The Camden & Amboy Railroad was the first railroad in New Jersey and the third in the nation
HIGHTSTOWN -- Stone railroad sleepers sit on the corner of Rogers and Railroad avenues as relics of the early 1830's, when the Camden & Amboy Railroad's famous locomotive, the John Bull, began running through Hightstown.
The right-of-way was added to the State Register of Historic Places this month and now the National Park Service will consider the site for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
"The historic significance of the sleeper stones has been known for many years, and the listing in the New Jersey Register, and hopefully the National Register, is a tribute to Hightstown Borough and its residents who take great pride in historic Hightstown and its past," Mayor Larry Quattrone said.
The site is a small, preserved portion of the first roadbed laid for the railroad in 1832. It has 22 sleeper stones -- precursors to wooden ties that supported the iron rails -- that have been deliberately exposed for interpretation by the public.
The Camden & Amboy, which connected New York and Philadelphia, was the first railroad in New Jersey and the third in the nation.
The roadbed was preserved for more than 125 years since it was buried under more than a foot of fill and was discovered after Penn-Central Railroad operations ceased in 1983.
It is one of the few places where remnants of the original railroad line are preserved in situ. In 1984, the borough donated 18 sleeper stones from the line just to the north to the Smithsonian, which are on display with the John Bull.
"Hightstown's residents are determined in preserving the historic character and image of the town," Councilman Connor Montferrat said. "With our recent designation from the White House as a Preserve America community, I am optimistic that Washington will recognize and approve this unique site for its historical significance."
The mayor credited Katherine Patten, Robert Patten, Pierre Lacombe and Christian Kirkpatrick with recognizing the site's historical significance and working to get it added to the register.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.