NATJA’s founding president, Bob Nesoff’s latest book has been published. The book, both a history book and a travel guide for history buffs, is “A History Lovers Guide To Bergen County.” The book details historic sites from the pre-Revolutionary War to the modern day. Bob said his favorite piece was about the Old ’76 House, the oldest continuing tavern in the United States. Major. John Andre, the British spy who collaborated with Benedict Arnold to turn over plans for the defense of West Point to the Brits, was held prisoner there before and after his trial. He was hung on a hill behind the tavern until he was disinterred in 1820 and brought to London where he now lives in a crypt in Westminster Abbey. The tavern is home to four ghosts, one of which may be Andre. An unretouched photo in the book was given to Robb Norden, tavern owner, by a couple who had a picture taken while at dinner. In the photo, a shadowy figure passes their table. No one ever saw that happen. Norden said that was the female ghost. Graves of famous people are buried in the county. Joey Ramone of the Ramones is there. In another cemetery is Issac Bashevis Singer, the Nobel laureate writer. In the same cemetery is John Marley who, in the first Godfather movie, woke to find a severed horse’s head in bed with him. Libraries have placed the book in both their historic book section and travel book section.
Bob’s next book, “Mysterious Mike Malone, about the Federal agent who brought Al Capone down and was instrumental in solving the Lindbergh kidnapping, is due out in the spring.
