photo courtesy of BCHS the staff of the Ridgewood blog
New Bridge landing NJ, As one of the major events of Bergen’s Revolutionary War history, the Steenrapie Encampment brought the American army to present day River Edge and Oradell, and forever tied Washington himself to New Bridge Landing. Join author, military historian, and BCHS Past President Todd Braisted for his presentation on the history, legends, and luminaries that became part of Bergen County in September 1780.
For anyone interested in volunteering at Historic New Bridge Landing events as a docent, greeter, operations personnel, or living-history interpreter in period dress, the Bergen County Historical Society sponsors the School of Interpretation to hone communication skills, familiarize volunteers with Bergen’s unique history, give insight into the material culture of the past, and train volunteers in historical presentation. It also provides an opportunity for prospective participants to ask questions and learn about volunteering with BCHS. Please meet in the Steuben House (the house nearest the bridge), 1209 Main St, River Edge, NJ. No charge.
Bergen County Historical Society (BCHS) School of Interpretation & Volunteer Meeting Wednesday, January 16, 2019, 7:30 p.m. Topic: The Steenrapie (River Edge) Encampment of 1780
photo courtesy of the NJ Historic Preservation Office
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, from the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office ,Christmas takes on enormous historical significance in Trenton, NJ as the Revolutionary War Battles of Trenton are commemorated with reenactments & activities. The battle of Trenton was a major turning point in the Revolutionary War .
Make plans now to visit for the reenactment of the Battle of Trenton, and more Patriots Week events! More info here: www.destinationtrenton.com/events/patriots-week
On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters.
Washington DC, On September 22, 1862, partly in response to the heavy losses inflicted at the Battle of Antietam, President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, threatening to free all the slaves in the states in rebellion if those states did not return to the Union by January 1, 1863. The extent of the Proclamation’s practical effect has been debated, as it was legally binding only in territory not under Union control. In the short term, it amounted to no more than a statement of policy for the federal army as it moved into Southern territory.
Ridgewood NJ, On this 73rd anniversary of D-Day let us remember, and honor, the soldiers who gave their lives for the freedoms of France and rest of Europe.
On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler’s crack troops.
It was the beginning of the end for the Third Reich and a major turning point to free Europe and show that freedom can prevail over totalitarianism.
Ridgewood NJ, While most of us associated this phrase with Star Trek’s Mr. Spock, it was actually written and used by the most celebrated comedic actor of the late 19th century – Joseph Jefferson., who passed away 112 years ago, on April 23, 1905.
Joe Jefferson was the ‘Rock Star’ of his era. In 1859, he wrote and acted in a theatrical version of Rip Van Winkle. It was such a hit that audiences clamored for him to perform this role, which he willingly did for the next 40 years.
For 14 years, Jefferson lived in the house on Saddle River Rd., at the end of Hollywood Ave. While there, he entertained or met the key figures of his day. Grover Cleveland visited, and they fished in the Saddle River. A founding member of “The Players Club” in New York, he was friends with Edwin Booth, Samuel Clemens and Maurice Barrymore; and he communicated with Helen Keller and Nicole Tesla.
Jefferson’s passion for the theater has served as an inspiration for theatrical groups for more than a century. Locally, Ridgewood’s own troupe of Joe Jefferson Players, performed between 1936 and 1973. Today, Ridgewood High School’s ‘New Players’ (which launched the careers of Ali Stroker and David Turner) honors his memory by presenting two Joe Jefferson Awards each year for Technical Merit and Acting. David Turner (currently on Broadway in “Sunday in the Park with George”) won the award for acting in 1993.
The Schoolhouse Museum’s new exhibit “From the Revolutionary War to the 1960’s Revolution”displays photos and illustrations of Jefferson in the various roles he played; playbills from that era, those of the ‘Joe Jefferson Players’, and those from ‘The New Players’; the actual costume worn by Ali Stroker in the Glee Project; and more.
To see this display as well as other displays highlighting other significant events and people during this time, from wars, to the roaring twenties to the rocking 60’s; as well as histories of prominent Ridgewood area residents, visit the Ridgewood Historical Society’s Schoolhouse Museum, at 650 East Glen Avenue. The museum is open Thursdays and Saturday 1-3pm and Sundays 2-4pm. Please visit www.ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org for more information.
