A
century ago our nation began to recognize
the importance of public stewardship
of our historic and natural treasures.
New Jersey was at the forefront of this
movement. The legacy of our State historic
sites began in 1902, when the Legislature
authorized the purchase of the Indian
King Tavern in Haddonfield. This was
where the Assembly met in 1777 and ordered
that the word "State" be inserted
for the word "Colony" in all
future public documents. The tavern was
purchased on June 15, 1903, thus New
Jersey obtained its first historic landmark
for its citizens.
The Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP)
is committed to the stewardship
of not only New Jersey’s natural
resources, but also its historic resources.
Through the Division
of Parks and Forestry,
the DEP administers the largest historical
museum organization in the state of
New Jersey with 57 historic sites and
districts, over 24,000 museum objects
and 68,000 archaeological artifacts.
These historic resources span the
15th through 20th centuries and include
Lenape Native American lands, Revolutionary
War battlefields, lighthouses, a presidential
birthplace, the home of Walt Whitman
and five historic villages.
Encouraging citizens
to rediscover and enjoy the state’s historic
sites, Governor James E. McGreevey
signed a proclamation recognizing June
15, 2003 through June 15, 2004 as the “Centennial
Year of New Jersey’s Historic
Sites.”
As part of the yearlong celebration
of the centennial of state historic
sites, the DEP will highlight a historic
site of the month on the DEP homepage,
launch a historical lecture series
at DEP historic sites statewide, and
release special commemorative items
for sale, including a new historical
postcard collection.
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