All Non-Digital Titles

Garden State Parkwayshows how this iconic New Jersey roadway gained its place in history and continues to combine safe transportation in a parklike setting.

The Garden State Parkwayhas transformed the lives of New Jersey residents since opening in 1954. Spanning 173 miles from Cape May to the New York State line, it has fostered tourism to the Jersey Shore and given commuters an easier way to get to work.

Gov. Alfred E. Driscoll had envisioned the impact a new highway could have on the state, and a large team of planners, engineers, and contractors made it happen. In 1952, the legislature created the New Jersey Highway Authorityto ensure the funding and completion of the $330-million parkway and to self-sufficiently operate the roadway through toll revenue.

Take a fascinating journey through the history of the City of Championswith more than 200 vintage photographs.

Garfield was once home to the Lenni Lenape, a tribe within the Algonquin Nation of Native Americans. Later, the Revolutionary Wartouched the area when many British soldiers entered the district in pursuit of Washington's army.

After the war, farmers prospered as the fertile land of the river valley produced abundant crops that were shipped down the Passaic Riverto markets in New York City. In the late 1800s, as cities lying across the river industrialized, Garfield's farms gave way to mills, a trolley and railroads built lines through town, and soon the soaring population attracted a variety of small businesses.

In Garfieldincludes many never before published photographs that reveal the nature, culture, and character of the community. Included are views of the local schools, churches, markets, and police and fire departments, as well as many interesting local residents.

The rolling hills, picturesque farms and lush highlands of northwestern New Jersey exemplify the often-overlooked natural beauty of the Garden State. But among its historic towns and scenic vistas lurk haunting mysteries and unexplained apparitions...

A recluse who practiced witchcraft generations ago is said to be still spinning misdeeds as the Sussex Sorcerer on Sunrise Mountain. The ghost of Reverend O’Malley walks the woods around Mount Allamuchy as the Purple Bishop, seeking vengeance against those who betrayed him. The sinisterly named Shades of Death Road along the sod farms and meadows of the Pequest River Valley has a bloody reputation of bandit killings and supernatural encounters.  

Author Robert Oakes leads readers on a spirited journey through the historic ghost lore of Northwestern New Jersey.

Glen Rock, a photographic journey, documents the growth of the community from the late 1880s through the late 1950s. The early strawberry fields, farms, mills, and hotels made way for today's stores and homes. The dirt roads once used by horse and buggy, stagecoach, and bicycle were paved for early automobiles. The original schools became too small to hold the growing number of children, and new schools were built. Glen Rock's leaders created municipal departments, civic organizations, emergency services, businesses, and places of worship. Parades, picnics, and pageants entertained Glen Rockers. Wars and the Great Depression brought citizens together, and residents gathered to help each other and the nation.

Although Bertrand Island Park closed in 1983, there is no place in northwestern New Jersey that is more fondly remembered. For some seventy years, the park thrilled youngsters and adults alike. The park opened during the peak of Lake Hopatcong's resort years, and its popularity continued as the lake evolved from a hotel resort to a community of second homes and finally into a year-round locale. Generations of school groups, church outings, company picnics, and residents from throughout the region delighted in the wooden roller coaster, the magical carousel, and the scores of other rides and games.

The Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital was more than a building; it embodied an entire era of uniquely American history, from the unparalleled humanitarian efforts of Dorothea Dix to the revolutionary architectural concepts of Thomas Story Kirkbride.

After well over a century of service, Greystone was left abandoned in 2008. From the time it closed until its demolition in 2015, Greystone became the focal point of a passionate preservation effort that drew national attention and served to spark the public's interest in historical asylum preservation. Many of the images contained in this book were rescued from the basement of Greystone in 2002 and have never been seen by the public. They appear courtesy of the Morris Plains Museum and its staff, who spent many hours digitally archiving the photographs so that future generations may better know Greystone's history.

Over 200 historic photographs and fascinating text combine to create an illustrated history of New Jersey's thirty-eight lighthouses and forty-one life-saving stations.

