MORRISTOWN – Craigmeur Recreation Complex in Rockaway Township opens its doors to the general public for Family Day at the Fair on Saturday, July 5 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. This unique opportunity for the general public offers everything that larger groups have come to love about Craigmeur, a popular picnic destination offering rides, food, and games.

“Opening the doors of Craigmeur and inviting the general public is the perfect way to commemorate Independence Day. All of the amusements are available for this one-day-only event,” said Todd Silverman, manager of the Morris County Park Commission facility. “We hope that guests have a memorable day and consider visiting us again for their next group outing.”

Craigmeur overflows with activities for the entire family and FREE amusements during Family Day at the Fair include pony rides, the Curly Q Water Slide, the Krazy Maze, the Moon Bounce, the Wet ‘N’ Wild Bumper Boats, and much more. On the Family Day at the Fair, families can express their creative sides with spin art, face painting, and music from karaoke and DJ’s.

Enjoy Craigmeur’s many athletic fields and courts, such as tennis, softball, basketball, and volleyball. You can also have fun playing horseshoes, miniature golf, Frisbee golf, and shuffle board, so be sure to remember to bring all of your equipment.

Craigmeur’s Family Day at the Fair serves up the quintessential Independence Day menu with discounted prices for hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage and peppers, ice cream, and much more.

Admission to Craigmeur’s Family Day at the Fair is $5 per person or $10 per carload. Conveniently located off of Routes 23, 80, or 287, Craigmeur Recreation Complex is located at 1175 Green Pond Road in Rockaway Township and is open for groups seven days a week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, May through October.

For more information on Family Day at the Fair at Craigmeur Recreation Complex in Rockaway Township, please call 973-697-4500 or visit http://www.morrisparks.net/.

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MORRISTOWN – Historic Speedwell welcomes the Second New Jersey Brigade to the Civil War Weekend on June 21 and 22 and invites the general public to step onto the battlefields of the American Civil War and into the lives of soldiers. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, the group of knowledgeable re-enactors lead activities throughout the eight-acre site presenting the daily lives of soldiers. FREE parking and shuttle service are available during the Civil War Weekend.

Interact with Union soldiers as they re-create daily life with authentic cooking and dress. Catch a glimpse of the soldiers arranging their tents and pass the time with fellow companions. Watch musket and artillery drills and firing, listen to the daily mail call, and practice marching and bayonet drills. Activities not only prepare soldiers for battle, but also present the basics of battlefield medicine, whether soldiers suffered from battle-inflicted wounds or disease.

Even though Historic Speedwell was not the site of any battles during the Civil War, the Morristown location gained prominence in the years leading up to the conflict as Speedwell Ironworks, a leader in ironworks and railroading. Most importantly, Historic Speedwell preserves the birthplace of the telegraph, a revolutionary breakthrough in telecommunications by Samuel F.B. Morse and Alfred Vail, and the Factory Building, the site of the first public demonstration in 1838 and current National Historic Landmark.

Historic Speedwell’s exhibits are also open during the Civil War Weekend. Tour the Vail Home, featuring original furnishings, period antiques, and portraits of Stephen Vail and his first wife, Bethiah, painted by Morse in 1837; the Granary stocked with early farm tools, and the Wheelhouse where you can watch the massive 24-foot overshot water wheel turn. No trip to Historic Speedwell is complete without a visit to the Gift Shop in the L’Hommedieu House.

Regular admission applies for the Civil War Weekend with $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for children, ages four to 16, and FREE for children under four. Parking will be available Alfred Vail Elementary School on Speedwell Avenue, a quarter-mile north of Historic Speedwell.

For more information on the Civil War Weekend at Historic Speedwell, please call 973-285-6550 or visit http://www.morrisparks.net/. FREE parking and shuttle service are available.

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MORRISTOWN – Morris County is rich in history and entertainment with a cluster of significant tourist locations in Morristown. The Morris County Alliance of Tourism today announced the Annual Be Our Guest event, a FREE admission opportunity for the public to visit selected Morris County tourist locations on April 27, 2008 from 12 Noon to 5:00 p.m. with FREE shuttle transportation.

“Too often area residents say they haven’t visited the historic sites in their own neighborhood. The Morris County Alliance of Tourism wants to change that,” said Leslie Bensley, Executive Director of the Morris County Visitors Center. “The mission behind the Annual Be Our Guest event is to elevate the residents’ sense of pride in the area’s history. We want our visitors to become ambassadors and project that pride outwardly.”

