Welcome to the Mr. Local History Project
“A 501c3 Non-Profit Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting Jersey History with a Social Twist”
The Mr. Local History Project starts here with our story from New Jersey’s Vailsburg section of Newark
and a fascinating story featuring 1900s bicycle and motorcycle racing in a big wooden bowl!
Speed Kings, Daredevils, an Electric Park, and The Olmsted Brothers.
Featured Stories
This Week’s Top 10 Posts
Latest Research
- Mr. Local History Knows The Top 15 Daytona 500 Destinations to Hit During Speedweeks
Want to go to the #Daytona500 Speedweeks and feel like you know where to go? Here’s 20 years of experience all in one place where we’ve highlighted the top 15 Daytona spots to hit during Speedweeks. We’ve loaded THE BEST. - Does Union’s Flagship Deserve a Keepsake in the NJ Historic Wooden Village? Vote Here
Views: 699 A Jersey Ship that Never Sailed – The Flagship in Union is a story Mr. Local History researched (the link to that story is at the bottom of this page). Then, someone sent in a request asking if they could purchase a wooden keepsake of The Flagship. Well, now, a “Keepsake of the… Read More »Does Union’s Flagship Deserve a Keepsake in the NJ Historic Wooden Village? Vote Here - America’s 250th Anniversary is Coming – Looking Back at the Bicentennial… Jersey Style
Views: 172 It’s hard to believe that next year, America will be celebrating its 250th anniversary. That means it’s also been 50 years since the Bicentennial, and hopefully, almost everyone remembers that one. As this researcher was just 14 back in 1976, lots of things came to mind. So, as America starts planning for 2026,… Read More »America’s 250th Anniversary is Coming – Looking Back at the Bicentennial… Jersey Style - Basking Ridge Town Center Live Video
Views: 89 How’s life in Basking Ridge? Click the play button to take a live look at downtown Basking Ridge. Check in for a view! 2025 ScheduleSaturday, May 17, 2025 – 11:30 am -6 pm – Basking Ridge Charter DayMon, May 26, 2025 – 10 am Memorial Day CelebrationSaturday, November 29, 2025 – 9 am -12… Read More »Basking Ridge Town Center Live Video - There’s a lot of History in These 100+ Jersey Classic Dive Bars
Views: 525 Is it time for the Jersey Dive Bar History Tour? Let us know your favorites.MLH has created an interactive map of over 100 classic dive-bars in Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey. What an excellent assignment. Traveling Jersey, it’s always fun to drop into a cool classic dive bar. So here’s how we’re… Read More »There’s a lot of History in These 100+ Jersey Classic Dive Bars - The Exclusive New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Keepsake Collection
Views: 12,677 The MLH Project is proud to be the exclusive reseller of the New Jersey Historic Wooden Keepsake Collection, created by the world-famous Cat’s Meow Village. Made in the USA!!! The New Jersey Historic Wooden Keepsake Village Collection The New Jersey Historic Village keepsake collection is a wood-painted collectible series honoring historic iconic buildings,… Read More »The Exclusive New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Keepsake Collection - Keepsake: Preserving Stone Pony History Collectible Coming in 2025 – Enter the Contest
Views: 232 Congratulations to the iconic Stone Pony in Asbury Park for becoming the 39th addition to the New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Keepsake collection. These wood-on-art keepsakes are limited edition productions made by the world-famous Cat’s Meow Village in Wooster, Ohio. An artist’s rendering will be on the front, and the venue’s history will… Read More »Keepsake: Preserving Stone Pony History Collectible Coming in 2025 – Enter the Contest - Finding New Jersey’s Giant Pizzas
Views: 443 People keep asking us why a non-profit is dedicated to researching New Jersey history and building food maps. The short answer is that history has what we call threads. We start researching one thing, which leads to another. We know there’s gotta be a history story in there, and we’ll just have to… Read More »Finding New Jersey’s Giant Pizzas - Top 10 Trending Posts Right Now Mr. Local History
Views: 1,278 Over 500 Posts Honoring Jersey History “We keep on searchin’ and researchin’ “ Top Weekly MLH Reads Top History All Time #5 Post – All Time #4 Post – All Time #3 Post All Time #2 Post – All Time #1 Post – All Time Additional Stories: Mr. Local History’s #growlocalhistory Project December… Read More »Top 10 Trending Posts Right Now Mr. Local History - Warren was Bernards Township Then March 5, 1806 Happened
