"Cecilhurst" Adolphe DeBary residence

public meetings

All progams are held in the Chase Room of the Madison Public Library.  Refreshments are available at 7:00 p.m. and the program at 7:15 p.m.  unless specifically mentioned the program will occur elsewhere or at a different time.

March 19, 2019

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April 16, 2019


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May 16, 2019
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​July 20, 2019 Saturday


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September 17, 2019


​October 14, 2019 (Monday)

David Veasey: New Jersey's Colonial Architecture Told in 100 Buildings.  ​FREE to the public

Linda J. Barth: New Jersey Originals: Technology Marvels, Odd Inventions, Trailblazing Characters & More.  ​FREE to the public

Dr. James Carter: What Can You Expect from a College Audience: Rock 'n' Roll, the Counterculture of the Sixties, and Drew University Annual Meeting Program held at the Madison Hotel Victorian Room,​ 6:00 p.m. cash bar, 6:30 p.m. dinner

Jim Malcolm: Madison's Participation in World War I, 10:30 a.m.  Jim is the present Treasurer of the Madison Historical Society.  In 2011 the book, The Civil War Journal of Private Heyward Emmell, Ambulance and Infantry Corps: A Very Disagreeable War was edited by Jim. 

Robert Dunne of the Madison Fire Department:  The History of the Madison Fire Department

Dr. Herman Huber: Lt. Samuel S. Coursen, Madison's Medal of Honor Recipient;  Followed by David Luber demonstrating the Library's Madison Eagle Archive

 Community Outreach programs

Community outreach is an important service offered by the Madison Historical Society.  Society outreach programs are designed to acquaint our younger citizens with Madison's history and why the study of our history can be fun.

Some examples of the outreach programs:

• Each year a classroom program for Second Grade students is held.  The program includes an introduction to the Society and its history, examples of historical clothing, photos of historical Madison buildings and a history of the Madison's rose industry which gave the town its name, the "Rose City".
• A program has been designed to be held at a Cub Scout pack meeting.  The program introduces the Society to the scouts and explains why it is important for them to know the history of their town.  The group is divided into small groups that attend a sequence of ten minute presentations of photos and artifacts on subjects of historical interest with the town.
• A Historical Society essay contest for Madison High School Juniors is held each year.  The award is a five hundred dollar scholarship toward college expenses.  The society works with the school on picking a topic that fits with the history classes.  The students not only write an essay but present the topic to judges made up of Society members and representatives from the school history faculty.  The 2019 winner is Marisa Papa.
• For the renovation of the Luke Miller Forge the Society raised $6,250 through wreath sales and house tours.  The renovation is the small brick building at 105 Ridgedale Ave. which  known as the Luke Miller Forge.
• Historical Society members gave a walk for a Brownie troop along Ridgedale Avenue and through Summerhill Park talking about the various historic houses and buildings.  This was part of an "Historical Homes" merit badge.

Luke Miller Forge

A new program that will be implemented in the Fall of 2018 will be to recognize historical buildings constructed before 1900.  A plaque will be placed on the building to recognize its historic significance to the community.

he Madison Historical Society has received a $1500 grant from the Madison Elks Lodge 1465. It is the 150th anniversary of the Elks and in celebration of the event the Grand Lodge in Chicago made anniversary grants available to each lodge to be awarded to their communities. The Madison Lodge voted to award the grant to the Madison Historical Society to help fund a new program in the Fall that will recognize historical buildings in the borough built prior to 1900. Plans for the program will be developed over the summer. The historical society thanks the local Elks lodge for their generosity and support. ​