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75-783: The New Jersey Pine Barrens , also known as the Pinelands or simply the Pines , is the largest remaining example of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecosystem, stretching across more than seven counties of New Jersey . Two other large, contiguous examples of this ecosystem remain in the northeastern United States : the Long Island Central Pine Barrens and the Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens . The name pine barrens refers to

150-510: A Swedish admiral from Finland. Blommaert assisted the fitting-out and appointed Peter Minuit (the former Governor of New Netherland ) to lead the expedition. The expedition sailed into Delaware Bay aboard the Fogel Grip and Kalmar Nyckel ; territory that was claimed by the Dutch. They passed Cape May and Cape Henlopen in late March 1638 and anchored on March 29 at a rocky point on

225-736: A Swedish log blockhouse located on Society Hill in Philadelphia in 1669. It was later used as a church until about 1700, when Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church of Philadelphia was built on the site. The start of the Third Anglo-Dutch War resulted in the Dutch recapture of New Netherland in August 1673. They restored the status which predated the English capture, and codified it in the establishment of three counties: Hoarkill County , New Amstel County , and Upland County, which

300-877: A disjunct area with three remaining large, contiguous areas including, the largest, the New Jersey Pine Barrens on the coastal plain of New Jersey , the rapidly diminishing forests of southern Long Island in New York State , and the Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens which stretches from Plymouth, Massachusetts in Southeastern Massachusetts to Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket . The pine barrens are underlain by sandy, nutrient-poor soils, which typically support stunted forests dominated by pines ( Pinus spp.). The distinct flora of this ecoregion

375-447: A fire. The prevalence of forest fire allows the pitch pines to dominate over oaks, which by comparison are usually killed outright by a moderate or intense fire. High air temperatures and dry plant undergrowth contribute to the intensity of the fire. While uncommon, severe fires at fairly frequent intervals can eliminate species that do not bear seed at an early age. Efforts to battle forest fire attract debate over how to best preserve

450-776: A member of the Königsmarck family, attempted to instigate a rebellion against the British to return New Sweden to Swedish rule. The rebellion, known as the Revolt of the Long Swede due to Jacobsson's height, failed. Jacobsson was sold into slavery in the Caribbean and the families that had supported him were fined for their participation in the revolt. New Sweden continued to exist unofficially, and some immigration and expansion continued. The first settlement at Wicaco began with

525-583: A microclimate that allows for a shorter frost-free season, and colder nighttime temperatures compared to most of New Jersey. Because of sandy soil and very little development, clear and calm nights can get much colder in the Pine Barrens than in the surrounding areas. On an average night, a 6 to 8 °F (3.3 to 4.4 °C) difference is commonly seen, but the change can be as much as 10 °F (5.6 °C). The Pine Barrens receives annual snowfall, varying from 15 to 21 inches (380 to 530 mm) throughout

600-469: A new governor was selected and arrived from Sweden two years later. The colony expanded along the river under the leadership of Johan Björnsson Printz , governor from 1643 to 1653. They established Fort Nya Elfsborg on the east bank of the Delaware near what is now Salem, New Jersey , and Fort Nya Gothenborg on Tinicum Island . Printz built his manor house, The Printzhof , at Fort Nya Gothenborg, and

675-456: A permanent agriculture population (whose main interest would have been to establish permanent boundaries and clear the forests for fields). The area's sparse population encouraged a long-lasting attitude that forest fires should be set for local benefit—even on the lands of others. For instance, it was profitable for charcoal burners to set fires deliberately, in order to make the trees useless for any purpose other than charcoal making, then purchase

750-529: A proprietary colony, separate from the projected colony of New York . The invasion began on August 29, 1664, with the capture of New Amsterdam and ended with the capture of Fort Casimir in October. This took place at the beginning of the Second Anglo-Dutch War . In 1669, New Sweden was under British rule, but most of the population was still Swedish. A man named Marcus Jacobsson, posing as

825-533: A state historic site. The Pine Barrens were home to many rural, backwoods families. For years, residents of the rural area were called " Pineys " by outsiders, as a derogatory term. Today many Pinelands residents are proud of both the name and the land on which they live. In the early 20th century, a family identified in a case study by the pseudonym, the Kallikaks , were presented as an example of genetic inferiority by eugenicists . Today, scholars understand that

