Month: April 2016

By Neil Gandhi, Fangling He, and Jarisha Olanday from Section 2

This seal was created by Dutch silversmith Jacob Boelen in 1704 as an official town seal for Marbletown, New York, used to stamp official documents. The head of the seal is made of official silver that is placed on top of a wooden handle. Engraved on the seal is the town’s coat of arms. The upper region of the coat of arms above the chevron, are two deer that symbolize the town’s hilly uplands and mountainous surroundings that served as hunting areas. Below the chevron are three sheaves of wheat that symbolize the surrounding fertile lowland that suited the cultivation of grains. Above the shield is a reversed engraving of “MARBLETOWN”. On the sides of the shield is a reversed engraving of the town’s motto “BE IVST(left)/ TO TRVST(right)”, or “Be Just To Trust”.

The seal is currently located in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically The Met Fifth Avenue. The seal was previously located in Kingston, New York and owned by Alphonso T. Clearwater since 1925. In cooperation with Marbletown, the seal was bequest by Clearwater to the Met in 1933.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art -The Met Fifth Avenue

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art -The Met Fifth Avenue 40.779238, -73.963004

The Story of the Seal

The seal tells us about two things: the story of its creator and the story of why it was created.

Jacob Boelen, the creator of the seal, is a notable Dutch silversmith who was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1645. He worked as a silversmith in New York City, NY from 1660 to his death. Many of his surviving works, like this seal, is exhibited today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University, and the Museum of the City of New York. His beautiful silver work range from spoons, various cups, teacups, tankards, and,  of course, this seal.

Marbletown, New York

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Marbletown, New York 41.884899, -74.113083

The seal was created in 1704, a year after Marbletown received its patent on June 25th, 1703. A group of Americans and Dutchmen applied for the patent and was granted by Col. Henry Beekman, Capt. Thomas Garton and Capt. Charles Brodhead in trust for the inhabitants.  After the city of Kingston (the first capital of NY, northeast of Marbletown) was burned by the British during the American Revolution in 1777, Marbletown briefly served as the states capital. The Town of Marbletown was officially formed in 1844, after regions of the land were used to form the Town of Olive(1823) and the Town of Rosendale(1844). Marbletown was heavily influenced by the Dutch which is evident through its architectural heritage and its districts (like Kripplebush – that is definitely Dutch!).

What does it tell us today?

The seal is still a great symbol of Marbletown, New York today. Much of the rural community is underdeveloped, leaving a scenic landscape of mountains and fertile land, just as the seal’s coat of arms still depicts. Marbletown retains its history and architectural heritage through a sprinkling of many historical zones across the region. Within Marbletown are four locations that are registered in the National Register of Historic Places: Bevier Stone House, Rest Plaus Historic District, Cornelius Wynkoop Stone House, and Kripplebush.

The surviving architecture in these districts, many of it made of stone, embody Dutch vernacular architecture of the 17th and 18th century. Additionally, some districts and places of Marbletown are agriculturally centered; its 19th century and early 20th century framed community institutions, rural domestic, manufacturing and commercial buildings embody the town’s expansive involvement in agricultural enterprises. Its build environment genuinely preserves this rural neighborhood’s historic growth and accompanying changes in land ownership and new construction through a range of domestic, commercial, and institutional structures. In this fashion, through its distinct inscriptions and motto, the seal remains symbolic to Marbletown’s historic identity.

We decided to pick this object because it represents a town that was originally founded by the Dutch. It is important to remember many towns in the Northeast were founded by Dutch settlers way before the English ever got there and that the Dutch play a huge part in our history. This seal is a very simple object that signifies a lot and has a lot of symbolic meaning behind it.  Usually, when we think about any kind of seal, we do not stop and think about all of the meaning and history behind it. This artifact that made us realize how much history and the amount of significance such a small and simple artifact can have.

Resources:

• http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/7364
• http://www.marbletown.net/community/our-history/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbletown,_New_York
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~silversmiths/makers/silversmiths/68734.htm

By: Varun Uchil, Rini Bhattacharyya, Rohin Nair, and Yehonadav Feygin

Section: 07

The American flag, which originally had 13 stars – arranged in a circle – and 13 stripes in order to reflect the amount of colonies present at the time, is a banner that is commonly flown throughout the country and its territories. It has 50 stars to represent the 50 states in America, but maintains the 13 stripes to represent the original 13 colonies. The stars are white, and arranged in a square pattern in front of a square blue background, and the stripes alternate between red and white.

alexander library

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alexander library 40.505055, -74.452415

