Name: Union County's Black Soldiers and Sailors of the Civil War
Brand: Ethel M. Washington
SKU: 9781596294462
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Union County's Black Soldiers and Sailors of the Civil War

9781596294462

$23.99

In Union County, New Jersey, many soldiers and sailors of African ancestry answered President Lincoln's call for troops during the Civil War and enlisted in regiments organized in Union County, the United States Colored Troops (USCT), out of-state-regiments and the United States Navy and Marine Corps. ¬They fought not only for country but also for their comrades in chains in the South and for the promise of equality that they had for so long been denied. ¬ rough their stories, never-before-seen photographs, documents and service records, local historian Ethel M. Washington tells a largely overlooked but riveting history of patriotic black servicemen in the North who defended the nation's ideals on the battle field even as they faced discrimination in the ranks and back home.

Union County's Black Soldiers and Sailors of the Civil War

Hidden History of New Jersey at War

9781626191785

$21.99

The Garden State has made innumerable contributions to our nation's military history, on both battlefield and homefront, but many of those stories remain hidden within the larger national narrative.

Perhaps the most crucial one-day battle of the Revolution was fought in Monmouth County, and New Jersey officers engineered the conquest of California in the Mexican War. During the Civil War, a New Jersey unit was instrumental in saving Washington, D.C., from Confederate capture. In World War II, New Jersey women flocked to war production factories and served in the armed forces, and a West Orange girl helped ferry Spitfire fighters in England. War came home to the coast in 1942 with the sinking of the SS ""Resor"" by a German submarine, but the state's citizens reacted by contributing everything they could to the war effort. Uncover these and other stories from New Jersey's hidden wartime history.

A Bit of Earth in the Somerset Hills

9781596293823

$21.99

Combining the enchantment of youth with nostalgic memories of the landscape of Somerset, New Jersey, author Gordon Ward recalls in brilliant detail the Bernardsville neighborhood in which he grew up. While the world beyond grappled with Woodstock, Vietnam, Watergate and the era's other great dramas, Ward went to school, played, explored the surrounding terrain, developed friendships, celebrated holidays, found a niche for himself within his family and much more. A Bit of Earth in the Somerset Hills, is a neighborhood tale that will resonate with all whose growing up years were filled with a sense of place.

Remarkable Women of the New Jersey Shore

9781626196827

$21.99

History is everywhere along the New Jersey Shore, from the lighthouses that dot the coast to the Victorian grandeur of Cape May. Less visible are the stories of the women who helped shape that past. Trailblazing young women in Belmar and Wildwood became lifeguards, proving that women were just as capable as men. Cindy Zipf has worked tirelessly for more than thirty years to stop ocean pollution and protect marine life. Theatrical stars, pioneering politicians, a Titanic survivor and a cosmetics entrepreneur all called the Jersey Shore home. Even several first ladies vacationed in towns along the coast. While countless women have contributed to the region's past, local author Karen L. Schnitzspahn chronicles some of the most intriguing stories of the remarkable women of the Jersey Shore.

Remarkable Women of the New Jersey Shore

Stories from Highlands, New Jersey:

9781609497071

$21.99

The Historic Highlands are known as where the Jersey Shore begins," and in its long life, its residents and visitors have contributed to a rich, vibrant past. In this book, local historian John King compiles over 80 stories authored by more than 40 Highlands residents who have experienced life there and embrace its heritage. Some of their tales deal with aspects intrinsic to the Highlands, such as clamming and vacationing summer tourists. Some are thrilling accounts from the days of Prohibition, when rum-runners used the shores as ports for illicit booze. From everyday life, to World War II, to sailing and famous residents, discover the history of the Highlands."

Spring Lake Heights:

9781609490454

$19.99

From very humble beginnings, this small but charming borough has evolved into one of the New Jersey Shore's most vibrant business and residential communities. While Spring Lake Heights now enjoys numerous modern facilities, the town still contains many visible links to its unique past. This book explores these links and offers readers insight into various personalities, socio-economic factors, and local lore that have helped to shape the identity of this community. It includes an Irish pub that was also a brewery and stage coach stop in the late 1800s; an inn that once doubled as a brothel; a tea room once home to an international mail fraud ring; an historic cemetery and church; and a beautiful country club that once frequently hosted Richard Nixon.

