county_historian

The twelfth Historians Roundtable offered since the series was initiated in 2011 took place at the Bordentown Library on Saturday, June 8, 2013, with 35 individuals present. The meeting started with a moment of silence in honor of Historian and genealogist Judy Olsen, who was very active in the Roundtable.

Laufer commented: “We are excited to bring the program to Bordentown, one of the most historic colonial towns in Burlington County. One of the objectives of the project is to expose our history community to the rich history of local communities that some of our residents may not have had the opportunity to explore.”

In 2011 the Burlington County Library System conducted four Historians Roundtables. Burlington County Historian, Joe Laufer, was joined by his friend and fellow historian, Paul W. Schopp, and former county historian, Dave Kimball, in the informal chats at the Mount Holly Library and Lyceum, the Library Company of Burlington, and the Evesham Library during the spring. “We originally planned to hold the forums at the Headquarters Library in Westampton, but decided to take the show on the road because of the constraints of space caused by the major reconstruction being conducted here,” Laufer stated from his office located adjacent to the New Jersey Room of the county library. “In a way, this will be a plus, enabling us to bring the program to local communities,” the historian commented. The round tables encourage the public to air their historical questions and issues with these experts, and with other local community historians who are invited to participate.

FIRST ROUNDTABLE: Saturday, February 26, 2011 - Mt. Holly Library and Lyceum.

“It is fortuitous that we will be using two of the most historic libraries in the county for the first series of roundtables” Laufer reflected. The Mount Holly Library and Lyceum, originally known as The Bridgetown Library, received its charter on June 11, 1765 from His Majesty George III of England, through William Franklin, then Governor-General of New Jersey. The library is the fifth oldest in the state.

SECOND ROUNDTABLE: Saturday, April 16, 2011 - Library Company of Burlington City.

In 1757 British monarch King George II chartered the Library Company of Burlington for founder Thomas Rodman and John Reading as chief officer and it is New Jersey’s oldest library in continuous operations since that date. The second roundtable was held here on Saturday, April 16 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Burlington City facility. "This project will give the people of Burlington County an opportunity to experience these very historic libraries," Laufer stated.

The third open forum was held on Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Evesham Library, 984 Tuckerton Road, Marlton. In cooperation with the Evesham Historical Society, attendees were invited to a light lunch at the Historic Innskeep House, Headquarters of the Society, immediately after the meeting.

FOURTH ROUNDTABLE: Saturday, September 24, 2011 - Batsto Visitor Center, Batsto Village

The first program of the fall series was hosted by the Batsto Citizens' Committee at the Batsto Visitor Center in Washington Township on Saturday, Sept. 24 and feature guest speaker Dennis Niceler. Dennis is the collections manager for the Absecon Historical Society, and will discuss archival cataloguing and arranging, including a brief overview of "Past Perfect" software tools.

FIFTH ROUNDTABLE: Saturday, October 22, 2011 - Roebling Museum, Roebling, NJ

On Saturday, Oct. 22 the program moved to the Roebling Museum in Florence Township. For directions to the Roebling Museum, visit their website, www.RoeblingMuseum.org.

SIXTH ROUNDTABLE: Saturday, December 3, 2011 - Cinnaminson Library, Cinnaminson, NJ

On Saturday, December 3rd, the sixth roundtable discussion will be held at the Cinnaminson Library. The guest speaker will be Gary Saretsky, photographer, educator and archivist of the County of Monmouth. His topic will be “Photographic Conservation.” Other items of current historical interest will be a part of the program agenda.

The Cinnaminson Library is located at 1619 Riverton Road. To register for the upcoming discussion, go to www.bcls.lib.nj.us and click on "Events," then "Cinnaminson Library" and the date, December 3. Or, for more information, call Joe Laufer at the Burlington County Library at (609) 267-9660, ext. 5020 The Historians’ Roundtable program is open to the public and registration is encouraged.

The sixth and final Historians’ Roundtable, an informal discussion led by Burlington County Historian Joe Laufer and two colleagues, was held at the Cinnaminson Library on Saturday, Dec. 3..

Sponsored by the Burlington County Library System, the roundtable program was launched last spring in an effort to bring together history aficionados interested in discussing the County’s rich past. Led by Laufer and fellow historians Paul W. Schopp and David Kimball, the discussions are held at various historic sites and libraries located throughout the County.

The December 3rd program featured guest speaker Gary Saretzky, photographer, educator and archivist of the County of Monmouth. His topic was“Photographic Conservation.” Other items of current historical interest were also addressed.

Please register at www.bcls.lib.nj.us because space is limited.

Joe Laufer, Paul W. Schopp and Dave Kimball will host this first meeting of the new season.