Essay   

The American flag is a common staple of most neighborhoods in the United States, with, most neighborhoods containing at least a handful of flags and with some neighborhoods where a front yard WITHOUT a flag would be considered amiss. The American flag can be found in various different places such as office building, educational establishments, and even homes. It is a symbol of this country’s freedom from British reign and is representative of America’s values. Betsy Ross was chosen by George Washington to create the first American flag which had thirteen stars to represent the thirteen colonies. As colonies, and later states, were added to the nation, the flag was correspondingly altered to reflect this, with the latest edit coming in the late 1950’s with the addition of Alaska and Hawaii as states. Common folklore had always indicated that the first foreign salute of a flag came in 1778, in the Quiberon Bay in France. However, more contemporary research on the subject indicates that the first foreign salute of the original Stars and Stripes actually came 2 years prior, and was carried out on the U.S.S. Andrew Doria and conducted by Dutch Captain Johannes de Graaf. The American Flag has no direct connection to Rutgers University but if one really thinks about the American Flag, many of the ideals it represents are a direct the origin of the ideals of Rutgers. The constitution, which is a directly represented by the American Flag, states that everyone should have an equal opportunity to chase the American dream, and to have the freedom to choose what and how he or she wants to accomplish regardless of race, gender or religion. Rutgers directly emphasizes this ideal, as it is ranked the second most diverse AAU public flagship institution in the “U.S. News & World Report” rankings. The American flag may seem like a strange artifact to choose to draw a connection to the Netherlands. However, in context of the theme of “Shared Values” among the two nations, the connection appears to be given a new validity. The reason that we chose the American flag as our artifact, as stated previously, is that the Dutch were the first foreign country to recognize the United States as a sovereign nation from the crown. However, the underlying connection between the Dutch and the United States actually goes deeper than this historical anecdote. The Netherlands and the United States are both free nations that are at the forefront of the new age, a scenario that would not be possible without the paramount value that liberty takes in both societies. Today, the American flag is a symbol of patriotism. People revere the American Flag and most households or institutions contain one or more flags. The Flag is a symbol of what it is to be American. It has 50 stars, encompassing all fifty states, and thirteen stripes to pay homage to the original thirteen states of the union. The Red Blue and White are iconic in American culture. Many products in shops use these colors in order to appeal to Americans. This prompts an interesting question. Why does the flag appeal to people? The Flag is the most direct symbol of American independence and power. The Flag asserts American authority, as evidenced by the planting of the flag at Iwo Jima. It also invokes a sense of pride in the country. Americans believe the flag to represent the country as a whole, which is why they face it while reciting the pledge of Allegiance. Every person in America, regardless of their differences accepts the flag as a symbol of unity. The Flag is so respected that desecration of the flag is highly frowned upon. Perhaps, the best way to describe the American flag would be to use the word sacred. “O say does that Star Spangled/Banner yet wave/O’er the land of the free/and the home of the brave” – Francis Scott Key, 1814. Though a statement made almost half a century after the original American flag was made, there is perhaps no more relevant line to the ideals embodied by the emblem of our nation. The line, which is also a famous part of the national anthem, indicates that the speaker, Mr. Scott Key, is imploring us to forever fly the flag over our prosperous and free nation. In 1909, The New York Times actually published a fascinating piece on the first recorded salute to the American flag. It explains that “The first recorded salute by a foreign officer to the flag of the Continental Congress and the United States of America was at the island of St. Eustatius on November 16, 1776, by the Dutch governor, de Graeff, after his reading the Declaration of Independence.” The article also goes on to explain De Graaff’s forward-thinking acceptance of the United States America by not only showing his support to the American government against the British crown, but also by opening the Dutch harbor at St. Eustatius to freely trade with the Americans.

Bibliography

• http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E04E4D9103EE733A25752C1A9649C946797D6CF
• http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/betsy-ross
• http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/key-pens-star-spangled-banner

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Cornelius Low House

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Cornelius Low House 40.511957, -74.465198

Joseph Acoury, Sneh Shah, Reshni Mahtani, Aaron Wong

Our artifact is the Cornelius Low House located at 1225 River Rd, Piscataway Township, NJ 0885. It was built in 1741 and the land for the house was purchased from William Williamson. The owner of the house,  Low’s family is originally from Holland and is therefore Dutch. His grandfather eventually left Holland and migrated to the Americas. Cornelius then moved to New York and established himself as a merchant. Cornelius picked the Raritan location to build his house because it overlooked the pier and his warehouse, which he was then able to keep a watch on. The house was built on grounds that are now part of Rutgers University. Our visit to the house sparked an interest in it. Hearing about its dramatic history and its origins exciting all of the members of our group, so making this choice was fairly easy.

The house’s transformation to a museum is very interesting. In 1979, Middlesex County, New Jersey bought the house and grounds. Under the guidance and administration of the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission. The County acquired the Low House to use as a local heritage museum for discussing the history of New Jersey and its context within that of national events. As the home of the Middlesex County Museum, the Low House was established to provide exceptional, educational experiences through the presentation of original research relating significant people, historic places, events and attitudes to the State of New Jersey. At the moment, the Low House is an exhibit of the history of New Jersey diners.

