New Jersey Country Houses: The Somerset Hills chronicles the country estates that were built in the rolling countryside of Somerset and Morris counties in New Jersey. Volume I covers more than sixty houses that were constructed prior to World War I in Bernardsville, Mendham, Far Hills, Peapack-Gladstone and Bedminster.

Tour historic sites and buildings in New Jersey—and learn about the spirits that are said to haunt them. Includes photos! Ranging from the shadowed woods of the Somerset Hills to the dappled banks of the Delaware River, Ghosts of Central Jersey delivers a rich mix of factual history and the sound investigation of ghostly phenomena. This collection of reports on local legends and traditional stories informs, entertains, and takes you to places in New Jersey where the past is considered to be very much alive and entwined with the present.

For each book that is purchased online, we will donate one book to an educational program for either kids or the elderly! The Somerset Hills is a group of five beautiful towns in the northern section of Somerset County, New Jersey including Bedminster, Bernards Township, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Peapack & Gladstone. New Jersey is often referred to as the "Cockpit of the American Revolution" and many of these images tie back to the history of the Revolutionary War and the birth of the great American Experience. We give great thanks for this project to Linda Arnold, a great friend of our local history and a artist that focuses on the beauty of the area. Also, a big thanks goes out to the Somerset Hills chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) that shared their 1982 coloring book effort. It was with great pleasure and an honor to work on this collection of coloring images to allow our local young artists the opportunity to learn while they color. The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills (THSSH) will always welcome young artists to autograph and bring their artwork to the Brick Academy and show their creations.

Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, and Lyons form the nucleus of Bernards Township, a region with a history as fascinating as it is long. Originally chartered in 1760 by King George II, the area figured prominently in the American Revolution: Lafayette's troops were quartered here; General Lee was arrested at Widow White's Tavern; and General Washington visited Lord Stirling's estate. After the Civil War tourism and other industries flourished, and the arrival of the railroad in 1872 brought further economic boom to the area.

Between the Watchung Mountains to the north and the Sourland Mountains to the west lies the fertile valley of the Raritan River. Stout Dutch, Huguenot, German, Scottish, and English settlers began to cultivate family farms here as early as the 1680s. For almost a hundred years, the tramp of soldiers' feet and sounds of cannons had been unknown, but that was about to change. With its location astride two major routes between New York and Philadelphia, it is little wonder that Somerset County became the "Crossroads of the Revolution." A friendly populace and the protection of the mountains made this a safe haven for General Washington's army. His soldiers camped for three winters, including the harshest winter of the Revolution, in Somerset and in the adjacent areas of central New Jersey. Washington spent more time here than any other place during the War for Independence. It was in this historically significant county that the first military academy in the nation was built, the 13-star flag was first flown over American troops after its adoption by Congress, and the "Regulations for the Infantry of the United States" was written by General von Steuben.

After the Civil War, a class of industrialists and financiers amassed great fortunes while building the infrastructure of an expanding nation. Much of this money and power was concentrated in New York City, which quickly became crowded and unsuitable for the building of large estates. Many wealthy businessmen began to look eagerly toward the pastoral beauty of New Jersey as a site for their luxurious homes. Modeling itself on the English aristocracy, this uniquely American plutocracy sought to establish country seats, requiring acreage on a grand scale but in close proximity to New York City. Men such as George Seney, president of the Metropolitan Bank of New York, began purchasing property in Somerset County in the early 1870s, and soon many others were purchasing land in the county from the local farmers. This fascinating new book introduces us to the landed gentry of the Somerset Hills, with over 200 images bringing to life these colorful families and their magnificent estates. We meet the great families themselves, from the Seneys, Drydens, Stevenses, Pfizers, and Roeblings, to the Forbes, as well as such famous individuals as Jackie Kennedy and King Hassan II of Morocco. We are shown around the great estates, and see the stone masons, wood carvers, and other artisans and tradesmen who created them.