Programs
Washington Slept Here, A Lot: Washington in New Jersey
General Washington spent more time in New Jersey than any other state during the Revolutionary War. He fought here, wintered here, waited here, and sometimes just passed through. Whatever he was doing, he had to sleep somewhere.
Some buildings still stand, some places are marked, some are forgotten. How have some survived and others disappeared?
Join me for an armchair tour of the places where Washington slept and a conversation about historic conservation.
Mrs. Bennett Follows the Army
Learn about life as a woman who followed Washington’s Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Wives, daughters, mothers, and single women followed their men on long marches and through cold and hungry conditions. Many had children with them. They worked as laundresses, cooks, and nurses. And, yes, a few were prostitutes.
Spend an hour with Mrs. Bennett and hear about life in camp, on the march, and during skirmishes and battles. Hear why they joined the Army, how they were treated, and why they stayed.
Performed in person only and in period dress.
White House Pets & Pests
Welcome or unwanted, loved or despised, inside or out, there have always been non-human occupants in the White House and on its grounds. Enjoy pictures and entertaining stories of these creatures.
A History of People and the Great Swamp: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Join me for a lively history of Morris County’s remarkable Great Swamp. I will take you from the time when ancient Lake Passaic drained away to leave a swampy remnant through our current times. You will learn how humans have interacted with and affected the Swamp and the living things within it by using it, abusing it, trying to obliterate it, and finally saving it.
COMING IN 2027
Life as a New Jersey Farm Wife, 1777
Most women living in NJ in 1777 were farm wives. Keeping home and family in good order was no mean feat, while working as many hours as men, even when pregnant. Learn how these women thrived, survived, or succumbed while striving to meet the demands of being a farm wife.
Crossroads of the Revolution: The War of Independence in New Jersey
From 1776 to 1781, every resident of New Jersey experienced the Revolution whether soldier or civilian, Patriot, Loyalist, or neutral. The War of Independence was often fought in New Jersey. Militias, Continentals, Red Coats, and Hessians: sometimes they encamped here, sometimes they fought here, sometimes they were only passing through. Sometimes the war was just neighbor against neighbor. Learn about New Jersey's essential role in the War of Independence and how it affected every one in the state.
Living Through the Revolution in Morris County, New Jersey
Even before the fighting began, the revolution was brewing in Morris County. Were you a Patriot, a Loyalist, or just hoping things would settle down? Then came the war with all its demands, and no one was untouched.
With the safe haven of Morristown and rich iron works, Morris County was a center of focus for Washington. Two winter encampments, militia duty, and the demands of the army tested the population.
Regardless of age, gender, or political leaning, the war changed everyone's lives. Learn how people were affected, how they managed to survive, or how they didn't.
It's a great story. It's Morris County's story.
Presidents' Wives
There have been 44 women married to sitting presidents. Some wives were delighted to be first ladies. Some wives just bore it. Some wives hated it. And a few of them didn't even show up.
What has life been like for presidents' wives through the decades? How have expectations evolved? How have wives met these expectations, changed them, or ignored them?
This is the fascinating story of some of the willing and unwilling presidents' wives.
Stories from the Mayflower: What Were They Thinking?
The story of the Mayflower and its passengers is far more interesting and complex than what we were taught in school. Do you know about the 4-year-old child who was sent aboard as an indentured servant or the “Strangers” who outnumbered the Pilgrims? Have you heard about the boy who almost blew up the Mayflower or the ship within the ship?
Enjoy these and other fascinating stories that will change the way you think about the Pilgrims.
The Native Americans Who Saved the Pilgrims
This is not a simple story. These were not simple men. The Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims survive their first desperate year in Plymouth lived in a complex, rapidly changing world.
Come and hear the fascinating stories of Squanto, Massasoit, and Samoset. Learn who they were, what they did, and why they did it. It is a much more interesting story than the one you learned in school.
COMING IN 2027
Remarkable Dolley Madison
Dolley was the first presidential wife to exert political power. She pushed social boundaries and became the greatest hostess of her age. She knew the first twelve presidents and mentored some of their first ladies. But she had her faults. This is the story of a remarkable woman, warts and all.
