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This Year's Past Programs - 2022

The Hopewell Valley Historical Society regularly sponsors community programs on local history, often in partnership with the Hopewell Museum. These programs typically are free and open to the public.
Recent 2022 Programs: Next:  Past Programs 2021
See also:

Washington Crossing: The History and the Parks
     Presented by Robert Sands and Patricia Millen

         Sun., July 24, 2022 - 2 pm ET
             In person at The Barn at Gravity Hill, 67 Pleasant Valley Road, Titusville, NJ
             Or online virtual presentation via Zoom -> Register here for online only
    Washington Crossing is one of America’s most revered historic landmarks, memorializing the Christmas evening in 1776 that General George Washington and his army crossed the ice-choked Delaware in the middle of a driving snow storm to attack the British-Hessian garrison in Trenton, NJ — turning the tide of the American Revolution.
    Robert Sands and Patricia Millen, authors of the recently-published book Images of America: Washington Crossing, will explore the story of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River, and the creation of both of the parks that mark its place, Washington Crossing State Park in New Jersey, created in 1912, and Washington Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania, created in 1917.
    The talk will be illustrated with never-before-seen photographs of both of the parks and the people who worked to create them. The authors also will examine Emanuel Leutze’s famous 1851 masterpiece, Washington Crossing the Delaware, and its importance as a symbol of American patriotism.
    Copies of the new book will be available to purchase and to have autographed by the authors.
   Robert W. Sands Jr. holds a MA in museum professions from Seton Hall University. He is the author of three previous Images of America books: Glassboro, Woodbury, and Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
    Patricia E. Millen holds a degree in American Studies. An author of two books, including Baseball and the Civil War, and numerous articles, she began her career at Washington Crossing State Park and is a founding board member of the Washington Crossing Park Association.
​
Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and the Washington Crossing Park Association.

- Attend in person at The Barn at Gravity Hill - 67 Pleasant Valley Road, Titusville, NJ 08560  - No registration required
​Directions:
  • From Pennington - Turn left off Route 31 onto Pennington Harbourton Road. Continue as it turns into Pleasant Valley Road. The farm is about 5 1/2 miles up, on your left after you pass Valley Road.
  • From Lambertville - Head south on Route 29 about 3 miles. Turn left onto Pleasant Valley Road. The farm is about 1.2 miles up, on your right.
  • From Trenton - Head north on Route 29 about 11 miles. Turn right onto Pleasant Valley Road. The farm is about 1.2 miles up, on your right.
  • The Barn is the first RIGHT as you go up the driveway.

- Attend the online virtual presentation via Zoom -> Register here for online only
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Washington Crossing book - The cover image is from a reenactment of the crossing as part of a 1947 fraternity gag by Rider University students.
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Hopewell Township resident and artist, Mary Brower sits along the banks of the Delaware in 1898, painting in the plein-air at the Washington Crossing covered bridge. [Robert G. Meszaros]
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Download Flyer (PDF)

Discovering Local History Online: Exploring Seminary Ave.
​     Presented by Douglas Dixon

         Wed., July 6, 2022 - 7 pm ET
             In person at the Hopewell Theater, 5 South Greenwood, Hopewell, NJ
             Or online virtual presentation via Zoom -> Register here for online only
  How can we find out about our local history – people and families, places and businesses?
  In this presentation, Doug Dixon of the Hopewell Valley History Project will demonstrate how researching in a variety of online resources (many free) can weave together interesting stories of our local history.
  The test case for this presentation is the apparently undistinguished Seminary Avenue, which turns out to have been a “starter street” for Hopewell since it was opened around 1880. The mix of subdivided buildings with apartments and storefronts provided places where young families and small businesses could establish themselves in a growing town – from barbers and bakers and butchers, to clothing and grocery stores, plus a theatre, firehouse, and library.
  Doug will explore the stories of the amazing variety of people and businesses that developed along this street, illustrated by sources including maps and photos, books and references, deeds and census records, newspaper articles and obituaries – and enhanced by the memories of local people and family members.
See References for expanded presentation slides, and related history briefs 
  Doug Dixon is an independent technology consultant and writer, now morphed into a history enthusiast. He is a board member of The Hopewell Museum and the Hopewell Valley Historical Society.
  Over the past few years, Doug has developed the Hopewell Valley History Project (HopewellHistoryProject.org), working with some 90 local contributors to collect and freely share digital copies of local historical materials – now with some 500 documents and maps, 2800 images and videos, and an interactive historical map of Hopewell.
  As a software technologist, Doug specializes in Web technology, databases, and digital media. He has authored four books on digital media, published hundreds of feature articles, and presented over a hundred seminars and talks.​

