The Cranbury Historical & Preservation Society NEWSLETTER A PRIL , 2014 V OLUME 33, I SSUE O NE Spring Potluck Supper -- Friday, April 25 at 6:30 PM The AJ Meerwald & History of Delaware Bay M eghan Wren will discuss her passion, NJ’s own tall ship, the AJ Meerwald, and the history of Delaware Bay. A former Peddie student, she was inspired by a trip she took as a tall ship volunteer. Returning to her native New Jersey, she went on to almost singlehandedly locate and restore a decrepit schooner. That ship is the AJ Meerwald, an oyster schooner built in 1928. Ms. Wren raised funds and found volunteer labor to create what officially became our state's designated tall ship. Today the vessel represents New Jersey in historical events and is a sailing classroom. Ms. Wren and others went on to create The Bayshore Center at Bivalve. It is a maritime center of national significance and home port to the AJ Meerwald. The center features a group of restored shipping sheds where oysters by the ton were once loaded onto trains. She also works with environmental and commercial fishing groups to restore this once flourishing industry. When the weather gets warmer the AJ Meerwald will again be available for short sails and multi-day educational excursions. In fact, at this writing, the schooner is scheduled to be in Philadelphia the weekend of our potluck and after that, midweek, in nearby Burlington. How convenient is that? I'm betting that hearing Ms. Wren's talk will make some eager to take a sail. We will meet at Fellowship Hall, Cranbury First Presbyterian Church. Please bring your own place setting and utensils, and a dish to share, either a main course, salad or dessert. We’ll provide beverages. Guests are always welcome! Gale Scott, VP & Program Chair W President’s Message hile walking up the path to my front door a few weeks ago, I spied the shoots of daffodils coming up in our south facing garden and almost leapt for joy. This past winter, with its frigid snowstorms and treacherous ice, was certainly challenging. In February, yet another large branch of a tree came down on the lawn and fence to the west of the Cranbury Museum. For safety reasons, that entire tree had to be removed at a substantial and unbudgeted cost to the Society. In recent years, maintaining the three historical buildings under our stewardship seems to have become a full time job. At this time, I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in preserving these structures. It is such a relief to know that the work is being done by local tradesmen and volunteers who understand how important historical preservation is to the future of Cranbury. We now have a new front porch and pillars on our History Center. At the Museum, some major electrical work was done to the display cabinets, in order to better light the displays and insure the safety of future exhibits in the Perrine Wing. The front porch of the Museum also had to be repaired and repainted and some interior woodworking was completed on a few rotting window sashes. This spring we will begin painting the History Center and the outhouse. Many thanks go out to George Smith for taking on the chairmanship of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. What a daunting job that has become, and yet George seems to handle it with ease and good humor. And what would we do without Norma Swale and her team who have so lovingly maintained our gardens for all these years. I also must thank high school students, Jack Beach and Evan Pavley, for decorating our Memorial Day floats and for helping us, along with Bill Bunting and his sons, whenever there is heavier work to be done. Since this year marks the 350th Anniversary of the founding of New Jersey, I can’t think of a better way to honor our history in this newsletter than by honoring all those who over time have helped preserve our town. If any of you who are reading this were, or are, one of our volunteers, please know how grateful we are for all you have done for Cranbury, and the Historical and Preservation Society. Some of our volunteers, like Ginny Swanagan and Betty Lou Ziegler, have been volunteering at our History Center on Thurs(Continued on page 2) (Continued from page 1) days and decorating the Museum at holiday times for many years now. We have docents each weekend at the Museum and Acquisitions Committee members who continually update information at the History Center. And we have Don Davidson and Richard Moody, our interesting and informative “Good Will Ambassadors,” who give tours and talks for children and adults. Many thanks to publicity chairs, Gale Scott and Audrey Smith, who continue to spread the good word. An extraordinary group of fundraisers have tirelessly helped us through the years by working on our Historical House tours, our Holiday Wassails and other Society events. Plus, our Membership Committee, led by Ruth Jost and Karen Fiorentini, continues year after year to work diligently on reaching out to our