Local historian needs help piecing story together
John Katerba is trying to tell the story of Jamesburg and Monroe in pictures.
Mr. Katerba, the Monroe Township historian, is collecting and reviewing photographs taken in Monroe and Jamesburg before 1950 in preparation for publication of the second volume of the book, "Images of America: Monroe Township and Jamesburg."
The first volume, published in 2001 by Arcadia Press, offered a wealth of visual history, giving readers a glimpse into how the region has changed over the years and a sense of how residents in the two towns lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Seeing photos of Wilton Dey showing off his 1918 Model T Ford coupe convertible in 1918 or the collapse of the Daniel Road bridge in the Outcalt section things that now may seem trivial or are long forgotten gives them a new life. And a book like this helps preserve these images for the future generations of Jamesburg and Monroe.
Mr. Katerba is inviting participation from residents and former residents, hoping to reinforce a personal connection to the past and find those images that might never get a public viewing.
We’d like to encourage everyone in both towns to dig through their own photo archives and help Mr. Katerba make the second edition of the book even better than the first.
Those who wish to contribute to Mr. Katerba’s book may contact him at (609) 860-0480.