-8012 by November 25.  Unfortunately we cannot accommodate children. A suggested donation of $20. will be accepted day of the tour. If the weather is inclement, you can call 908-350-8012 to learn if a cancellation is necessary. 
    
    We plan to meet at the Millington Train Station at 1:30 pm on Sunday December 3, where we will park and walk, or carpool to each home. It will be an uphill walk, so please wear comfortable shoes. We can arrange rides for those  who are in need.  We will be traveling from house to house as a group and spending 30 to 45 minutes at each home. A brief history will be given of each home and the surrounding area. The final home will host a small Holiday Reception.
    
    Anyone who has ever  been curious about our Township History, can now enjoy a glimpse into our past!
     

  2016 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

  • Thursday, February 25, 2016 7:30 "PHONOGRAPHS AFTER EDISON"  speaker  Larry Fast (First Aid Squad)

  • Sunday, March 20, 2016  3 PM "COLONIAL NEW JERSEY FROM CONTACT TO REVOLUTION"  speaker  Jonathon Mercantini (Millington Schoolhouse) This program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the NJ Council for the Humanities.
    The first part of his talk will explore the creation of New Jersey and the origins of the state's most distinctive features that remain today. We will hear of the state's growth as an agricultural center and a key transportation network. He will consider land ownership and taxation on the eve of revolution.
    Our speaker, Jonathan Mercnatini, Chair of the Department of History at Kean University, worked in 2014 with the NJ Historical Commission on plans for the 350th anniversary of New Jersey. He received Emmy nominations for his work on "It Happened Here--New Jersey," weekly series on NJ topics featured on NJ Public TV and online.

  • Thursday, April 28, 2016  7:30 PM  "THE LENAPE OR DELAWARE INDIANS" speaker  John Kraft (at Millington Schoolhouse).

    John Kraft, director of Lenape Lifeways Educational Programs, Inc. is an archaeologist/educator who has presented thousands of programs on the Lenape or Delaware Indians of New Jersey. The program covers the region's 12,000 years of Native American history with a focus on the formation of the Lenape culture. There will also be clothing, masks, tools and musical instruments for all to see and handle.

    This program is free and open to the public. This program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the NJ Council for the Humanities.

  • Thursday, May 26, 2016 7:30 PM   "STEP INTO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ARCHIVES" (Millington Schoolhouse) -spealkers Rene Phelan and Kelly Roshto. See some recent additions to the archives which have been donated to the society within the past year and discover the stories they tell. Also, meet the winner of our 2016 Historical Essay Contest.

  • Thursday, June 23, 2016 7:30 PM   "1933 JOURNAL BY MILLINGTON MAN"  speakers  Kelly Roshto and Guy Roshto (Millington Schoolhouse)
     

  • Thursday , Sept. 1, 2016 at 7:30 pm. Our September speaker will be Phil Jaeger.  He will speak about the Passaic River and its importance to our area.  We will follow the river from Mendham to Kearny at Newark Bay. 
     

  • Thursday, October 6, 2016 at 7:30 pm. Our speaker is Guy Roshto.  Guy has found some old maps and aerial views of our town about the time our town was founded.
     

  • Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 7:30 pm. Our November speaker is Larry Gaulke. His topic is a "Tour of WW1 Battlefields".
     

  • No meetings in Decmber 2016 or January 2017

  2015 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

  Meetings are held at the Long Hill Township First Aid Squad building, 949 Valley Road, Gillette (between the Town Hall/Library and Valley Mall). Meetings and presentations start at 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public- Refreshments will be served.

  • February 12, 2015 The History of the Long Hill Township Police Department. Sgt Ted Bremer, who has written a book on the subject, and Det. Gary Bauer will share their knowledge with stories and pictures.  Do you know how many policemen we had to start or where the police dept. was located?  Come and find out and more interesting facts.

  • March 12, 2015 Jim DelGiudice, a photo journalist and lifetime Morris County resident will tell stories of Morris Co. most famous and not so famous historical characters.  One a real-life Indiana Jones and another a ghost who just won't leave and many more.

  • April 9, 2015 Topic, "Long Hill in Past, Present and Future" by Guy Roshto. The talk will focus on local events that have had a lasting effect on our township history.  Events like farming, road building, business. education and government.

  • May 14, 2015 Meet the young people who won the contest of writing what they like about Long Hill Township that is old and new. Extra parking at the library.

