Category: News

Our People & Their Stories #911neverforget

Mr. Local History
The family we lost on 9/11

Post Views: 2,904 Special Ask from the MLH Project: MLH would love to know any positive outcomes that have come since. If you have a story to share, please post at the end of this story (e.g. did you know four children were born after the tragedy? True. 2019, 2020 and 2021 were big high school and college graduations for many of the 44 children as well. Contact us with any information. Mr. Local History Project On this anniversary, starting at 8:46am on September 11, 2001, when the first plane…

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Why List a Historic District on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places?

Local History
Bernards Township Historic Districts - Liberty Corner and Franklin Corners

Post Views: 479 The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of New Jersey’s historic resources of local, state, and national interest. Created by the New Jersey Register of Historic Places Act of 1970 (N.J.S.A. 13:1B-15.128 et seq.) The New Jersey Register is closely modeled after the National Register program. Both Registers have the same criteria for eligibility, nomination forms, and review process. Nearly every municipality in New Jersey has properties significant in architecture, history, archaeology, engineering and/or culture that are eligible for the New Jersey and…

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New Keepsake: Preserving Bedminster’s History #summerwhitehouse

Mr. Local History
Trump National Summer White House is No. 21 in the New Jersey Historic Village Collection

Post Views: 673 New Keepsake: Preserving Bedminster’s History – The Mr. Local History Project (MLH) has been preserving and promoting local history since our non-profit organization was established in 2019. The all volunteer group started a wooden miniature keepsake program to share history, artwork, in partnership with the world famous Cat’s Meow Village Company of Ohio to support New Jersey’s local history and grow the New Jersey Historic Village Collection. Congratulations Bedminster, New Jersey Supporting Bedminster’s history via our MLH keepsake project is in its early stages and we hope…

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New Keepsakes: Preserving Cranford’s History

Mr. Local History
Cranford keepsakes v2 Mr Local History Project

Post Views: 987 The Mr. Local History Project (MLH) has been preserving and promoting local history since our non-profit organization was established in 2019. The all volunteer group started a wooden miniature keepsake program to share history, artwork, in partnership with the world famous Cat’s Meow Village Company of Ohio to support New Jersey’s local history and grow the New Jersey Historic Village Collection. Congratulations Cranford, New Jersey – 2021 Marks 150th Anniversary Supporting Cranford, New Jersey’s history via our MLH keepsake project is in its early stages and we…

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Fundraiser Keepsakes: Preserving Westfield NJ History

Mr. Local History

Post Views: 831 The Mr. Local History Project (MLH) has been preserving and promoting local history since our non-profit organization was established in 2019. The all volunteer group started a wooden miniature keepsake program to share history, artwork, in partnership with the world famous Cat’s Meow Village Company of Ohio to support New Jersey’s local history and grow the New Jersey Historic Village Collection. You may not know this but two of our trustees grew up and lived in Westfield. Supporting Westfield’s history via our MLH keepsake project is in…

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Should the School Districts in the Somerset Hills Consolidate?

Mr. Local History
Is it time to consolidate school districts- Mr Local History Project

Post Views: 1,081 It’s in the news again. School district consolidation across New Jersey. We have a question of the day that ties back to our initial Somerset Hills days when there was only Bernards and Bedminster (pre-1920s). Called Sweeney’s “Path to Progress” campaign. Senate bill 3755: “Requires executive county superintendent of schools to establish consolidation plan to combine all school districts in county, other than preschool or kindergarten through grade 12 districts, into all-purpose regional schools districts.” This bill is essentially a restart of a process begun under former Gov.…

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#911neverforget in the Somerset Hills

Mr. Local History
The family we lost on 9/11 from Basking Ridge, Bernardsville, and Peapack

Post Views: 1,960 Starting at 8:46am on September 11, 2001, when the first plane hit the north tower, our community was changed forever. Please take a moment to remember those 21 residents from Basking Ridge, Bernardsville and Peapack that never came home that day. This is our tribute to the families. #wewillneverforget. Bernards Township was one of the hardest hit communities in the state on 9/11. The 18 township residents lost that day was the fourth highest total of any town in New Jersey, after Jersey City, Hoboken and Middletown…

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MLH Honors Back to School with Historic School Images From the Somerset Hills

Mr. Local History
Liberty Corner School in Bernards Township was founded in 1905. Liberty Corner School, located in the Liberty Corner Section of Bernards Township was built in 1905 for a farming community. It is a nationally recognized landmark registered with the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest school in the district.

