New Book Releases

First settled nearly a century before the American Revolution by ten Dutch families, this Ramapo Mountain community has a rich heritage that includes the founding of the Ponds Dutch Reformed Church in 1710, George Washington's visit to the Van Allen House in 1777, and the establishment of the borough of Oakland in 1902.

The rich heritage of descendants of English, Dutch, and German settlers in the Hunterdon County population centers of Clinton, Flemington, and Lambertville is presented here.

Life among the rolling hills of northwest New Jersey and in the three small towns that became centers of that area's population has been faithfully recorded by residents since the Civil War, capturing the rural character of their landscape.

Around and About Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, and Lyons documents the history of these communities who played pivotal roles in our nation's beginnings.

Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, and Lyons form the nucleus of Bernards Township, a region with a history as fascinating as it is long. Originally chartered in 1760 by King George II, the area figured prominently in the American Revolution: Lafayette's troops were quartered here; General Lee was arrested at Widow White's Tavern; and General Washington visited Lord Stirling's estate. After the Civil War tourism and other industries flourished, and the arrival of the railroad in 1872 brought further economic boom to the area. The mid-nineteenth century also brought exciting developments in the art of photography, and the camera has since been used as a tool of both discovery and preservation in the three villages.

Newark Airport was the first major airport in the New York metropolitan area.

It opened on October 1, 1928, occupying an area of filled-in marshland. In 1935, Amelia Earhart dedicated the Newark Airport Administration Building, which was North America's first commercial airline terminal. Newark was the busiest airport in the world until LaGuardia Airport, in New York, opened in 1939. During World War II, Newark was closed to passenger traffic and controlled by the United States Army Air Force for logistics operations. The Port Authority of New York took over the airport in 1948 and made major investments in airport infrastructure. It expanded, opened new runways and hangars, and improved the airport's terminal layout. The art deco administration building served as the main terminal until the opening of the North Terminal in 1953. The administration building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

A bucolic borough centered between two rivers and a broad boulevard, Rumson evokes the legendary Rumson Road, which by 1890 was one of the nation's most famed country drives.

Life between the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers is documented here in fascinating detail, both on Rumson Road and in Rumson's local villages.

Originally sought out by city dwellers as a refuge from the tribulations of urban life, Summit developed from a bucolic rural spot in 1836 to a fully established suburb by 1940. The town's growth was intrinsically tied to the development of the railroad and the convenience of the commute it offered to nearby New York City. The houses constructed during these years reflected their owner's wealth, social standing, and aesthetic sensibilities, and exemplified the trends of their times. Some of these houses served as summer residences; others as primary dwellings. Some were designed by well-known architects; others by local talent. Many of these residences are still standing, although some have been altered or even demolished to suit modern lifestyles. Today, many Summit residents still commute to New York. Summit Historic Homes tells the story of Summit's early development by focusing on the expansion of the railroad and the houses built by the city dwellers who moved here as a result.

Tens of thousands of Monmouth County Scouts have taken pride in the art of tying a square knot, the pageantry of the court of honor, and projects that benefit the local community. Monmouth Council Boy Scouts contains a distinctive collection of images featuring an inside view of the Order of the Arrow and the other Boy Scout programs, the camps at Forestburg, Burton-at-Allaire, and Quail Hill, hiking trips to Philmont, National Jamboree tours, and many other Boy Scout events.

With this volume, spanning a period from the late 1800s to the early 1970s, readers will meet the town's founding fathers, explore old dirt pathways that are today's tree-lined streets, and view the original structures of the village. Included are exciting and unexpected photographs of local research and experiments, such as hovercraft, a fusion plant, and a nuclear reactor; the famous Walker-Gordon Dairy; and the Rotolactor, a giant merry-go-round that could milk fifty cows at a time. Also featured is Plainsboro's most famous citizen, the very first Elsie the Cow, who lived at the Walker-Gordon farm. Plainsboro captures the town's history from its early, unassuming potato farms to the astounding government research conducted here just decades ago.

Middlesex Borough explores this town's unique history from its incorporation in 1913 to the mid-1900s with vintage photographs and fascinating text. During the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, residents of the westerly portion of Piscataway Township, at the urging of George Harris, decided to secede from Piscataway and form an independent town. The newly created Middlesex Borough consisted of large farms owned by the Stout, Reidy, Conover, Giles, Guernsey, and Harris families, with clusters of small homes bordering them. The Central Railroad of New Jersey passed through the town, bringing new residents to Middlesex from New York City and fostering the development of small factories and workers' houses in the Lincoln section, the housing developments of Pierce Estates and Dewey Park, and, later, the spacious homes and properties in the Beechwood Heights section of the borough.

