Chatham Borough (and Township) each have their own Historical Society, each dedicated to preserving the past. The Borough Historical Society was founded in 1923, with the mission “to bring together those who are interested in historical matters relating to the settlement and development of Chatham, and to make this material available to the public.”
The society presents programs, hosts an annual dinner for members, publishes a quarterly newsletter, takes oral histories, and gives walking tours of Chatham Borough. They have published several books and publications about Chatham, which are available for sale at the Chatham Public Library on Main Street. The Society researches the history of local houses and documents all findings. One current project is the digitizing of many of the old photos in the archives and creating DVDs of recent programs. They also offer for sale a reproduction from a 1910 map of Chatham Borough, which is printed on acid-free paper, and is approximately 22” by 30”.
The Chatham Historical Society is happy to welcome new members who are interested in helping celebrate Chatham’s rich history, and preserving the town’s historic character.
For details, write to:
Chatham Historical Society
P.O. Box 682
Chatham, NJ 07928
Posted by:
Cynthia Edgar
When previewing homes around Morris and Somerset counties, I am always intrigued by the history behind older homes. What architect designed them and who built them? Were the materials imported or was the stone dug from a nearby quarry? What did life hold for the families that lived within the walls of this house? In grand old homes, were there staff quarters as expected back then and massive kitchens? Were there fancy parties with prominent guests?
Every family usually makes changes to a house, small or large, they alone give us a glimpse into the way people lived at that point in history. Screened porches or sleeping rooms that were once fashionable, before HVAC, have morphed into enclosed rooms, conservatories or removed altogether to make room for a new addition. Cellars, once thought to be cold storage spaces for wintering food, have now become a myriad of things–children’s play rooms, bar/entertainment rooms, spas, bowling alleys, or personal home theatres.
The size of a home has always been a sign of wealth and the new massive home construction of recent years has certainly been following that trend. There are advantages to a new home and a lot of the exquisite details from yesteryear can be reproduced at a hefty cost. However, there is nothing quite like the history and unique qualities of an older home! For more information on the history of homes in your area, contact your local historical society.
You might be amazed to find out something about your house!
If you are interested in previewing any of the historical homes currently represented by Turpin, you can contact me via our website at www.turpinrealestate.com.
Posted by:
Nadine Gelinas-Coffey
