The Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood New Jersey celebrates Black History Month by focusing on the African-Americans that have shaped our history.  Marie Leppert, life long community resident and long-time member of The Society, will talk about many of the African-Americans All Stars and their contributions to our nation’s history since the early 1700’s.  We will learn about inventors, statesmen, surveyors, writers, musicians and educators, to name but a few.  Ending on a local note, Mrs. Leppert will talk about Jerseyland Community Center and its founder, Elizabeth Groves.  The center, founded in 1929, still exists on Jerusalem Road.

This timely and informative meeting of The Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood starts at 8:00PM on Tuesday evening February 22nd. The meeting is at the Scotch Hills Country Club on Plainfield Avenue and Jerusalem Road in Scotch Plains. The meeting is open and free to everyone.  Light refreshments and fellowship follow the meeting.  Contact Richard Bousquet, President, for further information at 908-232-1199.

Press release:  1919, Scotch Plains, NJ:
Auction of The vast Real Estate holdings of wealthy Warren Ackerman.  Warren Ackerman amassed a vast amount of real estate holdings in the Scotch Plains area.  For example, he owned at least 17 farms.  Consequently he became one of the wealthiest local men in the Scotch Plains. He died in 1896 and in 1919 his heirs auctioned off his 620 acres of property holdings.  To put this is perspective; this equals approximately three-fourths of present day Fanwood.

Fanwood’s own Director of TV Station 35, George Weiss, has carefully researched this fascinating auction, creating a historical video of this event.  He will show this at the October monthly meeting of The Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood.  If time permits, George will show the trailer of this documentary which features Betty Lindner’s historic home in Scotch Plains.

The meeting is at 8 pm on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at the Scotch Hills Country Club in Scotch Plains, NJ.

Anyone interested in this impressive documentary is encouraged to attend.  It is free and light refreshments and fellowship follow the meeting.  Please contact Richard Bousquet, President, for further information at 908-232-1199.

Marcia Anderson will be presenting  “B.C.:  Before the Crapper” – the history of indoor plumbing at our monthly meeting on May 25th, 2010 beginning at 8PM.

Marcia is a Scotch Plains resident and multi-talented professional.  She works for the US EPA, where she is presently the regional project officer for the pesticides division.  Her specialty is mosquito management.  As an Adjunct Professor at Kean University, she teaches numerous courses in the Geology, Oceanography and Geography departments.  Additionally she is a certified tree expert.

Our meetings are held at the Scotch Hills Country Club in Scotch Plains, NJ.  We hope to see you there!