Train ride is slated
By John Tredrea, Special Writer
Few things evoke American history as strongly as the railroad, and a special railroad ride this Saturday is among a full slate of events celebrating Hunterdon County’s 300th birthday.
The scenic train ride will be aboard the Black River and Western Railroad from Flemington to Ringoes.
At the stop in Ringoes people can enjoy live music by the Red Oak Country Boys featuring historic railroad songs, a box lunch and a lecture on the history of rail and train stations in Hunterdon with county historian Frank Curcio.
Train boarding will be at 11:15 a.m., with the train leaving the station at 11:30. After its stop in Ringoes, it will return to Flemington at about 4 p.m.
The Flemington station and platform are located behind the Liberty Village Premium Outlets at the corner of Stangl Road and Route 12. (Take the Flemington Circle to Route 12 West; cross the train tracks and quickly make a right turn into Stangl Road; the station and platform are immediately ahead on the right. Parking is the large lot on your left across the street from the station).
The cost of the ride will be $15 for adults and $10 for children 17 and younger. Children five and under ride free.
Hunterdon’s historic barns will be subject of a program set for Sept. 16, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the north branch of the county library, at 65 Halstead St. in Clinton.
Local photographer Anne Freeman will be there; she is showing her historic barn photography in the month at the North Branch of the County Library. Jeffrey Marshall, barn historian and president of the Heritage Conservancy, will talk on Hunterdon’s barns.
On Sept. 20, also at north branch of the library, a historical craft project will be held for children aged six to 14. Kim Cheifer will lead a puppet-making workshop from 3 to 6 p.m., based on historical models of puppets.
"Col. John Reading and The Creation of Hunterdon County" will be the topic of a lecture, set for 2 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the main branch of the county library, at 314 Route 12 in Raritan Township. Historian Marfy Goodspeed will speak about on Col. Reading, one of Hunterdon’s founding fathers, and on the early politics of Hunterdon.
"The best way for people to find out about upcoming events is to sign up for our blog or other social media on the home page of our website, http://www.hunterdon300th.org," said Tricentennial chairperson Marcia Karrow. "If they don’t want to do that, they can monitor our website daily to see when tickets become available, but there is advance notice via social media and it is the best way to find out about all of our events plus special things that will be happening."
Ms. Karrow added: "If people don’t have email, we do hold back a small percentage of tickets for walk ins to our headquarters, The Flemington Choir School (3 Chorister Place, Flemington) — which is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m."