membership. They even make “Cranberry Bread” to welcome new families into town. Nothing could be more hometown wonderful than that! Our gratitude must also go out to the CHPS Finance Committee that meets quarterly to insure that our Endowment Fund is carefully managed and to our Treasurer, who keeps our fiscal records impeccably; our Recording Secretary, who makes sure to get the major points and motions into the minutes each month; and to our Corresponding Secretary, for sending out notices to the Board and cards to members who are ill and to those who have moved. You may not know it, but CHPS’ Board of Trustees and its Officers meet the first Monday of every month to make sure that we all work together cooperatively to sustain the unique qualities of our Society. The Society also has a beautiful website designed by Rob Diamond, along with this terrific newsletter, designed and edited by Lorraine Sedor. It certainly is remarkable to have such great participation on so many levels within our organization, isn’t it? We really have been blessed throughout the years. In closing, I commend our Museum Curator, Lisa Beach, and her committee. These artists and historians are so gifted, I constantly remind myself that they, too, are volunteers. Their attention to detail and historical accuracy, as well as the choices they make when it comes to exhibits and lectures are always of the highest quality. Cranbury Gifts We are pleased that many of you took advantage of purchasing items that are unique to Cranbury at the History Center Gift Shop in December. Our newest item is a photo mug featuring images by four Cranbury photographers. The 15oz. ceramic mug is available in black or white for $15.00. To see it and other Cranbury gift items, stop by the History Center any Thursday, 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Buildings & Grounds Update During 2013, a new concrete porch and four pillars were installed at the History Center. The Museum porch was repaired and painted; the Carriage House at the Museum was repaired and painted; and the exterior exhibit room door sill was repaired. Following winter storm damage a large elm tree in the Museum backyard was removed. The exterior of the History Center will be painted this spring. Parsonage Barn News There will be music at the Parsonage Barn again this summer! Please mark your calendar for a concert by the First Presbyterian Church Brass Band on Monday, June 9 at 7 PM. Bring a chair or blanket. Watch your email and our website, www.cranburyhistory.org, for additional concerts. If you have never been inside the Parsonage Barn or would like to see it again, please contact Audrey Smith at [email protected] or 609-655-5361 to arrange for a visit. CRANBURY – 100 YEARS AGO Without your generosity and support we wouldn’t be able to continue this work. I hope to see you all out and about this spring, and The Honorable James H. Goodwin, age 77, passed away the last please keep checking the website and the local papers for what we week in March. He was the organizer of the Goodwin’s Band which have planned for the coming year. There are some great events in the he conducted for 37 years. He was a staunch Republican and a memworks, and I wouldn’t want you to miss any of them! ber of the N. J. Assembly. The funeral will be held from his late residence on Prospect St. The Rev. Adolos Allen of the Second PresbyteBest Regards, Jo D. Sechler Andrews rian Church will officiate, assisted by the Rev. James Van Dyke. I.C. Hoffman has been elected leader of Goodwin’s Band which will take on engagements to furnish music as usual. Village Improvement Notice – Our Fire Alarm is very inadequate. It does not arouse the sleeper and except when a personal call is made very few know that a fire is raging. If the Improvement Society and the Fire Company would cooperate, a fire whistle or other approved alarm could easily be secured. The Cranbury High School baseball team won their opening game when they defeated Applegarth by the score of 12 to 6. 2014 Executive Board OFFICERS President Jo D. Andrews Vice President/Program Chair Gale Scott HONORARY TRUSTEES Recording Secretary Bonnie Wagman Norma Swale Corresponding Secretary Jan Wagner Betty Wagner Treasurer Bob Dreyling Ruth Walsh Museum Curator Lisa Beach Legal Counsel/Parliamentarian Bill Bunting TRUSTEES 2012-2014 2013-2015 2014-2016 Karen Fiorentini Don Davidson Brian Barry Tim Brennan Ruth Jost Kathie Jani John Hoffman Bobbie Marlowe Roi Taylor Carol Lindenfeld Jerry Pevahouse Ginny Swanagan Jay Taylor Betty Lou Ziegler Ruth Sugeno COMMITTEE CHAIRS History Center Ginny Swanagan Buildings & Grounds George Smith Historic Preservation Mark Berkowsky Docents Don Davidson Membership Karen Fiorentini, Ruth Jost Education Don Davidson Museum Inspectors George Smith Exhibits Lisa Beach Parsonage Barn Audrey Smith Finance Andy Moutenot Publicity Gale Scott, Audrey Smith Fundraising Committee Newsletter Lorraine Sedor Gardens Norma Swale Sales