The spirit of historical exploration is always strong, but the weather doesn’t always cooperate, particularly toward the end of March.
That’s why it’s such good news that Ed Mauger, the Philadelphia area’s premier colonial walking tour guide, will be bringing the tour to the Tavistock Country Club at the annual Candlelight Dinner on Wednesday, March 28.
Mauger is the founder and director of “Philadelphia on Foot,” an innovative organizer of tour groups for people who hate group tours. A former resident of Haddonfield and associate dean at Rutgers, Mauger’s life work is now sharing his love for the hidden side of history through his books and walks throughout the region.
His talks always have a few surprises about eminences, such as Penn, Washington and Franklin, some of which occurred right in Haddonfield’s own back yard. He has an affinity for finding skeletons in both historic graveyards and in closets.
Never willing to settle for the ordinary, Mauger has led such tours as “Exercise your Rights” for conservatives (involving only right turns) and the complementary “Exercise your Lefts,” for liberals.
He’s also led tours focusing on romance during colonial times, women, Four Funerals and a Wedding and the mysteriously named The Quack and Dead (hint: the Quack is not for the queasy and there’s not a duck boat in sight.) All of the tours ably combine an in-depth knowledge of history with a sense of fun.
Mauger will also have copies available to be purchased and signed of his latest book, “Philadelphia Then and Now,” a fascinating comparison of old and new photographs of the city enlivened by his stories associated with the scenes. Proceeds of these sales will go to support the Elfreth’s Alley Association, of which Mauger serves as vice president.
Tickets for the Candlelight dinner can be purchased using Paypal at the Historical Society’s website, www.haddonfieldhistory.org. Information is also available by calling the society at (856) 429–7375 or via e-mail at info@haddonfieldhistory.org. Cash bar and hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.
