For better or worse, the Delaware River served as the original Route 1, a watery highway that brought modern civilization to formerly pristine wilderness.
The Prallsville Mills Speaker Series continues with an exploration of the history of the settlement of the Delaware Valley and the role of the wild river that gives the area its name.
Artist and Author Hal Taylor will outline the river’s history, from the earliest explorers and how they interacted with native populations to the area’s legendary oyster industry, its ornate Victorian era lighthouses, historic military sites and much more.
The presentation is at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 13, at Prallsville Mills. The event is free and open to the public.
Taylor has dedicated much of the last four years to researching, writing and creating artwork for his first book, “The Illustrated Delaware River: The History of a Great American River,” a lovingly-told travelogue that traces the entire length of the Delaware through more than 400 years of history, filled with 140 original illustrations.
Taylor began his career as a typographer, which led to original hand lettering and logo design, as well as a stint teaching graphic design at Drexel University in Philadelphia. He has designed and illustrated more than 100 books for Townsend Press, a nationally-recognized publisher of academic material and classic literature.
The Prallsville Mills complex in Stockton, N.J., is considered a significant example of early American industrial architecture that was included on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Today, the Mill proudly features cultural and historic events for the entire community.
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