  • June 11, 2015 Thanks to Gus Schmidt we have a 60 Yr. old map of Passaic Twp. with a Chamber of Commerce Directory. Dennis Sandow will talk about changes to the map and town over 60 yrs.  View the map and everyone is invited to add what they remember. You may be surprised how things changed.

  No meetings during July and August 2015

  • September 10, 2015 Joe Macasek, President of the Canal Society of NJ, President of the Roebling Chapter of the Society for Industrial Archeology and Director of Communications for the Friends of Historic Speedwell will present our September program. Mr. Macasek will speak about the Morris Canal.

  • October 22, 2015 PART 2: "What Ever Happened To..." Thanks to Gus Schmidt we have a 60 Yr. old map of Passaic Twp. with a Chamber of Commerce Directory. Dennis Sandow will talk about changes to the map and town over 60 yrs.  View the map and everyone is invited to add what they remember. You may be surprised how things changed.

  • November 12, 2015 War Reminiscences (tentative)

  No meetings in December 2015 or January 2016

  2014 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

  Meetings are held at the Long Hill Township First Aid Squad building, 949 Valley Road, Gillette (between the Town Hall/Library and Valley Mall). Meetings and presentations start at 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public- Refreshments will be served.

  • March 13, 2014 "New Brunswick and the Civil War" by Joanne Hamilton Rajoppi

  • April 10, 2014 "Postage Stamps as Tools in Telling American History" by Peter Cerrato. Come and bring your stamp collector friends.

  • May 8, 2014 **THIS MONTH ONLY AT THE LONG HILL TOWNSHIP LIBRARY** Our speakers will be Jane Hecht and Ming Hsu.  They will tell us about the work of Professor Hsu, local Chinese American Artist. We will see some of his works and he will join us if health permits.

  • June 12, 2014 Our speaker is Israel Sierra, Jr.  His topic is INVENTORS AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND THEM

  No meetings during July and August

  • September 11, 2014 Our speakers are Robert Brandt and Guy Roshto. Topic:  MASON DIXON LINE
    Did you know it's original purpose was to settle a family feud?

  • October 9, 2014 Our speaker will be Walter Choroszewski, a well known photographer and speaker.  His topic will be "Timeline New Jersey" which received an award of recognition from the NJ Historical Commission in 2011.

  • November 13, 2014 Larry Gaulke will be our speaker. His topic is the Iron Division in the Muese-Argonne, WW1. He will take us on a walk thru the woods where PA. dough boys fought.  With words and pictures he will tell us what PA did in battle.

  • December 11, 2014 Ted Bremer, Gary Bauer: History of the Long Hill Police Department

   

  2013 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

  Meetings are held at the Long Hill Township First Aid Squad building, 949 Valley Road, Gillette (between the Town Hall/Library and Valley Mall). Meetings and presentations start at 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public- Refreshments will be served.

  • February 14, 2013 Mr. Nicolas Platt, Deputy Mayor of Harding Township (descendant of Hartley Family) will bring photographs and stories of the Marcellus Hartley Dodge and Geraldine Rockefeller family to our February meeting.  Come and bring a friend.  He will cover the years 1870-1970, touch on the end of the Gilded Age and conclude with the threat of the Jet Port, which would have changed the landscape of Morris County and Long Hill Twp.

  • March 14, 2013 Brigadier General William Alexander: Lord Stirling" by George Helmke

  • April 11, 2013 Larry Fast will present a video at the April 11, 2013 meeting. "A 1986 Drive Down Valley Road" was shot 27 years ago. See what has changed and what hasn't from the Berkeley Heights to Bernards Twp. borders plus some bonus scenes. The recent past becomes history.

  • May 9, 2013 Tom Behr will speak of Long Hill's historical roots and our town's charm and appeal. His photos illustrate how early architectural styles have created the character of Long Hill Twp.

  • June 13, 2013 Bob Brandt & Guy Roshto: Formation of the County System

    summer vacation

  • September 12, 2013 Sarah W. Stanley: "An Overview of F.E. & F.O. Stanley: The Inventors of the Stanley Steam Car and A Local Connection to NJ" by Sarah W. Stanley - Great granddaughter of FE Stanley.

    Overview of F.E. Stanley & F.O. Stanley: Inventors of the Stanley Steam Car + A Stanley Family Connection to Chatham, NJ in the 1800's. Francis Edgar Stanley & Freelan Oscar Stanley, twin inventors of the Stanley Steam Car. There will be an overview of the inventors lives, family & accomplishments, including the development of the Stanley Steam Car and of The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO. Lecture also includes a Stanley family connection to Chatham, NJ in the 1800's.

