New Jersey Historic Trust Announces Grant Applications for 2008 February 27, 2009 TRENTON – The New Jersey Historic Trust today announced its recommended list for 2008 Historic Preservation Grants. The list of recommended sites will go before the Garden State Preservation Trust on March 11th for ratification and then move on to the Legislature for [...]

The Somerset Hills area: Bedminster, Bernardsville, Bernards Twp, Far Hills, Peapack & Gladstone Whether you’re a banker or a national political figure, a CEO or a farmer, the Somerset Hills has provided commercial opportunities for centuries. From C. Ledyard Blair and Jackie Kennedy, to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and Charles Pfizer, the Somerset Hills [...]

THE GRAND ALLIANCE BALL “The entertainment began with a discharge of 13 cannon at 4 o’clock in the afternoon” Sunday, February 18, 1779 , Pluckemin, New Jersey One of the most noted events in Pluckemin was The Grand Alliance Ball of 1779 in Pluckemin.(Sometimes spelled Pluckamin) General Washington and 400 others attended the celebration held [...]

Published in the Bernardsville News – Wednesday, January 28, 2009 To the Editor: The community came together Friday, January 9th to honor and celebrate Officer James Hall, who had recently retired from the Bernards Twp police department after 27 years of service. We felt compelled to write to the community paper so those who didn’t [...]

Help map New Jersey (and surrounding areas) Historic Schoolhouses! It’s growing everyday – and it’s FREE. A great new mapping effort. We’re looking for people to post information regarding any old one room type schoolhouses that you know of in and around New Jersey. Using Google Maps in a collaborative effort, it is the intention [...]

The New Jersey towns that make up the Somerset Hills include Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge), Bernardsville, Bedminster, Far Hills, Peapack/Gladstone). Starting back in the late 1800′s many of the richest and most famous people lived in the Somerset Hills. Remembering who they are is one thing. Remembering what they did is another. Remembering where they [...]

I’ve been working with a local historical society for the past few years and while being the webmaster I get to see the email requests that come from the site. Hands down, the most popular request is from curious webbies looking to find out just what’s happening up at the Blairsden Mansion in Peapack.So before you [...]

To expand on an earlier post: The PLOT THICKENS… Jacob’s Ladder #2 – So I kept digging about Jacobs Ladder. Not that I wanted to, but the internet has it’s way of bringing information right to my doorstep. It seems that a few of you who’ve spent your childhood in the region realize that the [...]

Here’s where history meets the road….literally. This project is a community effort to create the ultimate tour of historic taverns, gin mills, speak-easys across America. There’s only one condition. All of the postings to the map need to be at LEAST 100 years old. That’s it. We’re focusing on New Jersey and the borders of [...]

Devils Tomb & Jacobs Ladder – Look what happened when Weird NJ Issue #12 came out. A place that sits quietly in obscurity for hundreds of years comes to an abrupt end when overzealous devil seekers search to find the devil himself. Thanks to Weird NJ issue 12, I’ve always found it interesting how gore [...]