HOWELL – Guest speakers will take a “Peek Into the Past” as they listen to and discuss the history of Howell at 6:30 p.m. July 6 at the Howell Library, 218 Old Tavern Road.
The library’s 2017 summer program is called “Building a Better World” and according to Ann Julian of the Heritage Group of Howell, the group was asked to open the summer program.
Howell’s pre-Revolutionary War settlements and some of the hidden treasures around town will be discussed.
Don McGirr, an owner of the Clayton and McGirr Funeral Home, Freehold Township, will speak about the village of Blue Ball, the Bethesda Cemetery and the Adelphia section of Howell.
“Mr. McGirr will give a slide presentation of various places in Howell that we have probably passed many times and do not realize are part of the town’s history. He also has extensive information about the Adelphia section of Howell.” Julian said. “Other guests will have information about various places in and around town and will be available to answer questions.”
In 1770, a Methodist Church society was one of the first European settlements to come to Howell. A permanent structure was built in 1779 for the Bethesda Methodist Church on what is now Lakewood Road. The area later became known as Turkey.
Howell was incorporated as a township by an act of the state Legislature on Feb. 23, 1801. The municipality is named for Richard Howell, who served from 1794 to 1801 as the third governor of New Jersey.
Adelphia, Bethel, Jerseyville, Ramtown, Squankum, Freewood Acres and Ardena were villages or areas that eventually developed into suburban neighborhoods.