From the seventeenth to the twentieth century, New Jersey's low-lying, sandy coast has been the site of thousands of shipwrecks as ships bound for New York City or Philadelphia foundered on its offshore shoals. As coastal and international trade dramatically increased after the War of 1812, the federal government was forced to increase safety aids to mariners. To ensure their safe passage, a series of lighthouses was built and the U.S. Life-Saving Service was created. More than two centuries of the history of New Jersey's treacherous coast are preserved in Guarding New Jersey's Shore: Lighthouses and Life-Saving Stations. Gathered from a wide array of sources, more than 200 historic photographs and fascinating, documented text combine to create the only illustrated history of the state's thirty-eight lighthouses and forty-one life-saving stations. Sandy Hook, built in 1764, is the nation's oldest operating lighthouse. Navesink's Twin Lights was the first lighthouse to use electricity and was the home of Marconi's early radio experiments. From the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, which once served as a lighthouse, to Cape May Point, and up the Delaware Bay and River, the fascinating story of protecting mariners from perils ""Down the Shore"" is presented and preserved in Guarding New Jersey's Shore: Lighthouses and Life-Saving Stations.

This pictorial overview of Hanover Township covers a nearly 70-year period from the late 1890s to 1965 and traces the development of the Village of Whippany and Cedar Knolls.

Hanover Township introduces us to a time when numerous paper mills employed a large contingent of the community's Irish-Catholic, Polish, and Italian populations; a time when as many as 16 local passenger and freight trains rolled through Hanover on the tracks of Morristown & Erie Railroad every day. In Hanover Township: Whippany and Cedar Knolls, we meet important community builders like the members of the McEwan family, whose industrial influence upon the region enabled Hanover to grow as it did. At one time the McEwans owned a vast majority of Hanover's real estate; they owned the Hanover, Stony Brook, and Eden Mills-three of the largest paper-producing mills in the northeast. And, of course, they owned the railroad that paper built.

Discover the hidden history of Hasbrouck Heights with images throughout the centuries and meet the notable figures who called it home.

Hasbrouck Heights highlights the development of an enterprising community located minutes from Manhattan, in Bergen County. The hilltop borough was incorporated in 1894, but it had a role in the Revolution and was part of the early Dutch settlements of the mid-1600s. Now a beautiful tree-lined town, Hasbrouck Heights has been home to celebrities such as Arthur Godfrey, Frank Sinatra, and Jason Biggs.

Ghostly Fun in the Sand and Sun

The wide sandy beaches, colorful boardwalks and majestic lighthouses of the Jersey Shore share supernatural secrets and unexplainable encounters...

In Absecon the dead pose as guides for a unique afterhours tour of its historic lighthouse. A reformed criminal met the apparition of his victim, learning remorse is eternal, on Long Beach Island. Newly built casinos in Atlantic City have former patrons stopping by for one last goodbye, from beyond the grave. A spectral organist haunts and plays the pipe organ of Asbury Park's Convention Hall.

Author Patricia Heyer uncovers the eerie mysteries that shroud many of the Shore's iconic landmarks.

Join author William B. Longo as he completes a comprehensive portrait of this 1848 jurisdiction. Longtime residents will surely appreciate this installment in the region's history.

Hazlet Township--originally composed of four separate villages known as Hazlet, Mechanicsville, North Centerville, and West Keansburg--celebrates its 150th anniversary in 1998, and this marvelous new book has been created to commemorate that occasion. Residents of Hazlet will learn about the community's development since 1900, and study its most significant period of growth--beginning around 1955. The earliest images contained in this volume illustrate Hazlet's rural past, depicting farms and the rustic character of the township. Other photographs represent the history of the township's municipal and public service centers, such as the post office, railroad station, and fire departments. Following World War II, the township began to lose its village divisions, and Hazlet Township describes this change in detail.

