Stories that inspire Americans to learn about their local history. Each of these stories from the Mr. Local History Project dig into great tales from America’s past.
Views: 287 Over the last few years, researchers at the Mr. Local History Project here in New Jersey have been busy at work and have released several stories related to the motorsports racing history in New Jersey. We’ve even now… Read More »Mr. Local History Motorsports Special Edition Magazine – Free!
Views: 354 As a huge motorsports fan, this topic came up with a few of our researchers who can’t let it go! While the Mr. Local History Project normally focuses on New Jersey history, they had to discover more once… Read More »Lost Motorsport Board Tracks Across America – Mapping Them All
Views: 58 While history recognizes President Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving proclamation, many don’t know that two statesmen persuaded President George Washington to declare the last Thursday in November “a day of thanks” across the new American nation on October 3, 1789,… Read More »Thanksgiving Proclamation Way Before Lincoln Did It -Thanks Jersey Guys
Views: 324 Presidents #22 and #24 and Now #45 and #47 – Only Two Presidents to Serve Non-Consecutive Terms. Here’s how four presidential elections went down. Grover Cleveland, a Democrat, defeated Republican James G. Blaine of Maine and became the… Read More »Non-Consecutive Term Presidents: Jersey’s Grover Cleveland and Now Donald Trump
Views: 645 This is a tale about auto racing legends of the early 1920s, known as daredevils and speed freaks, who traveled to a tiny new track built outside New York City in the small town of Woodbridge, New Jersey.… Read More »1928 – Woodbridge Speedway – World’s Fastest 1/2 Mile Track
Views: 381 In 1977, Waterloo Village opened an open-air concert field about a mile down the road from the historic village to raise restoration funds. Actually, in Byram Township, New Jersey, locals remember (and I grew up at the perfect… Read More »Remebering the Waterloo Village Concert Series
Views: 448 GO LISTEN WITH YOUR FAMILY on Mischief Night, Cabbage Night, Goosey Night, or whatever you call it – October 30th!!!! The date was October 30, 1938, and Jerseyans tuned in to a radio broadcast stating that Martians had… Read More »The World’s Greatest Broadcast in New Jersey History – War of the Worlds
Views: 553 Anyone who’s visited Wildwood, New Jersey, knows it’s the Garden State’s greatest no-fee widest beach. Situated alongside the beach is the grand boardwalk with rides, a tramcar, great pizza, Khor’s custard, and yes, some of the best fudge… Read More »Wildwood History: Boardwalk, Beach, and the Doowop Universe
Views: 900 Jersey Lost Racetrack Series We found a story in the Paterson Call newspaper on April 22, 1936, stating that on May 15, 1936, after spending over $100,000, the Union (Township) Speedway would open with a 1/2-mile oval, including… Read More »Lost Racetrack Series: Auto Racing’s 10,000 Seat Track In Union, New Jersey
Views: 1,337 New Jersey’s Gift to AmericaSomerset County’s Gift to AmericaBridgewater’s Gift to AmericaMiddlebrook’s Gift to AmericaThey all come on Independence Day RAIN or SHINE – EVERY July 4th at 10:30 am – Join friends and family on Independence Day… Read More »New Jersey’s Gift to America – July 4 Celebration
Views: 12,452 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: 486 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: 143 It takes around two minutes and eighteen seconds to sing God Bless America. Mr. Local History took a trip to the “Field of Honor,” an annual tradition at the Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster, New Jersey. Sit back,… Read More »Take 2 Minutes and 18 Seconds to Celebrate America
Views: 10,777 The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it. Jefferson drafted the statement between June 11 and 28, submitted drafts to… Read More »Independence Day – Kudos to New Jersey Signers #jersey5
Views: 1,046 Wildwood, New Jersey, drew summer tourists seeking respite from the Great Depression. Among the attractions on the boardwalk was the “Motordrome Wall of Death,” featuring motorcycles and race cars whirling around a wooden bowl-like enclosure. But the real… Read More »Wildwood’s Motorcycle Wall of Death is Back in New Jersey