Stories from Perth Amboy

9781609496968

$21.99

Since its establishment in 1683, Perth Amboy has been a progressive and welcoming community. Residents have consistently made a stand for equality--in the 1920s, riots at a local KKK meeting ousted the Klan for good, and the nation's first African American vote was cast here by Thomas Mundy Peterson. Another Perth Amboy first was Dr. Solomon Andrews's flight over the town in 1863. Since 1853, the Eagleswood School has hosted lectures from figures like Henry David Thoreau. In 1968, the Perth Amboy basketball team swept the state championship. These and Perth Amboy's other fascinating stories and characters are chronicled by local author Katherine Massopust.

Sea Girt, New Jersey:

9781596294493

$21.99

From the thunder of National Guard rifle practice squads to the applause of FDR's presidential campaign kickoff, Sea Girt sparkles with a dynamic history that belies its mystique as a quiet seaside resort. In the place that was once called the Summer Capital of New Jersey, a governor's parade could send a parachutist through the window and a beachside stroll could lead to an encounter with Woodrow Wilson or Frank Hague. Joe Bilby's thorough chronicle of this square mile of history is as joyous as a Jersey farmer plunging into the surf on Salt Water Day.

Ghosts of Central Jersey

9781596294684

$21.99

What ghosts roam within the historic sites and buildings of
Central New Jersey? How accurate are the traditional stories? From the shadowed woods of the Somerset Hills to the dappled banks of the Delaware River, Ghosts of Central Jersey delivers a rich mix of factual history and the sound investigation of ghostly phenomena. The combination of an open-minded enthusiasm and a level-headed approach underscores this collection of reports that will inform, entertain and lead the reader to places where the past is considered to be very much alive and entwined with the present.

Germans in New Jersey

9781626190542

$21.99

German immigrants and their descendants are integral to New Jersey's history. When the state was young, they founded villages that are now well-established communities, such as Long Valley. Many German immigrants were lured by the freedom and opportunity in the Garden State, especially in the nineteenth century, as they escaped oppression and revolution. German heroes have played a patriotic part in the state's growth and include scholars, artists, war heroes and industrialists, such as John Roebling, the builder of the Brooklyn Bridge, and Thomas Nast, the father of the American cartoon. Despite these contributions, life in America was not always easy; they faced discrimination, especially during the world wars. But in the postwar era, refugees and German Americans alike--through their Deutsche clubs, festivals, societies and language schools--are a huge part of New Jersey's rich cultural tapestry.

Asbury Park Reborn

9781609496807

$21.99

Asbury Park's diverse array of landmarks creates an unforgettable impression of this legendary seaside city.

The elegant, Art Deco-inspired Convention Hall captures the resort's glittering heyday in the 1920s and '30s, while structures like the Upstage seem to echo with the voices of aspiring musicians like Bruce Springsteen when they played at intimate venues, defining Asbury's world-renowned music scene. As the city forges ahead with ambitious redevelopment plans, many neglected buildings have been rehabilitated, but others continue to deteriorate, despite a groundswell of public opposition. From opulent movie houses to down-and-dirty rock-and-roll clubs, these landmarks trace the evolution of Asbury Park from a tiny nineteenth-century resort town to the world-famous playground of today.

Asbury Park

9781596296046

$21.99

The history of Asbury Park is a veritable roller coaster of challenge, triumph and change. In 1871, there was nothing but marshes and sand dunes between the sinful city of Long Branch and the holy haven of Ocean Grove, but for devout Methodist James Bradley, the deserted beachfront was a new Promised Land. Thus, the resort community Asbury Park was born as a wholesome entertainment and relaxation center for middle-class, white Protestant America. From bicycles and baby parades to brawlers and bootleggers, Bilby and Ziegler trace Asbury Park's cycles of transformation from peaceful resort to raucous amusement park, from empty boardwalk to modern, bustling center of business.

