The 2011 New Jersey State History Fair At Allaire State Park In Farmingdale, New Jersey

2011 marked the return of the New Jersey State History Fair. This year, the Fair was held at the Allaire State Park in Farmingdale, New Jersey.



In the first section of the park, a number of tables were set up allowing visitors to see military uniforms, weapons and various objects used in camp life. The following jpegs show artifacts of the Mexican War and Spanish-American War ...













You will note the old piece of hardtack in the display case:


Close-up - apparently this was from the Battle Of San Juan Hill:






A number of organizations set up tables in different areas of the Park. Unfortunately, I had to be present at another event in the afternoon so I could not look at every table. Here is what I did see ...







In the background, you can see a nineteenth-century baseball game taking place:






This is a really cool model of George Washington's Headquarters located in Morristown, NJ:














Here is a living historian portraying Abraham Lincoln:












An incredible collection of early and classic automobiles were made available for the public's viewing ...

























Here is a very early fire engine:


A stamp association was present as well:


Representatives from the Edison National Historic Site were present as well:


Here is a close-up of some of Thomas Edison's creations:

Claude Choules, The Absolute Last Combat Veteran Of World War One, Has Passed On At 110 Years Of Age

My friends: Today we say farewell to the absolute Last Of The Last. The final surviving combatant of and witness to World War I has passed on. Claude Choules tried signing up as a bugler at the age of 13 and ended up joining the Royal Navy one year later. Claude was also the last person on Earth to have served in both World War I and World War II. He was a seaman in World War I and defused mines in World War II. Claude served in the military for over four decades. He was 110 years old.

Here are a couple articles:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/veterans-death-breaks-last-link-to-wwi/story-e6frg8yo-1226050787293
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/claude-stanley-choules-the-last-know-wwi-combat-veteran-dies-aged-110/story-e6frea8c-1226050510324

A number of photographs of Claude can be seen here:
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Last-World-War-combat-vet-dies/ss/events/wl/050511claudechoules

Al Jazeera reports on Claude Choules:
https://youtu.be/RvsJJvMUfJo

Some great interview clips in this one:
https://youtu.be/qHQJ8tlzr08

One of the many interesting points about him is that he remembers the first time an automobile rode into his town. Claude was not sure if the automobile would gain any popularity and according to his daughter, he did not get a car until he was 50 years old.

Claude lived a full life, was a sincere family man, was very satisfied with his accomplishments and stated he would do it all over again if he could. All of this is testament to the fine man he was.

A very hearty salute to the last man on Earth who served in the Great War. He earned his rest. RIP.

The 400th Anniversary Of The King James Version Of The Holy Bible

2011 marks the 400th Anniversary of the King James Version of the Holy Bible. No one is exactly sure when the Bible was actually published and sold.  From what I have read, scholars and academics have mostly agreed that the day was on May 2, 1611, and certainly some time this week.

Various events have taken place in Britain where, in one example, people have read the King James Bible from start to finish, taking turns every thirty or so minutes, for sixty-nine hours straight (another marathon reading was estimated to take ninety-six hours)!

When I realized 2011 marked the 400th Birthday of the King James Text, I knew that I had to commemorate the day. I own two leaves (aka pages) from an original King James Bible from 1611. I acquired them in December of 1999 and thought it appropriate to bring them out for this occasion.

Here is an actual leaf (aka page) from what was an incomplete or otherwise fragmentary First Edition of a King James Bible from 1611 (The Book Of Joshua Chapters 22 and 23 ... the type setting back then reveals "Iofhua"):


Here is a reproduction title page that came with one of the leaves that I purchased:


I will provide additional pictures shortly.

Osama Bin Laden Is Dead According To The United States Government

Osama Bin Laden is dead ... May 1, 2011 (May 2, 2011 in Pakistan). May this information offer a bit of comfort and closure to those who have been affected by the awful tragedy of September 11, 2001.

UPDATE: I decided to go to Ground Zero after I saw a crowd gathering on the premises early morning on May 2.  Unfortunately, the last train left at 1:05 AM, and I did not want to deal with driving into New York City so I left later in the day when the trains were back in service. The large, loud, joyous celebration at the news of the death of Osama bin Laden was long over by the time I arrived. A number of people were walking around and stopping to take pictures of the newspapers and memorials posted on the fence around the Ground Zero site. It was a typical NYC scene.

Note: The last time I was at this site was in 1996 when I was actually on top of one of the Twin Towers.



































"We shall never forget them" indeed.