The Ocean County Historical Society offers a variety of programs and events throughout the year. Upcoming events are listed below.
To register for a program, please e-mail us at oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com stating the date of the program for which you are registering, your name, zip code, and email address.
Go to our YouTube channel to view past programs, including Camp Albocondo (9/2020), Great Storms of the Jersey Shore (10/2020), Cedar Bridge Tavern (3/2021), Composting in Ocean County (4/2021), The African-American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (1/2022), and much more!
The Ocean County Historical Society welcomes Arthur Spielman, who will speak about how he survived the Holocaust. Arthur was born in 1928 in Krakow, Poland. He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family with his father, mother and two sisters. Although his family was not required to move into the Krakow ghetto because his father was an international diplomat, the Spielman family chose to move to live closer to their extended family. Arthur Spielman’s family briefly lived in the Krakow ghetto before the liquidation process in Krakow began. As Arthur’s father became aware of the final solution, the family separated and was smuggled out of Poland first to Slovakia and eventually to Hungary. In 1942 Arthur’s grandparents were picked up by the Gestapo and Arthur never saw them again.
Arthur was interviewed by Stephen Speilberg for Schindler’s List and also by the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. He has spoken to many groups and believes very strongly in making sure the truth of the Holocaust experience stays alive in our collective memories.
This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. Our speaker series is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.SEATING IS LIMITED! To reserve your seat, send your name, zip code, email address, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com.
Location: Toms River High School South
The Ocean County Historical Society will be hosting their 37th annual Holiday Gifts, Crafts and Collectibles Faire on Sunday, November 1, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. It will again be in the Toms River High School South cafetorium. Admission is free!
In addition to over 80 vendor tables, there will be historical and cultural displays, baked goods for sale, a used book sale, our popular 50-50, and much more. This event, sponsored in part by the Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission, will feature an Ocean County History and Cultural Pavilion. For additional information, please email Joseph at RJL072001@gmail.com or call 732-998-5934.
Toms River High School South is located in the Downtown Toms River area. Use 212 Hooper Avenue as a GPS setting.
The Ocean County Historical Society in conjunction with the Lacey Township Historical Society present renowned historian Scott Randolph, who will tell us how General John Lacey became a hero during the Battle of the Crooked Billet. Randolph will discuss the general’s ties to Lacey Township, named after him. The presentation will cover General Lacey’s relationship with Ocean County, why George Washington selected Valley Forge for his winter encampment and what was taking place in the area surrounding Philadelphia, how 22-year-old General John Lacey of the Pennsylvania Militia used his experience with the Continental Army under General Anthony Wayne to become the hero of the battle, and the horrible atrocities committed by the British army during the battle.
Scott Randolph has worked in radio, film, and television for over 30 years. He was an on-air talent for WJSLR Philadelphia and 92 SXTU Philadelphia and Atlantic City. In his TV career he directed “Christina Cook” on PBS for over 10 years and was the director of “Comcast Newsmakers” for 15 years. He produced and directed the award-winning documentary, “The Battle of the Crooked Billet”, which premiered at Valley Forge National Park.
This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. There is no charge, but donations are greatly appreciated. To attend, you must register in advance by sending your name, zip code, email address, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com.
Location: Ocean County Historical Society
The Ocean County Historical Society invites you to attend our annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, November 28 from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. Bring your children and grandchildren to meet Santa Claus. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be here for picture taking from 11:00 until 2:00, and they will be giving out gifts for the children. Tour our Victorian style house and museum complete with holiday music and decorations, play the colonial era bowling game of Skittles, see our new exhibit on the 250th anniversary of American independence, and enjoy holiday refreshments. Best of all the event is free! Come and enjoy a fun-filled event for people of all ages.
This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. There is no charge, but donations are greatly appreciated.For additional information, please contact Jeff at 609-339-9134 or jeffschenker@myyahoo.com
The Ocean County Historical Society and the Captain Joshua Huddy Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution invite you to attend Women of the Revolution presented by TJ Fallon, host of the Dead History channel. TJ will talk about the lives and stories of the ladies of the American Revolution.
TJ’s journey into history started as a socially distanced hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Furloughed from his job, Fallon began visiting local cemeteries to escape cabin fever, which quickly turned into an obsession with American history. He set an ambitious goal to visit the gravesites of every U.S. President. He drove over 60,000 miles through 34 states and completed the feat of visiting all 39 presidential graves (noting that a few are lost to history or inaccessible). His passion grew to include the resting places of all 34 Vice Presidents, 53 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, and all 39 signers of the Constitution. TJ also offers a popular presentation on famous crime scene sites including locations associated with John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the In Cold Blood murders, and other infamous crimes throughout history.
This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. There is no charge, but donations are greatly appreciated. To attend, you must register in advance by sending your name, zip code, email address, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com.
Location: Ocean County Historical Society
On Sunday, January 10 at 2:00 PM, the Ocean County Historical Society will welcome local author Jeffrey O. Brown who will discuss his new book, Revolutionary Tales & Historic Ramblings In & Around Toms River, NJ. Learn about the rich history of Ocean County and the many interesting characters and sites that contributed to the County’s legacy. Jeff’s book will be available for purchase that day, and he will be glad to inscribe it for you.
Jeff is an Ocean County native and a descendant of some of its earliest European settlers. He took an interest in his ancestors at a young age and through many years of research developed a deep passion for local history. Jeff has produced numerous genealogical works and historical sketches over the years.
This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. There is no charge, but donations are greatly appreciated. To attend, you must register in advance by sending your name, zip code, email address, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com.
Location: Ocean County Historical Society
Please join us for a presentation and book signing by author Don Colgan, who will discuss his new book, Historic Winter Storms of New Jersey. Don will relate the stories of winter’s furies and the people who lived through the most extraordinary winter storms in New Jersey history. This includes Newark being buried in 26 inches of snow on December 26, 1947, a record-setting nor’easter on January 22, 2016 which unleashed sixty-mile-per-hour wind gusts, six-foot snow drifts, and snowfall depths of thirty inches in Bernards Township and Long Valley, and the so-called Great White Hurricane of 1888. This blizzard left tens of millions at the mercy of a vicious three-day nightmare which no one saw coming!
Don has nurtured a lifelong passion in meteorology with a particular interest in winter storms. In addition, he has authored recreational fishing articles and several children’s short stories. Don’s lifelong ambition was to research and write about historic winter storms that have pummeled the Garden State. His epic stories bring the people who lived through these storms to life through their own words and perspectives.
The book will be available for sale and signing.
This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. There is no charge, but donations are greatly appreciated. To attend, you must register in advance by sending your name, zip code, email address, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com.
Location: Ocean County Historical Society
Please join us for a presentation and book signing by historian Michael S. Adelberg, who will discuss his new book, The American Revolution on the Jersey Shore. Ocean County, formed in 1850, was part of Monmouth County during Revolutionary times, and Michael’s presentation will focus quite a bit on the Ocean County area.
Michael has been researching the American Revolution for over 25 years, with a particular expertise in New Jersey’s political, social and military history. He is the author of several books including The American Revolution in Monmouth County and The Razing of Tinton Falls: Voices from the American Revolution. His work blends social and political history, reconstructing the experiences of ordinary people through detailed archival research including court records, legal documents, and community studies.
The book will be available for sale and signing at the end of the presentation.
This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. There is no charge, but donations are greatly appreciated. To attend, you must register in advance by sending your name, zip code, email address, and the date of the program to oceancountyhistory.programs@gmail.com.