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Dylan Vail

Daniel Hernandez

Section 8

City Tavern was one of the first taverns built in New York, and it became the first City Hall/ State House ever built in Manhattan.  A meeting place for all citizens and meant to accommodate meetings of business and order, it was important to the city and for what the city would eventually become.  It was located on Pearl Street which had been where the city met the river before the expansion of New York, and where fishermen and hunters frequented.

The above image is outside of 85 Broad, in NYC, and the yellow bricks outline the foundation of where City Tavern used to be.

City Tavern

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City Tavern 40.703804, -74.011217

Essay:

My object was located on the corner of Coenties Slip and Pearl  Street back in the colony of New Amsterdam, and is now the near the street in front of 85 Broad, and Pearl. The governing groups realized they had to be in touch with their citizens and so Director-General William Kieft had a stone tavern built in 1642.  In 1653 it was officially commissioned by Petrus Stuyvesant and named the Stadt Huys (State House), but was known less formally as City Tavern.  It was used as a gathering ground for all people of the city and meetings were often held there.

The first order of business after signing the municipal charter was to declare:

“herewith [to] inform everybody that they shall hold their regular meetings in the house hitherto called the City Tavern, henceforth the City Hall, on Monday mornings from 9 o’clock, to hear there all questions of difference between litigants and decide them the best they can”

The tavern was only about a two-minute walk from the fort, and so the governors often used it as a place to entertain or send their guests when they were hosting.  It was a place for refugees arriving to the city, soldiers stationed there, citizens talking at night, less desirable individuals, as well as the elite who often frequented it.  It was a place where problems were solved and issues raised, where organizers and activists rallied, and where even the Board of Nine was said to have used it for their purposes.  After issues with the British and other historical events, the title of State House was given to the Lovelace Tavern next door in 1697.  But both would eventually be destroyed, with most attributing this to a fire in 1706.  During construction of 85 Broad in Manhattan, the foundations of Lovelace Tavern were found and so the spot of City Tavern was also discovered.  This object was integral to the colony of New Amsterdam and what it would eventually become in the great city of New York.  The artifact tells how the Dutch were organized and prepared and worked to integrate their people, as well as how they met to face problems and make decisions that we see as progressive today.  It still speaks today as its place is outlined in the streets to signify its historical importance in a city that is constantly developing and progressing.  And it was chosen because of the interest brought to it by a source website that was stumbled upon, and after seeing its historical importance and its lesser known status, it had to be given some sort of attention.

Bibliography:

http://www.anthropologyinpractice.com/2009/11/finding-traces-of-new-york-citys-dutch.html

Manhattan’s first taverns: Wooden Horse and City Tavern

http://www.billsbrownstone.com/DutchDays/CityTavern.asp

http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/Netherlands.html

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Authors: Austin Hong, Noah Hoffman, Kyle Kopcho, Andy Sivas

The Raritan River 

Found online by Austin Hong via Google Images

The Raritan River is a beautiful body of water that empties into the Raritan Bay. It flows for about 16 miles before it hits its estuary which extends the river an additional 14 miles. There is a total of four bridges that span the Raritan. They are the New Jersey Transit Railroad Bridge, Victory Bridge, Edison Bridge, and Driscoll Bridge.

Map of the River’s Location

Found online by Kyle Kopcho via Google Images

       The Raritan Headwaters region is located in north-central New Jersey and is defined by the area of land that drains into the North and South Branches of the Raritan River. The region contains the headwaters of the Raritan, the river which drains to the Raritan Bay and Atlantic Ocean. The drainage basin of the Raritan River covers approximately 1,100 square miles, making it the largest river basin located entirely within the State of New Jersey.

     A significant part of New Jersey’s rich cultural history, the Raritan River has served as a transportation and trade route since pre-colonial times. The Naraticongs, a branch of the Lenape and part of the Iroquois Nation, were the first known settlers of the Raritan Valley. The Dutch and English arrived in 1683 and also made use of the River for its fertile soil and transportation opportunities. The Raritan was crossed by troops during the American Revolution, and a battle was fought close by in 1777. During the Industrial Revolution, the River became home to mills and other factories.

      The first people to settle the Raritan Valley were the Naraticongs, a peace-loving branch of the Lenape who were part of the Iroquois Nation. Numbering about 1,200 the Naraticongs lived mostly along the north side of the river. They roamed the forest to hunt, fished in the river, and planted corn in the fertile valley. In 1683, when the Dutch and English arrived, the Naraticongs met them with friendly advances and a ready sale of land. The Dutch shortened and altered the name of the Naraticongs and named the area Raritan, or “forked river” Other versions of history state that Raritan translate to “where the stream overflows”. The Dutch, English, and French Huguenots were drawn to the area for the same reasons the Lenape Found appealing-the rich, fertile soil and the navigable river. The Dutch also realized they could establish their own church, the Dutch Reformed Church, and live in freedom. These opportunities played a major role in the establishment of the town of Raritan. Raritan became a trading center for neighboring farmers.

