Morris County Historical Society

At Acorn Hall

WW II Weekend June 18-19

SPRING 2011

Please welcome the In conjunction with the Society’s current

following new exhibit, “Over Here and Over There:
members: Morris County’s Role in World War II,”
we are presenting a World War II Week-
• Patricia Arnold end on June 18 and 19 at Acorn Hall.
• Edward The event will run from 11 a.m. to 5
Barsamian p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Mary and Ron on Sunday.
Lucas
Military re-enactors representing both
• Arthur Mierisch
British and American troops will set up
• Gail Stephens camp. They’ll be on hand to interact
with the public and answer questions
about the life of a soldier.
Inside this issue: MCHS volunteer Mick Burgess and his
Attendees will have the opportunity to group, the Irish Guards

Historical Happenings 2 work on a variety of projects to benefit blue jeans, are sent to wounded troops
our troops and veterans. You can make a to let them know their sacrifices are
From the Director 3 square for an Operation Quiet Comfort appreciated. You can also “Knit Your
quilt. These quilts, made of recycled Bit” by knitting or crocheting a
Home Garden Club News 3 (continued on page 4)

Revolutionary Times 4 Fourth Annual Yard Sale May 21

Weekend
Help Our Future – Buy Your Past! We’ve been accumulating a whole new
World War II Weekend 4 inventory of vintage items for our annual sale.
Whether you’re looking for gas sconces, player
Blue Star Museums 4 piano rolls, an antique sink, or just a vintage hat,
you can get a treasure and support the Historical
In the Gift Shop 5 Society. The sale will take place on the front
lawn of Acorn Hall from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (no
MCHS Membership 5
early birds!). This is the Society’s largest fund-
Survey raiser of the year and all proceeds directly bene-
fit MCHS programs and collections care. Please
Kudos 5 note that Acorn Hall will not be open that day.
While we welcome donations for future yard
Be Our Guest 6 sales, we’re currently processing our newest in-
ventory, so please call the office prior to bringing
Membership Form 7 We have vintage books too!
in items.
PAGE 2
Historical Happenings
Boonton Historical Society
Sunday, May 1 – Yard Sale, Up-
per Main Street. Rain date May
15.
Saturday, May 14 – Walking Tour
of the Residential District with
Harold Johnson. Suggested $5 do-
nation includes a 10% discount to
certain Main Street Shops and eat-
eries. Meets at the Post Office,
501 Main Street.
Saturday, June 18 – Walking Tour
of the Park with Gail Yorkston.
Suggested $5 donation includes a
10% discount to certain Main
Street Shops and eateries. Meets
at the Gazebo at Grace Lord Park.
Saturday, June 4 – Biennial
House Tour. 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets $20.
For additional information:
973-316-0976
www.boonton.org/Community/
HistoricalSociety.htm.
Dover Area Historical Society
Sunday, June 12 – Discover Do-
ver Day Festival. 12 to 6 p.m. at
Crescent Field.
For additional information:
973-361-3525
www.doverhistoricalsociety.com
Long Hill Township
Historical Society
Thursday, May 12 – “ New Jersey
Proprietors from 1664” by Bob
Brandt.
Thursday, June 9 – “ History in
Motion” by David Welch.
MCHS
All programs are held at the
Long Hill Township First Aid
Squad, 949 Valley Road. 7:30
p.m. Free.
For additional information:
908-647-6456
www.longhillhistory.org
Madison Historical Society
Wednesday, April 20 – “ A Civil
War Journal” with Jim Malcolm.
Chase Meeting Room, Madison
Public Library. 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 19 – MHS An-
nual Dinner Meeting with jazz
musician Jerry Vezza. Madison
Hotel, Convent Station. 6 to 9
p.m.
For additional information:
973-377-0722 ext. 8
www.madisonhistorical
society.org
Morris Area Genealogy Society
Tuesday, May 3 – “ British Re-
search” with Susan Fogg Eisen-
dorfer.
Tuesday, June 7 – “ Tracing Our
British and Dutch Connections”
with Dave Peck.
All programs held at the Morris
County Library. 6:30 p.m.
For additional information:
www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
~njmags/index.htm
Mt. Tabor Historical Society
Thursday, May 12 – “ Games
Victorians Played” with Bonnie-
Lynn Nadzeika of the Morris
County Historical Society.
SPRING 2011
Thursday, June 9 – “ Years Gone
by in Mt. Tabor.” A panel of
long-time residents remembers
the past.
All meetings held at The Bethel.
7 p.m. Free.
For additional information:
973-586-1564
www.mounttabornj.org
North Jersey
American Revolution
Roundtable
Friday, May 13 – “ The Wash-
ington and Rochambeau Route”
with Robert Selig.
Friday, June 10 – “ Was Ameri-
can Founded as a Christian Na-
tion?” with John Fea.
Programs meet in the auditorium
at Morristown National Histori-
cal Park, Washington’s Head-
quarters. 7 p.m.
For additional information:
NJAmerRevRT@aol.com
www.njhistoryroundtables.org
North Jersey
Civil War Roundtable
Thursday, April 28 – Anthony
Pitch, author of They Killed
Papa Dead. Haggerty Education
Center, Frelinghuysen Arbore-
tum. 7 p.m.
For additional information:
www.njhistoryroundtables.org
SPRING 2011 PAGE 3
MCHS

