The famous and sometimes not-so-famous people and stories from the Mr. Local History Project researchers. Over 30 stories and counting.
Views: 6,179 James Monroe was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat and “Founding Father” who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was the last president of the… Read More »Retrospect: President James Monroe Had Ties to Basking Ridge
Views: 5,134 For many the downtown village of Basking Ridge is a bucolic vision of a Rockwell American town. Dotted with small shops, churches, and eateries, you don’t have to travel back in time too far when one of the… Read More »Looking Back – Werring Chevrolet-Olds in Basking Ridge
Views: 12,038 In a sleepy little section in the northern end of Bernards Township lies the Olde Mill Inn. Once just a small restaurant and former grain house barn, it has become a quiet getaway for Hollywood elite and social… Read More »They Stayed In Basking Ridge
Views: 8,595 Before we get started: The Methodist Church in the United States is 94% white, 92% third-generation American, 60% married, 69% believe in God absolutely, 42% attend church weekly, and 62% believe in hell. Several attempts were made in… Read More »Bishop Edmund S. Janes – His Somerset Hills Story
Views: 14,219 Liberty Corner’s Most Famous Resident? Might Be Zippy the Pinhead. Cartoonist Bill Griffith’s comic strip “Zippy the Pinhead” was inspired by Liberty Corner’s William Henry “Zip” Johnson, a local resident born in 1842. Known as the son of… Read More »Liberty Corner had the REAL Zip the Pinhead – Yow!
Views: 12,411 The Patriot of Liberty Corner “Those who would give up liberty for safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin. “Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.” Thomas Jefferson Welcome to Irwin… Read More »The Life of Irwin Richardt
Views: 4,716 Back in 1924 silent films were all the rage. Bernardsville was just becoming a boro and separating from Bernards Township but there was still only one movie theater, The Liberty . How fortunate was the theater to feature… Read More »“Janice Meredith” – 1924 Silent Film Showcases American Revolution
Views: 21,068 As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our internet community. We will continue to grow this piece as information becomes available. If you have a… Read More »Retrospective: Meryl Streep Was From Basking Ridge BEFORE Bernardsville
Views: 7,216 Morristown, New Jersey – Alexander Hamilton’s Roots Known as “the cockpit of the American Revolution,” New Jersey has a rich history from the American Revolution. During the 2nd winter encampment in Morristown and the 4th in New Jersey,… Read More »Alexander Hamilton’s Morristown Love Story
Views: 31,015 UPDATE: YOU KEEP SENDING… WE’LL KEEP POSTING! After shutting down the NJ government due to a budget impasse while a constitutional requirement was legit. But the photos of Christie caught on a closed public beach have turned his… Read More »50+ Chris Christie Beach Memes To Make You Laugh
Views: 43,218 Father of the American Army Artillery Father of the American Navy Father of the Military Draft Fate has it often where those who put themselves in constant danger and face death every day are often spared until some freak… Read More »General Henry Knox – America’s Forgotten General
Views: 40,838 Noted High Society Playboy and Titanic Survivor Brings Notoriety to Bernards Township. It’s a fun story, but you have to hang in there. First, we must provide a little background about John’s father, who didn’t survive the Titanic… Read More »Titanic Survivor Astor and Basking Ridge
The Mr. Local History Project is a 501c3 all-volunteer non-profit public charity incorporated on October 15, 2019. It brings locals together to “preserve and promote local history with a social twist.” The project started in northern Somerset County, New Jersey, and now works across the Garden State, finding new ways to engage with local communities, organizations, and passionate people with great stories to share. Volunteers are always welcome.
The organization has been engaged in local historic efforts in Bedminster, Basking Ridge, Bernardsville, Cranford, Far Hills, Keyport, Newark, Hoboken, Peapack/Gladstone, and Westfield towns, just to name a few, and we continue to expand as our audience grows.
Our efforts continue based on three sources: fundraisers, website advertising, and, most importantly, public donations from people like you! If you haven’t donated to our efforts, please consider one at the bottom of this page.
The Mr Local History Project is now the exclusive seller of the New Jersey Historic Cat’s Meow Village, a partnership with the globally recognized wooden collectibles company Cat’s Meow. EVERY PENNY we raise from these collectibles goes back into funding the next collectible and other projects (like our coloring book and oak tree book). Please consider supporting us by becoming a resident of this fun set of collectibles in the New Jersey historic village.
“Out of adversity came opportunity” is the genesis for the Mr. Local History Project. After being a non-paid volunteer for over a decade, the Mr. Local History project was born. Started by Basking Ridge resident Brooks Betz, the Mr. Local History Project is dedicated to providing all kinds of local research and stories from the area we call home.