Tales Of South Jersey

Waltzer and Wilk have compiled almost fifty stories about the state's southernmost counties. Although the focus is on Atlantic City and its remarkable people, outsize structures, and quirky events, the storytelling ranges across the wider region to provide an insiders look at history as it was being made. You'll encounter gangsters and gamblers, baseball hitters and hurricanes, famous piers and hotels, landmark theaters and eateries, splashy events and unheralded oddities 3/4 in sum, a cross-section of the regions character and characters.

Bad drivers (and worse drivers); a three-legged pony named Catsup; a vengeful spirit returned from the dead; the declining years of a couple, one aged in body, one in mind; a solitary morning at the shore; toddler-sized hazmat suits; and realizing the life you didn't sign up for isn't so bad after all. This anthology of short stories from the South Jersey Writers' Group brings the reader through all phases of life (and the afterlife). With tales ranging from comical to bizarre and everything in between, Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey represents a unique cross-section of contemporary American writing.

From Piney Folklore to Legendary Figures of South Jersey's Past Author William Lewis presents fascinating tales, revealing legends and beloved lore from the heart of Southern New Jersey.

Southern New Jersey was a hotbed of slave fugitives, freedmen and abolitionists in the Civil War era. The proud 22nd Regiment of the United States Colored Troops included hundreds of Black New Jerseyans ready to fight for emancipation and the Union cause. Abolitionists such as Harriet Tubman, Abigail Goodwin and Benjamin Sheppard operated among key landmarks of the Underground Railroad in South Jersey counties such as Cape May, Cumberland and Salem. Slavery and the rights of Black Americans were at the forefront of the region's attention including stories such as a melee in a Cape May hotel between Black waiters and white patrons, the covert signaling of boats ferrying fugitive slaves across the Delaware River and the daring rescue of a runway slave from the hands of slave catches by local church worshipers. Author Ellen Alford reveals the history of abolition and the Underground Railroad in South Jersey.

South Jersey is perhaps best known for its beachside boardwalks, glitzy Atlantic City hotels and blueberry farms, but behind these iconic symbols are the overlooked tales that are unique to New Jersey. While much of Harriet Tubman's life is well known, her time in Cape May is usually overlooked by biographers. Few know that the classic American drive-in movie theaters were born in South Jersey. Even the famous Wildwood, with its distinctive Doo-Wop architecture, hides forgotten stories: at the height of its popularity, this shore town was hosting some of the country's first rock-and-roll acts. Often overshadowed by its more urban northern counterpart, South Jersey nonetheless has a hidden past. In this collection, author Gordon Bond uncovers the most intriguing of these tales.

Fascinating stories of New Jersey's rich railroading history

“Chock full of photographs, the book dishes on food from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, all along the coast from Sandy Hook to Cape May.” —RedBankGreen 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. “Tells the story of the original farm and sea to table American destination. The book is filled with information about the way the NJ shore has eaten through history and the food establishments that have spanned generations, some still operating today.” —NJ.com “This book also gives us insights into the earliest days of Atlantic City’s fine hotels. The Victorian era menus included in the volume are a treasure. I also loved her inclusion of such iconic former restaurants as Hackney’s and Capt. Starn’s and the still standing Knife and Fork Inn.” —Atlantic City Central “If you enjoy walking the Boardwalk for your pork roll and salt water taffy fix, or if you appreciate the history of the region’s former great restaurants like Hackney’s, Capt. Starn’s and Zaberer’s, this book will be an entertaining read.” —Atlantic City Weekly

An entertaining look into the haunted history of the New Jersey coastline.