County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ — If you were living in the Plainfield area in the late 1800s and wanted a family portrait, it’s quite possible you found your way to the studio of Guillermo Thorn.

And if one of these days you find yourself wandering along the Green Brook in the Watchung Reservation and come across some ruins, there are old Thorn photographs revealing what once stood there.

Should any of this history fascinate you — the beginnings of commercial photography in America or the 19^th century mills that once powered industries along the brooks in the Watchung Mountains, then there is only one place you want to be this Sunday: Masker’s Barn, 13 Cataract Hollow Road, Berkeley Heights, in the Deserted Village of Feltville.

As part of the spring celebration at Union County’s Watchung Reservation, which includes Wild Earth Fest and Touch A Truck, the Deserted Village will host free hayrides through the village, along with history tours.

Part of that history will be told by Scotch Plains resident Rich Palmatier, an amateur historian who has made Thorn and the mills along the Green and Blue Brooks the focus of hundreds of hours of research.

Reproductions of Thorn’s work will be on display in Masker’s Barn, with Palmatier explaining Thorn’s adventures through the area and the photographic legacy he left behind, including a series of stereographs — precursors to Viewmasters (if you’re old enough to remember them) and today’s virtual reality headsets.

“This Sunday is going to be quite a day up in the Watchung Reservation,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.  “While Wild Earth Fest and Touch A Truck are returning to mark our annual Spring kick off in County Parks, there will be even more to do.”

“The Watchung Stable will be hosting free pony rides and barn tours, while the Deserted Village will be hosting a mini-Four Centuries,” Kowalski said.

All activities will run from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with main parking at the Stable and Deserted Village. Shuttle buses will get visitors around the Reservation.

As part of the special focus on Guillermo Thorn, several Thorn-related Union County History Cards will be available for youngsters to collect at Masker’s Barn. To learn more about collecting Union County History Cards, visit ucnj.org/historycards.

Guillermo Thorn Born was born in 1837, two years before the invention of the photograph. He would grow up to see photography infiltrate every aspect of 19th-century life. 

Thorn gave up a brief career as a drawing and painting teacher and opened his first studio in Saugerties, NY, before moving to Plainfield in 1864. 

While he quickly established himself as a professional photographer, taking portraits and scenics of the area, his personal life was marred by tragedy. By 1870, disease claimed the lives of his wife, Alice, and their five children. He eventually remarried, with his later children becoming muses for his pictorial work.  

As part of Palmatier’s presentations on Sunday, he will share old photographs of the long forgotten mills along the Green and Blue Brooks. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, these waterways were the industrial hub for this area, producing everything from lumber to paper to gunpowder, grist, material for hats and crushed stone. 

There were upwards of 12 mills along these two brooks. In some spots, you can still see remnants of the dams, sluices, and spillways that provided the water power to drive the machinery. 

For those who participate in the National Parks Passport Program, the Deserted Village Church and General Store will be open to stamp Parks passports. The site, originally settled in the 1700s, is included in the National Parks Service Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, along with a number of other Revolutionary War era sites in Union County. 

To learn more about the Passport to Your National Parks program and the locations of Parks Stamps in Union County, visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs.

For information on all Union County parks and activities visit ucnj.org/parks-activities.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents and visitors to go back in time at the Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum, located at 1632 St. Georges Avenue in Rahway, for a social gathering with a performance and presentation of period music from the 19th century. This event, titled “History on Tap,” will take place on Friday evening, May 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“This event will bring residents ages 21 and older together to celebrate the local history of Union County,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “It promises to be an enjoyable opportunity for county residents to learn about colonial traditions while mixing with others with similar interests.”

Anne and Ridley Enslow will recreate the music of American history, dressed in historically accurate clothing of those who lived around 1770.

During the evening, attendees can try their hand at a percussion instrument called the limber jack, recite a toast, participate in sing-alongs and learn a Colonial dance.

A fee of $10 includes food and two drink vouchers (maximum) for beer, wine and soft drinks. Registration is required online at merchantsanddrovers.org.

Anne and Ridley Enslow present concerts on historic themes accompanied by dancing and entertainment. They play music of the American colonial period and the early 19^th century, using instruments appropriate to the period — an 18^th century violin made in France for Ridley and a hammered dulcimer for Anne. A jaw harp, mountain dulcimer, or pennywhistle may also appear, depending on the show. They sing in harmony and tell stories of the times that gave rise to the music.

History on Tap is sponsored by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, and funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a Division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State.

For more information about this and other programs and services related to the arts in Union County, visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs, call 908-558-2550 or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ Relay users may dial 711.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Inductees were chosen for their leadership, commitment to county government, and 20 years of public service.

Freeholder Vice Chairman Mirabella, who was first elected in 1997, has led initiatives to preserve hundreds of acres of open space, expand park space, create new recreational facilities for youth, grow the County’s various educational institutions, create the state’s first Office on LGBTQ Affairs, expand services to those with special needs, and create new workforce and economic development initiatives

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invite families with children of all ages and adults alike to climb aboard a plethora of vehicles at this year’s “Touch a Truck” event on Sunday afternoon, April 28th. The event will run from 11:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M., weather permitting in the lower Loop parking lot of the Watchung Reservation.

There will also be a quiet hour, from 11:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. where children sensitive to noise will be able to enjoy the vehicles on display.

