MAY 1: Mini History Fair at the Abraham Staats House!

Please join the Friends of the Abraham Staats House for a fascinating Mini State History Fair celebrating the exciting heritage of historic New Jersey!

DATE: Saturday, May 1, 2010
TIME: 10:00AM to 4:00PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
TKTS: Tours of the Staats House, $7.00/Adults, $3.00/Children under 12
Admission to grounds & parking are free!
INFO: info@staatshouse.org

Come experience New Jersey heritage first hand as historical organizations and re-enactors bring four centuries of local history to life! Participating organizations, performers, and presenters include:

• The Long Hill String Band, a 5 piece acoustic band, will play fun, old-timey music throughout the day!

• The New Jersey Militia/Heard's Brigade and Outwater's Militia will set up camp and demonstrate what life was like for American militia during the time of the American Revolution!

• Arthur Lefkowitz, prominent New Jersey historian and author, will discuss his notable works which include The Long Retreat: The Calamitous American Defense of New Jersey, George Washington’s Indispensable Men, Bushnell’s Submarine: The Best Kept Secret of the American Revolution, and Benedict Arnold’s Army: The 1775 American Invasion of Canada.

• Harrison Brook Farm operators will discuss agricultural history, preservation and sustainable farming, and will also have plants for sale.

• The Hunterdon County Historical Society will exhibit artifacts that contrast historic and current lifestyles. Since 1885, the Hunterdon County Historical Society has collected and preserved Hunterdon’s social and material culture and shares it through its c.1845 Doric House museum and genealogical research library

• Somerset County Historical Organizations participating for the day will include the Somerset County Cultural and Historic Commission, Somerset County Historical Society and the Van Veghten House, Heritage Trail Association, and the Women's Guild of South Bound Brook.

• New Jersey Fire Museum - Help support their plans for the museum and the memorial for the fallen firefighters of New Jersey.

ATTENTION RE-ENACTORS, SUTLERS, & EXHIBITORS! Disappointed in the cancellation of the "Spirit of the Jersey's History Faire"? Your participation is very welcome at the Mini New Jersey State History Fair at the Abraham Staats House! Click here for registration information, and/or call (732) 469-5836, or email bkfaulks@gmail.com.

APRIL 10 & 11: Battle of Bound Brook & Middlebrook Encampment

THE REDCOATS ARE COMING!!! Please join the Friends of the Abraham Staats House (FASH) in waging the Battle of Bound Brook and rallying Washington's army at the Middlebrook Encampment!

TIME: Saturday & Sunday, April 10 & 11, 2010
DATE: 10:00AM to 5:00PM
PLACE: Abraham Staats House
17 von Stuben Lane, South Bound Brook
INFO: info@staatshouse.org

This two-day program explores the exciting events of the American Revolutionary War surrounding the Battle of Bound Brook and Middlebrook Encampments, from 1777 to 1779, and extremely important time in New Jersey and American history!

Weekend Activities and Events Include:

• 18th Century Soldiers' Encampment on the grounds of the Abraham Staats House, illustrating the daily life events of American and British troops during the American Revolution.
• Tours of the Historic Abraham Staats House (c. 1740), home of the Staats family for over 200 years, which served as the headquarters for George Washington's "Drillmaster", Baron von Steuben.
• Presentations and Demonstrations, staged throughout the weekend, include: a lecture by noted historian Robert A. Mayers, author of The War Man: The True Story of a Citizen-Soldier Who Fought from Quebec to Yorktown; an exhibition of Native American trade beads and wampum by collector Earl Becker; and, eminent historian H. Kels Swan and accomplished musician Tom Harabin (President of FASH) will play music of the Colonial Era throughout the weekend.

Why not become a Friend of the Abraham Staats House and get in on all the fun? Click here and discover what a wonderful, life-long friend a house can be!

