The Archeology and History of Picatinny Arsenal
Sparta Historical Society
Sparta Ambulance Building
14 Sparta Ave, Sparta, NJ 07871
March 12, 2015 — 7:30 PM

U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal is situated on about 5,853 acres and stretches northwards from Rt 15 towards Green Pond within the Highlands of northwestern Morris County.  The Arsenal specializes in the research, development, acquisition and lifecycle of advanced conventional weapon systems and ammunition.  The U.S. Army as a Federal Agency has management responsibilities concerning the protection and preservation of Cultural Resources on land it controls or uses.  Federal laws and regulations authorizing the Army to undertake this responsibility include the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, Dept. of Defense Instruction 4715.16 and 36 CFR 79 for archaeological collections.  This presentation demonstrates the responsibilities of the Picatinny Cultural Resources Program, and its most recent projects and finds across Picatinny Arsenal.

Jason Huggan is the Cultural Resource Manager and Garrison Archaeologist for Picatinny Arsenal.  He works within the Environmental Affairs Division of Public Works.  He has been with Picatinny for 7+yrs and prior to this held similar positions at Fort Lee, VA and Fort Irwin, CA.   Huggan’s has his Master’s degree in Archaeology and Heritage from the University of Leicester, UK and has worked in over 15 states across the continental U.S. with 10+ yrs experience in cultural resource management.

Admission to this program is free to all members.  Guests are invited to attend for a nominal charge of $1 per student, $3 per adult. Van Kirk Homestead Museum and History Education Center

Sparta Historical Society
PO Box 312 Sparta, NJ 07871
Phone:  973 729 0644  or 973-726-0883

Annual Meeting
Sussex County Historical Society
Wednesday, April 7, 2015  at 7:30

Hill Memorial Building
82 Main Street (Corner of Main and Church Street)
Newton, NJ

All members are urged to attend.
The meeting will take place on the second floor of the Hill Building (Please note that the building is not handicapped accessible.)

For more information please contact us at
Email:  sussexcountyhs@gmail.com
Phone: 973-383-3010

Winter Festival

High Point State Park Interpretive Center
January 31, 2015 — 12:00-3:00pm.
The Friends of High Point State Park are excited to present their 2015 Winter Festival on Saturday, January 31. The complete event notice for publication may be found below.Winter Festival Schedule
12 pm – 3 pm Ice Fishing Demonstration, Snowshoeing, Bird Feeder Crafts
12:30 pm Guided Hike
1:30 pm Winter Weather Talk with Nick Stefano
2:15 pm Story Time, Sing-Along, Cookies & Cocoa by the Fire

Activities will include bird feeder and winter themed crafts for children, story time, sing-a-long, hot cocoa and cookies by the fire, guided hike, snowshoeing and ice fishing demonstrations (conditions permitting) Weather expert Nick Stefano will stop by for a winter weather talk. The event is free, but a suggested donation of $5 per family is appreciated. Snow date isSunday, February 1. Please visit the Friends of High Point State Park blog for more information, www.friendshighpointstatepark.blogspot.com.

Visions of Change Exhibit
the exhibit is at the Judicial Center in Newton, NJ
43-47 High Street,  Newton, NJ
The center is open  Monday-Friday 9:00am – 5:00 pm
In what ways might change happen? Times, tastes and populations change. Change can be immediate or take eons. It can be for good or harm, comedy or tragedy. Might you work for or against change? History is written and rewritten in seasons, is recorded, tweeted and YouTubed. Mobile media and computers change public and private behaviors. What are your Visions of Change? Please share.

Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council
133 Spring Street
Newton, NJ  07860
(973) 383-0027
http://scahc.org

Dates of Show:  January 30 — March 23, 2015

The Sussex County Historical Society’s and M.A.R.C.H. are holding holiday events.  Unique gifts and crafts are being offered by the Vernon Historical Society and the Lafayette Preservation Foundation. 

The Montague Association for the Restoration of Community History (M.A.R.C.H.) will be opening the historic, holiday decorated Foster Armstrong House for free costumed tours from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. on December 13th and 14^th. Families are welcome to visit and participate in our Holiday Bell Hunt.

Antique Christmas tree ornaments, handmade decorations and toys adorn holiday trees in each room and “Children’s Toys” is the theme for the 2014 Old Fashioned Holiday Weekends. Only one weekend remains to visit the festively decorated rooms of the historic Foster Armstrong House.

As a very special ending to our 2014 Old Fashioned Holiday Weekends, singers from “Harmony in Motion” will be caroling on Sunday, December 14^th. Our gift shop will be open with handmade items and books on local history during all of the tours.

The Foster-Armstrong House, circa 1790, is located on CR521/320 River Road, about 1 mile north of Route 206 and the Milford/Montague Bridge.  More information about M.A.R.C.H. can be found online at Facebook.com/MontagueNJHistory or by calling the information line at (973)293-3106.

Sussex County Historical Society

Holiday Event

Friday Dec. 12 7:00-9:00 pm

Hill Memorial Museum

82 Main Street, Newton, NJ 

Call 973-383-6010

Free admission & refreshments

Come visit the Hill Memorial museum this holiday season and view the oldest building continually operating as a museum in the state of New Jersey beautifully decorated for the holidays.

