9:30 AM to 2:30 PM O'Clock in two sessions (9:30 - Noon and 12:30 -
2:30)
This is a workshop for sharing information on
the route of the Continental Army as it raced across New Jersey during
the heat wave of
June, 1778. The goal is to gather in one place the facts, rumors
and mysteries associated with the prelude to the Battle of Monmouth Court
House.
The reasons for this workshop are many, but it is
in support of the 225th Anniversary celebration of the battle, and of New
Jersey history
celebration in general. It is simply an informal workshop, not
sponsored by any official body.
This workshop will deal with the Continental Army
only, concentrating on the main army column. As you may know, Lafayette,
Morgan
and Dickinson followed their own routes, and those, and the British
routes, we will leave that for another day (we had to start somewhere!)
(see the workshop on April 20 for study of the British routes.).
The first workshop, held in January, clarified much of the central portion
of
the route, from Rocky Hill to Cranbury, and brought up many questions
concerning the overall route.
This second workshop refined the techniques of the
first workshop, and concentrated them on the western part of the route,
from
Coryell's Ferry to Rocky Hill, especially the segment between Lambertville
and Hopewell [both modern names]. This third workshop will concentrate
on the eastern part of the route, from Cranbury to Englishtown.
The road beyond Englishtown is better understood, and is so close to the
battlefield that it played a part in the drama of June 18, 1778.
The Workshop will have two sessions. The
morning concentrating on history and research, and the afternoon concentrating
on celebration
and remembrance.
I hope we will cover the following topics in the
morning session:
Colonial Era roads used by the main force.
(Generals Washington and Charles Lee)
Understanding of the timing of the march,
including encampment sites and the role of topography on the progress of
the army.
Interesting places and facts about the route.
Surviving historic resources on the route.
I hope that we will cover the following topics in the afternoon session:
Ideas and plans for commemorating the 225th
anniversary of the campaign.
Ideas and plans for marking the route, and
explaining the history to the casual motorist or pedestrian
Ideas and plans for heritage tourism for the
route.
Note that this is a workshop, not a committee meeting.
We have no power other than suggestion and sharing, and decisions will
be made
elsewhere. I'll moderate, but we all share responsibility to
stay on topic.
The morning session is for those who have done
historical research, have historical data to share (including questionable
data) or are
especially interested in the current state of knowledge of the topics
listed above. It is a workshop, and all are expected to participate.
It is my
hope that someone from each of the eleven municipalities (whether official
or unofficial) attends. Historical Commission members, Historical
Society officers or honest-to-goodness historians are most welcome!
Findings of the workshop (including areas for future research) will be made available, and will be summarized at lunch.
The afternoon session is for those who can help with
any of the afternoon topics, have creative ideas in these areas or have
the authority
to make things happen. I hope our informal discussions provide
for development of new ideas, and refinement of ideas already put forward.
Those attending the afternoon session are encouraged to be present
at the lunchtime summary. There will be no formal product of the
afternoon session, but I hope groups will determine to work together
on various projects.
Members of the Press are welcome, and an informal press briefing will be held at noon.
You may also want to surf thorough my website http:www.nerc.com/~charlied to get an idea of what we have already learned.
If you have data to share, you may do some combination of these:
Send what you can to me, charlied@nerc.com,
and I will put it on my website
Make 20 copies of it, or
Make 20 copies of a summary or abstract, with
a web address for the full document.
Bring a poster-board showing the information
(bring an easel too, if you have one), and 20 copies of a summary of the
information with
your name and contact information.
Please don't bring a spoken story without something
written down. Please don't expect me to copy your stuff, I've got
enough to do,
thanks. On the other hand, this isn't a science fair! Feel
free to use brown corrugated cardboard and crayons on a AAA map, if that
gets the
point across.
Wood Avenue is Route 522 from Jamesburg, "CoRd 522" is Route 522 to
Freehold.
Main Street, Wilson Ave and High Bridge Rd are Route 527
The Village Inn is in Englishtown. The inn, which dates from the
early
18th century, is on the route of march. Find it at the intersection
of
Route 522 and Main Street (Route 527)(traffic light). Parking
across
Route 527 in a public lot.
This is the northern end of a one-block stretch where 522 and 527 run
together, the center of Englishtown.
You can get to Englishtown from Rocky Hill/Kingston/Dayton by following
Route 522 east through Jamesburg.
You can get to Englishtown from Hightstown by taking Route 33 East to
527A North (in Manalapan) or 527 North (Millhurst Road in Millhurst)
You can also get there on 527 south from Old Bridge or 522 west from
Freehold.
Getting there from Cranbury is complicated because Hoffman Station Road
is closed, making the usual Prospect Plains route confusing.
So take Cranbury Station Road east from Cranbury, continuing along the
beautiful Union Valley Road and Gravel Hill Road to Monroe Blvd, then
left on Federal Road, which turns right (at route 613) and is renamed
Tracy Station Road. This road goes directly to the Inn
(Changing it's
name to Lasatta Ave. first.)
Area WEST of Englishtown (Monroe Township, Middlesex County)
Manalapan/Englishtown Area, showing Hightstown, Route 130 and the NJ
Turnpike on the left, and Freehold and Route 9 on the right. North is up
(State of NJ Map).
