Verona resident Jane Eliasof is executive director of the Montclair Historical Society, and she’s let us know about an event next weekend that should appeal to people who aren’t Montclair residents.
On Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, the MHS will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with weekend of events at the Crane House and Historic YWCA at 108-110 Orange Road in Montclair. During the day on Saturday, Montclair’s Town Historian Mike Farrelly will lead a walking tour of the Porter Place neighborhood. The two-hour tour begins at the Crane House and Historic YWCA at 10:30 a.m. A $5 donation is suggested. That night, the MHS is hosting a Jubilee Celebration Party from 6 to 10 p.m. that will have live jazz music by Perfect Alibi, delicious food and drinks by Rustic Food, and great company. The admission cost is $75 per person. RSVP by phone at 973-744-1796 or email at [email protected].
On Sunday, bring your antiques to the Montclair Historical Society’s Hidden Treasures Appraisal Day. John Nye from Nye & Company Auctions and Charlie Potters from Watchung Antiques will evaluate your antiques and give you a sense of the value. The cost for one item is $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers. Each additional item is $5. John Nye is one of the appraisers seen frequently on the popular PBS show “Antique Roadshow.” The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Reservations are requested, but not required.
You can also tour the Crane House and Historic YWCA on Sunday and stop in to see a loop of unedited footage from August 25, 1965, when the Crane House made its historic move from its original home on Glenridge Avenue to its new location on Orange Road. Eliasof will present a talk, “Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future”, at 3 p.m. that recalls the ins and outs of moving a 225-ton house just before demolition was scheduled.