Over 200 images are set in geographical sequence to guide the reader along the famed Henry Hudson trail.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey's Seashore Branch provided rail and boat services from New York City to points along the New Jersey Shore. It discontinued passenger service in 1966, with the last freight train operating in 1983. Official abandonment proceedings sparked the need to keep the right of way for future mass transit needs. This led to interim use. Today, the area is called the Henry Hudson Trail and is one of over 500 parks referred to nationally as a Rail-Trail. This free, ten-mile-long, hiking, biking, and walking trail is administered by the Monmouth County Parks System, and connects several towns of the Raritan Bay shore area. This rare look will enlighten trail users through images of views gone forever, while pointing out structures still in place. Over 200 images are set in geographical sequence to guide the reader along the trail.

An estimated three thousand shipwrecks lie off the coast of New Jersey - but these icy waters hold more mysteries than sunken hulls.

Ancient arrowheads found on the shoreline of Sandy Hook reveal Native American settlement before the land was flooded by melting glaciers. In 1854, 240 passengers of the New Era clipper ship met their fate off Deal Beach. Nobody knows what happened to two hydrogen bombs the United States Air Force lost near Atlantic City in 1957. Lessons from such tragic wrecks and dangerous missteps urged the development of safer ships and the U.S. Coast Guard. Captain Stephen D. Nagiewicz uncovers curious tales of storms, heroism and oddities from New Jersey's maritime past.

Monmouth County’s past encompasses more than just sandy beaches and rural farm life.

George Washington fought at the Battle of Monmouth as the region played a pivotal role in the birth of the republic. Henry Hudson anchored off Monmouth’s shores in 1609 and was the first European to meet with the Lenape Native Americans there. A gun barrel of the USS New Jersey, the most decorated battleship in American history, was painstakingly transported to Battery Lewis, a fortification built along the county’s highlands to protect New York Harbor during World War II. Bruce Springsteen elevated Asbury Park and the Stone Pony into a national music destination, and he remains the unofficial poet laureate of the Jersey Shore. Authors Rick Geffken and Muriel J. Smith highlight compelling stories of the seaside county’s four-hundred-year history.

Explore the lesser-known stories that make up New Jersey's compelling hidden history.

Explore the lesser-known stories that make up New Jersey's compelling hidden history. Uncover the meaning of "Jersey Blues," celebrate some of the state's bravest Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers and investigate Jersey City's most infamous ghost. From the inferno that engulfed Asbury Park, to the benevolent side of Frank Hague, to the equestrienne who plunged forty feet into a pool of water on horseback in Atlantic City, rediscover these and many other events from New Jersey's storied past.

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.

Brick City Past Revealed/

Newark's history is as diverse and powerful as the community that continues to call New Jersey's largest city home. The colonial settlement at Four Corners—the Broad and Market intersection—grew into one of the most heavily traveled thoroughfares in the nation. In the nineteenth century, innovations such as the public use of the electric light bulb in Military Park and the discovery of how to make patent leather established Newark as a flourishing industrial hub. Dramatic events including the battle between Nazi sympathizers and city residents in the 1930s, hearings held by the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s and the event that triggered the infamous 1967 riots, defined a raucous twentieth century in Newark. Today, urban farming can be found in the Ironbound, NBA star Shaquille O’Neal has helped fund the city's first high-rise tower in fifty years and revitalization efforts continue. Author Helen Lippman presents hidden history of Newark, New Jersey.

High Point State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps explores the history of the fascinating landmark, which was a gift of Colonel Anthony and Susie Kuser to the people of New Jersey in 1923. The famed landscape firm Olmsted Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts, was retained to design the park's facilities. The job of carrying out many of the proposals in the plan fell to the Civilian Conservation Corps, a Depression-era federal agency that combined work relief efforts with conservation work. The laborers, known as the CCC boys, developed the layout of the park from 1933 to 1941. Much of their work remains and is still used by visitors today.

Highland Park, New Jersey explores the rich history of this 2-square-mile town in an unprecedented collection of over 200 photographs.

