Local historian and speaker Jack Grodeska will tell the story of the Sailing Vessel New Era at the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society museum Wednesday, July 20- at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend at no charge.
The New Era was a new ship in 1854, built in Bath Maine, she was on the second leg of her maiden voyage. She carried 600 tons of chalk, 20,000 cubic feet of “general merchandise” and 385 German immigrants on their way to Pennsylvania by way of New York City from Bremerhaven, Germany, when it hit rough water off the beach at Asbury Park.
The subsequent events and persons involved led to the deaths of nearly 300 of the German immigrant passengers, many of whom were lost at sea or never identified.
The Captain of the ship, Captain Thomas J. Henry, was one of the survivors and Grodeska will speak on the speculation that centered on the tragedy and whether insurance fraud may have been involved.
A story of both history and intrigue, Grodeska will bring it alive at the Strauss House.
While there is no charge for any of the programs in the Museum’s Speaker Series, donations are always gratefully accepted. A new and unexpected major cost the museum now faces is replacement of rare window destroyed by vandals while the Fireman’s Fair was drawing crowds to the municipal Yacht Harbor.
The Society’s offices are located in the Strauss House at 27 Prospect Circle and their web page is here.
