County Exhibit Highlights the Great Depression in NJ

An amazing free exhibit at the Cornelius Low House in Piscataway devotes the entire building to a multimedia program on the WPA, the New Deal, and the Great Depression in NJ.

The newest exhibit to open at the Middlesex County Museum in Piscataway's Cornelius Low House will explore how Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA), part of his New Deal program, benefitted the Garden State and its workers.   The Got Work? New Deal/WPA in New Jersey exhibit will kick off at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 14 with a reception inside Cornelius Low House, located at 1225 River Road.  It's the first comprehensive look at the Great Depression in New Jersey, as told through images, photographs, posters, and artifacts that highlight social conditions in the 1930s. Relief from the grinding poverty of the age came through dozens of federal programs that taught new skills and employed craftsmen who otherwise …

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HISTORY: Convenience Store Built on Site of Woodbridge 'Tea House'

The old tavern was where tea was first imbibed in Woodbridge - but in Woodbridge's history, it was so much more.

Ignore the naysayers. The history of Woodbridge gets township residents excited. A story that asked, "where was this house located?" drew 40 responses and lots of good guesses.  Many people thought this old building was the Cross Keys Tavern, one of the most popular old postcards of Woodbridge's lost heritage. The Cross Keys Tavern - where George Washington stayed on his journey to his inauguration as the nation's first president - still exists; it was ignominiously moved from the post road at the corner of Amboy Avenue and Main Street where it stood to a lot a block away, to make room for the construction of the Knights of Columbus. You can still see the historic Cross Keys Tavern: it's behind the 7-Eleven, across from the Reo Diner. It'…

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Museums You've Never Heard Of (But You'll Like)

They're all driveable, right in New Jersey, and open this weekend for the entire family.

If your kids are bored with the 'same old, same old' activities, try something new this weekend. Here are museums you've probably never heard of, but they have interesting stuff abounding to keep everyone busy and interested. Saturday, March 16 - Gloucester County Harrison Township Historical Society 'Going, Going, Gone... Features Vanishing Landmarks' Weekends, 1-4pm (Till 7pm on Second Saturdays) March 16 - May 19, 2013 (Closed Easter & Mother's Day) Old Town Hall 62 South Main Street, Mullica Hill  Join the Harrison Township Historical Society for its spring exhibition, "Going, Going, Gone...Lost Landmarks of Harrison Township." Starting on March 16, the society will display various photographs and artifacts of lost, or soon to be lost…

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'Colonia: the Colony' History Tour Sells Out Fast

History buffs will be visiting the historic mansions in the estate section of Colonia.

It's going to be history heaven this weekend for lovers of Woodbridge Township's rich historic past. The township's Woodbridge Township Historic Preservation Commission is hosting a sold-out tour of points of interest in the Estate section of Colonia, including entry to some of the stately homes. Thirteen historic sites will be included on the tour on Sunday, May 6. Originally known as Houghtenville from at least 1850, the name change to Colonia to make it more attractive was done by the Cone family in 1894. The Cones, along with the Savage and Pattison families, developed the farms and trees of the area into a country retreat, a 'Colony' of monied, expatriate New Yorkers looking for a home away from the city. They planned a small enclave…

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Ever Hear of the Battle of Woodbridge? It Happened Here

A bill up for a vote in the House of Representatives will preserve battlefields of the Revolutionary War. The site of one skirmish was on Route 1 and Green Street.

The area around Green Street and Route 1 may not seem to be particularly interesting, but the next time you're at the red light, take a look around. One of the skirmishes during the Revolutionary War between the colonists and the British was fought right here. That's just an example of the many unnamed fights that peppered central New Jersey, and throughout the eight years of the Revolutionary War, more than a few skirmishes and fights took place right in Woodbridge.  The House of Representatives will soon be voting on a bill, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act (H.R. 2489), authored by Rep. Rush Holt (D-12), that would provide grants to preserve war battlefields. For central New Jersey, that means the Revolutionary…

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Brew a Cup of Hope

A Party of Hope, even in Woodbridge

There's a rumbling in Woodbridge these days. Not from the traffic, storms, or construction, but from a party going on somewhere near you, and you're invited. It's a Tea Party. You don't need to wear an enormous hat, solve riddles, or play flamingo croquet. You don't even have to drive to Boston to toss tea into the harbor. You just have to talk to your neighbors to hear all about it-- and become part of history. While the Tea Party hasn't been as rambunctious in Woodbridge as in other parts of the country, the potential for some political merrymaking is certainly here. I see it as residents' struggle to keep up with property taxes and feed their families in this flailing economy. However, amidst this gloom, the Tea Party is a beacon of …

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The View from Here

Welcome to Woodbridge Patch!

What's happening in Woodbridge, and why Patch is going to make sure you know about it all.

When I was a kid, I loved American history, especially the Revolutionary War. I loved reading about the Founding Fathers, particularly George Washington, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. I loved Princeton when I visited it as a kid, probably because I was enthralled by its history. the town's residents obviously revered their proud beginnings, and they took a lot of care to preserve it. But I was from Woodbridge and I never really knew what the town's legacy held. It's just odd to live in a town almost your entire life and never have much of a clue exactly how historic it is. Still, I was curious about Woodbridge and its roots — and was amazed at what I eventually found. Did you know that Woodbridge is the oldest township in New Jersey? …

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