Free Book Talk Event In Nutley: ‘Colonial Taverns Of New Jersey’

NUTLEY, NJ — Sometimes the heart of a nation can be found in its bars.

The Nutley Historical Society will host New Jersey author Michael Gabriele on Friday, May 12 for a discussion about his latest book, “Colonial Taverns of New Jersey – Libations, Liberty and Revolution.”

The launch event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Nutley Museum, 65 Church Street. The program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served and books will be available for sale (cash only). Learn more about the book here.

According to Gabriele, his latest work focuses on activities associated with taverns in Haddonfield, Bordentown, Burlington, Princeton, Piscataway, New Brunswick, Trenton, Newark, Morristown and “all points in between.” It spotlights the lives of New Jersey’s little-known colonial era/Revolutionary War luminaries such as Elizabeth Haddon, Jacob Hyer, Christopher Ludwick, Cyrus Bustell, Timothy Matlack, John Dickinson, Ann Risley, John Neilson, John Woolman and Henry Lyon.

The book also provides insights into the New Jersey experiences of iconic Revolutionary War figures such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine and Alexander Hamilton, Gabriele added.

According to the author:

“Each day in the Garden State, we literally walk along the Crossroads of the American Revolution in the footprints of our forbearers—a legacy that lies just below the surface of our everyday lives. The ghosts that linger on these byways sustain our state’s collective heritage. Individual sketches of people, places and events presented in the book are illuminating, but when assembled as a whole from numerous sources, a more complete, colorful mosaic emerges—a grassroots saga of New Jersey’s Revolutionary spirit and colonial life. This mosaic, this saga is the foundation of our state’s living history.”

A lifelong Garden State resident and a former Nutley Sun editor, he is a 1975 graduate of Montclair State University and a 1971 graduate of Nutley High School. He has worked as a journalist, freelance writer and author for more than 40 years. Gabriele is a member of the board of trustees for the New Jersey Folk Festival at Rutgers University and a member of the executive boards for the Allied Artists of America, New York; the Nutley Historical Society; and the Theater League of Clifton, and he serves on the advisory board of the Clifton Arts Center.

Jennifer Dowling Norato, who served as the peer editor for Gabriele’s book, will be the keynote speaker at the May 12 reception.

TAVERNS IN COLONIAL AMERICA

Why were taverns so important to colonial America? Here’s what Gabriele has to say:

“Taverns were an important part of the colonial landscape and served as community hubs in villages throughout the state. New Jersey was the “Crossroads of the American Revolution” and as battles raged, colonial taverns formed the social network that held the state together. Taverns were the stage for the unfolding drama of a colony transitioning into statehood and making decisions about declaring a war of independence. New Jersey’s General Assembly, meeting in September 1777 at a tavern in Haddonfield, passed legislation that declared New Jersey to be “a state, not a colony,” in effect, joining the call for revolution and a break from British rule.

“Due to the demand for carriage travel between New York and Philadelphia, New Jersey had myriad taverns, which were located along well-traveled routes and near ferry boat slips. The early colonial roadways were used by soldiers, merchants, farmers, dignitaries and citizens, with taverns serving as hospitality stops, providing food, drink, overnight accommodations and services for stagecoach drivers and their horses. George Washington frequently used taverns as temporary headquarters during the Revolutionary War, where he drafted his many letters and planned strategy with his generals.

“Rum, beer and alcoholic apple cider were the beverages of choice at village taverns in the 18th century. During the 1600s and 1700s, taverns housed the daily experiences of people during the colonial era, and their stories provide a window into the state’s history from that period. Taverns were the “seedbeds” for the revolution, strongholds for political activities, beacons for travelers, and venues for entertainment, merriment, treachery, and libations. Once the war began, taverns became recruitment stations for colonial militias and meeting places for local committees of safety.”

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