Highland Park's history is one of growth and is best seen through the ever-tightening weaving of old and new architecture. As 19th century farmsteads gave way to residential developments, Highland Park's main street experienced considerable development and change; the horse and buggy gave way to trolleys and, eventually, to automobile traffic. In this unique pictorial collection, discover the charm of this New Jersey town through historic images of Highland Park's architecture, from mansions and churches to shacks. Also featured are collected memorabilia from local cultural events such as parades and horse races. While Highland Park acknowledges close ties to the city of New Brunswick, its small-town identity comes out from under New Brunswick's large shadow. Outstanding photographs of Ayres beach, the building of the railroad bridge, and the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps in dress uniforms are complemented by timely graphics from maps, advertisements, and even a raffle ticket that was saved for 95 years.

The historic gristmill, railroad and farms and homes of Hightstown are revealed here in postcard images.

Located in the easternmost pocket of Mercer County, New Jersey, Hightstown traces its beginnings to 1747, when John Hight bought an 80-acre parcel alongside Rocky Brook. He built a gristmill there, abutting the road that became Main Street. The mill attracted other small enterprises, including a dry goods store, two taverns, a blacksmith shop, and sawmill. With the rise of the steam engine, the town grew to become a thriving transportation hub. As this community evolved into a contemporary downtown corridor, the farms and homes spread across what is today both the borough and East Windsor Township. The advent of the automobile, retirement of the rail line, and construction of the New Jersey Turnpike challenged Hightstown's role as a destination. With a recently established historic district and strong downtown association, the town is enjoying a rebirth as a treasure of America's past and present.

Hightstown Borough and East Windsor Township are two neighboring New Jersey communities steeped in history.

Over the years, the two towns have seen numerous important developments in agriculture and the area has served as a hub for small-town commerce and railroad travel. Several notable historic figures made their way through the region over the years as well, including Clara Barton, the Marquis de Lafayette, Horace Greeley, Phineas T. Barnum, and Woodrow Wilson.

As Hillside developed its own character, its people began a movement for independence in 1905. On April 29, 1913, they voted to form their own township. Hillside contains countless beautiful images gleaned from sources as diverse as private residents and professional news organizations. While children attend classes again at Salem School or Saybrook School, workers build Bristol-Myers and Kraft into highly successful, global companies. Hillside invites the reader to the Roaring Twenties ball of the Ladies' Auxiliary and to ride along the Italian-American Association's parade float. Even the Evergreen Cemetery, home to the grave of writer Stephen Crane and more recently the setting for the Shelly Winters movie King of the Gypsies, finds its place in this remarkable book.

Join author Joseph Buga on an exploration of this working-class and indefatigable city. Passaic has a history that stretches the imagination. Back when the place was called Acquackanonk, it played a crucial role in the American Revolution. Later, its hospitable attitude toward immigrants established Passaic as a beacon of both stability and innovation. By the late 1800s, the city was becoming a national leader in all things textile and rubber—Edison used Passaic wire to electrify Lower Manhattan. Allen B. Dumont established WABD in Passaic, the fourth national TV network alongside ABC, CBS and NBC. The Passaic High School “Wonder Team” boasted the longest high school winning streak in any sport, and a Passaic athlete became the “world’s fastest man.” Passaic pop legends the Shirelles and Joey Dee and the Starlighters made it big and influenced an upstart British group, the Beatles.

Crippling winter storms are locked in the memories of millions of New Jerseyans.

On December 26, 1947, an unpredicted storm buried Newark in twenty-six inches of snow. A record-setting nor’easter on January 22, 2016, unleashed sixty-mile-per-hour wind gusts, six-foot drifts and snowfall depths of thirty inches in Bernards Township and Long Valley. But no storm was more infamous than the so-called Great White Hurricane. Coming when the science of meteorology was in its infancy, the blizzard of 1888 left tens of millions at the mercy of a vicious three-day nightmare with tragic loss of life and property that no one saw coming.

Author Don Colgan tells the stories of winter’s fury and of those who lived through the most extraordinary winter storms in New Jersey history.

