Author Description

"Nearly 3,000 original entries, along with 585 illustrations and 130 maps, catalog a wealth of information on th state from its earliest history to the present. Topics covered include architecture, arts and entertainment, biographies of famous New Jerseyans, business and industry, ethnic groups, geography, history, municipalities and counties, science and technology, sports and recreation, and much more. Every New Jersey county and municipality has its own entry. Native Americans and ethnic groups are explored, as are religious, political, historical, and cultural organizations. Comprehensive lists range from historic sites to hospitals, from nature centers to missile sites. You can find profiles of poets and painters, athletes and astronauts, governors and generals from A (Governor Leon Abbett) to Z (television pioneer Vladimir K. Zworykin). Historic triumphs like the Revolutionary War's Battles of Trenton and tragedies like the Hindenburg explosion are chronicled. Encyclopedia articles examine the role of past and present-day commerce, from glassmaking and mining to pharmaceuticals and high-tech industries. Roads and rivers, tunnels and bridges - if they get you from here to there, you'll find them in this volume. The book charts demographic shifts, voter turnout, and suburban sprawl. Landmark legal cases, such as Megan's Law and the Mount Laurel decisions, are also covered. Readers will find entries on native plants and animals, water resources and soil types. And, of course, this is the place to find the state bird, insect, flag, flower, seal, and tree"--Bookjacket.