NJAART Meetings

The North Jersey American Revolution Round Table meets on Thursday, March 13 at 7pm at the museum of the Morristown National Historical Park, 30 Washington Place, Morristown and ON ZOOM.  Dr Jude Pfister presents a talk on three notable artifacts from the museum’s collection.

Those wishing to receive the zoom link should send an email to arrt.nj@gmail.com

Treasures from the Vault

Morristown National Historical Park [MNHP], the nation’s first designated historical park, is home to much more than meets the eye, or what might be heard on a guided tour. The museum collection—artifacts, archives, and rare books—spans the post-contact period (1493–1930) of European engagement in what is now North America through to the last century. While particularly strong in representing the pre-/post-Revolutionary War period, there are thousands of artifacts (including Native American) that date from the 15th through the 20th centuries.

Three rarely seen items will be discussed. First, the suit of clothes that George Washington, according to family tradition, wore at the parties following his first inauguration in 1789. Sadly, given the advanced deteriorated state of the suit, the original cannot be shown. However, multiple pictures were taken when the suit was rehoused in 2022 after being undisturbed for nearly 30 years. To read about the suit beforehand, see the park blog site at:  Morristown National Historical Park Museum and Library: Featured Artifact: George Washington Inaugural Suit

Following the discussion of the suit, two rare books will be available for viewing. A first edition of the memoirs of militiaman Joseph Plumb Martin (1830), and a first edition of the Federalist papers (1788). The Federalist papers were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, as newspaper essays, to promote the passage of the proposed federal Constitution in the state of New York. Both books are nearly instantly recognizable, even if known by another name, as in the case of Martin, whose published memoirs became known as Private Yankee Doodle.

Our speaker, Dr. Jude M. Pfister, has been at the MNHP since 2004 where he oversees the museum, archival, and library programs. He has been with the National Park Service in the field of historic preservation and cultural resource conservation since 1993. An author, his most recent book, Slavery and the American Founding: Hope and Hypocrisy in the Age of Enlightenment, is due for release in early 2025.