Though its proximity to bustling cities such as New York and Philadelphia keeps the Garden State feeling very modern in its own right, New Jersey is actually steeped in history. As one of the thirteen original colonies, our state has seen centuries go by and, in some places, still holds the stories of those passing years. Though some may call such areas ghost towns or forgotten places, one NJ author is making sure they are remembered.
In Ghost Towns of New Jersey: A Tour of Forgotten Places, author Timothy Regan takes readers through the many incredible chapters of New Jersey’s history in the form of the abandoned towns and villages scattered across its landscape.
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Touring the Ghost Towns of New Jersey
Using photographs both old and new, as well as engaging, informative descriptions of each town, Regan creates a window into the sometimes eerie, always interesting past of the Garden State.
From the Jersey Devil’s fateful “birth” to Batsto Village’s side business producing cannonballs for the Continental Army, Regan takes readers all the way back to a country on the brink of independence and carries them forward to the recently abandoned Pahaquarry Township, which saw its last residents leave in 1997.
| Fact Sheet Title: Ghost Towns of New Jersey: A Tour of Forgotten Places |
Each new ghost town is accompanied by an easy-to-read map of the area; as well as both black and white and color photos depicting the buildings, residents, signage and pamphlets through the years.
Featuring 18 entries and more than 200 photographs, Ghost Towns is a history buff’s coffee table dream. It satisfies the thirst for the incredible, creepy stories of abandoned homes and businesses; while also providing a historically accurate look back at the development of one of the greatest states in the nation. (If we do say so ourselves.)
Ghost Towns of New Jersey: A Tour of Forgotten Places is currently available from Schiffer Publishing in hardcover form.
Hero (Top) Feature Image: © Carly Weaver / Best of NJ
Additional Images (in Order) Courtesy:
Schiffer Publishing
