Union County initiative triples the number of stamp locations in New Jersey overnight.
Union County, NJ – National Parks lovers may go over the moon with the news that Union County’s historic sites are about to unveil nearly 30 unique Passport To Your National Parks cancellation stamps at Four Centuries in a Weekend.
Across the country, people will bring their Passport books to national parks, monuments and other areas overseen by the National Park Service.
Union County is one of 14 New Jersey counties that comprise the NPS’ Crossroads of the Revolution National Heritage area, which recognizes the role New Jersey played in the American Revolution.
Because the Union County area was one of the earliest regions to be settled, there are numerous sites of significance from the Revolutionary War era. These sites will now have their own unique stamp recognizing their inclusion in the National Heritage Area.
“It is a great feeling to be able to help our local historical societies promote their sites,” said Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who attended a recent Four Centuries meeting and helped distribute the new stamps.
“We know that there are people who travel to sites, in part, to add another stamp to their Passport book,” Kowalski said, noting that there have already been inquiries from Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., as word has started to leak out about the new stamps.
“The Passport stamps, along with our new History Trading Card series, will encourage visitors to see more sites and gain a deeper appreciation of just how rich our history really is,” she said.
Several sites will have two stamps because of their location. For example, the Miller-Cory House in Westfield is a historic site in its own right and is also along the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail, which recognizes the contribution of the French in winning the Revolutionary War.
Several battles in Union County were also memorialized with the stamps.
The new stamps will be released on October 21 and 22 when Union County celebrates Four Centuries in a Weekend. For more information on the event, and exact addresses for the various sites, go to: ucnj.org/4C.
The new stamp program was coordinated by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs and funded by the County.
The new stamps will be available at these sites:
- In Berkeley Heights, the Deserted Village of Feltville/Glenside Park and the Littell-Lord Farmstead.
- In Clark, at the Dr. William Robinson Plantation-Museum.
- In Elizabeth, at Boxwood Hall, First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth, Snyder Academy.
- Nathaniel Bonnell Homestead & Belcher-Ogden Mansion, and St. John’s Parsonage.
- In Hillside, at Woodruff House-Eaton Store Museum.
- In Mountainside, at the Deacon Andrew Hetfield House.
- In New Providence, at the Salt Box Museum.
- In Plainfield, at the Drake House Museum and Plainfield Meeting House.
- In Rahway, at Merchants & Drovers Tavern. There will also be a stamp recognizing the King’s Highway.
- In Roselle, at the Abraham Clark Memorial House.
- In Scotch Plains, at Elizabeth and Gershom Frazee House and Osborn Cannonball House. And at Ashbrook Reservation, to mark the Battle of the Short Hills.
- In Springfield, at the Cannon Ball House. There will also be a stamp for the Battle of Springfield.
- In Summit, at the Carter House.
- In Union, at Liberty Hall, Connecticut Farms Church and Caldwell Parsonage, where there will also be a stamp commemorating the Battle of Connecticut Farms
- In Westfield, at the Miller-Cory House Museum, which will also have a stamp recognizing the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail.
While the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs will continue to offer free Union County Across the Centuries passports at all Union County historic sites, those interested in purchasing a national passport can go to: eparks.com/store/category/30/278/Passport.
Launched by Eastern National in 1986, the Passport To Your National Parks program consists of a guidebook highlighting national parks and provides space for dated ink “cancellation” stamps that enable visitors to commemorate their visit. More information on the program is available at: easternnational.org/what-we-do/passport.
To learn more about the Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs.
# #
Photo Caption: A FIRST IN THE STATE…Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski presents Al Shipley, from the Merchants & Drovers Tavern, with a “Passport To Your National Parks” cancellation stamp for the Rahway site. Union County, which is part of the National Parks’ Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, is the first county in New Jersey to roll out these stamps for all its historic sites. Similar stamps can be found at national parks and heritage sites across the United States.
Other recipients who gathered to receive their stamps from Freeholder Kowalski are: Ogden/Belcher (Elizabeth); Woodruff House/Eaton Store Museum (Hillside); Salt Box Museum (New Providence); Caldwell Parsonage (Union); Liberty Hall (Union); Merchants & Drovers Tavern (Rahway); William Robinson Plantation (Clark); Deacon Hetfield House (Mountainside).
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 — Union County residents seeking information about services for seniors age 60 and older can visit any of seven Aging Services Kiosk (ASK) events in October to speak with experienced staff from the county’s Department of Human Services, Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection.
Union County, NJ – Union County residents seeking an environmentally friendly way to dispose of old metal lawn chairs, appliances and other scrap metal can bring their items to Union County’s free scrap metal recycling program, which offers two drop-off locations on Thursday, October 5 and Saturday, October 21.
Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announces that Vote-by-Mail ballots will be available in the County Clerk’s Offices in Elizabeth and Westfield starting on Monday, October 2nd to registered voters who wish to cast their vote by mail ballot for the 2017 General Election.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents that Union County’s free recycling events are available throughout the month of October and into the first week of November.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to announce the free lectures for adults 18 years and older and high school students, in the fall season at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. 
On Saturday, October 21 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. NASA Solar Ambassador Paul Cirillo will speak on What’s Next For Human Space Travel. Cirillo, a popular lecturer at Trailside, will present a fascinating lecture about the future for human space programs planned in the United States, China and Russia. The lecture also includes the project of the four U.S. commercial companies, Space X, Boeing, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic. Space tourism, space stations, moon bases and a journey to Mars are the inspiring and thrilling topics discussed. Learn about these exciting projects and others as we prepare for these upcoming new voyages.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 26th annual Women of Excellence awards. The awards program honors women from all walks of life who make outstanding contributions to the quality of life in Union County.