Other Sponsors of the Battle of Bound Brook: Borough of South Bound Brook & the Borough of Bound Brook, Bound Brook CommUnity Development Association, The Sheriff's Department of Somerset County, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of USA

February 20 & 27: BLACK HISTORY EXHIBIT & HOUSE TOURS

Come celebrate Black History Month with free tours of the Abraham Staats House featuring a fascinating exhibit on slavery and the contributions of blacks to our national heritage, presented by local historian, Mrs. Joyce Smith!

DATE: Saturday, February 20 & 27, 2010
TIME: 12:00 to 2:00PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
INFO: info@staatshouse.org

ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

This special Black History Month event is brought to you by the South Bound Brook Historic Preservation Advisory Commission in conjunction with The Friends of the Abraham Staats House, Inc., and in partnership with the Women's Guild of South Bound Brook. Historian, Mrs. Joyce Smith, is a member of the Women's Guild.

Why not become a Friend of the Abraham Staats House and get in on all the fun? Click here and discover what a wonderful, life-long friend a house can be!

February 14: FREE FIVE GENERALS BUS TOUR!

The Heritage Trail Association invites you and your entire family to enjoy a thrilling tour back through time to discover the five original historic houses that served as General staff headquarters during the Second Middlebrook Encampment, 1778-1779!

DATE: Sunday, February 14, 2010
TIME: Five separate tours depart on the hour:
10AM, 11AM, 12PM, 1PM, & 2PM
DEPART: The Van Horne House
941 Main Street, Bridgewater
RSVP: Space is limited--Reservations Required Reserve by phone, email, or Click Here to reserve on-line.
PHONE: (732) 356-8856
EMAIL: info@heritagetrail.com

TICKETS ARE FREE!!!

The five historical houses on the tour include the Van Horne House in Bridgewater, the Van Veghten House in Finderne, the Abraham Staats House in South Bound Brook, the Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster, and the Wallace House in Somerville, where George Washington stayed.

[From the Heritage Trail Association Website]
"The village of Middlebrook
was located just east of the Van Horne House in an area that is now the west end of Bound Brook. During the encampment, General Washington dated all of his dispatches from Middlebrook even though his headquarters was in the Wallace House, five miles away.

A perfect opportunity for a weekend family outing, a visit to these historic sites offers a unique educational experience, for young and old alike to learn about these unique places and the generals who made them their homes and offices during the American Revolution."

Why not become a volunteer with this organization and get in on all the fun?

February 13: TORY JACK DAY AT THE ABRAHAM STAATS HOUSE!!!

Friends of the Abraham Staats House invite you and your family to a very exciting celebration for Black History Month, Tory Jack Day, honoring the life of a slave in the Staats who reputedly supported the American Revolution by spying on the British!

The celebration will feature a presentation by noted historian and interpreter, Joe Becton, and military support by the fearless re-enactors 3rd Regiment United States Colored Troops of the Civil War!

DATE: Saturday, February 13, 2010
TIME: 11:00AM to 4:00PM
Presentation begins at 11:ooAM.
House tours begin after presentation.
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 von Steuben Lane
South Bound Brook
TKTS: Suggested donation for presentation, $3.00/adult
INFO: info@staatshouse.org
PHONE: (732) 469-3198

[From the SCCHC Website]

"As part of its annual Tory Jack Day program celebrating Black History Month, the South Bound Brook Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, in conjunction with The Friends of the Abraham Staats Ho

use, Inc., and in partnership with the Women’s Guild of South Bound Brook, will present eminent historian Joe Becton.

He will speak on 'Choosing sides in the American Revolution', which focuses on the difficulty of that decision for African-Americans during the war for independence. The talk will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010 at the historic Abraham Staats House. Mr. Becton, a National Park Service

Interpretive Park Ranger, has been recognized with the Community Service award for setting a standard of excellence in interpretation and for his role in connecting Americans to our national parks through wonderful stories and varied media.

Members of the 3rd Regiment United States Colored Troops Civil War re-enactors will also participate as part of the presentation, and be on hand to answer questions and interact with the public.