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900-531: Is also present, but not as abundant. In the southern regions of the New Jersey Pine Barrens , loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) and pond pine ( Pinus serotina ) are present and fairly commonly encountered. A variety of oaks grow among the pines, including black ( Quercus velutina ), white ( Quercus alba ), post ( Quercus stellata ), chestnut ( Quercus prinus ), scarlet ( Quercus coccinea ), and blackjack ( Quercus marilandica ). These forests tend to be open with widely spaced trees and plenty of sunlight reaching

975-586: Is maintained by the poor soils and frequent fires which revive the pines; surrounding areas with better soils are part of the Middle Atlantic coastal forests and Northeastern coastal forests ecoregions. This ecoregion has a humid subtropical climate in Delaware , New Jersey , and Long Island, New York , and a humid continental climate in Massachusetts . The composition of the flora of

1050-510: Is now Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Lenape sachem Mattahoon later claimed that the purchase only included as much land as was contained within an area marked by "six trees", and the rest of the land occupied by the Swedes was stolen. The Director of New Netherland, Willem Kieft , objected to the Swedish presence, but Minuit ignored him since he knew that the Dutch were militarily weak at

1125-647: Is one of the few settlements in the area retaining a Swedish name, and Upland survives as Upland, Pennsylvania . Swedesford Road is still found in Chester and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania, although Swedesford has long since become Norristown . Swedeland, Pennsylvania , is part of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County . The American Swedish Historical Museum in South Philadelphia houses many exhibits, documents, and artifacts from

1200-551: Is one of the oldest surviving log houses in the United States. The settlers came from all over the Swedish realm. The percentage of Finns in New Sweden grew especially towards the end of the period of colonization. Finns composed 22 percent of the population during Swedish rule, and rose to about 50 percent after the colony came under Dutch rule. A contingent of 140 Finns arrived in 1664. The ship Mercurius sailed to

1275-765: The Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Reservation in Massachusetts . These areas are now well conserved. New Sweden New Sweden ( Swedish : Nya Sverige ) was a colony of the Swedish Empire along the lower reaches of the Delaware River between 1638 and 1655 in present-day Delaware , Maryland , New Jersey , and Pennsylvania in the United States . Established during the Thirty Years' War when Sweden

1350-650: The Maurice and the Great Egg Harbor . John McPhee 's 1967 book The Pine Barrens focuses on the history and ecology of the region. Between 170–200 million years ago, the Atlantic coastal plain began to form. The Barrens formed in the southernmost and newest land area in New Jersey 1.8 to 65 million years ago, during the Tertiary era. Over millions of years, the rising and falling of

1425-512: The New World and building successful trading empires at this time. The Swedes sought to expand their influence by creating their own tobacco plantation and fur-trading colony to circumvent French, English and Dutch merchants. The Swedish South Company (also known as the Company of New-Sweden) was founded in 1626 with a mandate to establish colonies between Florida and Newfoundland for

1500-896: The Pinelands National Reserve (the nation's first National Reserve) to preserve its ecology. A decade later, it was designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve . Development in the Pinelands National Reserve is strictly controlled by an independent state/federal agency, the New Jersey Pinelands Commission . The Pinelands Reserve contains the Wharton , Brendan T. Byrne (formerly Lebanon), Penn , and Bass River state forests. The reserve also includes two National Wild and Scenic Rivers :

1575-604: The Second Northern War and incorporated into the Dutch colony of New Netherland . By the middle of the 17th century, Sweden had reached its greatest territorial extent and was one of the great powers of Europe; it was the stormaktstiden ("age of greatness" or "great power period"). Sweden then included Finland and Estonia , along with parts of modern Russia , Poland , Germany , Norway and Latvia under King Gustavus Adolphus and later Queen Christina . Other European nations were establishing colonies in

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1650-536: The bobcat gained legal protection in 1972. It is classified as a game species with a closed season; in 1991 it was added to the list of endangered species in New Jersey. Between 1978 and 1982, the state introduced 24 bobcats from Maine into the northern portion of the state. Since 1996, they have been monitored by biologists with the aid of GPS transmitters in order to determine habitat ranges and preferences. A scent-post survey in 1995 proved bobcat presence in four northern counties. There have been reliable sightings of

