Downtown in Trenton in Mercer County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Story of Trenton
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 14, 2020
Settled in 1679, Trenton looks back on more than 300 years of tumultuous history. Scene of the two Battles of Trenton in 1776 and 1777 and New Jersey’s State capital since 1790, Trenton embarked on the path that turned the city into a center of industry by the end of the 19th century. Trenton made wire rope, rubber, ceramics, automobiles, pianos, cigars and more. Thousands of immigrants, including Germans, Irish, Hungarians, Poles, Slovaks, Ukrainians and Italians from Europe and African-Americans from the South, flocked to the city, creating diverse neighborhoods that still give the city its distinctive flavor. From colonial mansions to Chambersburg's restaurants, from South Trenton’s churches to Olmsted’s Cadwalader Park, Trenton welcomes you.
[Captions:]
1792 Territories of the original municipal charter
1900 Portion of Ewing Township
1831 Lands of Thomas Cadwalader, Jr. annexed to Township of Trenton after separation from the City of Trenton
1900 Returned to Trenton after being annexed to Ewing Township in 1858
1888 Township of Millham
1888 Returned as portion of Millham Township after being annexed to Township of Lawrence in 1844
1898 Borough of Wilbur
1900 Portion of Hamilton Township
1885 Borough of Chambersburg
1851 Borough of South Trenton
1856 Township of Nottingham
1921
[Timeline:]
1991
Restoration of the Legislative chambers completed
1973
Former Governor Richard J. Hughes appointed Chief Justice of N.J. Supreme Court, first person to hold both offices
1940
Albert Einstein takes oath as American citizen in Federal Court in Trenton
1932
War Memorial opens with the second inaugural of Governor A. Harry Moore
1915
Stacy Park created between the State House and the Delaware River
1912
Governor Woodrow Wilson elected the 28th President of the U.S.
1870s
Trenton begins a 60 year dominance in American ceramics, making everything from fine china to sanitary ware
1861
Abraham Lincoln arrives in Trenton to speak to the Senate and Assembly before his inauguration
1854
Milling innovations enable Peter Cooper's Iron Works to produce the first 7 inch "I" beams in the world
1848
John A. Roebling relocates wire rope mill to Trenton, later designs the Brooklyn Bridge
1790
Trenton named permanent seat of New Jersey State government
1784
U.S. Congress
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 14, 2020
1776-77
From December 26th to January 2nd, the two Battles of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton change the course of the American Revolution
1758
Stone barracks built to house British troops for French and Indian War duty
1721
William Trent rebuilds Stacy's mill, calls village Trent's Town
1679
Yorkshire Quakers led by Mahlon Stacy established settlement on the banks of the Assunpink Creek
1600s
Europeans arrive, find natives who call themselves Lenape, meaning genuine people, rename them Delaware Indians
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers • War, French and Indian • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1679.
Location. 40° 13.24′ N, 74° 46.15′ W. Marker is in Trenton, New Jersey, in Mercer County. It is in Downtown. Marker is on West State Street, 0.2 miles west of Barrack Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is on the grounds of the New Jersey State House near Thomas Edison State College. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Trenton NJ 08608, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. State House (here, next to this marker); Old Steel Mill (a few steps from this marker); The Archives of the State
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 14, 2020
More about this marker. This marker is part of a large directory sign for the N.J. State House Complex. The 'State House' marker is also part of this sign.
Also see . . . Trenton Historical Society. The Trenton Historical Society’s mission is the study and interpretation of Trenton’s history, preservation of its historic buildings and artifacts, and dissemination of information about New Jersey’s capital city and its illustrious past. (Submitted on December 3, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2007, by Gary Nigh of Trenton, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,037 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 15, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.