  • October 10, 2013 Chuck Whitmore: "Changes in Land Use in the Great Swamp" 
     

  • November 14, 2013 Siobhan Fitzpatrick: "Old Taverns of Morris County"
     

  • December 12, 2013 Sgt. Ted Bremer and and Det. Gary Bauer will discuss the history of the LHT Police Dept.

• ​

2012 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Meetings are held at the Long Hill Township First Aid Squad building, 949 Valley Road, Gillette (between the Town Hall/Library and Valley Mall). Meetings and presentations start at 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public- Refreshments will be served.

• February 9, 2012 "Pictures of the Swamp" by Jane Kendall. Jane will show images of Harding and the Swamp.

• March 8, 2012 "Liberty" by Kevin Woyce. He will discuss the Statue of Liberty with us.

• April 12, 2012 "A Visit From The Past", a time capsule by Helena Tielman

• May 10, 2012 "From Hells Gate to the Golden Gate" by Laurie Gaulke

• June 14, 2012 "History of the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Cemetery" by George Fricke

summer vacation

• September 13, 2012 "Morristown History Through Old Postcards" by Bonnie Lynn Nadzika

• October 11, 2012 "History of the Stirling Fire Company" by Frank Reilly. The Stirling Volunteer Fire Company, along with the Millington Volunteer Fire Company, will celebrate jointly the 100th anniversary of both companies on Saturday, June 15 with day-long activities, including a parade up Main Avenue, a festival on the grounds in back of grades 6-8 Central Avenue School, and fireworks at night.

• November 8, 2012 "Maps" by Guy Roshto

• December 13, 2012 "A U.S. Soldier Behind The Iron Curtain" by Frank Reilly

2011 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Meetings are held at the Long Hill Township First Aid Squad building, 949 Valley Road, Gillette (between the Town Hall/Library and Valley Mall). Meetings and presentations start at 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public- Refreshments will be served.

• February 10, 2011 "Maritime Museums and Boat Shows at the Jersey Shore" by Chet Ehrman a Basking Ridge resident, who summers at the shore and is involved in activities there..

• March 10, 2011 "Encountering the Suffragists" by Laurie Gaulke. Celebrating the struggle for women's rights presented by Laurie Gaulke, actress, storyteller and a resident of Long Hill Township,

• April 14, 2011 "Washington's Campaign of 1781" by Michael Yesenko, a teacher and Supervisor of Social Studies at Union High School. He has been Union Township's Historian for over 30 years. He has written five books on Washington's campaigns in New Jersey.

• May 12, 2011 "New Jersey Proprietors from 1664" by Bob Brandt a resident of Stirling and a member of the Historical Society who has presented other interesting subjects. Bob will help us learn of the function and importance of the Proprietors in the development of New Jersey as a colony.

• June 9, 2011 "History in Motion" by David Welch, a resident and major past politician of Long Hill Township, has a unique hobby of restoring antique military vehicles. His presentation will give us a look into his hobby at the June meeting.

summer vacation

• September 8, 2011 "I've Been Working on the Railroad---50 Years Ago" by Frank Reilly a resident of Stirling and member of the Long Hill Historical Society who has presented other interesting programs from his career in railroading.

• October 13, 2011 "Old Millington Schoolhouse Renovation Update" by Guy Roshto, a resident of Millington and member of the Long Hill Historical Society. Guy is knowledgeable about the plans and actions of the renovation of the Millington Schoolhouse (the old Town Hall).

• November 10, 2011 "East and West Jersey Incorporation" by Bob Brandt

• December 8, 2011 "Wild About Harriet" by Laurie Gaulke. Take to the skies with America's true "First Lady of the Air." Harriet Quimby was the first licensed woman American pilot, only 8 years after the Wright brother's historic flight, and was the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel in 1912. Learn about her at the December meeting.

2010 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

• February 11, 2010 "Stoneware of the 18th to 20th Centuries" by David Breslauer

• March 11, 2010 "Women's Suffrage"

• April 8, 2010 "Hannah Caldwell & The Battle of Connecticut Farms" by Barbara Grillo

• May 13, 2010 " A Visit to Paul Vickery's Collection of Antique Vehicles" at the former Clancy Farm, Millington; Antique Vehicles in a classic old towship barn.

