Morris County Historical Society

At Acorn Hall

FALL 2009
Life after George
Our membership continues County Historical Society is
to grow! Please welcome introducing its latest exhibi-
the following new tion, Life After George: Mor-
members: ristown After the Revolution,
on Sunday, September 27.
 Diane Koslow The exhibit will examine the
wide range of Morristown’s
 Patricia Pire ongoing contributions to
American history. See how
 Wade & Heather the town grew, as illustrated
Speas by a series of historic maps
and drawings. Discover the
places, people, and events that
 Patrick & Kathy Weir
Morristown should be proud of its role in the shaped Morristown. Businesses,
American Revolution. Sure, Valley Forge from the Ironworks at Speedwell to
gets a lot of credit for its contributions, but elegant hotels located around the
locals in the know understand that Morris- Green, will be detailed. Learn
town and other sites in New Jersey played a about the glamorous parties thrown
more critical role in our nation’s struggle for at the Library and Lyceum, when
Inside this issue: independence. However, Morristown’s his- wine literally flowed from pillars
Historical Happenings 2 torical legacy does not end with the end of surrounded by grape vines! Meet
the Revolutionary War period. Rather, that the people who made history, from
From the Director 3
was just the beginning of the role Morristown immigrants who built grand build-
Home Garden Club 3 played in American history. Whether it is the ings to Nina Howland, who helped
Harvest Tea 4
contributions made during the Industrial to found the Morris County Golf
Revolution, or the glamorous excess of the Club in 1894. And get introduced
Holly Walk 4 Gilded Age, Morristown has continued to to historic sites beyond Washing-
In the Gift Shop 4
play a major role in making history. ton’s Headquarters. Once you have
viewed this exhibit, Morristown
House of Mourning 5 In an effort to make Morristown’s glorious will never look quite the same
past more widely understood, the Morris again!
Acorns to Oak Trees 5

Preservation Funding 6 Armistice Ball a Fun Way to Support MCHS

Armistice Ball 6 If you love to dance or just love toe-tapping
Membership Form 7 old-style music, you’ll want to be there when
the Morris County Historical Society and the
Metropolitan Vintage Dance & Social Club
host their second 1918-style Armistice Ball
on Saturday, November 7. The ball will be at
the Clifton Community Recreation Center,
1232 Main Ave., Clifton, NJ, from 7 to 10
p.m. Renowned jazz musician Vince
Giordano will lead the Met Club Orchestra in
hot dance tunes of the ragtime era.
Not sure of the steps? A workshop
on early 20th century dances will be
taught at the CCRC from 2 to 4
p.m. Tickets for the workshop and
dance are $30 per person in ad-
vance or $35 at the door. Tickets
may be purchased online at
www.armisticeball.com, or checks
(continued on page 6)
PAGE 2
Historical Happenings
Boonton Historical Society
Saturday, October 3 — Tour of
Greenwood Cemetery featuring
“Soup to Die For.” Start the event
at the Museum with a bowl of
warm homemade soup served in
Boontonware bowls. The price of
the soup includes the bowl!
Wednesday, October 21 —
”Halloween in the United States,”
with Karen Sue Hybertson. A pro-
gram sponsored by the New Jersey
Council for the Humanities. 7 p.m.,
Senior Center. Free.
Wednesday, November 18 —
”Boonton at Its Best,” a collage of
photographs featuring past Histori-
cal Society events. 7 p.m., Senior
Center. Free.
Friday, December 11 — Holiday
Open House. 7 p.m., Boonton
Township Museum.
For additional information:
(973) 402-8840
www.boonton.org/Community/
HistoricalSociety.htm
The Historical Society
of Florham Park
Tuesday, November 10 —
“Memories of World War II.” Lo-
cal servicemen will share their ex-
periences of World War II. 7 p.m.,
Florham Park Library. Free.
For additional information:
(973) 377-1897
Lake Hopatcong
Historical Museum
Saturday, November 7 — “Lake
Hopatcong on the Big (and Not So
FALL 2009
MCHS
Big) Screen.” 6 p.m., The Arling- Sarah Brodsky of Montville High
ton. School. 7:30 p.m., Montville
Township Senior House, 356 Route
For additional information: 202. Free.
(973) 398-2616
www.hopatcong.org/museum Monday, November 9 — “Murder
on the Morris Canal.” 7:30 p.m.,
Long Hill Township Montville Township Senior House.
Historical Society Free.
Thursday, October 8 — “George For additional information:
Washington: Retreat to Victory,” by (973) 334-3665
Alf Walton. 7:30 p.m., Long Hill
Twp. First Aid Building, 949 Val- Roxbury Historic Trust &
ley Rd., Gillette. Free. Roxbury Township
Historical Society
Thursday, November 12 — ”Cyrus
McCormick,” by Walter Carell. Sunday, October 11 — Open House
7:30 p.m., Long Hill Twp First Aid at the King Store, King Homestead
Building. Free. Museum and Silas Riggs Saltbox
House. 1– 4 p.m.
For additional information:
(908) 647-6456 Sunday, November 8 — Open
www.longhillhistory.org House at the King Store, King
Homestead Museum and Silas
Mendham History & Riggs Saltbox House. 1– 4 p.m.
Genealogy Society
For additional information:
Tuesday, October 27 — Speaker (973) 927-7603
Barbara de Mare will share her ex- www.roxburynewjersey.com
pertise in research and knowledge
of history. 7:45 p.m., Phoenix
House, West Main St., Mendham.
For additional infor-
mation:
A Premiere Event!
(973) 543-7538
Hank-O@comcast.net
MORRISTOWN:
Where America Survived
Montville Township
Historic Society
A new documentary film on Washington’s
encampment in Morristown.
Monday, October 12
— “The Wild Rose:
Special Premiere: Thursday, October 15
Civil War Spy Sarah
Community Theatre in Morristown
O'Neil Greenhow,” a
NJ History Day state
Friday, October 16 at 8 p.m.
finalist. Performed by
Sunday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Betty Glauberzon,
Only on NJN
Sarah Renfer, and
FALL 2009 PAGE 3
MCHS

