See Over 40 Historic Sites: 31-35

Now revealed: over 40 important historic sites. Try it for your next family vacation day trip, or bring your seniors group. Come and see...

Private educational institution founded by Bishop G. W. Doane, 1837.
Small brick schoolhouse, big on history.
Residence of Royal Printer of currency and the first newspaper in NJ.
Once housed a Revolutionary Capn., then a carriage magnate who shipped globally.
Golden, winged messenger from another era.

Scroll down to see sites 31 through 35. Click “See Sites x-y” numbers to navigate our list of 44 sites five at a time. Or, click <here> to see the entire list in text form.

St. Mary's Hall

Riverbank
St. Mary's Hall, now a private educational institution, was established by Episcopal Bishop George Washington Doane in 1837. That first year, the enrollment was 52. The instructors stressed classical studies and a high standard of education. Each semester cost $100 with an added charge of $6.00 for bedding. The building was lighted with whale oil and contains many original portraits and furnishings. This property has been placed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Friends Schoolhouse

York Street between Penn and E. Union Streets
This small brick schoolhouse housed many Quaker students who were taught the three Rs. The Quakers stressed education, feeling that a young person must be prepared to accept the responsibilities of adulthood. Discipline was strict and the students spent long hours attempting to solve the mysteries of long division and Latin. This building contains many photographs, books, and documents of Burlington.

In 1977, the City of Burlington Historical Society placed a time capsule in these grounds to be opened in 2077 to celebrate four centuries of Burlington history.

Collins Jones House

NE corner Broad and York Streets
Isaac Collins was appointed as His Majesty’s Royal Printer in 1770 and proceeded to furnish the colony with three-pound notes (colonial currency).

He started the first newspaper in New Jersey which he entitled The New Jersey Gazette. In 1777, the Gazette was published in Burlington and after several editions, Collins moved his printing press to Trenton. Many of his editorials criticized local leaders and his reputation for honesty made him an influential force.

Collins is also credited with the printing of the first quarto Bible in America. He is said to have been so stringent with his proofreading that he offered a sizable sum to anyone finding an error.

Birch-Bloomfield House

415 High Street
James Birch built his first carriage repair shop in 1867 and from there his business career soared. He later built a three-story factory in East Burlington where he produced more than 200 models of carriages exported around the globe as far as Japan, China and South Africa. Henry Ford visited the Birch factory and offered to have automobile bodies built in Burlington. Birch refused, believing there would always be a market for carriages and the automobile business was suspect.

Joseph Bloomfield was a Captain in the American Revolution, Chief Justice of the New Jersey Vice-Admiralty Court, and Mayor of Burlington. From 1800 to 1812, he served as Governor of New Jersey and during the war of 1812 he was commissioned as a Brigadier General.

Statue of Mercury

427 High Street
This cast iron statue was erected in 1881 and served as the centerpiece of the Birch Opera House which was located on the site of the present Post Office. The figure is believed to have been cast in England and is a copy of a sixteenth century work by Flemish sculptor Jean Boulogne. Now resplendent in gold leaf, it stands atop a base inscribed ‘BIRCH 1881’' for the year it was placed at the Opera House. Most appropriate that the “Messenger of the Gods” now stands before the U.S. Post Office.

Tours vary from 1 ¹/2 to 3 hours (2 to 3 miles), depending on pace and route. Tours may be modified. Special Interest Tours are listed in Ready, Set, Tour. Some sites have stairs. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Print our Map to Historic Sites to locate Sites by number. Call 609-386-0200 or 386-4773 to arrange a group tour guide, or request a free Tour Guide & Map Brochure showing all 44 sites with map.

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Come experience real American History on our tree-lined, sun-dappled streets.
Over 45 origins of state or national significance... get immersed in “firsts”.
History comes alive as you see and enter the oldest homes, and more.
INSIDE: Maps! Photos! Over 40 Historic Sites dating back over 327 years.
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