• June 10, 2010 "The Old Mine Road" by Bob Brandt (Many historians believe that the Old Mine Road is the oldest continuously used road in the nation. It is 104 miles long running from Kingston, N.Y. to the Delaware Water Gap.)

summer vacation

• September 9, 2010 "New Jersey Country Houses: The Somerset Hills" by W. Barry Thomson, Introduced by Walter S. Carell

• October 14, 2010 "Millionaires, Mansions and Maids: The Gilded Age in Morris County" Presented by the staff of the Morris County Historical Society.

• November 11, 2010 "The War Man--The True Story of a Citizen Soldier Who Fought from Quebec to Yorktown" by Robert Mayers. This fascinating story will be presented by a direct descendent of the Revolutionary soldier, Corporal John Allison is the subject of this presentation at the November meeting.

• December 9, 2010 "Mrs. Fezziwig's Christmas" by Laurie Gaulke

2009 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

• February 12, 2009 "Thomas Edison" by the Thomas A. Edison National Historic Site, West Orange, NJ.

• March 12, 2009 "Back Roads of Morris County" by Jim DelGuidice

• April 9, 2009 "Life in the Slow Lane" by Lois Hockenbury

• May 14, 2009 "Morris County Canal" by David Phraner

• June 11, 2009 "Tour Basking Ridge Presbyterian Cemetery" by George Fricke

summer vacation

• September 10, 2009 "Riding The Rails on the Gladstone Branch" byFrank Reilly

• October 8, 2009 "George Washington-Retreat to Victory" by Alf Walton

• November 12, 2009 "Walnut Grove-Cyrus McCormick's Homestead" by Walter Carell

• December 10, 2009 "Christmas Program" "Christmas of Olde" Bring an item to show or tell of an event (or both) from a past Christmas at the December meeting.

2008 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

• February 14, 2008 "The Silk Mills of Stirling" by Rene Phelan

• March 13, 2008 "Mary Todd Lincoln" by Laurie Gaulke

• April 10, 2008 "Buried Artifacts" by Rick Pressl

• May 8, 2008 "Local Scouts Go to Philmont N.M. 1980" by Willy Paralari

• June 12, 2008 "Jockey Hollow Soldier" by Tom Winslow

summer vacation

• September 11, 2008 "National Register of Historical Places" by Kathleen Galop

• October 9, 2008 "Theodore Roosevelt-His Life and Times" by Charles McSorley

• November 13, 2008 "1870's Agriculture in the Great Swamp" by Charles Whitmore

• December 11, 2008 "The Story of Mary Hudspeth Benson" by Rev. Victoria Geer McGrath

2007 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

• February 8, 2007 "The National Wildlife Refuge Right In Our Own Backyard" by Dorothy Smullen

• March 8, 2007 "George Catlin - Painted the Wild West" by Alf Walton

• April 12, 2007 "Basking Ridge Churchyard Update" by George Fricke

• May 10, 2007 "The Jersey Devil" by Angus Kress Gillespie

• June 14, 2007 "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About the Morris County Historic Trust" by Larry Fast

  • What is the Trust Fund, who is eligible, where does this year's $2 million come from, which historic sites have been helped?

summer vacation

• September 13, 2007 Do it Yourself "Antiques Road Show"

• October 11, 2007 "Barns Are Noble" by Mark Pilipski

• November 8, 2007 "Pictures of the Great Swamp" by Sherb Naulty

  • Sherb Naulty, a resident of Gillette, is a photographer of note who has turned his former occupation into a serious hobby. He has long had a passionate interest in The Great Swamp and will share that interest in pictures at the November meeting.

• December 13, 2007: "A Kaleidoscope of Color for Christmas"

  • Peg Arnold, a member of the Long Hill Township Historical Society, will present the history of kaleidoscopes and have many from her collection to demonstrate the "colors" at the December meeting.

2006 MEETING AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

 

Thursday, September 14, 2006 "Is it a Duck or a Weasel?" by David Welch (about rebuilding vintage military vehicles)

October 12, 2006 - "The Return of George Washington" Alf Walton returns to a part of the life of our first president that we never knew existed.

November 9, 2006 - "New Jersey Architecture" Suzanne Hand, an historic preservationist, will present a slide program of a chronological overview of the state’s architecture from the 18th through the 20th centuries, with a focus on residential, civic and institutional buildings. The talk will compare architectural styles and building types to broader issues in American culture. It will examine how technology, materials and taste have an impact on architecture, and how buildings change over time.
The free program is offered through the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the N.J. Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities

December 14, 2006 - Christmas Party