The Cedar Grove Historical Society welcomes you to the Morgan Farm and Museum. This special property is a 14 acre site that was farmed continuously from the mid-1800's until 1985 when Courtenay Morgan donated the farm to the Township of Cedar Grove. Today the house functions as a museum depicting it much as it was in the early 1900's, with related farm equipment in the barn. Visitors are welcome every Wednesday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the third Saturday of every month from 2-4 p.m. or by appointment. Join us in some of our varied and interesting volunteer opportunities.
Meetings and Event Schedule: General Meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month during September, October, February, March, April and May. Meetings are held at the Cedar Grove Public Library beginning at 7:30 p.m. Cancellations will be on a recorded message at 973-239-5414
Allen B. Du Mont: Television Pioneer
At our April meeting, Trustee Phil Jaeger presented an interesting PowerPoint program about the contributions Allen Du Mont made in the development of television and how his work led to television as we know it today. In the 1930s Du Mont developed the cathode ray tube in the garage of his Cedar Grove home, a home that Jaeger occupies today. Later in that decade this innovation enabled Du Mont to sell America's first television sets.
History of Flags and Annin Flagmakers
At the March meeting of the Cedar Grove Histoical Society, Cedar Grove resident and former General Manager of Annin Flagmakers in Verona, Joe Vallone gave an interesting program on the history of flags and showed a video about the history of Annin Flagmakers since its inception in 1857. He displayed a large number of flags that were made by Annin.
Washington Commemorated on Coins and Medals
At the March meeting of the Historical Society Ray Williams presented an interesting program about the coins and medals where an image of George Washington appears. Mr. Williams said that George Washington did not approve of his image being put on coins, especially those minted in England. Nonetheless, President Washington's image appeared on coins or medals minted in many different countries. Mr. Williams shared his own collection of coins and medals by using a projector to show the coins on a screen. In this way he was able to show both sides of the objects and point our similarities and difference. At the end of the program he answered questions from the audience. Mr. Williams is a former resident of Cedar Grove. This is the third program he has presented tot he Society.
Holiday Open House
The Society's Annual Holiday Open House was held on Sunday December 2 from 2-4 p.m. Students from Memorial Middle School and Cedar Grove High School, under the direction of teachers Jennifer Jessen-Foose and Robert Savino, provided choral and instrumental music to entertain our visitors. Delicious holiday snacks, generously donated by our friends and members, helped to make the event memorable. Tours were provided to our many visitors.
The Morris Canal Yesterday and Today
Phil Jaeger, a trustee of the Society presented a PowerPoint program that followed the route of the Morris Canal from the Delaware River in Phillipsburg to the Hudson River at Jersey City. Many of the scenes were presented in a "then and now" format contrasting the canal when it was operating with the same scene in 2012.
Pumpkin and Apple Sale
This years Pumpkin Apple Sale was a great success thanks to all of the volunteers who pitched in to help. Not only were we able to sell pumpkin and apples but also herbs, baked goods, jelly from berries picked on the farm, homemade apple sauce, recipe books, bird houses and Cedar Grove books. The Lions Club joined us on the weekends and sold Irish soda bread, honey, brooms and light bulbs. Cristina Havens Art Club had an art exhibit show and sale in the upper barn and her volunteers painted pumpkins. Janica Nuestra , a 13 year old from Woodland Park was the winner of "Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin" contest. Janica guessed
68 lbs, 9 0z. and the actual weight of the pumpkin was 69 lbs.
Celebrate New Jersey
At our September meeting, Linda Barth presented a program that took us throughout the state of New Jersey and highlighted our geography, inventions made in our state, famous people born in New Jersey and many other interesting facts about our very diverse state
Help Preserve Cedar Grove's Heritage Cedar Grove is one of the few towns in New Jersey that is fortunate enough to have a museum dedicated to the preservation of its history. When Courtenay Morgan left his property to the Township of Cedar Grove to be used for passive recreation he added a stipulation that the Cedar Grove Historical Society had to create a museum to preserve Cedar Grove's past. The society has lived up to this mission because of the dedicated services of its volunteers and the generosity of its members and friends.
Maintaing the heritage of Cedar Grove is of prime importance to the society, but it comes at a cost. That is why it is so important that our members and friends continue to support the society in anyway that they can. We urge you to give thoughtful consideration to making a donation this year. Your donation, no matter what size, will go far to preserve not only the museum but also the history of Cedar Grove for today and for future generations.
Please send your tax-deductible contribution to the Cedar Grove Historical Society, P.O. Box 461, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.
Contact us at: info@cedargrovehistoricalsociety.org .
Meetings and Event Schedule: General Meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month during September, October, February, March, April and May. Meetings are held at the Cedar Grove Public Library beginning at 7:30 p.m. Cancellations will be on a recorded message at 973-239-5414
- April 20: Morgan Museum Open from 2-4 p.m.
- April 24: General Meeting: Allen B. Du Mont: Television Pioneer presented by Phil Jaeger
- May 18: Morgan Museum Open from 2-4 p.m.
- May 22: General Meeting: Olmsted's Anderson Park and How It Helped Shape Montclair will be presented by Lisanne Renner the historian for the Friends of Anderson Park, The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Cedar Grove Public Library.Discover how this Olmsted-designed Essex County park was created a century ago as part of the first countywide park system in the nation. Learn also how it shaped Upper Montclair and led to the formation of other Montclair parks. The century old park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is having its landscape rejuvenated through the efforts of the Friends of Anderson Park.
