Editing Perth Amboy, New Jersey (section)

===Provincial capital===
[[File:ProprietaryHousePerthAmboy.JPG|thumb|Proprietary House]]
[[Elizabeth, New Jersey|Elizabeth]] (then known as Elizabethtown) was designated in 1668 as the first capital of New Jersey.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110714185802/http://www.njhm.com/statecapitals.htm Was Trenton NJ's only capital? If not what other city was?], New Jersey History's Mysteries, updated July 14, 2011. Accessed December 18, 2019. "The very first capital of New Jersey was Elizabethtown (now Elizabeth) named in 1668 when the original Proprietors, Lord Berkeley and George Carteret, send Philip Carteret to govern their new possession. Later they moved the capital to Perth Amboy in 1686, and when New Jersey was divided into East and West Jersey, Burlington became the capital of the latter, and Perth Amboy remained the capital of the former. In 1702, New Jersey became a Royal Colony, but both towns remained capitals and the Royal Governors split time between the two (when they didn't govern from New York City, but that is another story)."</ref>  In 1686, Perth Amboy was designated as the capital of [[East Jersey]], while [[Burlington, New Jersey|Burlington]] was the capital of [[West Jersey]]. After the two were united as a [[royal colony]] in 1702, the two cities alternated as the capital of the [[Province of New Jersey]] until November 1790, when [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]] was designated as the unified state capital, chosen based on its location midway between [[New York City]] and [[Philadelphia]].<ref>Stansfield, Charles A. [https://books.google.com/books?id=FTXwgHg89W8C&pg=PA79 ''A Geography of New Jersey: The City in the Garden''], p. 79. [[Rutgers University Press]], 1998. {{ISBN|9780813525792}} Accessed December 18, 2019. "Until the Revolution, the royal governor and legislature migrated back and forth from East Jersey's capital, Perth Amboy, to Burlington, capital of West Jersey."</ref><ref>Ryan, Joe. [https://www.nj.com/news/2007/11/on_nov_25_1790_the.html "Looking Back: Lawmakers call Trenton home"], ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', November 25, 2007, updated April 2, 2019. Accessed December 18, 2019. "On Nov. 25, 1790, the New Jersey Legislature ended its years of wandering and named Trenton the state capital.... Elizabeth was the first Colonial capital, followed by Perth Amboy and Burlington as the capitals of East and West Jersey in 1676. Trenton, named for Philadelphia merchant William Trent, was well positioned on the Delaware River, roughly halfway between New York and Philadelphia."</ref>

A few of the buildings from this early period can still be seen today.<ref name=CN2018/> Most notably, the [[Proprietary House]], the home of [[William Franklin]], the last Royal Governor of New Jersey and estranged son of [[Benjamin Franklin]], still stands in the waterfront area of the city. Architect John Edward Pryor was hired in 1761 to design and construct the building, which was completed in September 1764, years late and over budget. Franklin preferred his alternate home in Burlington.<ref>[https://www.theproprietaryhouse.org/construction Construction 1762 -1764], [[Proprietary House]]. Accessed December 18, 2019. "On March 25, 1761, the Board of the Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey (to give them their full title) proposed to construct a fine mansion worthy of serving as the residence of the Royal Governors. They hired the English architect and builder John Edward Pryor to design and build what they called the 'Proprietary House in Amboy.'... Troubled by cost overruns and delays that almost ruined Pryor, major construction was at last completed in September of 1764.... New Jersey's royal governor at the time was William Franklin. London was slow to support his plan to buy the mansion in Perth Amboy and he had heavily invested in a fine estate in Burlington, closer to Philadelphia where his family still resided."</ref> Franklin finally moved in 1774 into the Proprietary House. Franklin's father, Ben, tried unsuccessfully to convince his son to support the Colonial cause. William Franklin was arrested and detained at Proprietary House in 1776 until he was tried and convicted of treason.<ref>[https://www.theproprietaryhouse.org/royal-governor Royal Governor 1774 -1776], [[Proprietary House]]. Accessed December 18, 2019. "The Franklins didn’t move into Proprietary House until 1774. Their time there would be short but fateful. With the outbreak of hostilities between the colonies and Britain in 1775, high drama played out at the governor’s mansion when Ben Franklin visited and tried in vain to win his Loyalist son over to the cause of independence. But William remained loyal to the crown. The New Jersey Assembly ordered the Governor held under house arrest at Proprietary House in January 1776 and removed him for trial in June of the same year."</ref>