Following Mr. Becton’s presentation, the public is invited to tour the historic Abraham Staats House and view an exhibit on slavery and the contributions of blacks to our national heritage, presented by local historian and Women’s Guild member, Mrs. Joyce Smith. Tours will end at 4 pm."

Why not become a Friend of the Abraham Staats House and get in on all the fun? Click here and discover what a wonderful, life-long friend a house can be!

December 12 & 13: HOLIDAY AT THE STAATS HOUSE!

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House are delighted to invite you and you family to enjoy this historic treasure's sparkling decked halls!

DATES: Saturday & Sunday, December 12 & 13
TIMES: 11:00AM to 4:00PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
INFO: Tom Harabin, (732) 469-3198
www.staatshouse.org

Every room is uniquely and festively decorated for the holidays by the Friends of the Staats House and other community organizations including the South Bound Brook Fire Department, the Reformed Church-Bound Brook in South Bound Brook, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, the Women's Guild of South Bound Brook, and the Friends of the Abraham Staats House.

Performances of seasonal music will include:

• All Weekend: Tom Harabin playing 18th Century Christmas Music on the fiddle, dulcimer, and guitar.
• Saturday, 12:00PM: Students from the Robert Morris School of South Bound Brook
• Sunday, 1:30PM: Ensemble from Bound Brook High School

[From the Staats House Website]
"The Staats House is one of the finest surviving buildings from the Dutch Settlement of the Raritan Valley in the 18th Century. Over the centuries, the house has been expanded several times and now includes a fine late, Federal/Greek Revival two-story addition.

The house had an interesting history during the American Revolution when it served as the headquarters of General von Steuben during the second Middlebrook Encampment (1779).

The Staats House was acquired by Borough of South Bound Brook in 1999 with grant assistance provided by Somerset County (the previous owner was given life tenancy). With foresight and through negotiation, the Borough has insured that this important site will remain in the public domain.

The Staats House was entered onto the New Jersey Register of Historic Plces on August 29, 2002, and the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 2002."

December 2009: GIVE THE GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP!

Holidays are coming! Why not treat your loved ones the eternal gratitude of future generations with a membership in one or more of these wonderful historical and environmental preservation organizations?


The Meadows Foundation, Stewards of Early Dutch & American Heritage
Mission: The Meadows Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to give the past a future by preserving historic sites with an emphasis on early Dutch and American heritage... The Meadows Foundation meets this mission by:
1) Fully restoring Meadows Foundation historic sites.
2) Providing public educational and cultural programs.
3) Encouraging public appreciation for local heritage and vernacular architecture.
4) Supporting environmental concerns by preserving open space, farmland, and historical sites.
Membership Information


The Raritan-Millstone Heritage Alliance
Mission: The Mission of the Raritan-Millstone Heritage Alliance is to promote preservation and understanding of the rich eventful and cultural heritage of significant historical, educational, and cultural sites located in the Raritan-Millstone region.
Click on "Join"


The Abraham Staats House
Mission: The Friends of the Abraham Staats House, Inc. was established in 1999 and incorporated in 2004 to support the ongoing restoration, preservation, ad interpretation of the historic Abraham Staats House. The Abraham Staats House was built c. 1740 near the banks of the Raritan River. The property is associated with significant people and events during the American Revolution.
Membership Information
On-Line Membership Form


Blackwells Mills Canal House
The Canal House is a picturesque old home (1830) of honest masonry and stone, bordering the historic Delaware and Raritan Canal at Blackwells Mills in Franklin Township.... [The] Canal House opens its doors to the public and plays host to several events such as craft and antique shows, art exhibits, flea markets, plant sales, holiday events, children's programs, nature walks, community clinics in canoeing, fishing, cooking, furniture repair and much more! It also serves as a museum and library of canal history.
Membership Form on Site


Canal Society of New Jersey
Purpose: [T]he Canal Society of New Jersey is a non-profit organization formed in 1969 t0:
• Foster the study of the history of New Jersey's two towpath canals.
• Preserve and restore canal remains and artifacts.
• Educate the public in this history.
• Provide enjoyment to its members by visiting canals and other historic sites.
On-Line Membership Form


