Bordentown: Historic Sites and Hotels

Bordentown’s local history encompasses several distinct themes: the local Quaker community, the Clara Barton Schoolhouse, Old City Hall, and the preserved landscape of Point Breeze. The buildings’ construction dates and later milestones offer a glimpse into different eras; Point Breeze adds exhibitions and a historic garden to this story. If you are planning a stay around your cultural interests, these highlights can help you decide which aspects of the city to focus on in your plans.

Building History and Historic Figures

The Bordentown Friends Meetinghouse at 302 Farnsworth Ave. was built in 1740 as a house of worship for the local Quaker community. It is the oldest original Quaker meetinghouse in New Jersey still standing on its original foundation. Its construction date, original purpose, and preserved foundation make the Meetinghouse a clearly datable landmark in the town’s early history. Old City Hall was built in 1888. There are 148 years between the construction dates of the Meetinghouse and Old City Hall; together, the two buildings mark different periods in the town’s architectural history.

The Clara Barton Schoolhouse is a one-and-a-half-story brick building, probably built around 1798. In 1839, it was moved to its current location; Clara Barton began teaching there in 1852. This sequence distinguishes the approximate age of the building from two later milestones: its relocation and the start of Barton’s teaching. This means the schoolhouse’s history cannot be reduced to a single date.

Point Breeze: Landscape and Heritage

Point Breeze adds a permanently preserved landscape to the town’s history. D&R Greenway, the State of New Jersey, and the City of Bordentown permanently preserved Point Breeze on December 18, 2020. The Discovery Center at Point Breeze houses exhibitions where you can learn more about the rich history of the land. In the Historic Garden at Point Breeze, you can see how vegetables and herbs grew during the Bonaparte era from 1816 to 1839. The exhibitions and the garden have different focuses: one centers on the history of the land, while the other presents vegetables and herbs within the historical timeframe of the Bonaparte era. This combination of landscape and historical interpretation offers a different perspective from the construction dates of the historic buildings.

Arrival and Getting Your Bearings

Bordentown Station provides a practical point of reference for planning your trip. It is by the river, just a few minutes’ walk from the town center and near numerous historic sites. The station’s location thus complements the historical themes with a tangible connection between the point of arrival, the town center, and historic destinations. The information answers different planning questions: the dates help you understand the buildings and their history; the station’s location gives you a sense of where the town center and historic sites are. Depending on whether you are especially interested in architecture, Quaker history, Clara Barton, or Point Breeze, you can give these themes different weight when planning your stay.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Wrightstown, Riverton, Burlington, Moorestown, Southampton, Mt Holly, Edgewater Park, Mount Laurel

For the main travel overview: Burlington.