Lafayette Preservation Foundation
HOLIDAY CRAFT BAZAAR 

Saturday, December 13, 2014, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Lafayette Township School, 178 Beaver Run Rd. 

Gift Fair and Social

Vernon Historical Society

173 Barrett Road, Highland Lakes, NJ 07422

(973) 764-6545

DECEMBER 13 and 14

vernonhistoricalsociety@gmail.com

A Holiday Gift Fair and Social featuring the handmade jewelry of Phyllis Pfeifer of The Jeweled Pussycat, handbags and wallets, watches, cash for gold and silver, antique appraisals, and many more items will be sponsored December 13 and 14 as a fundraiser by the Vernon Township Historical Society. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Society headquarters at 293 Route 94 in Vernon. The event is free and open to the public.

Civil War Round Table

Nov. 18, 2014: Regular monthly meeting, 7:30 PM. Our guest speaker will be Mr. James E. Johnson. His topic will be Black Soldiers during the Civil War.
The meeting will be held at 7:30 in the Theater, Building D on the campus of the Sussex County Community College.

Photo Exhibit

Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014  1:00-4:00

Sparta Camera Club

Sparta Ambulance Building , 14 Sparta Ave. Sparta, NJ

Free and Open to the public.

The Sparta Camera Club is pleased to announce they will be holding their Photo Expo XXX on Sunday November 23, 2014. This is a milestone for the club, as it marks the 30th year that the club has mounted a full scale photo exhibit. More than 250 entries are judged by professional photographers and awards are bestowed in such categories as Landscape, Flowers, Animals, People, Sport/Action and Photographic Art. One photo is designated as the overall winner. These beautiful images from local artist will be on display at the Sparta Ambulance Building from 1:00-4:00.

There are two events this week on Sunday Nov. 9th the you can have your antiques appraised at the Sparta Ambulance Building.  On Thursday Nov 13th a panel of veteran’s will address the Sparta Historical Society.

Sparta Historical Society  & Sussex County Literacy Volunteers                    
Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014,  11:00-4:00 pm     

Sparta Ambulance Building 14 Sparta Ave.     
Antique Alley, the joint fundraiser for Literacy Volunteers of Sussex County and Sparta Historical Society, invited antique and art dealer and collector Jon Felz to appraise antiques and heirlooms last November for anyone who cared to know if their possessions were valuable.
For $5 per item, locals learned if their goods were jewels or junk.
This year’s Antique Alley will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sparta Ambulance Building. All proceeds go to Sparta Historical Society and Literacy Volunteers of Sussex County, a nonprofit that provides free, one-on-one, confidential tutoring to adults based on individual needs and goals. The local organization offers tutoring in basic literacy and English for speakers of other languages and in 2012, more than 3,200 hours of tutoring were spent with 116 students.
The Sparta Historical Society’s next endeavor to preserve the town’s heritage is the purchase of the 1786 Van Kirk House, which sits on Route 517.
Veterans Speak   
 Sparta Historical Society  
 Thursday  November 13, 2014   7:30 pm                  
 Sparta Ambulance Building 14 Sparta, Ave.  Sparta, NJ
We celebrate Veteran’s Day on November 11 to honor the service that all Veterans have provided to our county.
On Thursday November 13th a  panel of veterans have agreed to share their service experiences with us.  Rev. Ernie Kosa,  Marty Schweighard, Donald Devore and Frank  Armario,  and Mike Rahill veteran’s of the Korean and Vietnam War comprise our panel.
Rev. Koza Korean experience included front line experience included  living in a cave at the front line and having his life saved from by a guide who pushed him to the ground and fell on him when a shell fell next to them.  Rev Koza also saw service during the Vietnam War where he followed the troops to the front lines.  The panel is sponsored by the Sparta Historical Society and the meeting will take place at the Sparta Ambulance Building located 14 Sparta Ave. at 7:30 pm.
Marty Swheighard, a navy veteran, served  three years on a Navel Cruiser during the Korean war will share life what it is like to serve on a military vessel.
Frank Armanio served in Vietnam from 1966-1967. Frank is the Second Vice President of the State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America.  Frank will relate his experiences in service and as an advocate for all Veterans. He will the discuss the post service needs of our veterans.
Mike Rahill spent one year stateside for training and  two years with the Army’s 9th Infantry in the Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.  Rahill notes they were call the  “Brown Water Navy”.
Donald Devore served with the infantry in Vietnam.  He is active an active veteran serving as the Chaplin for the 21st  of the VFW.

Shadows and Light Reception and Exhibit
Friday Nov 14 6:00-8:00
Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council
133 Spring Street Newton, NJ

Without the play of light on object, all would be shadowed or dark.  We learn to recognize images by understanding light as it wraps around shapes and highlights the three dimensions of our world.  Two-dimensional painting use these hints to conjure shape and fool the eye. In what ways will you use or pay homage to shadow an light through your art?

The reception is Friday Nov. 14th from 6:00-8:00 pm.  The art exhibit will be accompanied by an exhibit of text panels from the Picatinny Arsenal Cultural Resource Program’s Storeyboard Exhitibt.