Montclair History Center

06/04/2026

Check this out!

Step Inside Newark History at the Historic Forest Hill House & Garden Tour! 🌿🎬

The Forest Hill Community Association is bringing back its beloved Historic Forest Hill House & Garden Tour on Saturday, June 6 from 11 AM – 4 PM in Newark’s North Ward.

Explore 12 remarkable stops featuring stunning historic homes, beautiful gardens, and even a house of worship connected to the late 19th-century abolitionist movement. Several featured homes have appeared in films, television productions, and commercials — including The Whisper Man, American Sports Story: Gladiator, Rob Peace, and more. One property even served as a compound for Newark’s most famous opera singer.

The self-guided walking tour begins at the Ballantine Gates at Lake Street and Ballantine Parkway. Visitors can stroll at their own pace or ride the free Essex County trolley between stops.

🎟 Advance tickets are $35
☔ Rain or shine event
🕚 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Come experience one of Newark’s architectural treasures and celebrate the rich history, culture, and character of the Forest Hill neighborhood!

06/03/2026

The Montclair History Center and Aging in Montclair have teamed up to present two live interview events where longtime residents share their stories and the impact they've had on the Montclair community.

Join us June 11th at JAZZ HOUSE KiDS. This event is free and made possible by Partners for Health Foundation. This event is offered in person or through zoom. Registration required in advance, available here: https://events.humanitix.com/everyone-has-a-story-with-mhc-and-aim-june-2026

About Melsissa Walker
Over the past two decades, Melissa Walker has led transformative change in arts education as Founder and President of JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, building the organization into a nationally acclaimed institution serving tens of thousands of students through world-class education and performance. A GRAMMY Award-winning jazz vocalist and graduate of Brown University, she has been recognized as one of NJBiz’s Best 50 Women in Business and received honors including the Jazz Journalists Association’s Jazz Hero Award, the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award, and the 92nd Street Y’s Extraordinary Women Award. Walker also serves as Executive Producer of the award-winning Montclair Jazz Festival, the largest free jazz festival in the NYC area.

About Our Interviewer
After retiring from the diplomatic service, Nancy LeRoy resumed her acting career in film and theater in Washington, DC and New York City. She moved to Montclair to be near her children and grandchildren.

05/31/2026

To celebrate the end of Asian American & Pacific Islander month we have a new blog post written by artist and local Ela Shah! Ela shares her experience of the AAPI community in Montclair from her time moving here to now, and how it has affected her. Additionally, see two new pieces of art from Ela and see how they are inspired by this community.

Check it out here: https://www.montclairhistory.org/new-blog/elashahaapi

And, listen to Ela's oral history interview here: https://montclairhistory.catalogaccess.com/archives/16051

05/29/2026

A wonderful visit with Assemblywoman Collazos-Gill earlier this week! Thank you for all your support of local history and the Montclair community.

05/28/2026

The Montclair History Center is thrilled to announce that Executive Director Angelica Diggs has been accepted as one of nineteen fellows from across the country to participate in the American Association for State and Local History’s History Leadership Institute Seminar.

For more than six decades, the History Leadership Institute has helped strengthen the leadership capacity of the history field by bringing together practitioners from museums, historical societies, historic sites, and related organizations across the country.

This year’s cohort will gather for an intensive two-week seminar in June led by HLI Seminar director Andrea Jones and hosted by the Minnesota Historical Society. Fellows will explore major issues facing history organizations today, build relationships with peers from across the field, and develop the skills, perspective, and confidence needed to lead in a rapidly changing environment.

This opportunity is possible with the support of generous donations to the Making History Matter Campaign, Denny O’Toole Scholarship, and Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko Scholarship.

Learn more about the program online here and meet the other fellows at https://aaslh.org/meet-the-2026-history-leadership-institute-seminar-fellows/.

05/27/2026

Join us this upcoming Saturday for our Historic Pine Street walking tour! We’ll explore its architectural gems, uncover fascinating historical facts, and share lively anecdotes. Contributions from residents and those familiar with the area are warmly welcomed! This historic district tells the rich story of Montclair’s Italian immigrant community, its residents, and local businesses. The tour includes a special treat from Nicolo’s Bakery and a coffee tasting at Java Love. Led by Director Angelica Diggs and Board of Trustee Donato DiGeronimo. Total walking distance is approximately 1 mile.

