Fall in New Jersey is more than colorful leaves, crisp mornings, and roadside farm stands; it is a season filled with great history and stories.
In this issue, the Mr. Local History research team travels from the historic boardwalk and lakeside community of Lake Mohawk to the farm fields of Somerset County, uncovering the histories of Bardy Farms and Basking Ridge’s beloved Crane Farm. Along the way, readers will meet the families, immigrants, farmers, and community builders who helped shape the places we know today. So grab a cup of cider and join us as we explore another colorful chapter of New Jersey’s local history.
Cover: Mr Local History Magazine Vol 8 Issue 3
Our cover honors one of the most iconic and beautiful fall destinations, like “the Niagara Falls of New Jersey”, the Paterson Great Falls. Worthy of a Fall visit to learn about Alexander Hamilton’s first industrial city in America and catch some of the most beautiful fall foliage in the State. Put it on your list.
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Fall is in the Air – So Much Jersey History
So Much to Do and See (and Learn)
THE 9.11 Ground Zero American Flag That Vanished for 13 Years
Views: 559 Raised above the ruins of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, this one American flag became an immediate symbol of courage, unity, and a nation that refused to surrender. Yet within hours of inspiring millions, the…
25 of New Jersey’s Oldest Taverns & Inns Still Serving Today
Views: 714 Eating Your Way Through New Jersey History Long before New Jersey had diners, highways, turnpikes, or even became a state, the local tavern often served as the center of community life. These were places where a traveler could…
Day Trips – Four Historic New Jersey Fall Locations You Must See
Views: 10,226 The 2026 Fall Foliage Map is the ultimate visual planning guide to the annual progression of leaf change. While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is designed to help travelers better time their trips to maximize their chances…
A Historic Boardwalk on Jersey’s Lake Mohawk
Views: 452 Just when you think you know everything about New Jersey, the state pulls another surprise from its seemingly bottomless bag of tricks. We already have ocean beaches, mountains, waterfalls, sprawling farms, colonial villages, busy cities, and some of…
Bardy Farms: From a Russian Immigrant’s Fields to a Somerset County Farming Dynasty
Views: 1,104 Walk into Bardy Farms on Washington Valley Road in Warren Township, and you are entering one of New Jersey’s increasingly rare family farm businesses. Fresh produce still fills the market, plants crowd the greenhouses in Spring, pumpkins arrive…
Then & Now: Post 9/11-Somerset Hills Family, Friends and Neighbors & Their Legacy
Views: 37,079 Twenty-five years ago on September 11, 2001, we lost friends, family, neighbors, and loved ones in a tragedy that changed our nation forever. Their absence is felt every day, yet in the years since that heartbreaking morning, we…
“The Frippery” Thrift Store Extraordinaire is a Watchung Historic Gem
Views: 497 For Over Half a Century, the Frippery is Watchung’s Original Treasure Hunt Long before thrift shopping became trendy, generations of bargain hunters were already climbing the stairs and rummaging through the shelves at one of Watchung’s best-known hidden…
Donate Today and Get a Great Gift: 2026 US Mint RevWar 250 Quarters Collectible Set
Views: 486 Minimum donation: $25, but feel free to donate at any of the levels below. Your contribution is TAX DEDUCTIBLE. We only have a limited supply of these great keepsakes, so act fast. First come, first served, while supplies…
Crane Farm: The Little Farm Stand Preserves Basking Ridge’s Farming Past
Views: 2,019 RUMOR CONFIRMED:As Crane Farm approaches another turning point, word has begun circulating that Tyson and Doris Mertz are retiring October 31, 2026 and will not be renewing their lease with Somerset County. The Mertzes have not owned the…
Kiwanis Fair Basking Ridge Marked the End of Summer with a Bang
Views: 10,946 Memories and a BIG Photo Collection The official end of summer was upon us. People were coming home from summer vacation. Football practice was underway at the high school, and the students were prepping for the start of…
Celebrating 100 Years of the Cranford Theater
Views: 595 As Cranford prepares to celebrate the theater’s 100th birthday on November 29, 2026, we’re taking a look back at the little movie house that became a Cranford institution, and the generations of people who have kept coming through…
New Jersey’s America 250 Commemorative Magazine
Views: 3,656 This Special Issue of Mr. Local History Magazine celebrates America’s SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL, the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, by bringing New Jersey’s Revolutionary past to life. From historic battlefields and museum exhibits to community events…
New Jersey’s America 250 Events Calendar
Views: 11,020 BOOKMARK this Site and Come Back Often – Updated Daily “It’s the most extensive America 250 Events Calendar for New Jersey 250. This free statewide calendar is open to all New Jersey organizers to share America’s Semiquincentennial 250th…
Ghost Tales, Urban Legends and Cemeteries From Central New Jersey
Views: 1,323 Urban Legends, Ghosts, Murder, Nuns gone insane, the Devil, and other horror stories we’ve dug up from Central New Jersey’s past. Maybe urban legends, but they’re OUR stories! When the leaves start turning and the nights get cooler,…
High Point State Park was Donated by Bernardsville Family
High Point State Park in Sussex, New Jersey, home to the state’s highest elevation and a monument for veterans, owes its existence to Bernardsville families the Kusars and the Drydens. Businessman and philanthropist Anthony Kusar and his wife Susie donated…
Far Hills Race Meeting Collectible & Century Old History of this Fall Jersey Classic
Views: 10,042 Celebrating over 100 years of New Jersey’s fall classic, the Far Hills Race Meeting, with this beautiful wooden painted collectible as part of the New Jersey Historic Village Cat’s Meow wooden keepsake collection. Beautifully handcrafted wood, hand-painted edges,…
ROADTRIP: Historic Waterloo Village Concept Works
Views: 15,139 Here’s an idea. How about a fresh air compound? Great open space. Historic homes, beautiful rolling, open fields, and a canal. Yes, a canal. Let’s throw in an infamous outdoor concert series while we’re at it. Just off…
Legendary Horror Tales and Ghost Stories from Central New Jersey
Views: 24,544 Urban Legends, Ghosts, Murder, Nuns gone insane, the Devil and other horror stories we’ve dug up from Central New Jersey’s past. May be urban legends, but they’re OUR stories! When the leaves start turning and the nights get…
Remembering Warren’s Schwaebische Alb – a Jersey Oktoberfest Institution
Views: 15,583 HELP THIS STORY: We are still looking for photos of the beer garden or any photos taken after 1970. We are also still researching the sale date to Warren Township and the final teardown date. Contact us if you…
