The Mr. Local History Project, in conjunction with T3 Consortium and the Cat’s Meow Village, introduces the Inaugural Keepsake of the Historic Somerset Hills Village Collection, the 1809 Brick Academy in the Basking Ridge Village of Bernards Township, New Jersey.
The Historic Somerset Hills Village keepsake collection is a new collectible series honoring historic, iconic buildings, properties, and fixtures that are part of our community’s historic fabric. The inaugural keepsake, the historic Brick Academy, celebrates the iconic Basking Ridge Village building listed on both the state and national historic registries, and home to The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills and a museum. The collectible is available for $25, with proceeds supporting local historic programs at the Society.
The Keepsake Series
Additional keepsakes will be added to the New Jersey Historic Village collection as part of a multi-year effort to promote and preserve history in the Somerset Hills, including Bedminster, Bernards Twp., Bernardsville, Far Hills, Peapack and Gladstone. Brooks Betz, a resident of Basking Ridge, started the series. “There are so many great historic icons in the Somerset Hills, and we’re really excited to launch our keepsake program in conjunction with the Society’s 90th anniversary. We plan to add additional keepsakes throughout the year. We will even sponsor a contest where the public gets to vote for a future keepsake. The keepsake is meant to be displayed on a counter or shelf. It is made from a sturdy 3/4” handmade wood block and then painted.
Many people collect other village pieces and build a village collection. These creations are part of the historic Cat’s Meow Village Collection, which has produced iconic wood ornaments for over 35 years.
The local historical Society and other local outlets will be producing limited batches of the Somerset Hills Keepsake Village. A small inventory should also be available at the Brick Academy Museum and online via the Mr. Local History Gift Shop.
How do I Get One?
The easiest way to get one is to order online via our Etsy Store.
Our online store accepts multiple forms of payment, including credit/debit cards and PayPal. We are now taking online orders to ship our first batch in late January 2018.
Orders are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Cat’s Meow
The Cat’s Meow Village is a small company founded in Wooster, Ohio, in 1982 from a simple wooden house Faline cut out on her grandfather’s saw in the loft of the hog barn. 35 years later, Jones and her crew continue to craft “little wooden buildings” of local, national, and international landmarks that spark memories and kindle smiles on the faces of “real life adventurers” like you.
T3 Consortium creates the Historic New Jersey Historic Wooden Keepsake Collection, which it then licenses out to various organizations for fundraising and promotional activities.