Located in the heartland of Union County, New Berlin was considered a cultural, educational, and governmental center for craftsmen, farmers, and tradesmen. The county seat from 1813 to 1855, New Berlin was the gateway to the Buffalo Valley. Located in an area rich in natural resources, New Berlin is bounded by Penns Creek and Shamokin Mountain. The creek was a busy waterway that was used to transport goods, while Shamokin Mountain is known for being rich with iron ore and timber. New Berlin and the Buffalo Valley highlights what life was like in New Berlin and the surrounding communities of Dry Valley, White Springs, Vicksburg, Buffalo Crossroads, Mazeppa, Cowan, Red Bank, Rand, and Forest Hill, the latter a gateway to lush woodlands and clear streams.

This updated and revised book covers the gamut of Union County's history. It begins with the region's earliest days when the Delaware Indians were in residence and how the arrival of settlers, who ventured into this frontier area from Berks and Lancaster counties, marked the beginning of major changes. Synder's text, first published in 1976, has been expanded and updated to reflect newly discovered material on such groups as the Amish and the developments in Union County up to 2000. Distributed by Penn State University Press by arrangement with the Union County Historical Society.