W3R Breakfast

Time is flying, and we need your reservations for the Annual W3R^®-NJ History Forum Breakfast at the Nassau Club by Tuesday February 28!. (See attached invitation)

You may call me to make your reservation, and pay at the door if you wish…but if you reserve, we will expect payment.

Both Tom D’Amico and I have read / proofed Jini Jones Vail’s book. I am confident you will find her to be an engaging speaker, with a very different slant on the events of 1781.

Please come…and bring your friends! It is always an enjoyable morning with a good breakfast…and you will still have most of the day to yourselves.

Cordially,

Sallie T. de Barcza

Chairman, W3R^®-NJ & W3R^®-US

(W) 908-231-7000, ext. 7246 (C) 908-930-6491

2012 March 3 Breakfast invitation.doc 184K View Download

Threat to the Sourlands

From: "Louise C. Wilson" <lwilson@hbts.com>

I am forwarding the message below in case you haven’t heard of
Gibralter Rock’s plan, going before Hillsborough’s EC next week and
the planning board in early May, to clearcut 20 acres of high quality
Sourland Mountain woodlands – well over 2,000 trees – in order to
install solar panels. They are also asking permission to avoid the
required replacement plantings.

This is alarming on a number of levels: habitat for threatened and
endangered species, carbon sink, water quality, etc. If this is to be
stopped, I expect Hillsborough residents – hopefully their EC,
Sustainability committee and other residents -- will need to lead the
way. I just want to do what I can to spread the word and encourage
any and all of you with contacts in Hillsborough to help spread the
word, and if you know of any coordinated effort to oppose the
application, please share that info.

Regards,
Louise

From: S Gulliford [mailto:s_gulliford@comcast.net]

KDC Solar GRQ, LLC, of Bedminster has filed an application for a solar
array on 20-acres of the 508.415-acre Gibraltar Rock property (Block
174, Lot 155) on the east side of Longhill Road between Zion Road and
Dutchtown-Zion Road on the southeast corner of the quarry adjacent to
Montgomery Township.
The project consists of a 9,996-panel , 2.3-megawatt solar array in
four sections. Fourteen-acres will contain site improvements (the
array, maintenance road, stormwater retention system, swales, drain
pipe, and overhead utilities), while the remaining 6-acres will be
cleared around the array to mitigate shading on the panels.
The area for the array is zoned as Quarry District according to the
application. The applicant states that solar energy systems, including
the proposed solar array, are a permitted accessory use. The panels
will be approximately 8’ high. A 150-foot stream corridor will remain
undisturbed.
The applicant states that using sample areas and averaging, there are
2,298 trees greater than 6-inches in caliper. If 1,291 healthytrees
are removed, 3,774 replacements will be required. At$325/per tree the
applicant would have to pay $1,226,550, but they are requesting an
Economic Hardship Waiver using an estimated project cost of
$7,208,549, ultimately costing them (tree mitigation) $108, 128.33
( approx. 333 trees X $325).
The array life-span is 20-years with a 5-year optional extension, with
the infrastructure removed at the end of the lifespan of the solar
array.

Celebrate New Jersey
It’s more than just the shore!

Sunday, February 26th, 2:00 pm
Van Horne House, 941 East Main St., Bridgewater, NJ 08807

Join Linda Barth on a photographic expedition of New Jersey’s
diverse geography - its highlands, rivers, and seashore.
From High Point to Cape May, from the Pine Barrens to the
Watchung Mountains, and from the Lower Delaware to the
Jersey shore, she will explore the Garden State’s history,
culture, nature, and industry.

Discover the famous, and not-so-famous, people, places,
and events that make New Jersey a great place to live.

This is a perfect opportunity to instill in the next generation
of New Jersey citizens the pride of living in this wonderful
state with all its rich history and diverse culture.

The event will also serve as a launch for her new book,
Hidden New Jersey, a book for young and old.
The double-page spreads are packed with colorful
illustrations of New Jersey's people, places, inventions,
and attractions. Readers are encouraged to explore a
little more and find hidden pictures in each illustration.

Linda J. Barth is a retired fourth-grade teacher who lives in
Somerville, New Jersey. She has served on the boards of
Celebrate New Jersey, the Raritan-Millstone Heritage Alliance,
and the D&R Canal Watch and currently is the executive director
of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey.
She is the author of Bridgetender's Boy,
The Delaware and Raritan Canal,
and The Delaware and Raritan Canal at Work
and has contributed to the Encyclopedia of New Jersey.

Admission is $5 for adults, free for children under 12.

Reservations are required.

Call (732) 356-8856 for reservations,

or sign up online: register
The Heritage Trail Association is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization that creatively celebrates
and educates the public about Somerset County history.

Raritan Millstone Events

Kingston Greenways Presents:
" Lessons from Hurricane Irene"
Wed. 14 March 2012 7:30 pm at the Kingston Firehouse

	KGA 20120314 PR.doc 49K View Download

==============================

The Meadows Foundation Presents: a Reminder

Saturday, February 25, 2012, 2-4 p.m.
at the Van Liew Suydam House, 280 S. Middlebush Rd., Somerset.
talk on "Murder Most Malicious: Eight New Jersey Stories."
Tickets are $10/person and can be purchased at the door.

