Monmouth County Historical Association

Monmouth County Historical Association Over the past century, the MCHA has become a multi-faceted organization comprised of our Museum, Research Library & Archives and five Historic House Museums.
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Welcome to the Monmouth County Historical Association, an organization with a rich history dating back to its founding in 1898 when a dedicated group of county residents incorporated to “discover, procure, preserve and perpetuate whatever relates to the history of Monmouth County.” We have been continuing that important effort ever since. Our Traveling Trunk Program, lectures and special events he

lp us to provide a variety of opportunities for people of all ages to engage in learning about and appreciating the interesting history and cultural heritage of our unique area.

Labor Day became a national holiday on June 28, 1894, when Congress determined the first Monday in September as a day to...
09/07/2026

Labor Day became a national holiday on June 28, 1894, when Congress determined the first Monday in September as a day to honor America's workers. Prior to that time, individual states (including New Jersey in 1887) passed their own Labor Day holidays. Today, we're honoring the thousands of men and women who worked at the A. & M. Karagheusian Rug Mill. Located on Jackson Street in Freehold, the rug mill was founded by brothers Arshag and Miran Karagheusian. After escaping the Turkish genocide of the Armenian people in the late 19th century, the brothers eventually purchased the old Rothschild shirt factory, turning it into what would one day become the second largest privately owned rug company in the world. In 1946, a plane flew over the extensive factory complex, capturing the sprawling set of buildings. When the company began in 1906, its earliest employees were former loom operators from the British Isles. From the start, the AMK workers formed clubs of all sorts including baseball, football, and soccer teams. In 1914, early rug mill workers on the soccer team posed with serious expressions for a local photographer. The image was later reproduced in the firm's popular company newsletter. Be sure to visit our eMuseum website to enjoy more Karagheusian Rug Mill artifacts! And we bet more than a few of our followers have rug mill workers in their family trees!

Happy World Beard Day! We're celebrating with selected images from our Library and Archives collection. Three early dag...
09/05/2026

Happy World Beard Day! We're celebrating with selected images from our Library and Archives collection. Three early daguerreotype images include the dramatically lit portrait of Edmund T. Allen, who was born and raised in the Allen House in Shrewsbury; elegantly dressed Joseph Dorset Taylor, his carefully trimmed chin-style beard above a lovely striped waistcoat (and the owner of Taylor-Butler House in 1853); and Captain James Anderson Perrine, his glossy top hat slightly tilted above his own chin-style facial hair. And do you recognize the gentleman in the oval photograph? That's New Jersey Governor Joel Parker, who served two non-consecutive terms from 1863-1866 and 1872-1875. We rather like the handsome Gus Vanderveer, with his lush and fluffy beard! And we're also giving an honorable mention to James Steen, whose generous moustache and sideburns blend together seamlessly. Steen somehow found the time to cultivate his facial hair while working as a lawyer, mayor of Eatontown, newspaper editor, and local political figure. There's a style here for everyone!

Elegant, dark-eyed Almira Strickland (1846-1928) sat for her photographic portrait around the time of her wedding in 186...
09/04/2026

Elegant, dark-eyed Almira Strickland (1846-1928) sat for her photographic portrait around the time of her wedding in 1868. Born in Freehold near Mount's Corner in 1846, Elmira married Manalapan resident Isaac Nelson Ker (1839-1920) on March 18, 1868. Almira might have been a farmer's daughter, but she completely understood fashion and planned every detail before her photo session. Her hair is curled and oiled, topped with a silk bow. Accessories are the name of the game here - jet earrings, a thin black velvet ribbon worn as a choker, a brooch pinned to a broad taffeta ribbon, a pair of gleaming bracelets, and two rings complete the look. Almira's dress appears to be made of fine, heavy broadcloth, trimmed with bold velvet bands around the shoulders and bodice. Although it's hard to tell what color Almira's gown might have been, it may have been one of the fashionable shades of bottle green, deep blue, or rich black. It's most likely that Almira had her photograph taken around the time of her wedding.

09/03/2026

🍂Join us for MCHA's 4th Annual Farm to Fork fundraiser!🍂

Saturday, October 3rd, 2026 in Colts Neck, NJ
Honoring Tracey Gdanitz & Tom Taylor

Join us for a great party and an even better cause - the preservation of Monmouth County history!

Individual tickets are $150 and include open bar, dinner, live music, gift auction, and more!

Visit www.MonmouthHistory.org for details about Farm to Fork, our mission, and how your support helps preserve Monmouth County's history for generations to come.

