Project: Springsteen: His Hometown
Some pretty cool news went out last week. Here, from the press release:
SPRINGSTEEN: HIS HOMETOWN” EXHIBIT TO BE UNVEILED AT THE MONMOUTH COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION IN FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY
HISTORICAL EXHIBIT TO OFFICIALLY OPEN SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
July 17, 2019 (Freehold, NJ)– The Monmouth County Historical Association (MCHA), located in Freehold, NJ, is proud to announce the opening of “Springsteen: His Hometown”, an historical exhibit that will provide a comprehensive look of how Monmouth County, NJ has been thematically woven into Bruce Springsteen’s music and art throughout his career. The exhibition will open on September 29, 2019 and run thru Fall 2020. Ticket information and sponsorship opportunities are now available at www.SpringsteenHisHometown.com. Proceeds from the exhibit will benefit MCHA, dedicated to preserving and sharing the story of Monmouth County.
“Springsteen: His Hometown” will display over 150 unique items featuring selections from both the Monmouth County Historical Association and The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University. The exhibit will be co-curated by Melissa Ziobro, Monmouth University’s Specialist Professor of Public History and Bernadette Rogoff, Director of Collections for MCHA. Eileen Chapman, Director of The Archives, and Robert Santelli, founding director of the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, will serve as advisors to the exhibit.
Items displayed to include:
- Original color poster from The Castiles, Bruce Springsteen’s first band that originated in Freehold.
- Personal scrapbook made by Bruce Springsteen’s mother, Adele.
- 1943 High School Yearbook of Bruce Springsteen’s mother, Adele.
- 19th Century Civil War document that includes Alexander Springsteen of lineal descent to Bruce Springsteen.
- 1801 document signed by John Springsteen, a patriot of the Revolution and direct ancestor to Bruce Springsteen.
“The MCHA is honored to have the opportunity to exhibit some of the most unique, and some never-before-seen, items that reflect the unparalleled career and life of Bruce Springsteen,” said Linda Bricker, President, MCHA Board of Trustees. “Springsteen remains an essential part of the fabric that comprises the deep history of Monmouth County. We would especially like to thank Eileen Chapman, Melissa Ziobro and the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music for their continued generosity and collaboration.”
Freehold, NJ is the birthplace of Bruce Springsteen and the exhibit’s unveiling will coincide with the centennial of Freehold Borough.
“It’s wonderful that the MCHA, with an exquisite gallery space in the heart of Bruce Springsteen’s hometown, will be hosting an exhibit that will showcase the Archives and explore his life for a wider audience,” said Melissa Ziobro. “I am so grateful for the team that has come together to make this vision a reality.”
About Monmouth County Historical Association
Since its founding in 1898, MCHA has enriched the quality of life in Monmouth County by preserving its heritage for future generations. It is the Association’s mission to ‘preserve and celebrate the history of Monmouth County for all.’ The largest history focused private non-profit organization in NJ, MCHA operates a museum, archives, and research library at its headquarters in Freehold in addition to five historic house museums located throughout the county that tell the story of the founding of the country. MCHA brings history to life and engages thousands of residents and businesses in the community each year through its insightful and meaningful programs and exhibitions.
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I was brought into the project early to photography some of these archival items, including the scrapbook cover and interior above and below.
Working on this project has been cool on a number of fronts:
- Getting to photography these near-priceless items
- Exercising my creativity and problem solving in getting these items shot in such a way that they look good and can be used in the media
- Seeing the extensive Springsteen collection at both the Monmouth County Historical Society and also the Springsteen Archives at Monmouth University.
- Being awash in the sheer history of not only Bruce Springsteen but Monmouth County as well.
So far, I’ve shot about 40 images. Media pickup to the press release has been fantastic – Billboard, Rolling Stone, Asbury Park Press, NJ 101.5, iHeartRadio and about a dozen other publications have ran the release and the four images we submitted for publication, so very cool.
Since the project is on-going, I can’t get into it too much more. I have more photos, more BTS shots, more things to talk about how it was was done. For now, though, it’ll have to wait.
But if you’re around Monmouth County this fall, stop into the Historical Society and see the exhibit. It’s going to be great.
© Mark V. Krajnak | JerseyStyle Photography | All Rights Reserved 2019
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