Madison Historical Society

The people and organizations of Madison have been generous in sharing their artifacts of our local history with the Madison Historical Society.  They have donated letters, photographs, ledgers, and other records.  However, they are sometimes stingy with the identification of the people and places referenced.  A picture of an unknown person or house is interesting but it would be much more interesting and useful if the Who, What, Where, When, and Why associated with it are known.

This area of our web site is dedicated to answering the 5 Ws for our unknowns.  Since those of us who work in the office have already tried our hand at identification, we are inviting the membership and any one else who might have some knowledge to help fill in the blanks.  Just click on the link to read about one of Madison's Most Wanted.  Use the "I Know" button to send us what information you have.  When any of these items is identified, it will be published and the person(s) making the identification publicly acknowledged.

Madiwood?

Madison has been seen as been a backdrop in a number of movies, television programs, and commercials. A couple of years ago, Waverly Place was transformed into a winter scene in mid-summer. Previous to that, the Madison Train Station masqueraded as the Cranford Train Station. One weekday morning as I was walking from the train station to downtown, I passed two large vegetables (with very human legs) standing in front of the Waverly, which had been remodeled to look like a produce store.

What are your memories of filming in Madison? What movies, television programs, etc. can you name that showcased Madison? Follow the link at the bottom of this page to leave a comment or send us an email at historicalsociety@rosenet.org or drop us a note. We’d love to hear from you. Pictures are welcome.

Update: It is reported that in 2005 portions of The Family Stone were filmed at the intersection of Main Street and Waverley place and also at Drew University. Were you there? Let us know.

Update: The following stills are from the movie Guess Who. The location of the story is Cranford but the Madison Train Station was much more photogenic than the Cranford Train Stations so, Guess What ...

This picture shows the film crew set up and rolling on the eastbound platform. We were there when this scene was being filmed. We watched for more than an hour. It ran for about 7 seconds on the screen.

 

Note that the pictures of the train station sign and the Filming Today notice were taken when this scene from Guess Who was being shot.

 

 

The train station scene ended with an arial view of the station and a portion of Lincoln Place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eclectic Style House

In 1989, Ken Haynes donated a number of pictures that had been used in the Madison Eagle.  This Eclectic Style (I think it's Italianate) House was one of the pictures in this collection.

The back of the picture contains notes that were used by the editor but have no useful information about the house.  Note the two ladies in the second floor windows.  Do you recognize this house?  Are your eyes good enought to recognize the ladies?  

Behind the Old Madison Station - UPDATE

The back of this picture says "Blacksmith or Livery Stable behind old Madison Train Station, Northwest side of Waverley Place at R.R.  Was it a blacksmith, livery stable, or both?  Who owned the business?  Who are the men in the picture?  What year was it taken?  A picture is worth a 1000 words but this one is silent.

David Wilson of Cincinnati noted that there was a Taylor & Dougherty Blacksmith Shop on Central Avenue near Cook Avenue (about where Dark Horse is now).  Possibly this was the Taylor & Dougherty Shop?

John Sulo identified the building in the background as the St Vincent Martyr Church building on Ridgedale Avenue.  A blow up of the building is shown to the left.  This building was on Ridgedale Avenue until after the new church was occupied in 1906.  However, all the pictures of the church we have show gothic (pointed) windows.  This picture might have been taken when the windows were not gothic.

Based on the apparent size of the church and the viewing angle, the picture appears to have been taken from a property on Ridgedale Avenue.  On the 1868 map, there is a "B.Shop" shown on the back of a property owned by H.C.Genung not too far from the "R.C.Ch.".  Maybe this is a picture of "B.Shop" or maybe not.

 

 

Mr. Not Lafayette

The Madison Historical Society's perennial Most Wanted is Mr. Not Lafayette.  The painting was donated to the society on March 18, 1924 to hang in the recently moved Bottle Hill Inn.  A plaque on the painting reads "The Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) by Samuel F. B. Morse (1791 - 1892)".  An expert on Morse's painting determined that the painting was NOT painted by Morse and is likely NOT Lafayette.  After being featured in an article in the Star Ledger, the officer was thought likely to be an 18th Century French officer.  The medal, shown above, may be the Military Order of St. Louis. 

 

An Unknown Gentleman

This picture of a distinguished gentleman came from Virginia Callmeyer's scrapbook.  The scrapbook was donated to the Madison Historical Society in 1985.  There is no further information about the man pictured. 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

A House with a White Fence

This picture of a house was donated to the Madison Historical Society by Kenneth Haynes in 1989.  Nothing is know about the house.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Minogue and the Unknown Woman

This photograph from our Rose industry collection comes from Murial Rafter and Patti Pfleuger.  We do know that the names of two of the women are Frances Rafter McLaughlin and Miss Minogue.  Which is which?  What is Miss Minogue's full name?  Who is the third woman?  Where is the greenhouse?  We wonder and wonder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click "I Know About That" to get to our contact page.  Send us a message with your information.  Please include the title of the picture (e.g., "An Unknown Gentleman.")