Ocean County Historical Society Time:  2:00 PM Date: Sunday, December 15, 2024 The Army’s House of Magic: A History of Fort Monmouth, NJ with author Melissa Ziobro The history of Fort Monmouth, NJ begins in May 1917 when, as part of its wartime mobilization, the Army authorized four training camps for signal troops. One camp would be in central NJ - that which would eventually be known as "Fort Monmouth," in honor of the soldiers of the American Revolution who fought and died at the nearby Battle of Monmouth. The Army Signal Corps trained thousands of men for war there and built laboratories that worked on pioneering technologies like air to ground radio. Though the base was supposed to be temporary, it wound up outliving the war. It was for decades known as the "Home of the Signal Corps," and, until its closure in 2011, the base was still innovating some of the most significant communications and electronics advances in military history - many of which would save lives on the battlefield and be adapted for civilian use. Presented by Monmouth University Professor Melissa Ziobro, the last Command Historian of Fort Monmouth prior to the base’s closure in 2011, and author of Fort Monmouth: the Army’s House of [...]

The Hindenburg Experience Presented by Bill Schmidt Ocean County Historical Society Time: 2:00 PM Date: Sunday, January 5, 2025 Come and experience the last flight of the Hindenburg from Frankfurt, Germany to Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1937! At 803 feet in length, and 135 feet in diameter, the German passenger airship, the Hindenburg, was the largest aircraft ever to fly. The commercial flights of the Hindenburg along with Graf Zeppelin pioneered the first transatlantic air service. She carried hundreds of passengers and travelled thousands of miles before burning in a tragic fire on May 6, 1937, at the Lakehurst Naval Station. Please join us using your imagination on a trip through the history of the Hindenburg. Bill Schmidt is a member of the Lakehurst Historical Society and the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society. He has done extensive research on the last flight of the Hindenburg. In addition, he has spoken to numerous organizations on the topic over a period of many years. This event takes place at our museum at 26 Hadley Avenue in Toms River. Our speaker series is always free; but donations are appreciated. SEATING IS LIMITED so reserve your seat early by sending your name, phone number, zip [...]