Description:

As the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I approaches, the Museum will be presenting a special exhibit opening this spring. We are joining others in the state to commemorate the war by emphasizing effects on people’s lives at home in New Jersey, through our exhibit and related programs. Featured will be items from the Museum’s collection, including a group of Liberty Loan posters on view for the first time. These were donated by the late Helen Tomson of Clinton, whose father was Chester Tomson, owner of the Red Mill at the time of the war. In order to raise finance, a War Loan organization was established under the US Treasury Department. Within 12 Federal Reserve Districts, The Central Liberty Loan Committee entrusted the work of selling liberty bonds in various localities to experienced and influential men in their respective communities, in order to meet subscribed quotas. Chester Tomson, our Mill owner was in charge of our community in Clinton. He was a successful business man and he sold talc to companies like Colgate in Jersey City.