Historical Series Set For 275th Anniversary

The year 1738 marked the arrival of a band of German settlers to Middle Valley who had fled Europe to find religious freedom. The year 2013 marks the 275th anniversary of that settlement in Washington Township.

To kick off a year-long celebration, several members of the Historical Society will be presenting three lectures/presentations on different facets of the township. These will be held on three consecutive Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The series is free and refreshments will be served.        

We hope you find the series informational and hope many of you will participate in the special celebration activities throughout the year!

January 12 – Bob Pennisi will give a slide presentation titled “Railroads of Morris County in the Last Half of the 20th Century”.  This presentation will include the Lackawanna Railroad, the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, the Jersey Central Railroad, the Morristown and Erie Railroad, the Susquehanna Railroad, and the Morris County Central Railroad, which was an excursion train operation.

January 19 – Eileen Stokes will present a power point presentation on the Hamlets and Crossroads of Washington Township. This talk will include photos of the areas, both past and present, as well as information about little known areas such as Scrappy Corners.

January 26 – Mary Ann Kordys, Karen Muscat and Betsy Guzenski will be discussing several of the treasures in the WTHS museum collection. On display will be items such as the Luisa Neighbour Jacquard woven coverlet dated 1844 and a wooden clarinet owned and played by Philip Dufford in 1825.

All information and photo provided by the Washington Township Historical Society.