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CROSSROADS GAZETTE
Your resource for all things Revolutionary New Jersey!
October 2017
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Octo
ber brings seasonal treats to visitors across Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area: a month of Halloween chills and thrills, chances to discover surprising and fascinating history in your own backyard, reenactor encampments and much, much more.
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With the rustle of falling leaves and a chill in the air... it's not long before thoughts turn to Halloween! Several Crossroads Heritage Area sites are getting into the spirit with special events all month. We've listed a sampling below; check out our
website
for even more. And make your reservations soon to avoid disappointment. Most are small group tours and sell out quickly!
Get into the spirit of Halloween on October 13 or 14 on the
Hackettstown Historical Society's Lantern Tour at the community's oldest cemetery, the Presbyterian burial ground. Get the details on this kid-friendly tour on our
website.
Visit the home of New Jersey's first elected governor for a spine-tingling after-hours
Candle-Lit Tour of Liberty Hall. Museum staff will share their own paranormal experiences with you before you embark on a guided, candlelit visit the museum. Perhaps you'll even come away with your own ghost stories! Space is limited and fills quickly, so make your reservation today for tours on October 13, 20 or 27!
More information.
They're baaaaack! The historic Cumberland County town of Greenwich once again hosts
Halloween Ghost Walking Tours this October 14, 20, 21 and 27. This seasonal evening walk through one of New Jersey's best-preserved Colonial communities is bound to raise a few goosebumps along the way.
More information.
Discover the symbolism of 18th century gravestone art and the history of one of New Jersey's oldest burial grounds as the Snyder Academy of Elizabethtown hosts
Gone But Not Forgotten: An Afternoon of Cemeteries, Stories and Symbolism
on October 15.
More information
.
The site of the 1778 Hancock's Bridge Massacre welcomes you on October 20 and 21 for a rare candlelight tour. During these
Ghostly Gatherings, guides will bring small groups through the
Hancock House on the hour. We can't guarantee you'll see spirits, but who knows?
More details.
With so many centuries-old homes in the community, there are bound to be ghosts all over the
Bordentown City Historic Ghost Walk on October 2
0, 21, 27, 28 and 29. Stories change every year, so don't miss out!
Tickets and more information
.
Is the
Van Horne House
haunted? Join the Heritage Trail Association and the New Jersey Paranormal Investigators on October 22 as they
reveal discoveries from two investigations
at the storied home. You'll even get to join in the hunt!
More information and reservations
.
Get into the Halloween spirit on October 27 with a 45-minute stroll through the "Westminster Abbey of the United States,"
Princeton Cemetery
. Visit the final resting places for Princeton's prominent citizens, including a U.S. president and Vice President Aaron Burr.
More information
for this age 8 and up event.
Looking for a gentler Halloween experience? Bring the little ones to the heart of the Pinelands on October 29 as
Batsto Village presents Haunting the Pines for kids 12 years old and younger, accompanied by parents. Trick or treating and more!
More information.
Especially for grownups
Hannah Caldwell was murdered at
Caldwell Parsonage
during the Battle of Connecticut Farms. Does her spirit remain, 237 years later? Find out on October 14 when NJ Paranormal presents findings from a recent investigation! More information on this age 16 and over event.
Meet expert ghost hunters on the
search for spirits at the Jacobus Vanderveer House on October 21! The staff of New Jersey Paranormal will help you use investigative tools to conduct readings inside the circa 1772 home. Participants should be 16 or older.
More information.
Don't miss out - reserve your spaces to be part of these Revolutionary Halloween events!
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October is your chance to drive through time during County History Weekends
Fall is the perfect time to take a road trip close to home. Leaves are turning shades of orange and red, and visits to local sites fit perfectly into busy family weekend schedules. During special weekends in October, three New Jersey counties invite you to pile into the car to explore the rich heritage nestled in our neighborhoods. There's something appealing for everyone in the family, from Colonial and Revolutionary-era stories all the way up to events and places that made the headlines in the 20th century. Visit the events' websites for maps and descriptions, and plan your route today.
Your opportunity for exploration starts on the weekend of October 7 and 8 in
Morris County with
Pathways to History. Look for the Crossroads star when you visit Montville's Doremus House, one of 20 sites open during this event held in more than a dozen communities. Some even predate the Revolution!
More information.
On October 14 and 15,
Somerset County's Weekend Journey Through the Past invites you to explore the heart of the Crossroads Heritage Area. Discover the homesteads that hosted Washington's generals during the Middlebrook encampment, explore your family tree, and even trace the history of the game of golf! Plus, enter a contest to win a pre-paid gasoline gift card.