A History of Salem County, New Jersey

9781609492380

$21.99

Salem County is exceptional in New Jersey and the United States for being an agriculture epicenter and, at the same time, an industrial hub. During its early history, farms spurred the growth of Salem County towns, including Elsinboro, Pilesgrove and Oldman's Township. Then and now, tomatoes were a popular product of this south New Jersey region. Salem County residents were always industrious, and mills and glass manufactories sprang up as well. The region's landscape and culture were later revolutionized with the arrival of DuPont in the late nineteenth century. Local historian Charles Harrison chronicles these events, along with the rest of the unusual and rich history of Salem County, New Jersey.

History of the Andover Ironworks, A

9781626192188

$21.99

Soon after Philadelphia began to exploit New Jersey's largest hematite deposit in 1758, Andover Furnace and Forge began producing the best metal in the world. Its product was so desirable that the newly formed American military wrested control from Loyalist owners in 1778. This frontier industrial outpost endured thirty-five years before labor costs, competition from cheap imports, careless consumption of woodlands and difficulty in transporting its products finally extinguished its fires. Today, repurposed eighteenth-century stone mills and mansions at Andover and Waterloo testify to the combination of rich ore, abundant water power and seemingly endless forests that long ago attracted teamsters, woodcutters, charcoal burners, miners, molders and smelters to the Appalachian Highlands of New Jersey. Local expert Kevin Wright tells the hidden story of the facets and personalities that once made Andover iron so widely coveted.

North Jersey Beer:

9781626199071

$21.99

North Jersey residents have enjoyed frothy pints since the first brewhouse opened in Hoboken in 1641. Brewing was big in the Garden State prior to Prohibition, and by 1900, more than fifty breweries were in operation. Nearly half of them--like Krueger--were located in Newark. The dry reign of Prohibition and the region's proximity to major cities made it a hub for bootleggers and gangsters like Longy Zwillman and Waxey Gordon. Even after the Eighteenth Amendment was repealed, North Jersey brewing sputtered. Some independent breweries like Ballantine restarted operation, but it wasn't until the 1990s that the region saw a craft brewing renaissance. Today, Jerseyans enjoy premium ales and lagers from breweries like Climax, River Horse and New Jersey Beer Company. Beer writer Chris Morris explores the origins and the new revolution of brewing in North Jersey.

Ghosts of Mount Holly:

9781596293724

$21.99

Bringing a whole new meaning to the term historical interaction, " Bastien visits firehouses, taverns and cemeteries to exhume those bits of the past whose clammy fingers still cling to the present. The vividness of her spellbinding accounts will have you smelling the sulfur of dead-but-not-departed Hessian mercenaries in less time than it takes to shiver."

The Life & Times of Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague

9781609494681

$21.99

Explore the controversial life of New Jersey city mayor Frank Hague, whose propensity for corruption inspired a character on the television show ""Boardwalk Empire.""

Frank Hague served as the mayor of Jersey City for much of the early twentieth century. While some believed him a thief, others viewed him as a modern-day Robin Hood. He could put food on your table or triple your taxes, give you a job or end your career. It was with this same ease and power that he could make you a federal judge, a congressman or even a United States senator. He has been remembered including through a character on the popular TV drama ""Boardwalk Empire"" as one of the most corrupt politicians of the century. But in this biography, Leonard Vernon reexamines Hague's deeds, prompting a new understanding of his life and the memory of politicians of the era.

The Life & Times of Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague

Legends & Lore of Somerset County:

9781626196797

$21.99

Many have heard the legend of the Jersey Devil of the Pine Barrens, but what about his relative in Somerset County? The Great Swamp Devil was captured by an American Patriot, terrorized a Victorian family and was rediscovered by Depression-era adventurers. Clearly, Somerset County has a rich oral tradition filled with a folklore all its own. An encounter with the Dead River Witch of Liberty Corner is linked with the unsolved disappearance of a nine-year-old girl. Alleged Revolutionary War spy John Honeyman never stopped telling tall tales about himself, even after his death. The Pluckemin orbs--more than six thousand years old--frightened Native Americans, intrigued artists and still defy explanation. Discover these and other legends from Somerset County, New Jersey.

