New Jersey

Taken mostly from Picatinny Arsenal's archives, over 200 images capture the lives of people, both military and civilian, who made Picatinny what it is today.

When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Picatinny Arsenal was the only munitions plant in the nation capable of producing anything larger than small arms ammunition. Today, it is a sprawling reservation devoted to research and development of new weapons, both conventional and nuclear. With an introduction written by New Jersey Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, this photographic history traces Picatinny Arsenal's role as the major ammunition research, development, and manufacture site from the Revolutionary War through Desert Storm. Picatinny Arsenal shows dramatic pictures of the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition explosion in 1926, which leveled much of the arsenal, the rebuilding of the arsenal by the WPA, its role in the post-war era, and its museum.

The seaside resort of Cape May was named for Dutchman Cornelis Mey, who sailed past this part of southeastern New Jersey in 1616.

Originally known as Cape Island, the area was settled by a handful of English-speaking farmers and whalers in the 1690s. By 1776, it was advertised as a popular, healthy place for bathing in the ocean. The first boardinghouses were erected in the early 1800s, and by 1850, the town boasted nearly two dozen. Vacationers came from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and even the Deep South, many building summer cottages along the shore. The establishment of rail service in 1863 brought a new era of growth and even more hotels. Although a devastating fire in 1878 destroyed several of the oldest, they were soon replaced by new hotels and cottages boasting broad porches and eaves lavished with gingerbread trim. Today, most of Cape May City is a National Historic Landmark in recognition of its well-preserved collection of Victorian-era buildings. Cape May showcases the rich architectural and recreational heritage of this coastal New Jersey town.

The innovative Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge, was constructed to connect the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey.

For a time after its opening on July 1, 1926, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of 1,750 feet. The Benjamin Franklin Bridge contains many rarely seen images of the bridge's planning and construction, the individuals who helped make the concept of the bridge a reality, and the workers who built it. The bridge has undergone many changes in the decades since its opening, and these vintage photographs trace its evolution, illustrating the bridge's endurance as a symbol of the Philadelphia-Camden metropolitan area.

Princeton is only the fourth American college to celebrate a 275th anniversary.

Founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey, it has long Presbyterian roots. The scene of notable events in the American Revolution, it was a classical college for another century. Then, at its 1896 sesquicentennial, it became Princeton University and in succeeding decades developed into a world-leading research university. Long an institution of males of European descent, its gender and ethnic makeup has changed dramatically in the last half-century. Today's Princeton combines a robust collegiate culture with a research profile near the top of international league tables--truly a rare combination.

Author W. Bruce Leslie is a New Jersey native and a 1966 alumnus of Princeton University. As the grandson of a Scottish immigrant, studying at an institution with deep Scottish roots was a natural path. The author fell in love with liberal education thanks to Princeton's wonderful faculty and fellow students. Inspired by them, he taught history for a half-century at the State University of New York at Brockport, seeking to bestow a similar affection for learning, especially about the past, on his students. Returning to his roots in retirement, he is rediscovering the richness of this cultural and intellectual community.

An interesting pictorial history of Franklin Township and its beginnings.

Franklin Township is a picturesque, rural oasis with rich soils and sparkling streams in the heart of Hunterdon County. Settled in the early 1700s by Quakers, it was touched by the Revolutionary War. Although the township was never occupied by British troops, New Jersey deputy quartermaster general Moore Furman's gristmill supplied flour for George Washington's troops. Its beginnings as a farming and milling community remain at the heart of Franklin. Agriculture continues to hold cultural, historic, and scenic importance, and Hiram Deats, who manufactured a cast-iron plow patented by his father, John, in 1828, is still honored. Charming villages and hamlets boast 99 historic stone structures and 183 frame homes built before 1900. This idyllic area stands as proof that nature and bucolic farmland still hold sway in one of the nation's most densely populated states.

Poet Walt Whitman proclaimed his adopted home of Camden, in its heyday, "the city invincible," a powerhouse of industrial might destined for greatness.

Camden resurrects that fascinating era of invincibility through powerful images of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge construction; Cooper Hospital's nearly ill-fated founding; and the momentous birth of Campbell Soup Company, Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA, and New York Shipbuilding. Also included are images of Camden's neighborhoods, community life, and bustling downtown district, as well as the newsmakers and lawbreakers who defined the "biggest little city in the world."

From rural outpost to a vital, colorful landing spot, discover the fascinating story of Weekhawken and the people who made it what it is today.

Although less than one square mile in area, Weehawken's rich history extends more than 400 years to when Dutch explorers first dropped anchor in Weehawken Cove. The town commands a unique location overlooking the Hudson River, with sweeping views of New York City. Its story begins with Weehawken's early bucolic estates, the idyllic attractions of the magnificent Palisades, and its notorious hidden dueling grounds, where Alexander Hamilton met his end at the hands of Aaron Burr in 1804. By the mid-19th century, a shift toward urban industrial development changed the landscape, as evidenced by the iconic 1883 Weehawken water tower and the sprawling, long-gone 1890s Eldorado Amusement Park that brought throngs of visitors via the largest passenger elevator in the world at that time. The construction of the Lincoln Tunnel as well as the developments of the town's neighborhoods, commerce, and government all helped to shape Weehawken's past and future.