      The Raritan River is located within central New Jersey in the United States. The Dutch arrived at the Raritan River in 1683, and started a colony in New Brunswick upon recognizing the unused potential stored in the roots of this area. The land around this body of water was an ideal location for starting a colony. The fertile soil made it a good area for settlement and the river would serve as an excellent means of transportation that could be used for trade. Furthermore, the Raritan River was an important route used for slave trade, and slaves were important resources that were utilized in the establishment of Queens College.

       The Raritan river is one of the largest and most influential landmarks in Rutgers history, as well as the history of New Brunswick. The early colonies that led to the establishment of New Brunswick,and later Rutgers, would not have been able to survive without the aid of the Raritan River. The Raritan allowed easy access for resources and new settlers to come to the New Brunswick area. The Dutch were among the first to use this natural resource and take advantage of New Brunswick’s location, and their effect is still felt to this day. Also, as students at Rutgers University, the river is a part of our community and we want to learn more about this historical landmark.

       From a current geological perspective, the Raritan River’s role today in the New Jersey ecosystem is that of a major river, which contributes to the draining of the central, mountainous areas of New jersey into the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, this river’s history is celebrated in the Rutgers alma mater for it’s relevance to the establishment of Rutgers and the Dutch involvement with it. The river today is an important geological landmark, but can also be used for recreational purposes. The crew team here at Rutgers rows almost everyday on the water, and oftentimes, when in season, hosts regattas with schools from around the country.

       The Raritan river, as previously stated, was a very important trading route utilized by Dutch and English settlers. Initially, Native-American tribes, like the Iroquois, inhabitedword the banks of the raritan, which is where Rutgers now stands. Essentially, the soil was very fertile and the surrounding ecosystem was conducive to establishing a vibrant community, which included a school. Essentially, Rutgers was founded on the banks of the Old Raritan because the atmosphere was suitable for the construction and maintenance of one of the first schools ever established in the New World. The English and Dutch settlers clearly saw it the same way.

Bibliography

• “Natural History.” Raritan Headwaters Association. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. https://www.raritanheadwaters.org/home/learn/natural-history-of-raritan-headwaters-region/
• “The History of Raritan.” The Official Website of The Borough of Raritan, NJ ::::. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. http://www.raritanboro.org/History/
• “History of the Raritan River.” Raritanrutgersedu. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. http://raritan.rutgers.edu/raritan-basin/history-of-the-raritan-river/

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Moksh Gudala and Sukeerthi Bitra

The Abraham Staats House is located on the banks of the Raritan River on 17 von Steuben Lane, in South Bound Brook, New Jersey, which is about 5 miles up the river from Rutgers College Avenue campus. Abraham Staats, who was one of the original dutch settlers in a land then known as New Netherlands, his wife Margaret DuBois, and his six children lived in this house in the mid to late 18th century. During the Revolutionary war, Staats was a known patriot and rebel against the British. Staats was even considered an “arch traitor” by the British, as “local legend suggests that Staats was involved in a spy network” (Staats History).

General Baron von Steuben, who was the inspector general of the army, was eventually quartered at the Staats’ house during the war, and during his extended stay, many famous figures from the Revolutionary War, such as George Washington, visited the Staats’ house to meet with General von Steuben. General von Steuben even held a ceremony for the French Minister Girard during his stay, which included a reception where eight regiments of soldiers came to honor Washington and the army. We chose the Abraham Staats House in particular because it shows the importance of Dutch heritage and how it can still hold value in a place that is close to our home. This house is one of the finest standing buildings left from the Dutch settlement that holds a rich history. The Abraham Staats House is a reminder to Rutgers students of the historical value of the area around Rutgers both in the existence of Dutch settlements and the role the people of this area played in the Revolutionary War.

Home to a New World Dutch family for nearly 200 years, the Abraham Staats House has been enlarged many times and now includes a Federal/Greek Revival two-story addition. The central part of the house is the oldest and the west and east wing were added later on in the 18th and 19th century. Some notable features of the house include an old kitchen with a large fireplace and a Dutch-style staircase. Standing as one of the greatest remaining buildings from the Dutch settlement of the Raritan Valley, this house has been added onto the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.

Abraham Staats House

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Abraham Staats House 40.551541, -74.520681

Bibliography:

http://www.staatshouse.org/

http://gardenstatelegacy.com/files/The_Abraham_Staats_House_Ormosi_GSL1.pdf

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