Ridgewood NJ, On April 19, 1775, at 5am, 700 British regulars marched into Lexington, MA and were met by 77 American militiamen. The Americans initially began to disperse, and then from an undetermined gun, “the shot heard round the world” was fired. Ten Americans and 1 British soldier died there. Two hours later the British marched into Concord only to be met by hundreds of American Patriots. The British commander ordered his troops to hastily begin their 16 mile trek to Boston. Throughout the return, the Americans fired upon the troops – Indian style, from behind trees, rocks and bushes. By the time the British reached Boston, nearly 300 British soldiers had been killed, wounded, or were missing in action. The fight for Independence had begun!
With more battles being fought here than anywhere else, New Jersey played a key role in the Revolutionary War, While no major battles were fought in Bergen County there were a number of skirmishes between local Patriots and British troops or sympathizers. The Ridgewood area was constantly visited by Washington and his officers.
The Schoolhouse Museum’s new exhibit “From the Revolutionary War to the 1960’s Revolution”commemorates our war for Independence with actual artifacts, weapons and equipment; as well as examples of flags and uniforms from this period.
To see this display as well as other displays highlighting other significant events during this time, from wars, to the roaring twenties to the rocking 60’s; as well as histories of prominent Ridgewood area residents, visit the Ridgewood Historical Society’s Schoolhouse Museum, at 650 East Glen Avenue. The museum is open Thursdays and Saturday 1-3pm and Sundays 2-4pm. Please visit www.ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org for more information.
Good Friday a good day for Republicans to stay away from the theater
April 14th 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, on this day in 1865, Abraham Lincoln is shot by an assassin , John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was shot on Good Friday. April 14 was Good Friday that year, just as it is this year.Unfortunately, as we all know, Lincoln would pass away the next day.
The President had decided to spend his Good Friday evening at a comedy at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. It had been only 5 days since General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively bringing the Civil War to a close. As the President watched the show from his box, an assassin burst through the door and shot Lincoln in the back of the head. The assassin, John Wilkes Booth, then dropped his pistol and began waving a dagger in the air.
Another occupant of the box, Major Henry R. Rathbone, lunged for Booth and forced him toward the railing. Booth slashed Rathbone in the arm and leapt from the box shouting “Sic semper Tyrannis! The South is avenged!” His boot caught on a flag as he jumped, and his leg was broken when he landed. Despite his injury, Booth managed to flee the scene.
In the meantime, a doctor in the audience had made it upstairs to Lincoln’s box. The bullet had lodged behind the President’s right eye. Lincoln was carried, barely breathing, across the street to a boardinghouse. Lincoln passed away at 7:22 a.m. the nest day.
Booth had co-conspirators who were trying to assassinate other members of Lincoln’s administration. One accomplice, Lewis Powell (a.k.a. Lewis Payne), attacked the Secretary of State, William Henry Seward, on the same night that Lincoln was shot. Through luck Seward survived .
Booth and his co-conspirators also intended to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson and General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant however changed his mind about attending Ford’s Theatre with the President that night.
In the end, four of Booth’s co-conspirators were captured, convicted, and hung.. One of them, Mary Surratt, became the first woman to be executed by the U.S. government. A few others were imprisoned for their involvement and Booth was discovered hiding in a barn in Virginia two weeks after he assassinated Lincoln, and mortally wounded during the attempt to capture him. It was the first time in American history, a President had been assassinated.
Yesterday in 1776, General George Washington makes a harrowing trip across the Delaware River, in the dead of night!
You’ll remember from previous posts that Washington and his army had just endured a series of crushing defeats: The British had won important battles in New York and had chased the Americans across New Jersey. Early in December, a defeated American army had narrowly escaped across the Delaware River. The river provided a barrier from further British attacks, at least for the moment, because Washington had ensured the destruction of every boat for miles around.
It was then that British General William Howe made a decision with serious ramifications for the British war effort. The weather had become much worse, and Howe decided to retire to winter quarters in New York City. He left behind a series of outposts in New Jersey to protect the ground that he’d won.
Washington did not realize that Howe was gone (or he may have thought that it was all a trick). He had roughly 6,000 men fit for duty, but many of those enlistments would end on New Year’s Day. He needed to recruit new soldiers or inspire the old ones to stay. The year had gone badly, and he needed to end it on a high note. On Christmas Eve, he met with his officers, and they finalized the details of a surprise attack. The army would go back across the Delaware in three different locations. The men would march to Trenton during the early morning hours, and they would attack before sunrise.