“Residents of all ages will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some dynamic machines at Touch a Truck,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “They will also be able to climb aboard and experience the excitement of being behind the wheel.”

Attendees will be able to see a variety of trucks from Union County’s Department of Public Works that are used for roads, parks maintenance and various projects.

Admission to the Touch a Truck event is $5 per person, with children 6 years old and under admitted free. The price of admission also includes admission to the Wild Earth Fest.

The Wild Earth Fest allows guest to meet live animals, celebrate wildlife, learn about environmental conservation and try their hand at outdoor skills.

The Loop area is located just off Tracy Drive in Mountainside, in between Glenside Avenue and Summit Road. It features a very popular playground area for kids, and the concession stand will be open. There will also be a food truck vendor.

There will be free programs running at the Watchung Stables and Deserted Village including lead line horse rides, face painting, hayrides and stable tours. The Church/Store and Maskers Barn will also be open.

Also, Lake Surprise is just a short walk away where residents can see the dam.

Attendees can shuttle for free between the sites throughout the day.

For more information on Touch a Truck, or any event in the Union County Parks System, please visit our website at ucnj.org/parks.

Los Legisladores del Condado de Union se complace en anunciar una serie de Conferencias de gran interés a los adultos y estudiantes de escuela secundaria. Las conferencias se llevarán a cabo en el  Trailside Nature & Science Center en la Reservación de Watchung, en el  452 New Providence Road en Mountainside. La asistencia es gratis.

“Las populares Series de Conversaciones en el Sendero ofrecen la oportunidad de participar en conferencias educacionales sobre diferentes tópicos mientras experimenta la belleza natural de la Reservación de Watchung,” comentó la Legisladora Bette Jane Kowalski. “La Junta de Legisladores se enorgullece en en apoyar a la educación de la comunidad y la preservación ambiental.”

El sábado, 4 de mayo a las  2:00 p.m., NASA Embajador del Sistema Solar Paul Cirillo presentará  la charla  From Apollo to Tomorrow — What’s Next for Human Space Travel ( De Apolo a Mañana / Que es lo Próximo para el Viaje de los Humanos al Espacio). Este programa informativo y fascinante celebra 50 años desde que las misiones de Apolo abrió el camino para las exploraciones espaciales con tripulación humana.

El Sr. Cirillo compartirá información sobre los programas espaciales con seres humanos planeados por los Estados Unidos, China, Rusia y cuatro compañias Americanas. Incluye pasarela espacial, bases lunares, un viaje a Marte e incluso turismo espacial.  

Celebrating Union County Women’s History( Celebrando la Historia de las Mujeres del Condado de Union) se presentará el miércoles 8 de mayo a las 7:00 p.m.  John Prescott, Coordinador de los Programas de Historia de la Oficina de Asuntos de Cultura y Patrimonio del Condado de Union, presentará las versiones sobre escritores, educadores, activistas, atletas y otras mujeres que se hicieron notar en la historia del Condado de Union. Este programa está patrocinado en parte por la Comisión Histórica de New Jersey.

Para más información sobre estos programas y otras actividades en el Trailside, por favor llamar al  908-789-3670 o visitar la página ucnj.org/trailside

El Trailside Nature and Science Center es un Servicio de la Junta de Legisladores del Condado de Union.                                                              

UPDATE: DUE TO SATURATED CONDITIONS AT ECHO LAKE PARK, THE JUNE 21 PERFORMANCE OF THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, at 667 WESTFIELD ROAD IN SCOTCH PLAINS. THE CONCERT BEGINS AT 7:30 PM AND IS FREE OF CHARGE. NO RESERVATIONS NECESSARY.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the acclaimed New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conducted by José Luis Domínguez, will lead off Union County’s 59^th annual Summer Arts Festival series of free outdoor entertainment sponsored by the Freeholder Board, with a performance on Friday June 21 at 7:30 p.m., at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside.

Concertgoers will be treated to a musical tour of the Americas with works by Leonard Bernstein, José Pablo Moncayo, Astor Piazzolla, Florence Price, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Rounding out the program are Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo, Aaron Copland’s classic “Hoe Down” from Rodeo, hits from West Side Story and Porgy and Bess, and more.

“Outdoor concerts are a beloved Union County tradition,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “We look forward to another eventful summer, and NJSO’s choice of popular hits from the heritage of the Americas is a reminder of the cultural ties we enjoy sharing with family, friends and neighbors.”

Attendees are also invited to bring a mat or beach towel and join in a free Union County Get Fit Yoga program beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Union County’s free summer entertainment schedule begins this year on Saturday, June 1 with the annual Rhythm and Blues by the Brook festival, an afternoon of nonstop music and family fun at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield from noon to 6:00 p.m.

The Union County Summer Arts Festival series with Get Fit Yoga will be held at Echo Lake Park on Wednesday nights, July 10, 17, 24, and 31.

In August the series moves to Oak Ridge Park in Clark on Wednesday nights, August 7, 14, 21, and 28.

All Summer Arts shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and include free Union County Get Fit Yoga programs beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Artists for Rhythm and Blues by the Book and the Summer Arts series will be announced shortly.

For more details on the Summer Arts series, the Family Flix free outdoor movie series, and more summer activities in Union County Parks visit ucnj.org/calendar or call the Parks Department at 908-527-4900.

For more information about the New Jersey Symphony orchestra visit njsymphony.org.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.