[[Perth Amboy City Hall]] was first built as a court house for Middlesex County in 1714, having been designated as the county seat the previous year. The building was later used as the home of the East Jersey Provincial Assembly. The building was destroyed by a major fire in 1731 and rebuilt in 1745. Another fire was deliberately set in 1764, forcing a rebuilding that was completed in 1767.<ref>[https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/c66b5230-abc7-44fb-b6f6-cb398e568875 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form for Perth Amboy City Hall], [[National Park Service]], received November 1980. Accessed December 18, 2019. "The Perth Amboy City Hall, believed to be the oldest municipal office still in use in the United States and constructed during the years 1713-1714, began its existence as a combination jail and court house. It was built in response to Perth Amboy's designation in 1713 by the Provincial Assembly (Legislature) of New Jersey as the location for the Middlesex County Court House and Jail. City Hall also became the meeting place of the Provincial Assembly when it sat in East Jersey (since Perth Amboy was its capital) and the site wherein New Jersey's Royal Governors were inaugurated. As such, City Hall was a seat of 'state' government at this time."</ref> It is the oldest city hall in continuous use in the United States.<ref>Martin, Antoinette. [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/18/realestate/in-the-region-new-jersey-new-urbanism-is-driving-a-big-waterfront-project.html "In the Region/New Jersey; 'New Urbanism' Is Driving a Big Waterfront Project"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', April 18, 2004. Accessed November 28, 2011. "Perth Amboy is home to the only official Royal Governor's Palace still intact from colonial days, a mansion built for Governor William Franklin, the son of Benjamin Franklin, who moved into the house in 1774. Perth Amboy is also home to the oldest City Hall in continuous use in the United States."</ref><ref name= CofPA>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110713143234/http://ci.perthamboy.nj.us/the-history-of-perth-amboy.html The History of Perth Amboy], City of Perth Amboy, backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of July 13, 2011. Accessed December 18, 2019. "Perth Amboy is also home to the oldest City Hall in continuous use in the United States, built during 1714-1717 or 1718, to serve as the County courthouse and jail."</ref> On November 20, 1789, City Hall was the site where the [[New Jersey General Assembly]] met to ratify the [[United States Bill of Rights|Bill of Rights]], becoming the first state in the nation to do so.<ref>Russell, Suzanne. [https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/middlesex-county/2014/11/11/perth-amboy-re-enacts-signing-bill-rights/18879407/ "Veterans Day Celebration"], ''[[Courier News]]'', November 11, 2014. Accessed December 18, 2019. "In 1789 Perth Amboy was the capital of New Jersey. Members of the General Assembly of New Jersey met in the courthouse, now part of City Hall, to ratify the Bill of Rights. William Livingston was governor of New Jersey at that time and on Nov. 20, 1789 the Bill of Rights was ratified in Perth Amboy, officials said. The document became a part of the Constitution on Dec. 10, 1791."</ref>

[[File:George Washington by Nels N. Alling, Market Square, Perth Amboy, NJ.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Statue of George Washington (Perth Amboy, New Jersey)|''George Washington'']] by [[Nels N. Alling]]]]
Market Square, located across from City Hall, is a park that had been an outdoor marketplace during the Colonial era. Market Square includes a replica of the Liberty Bell, a [[Statue of George Washington (Perth Amboy, New Jersey)|statue of George Washington]], and the Bill of Rights Arch, which commemorates the fact that New Jersey was the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights.<ref>[ftp://www.njleg.state.nj.us/20162017/AR/63_I1.HTM Assembly Resolution No. 63 State of New Jersey 217th Legislature]{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed December 18, 2019. "Whereas, It was in Perth Amboy City Hall that the State of New Jersey became the first state in the country to ratify the Bill of Rights on November 20, 1789, and this event is commemorated by the Bill of Rights Arch, located in Market Square Park; and Whereas, Market Square Park, commonly referred to as City Hall Park or City Hall Circle, celebrates and stands as a monument to the City of Perth Amboy’s historical significance, and contains the Bill of Rights Arch and an exact replica of the Liberty Bell"</ref>

[[St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Perth Amboy, New Jersey)|St. Peter's Church]], which held its first service in 1685 and received a royal charter in 1718, has been recognized as the first [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] congregation in the state. Its current building, dating from the 1850s, is surrounded by a graveyard of early inhabitants and displays a collection of stained-glass windows with religious scenes as well as early depictions of New Jersey receiving her charter and a meeting between William Franklin and his father, Ben.<ref>[https://www.stpetersepiscopal.com/history History], [[St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Perth Amboy, New Jersey)|St. Peter's Church]]. Accessed December 18, 2019. "St. Peter’s is proud to be the oldest Episcopal parish in New Jersey. Historic records show that the first service was held in 1685. Our first rector arrived from England in 1698. In our history we have had twenty-six rectors, only four since 1914. Our royal charter was received in 1718, the same year as the city of Perth Amboy received its charter."</ref>

