Though set aside as an area for outdoor recreation, the land within the recreation area is rich in history.

Significant Native American archeological sites have been investigated. (Collections) A number of structures remain from early Dutch settlement. The entire region was a frontier of the French & Indian War. Historic rural villages from the 18th and 19th centuries remain intact on the New Jersey side, and landscapes of past settlements are scattered throughout the park. (Places)

In the 19th century, the village of Delaware Water Gap was a focus of the early resort industry fostered by the railroads. Even today the region is known for its vacation appeal. (Stories)

The proposal to dam the Delaware River near today's Smithfield Beach brought the region and its inhabitants into another era of American history -- the conservation and environmental movements of the 1960s and later. (People and Stories)

Through the years, park rangers have written of much of the history of the park in the park's newsletter, Spanning the Gap. Select a category above to further explore the history of this river valley.