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  • A Visit to the Miller-Cory House Museum, Westfield, NJ

    On June 22nd, the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Site-NJ and the Miller-Cory House Museum presented the history of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and a tour of the Miller-Cory House in Westfield, NJ.  The Miller-Cory house was a witness to the allied army march from Rhode Island to Yorktown, VA in 1781 prior to the climactic battle of the American Revolution at Yorktown in October.  Joining the tour of the Miller-Cory House was the New Jersey Society of the Children of the American Revolution State Board, and it was an honor to meet them at the tour, as well as sit in on their meeting at the house.

    Our tour guide was Robert Wendel, who is a fascinating local historian who is quite knowledgeable about the Miller-Cory House, the history of Westfield, the colonial era, and the American Revolution.  He has served as Curator and Vice President of the Westfield Historical Society, former Town Historian, and member of the Westfield Historic Preservation Commission.

    Through Robert, I learned much about the Miller-Cory house, as well as the general area’s role before, during, and after the American Revolution.  In 1740, Samuel Miller built the farmhouse and lived there with his wife and children.  The property once sat on 110 acres of land.  What is now Mountain Ave. in Westfield, which passes by the front of the house, was a Lenni Lenape trail and route along the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route.  The House was sold to Joseph Cory in 1784 and remained in the Cory family until the 1900s.  In 1972, the Westfield Historical society raised funds in order to purchase and preserve the house.  Through preservation, the house was returned to its earliest, colonial form and was furnished with colonial era artifacts.  It currently serves as a living history museum.

    Robert is an expert on the history of the house and was quite knowledgeable of colonial life in the region.  The area was once called the West Fields of Elizabeth Town.  The land in this region of New Jersey was to be settled and developed by British settlers in the name of King Charles II.  Robert took us on a tour of each room in the household, and described for us what life would have been like for those living there in the colonial period.  Touring the house was a reminder of the rich colonial history in New Jersey.

    As mentioned above, I was then able to meet leaders of the New Jersey Society of the Children of the American Revolution who were kind enough to let me sit in on one of their meetings.  I was able to have fascinating conversations with them about their organization and events that they have coming up.   Please check out their website here for ways to support and get involved in the organization—> https://sites.google.com/view/njcar/?pli=1

    Check out the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route site for events and ways to get involved.  Here is the national site—> https://w3r-us.org/

    Here is the New Jersey affiliate, of which I am a member—> https://www.w3r-nj.org/

    If you live in the area, I encourage you to visit the Miller-Cory house and check out events that they have throughout the year—-> https://millercoryhouse.com/

    You can also check out the Westfield Historical Society here—> https://www.westfieldhistoricalsociety.org/

    Check out my similar blog posts below:

  • Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s World War II Weekend- 2024

    On Saturday, June 8th, my dad and I made it out to the 33rd annual World War II Weekend at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, PA.  This was my dad’s fourth year going and this was my second year.  Like last year, the event did not disappoint.  Last year’s event was the very first event that I ever blogged about on this site, and you can read it here.  The event runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

    My dad and I made the 2 hour drive and arrived at the parking site at about 10:15am.  Right away, we could tell that there were many more people attending this  event than last year.  It was a beautiful day, and this year celebrated the 80th anniversary of D-Day which drew many people.  The lines to catch a shuttle bus to the event were quite long, although they did move pretty quickly.  I assume that the organizers of the event didn’t even assume the number of people who would be there.  But I have to give them credit for how well organized everything is run there.

    When my dad and I finally made it to the event, we toured the many encampments and checked out all of the WW2 planes.  We checked out a small French village, and we viewed WW2 soldiers drilling in line.  We saw medics care for two wounded soldiers.  We examined the many tanks and army vehicles.  The grounds have speakers that play tunes from the 1940s.  You truly feel like you’ve stepped into a time machine and are now in a WW2 camp.  There are so many reenactors who are in the army camps, and they are very knowledgeable about their subject.  One particular re-enactor explained to us how WW2 soldiers used bazookas against enemy tanks.  He also explained how jumpers from planes had to safely jump and land holding all of their equipment.

    At lunchtime we ate from one of the many food trucks there.  Then we started to head over to where the airshow was taking place.  We brought lawn chairs and watched the show.  It’s quite amazing to watch 80 year old planes still flying and doing tricks.  It was a windy day so the parachuters did not jump out of the planes like last year.  But it still was an impressive show.  Following the air show, we continued to walk the grounds and were immersed in the many WW2 camps, stumbling upon some bagpipers.  I love the fact that many people who come to WW2 weekend dress in 1940s attire.  Like last year I was amazed at how many people are willing to come out to a historical event, which is a satisfying reminder that so many people out there love history.  Everything at the event is so spaced out so that you don’t feel crammed at all.  

    Finally, in the late afternoon my dad and I decided to leave and there were more long lines to get back on the shuttle bus.  The amount of people there just shows how great this event truly is.  Anyone in the vicinity of Reading, PA needs to make it to this event!  Here is the link to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum→ https://maam.org/wwii/

    Check out my videos of the event on my Instagram page here—-> https://www.instagram.com/beneventos_history_blog/