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Welcome to the Mr. Local History Project
“A 501c3 Non-Profit Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting Jersey History with a Social Twist”
October means fall history road trips and local lore of Jersey witches and horror. We’ve got some great Jersey trips and tales. Click Here
Featured Stories
Latest Research
- Top 10 Trending Posts Right Now Mr. Local HistoryViews: 687 Over 460 posts honoring Jersey history. Top Posts This Week 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 13 – The Day that Altered American… Read More »Top 10 Trending Posts Right Now Mr. Local History
- Wearing Lost Jersey Motorsports Icons is Fun HistoryViews: 34 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 New Jersey businesses that have disappeared. We started researching and putting our artists to work to recreate an offering of vintage retro clothing and… Read More »Wearing Lost Jersey Motorsports Icons is Fun History
- 1928 – Woodbridge Speedway – The Fastest 1/2 Mile Track in the WorldViews: 61 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. What opened as a spectacle and a death-defying event, this Woodbridge Speedway quickly became the… Read More »1928 – Woodbridge Speedway – The Fastest 1/2 Mile Track in the World
- Samuel Southard of Basking Ridge – A US Vice PresidentViews: 125 While researching the Southard family of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, we uncovered something we never knew about Samuel Southard. MLH believes Basking Ridge’s own Samuel Southard was the Vice President of the United States for over a year after President William Henry Harrison died in 1841. Was he? Check out the research we’ve… Read More »Samuel Southard of Basking Ridge – A US Vice President
- Does Another Jersey Hot Dog Joint Deserve a Historic Collectible? VOTE NOWViews: 135 Does the hot dog (not the Italian one) get a place in New Jersey’s Historic Foodie Wooden Collectible series?What about Rutt’s Hut, or any other of a handful of iconic hot dog eateries? The Mr. Local History Project researchers LOVE stories about Jersey food. It’s not automatic. They have to be voted in… Read More »Does Another Jersey Hot Dog Joint Deserve a Historic Collectible? VOTE NOW
- 1926: Atlantic City Opened One of the Greatest Speedway’s in the WorldViews: 187 The year is 1926. Welcome to the “Board Bowl,” which had 80,000 fans and was one of the world’s greatest motorsport spectacles—and it was right here in New Jersey! It’s funny how history weaves in and out of many of our stories and other research that becomes a new story. This story came… Read More »1926: Atlantic City Opened One of the Greatest Speedway’s in the World
- Remebering the Waterloo Village Concert SeriesViews: 176 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 time) the advertisements on WDHA, WNEW, WPL, WLIR, WDRE, and others announcing major acts performing… Read More »Remebering the Waterloo Village Concert Series
- The World’s Greatest Broadcast in New Jersey History – War of the WorldsViews: 211 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 landed in Jersey and were on the march to invade. The War of the Worlds… Read More »The World’s Greatest Broadcast in New Jersey History – War of the Worlds
- Jackie Mars – Jersey’s Halloween Candy IconViews: 4,570 Jacqueline “Jackie” Mars is an American heiress, investor, and philanthropist who was a Bedminster, New Jersey resident. Known at one time as the richest woman on the planet, Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without the Mars family and their confection collection of the Milky Way, Three Musketeers, and M&Ms. So when you’re… Read More »Jackie Mars – Jersey’s Halloween Candy Icon
- Keepsake: Iconic Wildwood Joining NJ Historic Wooden Village CollectionViews: 93 The Mayor of New Jersey’s Historic Village recently decreed that a new icon be added to the New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Collection in a bold move to expand the only set of New Jersey collectible icons. Introducing Wildwood, New Jersey. Wildwood, New Jersey, offers a captivating mix of natural beauty, history, and… Read More »Keepsake: Iconic Wildwood Joining NJ Historic Wooden Village Collection
- Keepsake: Bernardsville’s Olcott School Coming to Keepsake CollectionViews: 23 The Mayor of New Jersey’s Historic Village recently decreed that a new icon be added to the New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Collection in a bold move to expand the only set of New Jersey collectible icons. Introducing the historic Olcott School and historic district in Bernardsville, New Jersey. Supporting Bernardsville’s history via… Read More »Keepsake: Bernardsville’s Olcott School Coming to Keepsake Collection
- Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey #3Views: 237 Believe it or not, the dead are alive in central New Jersey, especially in northern Somerset County. The question is not whether they are real or not, but rather whether they are disturbing or friendly. As we share, The Mr. Local History Project is looking for the public to share their paranormal experiences… Read More »Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey #3
