Bordentown History

Bordentown, NJ is centrally located at the Northern tip of Burlington County and borders Hamilton Township.  

Our Bordentown School District consists of three communities: Bordentown City, Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro.  Students from New Hanover Schools attend our high school, grades 9-12.

History
Settled in 1682 by Thomas Farnsworth, Bordentown was originally named "Farnsworth's Landing."  

In 1734, Joseph Borden started a stage line and packet service in the area.  He also served as a colonel for the Colonial Army in the American Revolution.  Borden was part of the well known "mechanical keg plot" where patriots set off mines which panicked British soldiers.  British troops retaliated by sending over 700 soldiers to the area in 1778 and destroying over 20 American ships.

Other famous residents of the area included Thomas Paine and Joseph Bonaparte (exiled King of Spain and brother of Napoleon).

In the mid-1830's, Bordentown had much economic success from the Camden & Amboy Railroad.  Irish and German immigrants came to this area for the good work which came from the Delaware & Raritan Canal.  The economic growth continued until 1871, when the Pennsylvania Railroad leased both the Camden & Amboy and the D & R canal.  This change caused the railroad shops to move to other locations.