Key agenda items include:

2. A presentation about 2012’s “History Faire at the Farm Fair” (July18-21). Details of the new highly visible Midway tent location; electric service and lighting; better on-site promotional signage, etc. and how you can participate. (Dick Toone)

3. A brief presentation about the 2013 Tercentenary of Burlington County’s Royal Charters of January, 1713, (Dick Toone)

Click here for Dick Toone's article on Royal Charters

4. Our usual networking opportunities and the sharing of issues, events, and information.

5. Information about future Roundtables. (see below)

6. Opportunity to tour Paulsdale

Please note the earlier starting time (9:30 a.m.), in order to permit an 11:45 adjournment to allow pre-scheduled afternoon programming at Paulsdale.

Registration is recommended by using the BCLS events registration calendar at www.bcls.lib.nj.us – Easiest way to register is by clicking on April 14 on the posted calendar and scrolling to “Historians’ Roundtable.”

Directions to Paulsdale at http://www.alicepaul.org/contactpage.htm

P.S. Congratulations to Loretta Kelly and the Friends of White Hill in Fieldsboro for the acceptance of the nomination to place White Hill Mansion on the state and national historic registers. Proof that dedication, patience and persistence eventually pay dividends!

Power Point of April 14th Roundtable Subjects

Roundtable # II (#8) – Saturday, June 2, 2012 - Pemberton Library, Browns Mills, NJ at 10:00 a.m. till Noon.

This meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the Pemberton Library, 16 Broaway, Browns Mills, NJ, 08015. Phone 609-893-8262. Printable directions can be obtained at www.bcls.lib.nj.us/libraries/pemberton. Please register at www.bcls.lib.nj.us and click on "events" and then "Pemberton Library" and then "Historians Roundtable".

AGENDA

1. A presentation about 2012’s “History Faire at the Farm Fair” (July18-21). Details of the new highly visible Midway tent location; electric service and lighting; better on-site promotional signage, etc. and how you can participate.

2. Listing of participating History Organizations participating in the 2012 History Faire.

3. Atsion tours - beginnin June 9th. Docents sought. Training available

4. Smithville events. Earth Fair on June 24

5. Brainstroming on themes and overall direction of the Historians' Roundtable for the future.

6. Our usual networking opportunities and the sharing of issues, events, and information.

7. Speakers' Bureau

8. Review of schedule of future Roundtables.

Saturday, September 22, 2012 - Historians Roundtable III– New Meeting Room at the Burlington County Library, 5 Pioneer Blvd (off Woodlane Road), Westampton. 10 am - Noon. This roundtable was well attended -- approximately 50 people. The main topic of discussion was about Wayfinding signs and Historical Markers, presented by Joe Laufer. The Power Point presentation which was used for this topic is posted below.

The Fourth Roundtable of 2012, originally scheduled for Saturday, November 17th at Bordentown, has been cancelled because of a conflict in schedule because of an event involving Joe Laufer, who will be receiving an Award of Recognition from the New Jersey Historical Commission for his contributions to New Jersey history on this date at the Historical Commission's New Jersey Forum at Georgian Court University.

The Roundtables are free and open to the public. Further information is availabl on the County Historian’s Website: www.Burlcohistorian.com. Registration is recommended for each program by using the County Library events registration calendar at www.bcls.lib.nj.us.

County Historian Joe Laufer's biography appears elswhere on this website. His colleagues, Paul W. Schopp and David Kimball, are well-recognized for their historical research and knowledge of Burlington County history. Paul W. Schopp, a resident of Riverton, has been a student of history for more than 35 years and has worked as a professional historian in the Cultural Resource field for the past 24 years, specializing in regional history, transportation history, and the history of technology. Paul is Senior Historian with an international engineering and infrastructure firm. A former executive director of the Camden County Historical Society, in 1994, he co-authored the 488-page book, The Trail of the Blue Comet, the history of the Central Railroad of New Jersey's Southern Division. He has completed 7 successful National Register nominations. A variety of specialty and peer-review journals have published his numerous articles and monographs.

David Kimball majored in history, with a minor in government at the University of Maryland. He spent most of his career employed by the National Park Service as a researcher, tour guide, planner and instructor. He was a major player in the National Parks Service celebration of the Bicentennial at Independence National Park in Philadelphia. In his retirement, Dave has been active as a docent, board member and President of the Old Burlington County Prison Museum. He is a trustee of the Burlington County Historical Society and wrote "Venerable Relic: The Story of the Liberty Bell." A monograph of selected actions from the minutes of the Burlington County Board of Freeholders is about to be published. Dave served as Burlington County's historian from 1992 to 2000. He is a resident of Willingboro.

Joe Laufer was appointed County Historian in 2003. Currently President of the H.B. Smith Industrial Village Conservancy, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Jack Allen Memorial Country Living Museum and the Roebling Main Gate Museum. He is a past president of the Southampton Historical Society and has served on the Board of Trustees of the Burlington County Historical Society. Joe has created a portfolio of over thirty themed illustrated lectures on historical subjects of local and national interest.

HISTORIANS' ROUNDTABLE HELD DECEMBER 7, 2013

HISTORIANS' ROUNDTABLE - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2013

HISTORIANS' ROUNDTABLE - SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013