1725-497: The cedar , oak , and pitch trees, as well as local tar and turpentine. The first sawmills and gristmills opened around 1700, leading to the first European settlements in the Pinelands. During the colonial era, the Pine Barrens was the location of various industries. In 1740, charcoal operations began in the Pine Barrens, and the first iron furnace opened in 1765. Bog iron was mined from bogs, streams, and waterways, and

1800-775: The Americas was founded Brotherton in 1758, in what is now Indian Mills in Shamong Township . On October 6, 1778 during the American Revolutionary War , 400 British troops under Patrick Ferguson fought an American force under Casimir Pulaski at the Battle of Chestnut Neck before burning several local buildings. In 1799, the first glassworks opened in Port Elizabeth, and by that time, whaling operations had stopped. The first cotton mill in

1875-436: The Dutch plundered houses and killed livestock in the vicinity of the fort. New Sweden was formally incorporated into New Netherland although the Swedish and Finnish settlers were allowed local autonomy. They retained their own militia, religion, court, and lands. This lasted until the English conquest of New Netherland, launched on June 24, 1664. The Duke of York sold New Jersey to John Berkeley and George Carteret to become

1950-555: The Minquas Kill that is known today as Swedes' Landing . They built a fort at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek which they named Fort Christina after their Queen. In the following years, the area was settled by roughly 600 Swedes and Finns , a number of Dutchmen, a few Germans, a Dane, and at least one Estonian . Minuit served as the first governor of the colony of New Sweden. He had been

2025-595: The NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, including the rare eastern timber rattlesnakes ( Crotalus horridus ) and bald eagles . A threatened species of frog, the Pine Barrens tree frog , has a disjunct population there. American black bears are finding their way back into the Pine Barrens after a history of hunting and trapping had driven them out. Believed to have been extirpated from the state by 1970 due to destruction of its territory and human encroachment,

2100-577: The New Sweden colony. Perhaps the greatest contribution of New Sweden to the development of the New World is the log house building technique. The colonists of New Sweden brought with them the log cabin , which became such an icon of the American frontier that it is commonly thought of as an American structure. The C. A. Nothnagle Log House on Swedesboro-Paulsboro Road in Gibbstown, New Jersey ,

2175-422: The Pine Barrens opened in 1810 at Retreat . Cultivated cranberry bogs begin in the 1830s, and in 1832, the first paper mill opened in the region. In 1854, the first railroad across the Pinelands opened, connecting Camden and the newly-established Atlantic City . Railroads soon connected the various small towns that existed across the Pine Barrens. In 1869, the bog iron industry ended in the Pine Barrens, after

2250-437: The Pine Barrens. The region hosts more than 20 species of wild berries, including wild raisin , red chokeberry , highbush blueberry , huckleberry , bearberry , and cranberry. The forest communities are strongly influenced by fire, varying from dwarf pine forests less than 4 feet (120 cm) tall where fires are frequent, to pine forests, to oak forests where fires are rare. Dark swamps of Atlantic white cedar grow along

2325-592: The Pine Barrens. While fires constitute a danger to property and inhabitants, preservationists argue that eliminating forest fires would cause the Pine Barrens to become dominated by oak trees. A few areas which had previously consisted of scrub and pitch pine have become dominated by oak trees because of intervention after settlement to reduce the frequency of forest fires. The Pine Barrens is home to at least 39 species of mammals , over 300 species of birds, 59 reptile and amphibian species, and 91 fish species. At least 43 species are considered threatened and endangered by

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2400-590: The Pine Plains for many centuries, or millennia." Around 10,000 years ago, the ancestors of the Lenape people first inhabited the Pine Barrens. The fire regime before European settlement is poorly understood. Scholars know that the Lenape tribes burned the woods in the spring and fall to reduce underbrush, and improve plant yields and hunting conditions. The Pine Barrens, with its sandy soil, did not attract

2475-406: The Pinelands (the northern pinelands receive the most snowfall, on average). Summers are typically hot and humid, and winters are typically cold, and fall/spring are milder transition seasons. Frost can be seen in fall, spring, and winter. In the Pine Barrens, frost occurs earlier in the fall and later in the spring than the surrounding areas due to the sandy soil. The average annual precipitation in

2550-416: The Pinelands is from 42 to 46 inches (1,100 to 1,200 mm), but year-to-year precipitation varies greatly. Thunderstorms are frequent in the warmer months, along with strong winds and heavy rains from these storms. The Pine Barrens is home to at least 850 species of plants, of which 92 are considered threatened and endangered. Several species of orchidss , including the pink lady's slipper , are native to