As The Unites States' centennial celebration approached, many women's groups held "Martha Washington Tea Party" events a...
09/02/2026

As The Unites States' centennial celebration approached, many women's groups held "Martha Washington Tea Party" events as fundraisers for churches, historic sites, and museums. Organizers, and even some attendees, would dress in "colonial" garb, serve tea and appropriate "colonial" foods, and enjoy an historic afternoon. The Martha Washington Tea Party theme continued in popularity until the end of the 1930s. Here in Freehold, women of the Ladies Aid Society of the Presbyterian Church hosted one such Martha Washington Tea at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Moreau on Tuesday, February 22, 1910. Their house, built in 1753, was originally owned by William and Elizabeth Covenhoven. The Covenhovens had their own visitors two days before the Battle of Monmouth, on June 28, 1778, when British General Sir Henry Clinton and an army of more than 10,000 troops used the house as temporary headquarters! The Ladies Aid Society's event was not quite as alarming and raised $48 for the group. Of course, our eye for fashion noticed that although the women were not wearing actual 18th century garb, several do seem to have found gowns from the 1830s and early 1840s to use for the afternoon. The teenaged boy front and center was Frank Moreau, "dressed as a youth of Washington's day in knee breeches, long coat, cocked hat, and queue" who served as door greeter. A newspaper article in the Freehold Transcript described the event noting that the house "made an ideal background for such a party with its old-fashioned architecture." Covenhoven House, located at 150 West Main Street, is owned and operated by the Historical Association. Maybe it's time for another Martha Washington Tea Party event there!

08/31/2026

Join us for MCHA's 4th Annual Farm to Fork fundraiser!
Saturday, October 3rd, 2026 in Colts Neck, NJ
Honoring Tracey Gdanitz & Tom Taylor!

Join us for a great party and an even better cause - the preservation of Monmouth County history!

Individual tickets are $150 and include open bar, dinner, live music, gift auction, and more! Visit MonmouthHistory.org for details...

Wellington Parker Kidder was born in 1853 in Norridgewock, Maine. At the age of fifteen he patented an improvement for s...
08/31/2026

Wellington Parker Kidder was born in 1853 in Norridgewock, Maine. At the age of fifteen he patented an improvement for steam engines and later studied mechanics in Boston. In 1889 Kidder applied for a patent for the Franklin, the first of several typewriting machines he would invent, which was awarded a patent in 1891. Kidder died in 1924. His obituary noted that Wellington Kidder was "considered the dean of the typewriter engineering world." The first practical mass-produced typewriter was made by the Re*****on company in 1874. Its inventor, printer and journalist Christopher Lathan Sholes, believed that the typewriter offered women entering the work force the opportunity to "more easily earn a living." Post-Civil War American offices saw a dramatic increase in paperwork and the necessity to produce correspondence and documents quickly and accurately, something the new typewriting machines could offer. Women simply seemed able to operate these machines more easily than their male counterparts. An 1888 typewriter manual noted that typewriters were "especially adapted to feminine fingers...they seem to be made for typewriting." Although women's wages in the office were considerably lower than their male counterparts, it was much higher than many other options available to women. At the end of the 19th century in northeastern America, a female domestic servant earned between two and five dollars a week; a factory worker between $1.50 and $8.00. In comparison, a woman working as a typist and stenographer routinely made between six and fifteen dollars a week. In addition, an office setting was less physically demanding than a house servant, much less dangerous than in many factories, and was considered to be highly respectable employment. Although a number of newspaper and magazine articles appeared decrying the fact that women were "stealing" job opportunities from men, for the most part the idea of female office workers was quickly embraced. As one article noted, "women, by virtue of some of their most womanly traits, are capable of making the office a more pleasant, peaceful, and homelike place."

Today marks something very special for us. As of this morning, we have hit 13,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram. S...
08/28/2026

Today marks something very special for us. As of this morning, we have hit 13,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram. Since 2020, when we began with "Fashion Friday," our supporters have liked, followed, shared, and commented. It's clear that where history is concerned, thousands of you - literally! - love history. You love the people, you love their stories, and you love the objects and images that tell those stories. And just in case you think we're close to running out of stories to tell, think again! There is plenty more to share where MCHA's collection is concerned. We can't wait to keep going! And we are so thankful for each and every one of you for helping us reach this goal.

Grab your denim, flannel and boots because the best event of the year is coming this fall! 🐄🍂🍻🎸Join us at The Barn at La...
08/26/2026

Grab your denim, flannel and boots because the best event of the year is coming this fall! 🐄🍂🍻🎸

Join us at The Barn at Laird on Saturday, October 3rd for our 4th Annual Farm to Fork event, a one-of-a-kind dining experience with local foods, spirits and flavors of Monmouth County along with a great silent auction and fantastic music!

This year we are proud to honor Tracey Gdanitz and Board Member, Tom Taylor for their years of dedication to MCHA!

Early Bird Individual Tickets are available right now at $150 before September 14th!

We hope to see you there! 🍁

For sponsorships, tickets and advertising opportunities click the link below:
https://www.simpletix.com/e/farm-to-fork-2026-tickets-286223

It's National Dog Day! On a hot summer's morning in 1914, Lizzie Gaunt Moreau relaxed on the front porch, reading the ne...
08/26/2026

It's National Dog Day! On a hot summer's morning in 1914, Lizzie Gaunt Moreau relaxed on the front porch, reading the newspaper. And at her feet, dozing in the sun, was the family dog! If the house looks familiar, it should! That's the Covenhoven House at 150 West Main Street, one of the sites the Historical Association owns and operates. The Moreau family purchased the property in the 19th century, preserving the 1753 farmhouse. The Moreaus raised nursery plants, and at one time supplied regional garden shops with 500,000 geraniums a year. The only mystery? The photograph doesn't provide the name of the dog.

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70 Court St
Freehold, NJ
07728

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