The famous and sometimes not-so-famous people and stories from the Mr. Local History Project researchers. Over 30 stories and counting.
Views: 119 While researching the Southard family of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, we uncovered something we never knew about Samuel Southard. MLH believes Basking Ridge’s own Samuel Southard was the Vice President of the United States for over a year… Read More »Samuel Southard of Basking Ridge – A US Vice President
Views: 4,567 Jacqueline “Jackie” Mars is an American heiress, investor, and philanthropist who was a Bedminster, New Jersey resident. Known at one time as the richest woman on the planet, Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without the Mars family… Read More »Jackie Mars – Jersey’s Halloween Candy Icon
Views: 9,814 HUGE UPDATE: September 12, 2024—Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman conducted the first private spacewalk with SpaceX, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. The mission, part of the Polaris Dawn program, tested new spacesuits and involved extensive training. Isaacman… Read More »Jersey’s Jared Isaacman – A High School Dropout Who Went to Outer Space (AGAIN)
Views: 14,885 Special Community Ask: MLH would love to know any positive outcomes that have come since this tragid day in American history. If you have a story to share, please post at the end of this story (e.g. did… Read More »#911neverforget-Somerset Hills Family Friends and Neighbors & Their Stories
Views: 1,043 Television executives have always known people have an obsession with true crime. It is quite possible that this obsession can trace its roots back to an unfortunate event that occurred in Somerset County. On the night of September… Read More »The Hall-Mills Murder: The Country’s First Sensationalized Trial
Views: 454 The Westfield (NJ) Historical Society presented ‘My Recollections of Westfield, ‘ or, as I transcribed it, Frank Betz’s recollections of his childhood thoughts while growing up in the mid-1900s in Westfield, New Jersey. The Betz family came to Westfield in… Read More »Egypt Hill, Brown’s Pond and The Great Loves of My Childhood in Westfield, New Jersey
Views: 653 Going to the Olympics as a participant is a great accomplishment. Winning an Olympic medal is the pinnacle to some. With the 2024 Summer Olympics just around the corner, who from New Jersey is going, and who has… Read More »New Jersey’s Historic Olympians List – Who Will Shine in 2024?
Views: 6,351 Basking Ridge, New Jersey UPDATE: Back in 2010, we posted this story on another website. Then, we said people needed to see this story about this man as he was seen again. It is a classic American tale… Read More »The American Flagman Honors Patriotism Everyday
Views: 12,047 Flag Designer Betsy Ross and Her Basking Ridge Ties – Lore or Fact? “Here lies the woman who made the first banner containing the stars and stripes after that honored old ensign had been adopted, June 14, 1776.”… Read More »Betsy Ross is Really Buried in Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Views: 374 Somerset County is well known for its importance regarding the Revolutionary War, but many may not know the impact Somerset County had on World War I. In the early 20th Century, Raritan became the center of action for… Read More »How Raritan, NJ Was the Venue Officially Ending World War I
Views: 2,707 UPDATE: May 2024 Connecting Bernards Township students to their local history, the Mr. Local History Project kicked off its 2nd year of our Project Local History Ambassador program for 5th-grade students thanks to the financial support of many… Read More »Project Local History Ambassador Flags for Students
Views: 298 As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, updates are made to this post when we learn additional information. We will continue to expand this post as information becomes available and our readers suggest additions. Mr. Local History Research Team… Read More »Retrospective: Games We Remember our Parents Played
Views: 12,817 Honoring International Women’s Day, we thought it would be an honor to research and share the stories of inspirational trailblazing women from our area that have made a difference. Each of these women either grew up or lived… Read More »International Women’s Day Honors Trailblazers from the Somerset Hills
Views: 2,520 Starting in 1836 in Paterson, New Jersey, Samuel Colt’s revolver is one of the 10 most influential inventions EVER produced. The Colt Paterson revolver was the first practical revolving-cylinder handgun, and it was made in Paterson, New Jersey. For years,… Read More »Col. Samuel Colt Got His Start in Paterson, New Jersey
Views: 1,370 Less than half a mile down Green Brook Road in Green Brook, New Jersey, sits a sizable but inconspicuous old house. This house is known locally as the Dr. John Vermeule House or the Vermeule House (pronounced Ver-Mule).… Read More »Different Owners, Changing Times…Vermeule House in Green Brook Remains