Editing Salem County, New Jersey (section)

=== Early history ===
European settlement began with English colonists in the seventeenth century, who were settling both sides of the Delaware River. They established a colonial court in the area in 1681, but Salem County was first formally organized within [[West Jersey]] on May 17, 1694, from the Salem Tenth. [[Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey|Pittsgrove Township]] was transferred to [[Cumberland County, New Jersey|Cumberland County]] in April 1867, but was restored to Salem County in February 1868.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. [http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 120. Accessed October 30, 2012.</ref> The area was initially settled by Quakers.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

The [[Old Salem County Courthouse]], located on the same block as the Salem County Courthouse, serves as the court for Salem City in the 21st century. It is the oldest active courthouse in New Jersey and is the second oldest courthouse in continuous use in the United States, the oldest being [[King William County Courthouse]] in Virginia.<ref>[http://www.kingwilliamcounty.us/ Welcome to King William County]</ref> The courthouse was built in 1735 during the reign of King [[George II of Great Britain|George II]] using locally manufactured bricks.<ref>[http://www.salemcitynj.com/trails.html Welcome to Salem, New Jersey] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807161358/http://www.salemcitynj.com/trails.html |date=August 7, 2008}}</ref> The building was enlarged in 1817 and additionally enlarged and remodeled in 1908. Its distinctive bell tower is essentially unchanged and the original bell sits in the courtroom.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

[[William Hancock Jr. (judge)|Judge William Hancock]] of the King's Court presided at the courthouse.<ref>[http://cupojersey.blogspot.com/2007/11/william-hancock-house-hancocks-bridge.html William Hancock House, Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey], Cup O'Jersey - South Jersey History</ref>  He was later killed by the [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] in the [[American Revolutionary War]] during the massacre at [[Hancock House (New Jersey)|Hancock House]] committed by the British against [[Patriot (American Revolution)|local militia]] during the Salem Raid in 1778. Afterward the courthouse was the site of the "treason trials", wherein suspected [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalists]] were put on trial for having allegedly aided the British during the Salem Raid. Four men were convicted and sentenced to death for treason; however, they were pardoned by Governor [[William Livingston]] and exiled from New Jersey. The courthouse is also the site of the legend of Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson's proving the edibility of the tomato. Before 1820, Americans often assumed tomatoes were poisonous. In 1820, Colonel Johnson, according to legend, stood upon the courthouse steps and ate tomatoes in front of a large crowd assembled to watch him do so.<ref>"The Story of Robert Gibbon Johnson and the Tomato", ''The History Highway'' of the Salem County Historical Society. May 2005. Accessed August 13, 2007. {{cite web |url=http://www.salemcounty.com/schs/The%20Salem%20County%20Historical%20Society%20%20%20%20%20%20May%202005.htm |title=The Salem County Historical Society May 2005 No |access-date=August 14, 2007 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724074214/http://www.salemcounty.com/schs/The%20Salem%20County%20Historical%20Society%20%20%20%20%20%20May%202005.htm |archive-date=July 24, 2008 }}</ref>

Salem County is notable for its distinctive [[Quaker]]-inspired [[architecture]] and masonry styles of the 18th century.<ref name="nc architecture">{{cite book
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NccTgQkmPIEC
|publisher=[[University of North Carolina Press]]
|year=2005|pages=17
|title=North Carolina Architecture |first=Catherine |last=Bishir|isbn=9780807856246
}}</ref> It had a rural and agricultural economy. In the early 20th century, its towns received numerous immigrants from eastern and southern Europe, who markedly added to the population. In the period following World War II, the county's population increased due to suburban development. To accommodate increasing traffic, the [[Delaware Memorial Bridge]] was built from Salem County to [[New Castle, Delaware]].{{fact|date=May 2025}}