Views: 4,890 One of the best memories growing up in Westfield, New Jersey, was winter skating on an iconic pond that sat adjacent to the Municipal Building just east of the town center. What is now a distant memory, this… Read More »Retrospective: Winter as a Kid on Westfield’s Mindowaskin Pond
Views: 22,771 Basking Ridge, New Jersey’s Most Famous Incident At about noon on December 13, 1776, General Charles Lee (1731-1782) was alarmed by Major Wilkinson while he was writing a letter to General Gates about George Washington in an upstairs… Read More »Widow White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge was more than a Grog Stop
The Mr. Local History Project is a 501c3 nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers. We have two goals: to create an ongoing scholarship fund to be presented annually to a Senior High School recipient and to promote local history and create programs with a social twist. Your pledge will fully support those two efforts.
Mr Local History also accepts Venmo – Scan the QR code or find us under “Charity” @mrlocalhistory
Each year the Mr. Local History Project works with area high schools to make an unrestricted scholarship to a worthy senior.
Please help us continue this annual tradition.
For those who prefer traditional mail to make donations, mail to:
Mr. Local History Project Giving Campaign
184 W. Oak Street, Suite 101
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
Per IRS requirements, donations of $250 or more will be recognized with a receipt.
Views: 1,787 This update was from previous tree lightings when the Mr. Local History Project joined with the annual Winter Market and official tree lighting in downtown Basking Ridge. Friends and family join us for an afternoon of shopping, crafts,… Read More »Basking Ridge Official Tree Lighting & Winter Market
Views: 10,231 Known as The Race of Gentlemen, the event has been revived since the 1950s by a local club called the Oilers of New Jersey. For one weekend in early October, racers, gassers, and fans gather on the beach… Read More »TROG – The Race of Gentlemen – Pure Jersey History Right in Front of Your Eyes
Views: 12,655 Is William Alexander, aka The Earl & Lord of Stirling, Basking Ridge’s Most Famous Resident? Let’s see if we can answer that question. William Alexander was considered heir to the Scottish title of Earl of Stirling through Scottish… Read More »Lord Stirling- Basking Ridge’s Most Famous Resident
Views: 1,175 Join Mr. Local History as we partner with Somerset County’s Boudinot Southard Ross Farm in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. The 16th Annual Journey Through the Past is October 9th and 10th, 2021 – ALL FREE. Somerset County’s annual… Read More »Join Mr. Local History for Somerset County’s History Weekend Oct 9-10, 2021
Views: 5,748 Celebrating over 100 years of New Jersey’s fall classic, the Far Hills Race Meeting, with this beautiful wooden hand painted collectible as part of the New Jersey Historic Village Cat’s Meow wooden keepsake collection. Beautifully handcrafted wood, hand-painted… Read More »Far Hills Race Meeting Honored with Painted Wooden Collectible
Views: 2,063 The Mr. Local History project often digs into multiple archives looking for evidence of the areas collective past. But this one got us scratching our heads. There is no doubt that Bernards Township is named after Sir Francis… Read More »Is it Bernard or Bernards? Hummm
Views: 7,880 People often wonder how people come to populate an area and how it develops. In Somerset County, the first settlers came for the fertile land from Scotland and the Netherlands. But then something happened. Mining speculators started appearing… Read More »Retrospective: Bernardsville’s Historic Somerset Inn (Hotel)
Views: 21,940 If you live in the Somerset Hills area around Bedminster and Tewksbury you hopefully have heard the name Mellick. The Mellick name goes back to one of the founding family names in the area. In fact, the name… Read More »Bedminster History – Look To the Old Mellick Farmhouses
Views: 5,211 Bernards Township has an impressive history that dates back to the early 1600s. The Mr. Local History Project started investigating the origins of the Bernards Township official flag. Let’s see what we’ve found. As with all Mr. Local… Read More »History of The Bernards Township Flag
Views: 3,805 NOTE: As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to grow this piece as information becomes available. Mr. Local History Project… Read More »Where is West Millington, Lyons and Madisonville Sections of Bernards Township
Views: 6,126 The Mr. Local History Project is researching the thesis that another house known as Stirling Manor in Basking Ridge was built with similar architecture before the Proprietary House by England’s John Edward Pryor. Let us know what you… Read More »Basking Ridge’s Stirling Manor or Perth Amboy’s Proprietary House : Which Came First?
Views: 3,887 The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of New Jersey’s historic resources of local, state, and national interest. Created by the New Jersey Register of Historic Places Act of 1970 (N.J.S.A. 13:1B-15.128 et seq.)… Read More »Why List a Historic District on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places?