Washington’s army began its crossing on Christmas night. One of the American officers, Henry Knox, later described the “almost infinite difficulty” created by the icy conditions in the Delaware River. Making matters worse, a northeaster sprang up during the night. The bad news was that it made the crossing more difficult; the good news was that it covered up any noise created by the Americans.
Amazingly, the army managed to cross—even getting horses and cannon across the river. Yet the conditions were so difficult that the army completed its crossing 3 hours later than planned. Washington knew that the element of surprise might be difficult to achieve if his troops arrived after sunrise, but he determined to push on anyway. They had come too far to turn back now.
Washington could not know that the officers in charge of the other two crossings along the Delaware had called off their own troops, deeming the crossing too difficult. Washington’s planned three-pronged attack was down to only one.
The army pushed on relentlessly, through snow and ice. Knox would later write that the march was made “with the most profound silence.” Another lieutenant later wrote that Washington rode among the men, repeatedly telling them: “For God’s sake keep with your officers.” The weather was so severe that two men literally froze to death during the course of the night.
The army reached its destination, outside Trenton, at about 8 a.m. on December 26, three hours later than planned and one full hour after sunrise. Could the element of surprise be maintained?
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The Ridgewood blog wishes to commemorate the attack on Peal Harbor , on December 7, 1941 Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and six other military bases on the Hawaiian island of Oahu precipitated America’s entry into World War II.
Pearl Harbor endures as a symbol of American resilience and resolve, and the annual commemoration of the attack on Pearl Harbor fosters reflection, remembrance, and understanding.
This year is the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and is an opportunity to honor the sacrifice and dedication of our “Greatest Generation” both civilian and military.
December 7, 1941, the “date which will live in infamy.” It would thrust America into World War II, changing Hawaii and America forever .The events of that date triggered our resolve as a nation, our can-do attitude and resourcefulness and an unmatched commitment to the defense of freedom.
From the Library of Congress :
On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor External, Hawaii Territory, killing more than 2,300 Americans. The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S. Oklahoma capsized. A total of twelve ships sank or were beached in the attack and nine additional vessels were damaged. More than 160 aircraft were destroyed and more than 150 others damaged.
A hurried dispatch from the ranking United States naval officer in Pearl Harbor, Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel, Commander in Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet, to all major navy commands and fleet units provided the first official word of the attack at the ill-prepared Pearl Harbor base. It said simply: AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL.
The following day, in an address to a joint session of Congress, President Franklin Roosevelt called December 7, 1941 “a date which will live in infamy.” Congress then declared War on Japan, abandoning the nation’s isolationism policy and ushering the United States into World War II. Within days, Japan’s allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States, and the country began a rapid transition to a wartime economy by building up armaments in support of military campaigns in the Pacific, North Africa, and Europe.
Independence Day, or the Fourth of July, celebrates the adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. On the 236th birthday of the United States, explore nine surprising facts about one of America’s most important founding documents
When reading the Declaration of Independence, it is easy to focus only on the sweeping language of the second paragraph and skip over the names and mutual pledge of the signers at its conclusion.
Though the principles enunciated in its opening paragraphs, such as the self-evident truth that all men are created equal, provide the moral and philosophical foundation on which the American regime rests, it is important to acknowledge that declaring principles alone secures nothing.
Principles need to be enforced by individuals who have the habits of character necessary to fight for them, and perhaps even die for them, if need be. In a time where talk of rights dominates our political discourse, a focus on duties is indispensable in order to teach citizens the responsibilities they owe toward each other and their posterity.
The signers’ mutual pledge to themselves to sacrifice their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for the cause of independence shows that these men took seriously their duties to the people of the new nation.
A look at the historical record will show this to be beyond dispute.
Of the 56 men who signed the declaration, 12 fought in battles as members of state militias, five were captured and imprisoned during the Revolutionary War, 17 lost property as a result of British raids, and five lost their fortunes in helping fund the Continental Army and state militias battle the redcoats.
Below we will explore the sacrifices the signers made on behalf of the American cause.
Thomas Heyward Jr., Edward Rutledge, and Arthur Middleton
Thomas Heyward Jr. of South Carolina was a signer of both the declaration and the Articles of Confederation. Heyward drew the ire of the British when, as a circuit court judge, he presided over the trial of several loyalists who were found guilty of treason. The prisoners were summarily executed in full view of British troops. In 1779, he joined the South Carolina militia as a captain of artillery.
