Event Category: Historical

  • Unearthing History, One Page at a Time: Freedmen’s Bureau

    The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, often referred to as the Freedmen’s Bureau, was established on March 3, 1865. At this event, we will transcribe handwritten documents, maintained by the Smithsonian, that provide a window into the lives of formerly enslaved men and women during the Reconstruction Era.

    Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop; a limited number are available on site.

    This program takes place on Saturday, September 19, 10:30 am at the Hopewell Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

    Unearthing History, One Page at a Time is a collaborative transcription series where volunteers convert historical documents into searchable digital text, supporting researchers, genealogists, and the preservation of history for future generations.

  • The Soundtrack of Resilience: Music and 9/11

    In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, music played a powerful role in helping Americans mourn, remember, and begin to heal. This multimedia presentation explores how both existing songs and new music resonated deeply with the public in this somber period—from the emotional impact of Whitney Houston’s stirring national anthem to the inspirational message of “Hero” by Mariah Carey. At the center of the discussion is “The Rising”, in which Bruce Springsteen captured the grief, courage, and hope that defined the months following the attacks. Presented by Melissa Kozlowski, Director of Curatorial Affairs, Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, and Director of Public History, Department of History & Anthropology at Monmouth University.

    Registration with an email is required, so we can send you a link to connect through GoToMeeting. You will receive the link approximately 24 hours before the program.
  • Curator Corner: Congress Voting Independence

    Curator Corner: Congress Voting Independence

    During your lunch break, go behind-the-scenes of the museum with this free virtual talk by Morven Museum & Garden’s Curator & Registrar Jesse Gordon Simons, discussing the painting Congress Voting Independence. 

    Currently on display in Morven’s exhibition Five Independent Souls: The Signers from New Jersey, this painting by Robert Edge Pine is the first known American depiction of the vote for Independence, predating the more famous version by John Trumbull on display in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda by more than thirty years. Congress Voting Independence is considered the most accurate known portrayal of the Assembly Room of Independence Hall, where the vote for independence was taken and where the Declaration was signed. Gordon Simons will discuss the painting’s history, competing narratives, and stories it represents. 

    Link provided at registration

  • Twilight Garden Tour

    Twilight Garden Tour

    Enjoy a relaxing twilight tour of Morven’s blooming historic gardens with one of the museum’s knowledgeable horticulturists, followed by light refreshments on the modern Pool House porch. 

    The tour is approximately 90 minutes and will also be offered on Tuesday, September 1. With garden blooms changing throughout the summer, choose one or take them both. Capacity is limited; please register in advance. 

  • Meet the Curators Tour of “Five Independent Souls”

    Meet the Curators Tour of “Five Independent Souls”

    Morven’s Meet the Curators tour is an opportunity to get special insight on America’s 250th. The museum’s Deputy Director & Curator Elizabeth Allan and Curator & Registrar Jesse Gordon Simons lead a behind-the-scenes tour of the landmark exhibition Five Independent Souls: The Signers from New Jersey. Featuring over 100 extraordinary historic artifacts—including manuscripts, paintings, furniture, and personal objects on loan from collections across the country—Five Independent Souls examines the lives, ideals, and contradictions of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence for New Jersey. 

    The curators will share stories about the exhibition’s development and insight into content beyond the gallery walls. The tour is limited to 20 people. Pre-registration is required.

  • Citizen to Soldier: Life in the Continental Army

    Citizen to Soldier: Life in the Continental Army

    Come join the fun in this interactive educational program on the life of a Continental Soldier in the American Revolution. Listen to the “plea” for new troops from a recruiting officer and participate in a mock enlistment. Learn about the marching formations, uniforms, infantry drill, and daily life and duties of the common soldiers who fought in the American Revolution.

