The hole in the doughnut: Library exhibit to explore Morristown origins

Postcard of the Morristown Green, circa 1900. Courtesy of the Morristown & Township Library.
Postcard of the Morristown Green, circa 1900. Courtesy of the Morristown & Township Library.
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Postcard of the Morristown Green, circa 1900. Courtesy of the Morristown & Township Library.
Postcard of the Morristown Green, circa 1900. Courtesy of the Morristown & Township Library.

Morris Township had an exhibition.  Now it’s Morristown’s turn.

One hundred and fifty years after the neighbors split apart, the Morristown & Township Library  will explore why.

Morristown: 1865-2015: Identity, Tradition and Enterprise  runs from Sept. 8 through Dec. 31, 2015, in the F.M. Kirby Gallery upstairs at the library.  A reception is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7 pm.

Postcard of the Fountain at James Park, ca. 1900. Courtesy of Morristown & Township Library.
Postcard of the Fountain at James Park, ca. 1900. Courtesy of Morristown & Township Library.

 

 Here’s more, from the library:

MORRISTOWN, NJ—Morristown once comprised territory stretching from Mendham to Chatham until 1865 when, amidst the chaos of the Civil War, mysterious forces acted to separate it from Morris Township.

The Morristown & Morris Township Library invites you to explore an exhibit that details the lives of those who came to Morristown seeking wealth, redemption, conflict, or a new beginning.

The exhibition, titled Morristown: 1865-2015: Identity, Tradition and Enterprise will be on display in the F.M. Kirby Gallery from September 8th through December 31, with an evening reception to be held on Thursday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Utilizing rare and previously unseen archival materials, visitors will witness the development of the Green as the center of commerce, public affairs, and leisure, and how nearby houses of worship focused residents’ spiritual and social lives.

Long a center of commerce and trade, early settlers struggled with the limitations of dirt roads until residents developed interstate canals, rail and trolley lines, and sophisticated highway systems.

Changes in criminal behavior and law enforcement will be explored, as well as efforts to educate productive, upstanding citizens through forward-thinking private and public schools.

In addition to the generations of innovators and immigrants who built Morristown’s many businesses and infrastructure, we will take a look at those who celebrated cultural and religious events, grieved over shared disaster and commemorated war dead, and fought to make Morristown a place where everyone could gather in peace.

The exhibit is sponsored by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission and by funding from the Friends of the Library.  For more information please contact the North Jersey History & Genealogy Center at 973-538-3473 or njhgc@jpfl.org. 

For a behind the scenes look at the History Center’s collections and additional information on New Jersey history, follow us on Twitter @NJHistoryCenterand on Tumblr at njhgc.tumblr.com.

 

 Postcard of the old Morristown Library and Lyceum, ca. 1900. Courtesy of the Morristown & Township Library
Postcard of the old Morristown Library and Lyceum, ca. 1900. Courtesy of the Morristown & Township Library

1 COMMENT

  1. The Fountain at James Park was to the left of the Park Movie theater in later years. It also served as a base for a very nice old bearded man when I was very little that had a cart station there. He sold several things but popcorn is what I remember as I used to eat it and feed the pigeons. I think he pushed it up from the Morristown Hollow section but not sure. It was a nice town to grow up in back in the 1950’s.
    Later on, I think the town pushed for health regulations with his cart and he was out of business. I understand why but it was a piece of the town that died.

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