2625-778: The Swedish colony prospered for a time. New Sweden established a strong trading relationship with the Susquehannock and supported them in their war against Maryland colonists. In 1651, the Dutch West India Company abandoned Fort Nassau and established Fort Casimir on the west side of the Delaware River a few miles south of Fort Christina. In May 1654, soldiers from New Sweden led by Governor Johan Risingh captured Fort Casimir and renamed it Fort Trinity ( Trefaldigheten in Swedish). In November 1654,

2700-450: The act are Atlantic , Burlington , Camden , Cape May , Cumberland , Gloucester and Ocean . The Pine Barrens comprise a major part of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion . Although natural fires have occurred, evidence shows that most fires in the region are of human origin. The Pine Barrens of New Jersey are in the transition zone between humid subtropical and humid continental climates . The Pine Barrens, however, have

2775-905: The area made the plan appealing. Congress created the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve , the country's first National Reserve, to protect the area under the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978. The surviving Medford office of Dr. James Still , the 19th century "Black Doctor of the Pines", was purchased for preservation by the State of New Jersey in 2006. Today it is the Dr. James Still Historic Office Site and Education Center. The reserve contains Wharton State Forest , Brendan T. Byrne State Forest , Bass River State Forest , and Penn State Forest . The Pinelands

2850-444: The area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil. Although European settlers could not cultivate their familiar crops there, the unique ecology of the Pine Barrens supports a diverse spectrum of plant life, including orchids and carnivorous plants . The area is also notable for its populations of rare pygmy pitch pines and other plant species that depend on the frequent fires of the Pine Barrens to reproduce. The sand that composes much of

2925-479: The area's soil is referred to by the locals as sugar sand . The Pine Barrens remains mostly rural and undisturbed despite its proximity to the sprawling metropolitan cities of Philadelphia and New York City , in the center of the very densely populated Boston-Washington Corridor on the Eastern Seaboard . The heavily traveled Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway traverse sections of

3000-549: The areas around Chatsworth, including Whitesbog. The first cultivated blueberries were developed in the Pine Barrens in 1916 through the work of Elizabeth White of Whitesbog, and blueberry farms are nearly as common as cranberry bogs in the area. Most blueberry farms are found in and around the town of Hammonton . 39°45′N 74°45′W  /  39.750°N 74.750°W  / 39.750; -74.750 Atlantic coastal pine barrens This ecoregion once stretched from North Carolina to Nova Scotia but now covers

3075-567: The assimilation of New Sweden into New York was the extension of the Duke's laws into the region on September 22, 1676. This was followed by the partition of some Upland Counties to conform to the borders of Pennsylvania and Delaware, with most of the Delaware portion going to New Castle County on November 12, 1678. The remainder of Upland continued in place under the same name. On June 21, 1680, New Castle and Hoarkill Counties were partitioned to produce St. Jones County. On March 4, 1681, what had been

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3150-419: The bobcat in nine additional (mostly southern) counties, including those encompassing large swathes of the Pine Barrens and others skirting it, namely: Atlantic , Burlington , Cape May , Cumberland , Ocean , and Salem counties. Industries in the Pine Barrens are primarily related to agriculture and tourism. New Jersey produces the third-highest number of cranberries in the country, mostly cultivated in

3225-403: The coastline deposited minerals underground, culminating with the end of the last ice age about 12,000 years ago, when plants and trees began growing in what is now New Jersey . Forest fires have been a common occurrence since before habitation by humans. Fire has played a major ecological role in the Pinelands, and the ecotypes "suggest that short fire intervals may have been typical in

3300-593: The colony in 1665, and 92 of the 106 passengers were listed as Finns. Memory of the early Finnish settlement lived on in place names near the Delaware River such as Finland (Marcus Hook), Torne, Lapland, Finns Point , Mullica Hill, and Mullica River. A portion of these Finns were known as Forest Finns , people of Finnish descent who had been living in the forest areas of Central Sweden. The Forest Finns had moved from Savonia in Eastern Finland to Dalarna , Bergslagen and other provinces in central Sweden during

3375-399: The colony of New Sweden was formally partitioned into the colonies of Delaware and Pennsylvania. The border was established 12 miles north of New Castle, and the northern limit of Pennsylvania was set at 42 degrees north latitude. The eastern limit was the border with New Jersey at the Delaware River, while the western limit was undefined. In June 1681, Upland ceased to exist as the result of

