The event has had some funding issues over the past few years. An issue which anyone in the arts and humanities can relate. Last year the program was cancelled. This year it was moved to a new location at Allaire State Park, near Belmar. http://www.allairevillage.org/
Many historic sites from all over the state participate in the Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair. We picked up a lot of brochures about places we did not even know existed. My hope is to map out their locations and hours and plan lots of summer day trips exploring our state. It pleases me that Ashley also enjoys history.
Highlights that day included listening to first-person reenactors. We heard Ben Franklin and his son, William, "debating." They actually got along better than I would have expected given what we know about their relationship. (Ben left his son out of his will because, in his opinion there would not have been anything left had the British won the war.)
We enjoyed listening to period music using historic instruments. Don and Ashley tried their hands at plowing using the Howell Living History Farm's horses. There was also an old time baseball game which we missed because there just wasn't enough time in the day.
The biggest treat was all three of us dressing in Colonial attire and getting our picture taken. Yesterday a copy of the image was emailed to us. What a nice memento of the free event.
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