Revolutionary War Military Fort Talk

Local historians Nancy Piwowar and Rich Palmatier will present “The Search for the Lost Revolutionary Fort in the Plainfields” on Sunday, October 6th at 2 pm at the Hanson House, 38 Springfield Avenue, Cranford, during a general meeting of the Society. Society President Joanne Rajoppi noted that the “forgotten” fort has special significance as the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of its founding, particularly in a region where extensive Revolutionary War activity took place.

The presentation will explore the militia post and fort constructed on the property of local Patriot Cornelius Vermeule and its role in protecting the southeastern flank of George Washington’s Middlebrook Encampment. The historians will also discuss the process of identifying the long-forgotten site, using primary source documentation, maps, video, and graphics. All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will follow the program.

Caldwell Memorial Restoration to Start

The Union County Historical Society’s long-awaited initiative to restore, clean, and repair the Memorial Obelisk honoring Patriots James and Hannah Caldwell at the First Presbyterian Church in Elizabeth is now underway. In addition to receiving a Union County Heart Grant, Society members have conducted fundraising efforts to fully support the project.

Work is scheduled to commence at the beginning of October. Richard Grubb & Associates (RGA), a nationally recognized cultural resource management and restoration firm headquartered in New Jersey, has been selected to perform the work. As part of the project, community groups will be invited to participate in a hands-on seminar focused on proper gravestone cleaning techniques.

Memorial Restoration Fund Contributors: American Legion Post 248, Christina DePonte, Barbara White Ellsworth, Linda P. Lannin, Ed and Mary Leonard, New Jersey Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, John and Ana Prescott, Joanne Rajoppi, Charles Shallcross, Barbara Sokol, Union County Commissioners Heart Grant, Union Township Historical Society, West Fields Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Historic County Cards

More than 60 commemorative history trading cards are now available to Union County residents through the Office of Heritage and Cultural Affairs. Initiated by the Board of County Commissioners several years ago, the cards highlight notable people and historic places throughout the county and are available at local historic sites and online.

Carnegie Libraries (Built 1904–1911)

During the Free Library movement, industrialist Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of nearly 1,700 public libraries across the United States between 1883 and 1929. Six were built in Union County: Westfield (1904), Cranford (1908), Summit (1909), Elizabeth Main Branch on Broad Street (1910), Elizabeth Liberty Square (1910), and Plainfield (1911). Of these, only the Elizabeth Main Branch on Broad Street remains in active use as a public library today.

Marjorie Van Emburgh (1904–1975)

In 1926, artist Marjorie Van Emburgh converted an old Plainfield carriage house into the Van Emburgh School of Art. While the school earned a reputation for artistic excellence, it also stirred controversy—most notably in 1933 when a nude art exhibition attracted national attention from The New York Times. The school later relocated to downtown Plainfield and then to Central Avenue, where it continues today. Van Emburgh remained on the faculty until her death in 1975.

Guillermo Thorn (1837–1920)

Born before the invention of photography, Guillermo Thorn witnessed the medium’s rapid rise and became one of Plainfield’s most important early photographers after moving there in 1864. His work captured portraits and scenes of everyday life, though his personal life was marked by tragedy, including the loss of his first wife and five children by 1870. Thorn later remarried, and his surviving children became subjects of his pictorial photography.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the October 6, 2024 UCHS program about?

The program explores the search for a long-forgotten Revolutionary War militia post and fort in the Plainfields, presented by historians Nancy Piwowar and Rich Palmatier.

What restoration project is UCHS beginning?

The Society is restoring the James and Hannah Caldwell Memorial Obelisk at the First Presbyterian Church in Elizabeth, supported by grants and community fundraising.

What are Union County Historic County Cards?

They are commemorative trading cards highlighting notable people and historic sites across Union County, distributed through the Office of Heritage and Cultural Affairs.