January 07, 2022
Grovers Mill, The War of the Worlds Broadcast, and a unique Coffee House | West Windsor, New Jersey
Mischief Night
It was on October 30th, 1938 – Halloween Eve, also known as Mischief Night.
Part of the regularly scheduled Mercury Theater of the Air, the radio program aired a modernized play version of the H.G. Wells’ classic science-fiction novel, The War of the Worlds.
It was delivered as if it was a regular broadcast interrupted by news bulletins. It was interspersed with occasional comments about it being an adaptation of a literary work.
Was It Real?
Listeners were advised that a large object had fallen on a farm in Grovers Mill, New Jersey, not far from Princeton.
Startled listeners heard that 7,000 soldiers had been killed fighting alien invaders.
There were reports of people shooting at the water towers in the park.
Panic grew – at least in the East Coast. How much hysteria was caused nationwide is still a subject for debate. Newspapers wrote of widespread hysteria.
It even made from the top of the front page of The New York Times!
Today it is considered highly unlikely that thousands of people around the country were really that frightened.
Snopes considers it doubtful. But there were some people who were genuinely frightened.
It Happened In New Jersey?
The invasion was supposedly occurring in Grovers Mill, New Jersey, then a very rural part of West Windsor, New Jersey.
This area near and around Princeton is an affluent and well educated area, and has grown exponentially since then. It is sometimes called Princeton Junction.
Martian Landing Site Monument
It is located in lovely Van Nest Park.
You can read about it in Roadside America and Atlas Obscura.
Grover's Mill Coffee Shop
There's also a fun coffee place nearby: Grover's Mill Coffee House.
Yes, they use the apostrophe in the name. Most references to the area do NOT use the apostrophe. I have no idea why.
The Coffee House was profiled in a NJ.com article in 2015.
It is a very inclusive place, including an "All Species Bathroom" which you can see in the last photo.
It Is Part Of American Popular Culture
There have been several interesting documentaries about this event, including this one narrated by James Cameron:
You can also check out:
War of the Worlds: When Martians Invaded New Jersey!
Mars Attacks! 75 years ago, 'War of the Worlds' broadcast put nation in a panic
Historical Society of West Windsor
You may also want to check out The Clara Barton Schoolhouse.
Thanks for visiting New Jersey Memories!
July 22, 2014
Howell Living History Farm | Hopewell. New Jersey
Howell Living History Farm
Howell Living History Farm is a working farm museum located in Mercer County, New Jersey, near the Delaware River.
The farm shows visitors what farm life was like over 100 years ago.
It is a simply wonderful place to take the whole family, and basic admission and parking are free!
Some special programs may have a small fee.
There are evening hayrides, "bringing in the sheaves", corn mazes in the fall, wheat threshing, cricket walks, honey harvests and farm animals. Children may also work as farmhands!
The farm is typically open year-round, Tuesday-Saturday from 10AM to 4PM.
Please check the calendar because the farm is closed on certain days, especially on the days of evening hayrides.
If you plan to visit, the farm is technically located on Hunter Lane, Titusville, New Jersey.
The GPS address is 70 Woodens Lane, Lambertville, New Jersey.
If you are interested in living historical farms, please check out Fosterfields - A Living Historical Farm in Morristown.
Thanks for visiting New Jersey Memories!
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