The ailing national economy is undeniably in need of direct, targeted action that will put American workers back to work and restore confidence in our markets. That is why it is critically important Congress crafts a bipartisan legislative package that will truly stimulate the economy while retaining and creating new jobs.

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Congressman LoBiondo joined with General Maria Falca-Dodson of the NJ Air National Guard, Colonal Randall King - Commander of the 177th Fighter Wing, and Dr. Wilson Felder of the FAA Technical Center in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new $9.8 million Air Support Operations Squadron facility at 177th Fighter Wing complex in Atlantic County.

The Lenape Indians
The history of Southern New Jersey goes back almost 10,000 years to the Lennai Lenape Indians who first settled New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The Lenape were a peaceful nation who settled in permanent villages along the Cohansey and Maurice Rivers, and the shores of the Delaware Bay. At their height, there were between ten and twenty thousand Lennai Lenape Indians in New Jersey. When the Europeans arrived, they soon outnumbered the Lenape, and many of the Indians moved west. The Lenape influence on South Jersey has not entirely disappeared however. Many of our towns also bear Lenape names: Absecon, Minotola, Mullica, Malaga, Tuckahoe, and Shamong among others. There is still a small Lenape community in Cumberland and Salem Counties that work to preserve their history and folklore.

Salem County
Incorporated 1681, Salem is the oldest of New Jersey’s 21 counties. In 1675, the English Quaker John Fenwick is said to have entered into a treaty with the Lenape Indians under the Salem Oak. Seven years later, in 1682, William Penn purchased Fenwick’s share of the colony and conducted a treaty of his own with the Indians that laid the foundations for present-day Pennsylvania. One of the most notorious massacres of the American Revolution took place in present-day Lower Alloways Creek in 1778 when British troops executed 30 militiamen along with William Hancock, a loyalist Quaker. Hancock’s house has been preserved by the county historical society along with many other 18th and 19th century buildings. Among these buildings are several houses that served as stopping points on the Underground Railroad – a network of safe houses where runaway slaves would hide from bounty hunters on their way to freedom. Because Salem County is situated where the Delaware River begins to narrow, it was a natural causeway for escaped slaves to use on their way to freedom in New England and Canada.

Today, Salem County remains true to its rural heritage. Corn fields, dairy farms, and orchards sprawl across the countryside. The Cow-town Rodeo and open-air market is a favorite with locals as well as travelers on their way to the famed Jersey Shore.

Cumberland County
Cumberland County was founded in 1748 after splitting from Salem County. In December 1774, patriotic citizens of Greenwich disguised as Indians burned a cargo of British tea they had found intended for shipment to Philadelphia. The incident is known in history as The Greenwich Tea Party.

Cumberland County’s economy began with agriculture, but in the 19th century, cities like Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland were hubs of the Industrial Revolution in Southern New Jersey – connecting the ports of the Delaware Bay with Philadelphia and New York by rail.

A little-known fact of that era: South Jersey sand was excellent for making glass. Specifically, Wheaton glass from Millville was world-renowned for its artistry. Millville’s artistic heritage has been preserved at Wheaton Village where visitors can see glassblowing demonstrations, as well as in the city’s newly renovated Glasstown Arts District which showcases the works of local artists.

Oyster farming was another big business in Cumberland County. When the railroads connected small towns like Bivalve and Port Norris to the larger cities like Bridgeton and Vineland, and then to Philadelphia and New York, it provided a boom to the oyster industry. By the early 20th century, Port Norris was known as the “Oyster Capital of the World.” However, by the 1950s, pollution almost completely destroyed the entire oyster population in the Delaware Bay. Today, the A.J. Meerwald, New Jersey’s official tall ship, is anchored in Bivalve and serves as a sailing classroom to educate visitors about the region’s sea-faring past.

Historically, Cumberland County has relied on agriculture to anchor the local economy with great success. At 68.7 square miles, the City of Vineland encompasses more land than any other city in New Jersey. The city’s father, Charles K. Landis, envisioned Vineland as a series of agricultural settlements with several waves of immigrants happy to move to Vineland to start a new life. Vineland was able to prosper because it offered both agricultural and industrial jobs. Poultry, in particular, was a large business in Vineland which at one point was “Egg Capital of the World.” Vineland is also the original birthplace of Welch’s grape juice – invented by Thomas Bramwell Welch, a Methodist minister and local leader of the temperance movement in the 1880s – as a substitute to communion wine.

Seabrook Farms in Upper Deerfield pioneered many innovations such as gas-powered tractors, overhead irrigation, and quick freezing techniques to preserve vegetables. In the last years of World War II, Seabrook Farms hired many Japanese-Americans who had been released from internment camps. In the postwar years, production increased and by the mid-1950s, Seabrook Farms was called the “Biggest Vegetable Factory in the World.”

After a downward turn in the mid to late 20th Century, Cumberland County today is making a comeback. Agriculture has never been stronger; new industries are moving in along Route 55; and projects are underway to replenish the devastated oyster population.