With FREE entrance fees and a FREE shuttle between the sites, the public is invited to Acorn Hall, Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Historic Speedwell, Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, the Morris Museum, the Schuyler-Hamilton House, and Washington’s Headquarters. Last admission and last shuttle is at 4:30 p.m.

Acorn Hall is a historic house museum home to the Morris County Historical Society, an organization charged with the preservation and promotion of Morris County history. On April 27, Acorn Hall invites the public to tour the authentic 1853 Victorian Italianate mansion, donated by Miss Mary Crane in 1971, and participate in the new exhibit, “Games Victorian Played,” featuring parlor and lawn games, sports that developed in the 19th century, and the athletic clubs that promoted them. For more information on Acorn Hall, located at 68 Morris Ave, please call 973-267-3465.

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm is the incarnation of Caroline Foster’s wish to preserve her home and working farm with the traditions, techniques, and tools equivalent to the turn-of-the-20th century. Throughout the year and especially during the Annual Be Our Guest event, Fosterfields invites the public to visit the newborn animals, such as pigs and sheep. The farm’s rich history extends back to the mid-1800s when General Joseph Warren Revere, grandson of Paul Revere, built The Willows, the Gothic Revival Home, on the property. For more information on Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, located at 73 Kahdena Rd, please call 973-326-7600.

The Frelinghuysen Arboretum is a nationally-recognized center for horticultural education with tours, exhibits, and special events, while the 127-acre property’s mansion is a fine example of Colonial Revival architecture. The Annual Be Our Guest event stop at the headquarters of the Morris County Park Commission and member of the National Register of Historical Places offers FREE guided tours of the gardens and the opportunity to see the Haggerty Education Center’s current art exhibit. For more information on The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, located at 53 East Hanover Ave, please call 973-326-7600.

Historic Speedwell preserves the birthplace of the telegraph, a revolutionary breakthrough in telecommunications by Alfred Vail and Samuel F.B. Morse, and a portion of the Vail Homestead Farm, the site of the first transmission. The Annual Be Our Guest event features a behind-the-scenes restoration tour of the Factory Building, a National Historic Landmark and an official project of the Save America’s Treasures grant program through the National Park Service. For more information on Historic Speedwell, located at 333 Speedwell Ave, please call 973-326-7600.

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is the only brick structure of Morristown’s six house museums. Originally built by and named after George Macculloch, farmer and “Father of the Morris Canal,” Macculloch Hall also houses the 18th and early 19th century high style antiquities of W. Parsons Todd, a Morristown millionaire during the mid-20th century. The Annual Be Our Guest event stop at Macculloch Hall offers something for every member of the family including exhibits, such as “ABC’s of Furniture,” “Splendors of Silver,” and “The Presidential Politics of Thomas Nast,” as well as historic gardens, with the oldest wisteria in the United States, and children’s games. For more information on Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, located at 45 Macculloch Ave, please call 973-538-2404.

The Morris Museum, located on the former Peter H.B. Frelinghuysen family estate, promotes art, science, and educational programs with the mission to increase the community’s cultural consciousness. On April 27, The Morris Museum invites the public to see the Murtogh D. Guinness Collection, an internationally-renowned collection of music boxes, automated musical instruments, and other mechanically-activated figures from the late 16th to the early 20th centuries. For more information on the Morris Museum, located at 6 Normandy Heights Rd, please call 973-971-3700.

The Schuyler-Hamilton House reveals the personal stories of the American Revolution. It was here that Colonel Alexander Hamilton, General Washington’s aide, courted house guest, Betsy Schuyler. The home is now owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution. For more information on the Schuyler-Hamilton House, located at 5 Olyphant Place, please call 973-539-7502.

Washington’s Headquarters at the Ford Mansion, part of the Morristown National Historical Park, is not remembered as a battlefield. Instead, the Continental general used the location as a defensive position near British-controlled New York City, 30 miles to the east. The troops’ stay in Morristown was, however, a memorable one because the winter of 1779-80 was one of the worst on record and the troops could have easily lost hope. The Continental Army rebounded to ensure victory. In 1933, Washington’s Headquarters joined the National Parks Service to preserve the site for future generations of Americans. On April 27, the public can learn all of the significant history with a FREE Junior Ranger Activity Booklet. For more information on Washington’s Headquarters, located at 30 Washington Place, please call 973-539-2016.

For more information on the Annual Be Our Guest event or any of the locations, please contact the Morris County Visitors Center at 973-631-5151 or http://www.morristourism.org/, or the Morris County Park Commission at 973-326-7600 or http://www.morrisparks.net/.