From the crossroads of the American Revolution to the construction of the George Washington Bridge, New Jersey's Bergen County has a history that has shaped not only the metropolitan area, but the nation itself.

Featuring narratives of key historical moments, legendary personalities and fascinating landmarks, this guide to Bergen County's past is essential for any resident or visitor alike. Take a copy along as you traverse the county and discover the historic sites within and the stories behind them.  

Authors Bob Nesoff and Howard Joseph Cohn take readers on a fascinating journey through Bergen County's incredible past.

Hoboken's history as a link to Manhattan and a town rich in Italian-American and immigrant culture, industry, and families is revealed here in pictures and anecdotes.

Incorporated as a city in 1855, Hoboken's history as a ferry terminus dates back to the eighteenth century, with the first horse-powered ferries to lower Manhattan. The city's history is entwined with that of Col. John Stevens and his family. He was the inventor of the t-rail and a pioneer in steam-generated power and navigation. Prior to the city's growth as a transportation hub, it was a scenic locale favored by city dwellers who could arrive by ferry and enjoy a riverside promenade, partake of water drawn from a natural spring, and watch a cricket or baseball game. Hoboken eventually grew to become a bustling city, with an active waterfront as well as a home and place of work for tens of thousands of immigrants and families. In Hoboken, the pattern of early development is described, giving the reader a sense of the city in the mid-nineteenth century. Landmarks of the terminal area, downtown (Washington Street), and ferry terminals are highlighted in this photographic tour of the city. Chapters are devoted to the great rail, ferry, and trolley terminal at Hudson Place, the commercial center, the waterfront before and after industrialization (including boat and yacht clubs), and the memory of some of Hoboken's residents.

Holmdel and Pleasant Valley chronicles the development of the township from its earliest independent days through rare and vintage photographs.

The history of the Holmdel region of Old Monmouth began in 1664. In the beginning, Holmdel was part of Middletown, and residents traced their roots to individual villages or neighborhoods within the area. Not until the early 1830s was the name Holmdel agreed upon for the area's first post office. Only in 1857 was Holmdel officially designated as a separate township. Holmdel and Pleasant Valley chronicles the development of the township from its earliest independent days. Many rare and important photographs of Holmdel settlers and their houses, barns, and meeting structures appear in this volume that have never before been published. The evolution of the rural township and its agrarian economy over the years are revealed in fascinating detail.

In this exciting new volume, you are invited visit the grand hotels, and relive the night life that caused thousands to flock to each summer.

Within easy reach of large cities to the east, Lake Hopatcong - situated at over 900 feet above sea level - was a perfect vacation destination. From the 1880s through the 1930s, the Lake welcomed thousands of people each year, including leaders of government, industry, and entertainment. Lower daytime temperatures and cool evenings made the region a welcome respite from the urban centers to the east. As the area developed as a resort, the borough of Brooklyn was founded on Lake Hopatcong's west shore in the waning years of the nineteenth century. Soon renamed the Borough of Hopatcong, it experienced rapid growth and development.

Tova Navarra's new visual history of Howell and Farmingdale presents a wealth of vintage images and carefully researched information on the area's past.

The book's focus on the social and cultural aspects of Howell's history is particularly appropriate, given the remarkable ethnic diversity of the region. Howell is a vibrant and unique New Jersey community whose character and heritage are lovingly conveyed by this resident author. At once rural and suburban, contemplative and yet very active, Howell is today an intriguing mixture of old and new. Age-old churches and Buddhist temples stand near a dualized highway and large department stores, and an experimental theater company flourishes in the midst of horse, chicken, and sheep farms. The development of Howell's numerous cultural, social, commercial, and religious institutions is documented here in an interesting and informative manner.

Before Disneyland, Hunt's Pier was the premier destination for vacationing families and fun-seekers alike.

