Recent Programs - 2020
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Hopewell Valley Historical Society regularly sponsors community programs on local history, often in partnership with the Hopewell Museum and the Pennington Library. These programs typically are free and open to the public.
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Tales of Blawenburg
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Sat., March 7, 2020 - 2 pm
Blawenburg Church, 424 Route 518, Skillman, NJ 08558 Free and open to the public The Van Harlingen Historical Society and Blawenburg Church present a free afternoon of history for the community. A multimedia presentation by local educator and author David Cochran will chronicle several periods in the history of Blawenburg. Also self-guided tours of the 1830 sanctuary, and Blawenburg history exhibits. More information. |
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Kickoff Event to Celebrate Hopewell Township’s 320th Anniversary
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Sun., Feb. 23, 2020 - Activities begin 1 pm, talks at 2:30 pm
Hopewell Township Municipal Complex 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ 08560 Free and open to the public, all welcome
Three historians and local residents, Ian Burrow, Richard Hunter, and Joseph Klett, will co-present on the founding of Hopewell as a kick-off to the 320th anniversary of the creation of Hopewell Township (founded on February 20, 1700). The event will be held on February 23, 2020, in the auditorium of the Hopewell Township Municipal Complex, located at 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville NJ 08560. In the event of bad weather, the event will be postponed to March 1, 2020. The activities begin at 1 PM, and the talk will occur at 2:30 PM. Ian Burrow is an archaeologist, conservationist, and former partner in Hunter Research, Inc., Trenton, N.J. He will discuss the local Delaware (Lenape) Indians, and what is known about their culture, sites, trails, and interaction with the first European settlers. He will discuss the 1688/1689 purchase and survey of the 30,000-acre Hopewell tract by Dr. Daniel Coxe, and the items paid to the Indian representatives in exchange for the land. Richard Hunter is current president of Hopewell Valley Historical Society, and Principal of Hunter Research, Inc., a Trenton-based historic preservation consulting firm. He will discuss the geography of the “valley” and how this determined the pattern of European settlement (and to a lesser extent, Native American settlement). He will address landforms, rivers, soil fertility, and the evolution of roads, the canal and railroads, water power, mill sites, and extractive industries. Joseph Klett is president of The Hopewell Museum and Executive Director of the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton. He will speak about the establishment of Hopewell Township, which originally included the present-day township as well as Pennington and Hopewell boroughs, Ewing Township, and much of Trenton. He will also discuss the process and sources involved in a map of Old Hopewell and Vicinity, 1680-1720, currently in development for the Museum and Historical Society by himself and others. Hopewell Township's founding documents (held by the State Archives) will be on display for the event. These include the 1688 Indian deed, the 1689 Coxe survey, the 1700 court book establishing the township, and Hopewell's 1755 royal charter. Original New Jersey wampum will also be exhibited, as well as the current draft of the map noted above and other materials illustrating the purchase of the Hopewell tract. Activities for children K-8 are planned which center around wampum, the polished shell beads used by Native Americans and Europeans in early colonial times both as money, for ceremonial pledges, and for personal decoration. We will string “fathoms” of wampum, and learn how to exchange them for other trade goods. In order for us to better plan the activities, please RSVP to hvhist@aol.com to tell us you are coming (requested, but not required). This program is made possible, in part, by a New Jersey Historical Commission history regrant from the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission. This event is co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, The Hopewell Museum and Hopewell Township. |
Download flyer (PDF)
Ian Burrow
Richard Hunter
Joseph Klett
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