Heyward’s compatriot in the South Carolina delegation, Edward Rutledge, also served in the state militia. At age 26, Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. After returning home from attending the Second Continental Congress in 1777, he joined the militia as captain of an artillery battalion.
Both Heyward and Rutledge aided their country in the battle at Port Royal Island, where they helped Gen. Moultrie defeat British Maj. William Gardiner and his troops.
Arthur Middleton, the last of the South Carolina delegation who served in the militia, took up arms against the British during the siege of Charleston in 1780. His fellow signers, Heyward and Rutledge, fought in that battle as well.
Upon the surrender of Charleston, all three men were captured by the British and were sent to a prison in St. Augustine, Florida, which was reserved for people the British thought were particularly dangerous. They were held there for almost a year before being released. On route to Philadelphia for a prisoner exchange in July 1781, Heyward almost drowned. He survived his fall overboard by clinging to the ship’s rudder until he could be rescued.
During the British occupation of Charleston, Commandant Nisbet Balfour ordered the seizure of many estates in Charleston, including those owned by Heyward and Middleton.
During his imprisonment, Heyward’s wife died at home, and his estate and property were heavily damaged. Rutledge’s estate was left intact, but his family had to sell many of their belongings in order to make the trip to Philadelphia to reunite with him after his release. Middleton’s estate was left relatively untouched, but his collection of rare paintings was destroyed during the British occupation of his home.
Thomas Nelson Jr.
Thomas Nelson Jr. of the Commonwealth of Virginia was appointed to the position of brigadier general and commander-in-chief of the Virginia militia by Gov. Patrick Henry in August 1777. At that time it was thought that the British would be making a full scale invasion of the state. Nelson was able to muster only a few hundred men to defend Virginia, but the British instead decided to attack Philadelphia.
Nelson inherited a vast family fortune, much of which he used to support the American effort. He personally paid for the return journey home of 70 troops he had led to meet the British in Philadelphia during the summer of 1778. In the spring of 1780, Nelson signed his name to a loan for $2 million that was needed to purchase provisions for the French fleet that was coming to America’s aid in the war.
As then-governor of Virginia, during the Battle of Yorktown he ordered American troops to fire upon his mansion, which had been commandeered by Gen. Cornwallis and his men.
Richard Stockton
A member of the New Jersey delegation, Richard Stockton, had his estate commandeered by the British for use as a headquarters. As they left, British troops burned all his personal effects—including his library, private papers, furniture, and clothes.
Though Stockton was in hiding at the time, he ultimately did not escape capture; a traitor led the British to his position in November 1776. He was held captive in Amboy, New Jersey, and was then sent to New York City where he was imprisoned in a jail reserved for common criminals. Incensed by his treatment, Congress worked with British Gen. William Howe to obtain his release.
George Walton
Because of his small build and stature, George Walton was thought to be the youngest of the signers of the declaration (he was actually in his mid-30s). He hailed from Georgia and served as colonel in the first regiment of the state militia in 1778. During the siege of Savannah, a cannonball broke Walton’s leg, which led to his being captured. He was held captive for nine months and was released in the early fall of 1779 in a prisoner exchange for a British navy captain.
At the same time Walton was held prisoner, his wife Dorothy was captured by the British. She was imprisoned on an island in the West Indies and was eventually freed after a prisoner exchange. During the Waltons’ confinement, the British ransacked their home.
George Clymer
British troops destroyed the home of George Clymer of Pennsylvania in September 1777 when they captured Philadelphia. Though his home was outside of the city, it was right in the middle of the path of the British march. American loyalists pointed out to the British homes belonging to patriots, which of course included Clymer’s estate.
Clymer also contributed to the war monetarily. He converted his entire fortune into continental currency, a risky move considering the likelihood that the currency would be rendered worthless. He also told wealthy friends to contribute to the American cause.
Robert Morris
A delegate from Pennsylvania, Robert Morris helped insure Washington’s victory at Yorktown by using his own credit to obtain the supplies necessary to defeat the British. He spent more than $1 million (not adjusted for inflation) of his own money to accomplish this.
While serving as superintendent of finance of the United States, Morris regularly used his own financial resources to obtain much needed supplies. Using his own funds, for example, he purchased one thousand barrels of flour for Washington’s men in late spring of 1778.