With the completion of the Garden State Parkway and a prospering society's increased mobility in the years following World War II, the Wildwoods transitioned from a remote barrier island along the southern New Jersey coast to a vacation mecca. Featuring free bathing beaches, state-of-the-art motels, endless nightlife, and a honky-tonk boardwalk lined with entertainment options of all kinds, the resort would thrive for the better part of the 20th century. During that golden era, Hunt's Pier became known as a fun-lover's paradise of themed custom attractions; whether it was a child challenging the Flyer roller coaster's intimidating plunge or a child-at-heart exploring the dark caverns of the Golden Nugget and the haunted decks of the pirate ship Skua, anyone who visited the Oceanic Wonderland wouldn't forget it. Hunt's Pier captures the magic of the famed seaside amusement park through historical photographs, many published here for the first time.

This fascinating new book introduces us to the landed gentry of the Somerset Hills, with over 200 images bringing to life these colorful families and their magnificent estates.

After the Civil War, a class of industrialists and financiers amassed great fortunes while building the infrastructure of an expanding nation. Much of this money and power was concentrated in New York City, which quickly became crowded and unsuitable for the building of large estates. Many wealthy businessmen began to look eagerly toward the pastoral beauty of New Jersey as a site for their luxurious homes. Modeling itself on the English aristocracy, this uniquely American plutocracy sought to establish country seats, requiring acreage on a grand scale but in close proximity to New York City. Men such as George Seney, president of the Metropolitan Bank of New York, began purchasing property in Somerset County in the early 1870s, and soon many others were purchasing land in the county from the local farmers. We meet the great families themselves, from the Seneys, Drydens, Stevenses, Pfizers, and Roeblings, to the Forbes, as well as such famous individuals as Jackie Kennedy and King Hassan II of Morocco. We are shown around the great estates, and see the stone masons, wood carvers, and other artisans and tradesmen who created them.

Take a fascinating journey through the history of Irvington, New Jersey with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

Like a cherished old family album, this collection of more than two hundred fascinating photographs of Irvington brings to life people, places, and events of a bygone era. Although the Irvington depicted here--from the time of the Civil War to the 1970s--has changed significantly, its memory remains fresh in the minds of past and present residents alike.

Culled from the extensive collections of the Irvington Public Library and Irvington Historical Society, this superb assemblage of images will stimulate many memories. Alan A. Siegel takes us on a delightful journey, starting when Irvington was a tiny village known as Camptown, to the twentieth century when Irvington was transformed almost overnight into a busy industrial and residential suburb of Newark.

Shown too are the vital contributions made by successive waves of immigrants who flooded into Irvington during the first half of the twentieth century

Italians first settled in the Newark area in the 1880s.Italian-Americans of Newark, Nutley, and Bellevilleshows these immigrant families from 1900 to the 1950s.

The street peddler, the barber, the baker, the undertaker, the macaroni maker, the concert musician, and more are portrayed here in the grace and dignity of their work.

Outings to the shore or Branch Brook Parkbalanced hard work and long hours. Family gatherings, weddings, first communions, and processions for the feasts of St. Gerard, St. Rocco, and St. Bartholomewwere all a part of the life of the family and the vibrant Italian neighborhoods.

More than 200 vintage photographs from family albums tell these stories.

In the early 1900s, the Little Italy, Riverside, Stony Road, and Sandy Hill sections of Paterson, all within walking distance of booming factories and mills, became neighborhoods that offered Italian immigrants the opportunity to be near employment and to have a better life for themselves and their families.

Paterson's Italians always helped each other during tough times and contributed to making Paterson a great city and a great place to live. Cooking Italian recipes for fun holidays; gardening in the backyard; and honoring heroes of the military, politics, sports, and the arts are valuable traditions and customs passed down through generations. The works of Gaetano Federici, a sculptor from Paterson, reflect the city's history, especially in front of Paterson City Hall and at St. Michael the Archangel Church. Floyd Vivino entertains audiences and almost always mentions Paterson in his shows, while actor Lou Costello proudly reminded his audience at the end of almost every show that he was from Paterson. De Franco's Lock and Safe, Peragallo's Organ Company, and Ordini Pools are just a few family-owned Italian businesses that began many decades ago and are still in operation today.

