Views: 10,627 On June 10, 2017 the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church (BRPC) celebrated its 300th anniversary with a town wide parade from Ridge High School down Finley Avenue to the iconic church off the Basking Ridge village green. Given this great… Read More »The History of Worship in Basking Ridge
Views: 3,541 Mr Local History is proud to announce the release of the third in the collectible series, the 619-year-old Basking Ridge Historic White Oak Cat’s Meow collectible, which is now available online. The New Jersey Historic Village keepsake collection… Read More »Basking Ridge Historic White Oak Tree Honored as 3rd Keepsake in Series
Views: 21,313 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: 6,345 UPDATE: The Mr. Local History Project is determining interest to nominate the Cranford Canoe Club to the New Jersey Historic Registry. If you believe this should be done, please consider signing our petition to let Cranford local officials… Read More »Cranford Canoe Club – History
Below are my collection of photos and research done while writing a feature article about my years growing up working at the Cranford Canoe Club from 1972-1993. We’re always interested in adding to the collection so if you have any you’d like to share, just snap a photo with your phone and send to us. We’ll review it and add it if it meets a few minor standards. While the photos are not copyrighted, if you plan to share, please Mr. Local History. http://www.mrlocalhistory.org ).
Enjoy
Views: 18,744 The Mr. Local History Project is determining interest to nominate the Cranford Canoe Club to the New Jersey Historic Registry. If you believe this should be done, please consider signing our petition to let Cranford local officials that… Read More »Growing Up at the Cranford Canoe Club
Views: 14,389 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. History is a strange… Read More »Finding the Truth About the KKK in Basking Ridge & the Somerset Hills
If you’ve been touched by the story of the Basking Ridge Historic Oak Tree’s 600-year history, you have to see this new book. “The Historic Basking Ridge Oak Tree Project” is a compilation of the area’s children from Kindergarten through High School who have written or drawn pictures of one of the most historic trees in America.
The Basking Ridge Historic Oak Tree Project is one of the most heartwarming books ever made to celebrate the life and history of the 619 year oak tree that was lost in 2017. It’ll pull on your heart strings.
Meg Wastie, Historic Oak Tree Project coordinator
The Basking Ridge Historic Oak Tree Project sought kindergarten through high school students to participate in The Historical Society of Somerset Hills “Tree Views” writing contest and the William Annin Tree Shirt Contest & Fundraiser. The essay premise was that students would write as if they were the historic oak and describe events they felt notable. Every school in Bernards Township participated, including Cedar Hill School, Liberty Corner School, Mount Prospect School, Oak Street School, William Annin Middle School, Ridge High School, St. James Catholic School, and one from the Assumption School. The tree shirt contest raised over $5440 in selling tee shirts while the Historical Society presented a $500 scholarship to the high school essay winner.
Below are a few examples from the 145-page collection of stories and images of the Great White Oak of Basking Ridge (Click Images to enlarge):
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The inaugural run of the book became available on Thursday, June 8, 2017, starting at 7 p.m. at the Tree Views Essay Reception at the historic Westminster Hall at the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church, next to where the historic oak lived. Over 100 guests attended the release, where authors and artists read their essays. A book signing followed, which was one of the most touching events we’ve ever seen.
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Views: 24,972 Below are the original research notes as I had spent years researching contradicting information on the Widow White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Often I like to post research in hopes that other researchers can see what’s… Read More »What Happened to Mary White and Widow White’s Tavern
Did you know that US Route 206 actually used to be Route 31 and what is US Route 202 was actually Route 32?
So now you tell your friend “Take Route 31 North Thru Bedminster
and Turn Right onto Route 32 straight into Bernardsville.” Huh. “Route 31 goes to Clinton right? Left? WRONG! Confused?
Travel back to 1935 and you definitely would have been.
Maybe you could travel down Mine Brook Road to Bernardsville and the directions read take Route 32 south to Bville and stop at the dairy. Or maybe you’re coming down from Chester and you wanted to visit the Brady’s Hamilton Farm in Peapack/Bedminster and you actually have to go down Route 31. Well that was actually the case right up until 1935 when the transition began to change these two crossroads across the Somerset Hills to Routes 202 and 206.
Have you ever had such a major roadway change names in your lifetime? Your whole psychic changes. Think about how much confusion there is when the Department of Transportation changes highway exits and how long it takes you to forget the old ones and replace it with the new numbers. Geeze, I think there’s still exit signs on the southern end of Route 202 South that still say Old Exit 2B.
Read More »Liar – Route 31 Did Go Thru Bedminster & Bernardsville