Hopewell Public Library “Wednesday Night Out” Series
Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and The Hopewell Museum

- Attend the event in person at the Hopewell Theater, 5 South Greenwood Ave, Hopewell, NJ. The event is free and open to the public – No registration is required. (See the Hopewell Theater website for masking and vaccination ID requirements.)
- Or attend the event online via Zoom – Register here for online only​
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Harry Cox Shaving Parlor c1907
[HVHS Calendar]
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Cox Barber shop with Pool Room addition on back [1912 Sanborn Fire Map]
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Download Flyer (PDF)

Preserving Family Photographs
     Presented by Gary Saretzky

         Thurs., June 9, 2022 - 7 pm ET
             Online virtual presentation via Zoom
             Registration Required -> Register here (through the Pennington Public Library)
Since the introduction of photographic portrait studios in 1840, photographs have been among the most treasured of family records. However, while most photographs are long-lasting when stored optimally in archives, they are all too often prone to fading and discoloration in the home environment.  In this presentation, Gary Saretzky will provide guidance on how the life of family photographs can be extended so that they can be passed down to future generations.  The lecture includes examples of how old photographs can be enhanced or restored in the computer after digitization.
Video available until Aug. 12, 2022
Gary D. Saretzky, archivist and photographer, worked as an archivist for more than fifty years at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Educational Testing Service, and the Monmouth County Archives, where he was County Archivist from 1994 to 2019.  A member of the Photographic Materials Group of the American Institute for Conservation, Saretzky taught the history of photography at Mercer County Community College, 1977-2012.  He has published more than 100 articles and reviews on the history of photography, photographic conservation, and other topics, including “Nineteenth-Century New Jersey Photographers,” in the journal, New Jersey History, Fall/Winter 2004. See his website at Saretzky.com.
​
Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, The Hopewell Museum, and the Pennington Public Library.
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A woman smiling for her cabinet card, around 1890 by Farrett Bros., Waterbury, Conn.
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Gary Saretzky
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Download Flyer (PDF)

Hopewell Valley Heritage Week

         May 21 - 30, 2022
Hopewell Valley Heritage Week is back, May 21 - 30, 2022, celebrating the rich heritage of the Hopewell Valley with a full week of events, some virtual and others outdoors. This year’s theme is If You Build It They Will Come—Early American Arts, Crafts & Trades in Hopewell Valley. 

Pennington Historic District Walking Tour
     Organizer: Pennington Borough Historic Preservation Commission

         Two tours:  Sat., May 28, 2022 - 2:00 - 3:00 PM and 3:30 - 4:30 PM
         Free, but limited places - Pre-registration Required - Use links above

Join Eric Holtermann and Jack Davis of the Pennington Borough Historic Preservation Commission for a 60-minute walking tour of Pennington’s Historic District. During the tour, Eric, an architect and preservationist, will offer insight into the district’s buildings, periods and styles, while Jack, a local history researcher, will add historical context about the town and people. 

The tour is free. The walk will take about one hour, and will cover 1 mile. You will receive additional info upon registration. Wear comfortable shoes. ​

We are offering the tour at two times: 2 pm and 3:30 pm. Click the links above to reserve a place.

A Hopewell Valley Heritage Week event, co-sponsored by the Pennington Borough Historic Preservation Commission.
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Pennington map - Fowler (1887)

American Indian Artifacts and Tools
     Presented by the Hopewell Museum

         Fri. and Sat., May 27 and 28, 2022
             The Hopewell Museum, 28 E. Broad St., Hopewell, NJ

Fri. May 27 - 10:30 am & 2 pm - Make Your Own Wampum Bracelet - Children 7 and older
​
Sat. May 28 - 1 pm - Native American Artifacts from the Hopewell Valley
Sat. May 28 - 1:45 pm - Native American Stone Tool Making - Jack Cresson
Sat. May 28 - 3:15 pm - "The Arrowhead Roadshow" - Bring in artifacts to be identified

Join our local archeological experts at the Hopewell Museum as we explore the tools and technologies of the American Indians of the Hopewell Valley—9,000 years ago to today. We'll highlight the skill and artistry of the Native American Indians of Hopewell Valley by examining the many types of stone tools they have left behind.