Faith, family and food.

Between 1880 and 1924, more than four million Italians immigrated to the United States. Tens of thousands flocked to Newark and reshaped a city. Many settled in the Old First Ward, which once claimed the title of largest Little Italy in New Jersey. Clubs like the Spilingese Social Club sprang up to provide support and camaraderie and dishes like giambotta made their way into everyone’s kitchens. 

Author Andrea Lyn Cammarato-Van Benschoten traces the roots of Newark’s Italian communities.

Jackson Township was named after the legendary ""Old Hickory,"" Pres. Andrew Jackson.

For many years, the township was largely recognized by its small villages. Each of these villages had similar features--a church, general store, tavern, mill, and iconic one-room schoolhouse--which nurtured the small community and formed the foundation of modern Jackson. Mills, small farms, and horse breeding in the 19th century transitioned to cranberry bogs and chicken farms in the first half of the 20th century. As transportation became more advanced after World War II, people began to travel outside of town for work, and the once-thriving villages of industry disappeared. Today, Jackson Township, covering 100.4 square miles, is the largest municipality in Ocean County and the third largest in the state of New Jersey.

In this middle-grade adaptation of Shark Attacks of the Jersey Shore, author Patricia Heyer dives into the history and lore of shark attacks along New Jersey’s coast. Every summer, thousands of people flock to the boardwalks and beaches of the Jersey Shore looking for fun and relaxation. But some come face to face with much more. A boy paid a gruesome price for teasing a trapped shark in the first recorded attack in 1842. Three bloody attacks of 1960 left one man’s limb amputated. The horrific summer of 1916 included seven attacks within two weeks, sparking the man-eating reputation that sharks still have today. These stories and more have been adapted for younger readers brave enough to dive in to our shark-infested waters.

Go inside the people, places and events of Jersey City with over 200 fascinating photographs that bring its past to life!

Author Patrick Shalhoub takes us on a journey into Jersey City's past. We see the farming communities which dominated the locality from the 1660s through the middle of the 19th century when the area was part of the larger Bergen Township. We then experience the arrival of the immigrants, the advent of industrialization, and the rapid growth of Jersey City from a cluster of farmsteads and villages into the second largest city in New Jersey. Immigration has been the lifeblood of Jersey City's history and through the images selected, here we witness how Jersey City sprang to life with the influx of immigrants between 1830 and 1920. At first it was Irish, German, and British, and, later, immigrants from southern and eastern Europe, including Italians, Poles, Russians, and Slovaks. African-Americans were present in Bergen Township from the early days of the city, but their numbers increased with the migration of laborers from the South in the first half of the 20th century and their important contribution to the city continued. In recent decades, new communities have grown in Jersey City, including Latin American, Asian Indian, Egyptian, Filipino, and Haitian communities. Shalhoub brings to life the people, places, and events which have created the city's vibrant and colorful history over the centuries.

Jersey City in Vintage Postcards features selected postcard images, some actual photographs, that depict Jersey City's early-twentieth-century rise.

Jersey City in Vintage Postcards features selected postcard images, some actual photographs, that depict Jersey City's early-twentieth-century rise as one of the Northeast's great urban areas. Many of the views seen here remained intact into the 1940s and 1950s. More than two hundred thirty postcards and photographs, organized geographically, also suggest an evolving Jersey City, while well researched captions describe the changing cityscape.

No trip to the Jersey Shore would be complete without indulging in the cuisine that helps make it famous.

These foods we enjoy today are part of a long tradition beginning in the Victorian era, when big oceanfront hotels served elaborate meals. Diverse dishes and restaurants emerged during prohibition and the Great Depression, when fast food appeared and iconic boardwalk treats developed. Predating the farm to table movement, fancy and fast eateries have been supplied by local fishermen and farmers for decades. So whether you indulge in a tomato pie, pork roll or salt water taffy, take a mouthwatering historical tour and discover timeless treats from Sandy Hook to Cape May.