Audrey Smith Website Rob Diamond Acquisitions Mike Kasper At Long Last....Summer! Dig yourself out from under the covers, wipe off the last bit of snow. Summer is on its way! And what better way to greet the warm weather than with a visit to the Cranbury Museum where it is, indeed, at long last summer -- beginning April 27! Immerse yourself in sea glass, vintage toys and souvenirs. Sand pails, bathing costumes, the sights and sounds of the sea, the lake, the fishing hole! Where did you spend your summers? Compare your memories with those on display. Those lazy, hazy days at long last! Photo from the collection of David Cook, taken from NJ.com article 2/14/13/on Brainerd Lake dam reconstruction Archie Rue (l) and Symmes Perrine in a photo taken October 3, 1892. The image was printed from a glass plate negative donated to the Society. Glass plate negatives preceded photographic film and were still being used in the early 20th century. Actually, glass plate photography was still in use by professionals as late as the 1990s. It is still possible to get glass plate negatives printed, as our image of Archie and Symmes attests. Thank you Ginny Swanagan for helping preserve this bit of Cranbury history. Now, does anyone know the building behind them? A New Walking Tour Booklet CHPS was fortunate to receive a grant from the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission with funding in part from the NJ Historical Commission, a Division of the Department of State. The grant was used for the printing of revised and updated copies of our Historic Cranbury Walking Tour booklet. Gale Scott prepared and submitted the grant application and Jo D. Andrews, John Chambers, Richard Moody, Roi Taylor, Audrey Smith, Ginny Swanagan and Bonnie Wagman worked on revisions and edits to the booklet. The new Walking Tour booklet is now available in the pocket next to the front door of the History Center at 6 South Main St. Celebrating New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary New Jersey began in 1664 as a royal gift of land from Charles II of England to his brother, James, Duke of York. James gave a piece of this land to Sir George Carteret and John Lord Berkeley. The document that records this transaction is housed at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton and proclaims that “said Tract of Land is hereafter to be called by the name or names of New Cesarea or New Jersey.” The theme of this year’s celebration is Innovation, Diversity and Liberty. Communities, schools, businesses, organizations and individuals are celebrating New Jersey as the best place to live, work, visit, vacation and do business. CHPS is celebrating the 350th anniversary with the programs at our two potluck supper meetings, as well as a few special events. A large celebration event is being considered for early in the fall. Please watch your email and our website for more information. Enjoy a Walking Tour of Historic Cranbury Join guide, Richard Moody, on a tour of our historic town! Tours will leave from the Cranbury Museum, on Park Place East, at 2 PM on the following dates: April 20, May 18, June 15, June 22 and July 6. Tours will resume again in the fall. A reminder of the dates will be emailed and will be available on the Society’s website, www.cranburyhistory.org. As always, a list of dates will be available on the History Center door and in the Cranbury Press. A trip to Monmouth Battlefield State Park will also be offered on Saturday, July 12, 2014. Details to follow. Acquisitions Committee The Acquisitions Committee is grateful to those who recently have contributed the listed materials to the Society: Glass hair receiver with metal cover Jane Papszycki Five school books that belonged to Charles H. Brown Ed Durner Collection of Eiker family photographs and documents related to Cranbury Joan Eiker Silver tea set, trays, antique forks, pressed glass doll tea cups Betty Wagner Nine milk bottles from local dairies, all with caps, plus metal carrier Leo Fenity 17 postcards c. 1910-18, addressed to Cranbury residents Ed and Betty Conover Sewing box with contents, owned by Enid Walker Sonnichsen family Cranbury Wassail Committee This is the year for our Cranbury Wassail, a tour of homes decorated for the holidays that feature delicious refreshments, and historic characters. It was successful in 2010 and 2012, and we are happy to be able to have it again! A planning committee is forming now and will have its first planning meeting in May. We need your input and help. If you would like to be involved in the planning of this important fundraiser for the Society, please contact Audrey Smith at 609-655-5361. Accolades for Dr. Chambers’ recent work... The following article was published in “History Alive” Winter 2014, a publication of The Rutgers Living History Society. Dr. John Chambers’ latest work, Cranbury: A New Jersey Town from the Colonial Era to the Present, recently earned accolades from the American Association for