RETROSPECTIVE:MLHP often releases retrospectives, which are stories about our research that may change as new research is uncovered. Our search now takes us to the Princeton University archives. We are still looking at where Abraham Southard settled from around 1750 to… Read More »The Southard Family of Basking Ridge and A Historic Finding
President George Washington proclaimed Nov. 26, 1789, the last Thursday of November that year, to be a “day of public thanksgiving.” What is known as the “Gentry”, in New Jersey they held fox hunts on Thanksgiving Day. Fox hunts were… Read More »Thanksgiving Meet – Horses, Hounds and Foxes Before Turkey – A Countryside Tradition
John Morton was a Colonel in the Continental Army. Still, he gave up his commission in 1761 to become a highly successful merchant, specializing in the trade of flax back home to his native Ulster in Northern Ireland supporting the… Read More »John Morton – General Washington’s Rebel Banker Hid in Basking Ridge
Make a Tax Deductible Donation – Get a Frameable Map Finding New Ways to Share Local History.We call it “Maps for a Cause” supporting Our Ridge and Bernards High Scholarship Funds The Mr. Local History Project continues its mission to… Read More »Make a Donation – Get a Historic Map as our Gift
Researching Local History with Maps As a historian, I believe maps are one of the greatest sources of information, capturing a time and place. We use these maps to research history and find buildings, families, farms, or streets. We often… Read More »Sharing Local History with Maps – How to Read Into Them
Often, Mr. Local History doesn’t search for stories as those stories find us. Case in point is this weird little story about a man who comes to America only to find that his life is remembered after Basking Ridge’s Jack… Read More »Remembering Willie Howard and Bedminster’s Willie’s Tavern
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 cooler, ghost… Read More »Horror Tales and Ghost Stories from Central New Jersey
Join Us and Learn history by those who LIVED IT. Elder Voices is back in November To Share Local History Stop by the Bernards Township Library on the lower level on Sunday, November 4, 2023 at 2:00pm as we join… Read More »Elder Voices Discussion Group
You can learn a lot of history by looking at a cemetery! NOTE: A quick reminder: Warren was part of Bernards Township until the 19th century, while Far Hills and Bernardsville were still part of Bernards Township up until the… Read More »Basking Ridge Evergreen Cemetery is a Living History Lesson
COVID-19 Update: Hometown Histories Program Going Virtual To Share Local History Knowing it is unsafe to meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mr. Local History Project is moving forward with a 45 minute virtual community gathering using ZOOM video… Read More »VIRTUAL EVENT: Elder Voices – History Worth Sharing Series
Celebrate the 15th anniversary on February 22, 2020 as we honor bagpipes with the Guard Pipes & Drum group. The music group, which currently consists of 21 pipers and seven drummers, is planning its big annual fund-raiser, “The Guard’s Welcome,’’… Read More »The Guards Welcome Dinner Social Honors Irish Heritage – Sat. Feb 22
COVID-19 Update:Hometown HiStories Program Going Virtual To Share Local History Knowing it is unsafe to meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mr. Local History Project is hosting a 45 minute virtual community gathering using ZOOM video conferencing, an online… Read More »VIRTUAL EVENT: Hometown HiSTORIES – History Worth Sharing Series
It’s time to grab your smartphone and head outdoors for a new adventure for history buffs. The Mr. Local History Project has been traveling all over northern Somerset County trying to locate some of the most obvious and obscure historic… Read More »Historic Marker Challenge
Learn history by those who LIVED IT. Elder Voices is BACK To Share Local History Stop by the Bernards Township Library on the lower level on Sunday, September 24, 2023 at 2:00pm as we join together to learn local history… Read More »Elder Voices is BACK
Believe it or not, the dead is alive in central New Jersey especially in northern Somerset County. The question is not whether they are real or not, but more like are they disturbing or friendly? As we share, The Mr.… Read More »10 More Haunted Tales From Central New Jersey