Do You Know New Jersey’s Oldest Town?
Most experts agree that this New Jersey historic town is the oldest in the state.
We have so much amazing history here in New Jersey and every once in a while it’s nice to step back and appreciate the great things around us, like the oldest town in all of the Garden State.
Do you know which New Jersey town is the oldest? There are so many towns with rich histories that come to mind.
The Oldest Town In New Jersey
But one town, Jersey City is the one that many consider to be the oldest in the Garden State.
The first one that comes to my mind when I think about New Jersey history is Freehold, which is the seat of Monmouth County. It’s old, Freehold Borough was incorporated in 1879, but it’s not the oldest town in the state.
What about the legendary Princeton? It has an amazing history that dates back many years, but since Princeton was incorporated in 1813, it’s not the state’s oldest either.
There Are Many Older New Jersey Towns With A Rich History
Trenton is the state capital, so what about that? Well, it’s the oldest of all the towns we have mentioned, but even though it dates back to 1792, it’s still not the oldest.
Newark is a very old town, too. Newark was founded by the Puritans back in 1666. And even that doesn't qualify as New Jersey's oldest town.
The Story Of The Beginnings Of Jersey City
To find the oldest town in our state, you'd have to travel back to 1630 when Michael Reyniersz Pauw was sold the deed to the area by the Dutch India Company, according to Only In Your State, and that area is Jersey City.
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Gallery Credit: Matt Ryan