Monmouth County, New Jersey, has a rich and colorful history dating back centuries. In many ways, the story of our region is the story of America, from the struggles of settlers and immigrants to the war for independence and the growth and evolution that followed. Such is the depth and breadth of County history that dozens and dozens of books have been published, and some 80 organizations currently exist to preserve and promote local and regional history and landmarks. And yet, as of 2019, no online resource existed that presented the history of the county as a whole. Monmouth Timeline is intended to fill this void.
Monmouth Timeline is an aggregation of major historical events for which an exact date is known. These events are organized chronologically and categorically for easy search and access. It is intended to be a resource for students and researchers as well as aficionados of regional history. These events are brought to life through a series of features called “This Day in Monmouth County History,” which we publish on our various social media pages. We do not presume to present a complete narrative history of Monmouth County.
We present the major events that occurred over the centuries, to illustrate the most significant moments in time, and we provide sourcing so those who want to learn more can do so. And, Monmouth Timeline is most certainly incomplete, there are scores of major events and important stories still ahead of us, waiting to be researched, sourced and added to the database. We will continue to populate our database with more events over time ourselves, but it is our hope that our community of visitors and history buffs will drive a lot of growth in the site, through suggestions and ideas (See the “Get Involved” page for specific ways you can be a part of Monmouth Timeline).
Our commitment is to operate Monmouth Timeline with complete integrity. Every event is sourced as best we can, and we are grateful to those who can suggest better sources for our existing events. We will use art and images that are either in the public domain or where we have obtained appropriate permissions and usage rights. If we find we have inadvertently use an image without the right authorization, we will take immediate steps to remove the image or obtain the rights. We are also committed to supporting, and not replicating the outstanding work of other historical organizations. We will strive to complement these groups and promote the great work they are doing, and encourage their active participation in the Timeline.
We are a certified IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with tax-exempt status in the State of New Jersey. I’m grateful to so many people, especially Dana Howell and the rest of the staff at the Monmouth County Historical Association, where I worked as a volunteer and first began making a list of major events. MCHA does an outstanding job at preserving our historical heritage, cultural traditions and important artifacts, and we will support their efforts at every opportunity.
Thanks again to everyone who helped make this vision a reality.
John R. Barrows
Founder & Editor
Monmouth Timeline Inc.
Monmouth Battlefield image credit: No machine-readable author provided. Mnkrantz assumed (based on copyright claims). Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=973708
Character studies of Monmouth County Patriots and Monmouth County Loyalists ©2023 Charlie Swerdlow, commissioned by Monmouth Timeline.