Did you know that Burlington County is older than America itself? It’s true; Burlington County has a fascinating history and has played an important role in shaping the nation we know and love today. When the earliest English Quaker settlers arrived on this land nestled on the Delaware River in 1677, they were greeted by the many indigenous tribes of the Lenni Lenape nation. Those settlers established a town initially called New Beverly, then Bridlington, and finally Burlington - named after a town in Yorkshire, England. At the time, the area was part of West Jersey and became the capital in 1681, due to its strategic location for trade with both Europe and the Caribbean.
Upon arriving in Burlington, the English Quaker settlers found themselves in close proximity to the New Sweden Colony, which had been established near the Pennsauken Creek – an area that now includes present-day Cinnaminson and Delran - in the 1680s. A documented Swedish settler, Hans Månsson, died in 1691 in Senamensing, which is now Cinnaminson Township. The Swedes, along with the Dutch and the Finns, enjoyed fur trading in the region.
In 1694, Burlington County was officially established, and Quaker settlers began exploring inland. While the city of Burlington thrived as a trade hub with ties to the British Crown, the more agrarian Quaker community in Mount Holly became a hotbed of colonial resistance. By the 1770s, the American Revolution had reached the doorstep of Burlington County. The war came to New Jersey in 1776, as the state played an integral part as a direct corridor linking Northern and Southern Colonies. Those in Burlington County were faced with a choice: remain loyal to the Crown of England or support the emerging nation that would shape their future.
As the United States was born, so too was the destiny of New Jersey. Burlington County would later play another vital role in the ongoing fight for freedom, serving as a key location for many stops along the Underground Railroad. History has shown that the winds of change often pass through New Jersey before sweeping across our great nation.
Want to learn more about your home in the Garden State? Burlington County Library has a New Jersey Room, where you can learn more about Burlington County’s rich colonial history. Or take a deep dive into local history and genealogy on our website.
Ancestry Library Edition is a great starting point for discovering when your ancestors and family members settled in Burlington County (available for in-library use only) .
Explore the histories of local families and their history as far back as the 1700s with HeritageQuest Online.
Browse back issues of Historical Burlington County Newspapers and find out what happened on a specific date.
Take a pictorial journey through snapshots of history with the NJ Historic Postcard Images Collection that includes a digital archive of over 400 postcards.
You can also check out these great titles at your favorite branch!
Your library is an amazing resource for local historical information – whether it’s utilizing records for research or checking out a publication from our collection. Check out these great titles from your local branch!