Canal Watch
The Delaware & Raritan Canal and its towpath form a v-shaped linear park that crosses of the New Jersey, providing recreation, a respite from the tumult of the state's busy centers, a history lesson in the development of New Jersey, and drinking water for the million people who live near this 66-mile greenway in the heart of the nations' most densely populated state.
Download Membership Form, Individual and Family Memberships available


Kingston Greenways Association
Kingston Greenways Association aims to establish a permanent green belt around the village of Kingston consisting of natural environments, recreational park land, agricultural and horticultural land, wetlands, streams and ponds, and sites of historical significance... The Association aims also to promote understanding of our local region through study and education, and provide oversight and advocacy for open space in the Kingston area.
On-Line Membership Form

October 10-11: SOMERSET COUNTY'S WEEKEND JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAST!!!

Somerset County's 3rd Annual Weekend Journey Through The Past is simply one of the year's grandest and most exciting events with 27 of the most historically significant sites in Somerset County open, free to the public, and hosting very special exhibits, programs, and tours!

DATES & TIMES
Saturday, October 10, 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sunday, October 11, 12:00PM to
CONTACT: Click HERE to receive info by email!
Click HERE to receive info by snail-mail!

ADMISSION IS FREE!!! So bring the entire family!

ACTIVITIES & DEMONSTRATIONS INCLUDE:

• Re-enactments!
• Early Furniture Making!
• Historic Forge Blacksmithing!
• Children's Games & Period Toys!
• Period Music & Dance!
• Family Scavenger Hunts!
• Candle Making Demonstrations!
• Open Fire Cooking!
• Videos, Talks, & Tours!
• Military Drills!
• Antique Exhibits!
• And Much, Much More!

With so much going on, it might be difficult to know where to begin! So to help you make the most of your Journey Through the Past, the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission in conjunction with the participating historical organizations have grouped the sites into three convenient tours based on location! Maps are included with the links below:

THE NORTHERN TOUR: The Watchung Mountains
THE CENTRAL TOUR: The Old York Road
THE SOUTHERN TOUR: The Delaware & Raritan Canal

UPDATED LIST OF ALL PARTICIPATING SITES: Adults who visit four or more of the participating sites will be designated "History Traveler" and will be eligible to participate in a free drawing for one of 10 $25. gas cards!
[N=Northern Tour, C=Central Tour, S = Southern Tour]

Brick Academy, Basking Ridge (Bernards) [N]

Codington Farmhouse, Warren [N]

Farm Museum, Skillman [S]

First Reformed Church of Rocky Hill [S]

Gen. John Frelinghuysen House/Raritan Public Library, Raritan [N]

Griggstown School House, Griggstown (Franklin) [S]

Kennedy-Martin Stelle Farmstead, Basking Ridge (Bernards) [N]

Kirch-Ford House, Warren [N]

Mount Bethel Meeting House, Warren [N]

New Cemetery, Somerville [C]

Old Millstone Forge Blacksmith Shop & Museum, Millstone [S]

Old Presbyterian Graveyard, Bound Brook [C]

Relief Hose Co. #2/Raritan Firehouse, Raritan [C]

Daniel Robert Mansion, Somerville [C]

Somerset County Historic Court House & Lord Memorial Fountain, Somerville [C]

First Dutch Reformed Church, Somerville [C]

South Branch School House, Branchburg [S]

Abraham Staats House, South Bound Brook [C]

Andrew Ten Eyck House, Branchburg [C]

U.S. Golf Association Museum, Far Hills [N]

Jacobus Vanderveer House, Bedminster [N]

Van Horne House, Bridgewater [C]

Van Veghten House, Bridgewater [C]

Vermeule Mansion, North Plainfield [N]

Wallace House, Somerville [C]

Wyckoff-Garretson House, Somerset [C]

[From the Website]
This annual event is the perfect opportunity for a fun and exciting outing! A visit to Somerset County's beautifully preserved historic sites offers a unique educational experience for all ages, as well as a chance to visit some of Central New Jersey's most picturesque and unspoiled areas.