Early in the twentieth century, Nutley was the home of many prominent writers and artists. Mark Twain visited often to confer with his magazine editor. On one of her many visits, sharpshooter Annie Oakley was so taken by this warm community that she and her husband, Frank Butler, bought property on Grant Avenue, built a house, and lived here for several years. With its proximity to New York City and its many acres of picturesque parkland, the town grew rapidly and was soon transformed by the laying of trolley tracks along Franklin Avenue, the relocation of the business district, and the subdivision of large estates, necessary to house the growing population. Through all of this change, however, Nutley maintained its quaint small-town atmosphere and never lost sight of the need to preserve its sense of community and history.

Experience Spotswood through a century's worth of photographs and stories about this small New Jersey borough.

From a summer resort area to a thriving World War II-era commercial center and finally to the modern bedroom community that it is today, Images of America: Spotswoodis an essential collection of the history of a small New Jersey community. Included are images of historic tobacco mills and the 1890s Carriage House, which still stands today. Vintage photographs of early townspeople and industries are seen, along with the borough's first school--a 1901 four-room building that became the Margaretta M. Birchall School, which closed its doors in 1979.

Illustrated with nearly 200 historic images, the pivotal birth of diesel dominance and New Jersey's critical role is documented and investigated.

At the end of World War II, the nation's railroads were eager to replace their abundance of war-weary steam locomotives with sleek new diesel engines. From Cape May to Bayonne, New Jersey's tracks were soon humming with diesels while the old steamers were nudged onto the scrap tracks of the Central New Jersey, the Erie, and the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroads, among others. Powering a commuter train to Dover or a sand train to Millville's Wheaton glass plant, the diesels instantly proved their worth, praised by railroad employees for their ease of running and maintenance. In an era when most clothes were dried outside, the public accepted the new lack of trackside coal ash with gusto. Steam to Diesel in New Jersey presents the mixed era of late-steam and early-diesel power on the big and small railroads of New Jersey, from the mid-1940s to the end of the 1950s. From the Baldwins to the Alcos, the steam-spewing Behemoths to the smooth-running RS series, this engaging collection of vintage photographs remembers a time filled with wonder and change. With nearly two hundred images, Steam to Diesel in New Jersey showcases the departing steam engines and the emerging diesels that ushered in a new period of railroad history.

In these pages, discover the locks, aqueducts, and machinery that enabled the waterway to transport military men and supplies between New York and Philadelphia during three wars. See how inventor John Holland used the canal to deliver his Holland VI submarine to Washington for its naval trials and how luxury yachts, including J.P. Morgan's Tarantula, cruised the waterway. The Delaware and Raritan Canal documents a historical and recreational gem in the heart of New Jersey.

Seton Hall Basketball: The story of how a sport grew in popularity and led to major success for this New Jersey institution.

Seton Hall Pirates: A Basketball History explores the emerging popularity of hoop action within the context of school history and development of the game at large. The hard-court history found at Seton Hall University as the program nears its 100th year of competition is a story highlighted by a host of top-notch players, brilliant coaches and memorable victories. Seton Hall Pirates: A Basketball History reflects on a sport that celebrates athletic prowess, school spirit, and spectator appreciation as it relates to the dramatic and colorful drama that is Pirate basketball.

Basketball began at Seton Hall in 1903, and success with the round ball soon followed for the white and blue. From Alumni Hall to the Meadowlands Arena, the tradition is alive in the memory of winning seasons under Frank Hill along with immortal squads including the "Wonder Five" of John "Honey" Russell in 1941, the National Invitation Tournament champions of 1953 and the 1989 Final Four contingent led by P.J. Carlesimo, which came within one game of winning a national title. The talents of such legendary figures as Bob Davies, Walter Dukes, Richie Regan, Nick Werkman, Terry Dehere, and several other performers and personalities who represented "Old Setonia" through the ages are also captured within this volume.

This evolution of Madison is chronicled in this exciting new pictorial history through the presentation of vintage images and informative caption text.

The Borough of Madison, New Jersey, known as BottleHill until 1834, was first settled in the middle of the eighteenth century. Its historical significance, now often forgotten by its cosmopolitan population, includes a railroad heritage dating to 1837, commuter traditions that began with the railroad's arrival, the founding of Drew University in 1866, the development of fabled millionaire estates that have largely disappeared, and the location of a nationally known rose-growing industry that is now gone. Even as it attracted a number of very wealthy estate owners, Madison also became home to a richly diverse ethnic population that came to work in the palatial homes and in the huge rose-growing greenhouses found nearly everywhere in the borough. This evolution of Madison is chronicled in this exciting new pictorial history through the presentation of vintage images and informative caption text.