New Jersey

Described by explorer Henry Hudson's first mate in 1609 as "a pleasant land to see," this high point of the eastern seaboard has witnessed the full sweep of American history from its steep wooded slopes. From the permanent settlements of the Navesink band of Lenape Indians through the passing of the Dutch and the founding of the second English town in New Jersey here in 1667, Atlantic Highlands became a prime Victorian resort during the Golden Age of the Jersey Shore. Later, as the axis of an extensive bootlegging operation during Prohibition with ties to big-city mobsters, the town's heritage grew as flamboyant as it was rich.

Seated majestically upon a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Highlands, one of New Jersey's most famous and romantic coastal towns, has served, in turns, as sanctuary, battlefield, resort destination, and home to generations of Americans, both immigrant and native. Its history, in many ways, mirrors the epic tale of America's evolution: an untamed wilderness yielding under the determination and sacrifice of a people laboring to create an enduring community--and in Highlands, they succeeded. Highlands, Ney Jersey chronicles this town's remarkable journey across four centuries of adventure, adversity, and prosperity, from the first New World explorers, such as Verrazano and Henry Hudson, to the present-day men and women who work, live, and play along these picturesque shores. This illustrated volume provides a rare glimpse into the Highlands of yesteryear and introduces readers to a cast of unique characters against a backdrop of major local and nation events, such as the Revolutionary War, the luxury era of Highlands in the nineteenth century, its incorporation in 1900, and the gold rush of 1948. Through these stories and their vivid images, the personality and charm of Highlands come to life, reminding today's residents and visitors why this setting has served as a source of inspiration for scores of writers, artists, and businessmen over the years.

Although Rumson, New Jersey, spent much of its early existence unknown to the outside world, the borough has built a reputation for itself as a great American suburb. The many grand estates, such as Thomas McCarter's Rumson Hill, and sweeping panoramic views establish its place as one of the most desirable destinations in New Jersey. Occupying the eastern section of a peninsula formed by the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers, the small but affluent community began as a seasonal home before the year-round activity took over.

Rumson Road, once a sandy path among the farms, grew into one of the most famed driving roads in the United States. Longtime residents will recognize familiar names and locales as they discover early Black Point, one of the first sites of the Rumson settlement. Thomas Hunt, whose Pavilion Hotel and steamboat for guests ushered in a new era of resort activity, altered the face of the community in 1845. Most of the town's spiritual, social, and community organizations began in Oceanic, whose permanent residents led the campaign to make Rumson a borough. The new history Rumson: Shaping a Superlative Suburb keeps readers captivated with lively narrative and beautiful images featuring the influential people and places that contribute to Rumson's past and present.

Founded in 1666 by stalwart Puritan settlers along the Passaic River, Newark has evolved over the centuries from an ecclesiastical hamlet into a metropolis renowned as a center of industry and opportunity. The history of Newark is an engaging tale of American ambition, resolve, innovation, and spirit, propelling the city into a premier role on the world's economic and cultural stage. From Newark's initial settlement to the present, this
comprehensive volume chronicles the fascinating story of the city's past, bringing to life many of the events and characters that shaped its unique heritage and traditions. Readers will journey across epochs of change, on horseback and trolley, in stagecoach and automobile, on plank roads and mammoth cement turnpikes, and will experience firsthand the community's conflicts and developments, from its days as a strategic crossroads for both Continental and British troops during the American Revolution to its elevation as an industrial hub for businesses in the nineteenth
and twentieth centuries. Touching upon its human face, Newark, New Jersey recognizes an assortment of religious, political, and cultural figures and leaders, such as the famed Reverends Abraham Pierson Sr. and Aaron Burr Sr., the imaginative entrepreneurial pioneer Seth Boyden, and the quintessential American inventor Thomas A. Edison, and details their impact on the growing community.

Elizabeth, New Jersey is a city of firsts: first English-speaking colony in the state, first state capital, first home of Princeton University, and the site of the first shots fired after the Declaration of Independence. This impressive history is bolstered by the town's production of the first U.S. Navy submarine, Singer sewing machine, and ice cream soda, but these triumphs should not overshadow the hardships endured along the way. With no precedent to guide the way, the industrious people of Elizabeth built traditions rather than uphold them, and for nearly 340 years this community has forged its own path against the landscape without losing its small-town flavor.

Elizabeth: The First Capital of New Jersey is the uplifting record of the people who settled land and built homes, many of which are still populated by their descendants. Tales of the sacrifices of a rich colonial history lead seamlessly into stories about the Singer Sewing Machine Company, which changed the face of the city's commerce, and the Morris Turnpike and Central Railroad that form the heart of the transportation industry to which Elizabeth owes much of its economic well being. Presented in both lucid word and striking image, Elizabeth: The First Capital of New Jersey depicts the people, places, and events that secured Elizabeth's well deserved place in the history of America. The hard-working citizens who had the foresight to develop a diverse economic, religious, and cultural base for the "City of Churches" are memorialized in this new volume.

