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
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
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
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
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
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
Wouldn’t it be great you could gather a bunch of locals from the area to tell stories of how it used to be in the area? Maybe you grew up here? Whether you’re a teller or a listener, we’d love… Read More »Elder Voices Roundtable is BACK
NOTE: Warren, Far Hills and Bernardsville were all part of Bernards Township in the early 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Cemeteries remain a primary source for historical research and MLH leverages many sources from cemeteries to validate early settlers and… Read More »Basking Ridge’s Oldest Cemetery
Why We Celebrate Bernards Township Charter Day The first Charter Day street fair celebration in Bernards Township was held on Saturday, May 20, 1995. The event started at 10am and lasted till 4pm. Charter Day commemorates the May 24, 1760… Read More »Retrospective: The History Behind Bernards Township Charter Day & That Charter
Sir Francis Bernard’s Legacy Carries On as Towns Honor the Royal Governor of New Jersey and Massachusetts In 1758, Francis Bernard, originally from Lincolnshire, England, was appointed Governor of the province of Nova Caesarea (New Jersey). He packed up his… Read More »Sir Francis Bernard Honored With American Town Names
Snow is an interesting thing. Some love it. Some hate it. But when there’s a major storm in the area there’s the battle between getting a snow day, and whether to play in it or dread dread removing it. If… Read More »Retrospective: Snowstorms and Sledding in Somerset County New Jersey
Bedminster, New Jersey is situated just 45 miles west of New York City but you are right int the middle of one of the most populated equine areas in the United States. The United States Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters is… Read More »Bedminster Has A Tavern Serving Over 200 years of History
A few friends got together and started talking about the fine art of distilling and how much it’s changed (if at all). It seems that due to the efforts of a few Jersey residents, distilling spirits is back in fashion… Read More »Moonshining Bootlegging Speakeasies in Somerset County, NJ