Views: 709 Bridgewater was chartered in 1749, and Bernards Township was chartered in 1760. After the Revolutionary War, no Royal Charters were issued, so you had to incorporate through a vote in the New Jersey legislature after submitting a petition to separate. That day became official on Thursday, March 5, 1806, when Warren Township became… Read More »Warren was Bernards Township Then March 5, 1806 Happened - George Washington’s Society of the Cincinnati Medal Sells for $5,300,000
Views: 4,836 The Society of the Cincinnati was founded in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army and their French counterparts after the American Revolution. Its purpose was to promote the ideals of liberty, democracy, and friendship, ensuring that the sacrifices of veterans were not forgotten. Named after the Roman statesman Cincinnatus, who relinquished power… Read More »George Washington’s Society of the Cincinnati Medal Sells for $5,300,000 - Wearing Lost Jersey Local History Newark Collection
Views: 95 Mr Local History loves history with a social twist. In fact, it’s our motto! So we thought how fun it would be to share some of the most loved Newark, New Jersey businesses and famous history. We started researching and putting our artists to work to recreate an offering of vintage retro merchandise… Read More »Wearing Lost Jersey Local History Newark Collection - Newark New Jersey’s Incredible Velodrome and Motordrome Racing Venues
Views: 529 PREVIEW RELEASE:Our researchers continue to work with this story as there are several conflicting points of view we want to continue researching. We will update over the next few weeks, but we wanted to let people see this preview in case they’d like to write us. Jersey Lost Racetrack Series Vailsburg’s First Velodrome,… Read More »Newark New Jersey’s Incredible Velodrome and Motordrome Racing Venues - Top 10 Most Historic Businesses in the Somerset Hills, New Jersey
Views: 23,272 Whether you’re a banker, national political figure, CEO, or farmer, the Somerset Hills has provided commercial opportunities for centuries. From C. Ledyard Blair and Jackie Kennedy to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and Charles Pfizer, the Somerset Hills business community has served up commerce in a classic fashion. There’s no mistake that the… Read More »Top 10 Most Historic Businesses in the Somerset Hills, New Jersey - Keepsakes: Preserving Cranford New Jersey’s History – New Collectibles Coming February 2025
Views: 190 Honoring Cranford’s History with Three New Cranford Keepsakes in 2025 The Mr. Local History Project (MLH) has been preserving and promoting local history since our non-profit organization was established in 2019. The all-volunteer group started a wooden miniature keepsake program to share history and artwork in partnership with the world-famous Cat’s Meow Village… Read More »Keepsakes: Preserving Cranford New Jersey’s History – New Collectibles Coming February 2025 - President’s Letter – 2024 Year in Review
Views: 88 Our Mr. Local History Project Mission: To preserve and promote New Jersey’s local history with a social twist, as we are always looking to find new, fun ways to share stories about the great history of New Jersey. 2024 Annual Report This annual report has been approved by the Board of Trustees and… Read More »President’s Letter – 2024 Year in Review - Mr. Local History Project’s Top 25 Stories for 2024
Views: 459 The Mr. Local History Project looks back at the top 25 researched stories posted for the year 2024. This year was a funny twist as readers worldwide again wanted to know a few classic sayings about the cold. Were any of the #MLHTOP25 the ones you enjoyed? Please take a look back, give… Read More »Mr. Local History Project’s Top 25 Stories for 2024 - History: The Cranford Hotel That’s NOT a Hotel
Views: 6,603 If you’ve ever been to Cranford, New Jersey, there are two places you have to go to: the Cranford Canoe Club, which epitomizes what is known as the “Venice of New Jersey,” close to the Cranford Hotel. Situated just south of the town trestle below the railroad tracks, the Cranford Hotel has been… Read More »History: The Cranford Hotel That’s NOT a Hotel
Recent Comments
Lovely article My parents (Thomas & Margaret Fahy ) new McGovern’s Tavern very well . I miss all the old…
I have a catechism published in 1789 which has a note attached that it is property of the Bricks School,…
We did retrieve it, and it’s sitting in the barn at the Wagner Farm Arboretum. Mayor Lisa Lontai has made…
When I was 11 or 12, Bobby Thomson came to the Little League fields for opening day. I think he…
I had the honor of being an usher in a wedding where Bobby Thomson was a guest. All the Groomsmen…
My dad and his brother worked at the Clark White Diamond location in 1960-1962. They farmed with their dad in…
I remember a time when it seemed like there was a milk machine on every city block. I lived in…
FCS stands for Fox Chase Stables.
