Local History
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Did you know:
- Washington was known as the Organ Manufacturing Capital of the World during the early 1900's, with five major manufacturers.
- At Oxford Furnace, cannon balls were made for the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, French and Indian War, and Civil War.
- The concrete for the original Yankee Stadium came from the Edison Cement Factory in New Village, which was one of Thomas Edison’s most successful business ventures.
- The Morris Canal was an engineering marvel, which overcame more elevation change than any other canal in the world (914 feet).
- The precursor to Consumer Reports Magazine was Consumer Research, which was located at the current Warren Hills District Office on Bowerstown Road. They split in 1936 after violent riots with communist undertones.
- The "crime of the century" occurred in Changewater in 1843 with the brutal murder of four members of the same family.
- Benedict Arnold married Peggy Shippen. They visited her cousin's family often at the Shippen Manor in Oxford. She helped pass secret messages to the British for her husband.
- The Shippen manor was purchased by George and Seldon Scranton in 1839. They founded Scranton, PA shortly afterwards.
- The first Autogyro port in the United States was created by Earle Eckel in Pleasant Valley on Millpond Road.
Websites of interest:
Postcards of Washington - GREAT site
Opening ceremony for Washington HS 1932 - now Warren Hills Middle School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dALYnaEXjus
Morris Canal - check out the PDF at the bottom of the page
Warren County Historical Learning Center at Bread Lock Park
http://www.co.warren.nj.us/WN/06-01-2009.html
http://www.hiddennj.com/2014/04/barges-edison-and-local-history-at.html - Barge, Edison and local History
http://www.hiddennj.com/2014/03/edisons-new-village-cement-plant.html - Edison Cement Plant
Washington Boro History
http://www.washingtonboro-nj.gov/town-history.html
http://www.apgarindustrieswebdesign.com/historical.html - see Thomas Edison film from 1903 in Washington
http://history.rays-place.com/nj/war-washington-borough.htm - Excerpt from book on Warren County history in 1911
http://www.hiddennj.com/2014/12/making-beautiful-music-in-washington.html - Organ Capital of the World
https://antiquepianoshop.com/online-museum/beethoven/ - Beatty Organ Manfacturer - Enzo Pizza building was their international headquarters
https://njpostalhistory.org/media/archive/151-aug03njph.pdf - History of Organ Manfacturing in Washington - Part 1 - Page 6-16 (This is good)
https://njpostalhistory.org/media/archive/152-nov03njph.pdf - History of Organ Mangacturing in Washington - Part 2 - Page 20-30
https://njpostalhistory.org/media/archive/153-feb04njph.pdf - History of Organ Manfacturing in Washington - Part 3 - Page 13-24
YouTube slide shows
Washington Township History
http://history.rays-place.com/nj/war-washington.htm
http://www.washington-twp-warren.org/about_washington/local_history/index.php
http://nynjctbotany.org/njrvtofc/washingtontwnwc.html
Mansfield History
http://history.rays-place.com/nj/war-mansfield.htm
Franklin History
http://history.rays-place.com/nj/war-franklin.htm
Oxford History
History of the Washington Theater - by John General
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSV-QmU4pMk
Consumer Research movement in Bowerstown
http://www2.scc.rutgers.edu/ead/manuscripts/consumers_introf.html
http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/consumers-research/98411/http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/consumers-research/98411/
Changewater / Castner Murders - 1843
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.565112760165491.133476.192393534104084&type=3
Famous People