History of Burlington County, NJ
(from the Burlington County Library)

There's a changing mix of past and present here. Where else can you visit the headquarters of high-tech companies like Computer Sciences Corporation and Okidata and, 20 minutes later be standing amid the reconstructed 18th century historic iron mining village of Batsto where cannonballs were forged to arm the American Revolution? Colonial roots grow deeply in Burlington County and we honor them by preserving the past. Clara Barton, James Fenimore Cooper and Capt. James Lawrence, whose dying words, "don't give up the ship," became the motto of the U.S. Navy, all lived here and you can still visit their homes today. So did John A. Roebling, whose steel cables built the Brooklyn and Golden Gate bridges, and Hezekian Smith, who invented and manufactured the world famous "Star" high-wheeled bicycle and whose home and factory now comprise an authentically-restored county park.

Mercer County occupies a central geographic location in New Jersey and has played a key role in the history of this state and the nation. It was here that the battles of Trenton and Princeton marked a pivotal turning point in America's struggle for independence. As a free nation grew, Mercer County kept its place on the historical stage as capitol of New Jersey, home to Princeton University, and site of booming industries such as the Roebling Wire Mills and numerous potteries.