Celebration will explore the years from 1900 to 2010

NEWTON — The Six Centuries Club and Sensations Magazine will launch a year of activities related to America from 1900 to 2010, on Saturday, Jan. 9 on Spring Street in Newton, with an event called “American Celebration, 1900-1920.” The free-to-attend events tie both Newton history and American history into an set of public presentations. Beforehand, guests are encouraged to “explore the stores” on and near Spring Street from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Some stores are planning displays tied into the 1900 to 1920 theme, ranging from photographs to furnishings to costumes. O’Reilly’s Pub and Grill The first formal event is at O’Reilly’s Pub and Grill, 271 Spring Street: lunch at the Irish pub, along with “The Poetry of W.B. Yeats.” According to Six Centuries Club President and event organizer David Messineo, William Butler Yeats is considered one of the greatest poets to write in English, with much of his work related to Irish culture. “Yeats took four American tours, in 1903 to 1904, 1914, 1920, and 1932; our reading will include material likely to have been presented in the first three of those tours,” said Messineo. While the reading is free to attend, lunch reservations are required, and are at one’s own expense. Call O’Reilly’s at 973-383-4091 before Friday, Jan. 8 to reserve a place; arrive between 12:30 and 12:45 p.m. to place your lunch order, and attend the poetry program between 1 and 2:30 p.m. An Open Book Bookstore & Internet Cafe “Readings and Book Signings,” at An Open Book Bookstore & Internet Cafe, 169 Spring St., will begin at 2:45 p.m. for one hour. Select writers published in Sensations Magazine (the award-winning literary magazine published by The Six Centuries Club) will read from books available for purchase Four to five authors are expected and each will read for about 10 minutes. Authors include: Davidson Garrett, reading from “King Lear of the Taxi”; David Messineo of Lafayette, reading from his second book, “Suburban Gothic”; and Blairstown poet Susanna Rich, reading from “The Drive Home.” Books will be priced between $10 and $20, and the authors will sign and personalize copies. Cheddar Alley The day ends with “Newton at Coney Island, 1903-1904” from 4 to 5 p.m. at Cheddar Alley, 155 Spring St.. According to Messineo, the Newton Steamer Co. sponsored summer trips to Coney Island in 1903 and 1904. The program will include microfilm research findings about these trips, and a Sussex County resident’s reactions to seeing Luna Park and Dreamland in 1903 and 1904. Those two amusement parks, along with Steeplechase, will be captured in research and poetry from the 1995 Sensations Magazine Coney Island theme issue, which was a first place award winner in the national American Literary Magazine Awards. The 2,100 copies of the magazine are sold out, and a copy recently was listed on amazon.com for a starting bid of $132. To add to the Coney Island feeling, Cheddar Alley will have Nathan’s hot dogs available for purchase. The Six Centuries Club has been active in Sussex County since 2007, creating events related to six centuries of American history as part of a three-year project: “the pre-United States days” of the 1500s and 1600s in 2008; America in the 1700s and 1800s in 2009; and America in the 1900s and 2000s in 2010. The Six Centuries Club presents both free public programming and private programming for club members. To join the club (rates start at $25), or learn more about upcoming events, visit www.sensationsmag.com. Funding for the three programs and promotional materials related to them come from a consortium of business sponsors, whose ads are distributed in a free printed program to be handed out at the Irish pub luncheon. If The Six Centuries Club meets its attendance goals for the Jan. 9 events, it is open to providing additional free public programming on Spring Street later in 2010, “as it can relate to our monthly decade-by-decade time-travel event through 20th Century America, being planned by our group between April and August 2010 in a variety of locations both in and out of Sussex County.” The “Second Saturday at Spring Street” series is authorized by Main Street Newton, Inc. and presents/publicizes activities on the street during the second Saturday of most months. Stores are now open for one “late night,” on Thursdays until 8 p.m. Prospective or existing business owners interested in learning more about joining those on Spring Street should contact Executive Director Jim Sheldon.