Everything Edison is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Edison.
At his Menlo Park laboratory, Thomas Edison invented the practical incandescent light bulb and the phonograph, earning the nickname the Wizard of Menlo Park.
Bell Labs in Murray Hill produced some of the 20th century's most important inventions, including the transistor, the laser, and Unix.
The Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778 was one of the largest battles of the Revolution and gave rise to the legend of Molly Pitcher.
On January 3, 1777, Washington's forces defeated British troops at Princeton, completing the Ten Crucial Days that revived the Revolution.
Princeton University, founded in 1746, housed the Continental Congress in Nassau Hall in 1783, briefly making it the capital of the United States.
The Continental Army's winter encampment at Morristown in 1779-1780 was harder than Valley Forge, with record snowfall and near-mutiny.
Give me your tired your poor. 305 feet of copper freedom since 1886.
The Coney Island hot dog stand that started it all in 1916. Home of the July 4th eating contest. Mustard not ketchup.
One man hand-cutting basil and drizzling olive oil on every pizza since 1965 in Brooklyn.
Nathan's hot dogs the Cyclone roller coaster and the boardwalk. Old-school NYC summer.
71 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Step into Willow Grove Cemetery, where New Brunswick's past whispers from beneath the headstones. This seemingly quiet place holds stories of lives lived, lost, and legacies left behind. Originally a burial ground for…
At his Menlo Park laboratory, Thomas Edison invented the practical incandescent light bulb and the phonograph, earning the nickname the Wizard of Menlo Park.
Imagine a world lit only by candles and gaslight. This spot marks where all that changed forever. Here, in Menlo Park, Thomas Alva Edison established his famous laboratory in 1876. For six intense years, Edison and his…
You're passing the only proprietary governor's mansion from the original Thirteen Colonies still standing! It's called Proprietary House. Construction started in 1762 and wrapped up in 1764. Initially, it wasn't even…
Imagine a last-ditch effort to avoid war, right here on Staten Island. In 1776, as the Revolutionary War raged, representatives of the British Crown and the American colonies met at the Conference House, then owned by…
That lonely sentinel out on Raritan Bay? That's the Great Beds Light, and it's more than just a pretty picture. It's a symbol of resilience. The Great Beds Light Station was built to mark a large shoal, known as the…
You're about to cross a bridge that's seen more history than most towns! The Old Stone Arch Bridge, right here in Bound Brook, is the oldest bridge in New Jersey. Built around 1731, this sturdy stone structure spans the…
Imagine coming face-to-face with a British General during the Revolutionary War! That's exactly what happened right here. After the Battle of the Short Hills in 1777, British General Charles Cornwallis stopped at the…
Get ready for a chilling tale – this is the Kreischer House, a place synonymous with tragedy and whispers of the paranormal. Built in the 1880s, it was intended as a symbol of success for the Kreischer family, German…
Step back in time – you're near the Robinson Plantation House, a rare survivor from New Jersey's colonial beginnings. Built around 1690, this house was home to Dr. William Robinson, the first official landowner in what…
Imagine General George Washington himself standing right here. This unassuming patch of New Jersey was strategically vital during the Revolutionary War. Twice, in the spring of 1777 and then again for a longer period…
Pull over and step back in time! This is the Merchants and Drovers Tavern, a spot that's seen centuries of travelers pass through. Built in phases around 1795 and 1818, it first opened its doors as an inn around 1798.…
Pull over here for a second – this old building has seen a *lot*. Built in 1737, the Stage House Inn has been a landmark in Scotch Plains for nearly three centuries. Back in the day, this was a key stop on the Old York…
Pull over here in Millstone, it was once the bustling heart of Somerset County. Back then, it was known as Somerset Courthouse, and it served as the county seat. Important decisions were made right here. But things…
Pull over for a second and imagine a Staten Island far removed from the city – a place of sprawling farms and elegant estates. This is the Seguine Mansion, a window into that bygone era. Joseph H. Seguine built this…
Bell Labs in Murray Hill produced some of the 20th century's most important inventions, including the transistor, the laser, and Unix.