    This program takes place on Thursday, August 27 at 6:30 pm at the Ewing Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Preserving the Untold History of Chinese Grocers in the Delta: A Documentary Screening and Discussion

    Preserving the Untold History of Chinese Grocers in the Delta: A Documentary Screening and Discussion

    During the Jim Crow era in the American South, an untold narrative unfolded that defied the traditional Black-White binary of Southern history: the history of Chinese grocers in the Mississippi Delta. Emerging filmmaker and Hopewell resident Bryan Zhao examines this rich, forgotten legacy in Eighty Years at Young’s, an Official Selection of the 2026 Princeton Student Film Festival. Centered on an 80-year-old grocery store in Earle, Arkansas, the film weaves together past and present via oral histories, community interviews, and archival photographs to detail the impact of the region’s few remaining Chinese-owned grocery stores. Join us for a virtual screening of the film followed by an engaging discussion with Zhao about his documentary research process, the legacy of Delta grocers, and his work in AAPI advocacy and community solidarity.

    Registration with an email is required, so we can send you a link to connect through GoToMeeting. You will receive the link approximately 24 hours before the program.

  • One Woman Shows – Meeting Eleanor Roosevelt

    One Woman Shows – Meeting Eleanor Roosevelt

    Celebrate America 250 with an unforgettable journey into the life of a true visionary. In this captivating “One Woman Show,” Linda Kenyon brings Eleanor Roosevelt to life, illuminating the path of a leader who transformed our nation and the world. Endorsed by Roosevelt’s own granddaughter as the best portrayal she’s ever seen, this performance captures the First Lady’s signature voice, warmth, and indomitable spirit. Step back in time and witness the journey of an icon whose legacy of goodwill continues to inspire us all. Don’t miss this spellbinding experience!

    Sponsored by the Friends of the Lawrence Library.

    This program takes place on Thursday, August 6 at 6:30 pm at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Historic Local Resources

    Historic Local Resources

    Using our free MCLS resources and with your library card, learn about the history of you through both genealogy tools and the history of our community via local newspaper archives dating back to 1846. Includes: Ancestry, Fold3, Heritage Quest, Heritage Hub (New!), Hightstown Digital Newspaper Archive, Trenton Times Archives, & the Trentonian Archives. Please bring your own tablet or laptop.

    This program takes place on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 pm at the Hickory Corner Branch Library.

    Registration is requested.

  • Hopewell Township’s 250th Anniversary of America Celebration

    Hopewell Township’s 250th Anniversary of America Celebration

    Celebrate America’s 250th with Hopewell Township!

    Join Hopewell Township on October 3, 2026 from 12pm – 4pm at Woolsey Park to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States with a day of family-friendly fun and community spirit!

    Bring your family and friends for a memorable celebration featuring live music, programs, children’s activities, food, and more. Mark your calendar to be part of this special milestone as our community comes together to honor our nation’s history. Stay tuned for more information by visiting our website and social media pages:

    Website: www.hopewelltwp.org

    Facebook: @HopewellTownshipNJ

    Instagram: @HopewellTownshipNJ

  • James Ewing – from the Black Watch to a NJ pulpit

    James Ewing – from the Black Watch to a NJ pulpit

    Coming July 8th. Register today!

    In 1782, as the American War drew to its close, a musician in the 42nd Highland Regiment serving with the British Army in North America made a decision that would change his life entirely. He deserted. Within the decade, James Ewing was a teacher and pastor in New Jersey. Speaker Josh Mason will trace Ewing’s remarkable journey as a way into the hidden world of British military bands: privately funded, little understood, and far more human than the drum-beats of history suggest.

  • James Ewing – from the Black Watch to a NJ pulpit

    James Ewing – from the Black Watch to a NJ pulpit

    Coming July 8th. Register today!

    In 1782, as the American War drew to its close, a musician in the 42nd Highland Regiment serving with the British Army in North America made a decision that would change his life entirely. He deserted. Within the decade, James Ewing was a teacher and pastor in New Jersey. Speaker Josh Mason will trace Ewing’s remarkable journey as a way into the hidden world of British military bands: privately funded, little understood, and far more human than the drum-beats of history suggest.