Founded in the
1680s at a traditional crossing of the Raritan River, first by an Indian trail
and later by one of New Jersey’s earliest roads, the New Brunswick had become a
major port by the second decade of the eighteenth century. Its location within
easy reach of the hinterland that produced New Jersey’s major agricultural
exports put it at an advantage over the colony’s legal entry ports of Perth
Amboy and Burlington. New Brunswick thrived on trade; its wharves and ship
facilities included substantial warehouses stretching along the docks. Cranes
could often be seen hoisting produce on and off boats docked in the Raritan
River.
Dutch settlers
streamed into the Raritan Valley in the 1730s. They settled along Albany Street
in New Brunswick giving the early city a Dutch character that could be seen in
its architecture. A veranda, resembling a small balcony, was built on to most
homes, elevated from the street by steps. These porches had benches on both
sides on which the people sat in the evening to enjoy the fresh air and watch
the passers-by. Remnants of the Dutch architecture are long gone from the
streetscape of New Brunswick.
However, the
impending redesign of the Interchange at Route 18 and Route 27, necessitated an
excavation of the area. This afforded archaeologists and historians the
opportunity to look beneath the ground in the very area where the city began
and where the Dutch had settled. As is often the case in urban areas, more
evidence of the past was left than would seem possible, especially since the
site lay within a highway interchange that had been built in the 1970s.
The dig site was in
the vicinity of Albany and Water Streets. The findings were remarkable and
included artifacts from THE INDIAN QUEEN/BELL TAVERN, the VAN DYKE property,
the “DUTCH” HOUSE, the PARKER HOUSE and six more lots or parcels on Water
Street.
A report on the findings of this archaeological dig, conducted in 2004, at Albany and Water Streets in New Brunswick is available by clicking here.