Routes to Roots Heritage Trail
The Drake House Museum
The Drake House was built in 1746 by Isaac Drake as a home for his son and family. Today, it is home to the Plainfield Historical Society. The mission of the historical society is to promote interest in history and to maintain and develop the Drake House Museum. The Museum, through its permanent collection and various programs, brings many facets of the heritage of the greater Plainfield community together. Through special exhibits, the Historical Society expands its documentation of Plainfield's more recent history beyond the Drake/Harberger eras. One of the most interesting documents in the Drake House is the last will and testament of Isaac Drake. Upon his death in 1756, Drake manumitted his female slave Cate and provided for the freedom of his three male slaves, Tom, Tone, and Cesar ten years later. This document is important because it records slavery found in the North and among the early families of Plainfield and East Jersey. It also provides evidence of Americans slowly changing their attitudes towards the "peculiar institution." The museum is open Saturday(s) 11AM-1PM and Sunday(s) 2-4PM, Admission: Adults $3, Children $1
http://drakehousemuseum.tripod.com/id12.html
The Drake House Museum
602 W. Front St.
Plainfield, 07060
(908)755-5831
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Liberty Hall Museum
Built on the eve of the Revolution, Liberty Hall is associated with many of the events and individuals that have shaped our nation's history. Home to the prominent Livingston and Kean families, one of Liberty Hall's most famous residents was that of William Livingston, New Jersey's first Governor, delegate of the 1787 Constitutional Convention and signer of the constitution. As a delegate of the convention, Livingston is noted for serving as chairman of the committee that handled the issue of slavery.
Using period documents and first hand accounts of the Revolutionary Era, the museum explores issues that transformed New Jersey as well as the nation. -- The museum provides guided tours on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors may take self-guided tours of the Carriage House and the Gardens. There is a 10 minute orientation film. Facilities include a museum shop, picnic area and parking. The museum is open Wednesday-Saturday, 10am to 4pm and Sunday, 12noon to 4 pm. Admission prices: Adults, $10; Senior Citizens, $8; college students with valid ID, $5; students, ages 3 to 17, $4; Liberty Hall Museum members and children two years and under, free.
Liberty Hall Museum
1003 Morris Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 908-527-0400, Fax: 908-352-8915
info@libertyhallnj.org
http://www.libertyhallnj.org
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Wallace Chapel AME Zion Church
Florence Spearing Randolph (1866-1951) was a "renowned AME Zion deacon, minister, missionary, suffragist, lecturer, community leader, and temperance worker." Most notably, however, Randolph has also been recognized as one of the first female pastors of her time. In 1925, Randolph was appointed as pastor of the AME Zion Church in Summit, New Jersey. The church was organized in 1923 and later re-named the Wallace Chapel AME Zion Church. Randolph served as pastor of the church for 21 years until her retirement. Today, the Wallace Chapel AME Zion Church continues to thrive within Summit, NJ.
Wallace Chapel AME Zion Church
138-142 Broad Street
Summit, NJ
(908) 277-0574
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Shady Rest Golf and Country Club
In 1921, the Westfield Country Club was purchased by a group of prominent African American investors who subsequently established the Shady Rest Golf and Country Club, the first country club to be owned and operated by African Americans in the United States. Shady Rest featured a nine-hole golf course, club house, restaurant, tennis court, horseback riding, skeet shooting, croquet and other social activities. In 1963 Shady Rest became a public recreational facility and was renamed the Scotch Hills Country Club.
Scotch Hills Country Club and Golf Course
820 Jerusalem Road
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076-2003
P: (908) 232-9748
F: (908) 232-1784
COUNTENANCE: Notable County Facts & Faces
Joe Black (1924 - 2002)
A native of Plainfield, NJ, Joe Black was the first African-American to win a World Series game (1952), when he pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was also named Rookie of the Year for the Dodgers in 1952 as well. Later, he became involved with the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT), an organization that helps pre-pension era ballplayers.
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County History and Resource Organizations
Union County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs
633 Pearl Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
Phone: 908-558-2550
E-Mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org
Union County Historical Society
116 E. 4th Avenue
Roselle, NJ 07203
(908) 245-9010
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