To preserve and promote New Jersey’s local history with a social twist, as we are always looking to find new, fun ways to share stories about the great history of New Jersey.
This annual report has been approved by the Board of Trustees and will be filed with the State of New Jersey and GuideStar for Non-Profit organizations.
2024 represented the 5th year of operation for the Mr. Local History Project (referred to throughout as MLHP). The organization is a well-respected state-wide historic organization with a mission to preserve and promote local history with a social twist.
One of our most significant moments in 2024 continued with our Project Local History Ambassador Program in Bernards Township, New Jersey. MLHP held assemblies at each of the Bernards Township Elementary schools and St. James, presenting an official Bernards Township flag and information card to every 5th grader. The program will continue in 2025 and is 90% funded.
Paula Axt and Meg Wastie formally resigned as voting Board of Trustee members of the MLHP in 2024. Both have moved out of the area and felt it best to retire from the organization, but they will stay in touch as advisors for future endeavors. The remaining board thanked them for their tremendous efforts to preserve the organization’s credo of “preserving and promoting local history with a social twist,” meaning they never looked back after leaving the local historical society due to their leadership deficiencies.
The Mr. Local History 2023 Tax Return was filed to the IRS via the IRS online portal. Form 990-N postcard was submitted to the IRS. There is a NJ State requirement for filing: a $50 fee for non-profits as MLH is a registered and approved 501c3 Non-Profit Charitable organization.
Our 2024 Board of Trustees remained simple with a straightforward structure and was approved at our first meeting of the year:
The organization met as needed to discuss programs, research, partnerships, finances, and all other business. The Mr. Local History project received Candid’s highest rating in 2024, with a Platinum Transparency designation in 2024. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/84-3350277
1 | Home – Mr. Local History Project |
2 | Origins of Cold as Balls and Cold as a Witch’s Teet – Mr. Local History Project |
3 | Somerset Hills Most Famous Families & Residents – Mr. Local History Project |
4 | Best Crumb Cake in New Jersey – Discuss Now – Mr. Local History Project |
5 | President Trump’s Historic Summer White House in Bedminster, New Jersey – Mr. Local History Project |
6 | Titanic Survivor Astor and Basking Ridge – Mr. Local History Project |
7 | Sandwiches Invented in New Jersey – Mr. Local History Project |
8 | Retrospective: Building AT&T Headquarters Basking Ridge – Mr. Local History Project |
9 | Historic Bendix Diner in Jersey Will Blow Your Mind – Mr. Local History Project |
10 | Retrospective: Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ Time in Bernardsville & Peapack in the Somerset Hills – Mr. Local History Project |
11 | That 4.8 Earthquake was New Jersey’s Ramapo FAULT – Mr. Local History Project |
12 | Blairsden- The Horror, The Nuns and Other Urban Legends – Mr. Local History Project |
13 | The World’s Largest Glitter Factory Started in Bernardsville, New Jersey – Mr. Local History Project |
14 | Where Are the Kienast Quintuplets from Liberty Corner – 53 Years Later – Mr. Local History Project |
15 | AT&T’s Golden Boy Has Had a Tough Life – Mr. Local History Project |
16 | Betsy Ross is Really Buried in Basking Ridge, New Jersey – Mr. Local History Project |
17 | Legendary Jimmy Buff’s Italian Hot Dog – A Newark, New Jersey Invention – Mr. Local History Project |
18 | The Tale of Jersey’s Devil Tree – Mr. Local History Project |
19 | Jersey Pizzerias and Heroin – The Mafia’s Pizza Connection Trial – Mr. Local History Project |
20 | Largest Antique Truck Collection in the World is in Basking Ridge, New Jersey – Mr. Local History Project |
21 | Lost New Jersey Racetracks Project Map – Mr. Local History Project |
22 | Retrospective: Newark’s McGovern’s Tavern- An Irish History Tale – Mr. Local History Project |
23 | Retrospective: Icons & Oddities Along Jersey’s Route 22 – Mr. Local History Project |
24 | 50+ Chris Christie Beach Memes To Make You Laugh – Mr. Local History Project |
25 | Daytona 500 Ticket Price History – Going Up In a Brandon Economy – Mr. Local History Project |
All monies received by the Mr. Local History Project went towards preserving and promoting New Jersey’s local history. Donations, store sales, and event fundraising accounted for 100% as no 2024 grants were received. A total of 14 donations were received, totaling $ $4,886.73. Bank balances effective 12/31/2024 with PayPal balance at $954.26 and Citizens Bank at $4,309.58, respectively, for a total balance of $5263.84 at year’s end.
Mr. Local History looks forward to 2024, expanding our vision and ideas to broader audiences within Somerset County and across New Jersey. The group plans to continue programs like Elder Voices and Project Local History Ambassador in Bernards Township. We plan to attend Bernards Township Charter Day. Bernards Township Day of Community Service and Pride will also be part of our programming if additional coordinators are needed. “Painting Local History” will start as we work to involve local elders from around the Somerset Hills area in 2025 as well as a trip to Wildwood, New Jersey, for a partnership with the Doo Wop Museum.
Respectfully submitted:
Brooks H. Betz
Chair / President
Mr. Local History Project, LLC
Registered and accredited IRS 501c3 non-profit charity
Posted: December 29, 2024
Mr. Local History Project will present flags to 5th graders and share the local history…
UPDATE: March 2025 Connecting Bernards Township students to their local history, the Mr. Local History…
Picnickers in 1916 in what was known as Owens Woods. Pictured are Dorthy Wing, Jane…
Bernards Township Asian Community Research Project seeks researchers to help with this important effort. UPDATE:…
Joining the America 250 movement - Artists and New Jersey 250! UPDATE: We are looking…
Quick History - Irish Immigration to New Jersey By the mid-19th century, Irish immigration from…
This website uses cookies.