See you then!

Yours warmly,

Chris Retz, President

The Meadows Foundation

	Murderers PR.doc 368K View Download

This Meadows Event has been rescheduled from January 21 to February 25 due to a forecast of snow for January 21
The Meadows Foundation Presents a Fireside Chat:
January 21, 2.00 P.M.
van Liew Suydam House, 280 South Middlebusch Road

Information about our Jan. 21 event is in the attached PR, and we do ask that you reserve your tickets by calling 732-748-7657.

The Meadows Foundation

Murderers PR.doc 368K View Download

=========================

Fate of Princeton Battlefield

Thursday March 1, 2012 at 7:30p at 400 Witherspoon St in Princeton.
Due to a computer problem Princeton Township changed the meeting to this Thursday March 1, 2012 at 7:30p at 400 Witherspoon St in Princeton.
Tell everyone to come out.
This most likelywill be the last meeting.
At the end of meeting the public will be able
to state their thoughts on the project.

The Thursday February 16 meeting has been cancelled due to a computer problem and rescheduled :

Final Decisive Meeting
Thursday March 1st, 7:30 pm
Planning Commission in Princeton at 400 Witherspoon Street

The fourth and probably the last meeting of the Planning Commission to
decide the fate of the Institute of Advanced Study’s owned property that
is adjacent to the Princeton Battlefield will now take place on Thursday,
March 1st at 400 Witherspoon Street at 7:30pm. This is the exact location
where Washington led the successful counter-attack which won the battle
for the day and became a major turning point in the war for America’s
independence. It was America’s first victory against British forces. The
battle of Trenton was against the Hessians.

Being designated as one of the Ten Most Endangered Sites in New Jersey by
Preservation Jersey and named a “Priority I Principal Site” by the
National Park Service in their report to Congress makes protecting the
Battlefield vital. The IAS proposed 15 unit housing will not only break
apart the symmetry of the Battlefield, but destroy history. The only true
way to understand the battle is to walk the field which gives you a
reality that cannot be captured in a book. This housing with its
destruction of part of the Battlefield would be like removing Picket’s
charge from the battle of Gettysburg.

James McPherson, David Hackett Fischer, Tom Fleming and David McCullough,
all well known historians and authors have all acknowledged the importance
of the Battle of Princeton in American history.

At the end of the day if we lose this part of history we lose a pristine
Battlefield and a piece of our identity as a nation.

NYC Bus Tour

Crossing the Delaware - Heritage Trail Bus Tour Wednesday, February 22, 2012 9:00 am until 4:30 pm Tour Update: We just received confirmation that Mort Kunstler will meet with our group at the Nassau County Museum and give us a brief talk about his research and inspiration for his "Washington Crossing" painting. There are still a few seats available if you would like to join us for this unique opportunity. Crossing the Delaware - New York Bus Tour Wednesday, February 22, 2012 9:00 am until 4:30 pm Limited Seating Available – Reservations Required

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze and Mort Kunstler See both paintings in one day!

The most widely recognized image of America's Revolutionary War is Emanuel Leutze’s painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas Day, 1776. This inspirational image of an gallant leader setting off on a daring raid against a superior enemy contains little in the way of historical fact. The boat, flag, background, and even the ice in the river are all derived from Leutze’s imagination.

Now another well-known artist has taken up the challenge to depict this historic event accurately. After months of research, Mort Kunstler recently completed his own rendering of the event closely reflecting the facts as we know them today. On Wednesday, February 22, Washington's birthday, the Heritage Trail Association is offering a bus tour to New York to view both paintings.

Our tour will leave from the Van Horne House at 9:00 am and proceed to the Nassau County Museum of Art where the Kunstler painting is on display. The museum is on the former Frick Estate, a spectacular property in the heart of Long Island's fabled Gold Coast. It is housed in a three-story Georgian mansion that exemplifies Gold Coast architecture of the late 19th century.

Our tour will then proceed to Manhattan to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art where the recently restored, original painting by Leutze is the center piece of the new American Wing Galleries. The bus will return to the Van Horne House by 4:30 pm.

This is a perfect opportunity to visit two of areas finest museums without the hassle of trains, traffic or parking.

The Van Horne House is located at 941 East Main Street, Bridgewater, NJ (across from Patriots Ballpark). The tour is $50 per person, which includes transportation and museum fees. Lunch is not included. Due to limited space, please park behind the Target store at the southeast corner.

Limited space is still available and reservations are required. Call (732) 356-8856 for reservations, or sign up online: register

The Heritage Trail Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that creatively celebrates and educates the public about Somerset County history.