- Preserving Bernardsville’s History CollectionViews: 204 Supporting Bernardsville’s history via our MLH keepsake collection is growing as we honor Bernardsville’s local history. Here’s your chance, Bernardsville, to show your support for local history. Three Bernardsville icons have been selected, and if interest is strong, we hope to work with the community to grow the collection with more Bernardsville historic… Read More »Preserving Bernardsville’s History Collection
- Wildwood History Boardwalk, Beach and the Doowop UniverseViews: 310 The widest part of Wildwood Beach in New Jersey is 1,600 feet from the boardwalk to the shoreline at Cresse Avenue! Compare that to Point Pleasant Beach which is about 350 feet wide at Trenton Avenue or about 1/5th the width of Wildwood’s beach. Just sayin, Jersey! Anyone who’s visited Wildwood, New Jersey,… Read More »Wildwood History Boardwalk, Beach and the Doowop Universe
- The New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Keepsake CollectionViews: 14,539 The MLH Project is proud to be the largest 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 Village Collection The New Jersey Historic Village keepsake collection is a wood-painted collectible series honoring historic iconic buildings, properties, and… Read More »The New Jersey Historic Wooden Village Keepsake Collection
- Mr. Local History 2024 Fall Magazine Vol 6. Issue 3Views: 76 Vol.6 Issue 3 is available now. Our Fall 2024 cover photo honors the history of the Somerset Hills area of Northern Somerset County, New Jersey, and the iconic Blairsden Mansion & Estate. Over the years, the estate has also been a private residence, an orphanage, and a religious retreat. Put those two together… Read More »Mr. Local History 2024 Fall Magazine Vol 6. Issue 3
- Bernards Township Historic Wooden Village Keepsake CollectiblesViews: 222 The MLH Project is proud to be the largest reseller of the New Jersey Historic Wooden Keepsake Collection, created by the world-famous Cat’s Meow Village. Made in the USA!!! Basking Ridge & The New Jersey Historic Village Collection Welcome to the Bernards Township, New Jersey, section of the New Jersey Historic Wooden Village… Read More »Bernards Township Historic Wooden Village Keepsake Collectibles
- The Lost Westfield Airport In Union CountyViews: 674 Just like the racetrack that was on the southern end of Westfield in the 1930s, another lost icon, the Westfield Airport, sits at the coordinates 40°36’36.0″N 74°19’08.4″W. Our research started here. As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, updates are made to this post when we learn additional information. We will continue to expand… Read More »The Lost Westfield Airport In Union County
Recent Comments
Thanks for the tip. We’ll investigate!!!!
Supposedly, Mead Hall at Drew University is haunted. Before the campus Safety office moved to a newly built building, night…
I am 78 yrs old. Born in Newark and grew up in Irvington. I moved to Kentucky 6 yrs ago.…
I was able to get onto the property back in 2019 with a small group of friends we walked through…
My father, H. Neil Carlson, was working on his Cessna 170B one weekend when the actor Burgess Meredith (penguin on…
Yes, the drive to Matheny from Main St through the stone pillars and up the hill. The farm estate where…
I really enjoyed your article about the old airport. If you would like more information you might go speak with…
Carol, that must have been around the same time that she moved her horses out of Fox Chase where I…
Jackie also rented a small ranch house in Peapack owned by Anne Casey in the 1970s. We lived on that…
Diedre Locati That was so much fun; although I’ve been gone for 50+ years, there wasn’t one I didn’t remember.…
Gus Manz I’ve lived in Flemington for the past 30+ years and Flemington Speedway existed for almost 100 years from…
Dan Becker I love that race track photo. That is larger than the UHS football stands. I wonder if the…
Alan Naso We lived in Union from 1953 until 1967 . I never knew there was a race track there.…
Susan J Doyle My dad told me it closed in 1942 due to WW2 and a ban on all Motor…
The main competition in my mind was The Music Staff.
It was fun, brought back tons of memories. So glad Rialto won, it was our trademark theater!!
Such great memories! Thanks for having this fun game for all of us!! It was like going down memory lane…good…
Enjoyed the game. Great memories of my hometown. I was rooting for the Jolly Trolley but Rialto is a worthy…
This was so much fun and my husband (a lifelong Westfielder) had such a ball remembering all the businesses!
Jersey History Posts
Jersey history – over 450 researched stories.
From Fort Lee to Cape May and everywhere in between.
Take a look.
“Wear 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 Fall 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
30 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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When my boys were young, their Dad did some renovation work at the M&M’s factory in Hackettstown. One Saturday, we…