3450-643: The descendants of the early Swedish immigrants to New Sweden in the mid-18th century and documented their experiences with the Native American Indians who resided in those parts, in a book entitled Travels into North America . Historian H. Arnold Barton has suggested that the greatest significance of New Sweden was the strong and lasting interest in America that the colony generated in Sweden, although major Swedish immigration did not occur until

3525-467: The directors of the Dutch West India Company ordered the Director-General of New Netherland, Peter Stuyvesant , to "drive" the Swedes from the river. In the summer of 1655, Stuyvesant sailed to Delaware Bay with 7 ships and 317 soldiers and quickly retook Fort Casimir (Fort Trinity). Stuyvesant then proceeded to besiege Fort Christina which surrendered on September 15, 1655. During the siege,

3600-667: The discovery that iron ore could be mined more cheaply in Pennsylvania . Other industries such as paper mills, sawmills, and gristmills rose and fell throughout the years, catering chiefly to local markets. Smaller industries such as charcoal-making and glassmaking also were developed, meeting with varying degrees of success. Over time, however, the forest reclaimed almost all traces of the Pine Barrens' industrial past. Ghost towns —remnants of villages built around these former industries—can still be found at various locations. Batsto Village has been restored to its mid-19th century state as

3675-654: The east coast has become built up with housing, including vacation and retirement properties. Only about 10% of original habitat remains and is very fragmented. Blocks of remaining habitat include: the New Jersey Pine Barrens ; Albany Pine Bush and Long Island Central Pine Barrens in New York ; and the Massachusetts Coastal Pine Barrens with concentrations in Myles Standish State Forest , Manuel F. Correllus State Forest on Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod National Seashore and Joint Base Cape Cod and

3750-404: The eastern and southern Pine Barrens, respectively. The Pine Barrens territory helps recharge the 17-trillion-US-gallon (64-billion-cubic-metre) Kirkwood–Cohansey aquifer , containing some of the purest water in the United States. As a result of all these factors, in 1978, Congress passed legislation to designate 1.1 million acres (4,500 km; 1,700 sq mi) of the Pine Barrens as

3825-730: The facts in the Kallikaks study were misrepresented, including photographs altered to make the family members appear more backward. On July 12, 1928, the Mexican aviator and national hero Emilio Carranza crashed and was killed in Tabernacle, New Jersey , while returning from a historic goodwill flight from Mexico City to the United States. Flying back from Long Island, he encountered a thunderstorm and crashed in Burlington County . A 12 ft (3.6 m) monument identifies

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3900-513: The forest floor. The understory is thick with shrubs, including black huckleberry ( Gaylussacia baccata ) and early lowbush blueberry ( Vaccinium pallidum ). Staggerbrush ( Lyonia mariana ), dangleberry ( Gaylussacia frondosa ), mountain laurel ( Kalmia latifolia ), and sheep laurel ( Kalmia angustifolia ) also occur. Bracken fern ( Pteridium aquilinum ) is abundant. The only trees that can recover from frequent fires are pitch pine and blackjack oak, which are abundant here. Deprived of

3975-546: The ghost of the "Black Doctor", the ghost of Captain Kidd , the " Black Dog ", and various other ghosts, as well as folklore associated with the Blue Hole and other so-called "blue holes" in the Pine Barrens. The New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve contains approximately 1.1 million acres (4,500 km) of land, and occupies 22% of New Jersey's land area, including territory of much of seven counties. Counties affected by

4050-479: The lands bordering it. With rising environmental concerns at the time, people became alerted to the possible destruction of the Pine Barrens and its aquifer by urban sprawl . State authorities in the region discussed plans to construct a jetport and associated city in the Pine Barrens to alleviate congestion at other major regional airports of the Mid-Atlantic. The low cost of land and lower incidence of fog in

4125-848: The late 19th century. From 1870 to 1910, more than one million Swedes arrived in America, settling particularly in Minnesota and other states of the Upper Midwest . Traces of New Sweden persist in the lower Delaware valley, including Holy Trinity Church in Wilmington, Delaware , Gloria Dei Church and St. James Kingsessing Church in Philadelphia, Trinity Episcopal Church in Swedesboro, New Jersey , and Christ Church in Swedesburg, Pennsylvania . All of those churches are commonly known as "Old Swedes' Church". Christiana, Delaware ,

