Jeffery M. Dorwart

In this book, Jeffery M. Dorwart chronicles more than three centuries of Camden County history. He takes readers on a journey, from the earliest days as a Native American settlement, to the county's important roles in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Camden City's booms and busts, the county's increasing suburbanization, and concluding with current inner-city revitalization efforts.

Cape May County, at the southern tip of New Jersey, is one of America's most vibrant seashore resorts. Jeffery Dorwart has written a history of this community from its earliest settlement as an Atlantic maritime and farming frontier to its development today as a major regional tourist attraction. Dorwart also traces the origins of the seashore resort industry through the history of the city of Cape May, with its unique architectural styles and heritage, as well as the founding of Wildwood, Ocean City, and the newer resort towns. The story of how Cape May County responded to dramatic change not only illuminates the historical development of a New Jersey seashore community but also enhances our understanding of the American experience with changing social and economic conditions.