Perth Amboy was New Jersey's primary inbound port for African slaves.<ref>[https://www.salon.com/2015/07/29/secret_history_of_a_northern_slave_state_how_slavery_was_written_into_new_jerseys_dna/ Secret History of a Northern Slave State] Retrieved March 28, 2020</ref>

The [[Kearny Cottage]] is a remaining example of 18th-century vernacular architecture. Operated as a [[historic house museum]] and operated by the Kearny Cottage Historical Society. Built in 1781 on High Street, the house was moved to Sadowski Parkway in the 1920s, and was later relocated to its current site at 63 Catalpa Avenue, just inland from the mouth of the Raritan River.<ref>[https://njht.org/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/kearnycottage.html Kearny Cottage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219045415/https://njht.org/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/kearnycottage.html |date=December 19, 2019 }}, [[New Jersey Historic Trust]]. Accessed December 18, 2019. "Constructed in 1781, Kearny Cottage is a rare surviving example of an eighteenth- century vernacular residence in urban Perth Amboy. Once home to the successful and influential Kearney family, the cottage has since served as Perth Amboy's sole museum and repository for local historical memorabilia since the 1920s."</ref><ref>[http://www.kearnycottage.org Home Page], [[Kearny Cottage]]. Accessed December 18, 2019. "Built in 1781, the four-room cottage is a museum operated by Kearny Cottage Historical Society and serves as a repository for many items donated by citizens of Perth Amboy reflecting the maritime history of its owners and the city."</ref>

During the colonial period and for a significant time thereafter, Perth Amboy was an important way-station for travelers between [[New York City]] and [[Philadelphia]], as it was the site of a ferry that crossed the [[Arthur Kill]] to [[Tottenville, Staten Island]]. The first ferry operated in 1684 and regular service began operating in 1709. This ferry became less important when the [[Outerbridge Crossing]] opened in 1928, but continued to operate until 1963.<ref>[https://www.silive.com/timecapsule/2016/10/vintage_week_photos_of_ferries.html "Staten Island Ferry facts and vintage photos"], ''[[Staten Island Advance]]'', October 21, 2016, updated January 3, 2019. Accessed December 18, 2019. "The Perth Amboy Ferry slip, located on Arthur Kill Road, was once a vital slip for vessels entering and exiting New York Harbor -- ferry service dates back to 1684, with regular service beginning in 1709. It was operational until 1963.... It became less important with the opening of the Outerbridge Crossing in 1928."</ref> In 1998, the [[Perth Amboy Ferry Slip]] was restored to its 1904 appearance.<ref>Laub, Donald. [http://www.nypl.org/blog/2008/02/07/new-jersey-side-tottenville-ferry "New Jersey Side of the Tottenville Ferry"], [[New York Public Library]], February 7, 2008. Accessed August 18, 2013.</ref> A replica of the ticket office has been constructed and is used as a small museum.<ref name=CofPA/><ref name="Perth Amboy">[https://web.archive.org/web/20081121093359/http://www.raritanmillstone.org/guidebook/perth_amboy.htm#ferryslip Perth Amboy Tottenville Ferry Slip HS], Raritan-Millstone Heritage Alliance, backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of November 21, 2008. Accessed April 9, 2015.</ref>

On March 31, 1870, [[Thomas Mundy Peterson]] became the first African-American in the United States to vote in an election under the recently enacted provisions of the [[Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution]].<ref>Ginxburg, Ralph. [https://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/15/nyregion/perth-amboy-church-is-302-and-counting.html "Perth Amboy Church Is 302 And Counting"], ''[[The New York Times]]'' February 15, 1987. Accessed December 18, 2019. "The first black man to vote in America, Thomas Mundy Peterson, was a member of St. Peter's and is buried in its graveyard. He voted in the Perth Amboy mayoral election of March 31, 1870, one day after adoption of the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution."</ref> Peterson voted in an election to update the Perth Amboy city charter.<ref>[https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/5614 "Thomas Peterson Casts the First Vote"], [[University of Richmond]]. Accessed December 18, 2019. "The first African American to take advantage of the new right to vote was Thomas Mundy Peterson. Peterson cast his historic vote on March 31, 1870. The iconic vote was cast in a local election in Perth Amboy, New Jersey for the town’s charter. Gary Sullivan of the ''News Tribune'' stated, 'Exercising his right to vote in a local election on March 31, 1870. Peterson became the first black man in the United States to cast a ballot. The amendment had been ratified on February 3, 1870, and within just two months the Fifteenth Amendment was put to use.'"</ref>