It's International Bicycle Day! Harriet Lovett (1878-1935), resident of Morris County, NJ, visited Ocean Grove here in Monmouth County in August of 1897. She and an unidentified friend posed for this holiday tintype image. Local photographers often set up seasonal photo shops along the boardwalk, ready to capture summer visitors for souvenir images. Harriet and her friend pose in front of a shore backdrop, a tandem bicycle ready to go. (fb)

We're wrapping up our "Staff Favorites" for Monday's Object of the Week with Senior Curator Joe Zemla's pick. "I chose this object because let's face it, who doesn't love a good amputation? But seriously, despite the images of pain and suffering that these tools conjure, there's also an undeniable visceral impact. You can read all the books you want on the Civil War (some of which are truly fantastic) but there's just something special about the three-dimensional objects and how they sort of get lodged in your brain (hopefully not literally, or else thank goodness for worker's comp!) There also aren't many objects that can rival a Civil War amputation kit in terms of a conversation piece, and of course getting people to talk about history is what we are all about! People may walk by a couple of paintings on the wall, but nobody is walking by a hand-cranked skull drill without at least doing a double take. Finally, I love objects with solid local provenance. In this case, the kit was used by Dr. Charles E. Hall (1837-1922) of Adelphia, passed to his son John Hall, and donated to the Association in 1932!" IsCivil War history your interest? Be sure to visit our eMuseum website to see some of the other poignant and powerful artifacts there! #ObjectoftheWeek (fb)