Born in Newton, NJ, Kevin Wright was attracted, even as a child, to the history and legends of his native Sussex County. After graduating Rutgers College, he started in historical interpretation at the restored village of Waterloo in 1977, becoming tour director in 1979. As curator of the Steuben House, a Revolutionary War landmark in River Edge, he built up a large interest and attendance, working with the Bergen County Historical Society. In 1985 his research brought worldwide media attention to NJ’s claim of sovereignty over Ellis and Liberty Islands. He became the first Historical Resource Interpretive Specialist for the northern region of NJ in 2000 and was central to the visioning process for Historic New Bridge Landing, Lusscroft Farm, and the State History Fair. Kevin Wright has served as President of the Sussex County Historical Society and of the Bergen County Historical Society.

A widely published historical researcher, author and speaker, his latest book 1609: A Country that was Never Lost, The 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson’s Visit with North Americans of the Middle Atlantic Coast, was published in 2009. He has been a resident of River Edge since 1981.