Pride in Our Past & Present
Settled by a group of Scottish Presbyterians beginning in the 1680’s, Matawan was first called New Aberdeen, and then Mount Pleasant. Today, Matawan’s historic town core retains its appeal as a place to live, work, and shop.
America’s 250th Birthday celeBRATION
The Borough of Matawan has adopted the 250-Resolution formally announcing Matawan’s participation in the upcoming 250th birthday celebration of the United States of America.
Special Announcement: The Matawan Historical Society is pleased to announce that it is collaborating with the Keyport Historical Society on a series of special events celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. This includes co-sponsoring related lectures in our regular monthly meeting series, as well as partnering on special events commemorating the local fight for independence in the Bayshore area. Both Matawan and Keyport are proud partners in the RevolutionNJ and MonmouthNJ 250 programs.
Matawan and Keyport’s first collaborative event will be John Schneider’s lecture “The Deadly Divide: America’s First Civil War During the American Revolution” on January 26, 2026. A complete list of our upcoming events will be published soon.
Burrowes Mansion History
The new edition of The Burrowes Mansion of Matawan New Jersey: and Notations on the History of Monmouth County, Second Edition (2023) by Mary Lou Diecker and Barry C. Orr is now available! The Burrowes Mansion, constructed in 1723, celebrated its 300th Birthday in 2023, and this newly expanded edition of the book commemorates that anniversary. Please visit our “Shop” page to order your copy.
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🫖 NEW ACQUISITION: An 18th-Century Teapot with Deep Monmouth County Roots
We are proud to announce the addition of a stunning silver teapot handcrafted by John Albert Schanck (1774–1864), a silversmith who worked right here in Middletown Point (present-day Matawan). Dating to approximately 1795, the teapot features an oval body with delicate engraved floral swag decoration, a pineapple finial on the domed lid, and a graceful ebonized wood handle — hallmarks of the refined Federal-period style.
The piece bears the maker’s marks on its base: J.SCHANCK in a rectangle, flanked by the eagle and date letter punches typical of American coin silver from this era. A virtually identical teapot by Schanck is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Now Matawan has one too.
This teapot joins two other Schanck-connected treasures already in the MHS collection: a silver loving cup also made by John Schanck, and a beautiful sampler (piece of textile art) created by his niece Marie — featured in a past MHS newsletter.
But the Schanck family story doesn’t end with silversmithing. John’s father, Captain John Gerritsen Schenck (1745–1834), was the militia officer who led the famous whaleboat raid on Brooklyn in retaliation for the British attack on Burrowes Mansion during the Revolutionary War. MHS has also recently confirmed that John Jr.’s last known residence in 1850 was 203 Main Street — the building still standing in Matawan today, long remembered as the former office of Dr. Larry Young.
A silversmith. A Revolutionary War legacy. A building still on our streets. This is exactly why local history matters — and why we keep collecting it.
This piece will be on display in the near future. Come see our growing collection at Burrowes Mansion Museum!
#MatawanNJ #NewJerseyHistory #MatawanHistoricalSociety #FederalPeriod #NewAcquisition #MonmouthCounty #NJHistory #Silversmith
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🇺🇸 The Revolution wasn’t just fought at Bunker Hill or Yorktown. It was fought right here — on Matawan soil. 🇺🇸
Matawan was the site of several Revolutionary War skirmishes, and the conflict tore this very community apart. Neighbors chose sides. Families were divided — some fighting for the Patriot cause, others remaining loyal to the Crown. The tension, sacrifice, and courage of that era played out on these very streets.
On June 27, Hourihan Field (201 Broad St) transforms into a living Colonial Encampment from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM — bringing that history back to life. FREE for all ages!
🔨 Blacksmithing
🏹 Primitive Archery
🪓 Tomahawk Throwing
🇺🇸 Flintlock Rifle Demos
💥 Scheduled Cannon Firings
🎯 Colonial Games for Kids
📿 Trade Bead Demonstrations
Come experience the history your ancestors lived. 🇺🇸
Event page:
facebook.com/events/s/founders-freedom-fireworks-mat/1577383243749912/
Borough of Matawan, NJ
#MatawanNJ #Matawan250 #FoundersFreedomFireworks #RevolutionaryWar #ColonialHistory #HistoryAlive #matawanhistory #MatawanHistoricalSociety
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