Delaware River Port Authority

Delaware River Port Authority
Author: Cheryl L. Baisden
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 132
Release: 2009
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780738565811

The Delaware River was a lifeline for Pennsylvania and New Jersey colonists who relied on the waterway as their only supply route. By the time ferry service was launched between Camden and Philadelphia in 1688, residents on both sides of the river were already dreaming of a bridge crossing. Nearly 240 years later, the Delaware River Bridge Joint Commission, later known as the Delaware River Port Authority, made that dream a reality. Delaware River Port Authority explores the region's early river transportation, failed plans for waterway crossings, and the stories behind the authority's four unique bridges-the Benjamin Franklin, at the time the world's longest single-span bridge; Walt Whitman, which caused a church-sponsored debate; Commodore Barry, the nation's longest cantilever bridge at construction; and Betsy Ross, the nation's second bridge named for a woman-as well as the groundbreaking PATCO Speedline.

A Paddler's Guide to the Delaware River

A Paddler's Guide to the Delaware River
Author: Gary Letcher
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2012-02-17
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 0813552095

When Henry Hudson explored the Delaware River in 1609, he dubbed it “one of the finest, best, and pleasantest rivers in the world.” Today, those same qualities make the Delaware one of the most popular rivers for recreational use in the United States. Although in places a near-wilderness, the Delaware is easily accessible to millions of residents. On any summer day there may be thousands of people rushing down its exciting rapids or lazing through its serene eddies. A Paddler’s Guide to the Delaware River is an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to experience the Delaware River in a kayak, canoe, raft, or tube—or, for that matter, an automobile or an armchair. Reading the book is like travelling down the river with an experienced guide. It charts the non-tidal Delaware 200 miles from Hancock, New York, to Trenton, New Jersey, describing access points, rapids, natural features, villages, historical sites, campgrounds, outfitters, and restaurants. The Delaware comes alive as the author introduces some of the people, places, events, and controversies that have marked the river from earliest times to the present day. Completely revised, the third edition offers: An overview of the river including watershed, history, place names, paddlecraft, safety, and fishing. The River Guide: ten sections that can each be paddled in one day (about 20 miles), with a mile-by-mile account of rapids, access, natural features, historic sites, and other features. All new maps, with names for virtually every rapid, eddy, and other river feature, plus detailed diagrams for routes through even the most severe rapids. Features in the River Guide highlight the people, events, natural history, and communities that define the river experience, such as Tom Quick, the infamous “avenger of the Delaware”; the mysterious migration of eels, the battle over Tocks Island Dam; and many others. Appendices of Important Contacts, Outfitters and Campgrounds, River Trip Checklists, and more. Whether you are a novice out for an afternoon float, a seasoned adventurer on an overnight expedition, or a resident fascinated by the lore of the Delaware Valley, this book is an invaluable guide.

Devastation on the Delaware

Devastation on the Delaware
Author: Mary A. Shafer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 466
Release: 2005
Genre: History
ISBN:

Narrative nonfiction account of the record-setting Delaware River flood of August 18-20, 1955, reads like a thriller. This devastation was caused by rain from hurricanes Connie and Diane, hitting within five days of each other. The flood killed nearly 100 people in PA, NJ & NY, with the highest flood crest recorded on river to date. This is an extremely readable narrative woven from interviews with 100+ survivors & eyewitnesses. With 105 historic photos bringing these events to chilling life, this is the first comprehensive account of a tragic event that changed life in the Delaware Valley forever.

Bridges Over the Delaware River

Bridges Over the Delaware River
Author: Frank T. Dale
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2003
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780813532134

"Dale brings us the stories behind each bridge, covering design, engineering, ownership, finances, and politics. He chronicles the life of each, from the original construction, through modifications, and sometimes, through the bridges' multiple destructions and reconstructions... Dozens of rare photos give readers a captivating window back into the past"--from back cover.