Laurence Harbor in South Amboy in Middlesex County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Camden & Amboy Railroad
New Jersey has been an important corridor for the transportation of people and goods from New York to Philadelphia. Steamboats brought passengers from Manhattan to the South Amboy docks where the stagecoach service was available to Camden, NJ. At Camden travelers continued via steamboat to Philadelphia. By the 1820s, an average of 2,000 passengers a week traveled this route.
In 1830, the New Jersey Legislature chartered the Camden & Amboy Rail Road Transportation Company. This was the first railroad in New Jersey and among the early railroads in the United States. In September 1832, teams of horses pulled the first rail carriages; steam locomotives were added in 1833 when the John Bull Locomotives was put into service. The John Bull was transported in pieces from England and reassembled in Bordentown. It was the first locomotive with a bell, headlight and cowcatcher (now in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.)
The original land route of the Camden & Amboy Railroad is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its important role in the history of tansportation.
Erected 2013 by Middlesex County
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1832.
Location. 40° 29.07′ N, 74° 16.851′ W. Marker is in South Amboy, New Jersey, in Middlesex County. It is in the Laurence Harbor. It is on North Broadway north of Augusta Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 133 N Broadway, South Amboy NJ 08879, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in New Jersey’s Central Jersey, in Greater Princeton, and in the New York City Metropolitan Area. 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: Independence Engine and Hose Company
Credits. This page was last revised on February 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 50 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