More information.
And on October 21 and 22,
Union County's Four Centuries in a Weekend encourages you to pick your route by historical era, from farm life in 1686 through to modern-day commerce and industry. Kids of all ages can pick up history trading cards featuring notable county residents from all four centuries. And
National Parks fans will enjoy a special surprise at several Union County locations, so stay tuned!
More information.
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Visit Revolutionary Camp Life at Reenactor Events
October brings two weekends to explore the American Revolution first hand, as three Crossroads area sites host major encampments. Stop by and discover the every day lives troops lived between battles and skirmishes.
On October 7 and 8, Continental forces "return" to the banks of the Raritan River this weekend as
East Jersey Old Town Village hosts its first-ever Revolutionary War encampment! Mingle with soldiers in encampment as they plan for battle, spy on spies, visit blacksmiths and cooks, watch a People of the Brigade fashion show and more. There's plenty to see and do - don't miss out! Check out the
full schedule of activities.
Haddon Heights celebrates its Revolutionary heritage
with the return of members of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Army on October 14. A day of skirmishes and firing of cannons and muskets will be capped off with a 90 minute walking tour featuring the community's three Colonial era houses.
More information
.
More than 100 reenactors and sutlers head to
Washington Crossing State Park on October 14 and 15 for a
Revolutionary War Weekend. Programs include Colonial life demonstrations, talks from historic authors, information tables for area historical societies and sites and more.
More information.
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"Art of Period Dress" conference registration starts October 3
Costumed historical interpreters, watch our website for registration information for Crossroads' Fall Heritage Partner Professional Development Conference, The Art of Period Dress. This two day event, November 17 and 18 at Prallsville Mills in Stockton, NJ, offers practical, hands-on guidance in creating or improving your colonial look. Don't miss out!
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Historic groups benefit from Crossroads Heritage Partnerships
Crossroads gets its strength from more than 200 historic sites, historical societies and heritage organizations that help tell the story of the American Revolution in New Jersey. From museums that are open every day to interest groups working to preserve local history, Crossroads helps members enhance their visibility and build community engagement as they help visitors discover Revolutionary New Jersey!
We're grateful that several Heritage Partners have renewed their Crossroads membership, including:
We're also honored that Morristown Chapter DAR's renewal was funded by Rebecca Wilder in memory of her husband, Stephen
Wilder, volunteer extraordinaire at Morristown National Historical Park.
Whether your site is open seven days a week, isn't yet ready to welcome visitors, or is somewhere in between, Crossroads can help.
And until October 31, your group can save on a multiple-year membership with Crossroads. Join at a two-year membership rate and get the third year free!
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Get Revolutionary at this month's Heritage Partner events
Celebrate New Jersey history at these events at our partners in the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area. Visit our
website
and
Facebook page
for even more activities through the month, and watch for our mid-month events email.
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Guided Tours at Shippen Manor in Oxford
October 7 at 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Explore life during the Revolutionary War-era in the little iron-making village of Oxford furnace. Shippen Manor Museum will be open and guided tours will be available. Learn about the true story of an industrious local family whose lives were drawn into the conflict.
More information.
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Harvest Festival at the Garretson Forge and Farm in Fair Lawn
October 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Celebrate the harvest at this authentic 18th century farmstead and step back into colonial days as they were lived in Bergen County. More information.
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Eyewitness Images from the American Revolution at the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton
October 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Author Arthur S. Lefkowitz shares his studies of eyewitness depictions of the War for Independence as part of the Old Barracks Fall Lecture Series. More information and book preorders.
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Pumpkin Painting at the Samuel Fleming House Museum and Garden in Flemington
October 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Get into the Halloween spirit with friends where Flemington began! Friends of Fleming Castle will offer free pumpkin painting, rain or shine.
More information
.
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Board of Trustees
Thomas H. Kean, Honorary Chair ● Patrick Murray, Chair ● Laura Szwak, Vice Chair-Governance ● Brian Levine, Vice Chair-Finance ● John Hardiman, Vice Chair-Development ● Dale Florio ● Seth Hahn ●
Ira Jersey ● Linda Kellner ●Sally Lane ● Chris Paladino ● Patrick Ryan ● Milly Silva
Crossroads Staff
Patrick Murray, Interim Director ● Tanika Jones, Office Administrator ● Kate Knowles-Brindle, Program Manager ●
Sue Kaufmann, Communications and Social Media Coordinator
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