Museum in Hackettstown
Anyone know if there is a museum in town? Anyone know where it is and can you tell me anything about it?
Wondering Try http://hackettstownhistory.com/
The Historical society is next to the library
Bill Conforti Hackettstown Historical Society has a small museum on Church St by the library. Limited hours. My Girl Scouts enjoyed visiting it. http://www.hackettstownhistory.com/
Indy5 Wondering
The Historical Society Museum is currently open only on Wednesday and Friday. Ray Lemasters is normally there on Wednesday (12?-4pm) and Gwen Chaar does the honors on Fridays (2-4pm). Gwen is the current President of the Society and Ray is the author of a number of books about Hackettstown itself, his most recent being one on the Carriage Industry in town.
The Museum has a number of objects relating to Hackettstown History and there are items for sale there too, such as books. Both Gwen and Ray are fonts of information about the town and can also guide you if you have a particular person or place in town, that you're trying to do any research on, or if you just have general questions. Who knows, you may run into me there as well.
They do also sometimes sponsor a "Tillie Walk" and have Lamplight tours or programs at the Presbyterian Cemetery, which has a number of Revolutionary War Veterans buried therein.
Phil D. There will be Lantern Tours of the Historic District this year!
Come and join us--if you dare!-- at the museum for a one hour "spooky" walking tour of haunted Hackettstown on October 25th from 6-9pm and October 26th from 4.30-9 pm. Reservations required! Sign up at hackettstownpamjohn@verizon.net. $12 adults; kids free. More info at https://www.facebook.com/groups/315584095823856/
Betsy Browder That sounds awesome Betsy! By husband and I have done fall lantern tours in Hudson Valley and they're really fun and informative. I will definitely sign up for this.
honestyseasy I will once again be leading some of the tours for the Historical Society. Come on out and make your reservation to hear about the haunted side of Hackettstown.
John C 
Unfortunately Betsy's link doesn't seem to work (at least not for me).
Here's a copy of the ad for the lantern tour on the Hackettstown Historical Society's Facebook page or you can go to the page directly to see it:
https://www.facebook.com/HackettstownHistoricalsociety/
It's the Sept. 24th post
https://www.facebook.com/HackettstownHistoricalsociety/photos/a.1197417910401597/1802872313189484/?type=3&theater
While it's on the calendar, I thought I'd also post here that the Hackettstown Historical Society Museum is having an open House on Sunday March 8, 2020 from Noon to 3PM in honor of Hackettstown's 167th Birthday. Come check out the new displays, become a member or buy some pictures, books or other Hackettstown memorabilia we have for sale.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1454698911362919/
Consider becoming a member and attending meetings. Our next meeting is March 3rd, 2020 at the American Legion Hall from 7PM (new earlier start time, btw) to 8:30PM or thereabouts. We'll be featuring local author Michael Stephen Daigle, who will be talking about his "Detective Frank Nagler" mysteries. which are set in a fictional Morris County town. Det. Nagler is a descendant of local mine and manufacturing workers and the series is based on the history of the local area.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2664259960359489/
Both events are free and open to the public with free refreshments provided. We invite you to become a member and/or consider making a donation to improve our ability to save and display the history of Hackettstown.
ianimal For anyone who hasn't noticed it on the calendar or our Facebook page:
Hackettstown Historical Society Museum Re-Opening May 5, 2021
Wednesday’s 2 - 4 pm by Appointment Only.
Email info@ hackettstownhistory.com or call 908-852-8797 and leave a message to make an appointment.
No walk-ins or groups at this time.
A mask must worn at all times during visit.
We have a number of Hackettstown History "Mystery Bags and Boxes" available for $5 each, to help raise funds for the Museum. There are also books about Hackettstown's History and T-shirts available. You can PM me through the link on here or send a message through the Facebook page should you be interested in Society Merchandise.
https://www.facebook.com/HackettstownHistoricalsociety
P.S. Thanks again Ian!
Nancy The Hackettstown Historical Society Museum will have an "Open House" Friday Dec. 3, 2021 during the Hackettstown Hometown Holiday festivities from 5pm until 8pm.
Check out our remodeled display rooms and the Covert Family collection of Santas in our parlor! We will have books for sale dealing with Hackettstown's History, as well as T-shirts, $5 History Mystery Grab Bags and miscellaneous other Hackettstown-related objects for sale. Sadly, masks are mandatory since we're required to follow current NJ State guidelines, especially since quarters are relatively tight.
Light refreshment will be provided, but again, due to the mask requirement, can't be consumed indoors. Our apologies for any inconvenience, but we also greatly appreciate your anticipated cooperation.
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/calendar/2021/12/3#e15490
https://www.facebook.com/HackettstownHistoricalsociety/
4of4Join us tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the American Legion Hall at 7pm to hear local teacher Harry Noble speak about his journey to restore a historic local barn, dating back into the 1700's!
You can also find out more information about this year's Lantern Tour (on Fri., Oct. 28th and Sat., Oct. 29th) as well as reserve your spot or to volunteer to help out at the Museum or as a tour guide!
Please join us Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022 @ 7:00pm at the American Legion Hall, 494 Willow Grove Street, for our monthly program, the last regular meeting of this year!
We will be hosting Joan Salvas, teacher, story-teller, and Historian of Rutherfurd Hall, who will be sharing the fascinating details of the story of Mrs. Rutherford's relationship with FDR. YES, as in President Roosevelt. It is not to be missed!