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MORRISTOWN- For nearly 40 years, the United States has celebrated Earth Day and channeled the holiday’s global influence toward great strides in the protection of natural resources and human health. With a new green movement taking shape, many people are adopting eco-friendly habits. What better way to jump on board than to participate in the annual recognition of Planet Earth at the Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 19 at Lewis Morris County Park in Morris Township from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

Great for the entire family, the festival’s entertainment includes live animal shows, interactive displays, crafts, hikes, face painting, canoe rides, food, games, and much more. Wallaby Tales Traveling Zoo will be on hand to show off some wild and wonderful live mammals from near and far, and the Avian Wildlife Center will have live birds of prey for visitors to view all day. Ken Galipeau will perform his engaging environmentally-themed stories and songs throughout the day as well. Dozens of local environmental organizations and businesses will be on hand with interactive booths and information about how to help preserve New Jersey’s environment and live a sustainable lifestyle. With programs like the Earth Day Celebration, the Morris County Park Commission can transform the way visitors view the natural world and thus, the way they interact with it.

Earth Day Celebration is presented by the Morris County Park Commission and communityearth. For more information on the Earth Day Celebration, call 973-635-6629, or visit www.morrisparks.net. To learn more about the Morris County Park Commission, call 973-326-7600, or visit www.morrisparks.net.

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MORRISTOWN- As the winter months melt into spring, the golf courses of the Morris County Park Commission are preparing to re-open. The Morris County Park Commission today reminded golfers of the Pre-Season Golf Registration discounts. County Residents, ages 15 to 64, can register for a reduced price. Non-Residents can register for the Tee Time System only for a reduced price.

Pre-Season Golf Registration begins on Saturday, March 8 at Pinch Brook Golf Course in Florham Park Borough. On Saturday, March 15, registration begins at Flanders Valley Golf Course in Mount Olive and Roxbury Townships and Sunset Valley Golf Course in Kinnelon Borough. Berkshire Valley Golf Course in Jefferson Township is open for Pre-Season Golf Registration on Saturday, March 22. Pre-Season Golf Registration is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at each location.

Pre-Season discounts expire March 31, 2008 and no further discounts apply for Senior and Junior registrations because the rates are already discounted. Experience one of the Morris County Park Commission’s golf courses this season.

Berkshire Valley Golf Course of Jefferson Township doubles as an environmental preserve and features an 18-hole, par 71-, 6,800-yard course. Berkshire Valley Golf Course is a must play because it boasts the Park Commission’s only driving range.

The flagship public course of Morris County, Flanders Valley Golf Course of Mount Olive and Roxbury Townships gained Four Stars by Golf Digest’s Places to Play. The 36-hole courses extend over 409 acres and combines scenic views with challenging holes, attracting more than 80,000 golfers annually.

Awarded 3-1/2 stars from Golf Digest’s Places to Play, Pinch Brook Golf Course of Florham Park Borough and East Hanover Township is an executive length course with a bunkered layout of undulating greens and challenging water hazards which is sure to test the skill of the most experienced golfers. However, Pinch Brook Golf Course also offers a variety of clinics for all skills level on their 18-hole, par 65-course.

Morris County is home to Golf for Women Magazine’s “Top Women-Friendly Courses Award” at the Sunset Valley Golf Course of Kinnelon Borough and Pequannock Township. The landscape of Sunset Valley Golf Course inspired the 2005 Zagat Survey to describe playing the course as “the opportunity to cut a rug on the carpet-like fairways and greens.”

A “County Resident” must provide identification of a fixed, permanent or principal home in Morris County. Registration for a Morris County Park Commission Golf ID Card must be in person at any County golf course with a New Jersey Digital Driver’s License issued after September 2, 2003, a birth certificate for Junior residents, or another valid form of residency. In the absence of a New Jersey Digital Driver’s License issued after September 2, 2003, one must provide two of the following primary forms of identification: a valid Driver’s License issued before September 2, 2003 with a photo, vehicle registration or current Morris County Property Bill Tax with the individual named as the tax payer.

Golfers may reserve tee times by phone or online at the Morris County Park Commission website, where they may also sign up for email updates.

For more information on Pre-Season Golf Registration or one of the Morris County Park Commission’s golf courses, please call 973-697-1375 or visit www.morrisparks.net/golf.

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MORRISTOWN- If one does not learn from history, one shall repeat it. The Historic Sites Division of the Morris County Park Commission does not adhere to this clichéd lesson, content in proving that one can learn from history and be successful in repeating it.

