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Emerging from the Catskills, the Delaware River winds along the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the Atlantic, offering hundreds of miles of magnificent scenery.

Its sparkling waters supported the Lenape tribes growing maize along its banks. English explorers sailed the river in search of the mythical Lake Laconia, believed to be the source of all northeastern rivers. Urban growth pitted railroads, industry and energy companies against protectionists in continuing fights over appropriate use of the river. Hunting, fishing and boating remain vital local traditions passed from one generation to the next. Author Frank H. Moyer charts the life and legacy of the mighty Delaware.

See the people, places and events that have defined the city of Toms River and its surrounding area since the early 1700s.

Located on the banks of the river of the same name, Toms River was first settled in the early 1700s by loggers drawn to the dense forests on the river's banks. During the American Revolution, the village was a constant thorn in the side of the British, and it was attacked and burned to the ground in 1783. The arrival of the railroads in the late 1800s ushered in a new age of expansion which, spurred on by the construction of the Garden State Parkway in the decade after World War II, continues to this day. See for yourself how it all came about with over 200 carefully-selected photographs.

The history of New York is inseparable from the history of sailing on the Hudson River. Beginning with Henry Hudson in 1609 the Dutch and English extended their empires into the Hudson Valley and extracted its bounty via sail. 

Control of the Hudson River was a lynchpin for American victory in the Revolutionary War and New York City's 19th-century rise to global prominence was powered by the sailing vessels on its waterways. Upriver, sloops and schooners delivered goods from the nation's interior and international whaling businesses operated from Hudson and Poughkeepsie and Kingston and Newburgh became noted shipbuilding centers. Yacht racing and ice yachting emerged as popular sports among wealthy families like the Astors and Roosevelts. Sailing clubs preserved these traditions into the 20th century. Since the 1960s, activists including Pete Seeger have used sailboats to galvanize a movement to revive the river ecosystem. Today, the river is home to new generations of sailors continuing these traditions into a fifth century.

Steve Schwartz has sailed and captained numerous sailing and motor vessels on the Hudson River since the 1970s. He and James Malchow are both captains on the Hudson River ferry sloop Woody Guthrie. Images in this book, collected from local libraries, historical societies, the New York State Archives, Library of Congress, and private collections, capture the people, places, and ships that have made the Hudson River an important sailing center for over four centuries.

The Rancocas Creek was a vital waterway in the Burlington County, New Jersey, area for hundreds of years.

Initially a source of transportation for trade routes and nourishment for the Lenni Lenape Indians, various industries developed adjacent to the creek after the European settlers arrived. There were ironworks, mills, and phosphorus production. Steamships took patrons from Philadelphia up the Rancocas so they could enjoy the amusement parks, hotels, and respite. Others enjoyed paddling a canoe, and some swam in the flowing cedar water. As the area became more residential in the 20th century, the runoff from the development caused the Rancocas to fill in with dirt, sand, and debris. While many of the homes are still there, the industries have relocated or closed down, and most of the creek has reverted back to a simple waterway with a wide variety of birds, wildlife, and vegetation along its banks. 

Stephanie Marks Sawyer is a lifelong resident of Burlington County, New Jersey, and the author of Arcadia Publishing’s Mount Laurel. She has collected historic photographs of the Rancocas Creek and its surroundings for years. Sawyer also met with residents who lived, summered, or vacationed along the Rancocas who shared their experiences and private collections of family photographs. 

From daring escapes and naval skirmishes to the resilience of everyday people, The Revolution on Raritan Bay reveals how this region’s sacrifices and conflicts influenced the outcome of America’s independence.

Raritan Bay was more than a body of water during the American Revolution—it was a front line. Its villages, farms, and ports became places where Patriots, Loyalists, and those in between clashed in a struggle that reshaped the colonies. Smugglers, privateers, and spies used its waters and inlets to move men, messages, and supplies. Families were torn apart, neighbors eyed one another with suspicion, and violent raids brought the war directly to the doorsteps of New Jersey residents.

Historian and television host John R. Schneider uncovers these overlooked stories, weaving together local accounts with the broader fight for liberty.