EAHS President Jim Davidson will discuss Lindbergh’s flight, his early years, meeting and marrying Anne Morrow, building Highfields and the kidnapping through to finding the baby on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 80 W Broad St., Hopewell, New Jersey 08525
Sourland Conservancy’s Train Station Series is a Sourland Mountain-inspired series of educational and cultural programs. Suggested donation $5.00 at the door – Advance registration is required. Click “tickets” link above to register.
Jim Davidson’s entire life has been intertwined with that of Charles Lindbergh. Growing up in Flemington, his first encounter with Lindbergh was when his parents said they attended a Hauptmann execution party at the Stacy-Trent Hotel in Trenton the night of Bruno Richard Hauptmann’s execution. The execution was broadcast live on the radio and his father said the lights dimmed all over Trenton when the switch was pulled! Then he met and personally knew William Allen, who found the Lindbergh baby. Allen worked for his grandfather. In Flemington he knew Hauptmann’s attorney, Lloyd Fisher, jurors and other people associated with the trial. Early on he began collecting Lindbergh memorabilia and now has one of the largest national collections.
Trained in history at Muhlenberg College and later Lehigh University for graduate work, he taught history at Hunterdon Central HS in Flemington. But local history has been his main love. As the East Amwell historian he writes a monthly history article for a local newsletter, and gives numerous local history and Lindbergh talks. Recently he worked on the Arcadia Press book entitled “East Amwell”. His biggest challenge however was working on the first ever pictorial history of the Lindbergh Kidnapping and Trial. Working with Mark Falzini, archivist of the NJ State Police Museum, they canvassed the east coast for never published or seldom seen pictures. Their finished work “New Jersey’s Lindbergh Kidnapping and Trial” was published by Arcadia Press in late 2012. Since that time it has become one of Arcadia’s best sellers.