State and Local History and the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance. In the summer of 2013, Dr. Chambers received an Award of Merit from the AASLH Leadership in History Awards. These are considered the most prestigious form of recognition for outstanding achievement in state and local history. In December, he received the NJSAA’s NJ Author Award for Non-Fiction, Popular, during a special ceremony on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus. A resident of Cranbury, NJ, Dr. Chambers wrote the book for Cranbury Landmarks, Inc. In it, he chronicles in-depth the history of the town since 1697. Dr. Chambers is a Professor of History and has been at Rutgers since 1982. In Memoriam The Society notes with sadness the passing of these long-time members Howard J. Hannay, January 3, 2013 Jim Manley, June 27, 2013 2014 MEMBERSHIP Mail checks to: Cranbury Historical & Preservation Society. 6 South Main Street, Cranbury, NJ 08512 Membership Status (check one): ___New ___Renewal Membership Category (check one): __Individual, $15.00 __Family, $25.00 __Sponsor, $35.00 __Patron, $50.00 or more __Corporate, $150.00 or more Name:_______________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_________________________________Email:________________________________________________ I would like to receive the Society via email. Please use the address above. I would like to receive news and updates via email. Matching gifts are a significant source of support for the Society. If you work (or have retired from) one of the hundreds of companies that generously match employee donations, please don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Just ask your Personnel Office for a Matching Gift form, fill it in and send it to us. We’ll do the rest. Together we can continue to preserve our unique heritage. Please consider one or more of the following volunteer opportunities: Museum docent:___ Social functions:___ House tour:__ Educational programs:___ Fundraising:___ Publicity:___ Other:_________________________________________________________________________________________ There is no more pressing question for the Improvement Society to consider than the laying of the dust. This should be attended to at There will be no service on Sunday evening at the Methodist Church. once and arrangements made to have our streets kept in proper conA rally temperance service will be held in the First Presbyterian dition during the next six months. Main street is now in a dusty conChurch to which every one in the community is invited. This meet- dition and in order to be at all livable it should be given the most aping is under the auspices of the W.C.T.U. proved treatment. Besides the comfort this is necessary to preserve the beauty of our town. For Sale – Two seat surrey, pole and shaft, rubber tire speed wagon, track sulky, and two buggies all in first class condition. Inquire of Elias Perrine of Cranbury Station can’t be beat on raising big hogs. Mrs. J. H. Goodwin. Last week he killed two, tipping the scales at eleven hundred. (Continued from page 2) There will be a moving picture show every Wednesday evening in Odd Fellows Hall. Special features, you will enjoy them. Price 10 cts and 15 cts. Three reels of the beautiful photo play “Leslie” were shown in the Hall recently. Percy Wilson has purchased a new bicycle of Albert Wade who is carrying on a bicycle business and repair shop at his home on Park Place. A fire was discovered in the large barn of Harvey Hutchinson in South Cranbury. He had two horses and their stamping awoke him. He rushed out and took them to a place of safety and then got his wagons and carriages out. An alarm was turned in and the firemen and others did what they could to put the fire out but the building could not be saved. There were a lot of harness, hay, straw and implements destroyed. The loss was about $1,000, partly covered by insurance. George B. Mershon has purchased one of the First Presbyterian Miss Jennie Hagerty, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hagerty of Church lots in South Cranbury, adjoining the lot of S.H. Perrine upon Cranbury, and James Diblin of Hightstown were married on April 16 which he will erect a handsome residence in the near future. by Father Conway of Hightstown. The bride wore a London smoke tailor made gown with hat to match. Cranbury -- 100 Years Ago was compiled from April 1914 issues of W. H. Johnson purchased the property of the late Mrs. Cornelia The Cranbury Press, by Peggy and Frank J. Brennan, Jr. Hutchinson on Park Place at a sale. Cranbury Historical & Preservation Society 6 South Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 Cranbury Museum 4 Park Place East Open Sundays 1 to 4 and by appt. Ph: 609/655-2611 Cranbury History Center 6 South Main Street Open Thursdays 10:30 to 1:30 & by appt. Ph: 609/860-1889 Email: [email protected] Web: www.cranburyhistory.org
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