Lewis Morris
Lewis Morris of New York served as a major general in the state militia. Morris devoted himself to recruiting men to serve in the militia and to help keep supplies up, which was a constant problem. For almost the entire length of the war, the British occupied his home, Morrisania, and used it as their headquarters. This forced Morris to live off of his close friends and associates until the war ended in 1783.
John Hancock
John Hancock of Massachusetts, the man with the largest signature on the declaration, served in the militia as major general in 1778. Hancock was put in command of approximately 6,000 men during the Rhode Island campaign. That campaign was ultimately unsuccessful because the French failed to carry out their end of the bargain.
Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney served in the Delaware militia as well, attaining the rank of brigadier general. Rodney famously road on horseback straight from Dover to Philadelphia to cast his vote in favor of declaring independence (the Delaware delegation was split). He was with his men in the field during the brutal winter of 1776, helped quash an uprising in Delaware (there were a large number of loyalists within the state), and helped in George Washington’s effort to defend Philadelphia from being taken by the British.
Carter Braxton
Carter Braxton of the Virginia delegation accumulated massive personal debts helping the American effort in the war. He loaned 10,000 pounds sterling to Congress, which was never repaid. He also spent much of his wealth outfitting American ships so that they could carry more cargo. Due to the British capturing some of his vessels and others being lost out on the high seas, he suffered great financial calamity. These accumulated losses left him bankrupt by war’s end.
Oliver Wolcott
A delegate from Connecticut, Oliver Wolcott served as captain and then major general in the state militia. In 1776, he was appointed to lead 14 regiments in defense of New York City. He also commanded thousands of men in the Battle of Saratoga. Wolcott worked tirelessly to recruit for the Connecticut militia, which, like the army in general, was sorely lacking in numbers within its ranks.
William Whipple
William Whipple of New Hampshire served as brigadier general in the state militia. He fought against Gen. Burgoyne at the battles of Stillwater and Saratoga (commonly pointed to as the turning point for Americans in the war) in 1777. The following year, Whipple participated in the retaking of Rhode Island.
Thomas McKean
Thomas McKean of Delaware served as colonel in the Delaware state militia. Once McKean was appointed to the office of President of Delaware in 1777, he was targeted by the British (the British captured John McKinley, the previous president). He had to move his family on five occasions because of raids by both the British and local Indian tribes.
Francis Lewis
Francis Lewis of New York signed the declaration on August 2, 1776. Although he was present when independence was declared a month earlier, the New York delegation did not get permission from the state’s legislature to sign the document. A few months after affixing his signature on the declaration, British troops destroyed the Long Island estate of Lewis. They took Lewis’ wife and put her in prison where she was tortured on a regular basis. Under the direction of George Washington, she was finally returned in a prisoner exchange two years later.
Benjamin Franklin
Known as the sage of Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest of the signers of the declaration. Prior to setting sail for France in late 1776 to ask the French for assistance in the war, Franklin gave his entire fortune to Congress to help fund the war.
John Hart
Hessian mercenaries plundered signer John Hart’s 400-acre farm outside of Hopewell, New Jersey. Prior to his farm being captured, Hart was forced to leave his family because of advancing British troops. During his absence, his wife died, and his children were sent to live with neighbors.
William Ellery
The estate of William Ellery of Delaware was burned down during the British occupation of Newport, Rhode Island. Ellery served in the Second Continental Congress until the British left Newport, which they held for three years. He returned home in order to salvage what was left of his property.
Joseph Hewes
With his fortunes built on trade, Joseph Hewes of North Carolina was a vigorous proponent of the decision of the First Continental Congress to cut off all imports and exports with the British. This of course had the effect of drying up his wealth. Interestingly, Hewes also renounced his Quaker religion in order to support the war.
James Smith
A delegate from Pennsylvania, James Smith served in the Pennsylvania militia as captain, colonel, and then as brigadier general. He was one of the first to raise men for the possibility of defending his home state, a duty he took up beginning as early as 1774.
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison of Virginia, whose son and grandson both served as U.S. presidents, complained in a letter to Gov. William Livingston of New Jersey that his debts had accumulated substantially because of the “ravages” and “plunderings” of the British.
William Floyd
While William Floyd of New York served as a delegate in the Second Continental Congress, the British sacked his estate, forcing his family to flee. Though they made it safely to Connecticut, his family was left without a home for the duration of the war.
