On Display at Morris County Library

The Drew Art Association

The Drew Art Association is a local group of artists. The organization began in the early 1970's as a small art group formed under the guidance of Dr. Lee Hall, chair of the Art Department of Drew University.  Since that time the membership has gained dimension and quality with the ever-expanding exhibitions at public places.

The Morristown Ghost Exhibit 

Presented by the Morris County Park Commission

Local legend claimed that British Loyalists secretly buried stolen treasure on Schooley's Mountain during the Revolutionary War. Later in 1788, a former school teacher from Connecticut convinced local prominent Morristown families that a ghost was protecting the treasure and that only he alone could exorcise it. Little did they know that an elaborate plan was in place to extort large sums of money from unsuspecting local elite.

The current exhibit in the library lobby explores the story of the Morristown Ghost through artifacts and themes related to actual events that took place in Morris County in the late 1700s. A growing belief in spiritualism during this period was at the root of people being easily tricked and manipulated, and certain residents of Morristown were no exception. The exhibit explores spiritualism; photography; trickery and the influence of science and technology; and folklore. Artifacts include a “wicked” butter churn, images of places where the ghosts were reported, and the copy of an original letter from 1851.  

The exhibit is on display through the end of November.  

Join us on October 21 from 2-4pm when local historian and author Peter Zablocki will discuss his book, The 1788 Morristown Ghost Hoax.