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Kids Summer Camp with focus on history
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History Camp comes to Bedminster's Historic Jacobus Vanderveer House
It was the first program of its kind. Bedminster Recreation Department in partnership with The Friends of Jacobus Vanderveer House, offered a unique camp experience this past summer at the township’s Jacobus Vanderveer House. The historic Bedminster landmark building is the focal point for this hand-on 18th century fun-filled history-center summer enrichment program. While dressed in authentic 18th century clothing, campers experienced activities reminiscent of life in the 1700s including architectural exploration, craft projects, basket weaving, bee-keeping, music & dancing, games, and open-fire cooking.
Read the Daily JVH History Camp Diary...
See the Photos...
 
 
 Dates: July 14-18,2008
Monday-Friday from
1-4pm
Ages: 9-12
Open to ALL students in the Somerset Hills area.
Date |
Time |
Activity |
Monday, July 14 |
1 to 4 pm |
Welcome, Pass out Clothing, History of JVH, “Bee Keeping and Colonial Farming” with Tassot Apiaries. Discussion and processing. |
Tuesday, July 15 |
1 to 4 pm |
“Basket Weaving” with Elisa Kessler Caporale - Children will learn about the history of colonial basket making, purposes, materials, etc. and will be making round reed baskets with multicolored reed finished, looped or braided trim. Discussion and processing. |
Wednesday, July 16 |
1 to 4 pm |
“Colonial Crafts” with June Kennedy and Members of the Historical Society of Somerset Hills. Children will be making punch can lanterns and family crests on parchment. Other crafts if time permitting. Discussion and processing. |
Thursday, July 17 |
1 to 4 pm |
“Archeological Exploration” with Ian Burrow of Hunter Research. Children will participate in a real excavation of a small area south of the kitchen (a foot path from house to barn location); artifact processing washing, sorting and classifying artifacts; discussion of items located on the site and the archeological tools and methods used today. Discussion and processing |
Friday, July 18t |
1 to 4 pm |
“Cooking & Costuming” with Michele Dansak & Kathy Ormosi. The plan is to cook two items over an open outdoor fire pit, either soup and a bread or fried dough, and also churn butter. Children will be involved with the food prep that doesn’t actually involve being over the fire. (All necessary fire approvals have been satisfied with the township in addition to the location of the fire pit & dimensions with Hunter Research). Clothing styles and their purposes will be discussed relative to children. Discussion and processing. |
History Camp is open to Somerset County residents, 9 to 12 years of age, and was made possible in part by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and the Friends of the Somerset County Culture and Heritage, Inc.
History Camp is led by experienced professionals, and takes place in the natural historic setting of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, located at River Road Park in Bedminster. The camp is open to all Somerset County residents between the ages of 9 and 12.
Summer History Camp has been funded, in part, by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and Friends of Somerset County Culture & Heritage, Inc.
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About the Vanderveer/Knox House & Museum
& the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment
For over two centuries, the Jacobus Vanderveer House has been at the center of Bedminster Township’s rich and colorful history. The house is the last surviving building in Bedminster associated with the Vanderveer's, a family prominent in Bedminster Township history from its earliest settlement through the mid 19th century.
The Vanderveer house served as headquarters for General Henry Knox during the winter of 1778-79, when the Continental Army artillery was located in the village of Pluckemin during the Revolutionary War's Second Middlebrook Encampment. The house is the only known building still standing that was associated with the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment. The artillery park and military academy is considered to be the first installation in America to train officers in engineering and artillery and predates the United States Military Academy at West Point (est.1802) by twenty four years.
The Vanderveer family house was later enlarged with two additions in the nineteenth century, remodeled in the twentieth century, and subsequently abandoned. The Township of Bedminster purchased the home and the surrounding area as part of River Road Park in 1989. The home has been restored by The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, a non-profit group of inspired volunteers dedicated to use the home as a museum and educational center.
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The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House |
P.O. Box 723, Bedminster, New Jersey 07921-0723
908 - 212 - 7000 ext. 611 |
| www.jvanderveerhouse.com |
info@jvanderveerhouse.com |
| Click Here for Directions |
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