Many of the sites have significant Revolutionary War histories and are the reason for the area's honorable designation as the "Crossroads of the American Revolution State Heritage Area." Many local historians will be on hand to share their knowledge and stories about Somerset County's rich historical and cultural heritage.

September 12&13: CANAL DAYS AT THE ABRAHAM STAATS HOUSE!

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House invite you to stroll the cool canal-side grounds and tour the historic 1740 house while learning about the Delaware & Raritan Canal in its heyday!

DATES: Saturday & Sunday, September 12 & 13, 2009
TIMES: 10:00AM to 4:00PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
TKTS: House Tour & Artifact Exhibit $5.00/person
Free for children under 12!
Parking & walking the grounds are free for everyone!
INFO: info@staatshouse.org

"Canal Days at the Abraham Staats House" Will Feature:

• A Fascinating Slide Presentation About the Canal!
• Living History Civil War Re-enactors!
• Live Music & Folk Songs!
• An Exhibition of Authentic Civil War Era Artifacts!

May 3: TALK "SLAVERY IN NJ DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION"

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House are thrilled to invite you to experience a powerful presentation by storyteller and reenactor, Frederic Lawrence Minus, on "Slavery in New Jersey During the American Revolution"!

DATE: Sunday, May 3
TIME: Lecture begins 2:00PM
House opens for tours 1:00PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
TKTS: $10/Adult, $5/Under 18
Admission includes house tour & lecture
RSVP: Reservations Strongly Recommended
CONTACT: (732) 469-3198
info@staatshouse.org

[From the Staats House website]
"A native of Delaware, Mr. Minus is a member of the Camp Olden Round Table and active Civil War Museum, where he helped establish a room dedicated to the United Colored Troops. He is also a member of the Sons of the Union Veterans-Anne Ross Post #1, 3rd Regiment USCT of Philadelphia and a founding member of the 6th USCT of Trenton and a Friend of the Revolutionary War Barracks in Trenton, where he serves as a storyteller and reenactor. As a reenactor, Fred has made hundreds of presentations in schools, churches, and community organizations, including Delaware State College, Boy Scout conferences, SUNY Maritime College of New York, the PECO Energy Conference, and the Pennsylvania Underground Railroad Conference. He was a featured speaker at the "Oh Freedom" exhibit at the State Museum in Trenton." This exciting lecture is the sixth and final installment of the enormously popular "Lecture Through Time" series presented at the historic Abraham Staats House (c.1740)!

This program is being hosted by Friends of the Abraham Staats House, Inc. The project has been funded, in part, by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and Friends of Somerset County Culture & Heritage, Inc.

April 19: TALK "A MAP OF THE FIRST MDDLE BROOK ENCAMPMENT, 1777"

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House are proud to invite you to historian and colonial-era artifact expert H. Kels Swan's fascinating presentation on what information can be gleaned from a map of General George Washington's first encampment in Middle Brook in 1777!

DATE: Sunday, April 19
TIME: 12:30 to 1PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
TKTS: $10/Adult, $5/Under 18
Admission includes house tour & lecture
RSVP: Reservations Strongly Recommended
Include: name, address, contact, number of seats
Email: info@staatshouse.org
Phone: (732) 469-3198

This exciting lecture is the fourth installment of the six-lecture "Lectures Through Time" series presented at the historic Abraham Staats House (c.1740) and coincides with the Staats House Living History Weekend!

[From the Abraham Staats House Website]
H. Kels Swan is a prominent New Jersey historian. His colonial-era artifact collection had been on display at Washington's Crossing Museum in Titusville for many years. He is founder and past president of the Swan Historical Foundation. A graduate of Rutgers, Mr. Swan has served on the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission and the South Bound Brook Historic Commission and has supported history in New Jersey, through his lectures and displays of the artifacts from his collection.