4200-428: The location of the crash. Despite rapid urbanization of surrounding areas, the Pine Barrens remained largely untouched because its sandy soil was unsuitable for growing most crops. Its iron and charcoal deposits did not compete with more readily accessible deposits elsewhere. In 1969, the Pine Barrens averaged a density of 15 inhabitants per square mile (5.8/km), compared with 1,000 inhabitants per square mile (390/km) in

4275-551: The moment. Minuit completed Fort Christina, then sailed for Stockholm to bring a second group of settlers. He made a detour to the Caribbean to pick up a shipment of tobacco to sell in Europe in order to make the voyage profitable; however, he died on this voyage during a hurricane at St. Christopher in the Caribbean. The official duties of the governor of New Sweden were carried out by Captain Måns Nilsson Kling , until

4350-752: The most abundant trees in the hardwood swamp forests. American holly ( Ilex opaca ), a broadleaf evergreen tree, is common. Pin oak ( Quercus palustris ), swamp white oak ( Quercus bicolor ), willow oak ( Quercus phellos ), tulip tree ( Liriodendron tulipifera ), sour gum, and sweet bay magnolia are associates. Poison ivy ( Toxicodendron radicans ) and Japanese honeysuckle ( Lonicera japonica ) are often abundant and grow in thickets. Shrubs include arrowwood ( Viburnum dentatum ), spicebush ( Lindera benzoin ), highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum ), sweet pepperbush ( Clethra alnifolia ), and swamp azalea. The region also contains areas of maritime grassland on Martha's Vineyard , Nantucket , and out at

4425-414: The opportunity to grow tall, these trees grow as shrubs that may only be 4 feet (120 cm) tall. Black huckleberry and early lowbush blueberry are again common here. Mountain laurel, sheep laurel, and bearberry ( Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ) are also common. Without fires, leaf litter accumulates, creating an environment that favors the establishment of oak seedlings instead of pine seedlings. In time,

4500-452: The pine barrens is largely determined by fire frequency. Pitch-pine-dominated forests are the characteristic forests of this ecoregion, but where fires occur at intervals of 10 years or less, dwarf pine forests develop. Where fires are infrequent, oak -dominated forests develop. In wetland areas grow cedar swamp forests and hardwood swamp forests. Pitch pine ( Pinus rigida ) is the most abundant tree here. Shortleaf pine ( Pinus echinata )

4575-474: The pines grow old, die, and are replaced by oaks ( Quercus spp.). The most common are black, scarlet, chestnut, white, and post oaks. Pitch and shortleaf pines are scattered among the oaks. The forest canopy tends to be closed. The understory vegetation is similar to that of the pine-dominated forest, with black huckleberry, early lowbush blueberry, and dangleberry common. Swamp forests dominated by Atlantic white cedar ( Chamaecyparis thyoides ) occur along

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4650-462: The purposes of trade, particularly along the Delaware River. Its charter included Swedish, Dutch, and German stockholders. The directors of the company included Flemish/Dutch merchant Samuel Blommaert . The company sponsored 11 expeditions in 14 separate voyages to Delaware between 1638 and 1655; two were lost. The first Swedish expedition to America sailed from the port of Gothenburg in late 1637, organized and overseen by Clas Larsson Fleming ,

4725-515: The reorganization of the Colony of Pennsylvania, with the Upland government becoming the government of Chester County, Pennsylvania. On August 24, 1682, the Duke of York transferred the western Delaware River region to William Penn, including Delaware, thus transferring Deale County and St. Jones County from New York to Delaware. St. Jones County was renamed Kent County , Deale County was renamed Sussex County , and New Castle County retained its name. Swedish explorer and botanist Pehr Kalm visited

4800-402: The third Director of New Netherland, and he knew that the Dutch claimed the area surrounding the Delaware River and its bay. The Dutch West India Company , however, had withdrawn its settlers from the area in order to concentrate on the settlement on Manhattan Island , leaving Fort Nassau on the east side of the Delaware River as the only Dutch outpost on the Delaware River. Minuit landed on

4875-404: The three counties which they created. After taking stock, the English declared on November 11 that settlements on the west side of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay were to be dependent on the Province of New York , including the three Counties. This declaration was followed by a declaration that renamed New Amstel as New Castle. The other counties retained their Dutch names. The next step in