- June 15 (Rain date June 16): Antique, Classic & Sports Car Display The car display is open to the public. There are no fees to participate, so if you or someone you know has an antique car you would like to display, please call 973-857-1968 for more information. Activities: tours of the Morgan Museum, train display by Tony's Train Town, Cedar Grove Fire Department display, music and "Best in Show" trophy Food for Sale: hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, ice cream, coffee, lemonade, soda and water. Also Selling: Morgan Farm grown vegetables, assorted birdhouses, signed copies of Phil Jaeger's book Cedar Grove, items from the Morgan House and barn.
- July 20: Morgan Museum Open from 2-4 p.m.
- Information Needed: Memorial for Military Veterans
- The Cedar Grove Historical Society is collecting information about members of the military who entered the service while residents of Cedar Grove. We hope, initially, to cover all of the conflicts starting with WWI, WWII the Korean and Vietnam Wars. We would also appreciate any information about those serving in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the United Sates Civil War, the Spanish-American War and the recent Mid-East conflicts If you or any of your family members or ancestors served in these military actions while residing in Cedar Grove please contact us at Cedar Grove Historical Society, PO Box 461, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, or call 973-239-5414 (Leave a message and we will call you back.) or by e-mail at werndlyd@verizon.net.
Allen B. Du Mont: Television Pioneer
At our April meeting, Trustee Phil Jaeger presented an interesting PowerPoint program about the contributions Allen Du Mont made in the development of television and how his work led to television as we know it today. In the 1930s Du Mont developed the cathode ray tube in the garage of his Cedar Grove home, a home that Jaeger occupies today. Later in that decade this innovation enabled Du Mont to sell America's first television sets.
History of Flags and Annin Flagmakers
At the March meeting of the Cedar Grove Histoical Society, Cedar Grove resident and former General Manager of Annin Flagmakers in Verona, Joe Vallone gave an interesting program on the history of flags and showed a video about the history of Annin Flagmakers since its inception in 1857. He displayed a large number of flags that were made by Annin.
Washington Commemorated on Coins and Medals
At the March meeting of the Historical Society Ray Williams presented an interesting program about the coins and medals where an image of George Washington appears. Mr. Williams said that George Washington did not approve of his image being put on coins, especially those minted in England. Nonetheless, President Washington's image appeared on coins or medals minted in many different countries. Mr. Williams shared his own collection of coins and medals by using a projector to show the coins on a screen. In this way he was able to show both sides of the objects and point our similarities and difference. At the end of the program he answered questions from the audience. Mr. Williams is a former resident of Cedar Grove. This is the third program he has presented tot he Society.
Holiday Open House
The Society's Annual Holiday Open House was held on Sunday December 2 from 2-4 p.m. Students from Memorial Middle School and Cedar Grove High School, under the direction of teachers Jennifer Jessen-Foose and Robert Savino, provided choral and instrumental music to entertain our visitors. Delicious holiday snacks, generously donated by our friends and members, helped to make the event memorable. Tours were provided to our many visitors.
The Morris Canal Yesterday and Today
Phil Jaeger, a trustee of the Society presented a PowerPoint program that followed the route of the Morris Canal from the Delaware River in Phillipsburg to the Hudson River at Jersey City. Many of the scenes were presented in a "then and now" format contrasting the canal when it was operating with the same scene in 2012.
Pumpkin and Apple Sale
This years Pumpkin Apple Sale was a great success thanks to all of the volunteers who pitched in to help. Not only were we able to sell pumpkin and apples but also herbs, baked goods, jelly from berries picked on the farm, homemade apple sauce, recipe books, bird houses and Cedar Grove books. The Lions Club joined us on the weekends and sold Irish soda bread, honey, brooms and light bulbs. Cristina Havens Art Club had an art exhibit show and sale in the upper barn and her volunteers painted pumpkins. Janica Nuestra , a 13 year old from Woodland Park was the winner of "Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin" contest. Janica guessed
68 lbs, 9 0z. and the actual weight of the pumpkin was 69 lbs.
Celebrate New Jersey
At our September meeting, Linda Barth presented a program that took us throughout the state of New Jersey and highlighted our geography, inventions made in our state, famous people born in New Jersey and many other interesting facts about our very diverse state
Help Preserve Cedar Grove's Heritage Cedar Grove is one of the few towns in New Jersey that is fortunate enough to have a museum dedicated to the preservation of its history. When Courtenay Morgan left his property to the Township of Cedar Grove to be used for passive recreation he added a stipulation that the Cedar Grove Historical Society had to create a museum to preserve Cedar Grove's past. The society has lived up to this mission because of the dedicated services of its volunteers and the generosity of its members and friends.
Maintaing the heritage of Cedar Grove is of prime importance to the society, but it comes at a cost. That is why it is so important that our members and friends continue to support the society in anyway that they can. We urge you to give thoughtful consideration to making a donation this year. Your donation, no matter what size, will go far to preserve not only the museum but also the history of Cedar Grove for today and for future generations.
Please send your tax-deductible contribution to the Cedar Grove Historical Society, P.O. Box 461, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.
Contact us at: info@cedargrovehistoricalsociety.org .