Monmouth County Archives and History Day will take place 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan.
As the county’s caretaker of historic documents for the past 26 years, the staff has prepared a monthlong exhibit, “The Civil War: New Jersey in Focus,” which opened on Oct. 1.
“As a strategically located northern state, New Jersey played a significant role during the Civil War,” Monmouth County archivist Gary Saretzky said. “More than 88,000 Jerseyans served in the Union Army and Navy, and about 6,300 died. Even those who did not go to the front were impacted by the conflict through family members, work, charitable organizations and social activities.”
The exhibit includes a gallery of 42 frames with digital reproductions of documents and photographs from more than a dozen collaborating institutions and individual collectors, according to a press release. There are also items that relate to nurses, women on the home front, Civil War music, the peace movement and uniforms on display.
Archives and History Day will also feature a Monmouth County History Forum on the Civil War, a history game with prizes and more than 60 exhibitors from across New Jersey showcasing and promoting the history of the area. A complete schedule of the day’s events can be found at www.visitmonmouth.com.
During the plenary session from 11 a.m. to noon, the Jane Clayton Award will be presented to Angel and Jack Jeandron of Keyport in recognition of their efforts to preserve and promote knowledge of the history of Keyport.
Archives and History Day will also pay homage to the Monmouth County Library with a special screening of the video “Four Score and 12: A Historical Retrospective of the Monmouth County Library” during the plenary session.
In 1922, residents of Monmouth County approved a public referendum establishing a “county free library,” thereby creating the Monmouth County Library, which began operations in January 1923.
At 12:10 p.m., Monmouth County historian Randall Gabrielan and featured speaker Joseph W. Becton will host a discussion about Civil War history. At 1 p.m., Becton will present “Music of the Civil War Era.”
A tour of the Monmouth County Archives will be available by advance registration. Anyone interested in the 3 p.m. tour is asked to contact Shelagh Reilly at [email protected].