Raritan Landing is a historical

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

located within

Piscataway Township Piscataway () is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of the New York metropolitan area, in the Raritan Valley. At the 2010 United States Census, the population was 56,044, an increase of 5,562 (+11.0%) f ...

in Middlesex County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, United States, which was once an

inland port An inland port is a port on an inland waterway, such as a river, lake, or canal, which may or may not be connected to the sea. The term "inland port" is also used to refer to a dry port. Examples The United States Army Corps of Engineers pub ...

, the farthest upstream point ocean-going ships could reach along the

Raritan River Raritan River is a major river of New Jersey. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. History Geologists assert that the lower Raritan provided t ...

, across from

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

. Begun in the early 18th century it remained vital until the mid 19th century, when most of the port was abandoned. The remains of the community now reside buried beneath Johnson Park on the south side of River Road, Remnants of the era, mostly the bluff overlooking the Raritan, include the

Cornelius Low House The Cornelius Low House (also called Ivy Hall) is a Georgian manor in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, built in 1741 at Raritan Landing. The Cornelius Low House is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places a ...

, Metlar-Bodine House, and the

Road Up Raritan Historic District The Road Up Raritan Historic District is a historic district (United States), historic district located along River Road in the township of Piscataway, New Jersey, Piscataway in Middlesex County, New Jersey. With It is north of Raritan Landin ...

and an

archeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology an ...

. The nearby East Jersey Olde Towne Village is home to a permanent exhibition about the Raritan Landing.

History

Raritan Landing emerged as a vital port community during the 1720s. It was situated at the farthest inland point on the Raritan River that could be navigated by merchant ships of the day. In its heyday, the Landing was the center for local trade and, along with New Brunswick, served as a hub for imports and exports to and from the Raritan Valley. Agricultural goods and lumber brought to Raritan Landing from throughout central New Jersey were stored in warehouses here, awaiting shipment to either New York or sometimes the Caribbean. Imported goods were off-loaded and taken by traders to stores and merchants throughout the area. The majority of the community existed between present-day River Road and the

, near the intersection of Landing Lane and River Road. By the 1740s, there were approximately 70 structures and more than 100 inhabitants. By the early days of the American Revolution the community was occupied by British troops. The bluffs provided safe haven for the troops, and an unobstructed lookout toward New Brunswick, enabling clear views of approaching Patriot forces.

Timeline

*: Raritan Landing community first occupied. *: Edward Antill House is built. *1740: Raritan Landing community included 70 structures and more than 100 inhabitants. *1741:

is built. *1825: Landing Lane was lined with blacksmith shops, cooper shops, stores and warehouses. *1830: Construction of

Delaware and Raritan Canal The Delaware and Raritan Canal (D&R Canal) is a canal in central New Jersey, built in the 1830s, that served to connect the Delaware River to the Raritan River. It was an efficient and reliable means of transportation of freight between Philadelp ...

begins. *1834:

completed. *1870: Most of the community is dismantled and converted to pastureland. *1936: Cornelius C. Vermeule, a Piscataway resident, creates a map of Raritan Landing based on his research. The numbers on the map correspond to houses and are keyed to a list of owners included in an article published in the Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society. His publication draws others into researching the history of the area. Some of the Vermeule designations are later updated with wills, deeds, newspaper reports, and other paper record. *1970s:

, Metlar-Bodine House, and

are added to the

New Jersey Register of Historic Places The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The program is administered by the New Jersey's state historic preservation office with ...

and the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Raritan Landing Archeological Site

The Raritan Landing Archeological Site includes the Upper Van Rants House Site, the Bluff Prehistoric Site, and areas just

downriver Downriver is the unofficial name for a collection of 18 cities and townships in Wayne County, Michigan, south of Detroit, along the western shore of the Detroit River. The place is sometimes referred to as South Detroit. Etymology The name ...

in what has become today's Highland Park as well as in Johnson Park. The site was originally listed in 1979 and expanded in 1984. Work was begun by

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...

in 1979 and was continued under the auspices of the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transporta ...

as part of the planned extension of Route 18, planned for completion in 2012.

Residents

*Margaret DeGroot and Benjamin Field *Jeremiah Fieldbutt *Lena Suydam and George Boice * Peter Levis Boice *Abraham Van Ranst *Isaac Wilson * Edward Antill, merchant *Catherine LaBoyteaux and John Bodine, trader *Jean Blair *Daniel and John Bray *John Castner *William Dugdale, merchant *Effie Hardenbrook and Evert Duyckinck, trader *Adolphus Hardenbrook, merchant *Duncan Hutchison, physician * John Neilson, physician and his son, Colonel John Neilson *Bernardus LaGrange, merchant *Elizabeth Henry and Paul LaBoyteaux (1699-after 1766) *Gabriel LaBoyteaux * Cornelius Low I (1691–1783), merchant *Isaac Smalley *Catheryntje and Johannes TenBrook, merchant

References

External links