What Exit? The New Jersey History Podcast

The Family Made of Stone- Part One

A young couple inherits a massive Victorian family house in Newark that has remained in the same Italian-American family since around 1900. As they begin settling into the house, they slowly realize certain rooms seem to carry emotional weight connected to generations of family history. Part New Jersey history, part literary storytelling, this episode explores old Newark, the Palisades quarry industry, Italian immigration, Victorian mourning traditions, family continuity, and the strange feeling that some places remember the people who lived there. And Part Two has yet to be written, so feel free to weigh in with some ideas. Email me: njhistorypodcast@gmail.com [applewebdata://1E5EF1C9-D4A2-4386-B463-290DA668D771/njhistorypodcast@gmail.com] Perfect for listeners interested in:New Jersey history, Newark history, Italian-American history, Victorian houses, immigrant stories, family memory, the Palisades, gothic Americana, historical storytelling, and narrative podcasts.

When the Weather Changes | Summer 2026 Season Premiere

This episode of The New Jersey History Podcast explores the centuries-old movement of people toward the Jersey Shore, tracing the continuity beneath modern Shore travel through Route 9 road trips, the historic Ocean Highway, Gilded Age train travel, Revolutionary War wagon routes, and Lenape movement toward the coast long before New Jersey existed. At its center is the idea that while the people, roads, and reasons changed, the seasonal pull toward the New Jersey Shore remained. Email me: njhistorypodcast@gmail.com [njhistorypodcast@gmail.com]

Before Independence Came Dependence: Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer

In March 1776, months before the Declaration of Independence, future New Jersey governor William Livingston helped bring before Congress a call for a continental day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer. The colonies were divided, frightened, uncertain, and standing at the edge of war. This episode explores the forgotten religious atmosphere of Revolutionary America, the role of New Jersey in that moment, and the reality that public calls for national prayer and repentance are not modern inventions, but part of the country’s earliest political history. Email me: njhistorypodcast@gmail.com [applewebdata://B8A8742A-B14F-4B46-AEBD-812752A6067D/njhistorypodcast@gmail.com]

Strega Nona and the Traditions We Keep: Italian-American Traditions in New Jersey, Part 1

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola isn’t a traditional folktale, but it reflects a way of life tied to Italian cultural traditions that continued in places like New Jersey. In this episode, we look at how rituals—Sunday sauce, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and family traditions—can stay the same from one generation to the next, while the understanding behind them can fade. Through the story of Big Anthony, we examine what happens when ritual is separated from understanding—and how something meant to nourish can overflow into something else entirely. This is a New Jersey story about immigration, Italian-American life, and the difference between repeating something and actually knowing why it matters. This also serves as a segue into upcoming discussions of Italian-American traditions brought over to places like New Jersey.

Don’t Open the Box: Vealtown, Mad Anthony Wayne, and a Ghost

In this episode, we blend history, folklore, and a touch of the paranormal. Sometimes you get involved in something that you can’t “unsee,” and it changes you forever. That’s what happens to a lovesick young lady and the son of a famous general. Email me with any questions, suggestions, or ideas. https://njhistorypodcast@gmail.com [https://njhistorypodcast@gmail.com]