Imagine George Washington pacing these very floors, wrestling with the fate of a nation! This is the Wallace House, and it was Washington's headquarters during the second Middlebrook encampment. From 1778 to 1779,…
Right over there, a discovery was made that helped prove the Big Bang theory! In 1965, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were using the Holmdel Horn Antenna for radio astronomy research at Bell Labs. They were trying to…
Pull over here for a sec; this old house has stories etched into its very foundation. It's the Jacob Vosseller House, built around 1753. For a long time, it wasn't just a house. It was Castner's Tavern, and later…
Pull over here for a second. This spot, the Bridgepoint Historic District, was once a bustling agricultural hub. From about 1730 to 1850, this area thrived on agriculture and commerce. Farmers brought their goods here…
Step inside what was once believed to be the oldest schoolhouse in the United States, a testament to early education. This unassuming clapboard house in Historic Richmond Town was once thought to be the Voorlezer's…
Founded in 1708, St. Andrew's Church has witnessed centuries of Staten Island history. The congregation was established way back in 1708. They built their first church between 1708 and 1712, then expanded it around…
This isn't just another building; it's a place of healing and honor, dedicated to those who served our country. The Lyons VA Medical Center opened its doors in 1930, becoming a crucial part of the VA New Jersey Health…
Get ready to drive past golf history! Baltusrol Golf Club has hosted some of the sport's most memorable moments. Founded in 1895, Baltusrol quickly became a premier golfing destination. Its two courses, both designed by…
Imagine life in New Jersey before the United States even existed! That's what the Holmes–Hendrickson House represents. Built around 1754, this farmhouse offers a tangible connection to the pre-Revolutionary era. The…
Imagine life before tractors and supermarkets. That's what you'll find at Longstreet Farm. This farm, whose farmhouse was built between 1790 and 1810, shows what farm life was like in Monmouth County in the mid-19th…
Get ready to be transported back to the roaring twenties! This spot, the Ritz Theatre, was once *the* place to be in Elizabeth. Built in 1926 on the site of an older opera house, the Ritz was designed by architect Fred…
Look up! That Art Deco tower piercing the Elizabeth skyline? It's Hersch Tower, a symbol of ambition built during the Great Depression. In 1931, local businessman Louis Hersh commissioned Nathan Myers and Joseph Shanley…
Elizabeth, New Jersey, owes its existence to geography and a bit of historical luck. Situated on the Arthur Kill, a narrow tidal strait separating New Jersey from Staten Island, it offered a sheltered harbor close to…
Stand here a moment and imagine the clatter of steam engines and the bustle of passengers eager to reach their destinations. This disused station is a relic of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. Built in 1893, this…
Step back in time at Liberty Hall, home to New Jersey's first governor and a gathering place for influential figures throughout history. William Livingston, the first governor of New Jersey, built this fourteen-room…
Get ready to be amazed by the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex! This seemingly ordinary office park was once a hotbed of innovation, a place where technological miracles were practically an everyday occurrence. Between 1962…
Once the largest and most costly municipal tuberculosis hospital in the US, this complex has a fascinating and somewhat eerie history. Seaview Hospital was built between 1905 and 1938 to combat the devastating…
This unassuming lighthouse was once crucial for navigating ships through the tricky waters just off Staten Island. Back in 1852, Congress approved funds to build the New Dorp Light. It was finished in 1856 by Richard…
Pull over a second, you're passing a real piece of New Jersey history! This is the Woodruff House, built way back in 1735. It’s a tangible link to the lives of early settlers in this area. The Woodruff family were among…
The Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778 was one of the largest battles of the Revolution and gave rise to the legend of Molly Pitcher.
Imagine this quiet field filled with the chaos of battle – this is Monmouth Battlefield, where a key turning point in the Revolutionary War unfolded. On a sweltering day in 1778, General George Washington's Continental…
Did you know Princeton almost had a women's college way back when? It was called Evelyn College, and it was right here in Mercer County. Evelyn College was founded in 1887 as a coordinate college to Princeton…
Ever wonder what secrets these old walls could tell? This is the Seabrook-Wilson House, also known as the Spy House, and it's got a past steeped in local lore.Built sometime before 1720, the house sits overlooking…
If houses could talk, this one would whisper tales of Staten Island's evolution. The Scott-Edwards House, right here in West New Brighton, is a fascinating blend of architectural styles, a visual timeline frozen in…
Founded way back in 1660, this spot has been a center of community on Staten Island for centuries. It's more than just a building; it's a living timeline. This Reformed Church's story really starts with the early Dutch…
Princeton University, founded in 1746, housed the Continental Congress in Nassau Hall in 1783, briefly making it the capital of the United States.
