Brand New Illustrated Booklet

The early days of Sussex County, NJ, and its various communities --Andover, Augusta, Branchville, Byram, Coursenville, Deckertown, Flatbrookville, Frankford, Green, Hamburg, Hardiston, Lafayette, Montague, Newton, Peter's Valley, Sandiston, Sparta, Stanhope, Stillwater, Vernon, Walpack, Wantage, Waterloo (Andover Forge)  -- are recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this brand New 41 Booklet reprinted from two hard to find books: the 1847 edition of John Warner Barber and Henry Howe's Historical Collections of the State of New Jersey and New Jersey, a Guide to Its Present and Past, a WPA project published in 1939. The spiral-bound booklet is printed one-sided on 60# paper, with the fine print enlarged for easier reading. Clear vinyl has been added to protect the front cover.

The Howe/Barber history covers the development of this area until about 1844, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glympse from a 1939 vantage point, including interesting historical notes, especially as they relate to sightseeing possibilities.

Among the many and varied topics in the booklet are:
Early settlers; a physical description of the county, including the Blue Mountains, Culver's Gap and Bog Meadows; Marble Quarry near Branchville, and Mineralogical Characteristics of the "drowned lands of the Wallkill"; Uncle Philip, said to be pro "witchcraft" and "Star Gazing, but con "book larnin"; a Picturesque Description of Sparta; Captured White Children who Grew Up as Indians; an Indian Raid near Montague;  a Close Call for a Blacksmith; Children Spared by the Mark of Brant, celebrated Indian chief; Gambling in a Schoolhouse; Hangings on "Gallows" Road; How the Courthouse Location was Determined; Explooits of "Moody, the Tory", who lived with his Gang at Moody's Rock near Newton; Col. Joe, a freed slave and Revolutionary War veteran; Swartwout's Pond; Indian Torture; and other  bits of history and trivia.  

The booklet  is illustrated with quaint hand-drawn sketches by Barber and Howe depicting Branchville, Sparta, Newton, from the Milford Road, the Courthouse in Newton, Moody's Rock, the village of Lafayette and Deckertown. 

Wouldn't this make a unique gift?

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