Category: 19th Century
-
Lest We Forget: A Brief History of Memorial Day’s Roots
is Memorial Day, we at the Wayne Museum decided to dive into the history behind this somber holiday. Where did the name “Memorial Day” originate? Why is it on the last Monday of May? When was Memorial Day first observed in Wayne Township? Join us as we explore the roots and traditions of a day…
-
This Month in Wayne History: Hamburg Turnpike is Incorporated
While not the oldest road in New Jersey, Hamburg Turnpike can certainly boast over its history. Its story forms one part of the larger narrative of our relationship to travel, and the technological advancements that unleashed a whirlwind of industrial and urban development in northern New Jersey. Today, join us as we take an in-depth look at…
-
All that Glitters: The Coming-Out Party of Mae Anderson Bell
ONE-HUNDRED and thirty-two years ago, on a cold, snowy December night, the peal of laughter and the sound of Christmas carols rang through the streets of Paterson. The cause for such celebration? Miss Mae Anderson Bell, one of Paterson’s “fairest daughters”[1], made her grand appearance to dozens of the city’s most elite and distinguished citizens—the…