Historical Society Celebrating our 90th Anniversary in 2017

An Invitation . . . For you and every member of your family.
This is a personal invitation for you and your family to become members of the Cranford Historical Society. All you have to do is fill out a membership form found on-line at www.cranfordhistoricalsociety.com or call 908- 276-0082 and ask to have a form mailed to you. All members receive 5 copies a year of our newsletter, The Mill Wheel.
The Cranford Historical Society was founded by Wesley A. Stanger, Sr. and a group of local citizens interested in preserving the town’s unique history. Since its founding, the Society has been dedicated to the perpetuation of Cranford’s history by continuing to collect and document the town’s past and present as we now enter the 21st century. The Society was chartered by the State of New Jersey on February 17, 1927, as a nonprofit educational organization.
The Society’s headquarters were initially located at 124 North Union Avenue, now the Crane-Phillips House Museum, until the Society moved to the Hanson House. It was the longtime home and office of Dr. Carl Hanson, a pediatrician, who opened his office here in 1934, and over five succeeding decades, provided care for hundreds of Cranford children. Dr. Hanson was a nationally recognized researcher in the field of strep throat. The Township purchased the property and then leased it to the Cranford Historical Society in 1990.
The Cranford Historical Society has maintained the Hanson House since 1990. Through a grant from Union County, matching funds from the Township of Cranford and the Society in addition to donations; the Society was able to have the Hanson House painted in 2011 in historically correct colors: green, cream trim and burgundy accents, to blend with nature. All new windows were installed, a needed stabilization. Still, work is an ongoing process to continue to preserve this “historic home.”
The Society is conducted strictly in the interest of Cranford, affording opportunities for the public to become better acquainted with the past and present history of Cranford and its environment. Its only source of income is from annual dues, donations and grants. Our collections cotain many exhibits & archives, maps, documents, photographs, research library; an extensive costume and military uniform collection, providing insight into the history of Cranford. Our office is open for research during the week, Monday & Tuesday from 9:00- 11:00am and Monday through Thursday from 3:30-5:30pm.
The Society is managed by the Board of Trustees, led by President Margaret Gerlach. The Board of Trustees also includes: Vice-President Mary Wade, Chairman of the Board John Dreyer, Treasurer Charles Goodfellow, Recording Secretary Barbara Klaus, Corresponding Secretary Linda Bristow, Curator Vic Bary, and Costume Curator Gail Alterman. Other Trustees are Nancy Bender, Bill Curtis, Louise Engstrom, Christine Glazer, Lori Hoffner, Jean Pascarella, and Patricia Pavlak. Our part-time office administrator keeps our office running smoothly and brings a deep knowledge of the Society and its history.
The Cranford Historical Society also maintains the Crane-Phillips House Museum, which is our primary programming site. It is a prime example of the work of Victorian architect Andrew Jackson Downing, whose book, Victorian Cottage Residences published in 1843, influenced American vernacular architecture. The museum was restored in 1998. A replica 19th Century kitchen was installed along with interior restoration. This Victorian cottage’s vibrant twotoned green and red exterior trim with peach door were uncovered and restored.
President Margaret Gerlach states, an average of 2,000 people a year visit the Museum which is across the street from the Cranford 9/11 Memorial. It is open two Sundays a month from 2:00-4:00pm from September to May and during the week by appointment only. Admission is free but donations are happily accepted. If you have not visited the museum with your family, you are cordially invited to do so. The Museum was placed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places in 1997 and was named a “Save America’s Treasures” by The White House in 1999. Cranford Third Grade classes have visited the Crane-Phillips House for decades.
In 2017, the Cranford Historical Society will be celebrating our 90th Anniversary. In becoming members, you are aligning your family with one of the important educational organizations in Cranford. On behalf of myself and the Board of Trustees, we are looking forward to having you and your family joining members of the Cranford Historical Society in preserving and perpetuating the history of Cranford through our many programs and events now and in the years to come.
Any questions, please call our Hanson House office at 908-276-0082 or visit us on our website at www.cranfordhistoricalsociety.com.