From The Director

Things are progressing with our ongoing preservation of Acorn Hall. This winter we completed our His-
toric Preservation Plan, outlining the priorities for the continuing care of our beloved home. We are
grateful to the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund for funding this important work and to
our members who helped raise the matching funds. Connolly & Hickey completed the Preservation
Plan, which replaces a number of out-of-date documents.

Moving forward, we have identified the priorities that we will work on first.

Our first priority is to address the exterior of Acorn Hall. Time takes a toll and some of the decorative
woodwork, particularly on the second floor, needs to be repaired and/or replaced. The roof over the gift
shop has been leaking this winter and needs to be repaired. To better insulate the house and thus reduce
energy costs, we will begin to install interior custom storm windows. Numerous other small details,
such as replacing broken window hardware, need to be addressed.

We have applied for a grant to fund a Historic Landscape Survey of Acorn Hall. Historic landscape
preservation is relatively new in the world of historic preservation. Museum professionals have begun to
realize that the story of a historic site doesn’t stop at the four walls, but must be taken a step further. The
survey will evaluate existing plant material and site features, make recommendations for the rehabilita-
tion of the landscape within the appropriate historical period, make recommendations for its manage-
ment, and address consideration of how the landscape can be used as an educational tool.

Finally, we will address structural issues in the Carriage House. Stabilizing the building is the first step
towards better utilization of the building. Part of our long-range plan is to renovate the Carriage House
so that we can use it for a large meeting space, accessible restrooms, and collections storage.

Meanwhile, we will still be working to produce the high-quality programs and exhibits that our visitors
and members have come to expect. We are especially proud of our current World War II exhibit. I hope
you will take the time to come by and visit soon. Nothing is possible without the support of our mem-
bers.