April 18: PRESENTATION "THE APPROACHING STORM"

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House are thrilled to invite you to historical interpreter Wayne Daniels presentation, "The Approaching Storm" in which he chronicles how New Jersey was inexorably drawn into the turbulence of the American Revolution! If you thought history was boring, fasten your seat belts and be ready to do a 360!

DATE: Saturday, April 18
TIME: 2PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
TKTS: $10/Adult, $5/Under 18
Admission includes house tour & lecture
RSVP: Reservations Strongly Recommended
Include: name, address, contact, number of seats
Email: info@staatshouse.org
Phone: (732) 469-3198

This exciting lecture is the third installment of the six-lecture "Lectures Through Time" series presented at the historic Abraham Staats House (c.1740) and coincides with the Staats House Living History Weekend!

[From the Abraham Staats House Website]
New Jersey came about through a remarkable series of unlikely events. Early Dutch and Quaker settlements became folded into the great “land grab” of the Proprietors who then divided and sold parcels to Scottish investors who never saw their land. And that was only the start for New Jersey, the land between.

Wayne Daniels has been a tireless researcher into the American War for Independence and the lives of common folk here in New Jersey for more than 40 years. Author, lecturer, historic preservationist, archaeologist, former museum director and board member, he is a founder of The Brigade of the American Revolution and is presently Senior Historical Interpreter at the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, and consultant to "The Tech Effect: Washington Crosses the Delaware," aired on The History Channel.

April 19: TALK "WHEN ARTWORK SPEAKS: EYEWITNESS IMAGES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION"

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House (c.1740) are proud to welcome historian and author, Arthur Lefkowitz, who will present a color slide show-accompanied talk on 18th Century artwork depicting significant events and people of the American Revolution, including studio executed paintings and sketches hastily executed in the heat of battle!

DATE: Sunday, April 19
TIME: 1PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
TKTS: $10/Adult, $5/Under 18
Admission includes house tour & lecture
RSVP: Reservations Strongly Recommended
Include: name, address, contact, number of seats
Email: info@staatshouse.org
Phone: (732) 469-3198

This exciting lecture is the fifth installment of the six-lecture "Lectures Through Time" series presented at the historic Abraham Staats House (c.1740) and coincides with the Staats House Living History Weekend!

[From the Abraham Staats House Website]
While some of the artwork presented may look familiar, Mr. Lefkowitz gives detailed information about each image and well as insights concerning the artists who created them. The pictures in the presentation have been gathered from a variety of museum collections and, by using high quality reproductions, interesting historical details come to life that are frequently lost when the pictures are shown in books.

Included in the presentation are portraits of George Washington, painted from life, showing him wearing the uniform of the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

Mr. Lefkowitz is a prominent New Jersey author whose works include The Long Retreat: The Calamitous American Defense of New Jersey, George Washington’s Indispensable Men, Bushnell’s Submarine, The Best Kept Secret of the American Revolution, and Benedict Arnold’s Army, The 1775 American Invasion of Canada. His books have received numerous awards and Bushnell’s Submarine was favorably reviewed in The New York Times Book Section.

His lecture credits include numerous talks for The New Jersey Council for the Humanities, The National Park Service and Fraunces Tavern Museum, as well as being the keynote speaker at the 2006 meeting of The Washington Association of New Jersey. He has taught a course in colonial American history for three semesters at Middlesex County College.

April 18 & 19: LIVING HISTORY WEEKEND--THE BATTLE OF BOUND BROOK!

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House are thrilled to invite you and your entire family to one of the most exciting events of the year, living history with the Battle of Bound Brook: Washington's Army at Middlebrook! This Crossroads Celebration will feature compelling speakers, powerful historical interpretors and reenactors, historic house tours, demonstrations, delicious food, and much, much more!

