On January 18,
1995, Doug Foulks, town historian, and a small, determined
group of local citizens banded together to preserve the towns
history. With the generous gift of a building by the Lehotay
family, in five years they achieved the impossible. With
the support of the Mayor, Council and borough employees, on
June 19, 1999, county, state and federal officials joined as the ribbon was
cut and the museum opened.
Our museum is home to two of the finest ship models, to be seen
anywhere. Both models were built by Jack
Campbell. They are of the side-wheeler Keansburg and the later, twin-screw City of
Keansburg, both ships of the "Gehlhaus Navy".
What we do Now
The Museum
Our Museum, displaying a large collection of local memorabilia, is open
to the public with Society Members as guides from 1:30 - 3:30 PM
Sundays and Wednesdays. We also open by appointment for
visitors with time or distance limitations. To request a
reservation call us
at (732) 471-0408 during the hours listed above, or leave us a message
on our answering machine (which we only normally only check at the
aforementioned times). There is never a charge for admission.
The Society and the Schools
- We
award a scholarship annually, to a Keansburg High School graduate who will
continue their study of history at an institution of higher learning.
- One
day every year, we host each sixth grade class from our Bolger School
for a museum ‘scavenger hunt’. As part of their study of local
history, the teachers provide questions and set tasks the answers to
which are contained in our exhibits.
- On
occasion, we have set up informative displays at the various
schools. Some years, we have provided speakers with assorted
background knowledge of our town to various classes as part of their
local history units. In turn, the Museum has also had several
visits from the fourth graders of the Caruso School and classes from
St. Ann’s.
- High
School students have on several occasions assisted in sorting,
searching and with miscellaneous tasks requisite to our
operations. They have done so as part of community service
projects, honor activities and just out of the goodness of their hearts.
- Each year we participate in the High
School's Citizenship Day activities (the day students take over as
Municipal Officials).
The Society and our Seniors
Keansburg is home to several senior citizen complexes ranging from
apartment housing to nursing homes. Occasionally groups from
the homes visit the Museum. It is also our pleasure to take to
their complexes a restored black and white locally filmed movie video
and newer videos composed from our displays and verbal
histories. Our Historian, or a delegate narrates the movie
(It’s from the early ‘30s, pre ‘talkies’). Often however, our
seniors know as much or more than we do about the people and places in
this early film treasure.
Memorial Day
We always participate in the Keansburg Memorial Day Parade. At
least one decorated vehicle, a float of sorts, has been sent each year
since the museum opened.
Monmouth County Archives Day
Every year since the Museum opened, we have prepared a special ‘table
top” display for the annual county Archives Day in
November. We are proud that it is always different and usually one of the most
interesting displays, often surpassing commercial offerings.
At this event several years ago, Keansburg’s own
Historian Doug Foulks received The "Jane Clayton Award" for
dedication to the preservation of history. As far as
we know he is the only local Historian to be so honored.
