About This Place
Elizabethtown Point, located at the southern end of Elizabeth where the Elizabeth River meets the Arthur Kill, was the colonial-era landing and ferry crossing that connected Elizabethtown to Staten Island and the wider Atlantic world. The area is now occupied by the Elizabeth Marina and surrounding waterfront.
Revolutionary Significance
Elizabethtown Point was the commercial and strategic heart of colonial Elizabethtown. The ferry to Staten Island operated from this location, and it was the primary point of embarkation for travelers heading to New York. During the Revolution, the Point became one of the most dangerous places in the town. British forces on Staten Island could observe activity at the Point, and raiding parties frequently crossed the Arthur Kill to attack the landing and surrounding area.
It was at Elizabethtown Point that Reverend James Caldwell was shot and killed by Continental sentry James Morgan on November 24, 1781. George Washington landed at the Point on April 23, 1789, arriving by barge from the New Jersey shore en route to his inaugural ceremony in New York City. These events made the Point a site of both tragedy and celebration in Elizabethtown's history.
Location
Elizabeth Marina, Elizabeth, NJ 07206
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Events at This Location
1664
1765
Elias Boudinot
1774
Abraham Clark
1775
James Caldwell, William Livingston
1776
James Caldwell, Hannah Caldwell
1776
William Livingston, Cornelius Hetfield Jr.
1777
Elias Boudinot
1777
Cornelius Hetfield Jr.
1779
Shepard Kollock, James Caldwell, Hannah Caldwell
1780
William Livingston
1780
James Caldwell, Hannah Caldwell
1780
Hannah Caldwell, James Caldwell, Shepard Kollock
1780
Hannah Caldwell, James Caldwell
1780
James Caldwell, Hannah Caldwell
1781
James Caldwell, Hannah Caldwell
1789
Elias Boudinot, William Livingston