The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey

9781596299924

$21.99

T?he struggle for black freedom and equality is a legacy that belongs to all Americans. In the twentieth century, this story of triumph over injustice inspired the spread of democracy around the world. From the villages of Eastern Europe to the cities of Asia and Africa, people have found new strength, hope and courage in the ways African Americans defeated Jim Crow segregation in the United States. Liberty and equality required the sacrifices of many African Americans who lived and made a difference in New Jersey, including the Russell, Ham and Brown families whom Walter Greason documents in this book. This contemporary narrative of community uplift offers a fresh appreciation of just how long the path to justice is.

The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey

Paterson Great Falls:

9781609497255

$21.99

The story of Paterson is the story of its Great Falls. European settlers were awed by the natural wonder that the Lenni-Lenape called Acquackanonk. Fulfilling Alexander Hamilton's vision, the Falls fueled Paterson's development into the leader of the nation's Industrial Revolution, powering mills and factories into the twentieth century. In 1967, the Great Falls became a National Natural Landmark and then a National Historic Landmark District in 1976. Finally, in 2011, the Falls was designated a National Historic Park. Join Patersonian Marcia Dente as she explores the beauty and industry of Paterson's Great Falls.

Owning New Jersey

9781626196209

$21.99

Winner of the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance Authors Award for Nonfiction

New Jersey's land records and deeds are unlikely sources for a thrilling tale but reveal little-known, fascinating history. A detailed story of the founding of the Garden State 350 years ago is preserved in these papers. The state's boundaries were drawn in such documents centuries ago, even if the authors never stepped foot in North America. The archives hide heroes, like the freed African Americans who fought for their right to own their piece of the state. And of course, there are the bizarre and mysterious tales, like the silk baron's castle and the assault against a sixteen-year-old maiden during the throes of the American Revolution. Join land title expert Joseph Grabas as he combs through these all-but-forgotten stories of the pursuit of happiness and property in early New Jersey.

Bridgeton, New Jersey:

9781609495275

$21.99

Bridgeton, New Jersey, is home to the state's largest historic district, and its past is full of exciting events and remarkable people. The Lenni-Lenape first populated this region, and during the Revolutionary War, the city sent Patriots like Dr. Jonathan Elmer to lead the struggle for the young republic. The town continued to grow in size and importance through the Victorian era, building everything from roads to taverns to industries. Owens-Illinois Company, Seabrook Farms and Ferracute Machine Company were all business innovators and leaders. Bridgeton has always produced concerned, community oriented citizens who through the years have come together to build the hospital, save the library, rebuild a football stadium and perform countless other civic deeds. Local writer Sharron Morita recounts these and other stories in her chronicle of Bridgeton.

The Burlington County Prison:

9781609491055

$21.99

Built in 1811 in Mount Holly and intended to be a short-term holding facility, Burlington County Prison became one of the most notorious prisons of its time as criminals of all sorts spent days, years or lifetimes in its dungeon-like cells. Renowned architect Robert Mills designed the structure to be escape-proof, but more than a few prisoners overcame that challenge. Murderers, kidnappers, abusers, alcoholics, the mentally ill and other undesirables"? served time here. Many were executed on the grounds, while others never left. From conception to construction, from criminal deviants to prisoners guilty of simply being poor, authors Dennis Rizzo and Dave Kimball explore the prison's past and present, the whole story of one of New Jersey's most well-known landmarks."