From the Director

I am proud to report that for the tenth year in a row, the Morris County Historical Society has been se-
lected to receive a General Operating Support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission. This
grant provides critical funds that pay staff, utilities, insurance, and other day-to-day expenses. This sup-
port has allowed the Society to grow.

Comments from the grant review committee were highly complimentary of the quality and variety of
programs presented by MCHS. However, the committee was struck by the lack of attendance at these
programs. The staff and volunteers has noted that not only is attendance low at many programs, most
programs are primarily attended by the general public, and not by MCHS members. Yet members con-
tinue to support MCHS with their dues and contributions to the annual campaign. We are naturally per-
plexed!

In order to gain some insight on why our members are not attending programs, and why people who are
not members but attending programs are not members, we have created a survey. A mailable paper
copy of this survey is included in this newsletter mailing. It is also available on-line at http://
FreeOnlineSurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=1pnyu9lq5w98d7h633243. Please take the time to complete
the survey. We are eager to hear from you!
– Bonnie-Lynn Nadzeika

Home Garden Club News

As another summer draws to a Rosemary Allen
close, we extend our sincere ap- Rosemary Allen has a BA in
Wednesday, November 18
preciation to the Home Garden Art Therapy. She will demon-
Frelinghuysen Arboretum,
Club of Morristown. This all- strate unique centerpieces and
Haggerty Center
volunteer group has maintained vase arrangements for the
1:00 pm.
Acorn Hall’s lovely gardens season.
since 1971! In addition to their
work at the Hall, the Club spon-
sors public programs. They are
free and open to the public.

Marta McDowell
Wednesday, October 21
Frelinghuysen Arboretum,
Haggerty Center
1:00 p.m.
Ms. McDowell, who teaches at
Drew and the NY Botanical
Gardens, will speak about his-
toric landscapes. Her book
Emily Dickenson's Gardens was
published by McGraw-Hill in
2004.
PAGE 4 FALL 2009
MCHS

Join Us for a Cup at the Autumn Tea

Back by popular demand! On Sat-
urday, October 3, tea will be served
at Acorn Hall from 2:30 to 4:30
p.m. Reserve your seat early -- this
event sold out last year!
The Autumn Tea features three
delectable courses of finger sand-
wiches, homemade scones, and
desserts, served with your choice of
one of three signature Acorn Hall
teas -- English Breakfast, St. Paul's
London, or herbal Angel Falls
Mist.
Enjoy this traditional tea in the
splendor of Acorn Hall's period
rooms. The tea will in-
clude a brief presentation
about the variety of teas
and how they are grown.
You will also have the op-
portunity to browse the
wonderful Oakleaf Gallery
gift shop.
Call (973) 267-3465 for
reservations or visit our
website at
www.acornhall.org/
events.htm to reserve on-
line. The Society accepts Preparations under way for last year’s Harvest Tea
cash, checks, and all major
credit cards.