— Bonnie-Lynn Nadzeika

Home Garden Club News

Wednesday, Mary 18
Master Gardener Bill Moran
will present “From Great Es-
tates to Public Gardens” at 1
p.m. at the Haggerty Education
Center at the Frelinghuysen Ar-
boretum. The program will fo-
cus on gardens that are within a
short driving distance from our
area. He will show pictures of
each garden with access infor-
mation and his own rating sys-
tem. The program is free of
charge and all are welcome.
Save the Date!
The Home Garden Club’s
popular “Fashionably Late”
Garden Tour will return this
year on September 17, 2011.
Six memorable gardens will
be included. Visit
www.homegardenclub.org
for more info.
PAGE 4
Revolutionary Times Weekend Returns
Morris County’s
third annual
“Revolutionary
Times Weekend”
is April 15-17.
Acorn Hall will
spotlight those
who fought in the
20th century to
preserve the free-
doms won in the
American Revo-
lution. The Soci-
World War II Weekend, cont’d
scarf to be distributed at veter-
ans’ hospitals. Cash donations
will be accepted for the United
Way’s Front Line Fund, directly
supporting Morris County’s ac-
tive military families.
Elinor Levy, PhD, will be on
hand to discuss how you can
record your own family stories
and how you can contribute to
the Library of Congress Veter-
ans’ History Project. Oral histo-
ries are part of the exhibit.
Blue Star Museums
Acorn Hall is participating in
the Blue Star Museums pro-
gram, and will offer free admis-
sion to all active-duty military
personnel and up to five mem-
bers of their immediate families
from Memorial Day, May 30,
through Labor Day, September
5, 2011.
More than 1,000 museums —
children’s, fine art, historical,
MCHS
ety’s exhibit “Over
Here and Over There:
Morris County’s Role
in World War II” will
be open from 1 to 4 on
Friday, April 15, and 1
to 4 on Sunday, April
17 (closed Saturday).
Admission is free to
active or retired mili-
tary personnel present-
ing a valid military ID
card.
We’ll turn up the music on Sat-
urday afternoon! Simone from
Swinging with Simone in Mont-
clair will demonstrate swing
dancing. Take a lesson and hit
the dance floor. Students from
the Community Theatre Per-
forming Arts School will sing
two sets of 1940s-era hits.
Learn how civilians supported
the war effort through victory
gardens. The Society’s own vic-
tory garden will be planted on
the front lawn of Acorn Hall.
and science museums — in all
50 states and the District of Co-
lumbia are participating.
Blue Star Museums was started
as a partnership among Blue Star
Families, the National Endow-
ment for the Arts, and museums
across America to offer free ad-
mission to families with a parent
or spouse serving combat duty in
the Middle East. Approximately
SPRING 2011
The exhibit focuses on how
county citizens, military and ci-
vilian alike, helped the Allies
achieve victory. On display are
uniforms, medals, photographs,
documents, other objects, and
riveting oral histories.
For a complete list of Revolu-
tionary Times Weekend events
visit www.nps.gov/morr.
Of course, you can tour “Over
Here and Over There” and see
Acorn Hall decked out to reflect
the daily life of a household dur-
ing World War II, like food ra-
tioning and scrap drives.
Admission is $6 for adults, $5
for seniors, and $3 for students.
Children under 12, MCHS
members, and active military
and veterans with ID are free.
Visit www.acornhall.org or visit
us on Facebook for more event
details.
one million children have at
least one parent deployed. This
program offers these families a
chance to visit museums this
summer when many will have
limited resources and limited
time to be together.
SPRING 2011
In the Gift Shop
The Society’s Oakleaf Gallery
gift shop is filled to the brim of
new merchandise. If you’re
The Survey Says...
In 2010 the Society received a
grant from the New Jersey Cul-
tural Trust to fund a member-
ship study. We would like to
know more about our members.
What do you perceive to be the
value of membership? Do you
belong to other local history or-
ganizations? What can we do to
better serve our members?
Thank You, Thank you!
The following people have con-
tributed to our annual campaign
since our last newsletter. We ap-
preciate their kind support.
Cam Cavanaugh (in memory of
Kemper Chambers)
Lois E. Collins, The Artist on the
Green
Stacey Denno
Heather Emelander
Ann Granbery
Judy Powelson
Pat & Kathy Weir
Susan Wilder
MCHS
looking for a special occasion
gift or just a treat for yourself,
you’ll find something to please.
New items include gifts for gar-
deners — floral pins and jew-
elry, stationery, and garden mug
snack sets. Forget paper bags —
carry your lunch in a flowery
insulated tote, just $7.50. A wide
range of jewelry is available,
from silver rings to genuine
stone and sterling pendants, spe-
cially priced at $16.
We also want to know about
people who attend our programs
but choose not to join.
This survey is critical as we con-
tinue to work on our next strate-
gic plan. We urge you to take the
time to complete the survey.
This isn’t just a survey, it’s your
vote. Be sure to make it count.
The staff sends a huge “thank
you” to all our volunteers, who
donated more than 1,600 hours
of service to the Society last
year! Putting in more than 25
hours were Veronica An,
Stephanie Damiano, Meg Imbri-
ale, Victoria Lin, Linda
Nadzeika, QiQi Song, and the
young ladies of Villa Walsh
Academy. More than 50: Betsy
Cooper and Harvey Turner.
More than 100: Marilyn Jaeger,
Vivi Klesch, and Ron Ouellette.
More than 200: the Home Gar-
PAGE 5
Finally, there’s a basketful of
charming Easter items, and
once the Easter Bunny has
hopped away, we’ll have a va-
riety of items related to our
World War II exhibit. Patriotic
pins featuring flags, eagles,
and red, white and blue are
available at a range of prices.
Paper dolls in fashions of the
period will delight younger
folk. There are also copies of
The Monuments Men book, as
featured in the exhibit.
The survey can be completed
on-line at
http://
www.surveymonkey.com/s/
AcornHall-MCHSsurvey. No
internet access? Please call the
office at 973-267-3465 and
we’ll send you a paper copy.
den Club of Morristown and
Liz Pierce. More than 300:
Diane Freedman and Tom
Thornton. Special thanks also
go out to the students of Mont-
gomery Academy, the employ-
ees of MoreTrench, and the
members of our Board of Trus-
tees for the time they’ve de-
voted to Acorn Hall this past
year. Each and every one of
your contributions has helped
to make Acorn Hall’s pro-
grams and exhibits possible.
You’re the best!
PAGE 6
Be Our Guest Returns
Nine historic sites and museums
in Morris County are inviting
the public to “Be Our Guest” on
Sunday, May 15, noon to 5 p.m.,
in celebration of National Tour-
ism Week. Participating institu-
tions will waive their usual ad-
mission fees during those hours
(guests are encouraged to con-
tribute a non-perishable food
item for the Interfaith Food Pan-
try or a cash donation to the
Front Line Fund supporting
Morris County’s active military
families in lieu of the normal
entry fee). While members can
always visit Acorn Hall for free,
here’s a chance to tour some
other historic sites in the area.
The event is sponsored by the
Morris County Alliance for
Tourism. For more information,
see www.morristourism.org or
call 973-631-5151.
Participating sites:
Acorn Hall
68 Morris Avenue, Morristown
www.acornhall.org
Headquarters of the Morris
County Historical Society and a
Victorian Italianate mansion
decorated largely with furnish-
ings from the two families who
lived there between 1853 and
1971; it also has changing ex-
hibits and a garden.
Community Children’s Museum
77 East Blackwell Street, Dover
www.community
childrensmuseum.org
A hands-on museum for chil-
dren six months to 10 years, fo-
cusing on art, science, and world
MCHS
cultures.
Fosterfields Living
Historical Farm
73 Kahdena Road, Morristown
www.morrisparks.net
A restored working dairy farm
portraying life in the early 20th
century through costumed living
history, farming, and domestic
skills demonstrations, and tours
of the Foster family’s circa 1852
Gothic Revival house.
Historic Speedwell
333 Speedwell Avenue,
Morristown
www.morrisparks.net
The “Birthplace of the Tele-
graph,” telling the story of the
Vail family and its role in the
early days of the Industrial
Revolution and in the develop-
ment of the telegraph through
hands-on exhibits, guided tours,
and special event weekends.
Macculloch Hall
Historical Museum and Gardens
45 Macculloch Avenue,
Morristown
www.maccullochhall.org
An elegant historic house and
decorative arts museum with 10
period rooms and four exhibit
galleries, two of which are de-
voted to the country’s largest
collection of cartoonist Thomas
Nast’s works.
Morris Museum
6 Normandy Heights Road,
Morristown
www.morrismuseum.org
A museum dedicated to art, sci-
ence, theater, and history, and
SPRING 2011
home to the Murtogh D. Guin-
ness Collection of mechanical
musical instruments and auto-
mata.
Morristown National Historical
Park/Washington’s
Headquarters
30 Washington Place,
Morristown
www.nps.gov/morr
A national park preserving sites
of the Continental Army’s en-
campment and the headquarters
of General George Washington
during the winters of 1777 and
1779–80.
Museum of Early Trades &
Crafts
9 Main Street, Madison
www.metc.org
A museum exploring 18th- and
19th-century American history,
with a focus on New Jersey,
drawing on its collection of over
8,000 hand tools and their prod-
ucts to interpret the lives and
technologies of people who
lived and worked before the rise
of large-scale industrialization
in this country.
The Stickley Museum at
Craftsman Farms
2352 Route 10-West,
Morris Plains
www.stickleymuseum.org
A National Historic Landmark,
this 1911 log house is the former
home of turn-of-the-century de-
signer Gustav Stickley, a major
proponent of the American Arts
and Crafts movement in home
building and furnishing.
SPRING 2011 PAGE 7
MCHS