Cape May County
The famous explorer Henry Hudson may have been the first European to explore Cape May and the Delaware Bay. Hudson and several subsequent sailors found the bay too hazardous for their large ships; therefore colonization of the Cape did not occur as fast as it did for other areas of the state. The Cape May Lighthouse was built in 1859 to assist ships entering the Delaware Bay to navigate, and is still operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has long been an important institution in Southern New Jersey. There are Coast Guard stations all along the New Jersey coast, and the two most significant in the South Jersey are the Training Center in Cape May which trains 5,000 new “Coasties” every year and a helicopter station in Atlantic City, which performs difficult search and rescue operations.

Though shipbuilding and fishing are still big industries in Cape May, the backbone of the county’s economy is – and always has been – tourism. In the 1790s, stagecoach companies advertised wagons to the Cape May shore in Philadelphia and Gloucester County. Most of the resort towns were founded by church congregations and temperance societies as family friendly vacation spots.

By the 1850s, Cape May was the most famous summer resort in the country, and by the 1860s, railroads connected Cape May to the rest of the state and tourists flocked to the shores of the Cape. Some of those who visited were wealthy families from Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey, and even a few U.S. Presidents from the 1860s – 1880s. But perhaps the most significant person associated with Cape May history is the runaway slave-turned Underground Railroad “conductor” Harriet Tubman who worked in area hotels from 1847-1852.

Today, the shores of Cape May County have something to offer every taste. Cape May City is known for its beautiful, large Victorian-style houses which were built after a fire destroyed most of the city in 1878. Visitors can climb to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse for a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean meeting the Delaware Bay; go bird-watching at the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge; and enjoy fresh seafood in any restaurant. The amusement piers of Wildwood feature the latest rides, games, and an outdoor boardwalk mall. Ocean City, too has a boardwalk mall, but retains the family-friendly character of its devout founding.

Atlantic County
The most famous city in the District is by far Atlantic City, located on Absecon Island. Atlantic City was put on the map by the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, which began carrying passengers in from Philadelphia in 1854, and was immortalized by the classic Monopoly board which features the names of the city’s streets.

In 1870, Atlantic City became home to the first boardwalk. Over the years, the boardwalk became the main attraction of the city as hotels and shops lined one side, and by 1884 amusement piers began offering all kinds of entertainment – arcade games, rides, street performers, ballrooms, and exotic animals. The amusement piers remained a main attraction of Atlantic City for over 50 years by displaying the latest trends and hosting the top acts in the country. Former President Teddy Roosevelt gave a stump speech in 1912 as the Bull-Moose candidate on an Atlantic City pier; Harry Houdini performed his magic act; Frank Sinatra, Abbott and Costello, John Philip Sousa, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and Sammy Davis all contributed to Atlantic City’s Golden Age from the 1890s to the 1950s. In 1920, a group of local businessmen invented the Atlantic City Fall Frolic as a way to extend summer profits for one more week. The event evolved into the Miss America Pageant – an Atlantic City tradition until 2004.

In its heyday, Atlantic City was second to no other city in the world. Its beautiful grand hotels were marvels of modern architecture; famous acts played to adoring crowds in the ballrooms and concert halls; and the streets and beaches were bustling with activity all summer long. Today, the city’s casino industry has turned Atlantic City from a seasonal town into a year-round tourist attraction.

Atlantic County is also home to large orchards, cranberry bogs, and other farms. The small town on Hammonton is specifically known for its blueberries, and at one time was known as “Blueberry Capital of the World.” Atlantic County is also home to a part of Wharton State Forest, more commonly known as the Pine Barrens. This pristine pine forest is unlike any other in the world, and has been preserved and protected from heavy development for future generations to enjoy. One small Atlantic County town in the Pine Barrens, Leed’s Point, is said to be the birthplace of the legendary Jersey Devil.

The county is also very important to the national security of the United States. Egg Harbor Township is home to the NJ Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing. From this strategic location, the 177th’s fighter jets can fly over and protect major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, and Boston in mere minutes.

Atlantic County represents the best of all worlds in Southern New Jersey. Situated along the shore and extending into the central portion of South Jersey, Atlantic County is a home to large farms, wildlife preserves, seaside resort towns, and heavy industry.

Conclusion
The area of Southern New Jersey that comprises the 2nd Congressional District has a unique history from the rest of the state that is often overlooked. Far from being insignificant, Southern New Jersey was a plentiful land cultivated by the Lenape Indians; attracted settlers who sought religious freedom; was a main corridor for escaped slaves on their way to freedom; an important production center during the Industrial Revolution; and the nation’s playground every summer.

Today, South Jersey retains the rich heritage that sets it apart from the rest of the state. The region continues to be a major corridor for interstate commerce and travel between New York, Pennsylvania, and the South; Southern New Jersey farms are the breadbasket of the state, helping to feed the entire Northeast; shore resorts from Atlantic City to Cape May are as popular as ever; and new industrial development has revitalized old railroad towns like Vineland and Millville without disturbing farmlands and the delicate shore ecosystem.