Location

157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton, NJ 08610

Hours

Sunrise to Sunset, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There is NO SWIMMING permitted at the Abbott Marshlands.

Trail Map

Abbott Marshlands Trail Map

History & Establishment

Over the years the marshlands along Crosswicks Creek and the Delaware River near Bordentown have been called a number of names including Trenton Marsh, Hamilton – Trenton Marsh, White City Meadows, and Hamilton – Trenton – Bordentown Marsh.

In 2010, the development of the Hamilton- Trenton – Bordentown Marsh Cooperative Stewardship Plan began, and it became clear that a better understanding of the importance of the area needed to be expressed and the current name didn’t fit anymore. 

Mercer County, with a goal of establishing Tulpehaking Nature Center in a renovated house the edge of Roebling Park, took the initiative and received NJ Historic Trust grants for this endeavor. The process involved developing an interpretive plan and a technical report for the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark.

After much deliberation, "Abbott Marshlands" was selected as a name that recognizes the important archaeological legacy of the marsh and of Charles Conrad Abbott, a 19th and early 20th century archaeologist and naturalist, who lived on the bluffs near the marsh and who wrote extensively about it. 

The Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark was designated in 1976 by the United States Department of Interior to recognize the importance of the site.

Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark: The Abbott Marshlands are 3,000 acres of open space. The diverse habitats – freshwater tidal and non-tidal marshes and swamps, ponds, and woodlands – are home to many kinds of plants and animals. The tidal freshwater marshes found along Crosswicks Creek and Watson’s Creek are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, rivaling tropical rain forests in the amount of plant production each year.

The rich natural history complements an extraordinary cultural history. With archaeological deposits representing 13,000 years of Native American history in the Delaware Valley, this land was, and continues to be, an important place for Native peoples. There are also connections to the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary War, and the Civil War. Thomas Paine lived in Bordentown; Patience Wright, while living in London, was a spy; and Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, launched free schooling. Please see the links below for more information regarding this area.

Abbott Farm Interpretive Plan Report optimized August 2009

Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark Interpretive Plan Final copy 5-20-09

Friends for the Abbott Marshlands

The Friends for the Abbott Marshlands, originally Friends for the Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh, was organized in 2002 to preserve and protect the natural, historical and recreational resources of this ecological and archeological treasure. The Friends organize a variety of programs, including field and canoe trips, trail maintenance and clean-up activities, history weekends, and Voices for the Marshlands juried photography shows. There are many opportunities for experiencing Mercer County’s Roebling Park as well as the D&R Canal towpath trail on Duck Island. 

The Friends worked with the other partners to develop the ‘Cooperative Stewardship Plan – Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh 2010’, a blueprint for Marshlands stewardship and management. Friends is a member of the Stewardship Council, whose charge is to assist in implementing this plan.

For information about programs and about the Abbott Marshlands click here.

Abbott Marshland Interpretive Plan