​This multipart program will include a discussion of the Hopewell Museum's American Indian Collection, a demonstration of Native American tool-making by a nationally known expert, and our “Arrowhead Roadshow” where you can bring your personal artifacts for identification by experts! ​

See the Hopewell Valley Heritage Week event page for more information.
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Wampum bracelets
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Native American stone tools

Skills Developed by a Free Hunterdon County Black Man: 1754-1836
     Presented by Larry Kidder

         Tues., May 24, 2022 - 7 pm ET
             Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library
                      245 Pennington-Titusville Rd., Pennington, NJ
             Free, but limited space - 
                      ​Registration Required -> Register here (through the Mercer County Library)
This is the story of Jacob Francis who was born free in Amwell Township, served as an indentured servant to age 21, served in the Continental Army – including the Battle of Trenton – and New Jersey militia, then established himself against all odds as a successful farmer. He interacted with many enslaved people, including the woman he married and set free, and helped his son develop skills to be an important abolitionist seeking not just an end to enslavement but also racial equality. Throughout his life, Jacob developed many physical and mental skills needed to overcome the racist obstacles that society placed in his path. The life of Jacob Francis and the family he created with his wife, Mary, richly illustrates how human beings often have to reach deeply and persistently to acquire and use important skills. 
​
Larry Kidder is a retired history teacher who taught for 40 years, including 32 years at The Hun School of Princeton. He is a graduate of Allegheny College (BA 1967, MS 1969) and served four years in the US Navy. Larry has been a volunteer historian and historical interpreter for the Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell for over 30 years and is a member of the board of the Princeton Battlefield Society where he focuses on educational programs and battlefield tours. He is a past president of the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and has served on the board for many years. The author of two books on rural New Jersey history and three on aspects of the American Revolution in Mercer County, Larry is a frequent speaker throughout New Jersey. He has also been a presenter at conferences on the American Revolution in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York. For more of Larry's projects and books, visit his website, wlkidderhistorian.com.

A Hopewell Valley Heritage Week event, co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library.
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Farming woodcut
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Black Continental Soldier
T. Payton, 1997, National Park Service
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Larry Kidder
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Download Flyer (PDF)

Seminary Avenue Historic Walking Tour
     Presented by Douglas Dixon, Hopewell Valley History Project

         Sat., May 21 - Mon. May 23, 2022
         Free, but limited places - Pre-registration Required
Join Doug Dixon of the Hopewell Valley History Project for this one-hour historic walking tour of Seminary Avenue in Hopewell Borough – plus two more blocks to Gazebo Park. Explore the stories of the people and businesses of this nondescript street that helped to provide the initiative and energy to help a small village grow into a prosperous town.

The one block of Seminary Avenue off East Broad Street in Hopewell Borough is rather prosaic; It has no architecturally distinguished homes, or well-known buildings, or historical markers. But once it was opened around 1880 after the arrival of the railroad, Seminary became a “starter street” for Hopewell, a place to find subdivided buildings with apartments and storefronts where young families and small businesses could establish themselves in a new town, and grow and prosper.

​Tours will be held the first weekend of Hopewell Valley Heritage Week - Sat. 5/21 at 11 am & 2 pm, Sun. 5/22 at 1 pm & 3 pm, and Mon 5/23 at 2 pm. There is no cost, but places are limited, so registration is required.

A Hopewell Valley Heritage Week event, co-sponsored by the Hopewell Public Library.
See more information on the walking tour on the History Project site.
  • See References for the walking tour and historic buildings on the History Project site
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Schanck’s Market on Seminary Ave. - 1946
Courtesy Phyllis Bowen Schanck

Liberty: Don Troiani's Paintings of the Revolutionary War
     Presented by Matthew Skic

         Mon., April 18, 2022 - 7 pm ET
             Online virtual presentation via GotoMeeting
             Registration Required -> Register here (through the Mercer County Library)
             Note: The MCL uses GoToMeeting for video webinars - see GoToMeeting Installation Instructions (PDF)
Join Matthew Skic, Curator of Exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, for an exciting look at the artistic career of Don Troiani, America's foremost historical military artist. For the very first time in a museum exhibit, nearly 50 of Don Troiani's original paintings of the Revolutionary War are now on display at the Museum of the American Revolution. Matthew will discuss Troiani's artistic process, how Troiani uses his collection of historic military antiques in his work, and the significance of Troiani's paintings to our understanding of the Revolutionary War. Liberty: Don Troiani's Paintings of the Revolutionary War is on view at the Museum of the American Revolution until September 5, 2022. Tickets and exhibit catalogs are available for purchase at amrevmuseum.org.
Matthew Skic serves as Curator of Exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Originally from Hopewell, NJ, he worked as an historical interpreter at Washington Crossing State Park during high school. Matthew went on to study history at American University and interned for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. He was a fellow in the University of Delaware’s Winterthur Program in American Material Culture and graduated with his master’s degree in 2016. Soon after graduation from the Winterthur Program, Matthew joined the curatorial team at the Museum of the American Revolution and helped open the Museum in 2017. He has curated multiple award-winning exhibitions and online projects since then. Matthew has also authored or co-authored three books: Among His Troops: Washington’s War Tent in a Newly Discovered Watercolor (2019), Cost of Revolution: The Life and Death of an Irish Soldier (2019), and Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War (2021). 
Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, The Hopewell Museum, and the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library.
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Matthew Skic
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Download Flyer (PDF)