Tickets are $20/person. $15/person for Members (contact our office for the coupon code) Tickets are required in advance. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/historic-pine-street-waking-tour-may-16th-at-11-am

05/27/2026

Don’t miss this historic garden in peak bloom!

Today’s starts the beginning of Peak Week! The rain is finally gone and the flowers look gorgeous!
The Bloom room is open today thru Sunday 12-4pm.
This Iris is Deep Dark Secret.

05/26/2026

Did you know? On today's date in 1776, New Jersey's first state constitution began the drafting process in Burlington! Ending July 2nd, this first constitution was intended to be temporary but ended up lasting until 1844. It is the foundational document of our state's government. Early lawmakers and Patriots recognized a new governmental document was needed to guide the state government and prevent anarchy. The relatively short session to write the Constitution was a result of this need for immediate action.

This first NJ constitution was the only state constitution that allowed women, immigrants, and Black people to vote. Specifically, it stated "all inhabitants of this Colony, of full age, who are worth fifty pounds proclamation money, clear estate in the same, and have resided within the county in which they claim a vote for twelve months immediately preceding the election, shall be entitled to vote for Representatives in Council and Assembly; and also for all other public officers, that shall be elected by the people of the county at large." The use of the term individuals was gender and race neutral. Legally, this meant the only restrictions on voting were to own property. Even unmarried women could vote.

Most historians agree that this was deliberate and the draftees purposely intended for Black people and women to receive the right to vote. They also argue that women's suffrage specifically was a result of NJ women contributing to the Revolutionary War effort. New Jersey's 1797 voting law used "he or she," enshrining the right for women to vote in state elections.

In 1807, the state legislature flat-out ignored the Constitution and declared only white male taxpayers could vote in elections. This was feasible because no other state had followed New Jersey's progressive policy; there was no nationwide outcry. The now extinct Democratic-Republican party wanted to unify its factions for 1808 federal presidential election. One faction wanted to deny the right to vote to immigrants and the poor; women as a demographic also tended to vote for the Federalist party. This also coincided with the nationwide push for women to be "in the home."

Read the original 1776 New Jersey constitution here: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/nj15.asp

Pictured: William Paterson, Founding Father from New Jersey and Secretary of the original 1776 convention to write the NJ Constitution.

05/24/2026

Today is Aviation Maintenance Technician Day! Originally created to commemorate the life of Charles Edward Taylor, the builder of the engine in the Wright Brother's first plane, it is the perfect day to talk about NJ's aviation history! Here are a few dates and events special to New Jersey.

January 9, 1793: Jean Pierre Blanchard, of France, conducts the 1st balloon flight in New Jersey, taking off in Philadelphia and landing in Deptford Township on the other side of the Delaware River.

March, 1910: Local businessmen and aviation enthusiasts in Atlantic City form the Aero Club of Atlantic City. Their landing strip is at Bader Field. The next July, pioneer of aviation Glenn H. Curtiss takes off and conducts the first flight over open ocean.

September 24th, 1929: Army Lieutenant "Jimmy" Doolittle conducts a 15 minute flight only using radio guidance and instrument navigation, NOT looking out the cockpit. This proved the usability of safety features and navigation technologies foundational to air travel today.

May 6th, 1937: The Hindenburg, the world's largest airship, while serving as a vehicle to distribute N**i propaganda explodes into flames while docking at Naval Air Station Lakehurst. It was the last of the great airship disasters, shattered confidence in airships as a mode of transport, and produced now-iconic newsreel footage.

1943: The Reaction Motors XLR11, the first liquid-propellant rocket used in United States aircraft, begins development in New Jersey. It is first tested in Pompton Lakes. It was used in the Bell X-1 aircraft, the first powered flight to exceed the speed of sound.

What are aviation milestones in New Jersey do you remember?

Pictured: The Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of New Jersey at Teterboro Airport. Check them out here: http://www.njahof.org/

05/23/2026

Through the end of May and into June, find the Montclair History Center at your favorite Montclair events! We'll have a table at each one, featuring giveaways, raffles, and fun free prizes! Take the opportunity to try some fun New Jersey and Montclair historical trivia, and spin our prize wheel. See you there!