I only just read the document on the development of Meadowbrook Farm. Roberta would, for sure, know everything as she…
Regarding comment of Thomas King January 25, 2022 at 7:44 am What is FCS? One of the two men who…
Growing up in Green Village (Chatham Twp), I remember my parents telling us kids one time in the car when…
Thx – also looking for Newark Velodrome hero Frank Kramer’s Cadillac ad that stated “Even Frank Kramer Drives a Cadillac.”
I will post an article from September 7th when Eric Hasha refused to race at Vailsburg BEFORE his fatal accident.
I opened Freddys with Mike Lyons and was a close friend till he passed away in 2005. I was his…
What ever happened to the antique horse drawn sleigh that was always placed on the green next to the tree…
God, how I used to love marathons. “Binge watching,” for some reason, just isn’t the same. I mean, it is…
Margie’s also used to have a chocolate chip cookie dough crumb cake. My mom would always buy 2 – my…
But someone else told us this tidbit: Pindaros Roy Vagelos, M.D. was the CEO and Chairman of the Board of…
B & W Hackensack My favorite for at least 70 odd years, hands down over any other crumb cake I’ve…
Jersey History Posts
Jersey history – over 450 researched stories.
From Fort Lee to Cape May and everywhere in between.
Take a look.
“Wear Lost Local History” Collection
Brings Back Memories
MLH has digitally recreated lost businesses from the 1900s to the 1980s, producing over 250 designs of iconic vintage logos.
Click Here
Stories, Stories, and More Stories
Researched by Mr. Local History himself, see over ten years of research on the internet to share the history.
The Mr. Local History 2024 Holiday Magazine
See our quarterly digital magazine for FREE. Full of great local Jersey History.
Events Calendar
Signature Events, Tours, Fundraisers, and Speaking engagements.
The New Jersey Historic Village Wooden Collection
35 iconic local Jersey Collectibles made exclusively for the Mr. Local History Project by the world famous “Cat’s Meow Village” of Wooster, Ohio. Once they sell out, they’re usually gone forever.
Like Historic Photos?
Over the years our researchers have gathered some great historic photos. Take a look as we “Dig In the Archives”
“I love sharing stories about the history of Jersey food. If one thing people miss when they leave Jersey, it’s the food. We dig in!”
Brooks Betz aka Mr. Local History
“What is the point of being alive if you don’t know history?”
Meg Wastie – Education Team Lead
“The Mr. Local History Project covers some really unique stuff. I mean who digs into the history of Jersey Food? MLH does”
Ms. Paula Axt – Tour Guide and Education
Frequently Asked Questions
The Mr. Local History Project is a 100% volunteer organization. Want to join us? No problem. There are no membership fees, and you only need to support one of our efforts. Programs include education, research, guided tours, or one of our many events.. You can even start something of your own. Visit our Contact Us page and drop us a note to get involved.
No, but we are a 501c3 registered charity non-profit, meaning you can donate to the Mr. Local History Project, and your donation is 100% tax deductible. Every penny goes back into our programs.
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Hello Bedminster, New Jersey. I spent my early life in Bedminster, Bristol (UK). It’s interesting that yours is in the…