See URL below for information on Candlelight Tours of the Wallace House
Ticket Sales for Five Generals Bus Tour available at Heritage Trail Association website!
Ticket sales for the Five Generals Tour are now on sale at the Heritage Trail Association’s website.
The date is Sunday Feb 15th at several time slots. For a nominal cost and about 2 hours of your time visit all 5 historic homes associated with the Middlebrook Cantonment of 1778-1779.
The Wallace House will of course be a featured site. Hope to see some of you turn out!
December Events
Calendar of Events for December were announced at yesterday’s annual meeting of WHODP Association by Mr. Kurzenberger:
Sunday, December 14th, 7:30 pm.
A Concert at the Wallace House featuring Mr. Bob Mouland
Enjoy the sound of music on period instruments in an historic setting. Seating in the Wallace House is limited, so reservations are a MUST. Same night arrivals, $20 only if space permits. Reserve early.
Sunday December 21st, Groups at 6, 7, and 8 pm
Four Days Before Christmas…
What was likely to be going on just before Christmas at the Wallace House and the Old Dutch Parsonage in the 18th century? Here’s your chance to find out. Please register for your time. $10 for advance registration/$15 for same day.
FOR ALL RESERVATIONS:
Contact the sites directly at 908-725-1015 or email whouse3@verizon.net for reservations.
WHODP Association Annual Meeting Scheduled for Sat., Nov. 15
The annual meeting of the Association will be held Saturday, November 15th at 3:30 pm as previously announced. We hope to see you there!
REMINDER: BAKE OVEN EVENT COMING UP
Saturday, Nov. 8: 18th Century Bake Oven Demonstration at The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Historic Sites
Michele Dansak will demonstrate the use of a wood-fired, 18th century bake oven at the Old Dutch Parsonage, from 2 pm to 3:30. The demonstration will include the preparation of the food items that will then be baked in the oven. In addition, a special tour of The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage will be available after the demonstration. The bake oven demonstration takes place outdoors; please dress appropriately for the weather conditions.
For those who wish to participate by assisting in the bake oven process, the price is $15 per person. Those who choose to attend as observers will be charged a fee of $10.
Advance reservations are required.
To register and for information, please contact the site.
Event Contact:
Site Manager Jim Kurzenberger
The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Historic Sites
71 Somerset St., Somerville, NJ 08876
(Parking lot located across from Circle Floors)
Somerville, NJ 08876
Candlelight Tours at the Wallace House
Now that the clocks have been turned back, ’tis the season for
nighttime tours at the Wallace House. Candle light tours run from now through March, 2015.
Jim Kurzenberger will schedule these tours for private groups of 10 or more on Wednesday through Saturday. All programs are $10 per person and require advance reservations.
Please contact Jim directly at 725-1015 to schedule your tour group and for additional information.
FOR REVIEW BY MEMBERS & FRIENDS
Minutes of the 2013 Annual Membership Meeting of the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association.
November 23, 2013; 4pm Site Office/Assembly Room
In attendance: Carol K, David H, Marge S.,Marguerite B, John F and 9 other members
Preservation Specialist/Curator: Jim Kurzenberger
Special Guest Speaker: Ed Wroblewski, Ed. D.
Carol K called the meeting to order and introduced members of the Board.
Minutes. Marge S had previously emailed and mailed the minutes from the 2012 Annual Meeting to the group and asked that they be approved as sent, the Board having previously review them in February. Approved to file on voice vote.
Treasurer’s Report. Marguerite B briefly reported on income and expenses to date, as well as balances thru Oct 31, 2012 on our investment fund. The fourth quarter reports will not be available until after Dec. 31. The Association spent $3.358.47 this year. This included operating funds for our organization and programs. We also provided support for the site in the amount of $2,400 in the past year. The funds going directly to the Wallace House included purchase of the spit-jack clock reel for the kitchen fireplace and funds for woodwork in the Wallace House Kitchen Cabinet Reconstruction from our Preservation Fund. Funds spent on programs included our contribution of refreshments to the Five Generals President’s DayTour sponsored by The Heritage Trail Association in February and today’s speaker. The 2013 opening balance of our Investment fund was $5,077.53. The ending balance as of Oct 31, 2012 was $5,228.21. The fund has not realized any significant growth in the last year, and Marguerite proposed that the Board consider switching funds. She will report on some options at the next Board meeting.
Jane K was absent but sent a membership report. There were 40 paid members in 2013. Donations last year above and beyond dues enabled us to contribute to the “Kitchen Cabinet Reconstruction”.
Jim K reported briefly on the status of the above project which is nearing completion. The roof repairs at ODP were completed early last year. He announced an ambitious program of events next year, starting with a Twelfth Night event. The kitchen cabinets are expected to be installed by this time. The annual holiday event at the sites, this year “Three Days Before Christmas”, Sunday, Dec 23rd.
