Hackettstown Historical Society

08/26/2026

Welcome back! As we start the Fall Season, it's time for the restart of our Presentations!

Everyone please join us on Tuesday Sept. 1st, 2026 at 7:00pm at the American Legion Hall, 494 Willow Grove St,. Hackettstown, where Dr. Peter Lubrecht will enlighten us on the Hessians, professional German Soldiers hired by the British Army during the Revolutionary War. Dr. Lubrecht will show us the details, including the facts and fictions of their service for the British/Loyalist cause.

As always, the programs are free for members, and we request a nominal $5 donation for non-members, in order to help continue to bring these speakers to you. Refreshments are free, and we will have the doors open at 6;30pm for those who wish to meet and talk with any of our Officers or Board Members, or would like to sign up for membership.

Also, our apologies on the quality of the flyer, and the unusual lateness of this posting. There have been a number of technical issues that needed to be worked out. Our Instagram page should be up soon also, and we'll post when it's fully functional.

08/23/2026

OK, so to enlighten everyone, Hackettstown High School, in its earlier years, had separate colors for each graduating class! The colors of the Class of 1926 were Navy Blue and White!

The Class Flower was the "Red Rose."

The Class Motto was "Up the Ladder, Step by Step." This was a reference to going from a Freshman to Senior as a series of steps.

This is all information gleaned from the 1926 "Oracle," Hackettstown High School's Yearbook.

08/06/2026

I'm going to give this a couple more days. Let's get some more guesses out there!

OK everyone. It's quiz time! What were the colors of Hackettstown High School's Class of '26? By that, I mean the Class of 1926, not 2026! No cheating by using AI, or Google, Bing, etc.

06/30/2026

Due to the forecast heatwave and lack of central air/adequate climate control in the Museum, and for the safety of both docents and visitors, the Museum will NOT be open tomorrow, WednesdayJuly 1st. We will also NOT open this Friday, July 3rd, 2026 for the same reasons.

We will reopen as usual, at 2pm on Sunday, July 5th, 2026, since the heat wave is expected to break by then. If there is any last minute change, it will be posted here.

Here are some pictures of our current display, the American Revolution at 250 years, and those from Hackettstown who participated in it.

06/28/2026

Our apologies!

Due to an unexpected delay, the Museum will be open from 3-5pm rather than as n 2-4 today. Thanks for your patience.

06/09/2026

We're greatly saddened by the recent passing of one of the Founding Members of our Society. Mr. Prestopine, "Charlie" to those who have known, worked with, or just had the occasion to meet him, was one of the main constant driving forces that helped to "get things done" for his beloved Hackettstown, First Presbyterian Church, and its Historic Burying Ground. We hope you'll take the time to read about his storied life and be inspired to be of service to his beloved community and the history of both Hackettstown, and our Country at large!

Charles “Charlie” Stuart Prestopine, 89, of Hackettstown, NJ, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Morristown Memorial Hospital, surrounded by his loving wife, Phyllis, and devoted family and friends.

05/15/2026

In cooperation with the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the Hackettstown Free Public Library, we invite you to register for a Zoom program Marines in the American Revolution. It will be held online only, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 6:00-7:00pm.

You must register in advance through the HFPL web page link below and will receive a Zoom link via email by the morning of the program. Once you get that link, please try to log on 5-10 minutes before the start of the program.

The United States Marine Corps celebrated its 250th Birthday on Nov. 10, 2025, and its Museum in Northern Virginia has a great array of displays both within the Museum and on the trails on the grounds of the Museum which document the history of the USMC.

Click on the link below and register now, before it's too late!

Join us with the National Museum of the Marine Corps for our virtual tour of “Defending the New Republic” gallery, where we explore the genesis of the Marines and their heroism in the American Revolution. This program will touch on the historic artifacts from 250 year ago and the origin story of...

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there!

Here's a history of the holiday honoring Mothers, and also a video that goes into a bit more detail. Feel free to read, or watch, or both:

https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/history-mothers-day-global-peace-greeting-cards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5so9YN18tU

11 likes, 1 comment. "Why the Inventor of Mother's Day Hated It"