Like many of New Jersey's older towns, Linden owes its existence to the enterprising and visionary Puritan colonists from Long Island who sought religious freedom and better farmland among the virgin wilderness of northeastern New Jersey. Close upon the heels of these pioneering and hard-working farmers, legions of merchants and artisans flocked to the small villages they established, thus ensuring industry, culture, and expansion for centuries to come. Linden's unique offering of picturesque setting, between Staten Island Sound and the Rahway River, and its proximity to major urban centers, such as Newark, Elizabeth, and New York City, has contributed greatly to the community's overall growth and continues to attract new people chasing the same dreams and destinies that the first settlers sought.

With over 100 illustrations, Linden, New Jersey chronicles the exciting story of a community that has survived wars and depressions and flourished both economically and culturally in times of prosperity. Journeying across an evolving landscape, readers will experience firsthand the early settlers' struggles against both land and man, the fear and violence from the British and Hessian raids during the Revolutionary War, and an assortment of events that shook Linden, from local political discord to dutiful service during times of national crisis. This comprehensive volume recalls much more than traditional textbook history, but celebrates the township's diverse population, such as the historic Jewish community, and immigrant cultures that have called Linden home over the years.

Comprised of ten distinct communities, Woodbridge Township, New Jersey nevertheless has a unified identity with historic roots reaching back more than 330 years. Originally populated by Native Americans, the Dutch claimed the area in the early seventeenth century before the English established the religious, political, and educational heritage that Woodbridge boasts today. In the 1800s, the township flourished under the leadership of residents who provided strong social ties and entrepreneurs who developed the clay and brick companies as well as the once popular Boynton Beach resort in Sewaren. Dedicated citizens continued their commitment to Woodbridge's progress and prosperity through the years.

Woodbridge: New Jersey's Oldest Township takes readers on a trip through an ever-changing community. Vintage photographs, maps, and a lively narrative reveal the heroic actions of citizens such as Janet Pike Gage, who raised the town's first liberty pole, and Reverend Azel Roe, the minister who defied the British during the Revolutionary War. Readers accompany the town's growth through the rise and fall of the clay and brick industries that once defined the local economy from 1825 to the onset of the Great Depression. Voted "All-America City" in 1964 by the National Municipal League, the community continues to uphold the legacy of the people who made it such a great place to live and work. Woodbridge: New Jersey's Oldest Township is a memorable tribute to this tradition.

Established in the late seventeenth century by European settlers, the small-town agricultural region that became Matawan Borough and Aberdeen Township transformed from a colonial-era shipping hub to a bustling center of commerce and manufacturing, as well as a summer resort destination. The residents' ongoing endeavors to preserve the area have fostered the transition into a cherished suburban bedroom community building toward the twenty-first century.

More than 17 million immigrants came here-to the front door of America-from 1890 to 1915 in what has been called the largest mass migration in human history. In the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island is one of the nation's most important historical sites and is one of our most heavily visited national monuments. Its story is the story of our people and their struggles for freedom and dreams of a better life.

Morristown, New Jersey first earned its place in history during the Revolutionary War when General George Washington camped here with the Continental army, an event that led to the founding of the first National Historic Park in 1933. Morristown preserves history while keeping up with the times, often forging ahead of the pack and into the future. The Green-once a grazing ground for sheep and cattle-became the site of the first Morris County Courthouse and is still a thriving central gathering place for townspeople. Even many of the Morristown's municipal buildings tell of a past steeped in the Gilded Age, as today's citizens walk the halls once trod by millionaires.

Morristown: A Military Headquarters of the American Revolution chronicles the many famous people connected to the area such as Benedict Arnold, who was tried here for treason. A landmark event of the communication industry also occurred here when Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail perfected the magnetic telegraph in a barn. This new volume invites readers for a ride through the past, with glimpses into the lives of one of the world's richest and least-known colonies of wealthy people, the hidden drama and sometime romance of a Revolutionary army camp, and the secret network of tunnels dug beneath the city during Prohibition.

Emerging from the shores of the Raritan Bay, Keyport's roots trace back to the Kearney family's plantation and its vital role during Revolutionary times. Although just 1.4 square miles in size, it encompasses shipbuilding, oyster farming, a trolley network, and an Aeromarine industry within a rich and influential history. Beyond these are the abundant and captivating tales of catastrophic fires and the vaunted Prohibition days providing a colorful framework of life in this coastline community.

What was once a whale-processing center in the 1700s emerged as a destination for sun and fun by drawing the biggest names and the classic American families of the early twentieth century.

Nestled along the New Jersey coastline and built to be one of the original seaside tourist destinations, Ocean City still sets the standard for resort living along the mid-Atlantic. As our country's search for the ideal vacation grew, this 7-mile stretch of beach cultivated a rich history and a reputation as one of the most alluring communities on the East Coast.

Lenni Lenape tribes once foraged where Freehold Raceway and development and rejuvination efforts flourish today in Freehold, seat of Monmouth County. Following European colonization in the mid-seventeenth century, this enterprising community perservered through a major battle and countless skirmishes in the American Revolution, immersion in the Civil War, rapid industrialization, and municipal reorganization. The residents overcame social and political strife, preserving spirit and courage to unify both borough and township for generations to come.

The story of Highland Park begins long before the New Jersey town's founding in 1905, with the Lenape hunting these high woodlands along the banks of the Raritan River thousands of years before the arrival of George Drake--brother of Sir Francis Drake--in the seventeenth century.
From British encampments during the Revolution to a 1903 convention of hoboes, through the business and politics of the present, Highland Park's history is full of life and drama.