For the Westfield Historical Society’s First Wednesday Luncheon series in April, guests are welcome to the in-person luncheon at Echo Lake Country Club on Wednesday April 6th, 2022 at 11:45am. New Jersey history expert and author Linda Barth will share the history of the Delaware and Raritan Canal.

     Did you know that for more than 170 years, the Delaware and Raritan Canal has meandered across the narrow waist of New Jersey? Did you know that the D&R was one of our nation’s most successful towpath canals, carrying more tonnage in 1866 than the more famous Erie Canal? Did you know that Johnson & Johnson, Roebling, and Fleischmann’s Distillery all had their start along the D&R? And did you know that the canal provides the people of central New Jersey with both a water supply and a premier recreational facility?

     Canal author and historian Linda J. Barth will introduce you to the people, the bridges, the locks, and the aqueducts that made the canal work. This waterway, now the centerpiece of a popular state park, transported men and supplies between New York and Philadelphia during three wars. Inventor John Holland used the canal to deliver his Holland VI submarine to Washington for its Navy trials, and luxury yachts, like J.P. Morgan’s Tarantula, cruised the waterway.  Come and learn more about this historic gem of central New Jersey.

     Linda Barth has been a fan of New Jersey for a long time. A lifelong resident of the Garden State, Linda has written two books on the D&R Canal and three children’s picture books, Bridgetender’s Boy, Hidden New Jersey, and Alice Paul: Champion of Women’s Rights. She has also authored A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone and New Jersey Originals. With her husband, she has published The Millstone Valley Through Time and Somerville Through Time. She has also contributed to the Encyclopedia of New Jersey.

     Linda Barth spent 45 years in the Bridgewater-Raritan School District, teaching fourth grade and then substituting after retirement. She is the executive director of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey and president of the D&R Canal Watch, a friends organization of the D&R Canal State Park.

Those wishing to attend the luncheon may make a reservation by calling or emailing Carol at 908-654-1794; westfieldhistoricalsociety@gmail.com. Reservations and payment must be received before Friday, April 1, 2022. Please indicate if there are special dietary instructions. The luncheon fee of $35 (WHS members) or $40 (non-members) includes a three-course meal, coffee/tea, and gratuity. The luncheon fee may be mailed to Westfield Historical Society, P.O. Box 613, Westfield, NJ  07091; online by clicking on “Reservations” in the banner above this page; or go to: www.westfieldhistoricalsociety.org/registration. Westfield Historical Society memberships will also be available at the luncheon.

Echo Lake Country Club is at 515 Springfield Ave, Westfield, NJ. For Echo Lake County Club dress code information, visit: http://www.echolakecc.org/club.

Since 1968, the 501(c)(3) non-profit Westfield Historical Society has worked to preserve, interpret and encourage interest in history, Westfield, and its residents through educational efforts and community outreach programs.

For further information on the Westfield Historical Society and its activities, or to volunteer, call (908)654-1794 or visit  www.westfieldhistoricalsociety.org; and like us on facebook!