Here, with over 200 vintage photographs, images of Middletown presents a dramatic view into the realm of our suburban villages and neighborhoods.

Middletown Township has the distinction of being one of the earliest settlements in New Jersey. Although the township does not have any large photograph archives, author Randall Gabrielan has carefully gathered images from many private and public sources.

Middletown Township, a fascinating visual journey through New Jersey's past, will delight and educate both the avid historian and the casual observer.

Middletown Township: Volume II is a fascinating collection of over 220 vintage views of this venerable township, and it explores in even greater depth the rich and historic fabric of the community first brought to life last year in Middletown Township.

In this second volume, the author has collected an extraordinary diversity of images from a wide range of sources, and these images bring to life the development of the township and the lives and aspirations of its people. We meet the people who gave the township character; witness the changing landscape; visit places of worship; marvel at the growth of business and industry; and explore the development of the individual neighborhoods. These scenes of the familiar and unfamiliar will bring to local people and visitors alike a new appreciation of the richness and depth of the township's history.

Author Randall Gabrielan is president of the Middletown Township Historical Society and the township's official historian. With Middletown Township: Volume II he has combined a compelling selection of images with years of accumulated knowledge to create a history that is both entertaining and educational.

Red Bank is a riverfront town that used its location on the water to grow rapidly between the 1830s and 1850s.

The arrival of the railroad in the 1860s accelerated the development of this already-thriving community, and today, the waterfront and business district continue to prosper, as Red Bank itself remains a proud and tight-knit community. Including many rare and previously unpublished photographs, with samples of the work done by early Red Bank photographers Charles Foxwell and Andrew Coleman, this fascinating visual history is a tribute to the people who built Red Bank into the diverse and dynamic community that it is today, and to the photographers who captured moments in time so that we might better understand our past.

Burlington was the capital of the province of West Jersey from 1681 to 1702, and one of the capitals of the United East and West Jersey from 1702 to 1790. In 1726, Benjamin Franklin printed the first Colonial money in Burlington, and the state's first constitution was signed here in July 1776. The city has been home to numerous historical figures, including President Ulysses S. Grant, Captain James Lawrence, and James Fenimore Cooper. Burlington traces the city's history from a Quaker community to its prominence as the first Burlington County seat and as a manufacturing center served by railroad and shipping lines. The amusement park on Burlington Island, the construction of the Burlington-Bristol Bridge, the Library Company of Burlington, and the Metropolitan Inn are among the many featured landmarks.

Denville, the ""Hub of Morris County,"" has retained its small-town atmosphere since its early days as a stop for stagecoaches.

Iron and good soil attracted the first settlers, but today, its scenic lakes, vibrant downtown, and many festivals attract tens of thousands each year. In this superb image collection from the archives of the Denville Historical Society & Museum, more than 200 images and informative text fill the pages of this township's history. Along with the photographs of buildings, such as the grand Wayside Inn, landscapes, and locals of Denville, are historical figures such as George Washington and William Penn, as well as local legends "Uncle'? Jeddy Cooper and Rock Etam.

The years that followed are beautifully detailed in Township of Hamilton. These rare vintage photographs make it possible to visit the township in its early days, to stroll into E.C. Bartha's store, or to get a haircut and even a cigar at Underhill's. The kilns at the brickyards are hot, and production at the many shipyards has picked up again in this exceptional history. The faces of our ancestors and early neighbors appear at places such as Gaskill Park, the Little Red School House, and at many other scenes throughout the Township of Hamilton.

When the first train station was built in Maplewood in 1860, city dwellers began to leave New York for this picturesque, suburban town.

The area became home to Asher Brown Durand, the father of American landscape painting; Seth Boyden, who was called “one of America’s greatest inventors” by Thomas Edison; even Theodore Roosevelt spent summers at his uncle’s Maplewood estate and enjoyed the clear summer air. The community offered great schools, reliable transportation, beautiful surroundings, and still does to this day. The images in this impressive collection date back to 1860, and enhanced by the informative text of local historians John Bausmith and Howard Wiseman, Maplewoodprovides a fascinating journey through the history of this New Jersey community.

Ocean, emotion, and constant promotion--Take a walk through Atlantic City's history told through hundreds of unique photos.

Few American resort cities rival the romantic splendor of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Since 1854, this island has evoked dreams and memories of days lived amid white sand beaches, a vibrant boardwalk, exciting amusement piers, and grand hotels. For decades, it was a place where teenagers fell in love, returned for honeymoons, and later brought families. Atlantic City is a nostalgic return to the pre-casino days that now seem relatively innocent. The founders believed that the city would become a grand health resort, featuring healthful sea breezes and balmy days. Nearly deserted when the first train loaded with day-trippers arrived on July 1, 1854, Atlantic City, by 1900, was known throughout much of the world as ""The Queen of American Resorts."" With huge hotels lining the Boardwalk and unique amusement piers jutting into the ocean, the city thrived on what one promoter called ""ocean, emotion, and constant promotion."" Those were the days when bathers frolicked on the beach in drab clothing, when the Boardwalk was alive with throngs of happy visitors, and Miss America actually strolled the Boardwalk amid the crowds. Images like those, and of course of the annual Easter Parade, one of the East Coast's premier social events, are among the nearly two hundred photographs carefully selected for this long-awaited book.