Discussion Panel: Immigration Experiences in Hopewell Valley

         Sun., March 20, 2022 - 3 pm ET
             Online virtual presentation via Zoom
                 and in-person livestream at the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library
             Zoom Registration Required -> Register here (through the Pennington Public Library)
             Livestream Registration Required -> Register here (through the Mercer County Library)
             More Information (Pennington Public Library)
As part of the 2022 Big Read initiative, The Hopewell Museum, the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, and the Hopewell Branch of Mercer County Library are partnering with the Pennington Public Library to present a conversation on how local families with a primary, secondary or tertiary immigrant experiences move through this grand notion of the “American Dream.”

The NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. This year, the Pennington Public Library has organized an extensive program from February 26 through April 10, 2022, intending to bring our community together around one book and use this shared experience of reading, discussing and exploring the themes of the book as a stepping stone to learn from and listen to each other. 

The book selection for this year is the debut graphic novel memoir by Thi Bui, an intimate look at one family’s journey from their war-torn home in Vietnam to their new lives in America.
Facilitator: Ian Burrow, Owner at BurrowIntoHistory LLC
​Panelists:
  • Dr. David Angwenyi – Founder/CEO, Global Connections Kenya, Founder, Hopewell-Keroka Alliance
  • Kim T. Ha – Director, Pennington Public Library
  • Ellyn Ito – Executive Director, Seeds to Sew
  • Mikaela Levons – Director of Stakeholder Relations, Equal Justice USA
  • Committeewoman Uma Purandare – Hopewell Township Committee Member, Founder, Marathi School
  • Colby Cedar Smith – Author, Call Me Athena
About the speakers:
  • Ian Burrow is a semi-retired archaeologist. He was born, raised and educated in England. After working there for 10 years as a professional archaeologist, he emigrated to the United States with his American wife Cathe in 1988 to continue his archaeological career in New Jersey and surrounding states. He serves on the Board of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (among other things). Cathe was born in Canada. Their daughter is from Peru, and her husband Leo is Mexican/Costa Rican.
  • Dr. Angweni is an educator at Hopewell Regional School District. He is the Founder/CEO of Global Connections Kenya, a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise funds to support students to implement projects that help link American communities with villages in Kenya. He is also Founder of Hopewell-Keroka Alliance, a non-profit organization that links Hopewell Valley Community with the Keroka area of South Western Kenya for the purpose of improving people’s lives in the villages.
  • Kim T. Ha has been Director of the Pennington Library for the past ten years. She is a goals-driven, community-oriented leader with a collaborative style that fosters individual creativity and empowers others by encouraging them to take ownership of their work. Ms. Ha is inspired by how public libraries open worlds of possibilities to people of all backgrounds. Libraries have been a cornerstone of her life from the youngest age, thanks to her Vietnamese immigrant parents taking her to local libraries weekly where she borrowed piles of books nearly as tall as herself!
  • Ms. Ito has served in executive roles in both public and private companies and serves on the board of several organizations. She is currently the CEO and co-founder of Within Health, a greater-good company offering medication-free electroceuticals to improve health and mental wellness. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of Seeds to Sew International, a non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of women and girls in compromised communities. Ms. Ito’s social justice focus fuels her passion to create opportunities for those less fortunate.
  • Mikaela Levons is Director of Stakeholder Relations, Equal Justice USA. Mikaela Levons (she/her) is a native of Kingston, Jamaica, who spends her days connecting generous people and institutions who want to invest in community safety with the work of Equal Justice USA. She ensures that EJUSA has the resources to transform the justice system by promoting responses to violence that break cycles of trauma. She’s a Trustee of Young Audiences of NJ and Eastern PA (YA), which inspires young people and expands their learning through the arts, and also serves on the board of the Fergus Simpson Foundation, a non-profit operating in rural Jamaica.
  • Uma Purandare is a Hopewell Township Committee Member and Founder of the Marathi Language School. She is on the Township’s Board of Health and is the liaison to the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, the Environmental Commission, and the Senior Advisory Board. Uma Purandare has been a Girl Scout troop leader and a member of the PTO, has managed A-Z Mentoring to provide free tutoring to underprivileged children, and started Marathi Language School for families and neighboring communities. She volunteers with the Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry.
  • Colby Cedar Smith is an award-winning poet, novelist, and educator. She has spent the last fifteen years teaching writing and storytelling workshops in schools, art museums, community centers, university classrooms, non-profits, and corporations. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications and she is the recipient of a 2020 Poetry Fellowship from the New Jersey Council on the Arts. Call Me Athena, A Girl From Detroit, is a novel in verse loosely based on her grandmother’s immigrant experiences.

Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, The Hopewell Museum, and the Pennington Public Library.
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Ian Burrow
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Dr. David Angwenyi
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Kim T. Ha
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Ellyn Ito
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Mikaela Levons
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Uma Purandare
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Colby Cedar Smith

The Revolutionary World of a Free Black Man: Jacob Francis, 1754-1836
     Presented by Larry Kidder

         Thurs., February 3, 2022 - 7 pm ET
             Online virtual presentation via GotoMeeting
             Registration Required -> Register here (through the Mercer County Library)
             Note: The MCL uses GoToMeeting for video webinars - see GoToMeeting Installation Instructions (PDF)
Born in Amwell Township to a free Black mother, Jacob Francis lived his 82-year life in a world of revolutionary change. He became caught up in the rising tide of revolution in the 1760s and 70s and served in the Continental Army, including at the Battle of Trenton, and then the New Jersey militia. Establishing himself as a farmer, he married an enslaved woman named Mary, freed her and they raised their eight children in the vicinity of Flemington during a period of rising interest in abolition. The story of Jacob Francis and his family provides us with an inside view of life in New Jersey in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and the revolutionary changes affecting the lives of both free and enslaved Black people.

Larry Kidder is a retired history teacher who taught for 40 years, including 32 years at The Hun School of Princeton. He is a graduate of Allegheny College (BA 1967, MS 1969) and served four years in the US Navy. Larry has been a volunteer historian and historical interpreter for the Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell for over 30 years and is a member of the board of the Princeton Battlefield Society where he focuses on educational programs and battlefield tours. He is a past president of the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and has served on the board for many years. The author of two books on rural New Jersey history and three on aspects of the American Revolution in Mercer County, Larry is a frequent speaker throughout New Jersey. He has also been a presenter at conferences on the American Revolution in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York. For more of Larry's projects and books, visit his website, wlkidderhistorian.com.

Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, The Hopewell Museum, and the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library.
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Headstones of Jacob and Mary Francis in the Flemington Baptist Church cemetery with veteran flag
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Larry Kidder
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Download Flyer (PDF)

Watermills of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed​​
     Presented by Richard Hunter

         Sun., January 23, 2022 - 2 pm ET
            -  Attend in person at the Watershed Institute, or via online Zoom virtual presentation
            - Registration Required for either option: Register here through the Watershed Institute
People have long been drawn to water, out of basic necessity, as a source of food resources, and more recently, for the power it can provide. Explore the history of the water-powered industry and the several dozen or so watermills of the Stony Brook-Millstone watershed. These range in date from the early 18th through the early 20th centuries, and cover a wide range of mill types, mostly grist and sawmills, but also many others, e.g., fulling, carding, woolen, cotton, flax, plaster, oil, clover, and more. Examine how these mills supported and shaped the communities within the watershed.
Richard Hunter has had a lifelong interest in mills going back to his pre-U.S. existence in the UK.  His doctoral dissertation at Rutgers was a historical geographical study of mill siting in the Stony Brook-Millstone and North Branch of the Raritan watersheds.  In his professional career as an archaeologist and cultural resource management specialist from the late 1970s onwards he has researched and excavated numerous water-powered industrial sites of many different types throughout the state and Mid-Atlantic region.  He has a particular obsession with tide mills, which sadly are a hydro-geographic impossibility in the Stony Brook-Millstone watershed.  Richard is founder and President of Hunter Research, Inc. a Trenton-based historic preservation and cultural resources consulting business, and has served on numerous state and local boards and commissions.  He is author of many articles and co-author (with Richard Porter) of Hopewell: A Historical Geography.  

You can attend this event in person or online - Registration is required for either option:
  • In person at The Watershed Institute, formerly the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association
    -     31 Titus Mill Road, Pennington, New Jersey 08534
  • Online virtual presentation via Zoom
  • Register here through the Watershed Institute for either in-person or Zoom attendance
​
Co-sponsored by the The Watershed Institute, the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, and The Hopewell Museum.
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Stony Brook Mill
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Richard Hunter
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Download Flyer (PDF)
    Next - Past Programs 2021
Hopewell Valley Historical Society
Box 371, Pennington, NJ 08534
hvhswebsite@gmail.com
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