Imagine this: you're standing where the fate of a new nation was briefly decided. This is Nassau Hall, the oldest building at Princeton University, and for four months in 1783, it served as the United States Capitol.…
Pull over here for a second - this spot is older than the United States itself! The Nassau Inn first opened its doors way back in 1769 in a house that was already over a decade old. During the American Revolution, the…
Imagine holding a piece of history that spans millennia – that’s essentially what the Princeton University Art Museum offers. The museum's collection began modestly in 1755, growing slowly until it was formally…
Imagine relaxing on these grounds after leading a nation! Westland Mansion was the retirement home of Grover Cleveland, the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms. After losing his bid for reelection in…
Believe it or not, this unassuming spot was once the center of Princeton's ice trade! Back in 1884, the Princeton Ice Company dammed up some farmland right here. They created a pond to harvest ice during the winter…
Imagine sharing a meal where Albert Einstein once pondered the universe! The Peacock Inn in Princeton, dating back to the 18th century, has a rich history far beyond its elegant dining room. Originally located near…
This very spot witnessed a turning point in the Revolutionary War. On January 3, 1777, General George Washington led his troops to a crucial victory here at the Battle of Princeton. After a daring night march,…
Right here, near Scotch Plains and Edison, New Jersey, a small but crucial battle helped save the Continental Army from disaster. In June of 1777, British General Howe marched his troops into central New Jersey, hoping…
Imagine one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, pacing back and forth in a modest house, wrestling with the secrets of the universe. That's exactly what happened at 112 Mercer Street. Albert Einstein, already a…
Pull over for a second – this unassuming fieldstone house has a surprisingly rebellious past. Built around 1722, it started as a simple one-room cottage. Fast forward to the American Revolution. This quiet house became…
On January 3, 1777, Washington's forces defeated British troops at Princeton, completing the Ten Crucial Days that revived the Revolution.
Imagine a safe harbor for sailors, built with a pirate's fortune! That's Sailors' Snug Harbor. Captain Robert Richard Randall, a privateer's son, left his estate in 1801 to build a home for aged, decrepit, and worn-out…
Ever wonder where commercial aviation really took off in the United States? It was right here at Newark Metropolitan Airport, the nation's first major airport.Opened in 1928, Newark Metropolitan quickly became a hub for…
Imagine a time when this land was brand new, claimed but not yet tamed. That's the era of the Stone House by the Stone House Brook, one of the oldest buildings still standing in New Jersey. Built before 1680, this house…
Imagine stepping back in time to the elegance of early 20th-century Staten Island. Casa Belvedere stands as a testament to Italian culture and refined architecture. Built in 1908, this mansion, originally the Louis A.…
Imagine standing on the very ground where the fate of the American Revolution hung in the balance. On January 3rd, 1777, General George Washington led his troops here against British forces in the Battle of Princeton.…
Imagine a humble cottage hosting two giants: a revolutionary fighting for Italy's freedom and an inventor tinkering with a device that would connect the world. This is the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum on Staten Island.…
Imagine the harsh conditions faced by Continental Army soldiers as you stand on the site where the New Jersey Brigade encamped during the Revolutionary War. During the winter of 1779-1780, approximately 1,300 men of the…
Right up ahead, you're near a place that was once a doorway to another world: the Stanley Theater. For decades, this building offered Newark residents an escape into the magic of the movies. Opened on May 26, 1927, the…
This VA hospital complex has been serving veterans since 1952. It was built to provide medical care and support to veterans, particularly those returning from World War II and the Korean War. Over the years, it has…
Ever wonder about the grand estates that once dotted Newark? You're near the former site of Glencoe, also known as the Coe Mansion. Built in 1871, Glencoe was a significant example of late 19th-century architecture in…
Imagine enduring a winter so brutal it's still talked about today. That's what Continental Army soldiers faced right here at Jockey Hollow. During the Revolutionary War, Jockey Hollow served as a winter encampment for…
Pull over for a second, and picture this: a grand theater, once known as The Mosque, buzzing with music and life. Newark Symphony Hall was built in 1925, quickly becoming a cultural hub. For years, this was home to the…
Imagine a time when Black doctors struggled to find places to treat their patients. That's why this spot is so important. Dr. John A. Kenney Sr. founded Kenney Memorial Hospital right here in 1927. It was located at 130…
These weathered stones whisper tales of a community often overlooked: the African Americans of Lamington. This small cemetery, also known as the Cowperthwaite African American Cemetery, offers a glimpse into their lives…
Believe it or not, this area was once dominated by varnish! In 1865, Franklin Murphy founded Murphy Varnish Works, which became the largest varnish producer in Newark. Murphy himself went on to become a New Jersey…
The Continental Army's winter encampment at Morristown in 1779-1780 was harder than Valley Forge, with record snowfall and near-mutiny.
Did you know this unassuming corner holds a story of faith, resilience, and community? St. James' A.M.E. Church, originally built in 1850, has been a landmark here for over a century. Designed by architect John Welch,…
Did you know this area was once home to the oldest social organization in New Jersey? The Newark Female Charitable Society, later known as the Newark Day Center, was founded by prominent women of Newark in 1803. These…