William Hooper
William Hooper of North Carolina outlasted British raiders who were looking to capture him and his family. In 1782, he and his family fled Wilmington after it fell to the British. Though much of his property was destroyed, he and his family were reunited at the conclusion of the war.
Lyman Hall
The British destroyed the home and plantation of Lyman Hall of Georgia. Luckily, his family escaped before the British arrived and moved up North to be with him.
Ridgewood NJ, Prior to the iron plow, plowing a new field was hard work. Due to friction, it could take three men and several animals to turn a furrow when the ground was hard.
On April 1, 1807, New Jersey native David Peacock was granted a patent for an iron plow. But three only years after his patent was granted, he was successfully sued by another New Jersey native – Charles Newbold of Burlington County.
It turned out that Newbold had received a patent for a cast-iron plow in June, 1797. And even though he won $1500, early American farmers mistrusted Newbold’s plow, saying it “poisoned the soil” and encouraged weeds. So it was Peacock’s iron plow that came into use – and farming had its first labor saving device!
To learn more about farm life in Ridgewood hundreds of years ago, and howfarmers, their wives and children lived off the land, harvested food, prepared meals and developed a prosperous economy in the 18th and 19th Century, come to the
Schoolhouse Museum’s new exhibit “Farm and Home” using artifacts from the 18th and 19th century.
Schoolhouse Museum’s new exhibit “Farm and Home” using artifacts from the The Museum is located at 650 E. Glen Ave., Ridgewood, NJ, and visiting hours are Thursdays and Saturdays; 1 to 3 p.m. and Sundays; 2 to 4 p.m.
Exploring Our Agrarian Roots with Artifacts from the 18th and 19th Centuries
“A unique opportunity to see what life in Ridgewood was like hundreds of years ago.”
Ridgewood NJ, On March 20, 2016, between 2PM and 4 PM, the Ridgewood Historical Society’s Schoolhouse Museum will debut its new Exhibit – “Farm and Home”.This exhibit will show how farmers, their wives and children lived off the land, cleared forests, harvested food, prepared meals and developed a prosperous economy in 18th and 19th Century Ridgewood.
Using objects donated to the Museum over many decades, this exhibit will display a wide variety of objects from this period, including Lenape implements, early Dutch artifacts, farm tools, home furnishings, textiles and quilts, early cookbooks, and kitchenware.
Open to the public, the Schoolhouse Museum is located at 650 E. Glen Ave., Ridgewood, NJ. Museum’s hours are Thursdays and Saturdays; 1 to 3 p.m. and Sundays; 2 to 4 p.m.
To contact the Museum: 201-447 3242 or ridgewoodhistoricalsociety@verizon.net
On January 15, 1967, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 to win the first Super Bowl. As the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos prepare to take the field for Super Bowl 50, read about 10 ways in which the hastily arranged first Super Bowl differed from today’s modern-day sporting spectacle.
In June 1966, the venerable National Football League (NFL) signed an agreement to merge with the upstart, seven-year-old American Football League (AFL) after the completion of the 1969 season. In the interim, the two rival leagues agreed to stage an annual season-ending contest between their respective champions. The first Super Bowl featured the Green Bay Packers, who had defeated the Dallas Cowboys to win the NFL title, against the Kansas City Chiefs, who had beaten the Buffalo Bills to capture the AFL crown. Legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi, who had never so much as watched an AFL game on television, was wound extra tight leading up to the game. He felt pressure not only to win—but to win big. “We got to win by 21 points to prove that the National Football League is superior to the AFL,” Lombardi told his team, which were 13.5-point favorites. The Packers ultimately won by 25 points.
AFL principal founder and Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt suggested that the new championship game be known as the “Super Bowl,” an idea inspired by the ultra-bouncy Super Ball toy from Wham-O—producers of the Frisbee and Hula Hoop—that was popular with his kids and millions of others across America in the 1960s. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, however, thought the name too gimmicky and lacking the weight worthy of his league. He suggested calling the championship game the “Pro Bowl” or even “The Big One” before settling on the “AFL-NFL World Championship Game.” That was quite a mouthful, however, for fans, journalists and broadcasters who instead followed Hunt’s lead and referred to the game informally as the “Super Bowl.” Not until the championship game’s third edition did Rozelle agree to follow suit and officially refer to the game as the Super Bowl.
