b'ments existed. There he developedquarian paper shows, book fairs and hisinterestincollectinghistoricalestate auctions. He also searches eBay documents. He had planned to go toandtravelstoviewprivatecollec-law school or pursue a doctorate intions for possible purchase. PotentialFAMILy American history. But the collectingsellers seek him out on his website,FUN!bug bit him while working at Kaller,HistoryDocs.com, or call him. He has FREE!especially when he opened a packagedealt with every Ivy League univer-one day and found two items: a smallsity,theU.S.NavalAcademy,and clayinkwellthatUlyssesS.Grantauction houses such as Christies.and Robert E. Lee had used at Appo- J U N E 2 8 , 2 0 2 5 5 P Mmattox Courthouse in Virginia dur-ing Lees surrender of the Confeder- floodshill, meadowland parkate army, and the only known letter by Lincoln musing about a secondSLOPPY JOE EATING CONTEST presidential term. From then on Lutz was hooked and never stepped intoSOUTH ORANGE SYMPHONY a law or graduate-school classroom.DANCE Y ZONE GAMES ART PROJECTS Workingwithdocuments,heBEER GARDEN FOOD TRUCKS says,isfarmoreinterestingthanA LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SCREENINGreadingabouthistoryingraduate school. He is drawn to experiencing history firsthand. He recently visitedFOR MORE INFO: MEADOWLANDPARK.oRGsome Civil War battlefields with hisproduced by sponsored by with generous support fromwife and son. He said that re-creat-ing in his mind the drama of battle and the weight of the moment makes a far greater impact than just read-ing about it. RAIN DATE JUNE 29Similarly, for Lutz, working withErnest Hemingway wrote this postcard to his mother as a young boy. documentsisanintimatewayto connect to the past. To me, he says, there are two great things about let- Collectors who have specific in-tersandsignatures.First,Iknowterests turn to him for additions to that Abraham Lincoln or Susan B.their collections. He recently sold a Anthony once held the same paperdocumenttoonecollectorwhoisFULLY INSURED LIC: 13VH12858300that I am now holding. Second, if itinterested in handwritten eyewitnessPAINTING CARPENTRYtook George Washington 60 minutesaccounts of historical accidents. He to handwrite a letter, then I own onesays,When[collectors]aremore& GUTTERShour of a great persons life. specific and I know what they want, In 2000, Lutz established his ownits easier to deal with. The thrill of company after going to an antiquethe hunt continually appeals to him.INTERESTED IN UPGRADING YOURshow in New England. There, whileAnother time, he found the archiveGUTTERS FROM 5 INCH TO 6 INCH?sifting through a box of documents,of the first African American engi-he found an invitation addressed toneering professor at West Point andGET READY FOR WINTERthe Honorable John Tyler, then thesoldittoacustomerwhocollectsAluminum Copper & ColorstenthU.S.president,tocruisetheBlack military history. K-Style & Half RoundPotomac River on the USS Princeton,Lutz wife and teenage son shareWith 6 inch gutters and 3"X 4" downspouts anavywarship.Lutzhadrecentlyhis fascination with history and his-toured Tylers home and knew thattorical documents. He refers to themyou canhandle rain water more efficientlyTyler had accepted the invitation andas fellow history nerds who enjoyNEED TO CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS? NOT A PROBLEM!was on the warship when one of itshistorical travel. Every year he takesWE DO INSTALLATIONREPAIR & SERVICEcannons exploded, killing four pas- his son and a friend to an amazing sengers and injuring 20 others. (Ty- World War II weekend in Reading,CALL US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE(973) 951-0606ler was not hurt.)PA.Theretheytouraircraftand1980 SPRINGFIELD AVE SUITE 9A, MAPLEWOOD NJ 07040Lutzboughtthedocumentforother military vehicles from the warTO TO $35 and sold it to Tylers descendantsera and watch reenactments. In fact,GO TO SAVE for $2,000. With the profit he start- StuartssonrecentlyledhistriviaWEBSITE CONTACT ed his business. He goes to antiqueteam to a fourth-place victory in thewww.xhrishomeimprovements.com info@xhrismail.comshowsandstoresandattendsanti- National History Bowl. Like father, feature story /15'