We will be providing free light refreshments and have various items for sale. The sale of these items helps to further our mission to collect, categorize and display remnants of Hackettstown's storied history! Opportunities also exist to become a member, and to get involved in this mission!
We hope to see you there!
ALSO...IMPORTANT INFO ON THIS YEAR'S LANTERN TOURS (2022):
Since we couldn't give much information on the calendar for our Lantern Tour, and my other post with more details was taken down, as being fit only for the calendar, AND I can't make any changes to what's on the calendar...
We are currently all booked up for all 5 tours! If I haven't confirmed your reservation(s) already or don't get back to you by tomorrow, then sadly you haven't made the cut off for this year, as we had to set a limit of about 15 people per group, so things don't become unweildy. We hope to see you next year, when, barring any emergencies, we will have them once again! The Officers and Members of the Board of Trustees of the Hackettstown Historical Society thank all of you for your interest and support!
CBGB 
happycamper Thanks for the Bump CBGB and happycamper!
The Museum IS open, on its regular hours, (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 2-4pm), though sometimes with "special" hours, which get posted on the Society/Museum's Facebook page.
We welcome visitors that either wish to see our displays, or to ask about and/or research their family history or the history of their house. Perhaps you have a question about a business that used to be in town. We currently have two displays from Centenary University, set up by the Taylor Memorial Library Director, their Archivist, and another of their librarians.
One display shows a timeline of Centenary, from Methodist Theological Institute to University and the steps in between. The second display shows a number of notable women who graduated from Centenary, including Bette Cooper (Miss America 1937) and Deborah Harry (Singer and a founder of the group "Blondie). There's also a notable novelist and a dancer. Mrs. Roosevelt once visited Centenary, and her visit is made note of too.
We also have a display of "Gibson Girl" era fashion pieces, and one of toys made in Hackettstown. We also have four rooms upstairs and a hallway, filled with displays. We have the textile/clothing room, the 1880's room, the Children's room, and the Business room, which highlights businesses in Hackettstown's history, as well as a Fire Dept. display and a set of wall hanging maps, including a 1959 aerial view of Hackettstown!
Out of curiosity, and hoping to serve the public better, we're wondering if the hours we have are not convenient for people, what suggestions you'd like to make for times that would be more attractive to people. We'd then see if we might be able to implement them. If you don't feel like answering in public, feel free to send me a note by clicking on the envelope by my name and writing me one!
Also, our May 2nd meeting (7pm at the American Legion Hall) will feature Fred T. Rossi, the author of the book "Jersey Stories", which is a collection of mostly lesser known tales about NJ, including how President Garfield came here to die, and how we had a Vice President from NJ, who could've become the President of the US! The author also tells the tale of how his ancestor arrested the Governor of NJ!
Please note, there's a conflict on the HL calendar. The Lake Hopatcong speaker had a problem and we have to reschedule that program for later. We were fortunate that Mr. Rossi was willing to step into his spot!
If the admin could remove the Lake Hopatcong entry, we'd appreciate it. The person that posted it seems to be unable to delete the original. Thanks!
President Garfield died in Long Branch, NJ, (the Elberon section)as the result of an assanation attempt in Washington, DC. Doctors believed that his recovery would be aided by the oceanfront breezes at his "summer cottage". Overnight, the men of Long Branch constructed a rail spur from the Elberon train station to Garfields cottage. He held his own for several days but succumbed to the bullet.
The City of Long Branch erected a full size statue to Garfield at the oceanfront park named after the president.
With oceanfront redevelopment in LB, the statue was relocated to City Hall park on Broadway.
Just a little history...
Towny Also, fyi...seven presidents either visited or had their summer white house in Long Branch.
I suggest reading the book, Entertaining a Nation, which was a WPA project.
Towny
It's nice that you knew that about Garfield, but it would've been nice if you had posted "spoiler alert" before you posted about him. Thankfully, Mr. Rossi has many more stories to talk about...
Phil D
I thought everyone took a history class
in school and learned about presidents, especially the ones who were assisnated.
I am sure Mr. Rossi has many historical facts that I do not possess such as who the assassin was and why he committed this horrible act.
Never thought I was spoiling anything.
Hope your turnout is a good one.
I may even attend...
Towny
Hope to see you there. The more that show up, the better! Do you have any specialized knowledge of a particular area of Hackettstown area History? We're always looking for speakers, including for "Fireside chats", held in the Museum to smaller audiences.
@ Towny was thinking the same thing, definitely a history lesson in school for me
JrzyGirl88 @Towny
I wish that were true. As a point of reference I went to Mansfield/Warren Hills. Im probably pretty young compared to most on here, and I can sum up all of my “History classes” as:
up to 5th grade some Basic Revolutionary War/some very lite founding fathers information.
6th grade had some Middle Ages then through junior year of high school it was almost always focused onHolocaust/WWII with a tinge of Civil War for a week or two here or there over those years. History was not a required class senior year.
Definitely didn’t do any kind of dive into the presidents other then the major ones. Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt. Didn’t touch almost anything post WWII.
I’ve always been really interested in History and school taught History is paltry at best.
Makomiller1984 I went through elementary school shortly after what had traditionally been the History and Geography curriculum became "Social Studies." Then in high school, it got even more diluted for me because the recommended college prep class in my school was something called "Humanities," which was English and Social Studies combined into one class, two hours per day.
I was very nearly a straight-A student all through school, but I learned next to nothing about history. It sounds glib to say, but the honest truth is I've *lived through* more history than I was ever taught in school.
Monty Leave a Reply
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