This month’s FREE-to-the-public Historical Society of Hammonton (HSH)’s Speaker Series will take place Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 7 PM at the Canoe Club, Hammonton Lake Park.
January’s speaker will be Tony DiGerolamo, who will speak to us about Piney Legends and Lore!
We’re starting the New Year with a BANG, as Tony DiGerolamo, author, screenwriter, comic book writer, game designer, comedian, …and historian, will speak to a number of FUN tales of the N.J. Pinelands! He’s worked on The Simpsons comics, written jokes for late night tv, been a screenwriter for Space Ghosts, and been a blogger for Comedy Central. He’s directed improv groups and has written for many other comedy websites. Tony has authored books and eBooks; dozens of them on Amazon, and he hosts a few blogs on various platforms, some with cohost, Joan of Arc, his dog.
Tony will break down the legend(s) of the Jersey Devil, including the intense rivalry between the ‘cursed’ Leeds family, Ben Franklin, and the Quakers. He’ll also talk about the mass hysteria and record sightings in 1909 caused by Norman Jeffries and the eventual ‘capture’ of the creature and display at the 9th and Arch Street Museum!
He will shift to modern day sightings, then segway into “Legends, Lore, and Lies” by William McMahon, an author familiar with Hammontonians. There’s the witch Peggy Clevenger, Sammy Buck, the Fiddler of the Pines, and more. And how can we forget some of the forgotten towns of South Jersey? Ghost stories too, like the Headless Pirate, Woman in White, and the Black Dog!
This promises to be one of the most entertaining events of the year! Tony will have some of his popular books available for purchase and signing too.
The Historical Society of Hammonton Museum preserves the rich social, political economic and multi-cultural heritage of our town and its people. Our mission is to increase awareness of Hammonton’s history, and to establish public access to that history by collecting, conserving, interpreting and promoting it to the widest possible audience. Our historic 188s (former Town Hall/Library/Kindergarten) Museum, a treasure itself, is located behind Hammonton Veterans Memorial park in Leo Club Park at Veterans Memorial Park open to the public Tuesdays 10 a.m. to noon and every Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. New volunteers always welcome! Join the fun and learn about our great town!
If you can’t attend the presentation, come in and play back recordings of this and dozens of other past presentations. Monthly meetings and presentations will continue the first Thursday of each month.
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs within the Department of State, through funds administered by the Atlantic County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.