DATE: Saturday & Sunday, April 18 & 19
TIME: (See Schedule of Events Below)
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook

The two-day program explores the American Revolutionary War during the time-frame of the Battle of Bound Brook and Middlebrook encampments, 1777 – 1779. Learn about and experience this important period in New Jersey’s and America’s history. Weekend activities include:

• 18th century Soldiers’ Encampment on the grounds of the Abraham Staats House! Come walk through camp and see what life was like for American and British troops during the time of the American Revolution.
• Historic house tours: The Abraham Staats House, with the original structure c.1740, was home to the Staats family for nearly 200 years and served as the headquarters for George Washington’s “Drillmaster” Baron von Steuben.

Lectures and presentations at the Abraham Staats House, throughout the weekend, include:

• Collector Earl Becker offers a talk and display of his collection of trade beads and wampum (Saturday, 1PM & Sunday, 11AM)
• Wayne Daniels, Senior Historical Interpreter at the Old Barracks, Trenton, presents “The Approaching Storm,” ~ chronicles New Jersey as it is drawn inexorably into the turbulence of the American Revolution. (Saturday, 2PM)
• Eminent historian H. Kels Swan presents information and a map of the first Middlebrook Encampment of 1777. (Sunday, 12:30PM)
• Noted historian and author Arthur S. Lefkowitz, a color slide presentation of 18th century artistry during the American Revolution (Sunday, 1PM)
• Gary DePaolo, New Jersey Militia, Heard’s Brigade, portrays a surgeon of the Colonial era. Learn about medical practices of the 18th century and view surgical instruments used during that time. (Sunday)
• Tom Harabin, President, Friends of Abraham Staats House, plays music of the Colonial Era (throughout the weekend.)

Share your personal photos of these events with the RMVE Blog!

• Please email any photos you are willing to have posted on the RMVE blog in .jpg format (no more than 200K each, please) to the blog's primary writer/editor/monitor, Jan ten Broeke, at tensart@gmail.com.
• Please include any identifying information with your submissions including site location, activities, and names of individuals prominent in the photo(s).
• While no compensation for your photos is available, you will be providing everyone who views them with lasting memories and joy, as well as helping your community document these significant activities for the benefit of many generations to come. In that spirit, we hope you will be generous--and judicious--in your photo submissions!

March 28: TALK "MIDDLEBROOK: A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK"

Please join the Friends of the Staats House (c. 1740) as historian Jim Kurzenberger presents a fresh look at a key local event of the American War of Independence, General George Washington's quartering of his main army in Middlebrook--near present-day Bound Brook--in the winter of 1778-79!

DATE: Saturday, March 28
TIME: Lecture begins promptly at 4:30PM
House open for tours from 3:30PM
PLACE: The Abraham Staats House
17 Von Steuben Lane, South Bound Brook
TKTS: $10/Adult, $5/Under 18
Admission includes house tour and lecture
RSVP: Reservations Strongly Recommended
Include: name, address, contact, number of seats
Email: info@staatshouse.org
Phone: (732) 469-3198

A native of Bedminster, N.J., Jim Kurzenberger has worked for 26 years in the field of museums, historic sites and architectural history. Mr. Kurzenberger received his B.A. in History after attending The George Washington University and Kean University. He has worked at Gunston Hall Plantation in Lorton, Va., the U.S. National Park Service and at the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.

He currently manages The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Historic sites in Somerville, N.J., for the N.J. Dept. of Environmental Protection. The Wallace House served as headquarters for General George Washington during the Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-79. In addition, he has served the Somerset County Historical Society as Trustee, Vice President and President. He was also a preservation consultant for Bedminster Township and served as a member of the township’s Historic Commission. He is a member of the American Society of Architectural Historians.

Mr. Kurzenberger’s areas of interest and expertise include 18^th century architecture and material culture and the American Revolution in New Jersey.

This lecture is the second installment of the six-lecture "Lectures Through Time" series presented at the historic Abraham Staats House!

March 1: "Patriots! Torries! Inebriates! Hussies!" Lecture at the Staats House

Please join the Friends of the Abraham Staats House (c. 1740) for an exciting and saucy lecture, "Patriots, Torries, Inebriates, and Hussies: Unearthing the History of the Abraham Staats House" presented by Dr. Richard Veit!

