Amelia Stickney Decker and Ralph Decker are well known in Sussex County. Amelia was a historian and Ralph was an educator. Ralph wrote Then And Now: Forty Years in the Schools of Sussex County. He gives a history of Sussex County schools up to 1940 as well as histories of individual school districts. Included are many photographs of early Sussex County school houses. This is a recent 3rd edition reprint by the Byram Township Historical Society.
Amelia Stickney Decker wrote That Ancient Trail.
Beautifully bound and reproduced as it was originally published in 1942 (Pre Tocks Island), this locally popular book by Amelia Decker explores the discovery, settling and early life along the Old Mine Road. It captures in text and photographs some of the homes, churches, cemeteries and genealogies of some of the earliest settlers in this area, in addition to narratives on the Native Americans of the region.
The second part of the book takes the reader on a tour of some of the connecting roads and “Century Old Houses” in Walpack, Sandyston and Montague Townships. An Index to family and place names is also included. Reprinted in 2003 by the Sussex County Historical Society.
The definitive history of the High Point area including geology and prehistory. Charles St. John and the High Point Inn and the Kuser family continue the story. The beginnings of High Point Park and later Park history complete the story. Published in 1990 by the Sussex County Historical Society.
Great chance to save with this Cutoff Combo Special.
First is Building the Lackawanna Cutoff by William Strait. Tells the story of the building of the Cutoff as seen in Sussex County newspapers. Includes many photographs of the construction of the Cutoff.
Second is from the Penny A View series titled Building the Lackawanna Cutoff in Sussex and Warren Counties,NJ by Wayne McCabe and Kate Gordon. Includes over 70 postcard views of the building of the Cutoff.
This is a group of three booklets about the history of Newton. First is Around the Green by Kevin Wright, a 26 page booklet about the history of Newton accompanied by photographs and descriptions of some of the earliest buildings. Second is A Penny A View….an album of postcard views: Newton NJ a 50 page booklet by Wayne T. McCabe and Kate Gordon.
The photographic history series “A Penny A View” started in 1993 with the book about Lafayette Township in Sussex County. The concept for this series is to use the massive postcard collection that one of the authors has assembled as the basis for depicting what communities and subjects looked like from 1900 to 1950.
Each book is about a municipality or a subject in Sussex County and is formatted to provide a tour of that community. The images are set up in a sequence that provides the reader with a logical go from one image to another, as if it were a walking or driving tour.
Last we have Newton, New Jersey illustrated by E.E. Bice with an historical sketch by Judge Henry Huston. This 60 page booklet is a 2001 reprint of the original 1897 booklet which was sponsored by the members of the town’s business community in order to foster the economic development of Newton. In addition to the text describing the features of the town, there are many photographs of Newton from the 1890’s.