Bordentown in Burlington County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
An Early Transportation Hub
Delaware River Heritage Trail
Bordentown began as a small river port known as Farnsworth's Landing in the 1680s. Over the next two hundred years it became a nexus for boat and statecoach traffic between Philadelphia and points north. This location had two major strategic advantages. Larger boats could not travel beyond the fall line upstream at Trenton, and it is the western terminus of the shortest overland route between the Delaware River and ports on the Raritan River.
In the 1830s, the village of Bordentown became the hub of two innovative mass transport systems, the Camden and Amboy Railroad and the Delaware and Raritan Canal. The C&A was just the third railroad in the U.S. The Bordentown station and many of its facilities were located in this area. Bordentown as also the entry point for the 44-mile D&R canal. The canal made it possible to transport heavy freight economically between Philadelphia and New York and became one of the nation's busiest canal systems.
Bordentown grew into a thriving shipping and commercial center in the nineteenth century. Its importance as a rail center diminished in the 1870s, but it remained an important rail
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 40° 8.873′ N, 74° 42.913′ W. Marker is in Bordentown, New Jersey, in Burlington County. It is on West Park Street just west of Prince Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 104 Prince St, Bordentown NJ 08505, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Jersey and in Greater Philadelphia. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Discover Abbott Marshlands: A Natural & Historical Treasure
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 14, 2020
3. Thomas Farnsworth banner on display in Bordentown
Quaker settler who in 1682 came to Bordentown to establish a settlement where he and other members of the Society of Friends could escape the persecution they experienced in their native England. He built a cabin overlooking the Delaware River and coined the village "Farnsworth's Landing", which would become a center for trade and commerce in the area. More than a century later the village was renamed to honor one of its Revolutionary War heroes, Colonel Joseph Borden. Remnants of the original cabin still exist as a part of a larger, later house on the northwest corner of Park and Prince Streets.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 15, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 381 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 15, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on November 16, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
