The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs partnered with The Arc of Union County to hold their first “Back in Time” history event for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event was held at the Deserted Village in Berkeley Heights. The afternoon program featured three historical sites in Union County, and the presenters gave an interpretation of the period of time each site represents.
Arlene Soong from the Historic Miller-Cory House Museum, located in Westfield, gave an interactive presentation while dressed in period clothes from the Colonial Period. She provided samples of herbs and fresh food that were grown in the gardens during that time period. Participants had a chance to see, feel and smell the fresh ingredients and cooking tools that people used to prepare meals in the past.
Kathy Arminio and David Arminio from the Caldwell Parsonage, located in Union Township, shared some background about local historical icon Reverend James Caldwell and his role in the American Revolution. There was also time for fun and games as participants played period games such as hopscotch with a stone, pickup sticks and 9-pin bowling. They rounded up the event with a visit to the museum at the Deserted Village, located in Berkeley Heights, where participants explored the artifacts and historical documents that help us to understand our local history.
Many thanks to organizer John Prescott, History Programs Coordinator of the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, for providing this event free of charge to the participants and making it accessible to people with special needs. Prescott shared that he hopes to continue more events like this throughout the year. “I believe that this is a great opportunity to expand the diversity of our audience, and to share the interesting and great history our County has to offer.”
The “Back in Time” History event was sponsored by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.
About The Arc of Union County
The Arc of Union County, Inc. is a non-profit, 501c(3) organization headquartered in Springfield, NJ, dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc serves more than 1,000 adults and children each month from the 21 towns in Union County, as well as the greater Northern and Central NJ counties. For more information about The Arc of Union County, please contact Ellen de Havilland at 973-315-0055. Visit www.arcunion.org to learn more.
(above) A presentation by Arlene Soong from the Historic Miller-Cory House Museum. Dressed in Colonial clothes, she presented food and cooking tools from the era.
(above) Participants at the “Back in Time” event enjoyed games played during the time of the American Revolution.
