Please join us for a Rutgers University Libraries'
Excursion to
Seabrook Educational & Cultural Center
and Wheaton Village

Sunday May 16, 2004

The Rutgers University Libraries invite you to explore a remarkable chapter in Southern New Jersey history and enjoy the wonders of a village dedicated to showcasing the art of glass-making and other crafts.

Participants in this trip will first visit the Seabrook Educational and Cultural Center where they will learn about the legacy of Charles Seabrook, founder of frozen food industry leader Seabrook Brothers and Sons in the early 20th century and catalyst for the rapid growth of the town of Seabrook. Seabrook Farms served as a major employer of citizens of Japanese descent held in internment camps during World War II. Many of these employees decided to remain with Seabrook after the war. Seabrook also employed a number of immigrants from the Baltic countries who arrived in the 1950's.

The Libraries take pride in our developing relationship with the Seabrook Educational and Cultural Center, a contributing partner to the Libraries digital project: New Jersey Digital Highway. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Service, a federal grant-making agency, the New Jersey Digital Highway is a joint project with the New Jersey State Library to develop a comprehensive portal to resources about our state's rich historical and cultural heritage.

Image used courtesy of Wheaton Village

In the afternoon participants will enjoy lunch together at the Paper Waiter, an elegant restaurant featuring contemporary cuisine. The group then visit Wheaton Village, our region's leading exhibition and workspace for the craft of glass making.

Attractions at Wheaton Village include the Museum of American Glass, which houses one of the world's largest collections of American glass, and a fully functioning glass studio modeled after an original 1888 factory. Participants will observe a glass-making demonstration and then select from village attractions such as a 'make your own paperweight' workshop, a craft-making demonstration, rides on a genuine 1863 C.P. Huntington Train, programs at the Down Jersey Folklife Center, and other options.

The group will leave Wheaton Village at 4:00 pm and return to New Brunswick by 6:00 pm.