It’s Spring, in the heart of track and field season, and this week we spotlight the Bernards High (NJ) Track team—from 1942. The above photo shows the team with Coach Edward J. Black. Javelins, a discus, and a shot are on the ground in front. Several members signed the photo, including: Back RowGeorge Wissell Middle

A black-and-white photo shows the Bernards Township (NJ) Committee and staff on January 1, 1959, probably at its reorganization meeting. Mayor David M. Meeker with gavel, is front row center.  Meeker served five years on the committee and was mayor in 1959.  He also wrote a weekly column as “Uncle Jed” for the Bernardsville News

On February 8, 1964 on Route 22 near Newark Airport, a truck collided with a passenger car carrying four nuns from St. Elizabeth’s School in Bernardsville, NJ.  Two sisters were killed and two seriously injured.  Sister Valerie (the former Doris C. Dolbach), was school principal and driver and was injured along with Sister Gabriella (Mildred

In 1865, the NJ state legislature authorized The Passaic Valley and Peapack Railroad Company to build a railroad from Essex or Union counties westward along the Passaic River to Basking Ridge and on to Peapack. A later amendment authorized an extension to the Delaware River between Milford and Frenchtown. John H. Anderson (1813-1875) of Bernards

A new set of records is now part of THSSH Online Collections.  These documents form a new collection focused on Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1, which was formed in 1904. Items include old photos such as the one pictured above which shows the 1925 Firemens’ Carnival at Maple Avenue School with Fire Chief Ray

A tambourine that belonged to Chief William Arthur Richardson (1872-1935) of Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 is a recent addition to the society’s collections.  Richardson moved to Basking Ridge by 1910 from Pennsylvania where he had been a fireman and had started using the tambourine in parades.  He served as chief in Basking Ridge

Structures like this one used to be common across the Somerset Hills. Does anyone know what it is? This photo is fairly recent—February 1971. We’ll post the answer in a few days. ANSWER:   The building is a wellhouse.  Wellhouses covered wells so no one accidentally fell in.  They also provided a framework for a crank

A postcard from 1905 shows the Somerset Inn, located in Bernardsville, NJ. The inn stood on Mendham Road, near Washington Corner Road and became a resort destination for the rich and famous in society after the railroad was extended (1872) to Bernardsville.  Many guests liked the area so much that they later built homes of

The nooks and crannies at the THSSH archives often hold hidden gems, and this empty envelope addressed to Messrs. Honnell and Bunn is a good example.  Honnell and Bunn were grocers in Bedminster village (then called Lesser Crossroads) as early as 1850.  On the 1850 census, Benjamin R. Honnell (1818-1894) and Martin Bunn (c.1812-1887) were

Before the rise of chain pharmacies, the Somerset Hills had many small drug stores.  Somerset Pharmacy was founded in 1893 in Bernardsville, NJ, by George W. Burns (1865-1934).  The store was located on Olcott Square in the spot occupied until recently by Mediterranean Tile.  The original building burned in the 1960s.  This image of the