Fate of Princeton Battlefield

Final Decisive Meeting
Thursday February 16th, 7:30 pm
Planning Commission in Princeton at 400 Witherspoon Street

This Thursday February 16th will likely be the last meeting of the
Planning Commission in Princeton at 400 Witherspoon Street at 7:30pm to
decide the fateful go ahead for the 15 unit housing facility that the IAS
wishes to build. The central argument seems to be whether or not there was
a battle on this IAS land. In the past several months I have attended all
of the planning meetings and have been following articles in the
newspapers and one point sticks out. The ABPP Study along with
testimonials of published historians clearly states that about 60% of the
battle or what many like to call Washington’s counter attack did take
place on this IAS land. An IAS supporter came forward to say that he is
tired of hearing about this so-called sacred land. What else can we call
ground where over 500 American and British soldiers died or were wounded
on January 3rd 1777?

The IAS is pushing to develop this land and to date they don’t even have
all of their approvals including wet lands, zoning, variances,
engineering issues and a 1992 resolution on cluster housing which one
would surmise would be put forth before going to the Planning Board. I
join many others who are passionate for history and its preservation in a
biodegradable society that cares more about tearing down and building up.
History is becoming an endangered species!

R. Iain Haight-Ashton

Meadows Foundation
Feb. 18 Salute to Black History Month

Message from the Meadows Foundation President :

"Dear Friends:

I am very excited to present information about our Feb. 18 salute to Black History Month. We have been working on this most informative and exciting program for over a year, and I simply can't wait to hear it! More information is contained in the attached flyer.

Once again, it is imperative that we have your contact information in case of an "inclement weather" cancellation.

Yours warmly,

Christine Retz, President

The Meadows Foundation"

	Meadows Celebrates Black History Month 21812.doc 416K View Download

Tory Jack Day

• Tory Jack Day
• Saturday, February 11, 2012,
  

  11:00am until 2:00pm
• Abraham Staats House, 17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
  

• Description

  Program: The historic Abraham Staats House opens at 11 AM. At 11:30 AM, we will present “History Speaks,” a 45-minute program narrated by Dr. Beverly Y. Murdock. The program captures Black History through poetry, music, song and dance. Following the performance, the ...house will be open for tours until 2 pm. On Exhibit: A complete collection of U.S. Black Heritage Commemorative Stamps, including a collection of African-American artifacts on loan from local historian Joyce Smith. The exhibit offers a comprehensive look at black history and culture in America. The Black History Month exhibit continues on display at The Abraham Staats House the following two Saturdays, February 18 & 25 from 11 am - 2 p.m. Admission is free; donations are appreciated. For more information about the Abraham Staats House, visit www.staatshouse.org or call 732-469-3198

NJ Survey Historic Sites Financial Needs

N.J. to begin survey of historic site financial needs, first in 22 years

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 16:44

Trying to determine costs of restorations, improvements

The first state-run survey in 22 years that is intended to determine the potential costs of the repair, restoration or improvements needs of New Jersey historic sites will begin Wednesday, state Community Affairs Commissioner Richard E. Constable announced Tuesday.

The Capital Needs Survey will be conducted by the state Historic Trust, which encourages all publicly owned and nonprofit-managed sites to participate in the survey.

"The Historic Trust recognizes that even our state's most notable and celebrated historic sites and attractions have significant needs for repairs and improvements, all of which will ultimately serve the public better," Constable said. "This survey will help the Trust identify those specific needs and begin to quantify the costs associated with making these historic buildings relevant and useful in their communities."

The survey will end May 1. It will pose questions about a building's use, repair needs, projected repair costs, and, if appropriate, its participation in heritage tourism development.

A historic building is defined as a structure that was built more than 50 years ago, or prior to 1962. A property does not need to be listed on the state or national Register of Historic Places to be included in the survey. Among the buildings that may participate are historic residences, farmsteads, factories, theaters, museums, houses of worship, fire houses, libraries, railroad stations, and schools. Buildings owned by private homeowners or businesses are not eligible for this survey.

The first capital needs survey, conducted in 1990, identified more than $400 million. The survey's results helped garner public support for four historic preservation bond referendums in the 1990s, and sustain historic preservation funding from the Garden Sate Preservation Trust from 2000 to 2010.

This year, the Historic Trust is hoping to attract more participants by making the survey accessible online.

"By using the Internet and making the survey easy to complete and submit, we hope to reach as many historic site stewards as possible," Historic Trust Director Dorothy Guzzo said. "The broader the participation, the better picture we will have of the state's real need for historic preservation funding. "Upon completion of the survey, the data will be analyzed and the capital needs of the state's historic properties will be tallied and published by the end of the year. The Historic Trust will use the information to prioritize or revise criteria for its program, as well as to alert the community to begin thinking about their future stewardship needs.

The Historic Trust administers grants from the Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund, the NJ Cultural Trust Capital Preservation Grant Program, the "Discover NJ History" License Plate Fund and the 1772 Foundation Grant Program for New Jersey.

Since 1990, the Historic Trust has awarded more than $134 million in matching preservation grants to sites in every county of the state.

For more information on the Capital Needs Survey visit:

http://fs19.formsite.com/NJHT/CapitalNeedsSurvey/index.html.

-TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/nj-to-begin-survey-of-historic-site-financial-needs-first-in-22-years