National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey facts for kids
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The National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey is a special place. It has two locations in New Jersey. One is in Sea Girt, and the other is in Lawrenceville. This museum helps us learn about New Jersey's military history. It collects and shows items that tell the story of the New Jersey Army National Guard, Air National Guard, and Naval Militia. Think of it as a big history book, but with real objects!
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Sea Girt Museum: Exploring New Jersey's Military Past
The main museum is at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt. It shows how the New Jersey Militia and National Guard have served since colonial times. You can see real and copied items from different periods. The museum focuses on the "citizen soldier." These are regular people who also serve in the military.
This museum started in 1980. It has collected over 4,000 items. These include a special saddle designed by General George B. McClellan. He later became the Governor of New Jersey. You can also see old photos from World War II. There are even large vehicles and aircraft on display.
The Amazing Intelligent Whale Submarine
One very cool item at the Sea Girt museum is the Intelligent Whale. This was an experimental submarine. It was powered by hand cranks! It was designed in 1863. However, it wasn't ready in time for the American Civil War. It cost much more than planned, about four times the original price.
The submarine was finished in the late 1860s in Newark. It could hold four crew members. They turned a hand-cranked propeller. It could travel underwater at about four knots. That's like a slow jog! It could stay underwater for up to ten hours using compressed air. This air also helped it float back to the surface.
Tests in the Passaic River in the late 1860s went well. But the Navy decided not to buy it. The submarine was moved to the Sea Girt museum in April 1999. It came from the Washington Naval Yard.
Sharing Veterans' Stories: Oral History Project
The Sea Girt museum is also home to a special project. It's called the Center for U.S. War Veterans’ Oral History Project. Here, veterans share their military experiences. These interviews are recorded on video. Researchers and students can watch them. By 2019, over 600 interviews were recorded. These include veterans from World War II and other conflicts.
Lawrenceville Field Artillery Annex: Tanks and More
The second museum location is in Lawrenceville. It's in a new building on the Lawrenceville DMAVA campus. This museum reopened in October 2021. It focuses on the history of New Jersey's militia and National Guard. It also has displays about New Jersey's military history in general.
Outside the museum building, you can see many large military vehicles. There are fifteen tanks, armored vehicles, and cannons on display. It's like an outdoor exhibit of powerful machines!
