REMINDER -- MARSH HISTORIC TOURS

The site of Joseph Bonaparte's mansion and the mansion where he kept his mistress, Annette Savage, are part of the historic tours this weekend along the Trenton Hamilton Bordentown Marsh.

The info, which has run before, is reprinted here; however, before that, please review the images of the Philadelphia Museum of Art owned painting of Annette Savage and her two Bonaparte sired daughters, Jacques Louis David's painting of Joseph Bonaparte as King of Spain (which hung in the Bordentown mansion), and the New Jersey State Museum painting of the Point Breeze mansion.  Archaeologist Richard Veit will lead the tour of the remains of the Bonaparte site, including a peek into the infamous tunnels from the house to the Crosswicks Creek.    

The Friends for the Marsh presents its annual history walking tour weekend on April 14 and 15, 2012.    The event includes free tours of some of the most important historical locations in the central New Jersey region, all located around the Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh.

On Saturday, April 14, the day will feature tours of the historic 1830 Lock Number One at the mouth of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, the 18^th Century Isaac Pearson House, and the grounds of the site of Joseph Bonaparte’s famous early 19^th Century mansion, Point Breeze.

The Lock One area tour is set for 9 a.m. and will be conducted by the Barbara Ross of the D & R Canal Watch.   Visitors will meet at the 295 northbound parking area of the scenic overlook between Bordentown and Trenton for a one mile walk that includes the lock and RR bridge. 

 

The Isaac Person House tour is set for 11 a.m.  The Revolutionary War era mansion was built and owned by New Jersey political leader Isaac Pearson, and is located on Hobson Avenue and Emeline Avenue in Hamilton.

The Point Breeze grounds history walk begins at 1 p.m. at Divine Word Missionaries in Bordentown.  Built by former King of Spain and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Bonaparte, Point Breeze included a mansion, English style grounds, and one of the most prestigious collections of art in North America.   The site of an important archeological investigation, the tour of the grounds will be led by the site's lead archaeologist, Monmouth University Professor of Archaeology Richard Veit. 

The Sunday, April 15, events feature tours of two major historic sites in the Hamilton Township section of the marsh. 

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Watson House, the oldest house in the Mercer County region, opens for visits.   Built by Quaker farmer Isaac Watson in 1708, when Trenton was stilled called the “falls of the Delaware,”  the house now serves as headquarters of the New Jersey State Society of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which restored the property as part of the New Jersey Tercentenary Celebration in 1964.

 

At 2 p.m., the tour moves to Bow Hill Mansion, the 18^th Century structure situated on the property that was once part of William Trent’s farmstead.  Once owned by both the DeKlyn and Lalor Families, the building is best known as the residence for Annette Savage, mistress to Joseph Bonaparte, brother to Napoleon Bonaparte.    Now owned by the Ukrainian -American Society, the building is located at the end of Jeremiah Avenue in Hamilton Township.  

For more information link on to marsh-friends.org, send an email to marshwalks@aol.com  or call 609-213-2918.