Holly Walk Starts Holiday Season

both days. Tickets may be pur-
The holi- chased at Acorn Hall, Macculloch
day tradi- Hall or Washington’s Headquarters
tion of during late November or at any of
Holly the four participating museums on
Walk the day of the tour. In the event of
returns cancellation due to inclement
again this weather, tickets will be honored at
year on the individual sites during regular
Decem- museum hours in December and
ber 5 and 6. The sites will be open January.
from noon to 5 p.m. each day. A
single $15 ticket (children under 12 Participating sites for this year’s
free) is good for all four sites on
Holly Walk include Acorn Hall,
Macculloch Hall, Schuyler-
Hamilton House and the Morris-
town National Historical Park. The
Ford Mansion will not be open for
tours this year, however; visitors
to the Park can view the recently
renovated museum. Traditional
holiday entertainment of the pe-
riod of Washington’s stay in Mor-
ristown will be held in the Mu-
seum’s auditorium during Holly
Walk.

In the Oakleaf Gallery Gift Shop

Fall is the season to stop in the
Oakleaf Gallery often! New items
are arriving in the shop weekly.
Check out new versions of old fa-
vorites – new Irish linen apron pat-
terns, new notecards in the fashion
series, and new Victorian scrap art
for all your paper craft hobbies.
Look for a special Halloween sec-
tion in the shop during A House of
Mourning featuring fun Halloween
plates, flickering goblins, and
mourning-inspired jewelry.
At the end of November the Oak-
leaf Gallery will be transformed
into your favorite holiday shop!
Whether you’re looking for gift
items, a special Christmas orna-
ment, or a book for your favorite
history buff, there will be some-
thing for everyone on your list.
Can’t make it to the Hall? You can
now shop on-line at
www.acornhall.org. All our publi-
cations and many of our most
popular Acorn Hall souvenir items
are now available! Souvenirs,
books, and prints are now just a
click away!
The Oakleaf Gallery accepts all
major credit cards. Remember,
members save an additional 10%.
FALL 2009 PAGE 5
MCHS

A House of Mourning
Visitors to Acorn Hall between
Sunday, October 11, and Sunday,
November 8, should be prepared to
pay their respects. Acorn Hall is
being transformed into a “house of
mourning.” In honor of the Hallow-
een season, the Hall will be deco-
rated as though a 19th-century wake
is in progress. The mourning ex-
hibit is included in the price of a
tour of Acorn Hall (free, of course,
to members).
Until the early 20th century, wakes
were most commonly held at home,
and strict rules of etiquette were
observed by mourners and family
members alike. Acorn Hall’s front
doors will be adorned with floral
wreaths indicating that death has
visited the house. Inside,
mirrors will be draped
with black crepe, and
clocks will be stopped,
marking the time of death.
A handmade wooden cof-
fin, in the six-sided “toe-
pincher” style, will be
displayed in the front par-
lor, as was traditional at
the time. Other mourning
memorabilia, from hair
jewelry to post-mortem
photographs to a stunning
mourning dress, will be
on display as well.
Victorian mourning fashions