The New Jersey Historical Commission recently honored the Park Commission’s Historic Sites Division for its commitment to the preservation of Morris County heritage. The New Jersey Historical Commission recognized the division, which currently maintains three historic sites: Fosterfields Living Historical Farm in Morris Township, Historic Speedwell in Morristown, and Cooper Mill in Chester Township. These historic sites, which re-create the agricultural and industrial history over the course of two centuries, received the award for excellence in the restoration, preservation, and education of Morris County history. Mark Texel, Director of the Historic Sites Division, received the Award of Recognition at a reception in Trenton.

“I am truly honored to bring this award home to the Historic Sites of the Morris County Park Commission,” said Texel. “Even though we do not consider awards when developing programs, it is fulfilling to have our hard work at three unique sites recognized.”

The New Jersey Historical Commission recognizes the Historic Sites Division’s commitment to preservation and ability to entertain and educate visitors through a variety of interesting and informative approaches. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Historic Speedwell, and Cooper Mill are open April through October with special events and programs, hands-on activities, guided tours for schools and families, scout programs, and summer camps.

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, located at 73 Kahdena Road in Morris Township, is the incarnation of Caroline Foster’s wish to preserve the essence of her home with the tools, techniques, and traditions of the turn-of-the-twentieth century. As a New Jersey and National Register Historic Site, Fosterfields offers visitors the opportunity to experience history through hands-on activities and farm chores, such as pumping water, washing clothes, separating milk and cream, cracking corn, feeding the animals, and picking garden produce. Guests are also invited to tour the Willows, the Gothic Revival mansion, and visit the Transportation Exhibit with the Foster family’s 1922 Model T Ford, 1929 Hupmobile, and wooden carriage.

Historic Speedwell preserves the birthplace of the telegraph, a revolutionary breakthrough in telecommunications by Alfred Vail and Samuel F.B. Morse in 1838, and the Factory Building, the site of the first successful telegraph demonstration and current National Historic Landmark. The site, located at 333 Speedwell Avenue in Morristown, also preserves the houses and history of Stephen Vail’s – Alfred’s father – Speedwell Iron Works, a prosperous railroading and marine engineering business in the early 19th century, and three other historic houses moved to Speedwell in the late 1960s. Historic Speedwell hosts a variety of events that provide a glimpse of life during the Industrial Revolution, such as guided tours of the historic buildings, holiday events, school programs for public and home school children, educational programs for many different audiences, a variety of adult craft programs, and an abundance of historic foodways experiences.

Located at 66 Route 513 in Chester Township, Cooper Mill signifies history in action and continues today as two 1,000-pound millstones grind grain into flour. At the forefront of technology in the 19th century, gristmills were the perfect union of nature’s raw energy and man’s ingenuity. On the 45-minute guided tour of Cooper Mill, on the State and National Register of Historic Places, costumed staff runs the restored machinery and answers all questions. Mills were often the social center of the agricultural community and this tradition continues today as Cooper Mill hosts tours, concerts, exhibits, camps, blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, and folk tales.

“History is certainly alive,” said Texel. “As residents, this is your neighborhood and your history to learn, enjoy, and pass on.”

For more information on the Historic Sites of the Morris County Park Commission, please call 973-326-7600 or visit http://www.morrisparks.net/.

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MORRISTOWN- The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham Township is gearing up for another sugaring season! Watch the magic of maple tapping at the Maple Sugar Festival on Saturday, March 1 and discover how the sap of maple trees turns into that sugary syrup people love to pour over every inch of their breakfasts.

Maple sugaring is a Native American tradition that involves tapping a maple tree for sap, then boiling the sap to create syrup. It is only possible at this time of year, and the maple trees are ready! From 12 Noon to 4 p.m., excite your senses with maple syrup snow cones, maple syrup taste tests, crafts, games, tree tapping demos, horse and carriage rides, and more! The entire family is sure to enjoy this fun filled day of sugary, sappy goodness.

Can’t wait until March 1 to learn about maple tapping? Come to any of six Maple Sugaring Demonstrations leading up to the festival at the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham Township. At 2 p.m. on Sundays in January or Saturdays in February, to learn how to identify and tap maple trees, collect the sap, and make your own maple syrup!

For more information on Maple Sugaring, please call 973-635-6629. To learn about other unique winter happenings held by the Morris County Park Commission, please call 973-326-7600, or visit www.morrisparks.net.