The dwindling collection of Westfield homes that stood during the time of the Revolutionary War will be the topic of a presentation by Robert Wendel at the next meeting of the Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood on Tuesday evening March 22nd. Although there were no major battles in current day Westfield, there were several significant battles throughout what was once the greater West Fields of Elizabethtown, notably in present day Fanwood and Scotch Plains. Skirmishes often took place outside some of the homesteads that will be discussed at the March 22nd meeting. Mr. Wendel will discuss the history of these homes, their role during the Revolution and the importance of standing up for their preservation. Westfield, Fanwood, and Scotch Plains have seen the destruction of many of our Revolutionary homes in the past 30 years. Our historic fabric is unraveling with their demise as we lose the architectural and cultural history of our past.

In one of the largest and least-known military actions of the Revolutionary War, General John Sullivan led a large army deep into the Iroquois homeland and in a scorched earth campaign, broke the power of the Iroquois Confederacy that opened the western frontier to settlement after the was was won.

At the February meeting of the Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood, historian and attorney John Orzel, Esq. will explain the background to this battle that encompassed Northwestern New Jersey, Southern New York and Northern Pennsylvania in flames in the winter of 1778-1779.

John Orzel, a practicing lawyer, was born on what was once the largest reservation into which the Seneca Tribe, the mighty and most warlike of the Iroquois Confederacy, had been placed by the new government of the United States, outside of Buffalo, New York.  Living outside of Buffalo and working in Manhattan, his thirty years of travel over much of the route of the Sullivan Expedition, peeked a keen interest in the expedition that is the genesis of his talk. John Orzel, a partner in Kennedys, an international law firm has practiced international transportation for over thirty years and has studied military history since learning to read.

The upcoming meeting is free and all are welcome. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, at the Shady Rest Country Club (known formerly as Scotch Hills), 820 Jerusalem Road (at the corner of Plainfield Ave) in Scotch Plains.  For further info, contact Connie Klock at (908) 232-9489.

What was it like the night the Martians “invaded” New Jersey in 1938? How did Princeton residents feel about having Albert Einstein as a neighbor? What inspired young Charles Addams from Westfield to come up with his ghoulish cartoon creations? How did a teenage Bruce Springsteen from Freehold get his high school band into a recording studio?

Have you ever heard of Mundy Peterson from Perth Amboy, who cast an historic vote 150 years ago? How about Garret Hobart from Paterson, who was almost president of the United States? What about Col. Robert Johnson from Salem County and the legend of the poisonous tomato?

Local author Fred T. Rossi literally wrote the book on lesser-known stories about interesting people and unusual events from Garden State history.

Join Rossi, a writer and journalist for 30 years, at the November meeting of the Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood as he recounts some of the fascinating tales in his book, Jersey Stories: Stories You May Not Have Heard About People and Events in New Jersey History.

“There’s something for everyone in Jersey Stories,” Rossi said. “History, politics, entertainment, lots of trivia and plenty of interesting characters and events. I think whether you’re a New Jersey resident or an expatriate, you’re sure to find something of interest in Jersey Stories.”

The upcoming meeting is free and all are welcome. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23, at the Shady Rest Scotch Hills Country Club, 820 Jerusalem Rd. (at the corner of Plainfield Avenue) in Scotch Plains. Note that in accordance with township policy, masks will be required in common areas of the building. Refreshments and fellowship will follow the presentation.