Author Michael Gabriele has written a number of books spotlighting state history, including “The History of Diners in New Jersey” and “The Golden Age of Bicycle Racing in New Jersey.”
The Mullica Hill library will host local author Michael Gabriele on Thursday, Nov. 20, when he will discuss his latest book, “Colonial Taverns of New Jersey: Libations, Liberty and Revolution.”
The book explores how area taverns that date back to the Revolutionary War era were in many ways the glue that kept the state together. It uses sketches of people, places and events to make its point.
“New Jersey was the Crossroads of the American Revolution, and as battles raged, Colonial taverns formed the social network that held the state together,” Gabriele explained. “Taverns were the stage for the unfolding drama of a colony transitioning into statehood and making decisions about declaring a war of independence.
“Taverns were the places where the voices of history took shape, used as recruitment stations for Colonial militias and meeting places for local committees of safety.”
According to Gabriele, George Washington used taverns as places to discuss strategies with his officers and pen letters. The locales were also where political activities were plotted.
One of the taverns Gabriele will discuss at the library is the Barnsboro Inn in Mantua, which traces its roots to 1776, the year the country declared its independence from Great Britain. It is still open to this day
“Each day in the Garden State, we literally walk along the Crossroads of the Revolution in the footprints of our forebearers, a legacy that lies just below the surface of our everyday lives,” Gabriele noted. “The ghosts that linger on these by-ways sustain our state’s collective heritage.”
The author has written a number of books spotlighting New Jersey history and culture. They include “The History of Diners in New Jersey,” “The Golden Age of Bicycle Racing in New Jersey” and “New Jersey Folk Revival Music.”
Gabriele’s library talk is funded by a Rev250 grant from the New Jersey State Library to commemorate the 250th anniversary of when the Revolutionary War began in 1775. The free event will begin at 7 p.m. and requires advance registration on the GCLS website.