North Jersey Legacies

9781609495565

$21.99

Did you know that the Dust Bowl hit New Jersey? Twice? How about that a mysterious experiment in subliminal advertising was conducted at a Fort Lee, New Jersey movie theater? Or that railroad communication was advanced on a northwest New Jersey railroad line? Or that America first heard about the Russians launch of Sputnik 2 (with a dog onboard) thanks to a Ukrainian refugee in Perth Amboy, New Jersey? Or that prisons could buy a custom electric chair from a Trenton, New Jersey electrician? Or that aviation matured into an industry thanks to Newark Airport? This book is a collection of articles from www.GardenStateLegacy.com, an online quarterly magazine devoted to New Jersey history that the author began in 2008. The Garden State features to some degree even as a footnote in larger historical stories far more often than one might think. It could just be a matter of someone from the state going on to something of historic importance somewhere else; or that by dumb luck something just happened to occur within its borders. New Jersey may be a footnote in these tangential tales, but they are the kind of unexpected connections that makes exploring New Jersey's history so delightful.

Fair Lawn, New Jersey:

9781596296985

$21.99

In Fair Lawn, New Jersey, the layered heritage is clear from the mix of Native American, Dutch and English names adorning its street signs. Author Jane Lyle Diepeveen traces Fair Lawn's history from its origins as a settlement at Sloterdam, a site of the developing Dutch Colonial architecture, to the innovative neighborhoods of Radburn, a cutting-edge planned American garden city. Through interviews with longtime Fair Lawn residents, Diepeveen honors the days of dairy farms and swimming holes, as well as this vibrant community's progress today. From Warren Point to Columbia Heights, Fair Lawn reveals the hidden story of this jewel of New Jersey.

The Feast of St. Gerard Maiella, C.Ss.R. : A Century of Devotion at St. Lucy's, Newark

9781609498078

$21.99

In the late nineteenth century, many Italian immigrants settled in Newark. For these newcomers, the Church became a source of community and strength. Feasts of Patron Saints from their paese, or village in Italy, were a tradition that helped make the new country feel more like the old. At St. Lucy's Church, parishioners held the first Feast of St. Gerard Maiella--the unofficial patron of mothers, children and the unborn--in October 1899, and it has been held every year since. As the decades have passed, generation after generation of Italian Americans return annually to celebrate their heritage and Catholic faith and express their gratitude for St. Gerard's powerful intercession. In this way, the Feast of St. Gerard, the treasure of their grandparents, has become part of their descendants' heritage.

The Feast of St. Gerard Maiella, C.Ss.R. : A Century of Devotion at St. Lucy's, Newark

Explosion at Morgan:

9781609495176

$21.99

While World War I raged in Europe, America scrambled to supply the Allies with ammunition, and several munitions plants were constructed near the Jersey Shore. The hastily built plants hummed with hardly a mishap until the fateful night of October 4, 1918, when a series of explosions killed one hundred people. Firemen and other volunteers were powerless to stop the destruction as it devastated the Morgan-South Amboy area and terrified the surrounding region. Strangely, though, this woeful disaster has been forgotten by history. New Jersey historian Randall Gabrielan re-creates this terrifying night and its aftermath in the context of Middlesex County's role in the Great War.

Finding North Jersey:

9781609498115

$21.99

Northern New Jersey is one of the most densely populated places in the nation, but it is constantly defined by its relationship to New York City. In this insightful study, longtime North Jersey resident James Marcum asks why, looking well past the false stereotypes to a distinct regional culture and fascinating history. How did North Jersey become what it is today, and even more fundamentally, can we define its boundaries? Is it essentially suburban? What characterizes the region and its people? Join Marcum as he explores these and other issues to come to a better understanding of one of the most intriguing and diverse corners of the Garden State.

New Jersey State Troopers, 1961-2011:

9781609492182

$21.99

The New Jersey State Troopers are dedicated to upholding their credo of "Honor, Duty and Fidelity." Their commitment to this service has helped countless civilians in dangerous situations and saved many innocent lives. Yet in upholding their duty to serve and protect, extraordinary troopers have given their lives. Retired Sergeant First Class John O'Rourke has collected their stories of bravery and herein follows up his first book, Jersey Troopers, with the accounts of troopers killed in the line of duty from 1961 to 2011. These are not only the stories of how they died but also how they lived, with recollections and photos from the families and friends they left behind.