Post Views: 1,121 Schools in the Somerset Hills area of northern Somerset County have been a mainstay back to the mid-1700s. We honor the history of these memorable facilities in images from various sources now in our digital research archives. For the 2020-2021 school children in the area are finally going back to school in with unique guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But have faith, this look back at our history tells us we will survive, and our children will thrive once again. NOTE:As with all Mr. Local History…

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Retrospective: The Acclaimed Kiwanis Community Fair in Basking Ridge

Mr. Local History
The 1993 Kiwanis Fair in Basking Ridge. Source: Courier News

Post Views: 1,445 As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to grow this piece as information becomes available. The story is expanding as we learn more about the family. If you have a comment or photo, feel free to post at the bottom of this page. Mr. Local History Project What started back on Labor Day weekend back in 1949 will hold a place in many a local residents heart as one…

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Bernards Twp, Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner Survey Question

Mr. Local History
Should Bernards Township, Basking Ridge and Liberty Corner embrace a prefix containing historic to their names?

Post Views: 706 Note: The survey and petition are simple. Nothing changes except we start including the term “Historic” moving forward as we promote our town and its historic hamlets. No changes to town historic districts, no additional property taxes, no building restrictions…. it’s just to add the label “Historic” and honor township history. Brooks Betz, Bernards Township Historian Go the Distance: If you like “Historic”, it’d be helpful to add your name to our online petition that we’d share with the Township Committee: Please also visit the Mr. Local…

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What’s to Happen with Lord Stirling Stable and its Park?

Mr. Local History
What is to happen with the Lord Stirling Stables post COVID-19

Post Views: 1,497 The Lord Stirling Park including the Lord Stirling Stable (LSS) in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township is part of the Somerset County Parks Commission in Somerset County. NOTE: As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to grow this piece as information becomes available. Mr. Local History Project State of the Stable from Somerset County, July 20,2020 In 1968, the Somerset County Parks Commission purchased what first became…

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Retrospective: The Lyons VA Medical Center

Mr. Local History
The Lyons VA Hospital was the first VA hospital in New Jersey - Mr Local History

Post Views: 3,538 The Lyons Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital Historic District, currently known as the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Lyons Campus, is located at 151 Knollcroft Road, approximately 2.5 miles southwest of the village of Basking Ridge in Bernards Township, New Jersey. Located in a campus setting, the Lyons VA Hospital Historic District is surrounded by residential development to the north, east, and south, and a public park to the west. NOTE: As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn…

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Independence Day – New Jersey History

Mr. Local History
Five NJ Signers of the Declaration of Independence - Mr Local History

Post Views: 1,615 Welcome to the “Jersey Five” of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence. Richard Stockton John Witherspoon Abraham Clark Francis Hopkinson John Hart Early in 1776, while the state believed in separation, there was heated discussions between the Patriots and the Loyalists. As the issue heated up, the New Jersey state convention replaced all their delegates with those favoring the separation.The Provincial Congress arrested Royal Governor William Franklin (Ben’s son) at his Proprietary House in Perth Amboy and voted to replace the New Jersey delegation. Abraham…

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Retrospective: Artist, Filmmaker, Actor -The Hildebrandt from Gladstone

Mr. Local History
Star Wars Hildebrandt Somerset Hills - Mr Local History header

Post Views: 1,584 The Brothers Hildebrandt – The creation of the original Star Wars Poster was just the tip of the iceberg. NOTE: As with all Mr. Local History retrospectives, we often update the post when we learn stories and are sent photos from our community. We will continue to grow this piece as information becomes available. Greg and Tim Hildebrandt better known to the illustration world as “The Brothers Hildebrandt” began their careers 1959. The Brothers have worked on documentary films and thousands of illustrations for text books, children’s books,…

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Quicklinks – History From Your Town

Mr. Local History
Find History Easily - Mr Local History Project

Post Views: 694 Want a quick way to search for articles about the history from your town? The Mr. Local History Project has created a few quick searches to give you a head start. Bedminster Bedminster History Bernards Township (Basking Ridge) Bernards Township History Bernardsville Bernardsville History Far Hills Far Hills History Peapack & Gladstone Peapack & Gladstone History What is the Somerset Hills The Somerset Hills is known as the northern region of Somerset County located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and includes the townships of Bedminster,…

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