The origin of Rahway is connected to the 1664 purchase of the Elizabethtown tract, and the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in New Jersey. An association of Englishmen living on Long Island looked forward to colonizing New Jersey, a province granted by the king to the Duke of York. The associates asked the duke’s deputy governor, Richard Nicolls, for permission to purchase a vast tract of land from the Lenni Lenape Indians. Nicolls agreed, and Chief Mattano signed the deed in return for cloth, coats, guns, kettles, lead and powder.
Things to do in Rahway
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Snug Harbor Cultural Center was founded in 1801 as the nation's first maritime hospital and home for retired sailors. Restored buildings include Main Hall, with its Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, and Veterans Memorial Hall, a concert venue. The 83-acre Staten Island Botanical Garden includes formal displays of annuals, a variety of themed gardens, a Chinese garden, sculpture and fountains. Call (718) 448-2500 for more information.
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301
Staten Island Zoo
Staten Island Zoo is an educational zoo with mammals, birds, reptiles and tropical fish. Exhibits include a representation of a tropical rain forest, a re-creation of an African savannah, an aquarium, a serpentarium and a children's center emphasizing domestic animals that help man. Call (718) 442-3100 for more information.
614 Broadway, Staten Island, NY 10310
The Newark Museum
The museum has more than 80 galleries that offer a wide array of sightseeing options. Art collections include pieces from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome as well as Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas. The Asian wing features an extensive collection of Tibetan art, including a Buddhist altar that the 14th Dalai Lama consecrated in 1990. American art includes Colonial pieces through contemporary works. Works by American artists include Mary Cassatt, Thomas Cole, Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keefe, Joseph Stella and Henry Ossawa Tanner. Also included are a planetarium, a natural science collection, a memorial garden and a miniature zoo. Call (973) 596-6550 for more information.
49 Washington St., Newark, NJ 07102
Thomas Alva Edison Menlo Park Museum and Tower
On the site of Edison's laboratory is Edison Memorial Tower, designed to incorporate the devices pioneered by the inventor. The museum, known as the birthplace of recorded sound, contains some of Edison's early inventions and memorabilia. Call (732) 549-3299 for more information.
37 Christie St., Menlo Park, NJ 08820
Trailside Nature and Science Center
The 2,000-acre preserve has a visitor center with changing exhibits about human and natural history as well as a collection of live reptiles. A museum contains taxidermy displays, fossils and a hands-on discovery room for preschoolers. Call (908) 789-3670 for more information.
452 New Providence Rd., Mountainside, NJ 07092