4950-547: The tip of Long Island that are unique in the United States (see Conscience Point National Wildlife Refuge for an example). Wildlife adapted to this environment includes the Pine Barrens tree frog , Plymouth red-bellied turtle and the extinct heath hen . The beaches of these coasts are important breeding grounds for piping plovers (especially on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and Long Island) and roseate terns (especially on Bird Island ). The pine barrens ecosystems have been severely damaged by urban developments as

5025-429: The trees for a discount. During the 17th century, the area that is now New Jersey was explored and settled by the Swedish and Dutch , who developed whaling and fishing settlements mainly along the Delaware River. The English claimed the area as of 1606 under their London Company , and the Dutch abandoned their claim to the English in 1664. The first shipbuilding operations began in the Pine Barrens in 1688, utilizing

5100-724: The waterways of the pine barrens. The white cedars often grow from pools of standing water and, in contrast to the surrounding pine forests, considerably darken the understory. Amid the white cedars are red maple ( Acer rubrum ), sour gum ( Nyssa sylvatica ), pitch pine, and sweet bay magnolia ( Magnolia virginiana ). In openings and edges grow highbush blueberry, dangleberry, swamp azalea ( Rhododendron viscosum ), fetterbush ( Eubotrys racemosa ), and leatherleaf ( Chamaedaphne calyculata ). Sweet pepperbush ( Clethra alnifolia ), Sabatia kennedyana , inkberry ( Ilex glabra ), and winterberry ( Ilex verticillata ) are also present. Sweet gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ) and red maple are

5175-554: The waterways. Forest fires play an important role in regulating the growth of plants in the Pine Barrens. Frequent light fires tend to reduce the amount of undergrowth and promote the growth of mature trees. Forest fires have contributed to the dominance of pitch pine in the Pine Barrens. They can resist and recover quickly from fire by resprouting directly through their bark (something very unusual for pines) and frequent killing fires keep an area covered with small sprouts. Their serotinous pine cones open only after having been heated by

5250-406: The west bank of the river and met with the sachems of the Lenape and Susquehannock . They held a conclave in Minuit's cabin on the Kalmar Nyckel , and he persuaded the Lenape to sign deeds which he had prepared to resolve any issue with the Dutch. The Swedes claimed that the purchase included land on both sides of the South (Delaware) River from the Schuylkill River down to Delaware Bay in what

5325-419: Was a great power , New Sweden formed part of the Swedish efforts to colonize the Americas . Settlements were established on both sides of the Delaware River. Fort Christina , located in what is now Wilmington, Delaware , was the first settlement, named after Christina, Queen of Sweden . The settlers were Swedes , Finns , and a number of Dutch. New Sweden was conquered by the Dutch Republic in 1655 during

5400-646: Was designated a U.S. Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1983 and an International Biosphere Reserve in 1988. Howard P. Boyd was instrumental in working to preserve the Pine Barrens and educate visitors. He died in December 2011, within the Protection Area of the Pinelands National Reserve . The Pine Barrens gave rise to the legend of the Jersey Devil, said to have been born in 1735 to a local woman named Mrs. Leeds in an area known as Leeds Point . It

5475-462: Was later partitioned between New Castle County, Delaware, and the Colony of Pennsylvania. The three counties were created on September 12, 1673, the first two on the west shore of the Delaware River and the third on both sides of the river. The Treaty of Westminster of 1674 ended the second period of Dutch control and required them to return all of New Netherland to the English on June 29, including

5550-544: Was said that he was her 13th child and, because of the unlucky number, he was cursed. Another story says that the mother gave birth to a hideous monster that attacked her and her nurses, before flying up and out of the chimney and disappearing into the Barrens. The Devil is said to roam the Pine Barrens, with many sharing stories of encounters with the Devil during dark nights in the Pinelands. Pine Barrens folklore also includes

5625-886: Was worked in about 35 furnaces including Batsto , Lake Atsion , Hampton Furnace in Shamong , Hanover Furnace in Pemberton , Ferrago in Lacey , and several other locations. Iron from these early furnaces was instrumental in supplying the American military with weapons and camp tools during the American Revolution , the War of 1812 , and the Second Barbary War . For example, Commodore Stephen Decatur Jr. sailed to Algiers armed with 24-pound cannons that had been cast at Hanover in 1814. The first Indian reservation in

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