Membership
THIS FORM IS SUPPLIED FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF NEW MEMEBRS. IF YOU ARE ALREADY A
MEMBER, YOU WILL RECEIVE A RENEWAL REMINDER IN THE MAIL WHEN YOUR MEMBERSHIP
IS COMING DUE. THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Student $15 Family/Institution $50 Sponsor $500

Senior $20 Contributor $100 Patron $1000

Individual $30 Sustaining $250 Life $2500

Account#______________________________________Sec. code:_________

Expiration_______________ Signature_______________________________

MasterCard Visa Discover American Express

Make checks out to: Morris County Historical Society

68 Morris Avenue
Morristown, NJ 07960

NAME_______________________________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________________________

CITY_____________________________________________STATE_____

ZIP___________PHONE(___)_____________EMAIL________________

I have enclosed a matching gift form.

I would like to volunteer.

www.acornhall.org

Where did you get this newsletter?_________________________________

Board of Trustees
Barbara Benedict
Learned T. Bulman
Robert H. Donaldson
Heather Emelander
David G. Holdsworth
Steven. K. Johnson
Jeanne Kappel
Gregory C. Kurlander
Find us on Facebook!
Search for “Acorn Hall.”
MCHS
Hours
Acorn Hall: Mon. and Thurs.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Office: Mon. to Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
This newsletter is published quarterly by
the Morris County Historical Society, headquartered at
Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Avenue,
Morristown, NJ 07960-4315
Phone: 973-267-3465 Fax: 973-267-8773
www.acornhall.org
The mission of MCHS is to discover, preserve,
and make known the history of Morris County
through exhibits, programs, publications,
and preservation advocacy.
MCHS receives operating funds from
the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders,
the F.M. Kirby Foundation,
and the New Jersey Historical Commission.
President of the Board — David G. Holdsworth
Director — Bonnie-Lynn Nadzeika
Curator — Debra Westmoreland
Outreach Coordinator — Karen Ann Kurlander
Education Coordinator — Carie Levin
Morristown, NJ 07960-4315
68 Morris Avenue
At Acorn Hall
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MORRIS COUNTY