From Acorns to Oak Trees

Were you aware of the mile-long
trail running between the
Frelinghuysen Arboretum and
Acorn Hall? Few people are. To
encourage exploration of this for-
gotten path and highlight fall as a
great time to plant a tree, the
Friends of The Frelinghuysen Ar-
boretum and the Morris County
Historical Society are offering free
oak tree seedlings to those who
complete the walk on Sunday after-
noons in October.
Start your hike at Acorn Hall,
where you’ll receive an acorn hand
stamp. Feel free to tour Acorn Hall
first, or proceed directly to
Frelinghuysen Arboretum via the
trail, which begins in the Hall’s
back yard. Visitors presenting a
Friends of Frelinghuysen member-
ship card will receive free admis-
sion to Acorn Hall. Walkers should
be at Acorn Hall between noon and
3:45 p.m. in order to have enough
time to reach the Arboretum.
The walking path, which will be
sporting its autumn colors, travels
in part alongside Route 287 and the
Whippany River. It is marked with
double blue hash marks and is a
fairly easy walk. When you arrive
at the Arboretum, you should pro-
ceed to the Haggerty Education
Center and show your hand stamp
to the receptionist. You will then be
given a free white oak (Quercus
alba) seedling just in time for fall
planting. The Haggerty Education
Center closes at 4:30 p.m., so be
sure to arrive in time to claim your
tree. In addition to the seedling,
planting instructions and a care
sheet will be provided. The walk
should only take about an hour, but
the tree can be enjoyed for many
years to come.
The trail between the two historic
properties is on land that was
granted to the two organizations
in 1971 by Mary Crane Hone, the
last resident of Acorn Hall. At
the time of her donation of Acorn
Hall to the Morris County His-
torical Society, she divided the
property’s nearly nine acres of
land between the two organiza-
tions. Acorn Hall was named in
the 19th century for a substantial
oak tree on its property; at the
time of the tree’s death in 2003,
it was estimated to be between
200 and 300 years old.
PAGE 6
Funding For Historic Preservation— Critical Vote!
Acorn Hall is just one of many his-
toric sites in Morris County that
have benefited from funding from
the New Jersey Historic Trust. The
Trust’s grant program funded ma-
jor restoration work at Acorn Hall
in 1995. It is one of the few sources
of funding available for restoration
and preservation work on public
historic sites. Unfortunately, unless
new funds are added to the Trust,
this important grant program will
come to an end.
On June 25, the NJ Assembly and
Senate voted with bipartisan sup-
port to let voters decide on a $400
million bond issue which would
ensure that vital preservation ef-
forts continue while costing house-
holds just $10 per year. The Gover-
nor signed the legislation on Au-
gust 18. Therefore, in order for this
Armistice Ball, cont’d
payable to Morris County Historical
Society may be sent to MCHS, 68
Morris Avenue, Morristown, NJ
07960. All proceeds benefit the So-
ciety’s programs.
In more than 30 years as a band-
leader, Vince Giordano has become
the authority on recreating the
sounds of 1920s and '30s jazz and
popular music. He has appeared in
movies including The Aviator and
Revolutionary Road. His regular
band, the Nighthawks, can be heard
every Monday evening at Sofia’s
Restaurant at the Edison Hotel in
Manhattan. At the Armistice Ball,
Giordano will be joined by a .line-
up of jazz musicians including (at
press time) David Sager, Ken Salvo,
Scott Black, and Sue Fischer.
MCHS
crucial grant program to continue,
we urge you to “Vote Yes” on Pub-
lic Question #1 this November.
This state fund also helps local ef-
forts to preserve natural areas and
water quality, create parks, and pre-
serve farmland and historic build-
ings. The fund for all of these pro-
grams is essentially gone. If voters
don't approve the 2009 ballot meas-
ure and new funds, the state's pres-
ervation efforts will grind to a halt.
Preservation dollars are a very wise
investment. A recent study found
that every $1 invested through the
bond measure would return $10 in
value, in the form of ecosystem ser-
vices (such as water purification,
waste treatment and flood mitiga-
tion), natural goods (such as fish
and farm products), and outdoor
The afternoon workshop will allow
novices to master the basics of such
ragtime-era dances as the one-step,
foxtrot, tango, blues, and waltz. It
will be taught by instructors Jan and
Al Seabra of Raritan, who teach
classes in vintage dance in Bridge-
water.
Period 19-teens,
‘20s, or modern
formal or cocktail
attire or military
uniforms are re-
quested (no jeans,
please).
The first Armistice
Balls were im-
promptu celebra-
tions of the end of
FALL 2009
recreation activities across the en-
tire state. The bond measure would
also create jobs restoring historic
sites and natural areas and building
parks.
The Public Question also requires
full public disclosure of all spend-
ing on clean water and land pro-
jects to keep New Jersey green,
and there is citizen oversight
through the Garden State Preserva-
tion Trust, which approves all pro-
jects. To continue living in a state
where we can enjoy clean water,
connect with nature and wildlife,
preserve farms and local treasures,
and enable our children and grand-
children to do the same, it's impor-
tant that we spread the word and
encourage everyone to vote Yes on
Public Question #1 in November!
the First World War (on November
11, 1918). The tradition of holding
balls around that date continued
though the 1920s, dying out as the
Depression worsened and a new
war threatened.
FALL 2009 PAGE 7
MCHS

Membership

 Student $15  Family/Institution $50  Sponsor $500

 Senior $20  Contributor $100  Patron $1000

 Individual $30  Sustaining $250  Life $2500

 Mastercard  Visa  Discover  American Express

Account#_______________________________________________________

Expiration_______________ Signature_______________________________

Make checks out to Morris County Historical Society

68 Morris Avenue
Morristown, NJ 07960

NAME_________________________________________________________

ADDRESS______________________________________________________

CITY_____________________________________________STATE_______

ZIP___________ PHONE(_____)______________________

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 I have enclosed a matching gift form.
 I would like to volunteer.

www.acornhall.org

Where did you get this newsletter?____________________________________

Board of Trustees Hours
Acorn Hall: Mon. and Thurs.
Barbara Benedict 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Learned T. Bulman Office: Mon. to Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Nancy Cooper
Robert Donaldson This newsletter is published quarterly by
Heather Emelander the Morris County Historical Society, headquartered at
David G. Holdsworth Acorn Hall, 68 Morris Avenue,
Diane Kafel Morristown, NJ 07960-4315
Gregory C. Kurlander Phone: 973-267-3465 FAX: 973-267-8773
Suzan Santiago 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
Education Coordinator—Carie Levin
Outreach Coordinator—Karen Ann Kurlander

MORRIS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
At Acorn Hall
68 Morris Avenue
Morristown, NJ 07960-4212

MCHS