New Brunswick and the Civil War:

9781626191747

$21.99

At the beginning of the Civil War, New Brunswick was positioned at the transportation and manufacturing hub of New Jersey. Many of the city's young men exchanged manufacturing equipment for rifles, and those whom they left behind witnessed the war through letters from their sons, brothers and husbands. Patriotism, a longing to earn more money and adventure lured these Brunswick Boys"--close friends and co-workers--to enlist. Their recollections offer insights into everyday life in New Jersey during the war--New Brunswick's factory system, education and medicine. These letters also reveal their struggles to survive amid battles and close encounters with death that so many soldiers faced, as well as their difficult transition back to civilian life. Local author Joanne Hamilton Rajoppi presents the fascinating stories of New Brunswick and the Civil War, gleaned from the letters of those who experienced it."

New Jersey Butterfly Boys in the Civil War:

9781609491321

$21.99

The New Jersey Butterflies, officially the Third New Jersey Cavalry, was formed for the last year of the Civil War. They were also known as the First American Hussars; their creation by an alcoholic ex-officer of the Union Army was supposed to entice men to join a galloping, dashing, romantic cavalry unit. Clothed in orange gilt trimmed hats and capes, they were supposed to charge armed only with a saber, in most traditional European Cavalry fashion, into battle and subdue an enemy armed with rifles. This book is not about battlefield configurations, but rather about the men themselves. Individual stories from original accounts will examine how this glorious, historically victorious, difficult and often tragic year affected their return to the daily world of doctors, teachers, lawyers, clerks and workmen.

New Jersey Butterfly Boys in the Civil War:

Murders in Monmouth

9781596293489

$21.99

Why do people kill? In the case of the young and mentally unstable Frank Zastera, the rationale was as simple as the act was brutal: he wanted William Sheppard's money. In other homicides, such as the still-unsolved 1913 murder of George Harris, the motive for committing the ultimate crime remains obscured for eternity. In Murders in Monmouth, author George Joynson unflinchingly assembles the who, what, when, where and why surrounding twelve high-profile killings perpetrated by various individuals in early twentieth-century Monmouth County.

New Jersey Fresh:

9781626199781

$21.99

New Jersey's bounty is ripe for the picking. The state boasts thousands of thriving farms, hundreds of CSAs, dozens of community farmers' markets and countless residents dedicated to the locavore lifestyle. Jersey food writer and chef Rachel J. Weston takes a seasonal tour of the state, showcasing the bounty that its down-to-earth farmers, creative artisan producers and innovative chefs produce for their patrons throughout the year. See how globally inspired cuisine representing New Jersey's diverse population is created and adapted using locally sourced products. Savor a juicy August peach, pucker up for a tart cranberry in October and nourish body and soul with local bok choy, asparagus and tomatoes. With local recipes for every season, this book shows why New Jersey is the Garden State.

Morris County's Acorn Hall

9781626196315

$21.99

Acorn Hall has always been a home. In 1852, Dr. John Schermerhorn conceived the sprawling estate and mansion, and he spent four years decorating it in a lavish Rococo style. Banker Augustus Crane later bought the estate and mansion, had it redesigned and rechristened it Acorn Hall, and it remained in his family through two world wars and numerous financial crises. Mary Crane Hone donated the landmark to the Morris County Historical Society in 1971. After its devoted members lovingly restored the hall, it became a focal point for the community and a beautiful setting for the society's collections. Today, it is imbued with a sense of purpose, tradition and reverence for the past. Local historian Jude Pfister tells the remarkable story of Morris County, New Jersey's Acorn Hall.

Murder & Mayhem in the Highlands

9781596295988

$21.99

Visitors gazing out over the Highlands of coastal New Jersey might never guess that these rolling hills have been a stage for mankind's darkest deeds.

Author John King shines a spotlight on the region's violent history of kidnapping, murder, smuggling, and extortion. From axe-wielding lunatics to killers who leave calling cards, King presents each case with the care of a criminal investigator, including details from coroners' reports and witness testimonies. In this sensational and gripping read, uncover the gritty history of the Highlands, where suspicious death typically meant foul play and staying in a hotel might cost you your life.