DATE: Sunday, March 1
TIME: 2:00PM, House Open for Tours from 1:00PM
PLACE: Abraham Staats House
17 Von Stueben Lane
South Bound Brook
TKTS: $10.00/Person, $5.00/Under 18
INFO: info@staatshouse.org

Associate Professor of Anthropology at Monmouth University Dr. Veit's entertaining presentation is the first in a new series of six "Lectures Through Time" that will offer a fascinating look at the people and events that shaped the history of New Jersey and our nation! "Patriots, Torries, Inebriates, and Hussies" will uncover the details of the Staats' family history through the Revolutionary War, the arrival of Turnpike Roads, the escavation of the Delaware/Raritan Canal, and the emancipation of slaves!

STAY TUNED: The next lecture in the series will be "Middlebrook: A Comprehensive Look"!

February 15: MIDDLEBROOK 5 GENERALS BUS TOUR!

The Heritage Trail Association invites you and your family to step back to the Revolutionary era for three hours of history and fun with a narrated bus tour to five historic houses that served as general staff headquarters during the second Middlebrook encampment, from 1778 to 1789! And it's FREE!

DATE: Sunday, February 15
TIME: Four separate tours will depart on the hour: 11:00AM, 12:00PM, 1:00PM, & 2:00PM
PLACE/DEPARTURE: Van Horne House, 941 East Main Street,
Bridgewater (across from Patriots Ballpark)
TKTS: FREE! But Reservations Required.
INFO/RSVP: (732) 356-8856 or info@heritagetrail.org
Pre-register online here.

[from the Heritage Trail Association]
"This annual event is a perfect opportunity for a family outing. A visit to these historic sites offers a unique educational experience for all ages.

The five houses are: the Van Horne House in Bridgewater, the Wallace House in Somerville, the Van Veghten House in Finderne, the Abraham Staats House in South Bound Brook, and the Vanderveer House in Bedminster. The houses will be open from 11 am until 4 pm.

The village of Middlebrook was located just east of the Van Horne House in an area that is now the west end of Bound Brook. The main body of Washington’s Continental Army was encamped along the first Watchung Mountain and at various locations around Somerville. During the encampment, General Washington dated all of his dispatches from Middlebrook even though his headquarters was in the Wallace House, five miles away."

February 14: TORY JACK DAY AT THE ABRAHAM STAATS HOUSE

The Friends of the Abraham Staats House invite you and your family to a very special celebration for Black History Month, Tory Jack Day, honoring the life of a slave in the Staats who reputedly supported the American Revolution by spying on the British! The celebration will feature a presentation about the Underground Railroad by historian and re-enactor Joe Becton and a re-enactment of the 3rd Regiment United States Colored Troops Civil War!

DATE: Saturday, February 14
TIME: 11:00AM to 4:00PM
PLACE: The Staats House,
17 von Steuben Lane
South Bound Brook
(map/directions)
TKTS: Suggested donation, $3.00
INFO: info@staatshouse.org

[From the Staats House Website]

As part of its annual “Tory Jack Day” program celebrating Black History Month, the South Bound Brook Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, in conjunction with The Friends of the Abraham Staats House, Inc., and in partnership with the Women’s Guild of South Bound Brook, will present eminent historian, Joe Becton. Mr. Becton, will speak on the topic “Samuel Burris Speaks: Conductor on the Underground Railroad” at 11:00 am. Mr. Becton, a National Park Service Interpretive Park Ranger, has been recognized with the Community Service award for setting a standard of excellence in interpretation and for his role in connecting Americans to our national parks through wonderful stories and varied media.

Members of the 3^rd Regiment United States Colored Troops Civil War re-enactors will also participate as part of the presentation, and be on hand to answer questions and interact with the public.

Following Mr. Becton’s presentation, the public is invited to tour the historic Abraham Staats House and view an exhibit on slavery and the contributions of blacks to our national heritage, presented by local historian and Women’s Guild member, Mrs. Joyce Smith. Tours will end at 4 pm.