Carol K updated the group about the Board’s plan to design and seek funding for a website for our organization which will not only advertise our group but augment the limited information available about the history of the sites on the NJ Park Service website. We were not able to apply for NJ Historical Commission Mini-grant as originally planned because the Commission canceled the December submission date, due to an excess of grants received to date and the limited funding pool. The Board will proceed to seek funding from other sources, or apply in the new fiscal year.
Carol asked Dr. Wroblewski to update the group on the plans for NJ’s 350 Anniversary year as Mr. Wroblewski is a member of the planning committee. He provided the sites with two posters about the Anniversary and announced the following: The kick-off event is being held New Year’s Eve at the Count Basie Theater and website NJ350.com is already operational. The themes for the year are: Innovation, Diversity, Liberty.
The next meeting will be arranged before George Washington’s birthday via email. Dues/Donation Request letters will go out on or about Feb. 1.
Meeting adjourned 4:40 for Dr. Wroblewski’s talk, “The Queen’s Ranger’s: Britain’s First American Regiment.
Marge Sullivan, Secretary of the Board
“Celebrate NJ” & 18th Century Bake Oven Events
Two Upcoming Events at the The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Historic Site: Sat. Oct 25 and Sat. Nov. 8
Saturday, Oct. 25
2 pm – 3 pm
“Celebrate New Jersey”
Lecture and visual presentation by author
and New Jersey historian Linda Barth
Save gas as you tour our wonderful state from the comfort of your chair at the the Wallace House meeting room. Experience the famous and not-so-famous people, places, and events of our great little state. Explore our diverse geography: mountains, highlands, rivers, lakes, and seashore. Visit the South, the North, the Central, and little-known places in between. See the many inventions made in New Jersey, including the Band-Aid
, the bar code, and Bubble Wrap. See the largest clock and flag in the world. Follow George Washington as he criss-crossed our state. Join Linda Barth on this trip around the best state in the nation. Event to be held in:
, the bar code, and Bubble Wrap. See the largest clock and flag in the world. Follow George Washington as he criss-crossed our state. Join Linda Barth on this trip around the best state in the nation. Event to be held in: The Wallace House Meeting Room
71 Somerset St.
(Parking lot located across from Circle Floors)
Somerville, NJ 08876
Fee: $10 per person
For information please contact the site.
Phone: 908-725-1015 Email: whouse3@verizon.net
________________________________________________________________________
Saturday, Nov. 8: 18th Century Bake Oven Demonstration at The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Historic Sites
On Saturday, Nov. 8, Michele Dansak will demonstrate the use of a wood-fired, 18th century bake oven at the Old Dutch Parsonage, from 2 pm to 3:30. The demonstration will include the preparation of the food items that will then be baked in the oven. In addition, a special tour of The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage will be available after the demonstration. The bake oven demonstration takes place outdoors; please dress appropriately for the weather conditions.
For those who wish to participate by assisting in the bake oven process, the price is $15 per person. Those who choose to attend as observers will be charged a fee of $10.
Advance reservations are required.
To register and for information, please contact the site.
Event Contact:
Site Manager Jim Kurzenberger
The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Historic Sites
71 Somerset St., Somerville, NJ 08876
(Parking lot located across from Circle Floors)
Somerville, NJ 08876
SAVE THE DATE : SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15 2014
The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association will hold its Annual Meeting on Saturday, November 15, 2014, approximately 3pm. The brief meeting will immediately follow a program on the colonial bake oven at 2 pm.
Members will receive additional information in the regular mail. New members will also be welcome at this time.
2013 Annual Meeting of WHODPA
The Queens Rangers”
Saturday, November 23rd, 4pm-6pm
At the Old Dutch Parsonage, Somerville, New Jersey
The Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association will host:
Joseph Wroblewski, Ed. D.
Member of the N.J. Historical Commission’s Committee planning for the observance of the 350th Anniversary of the founding of New Jersey.
During the American War of Independence 1775-83 the British Army authorized the raising of a number of regiments from the colonial population who remained loyal to the Crown. Colonel Robert Rogers, a celebrated officer in the earlier French-Indian War, formed the Queen’s Rangers in New York in August 1776. It was named in honor of Queen Charlotte the wife of King George III. Rogers, due to personal problems, resigned and eventually the Regiment came under the command of an Englishman, Major John Simcoe. The Queen’s Rangers fought in the pitched battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth and continued to be engaged in patrols, skirmishes and raids throughout the Delaware Valley from Philadelphia and Bucks County to across the river from Salem in Southern New Jersey; on to Perth Amboy and Springfield in North Jersey.
In 1780 the Rangers were transferred to the Southern Theater of Operations and were present at the British surrender at Yorktown. Following the surrender at Yorktown, the Regiment eventually took up land grants in New Brunswick (Canada) and were later reconstituted to help build what is now Toronto. The Regiment survives today as part of the Canadian military as the Queen’s York Rangers, and is still practicing their original function as a reconnaissance unit. Learning about this unique group of Americans, who remained loyal to the King during the War of Independence, should prove to be both thoughtful and interesting.
A brief business meeting will precede Dr. Wroblewski’s talk.
Members and guests welcome. Site parking at 71 Somerset Street
New members welcome at this time.