Images of America: Jews of Paterson is more than just nostalgia--it is the remarkable story of how the city's Jewish population built a community and made it into a special place.

When Jews immigrated to Paterson in the early 20th century, they came as skilled weavers from the Russian Polish textile centers of Lodz and Bialystok. They brought strong notions of social justice and living righteously; ideas that came alive during the 1913 Industrial Workers of the World silk strike. They raised families, became Americans, and reluctantly moved when the economic base collapsed. Despite this, Paterson Jews defend the aging, gritty city as a wonderful place, and they never left it spiritually or emotionally. Former and current residents recall the Hamilton Avenue bagel bakery, Purity Cooperative rye bread, candy stores, delicatessens, the YMHA, bar mitzvah coaches, rabbis, the baby doctor, pediatricians, schoolteachers, and even the synagogue shammes. They remember and honor the past as a bridge between the present and the future.

Known as Newark's ""Jewish Frontier,"" Weequahic was home to 35,000 Jewish residents from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Homes built on farm lots, known as Lyons Farms, attracted the city's upwardly mobile Jewish families. Weequahic High School still remains at the heart of the community, drawing generations of alumni for annual reunions and events. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Philip Roth, a Weequahic High School graduate, found inspiration in the community, documenting its intricacies in his work. The high school still houses a mural, The Enlightenment of Man, painted by New Deal painter Michael Lenson. This mural is regarded as one of the most important pieces of public art in the state. Jews of Weequahic captures the life of this vibrant community that has become one of Newark's legendary neighborhoods.

Images of America: Keansburg is an educational and entertaining volume that will delight residents, visitors, and lovers of history everywhere.

The name of Keansburg usually evokes pleasant memories of the town's forty years of glory as a waterfront resort. But the fact that Keansburg also has a rich heritage of fishing and farming, as well as a fascinating period of transition into a year-round residential community, is often forgotten.

In Keansburg, local author and historian Randall Gabrielan presents a fascinating view of the town's history from its former status as sections of Hazlet and Middletown Township, to its present-day community life. Keansburg has a special focus on the amusement and resort businesses that have brought the town so much fame.

Keyport documents the early businesses and architecture of this town, chronicling its history from 1860 through the 1970s.

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Keyport neighborhoods of Browns Point, Lockport, and Mechanicsville had distinct commercial and industrial districts that have all but disappeared today. Timothy E. Regan's new book on Keyport offers a glimpse into the lives of these early businesses and the citizens who created them, along with a look at the remarkable architecture of this bayside town. This fascinating overview of life in Keyport from 1860 through the 1970s also includes an in-depth look at the men and machines of the Keyport Fire Department, one of the oldest and proudest fire departments in New Jersey. Dedicated civil servants like the firemen have worked together with skilled tradespeople and entrepreneurs over the years to make Keyport a wonderfully dynamic and vibrant place to live, and Mr. Regan's book honors the commitment and the memory of these people.

The 20th century can truly be said to have America's century.

As the nation reached its position among the world powers, American towns and cities changed at an unprecedented pace. As we grow further away from these times, we strive harder to preserve these fading memories for ourselves and the generations who come after us. The American Century series documents and celebrates our most recent history--featuring images of faces and places which were taken within living memory and yet that already seem to belong to a long-past era. Enter the Keyport of the 20th century, a small borough in New Jersey that may not seem very important today, but holds the nickname "Pearl of the Bayshore. '?

The Queen of New Jersey Lakes

Only 40 miles from Manhattan, Lake Hopatcong is the largest lake in the Garden State. An early colonial pioneer in damming, the lake was formed by the flooding of Great Pond, Little Pond and the Musconetcong River. It became a luxury destination for wealthy New Yorkers looking for a cool retreat as a cadre of celebrities frequented its glamorous hotels. Though the Golden Age of the lake's history has passed, it remains a vibrant source of revitalization, community and environmental enjoyment for the region today. Join author Peter Astras as he recounts the history of New Jersey's Lake Hopatcong.