The History Behind
Burlington Island
Burlington Island or
Matinicunk Island, as the natives called it in the 1600s, became the first site
permanent European settlement on the Delaware River. In 1624, the West India Company
of Holland sent a group of French-speaking Walloons to settle in the New World.
They chose Matinicunk Island. The Walloons came from what, today, is Belgium. The
Walloons set up a trading post on the island to barter with the Indians. The Indian name “Matinicunk” means “Island of
Pines.” In 1626, the Dutch returned to transport the Walloons back to Manhattan
in an effort to consolidate the Dutch Colony. During the mid-1600s, the Dutch
governor Alexander D’Hinoyossa maintained his resident on “High” Island, as he
called it. Subsequent to the Dutch, Swedes and Finns
occupied this island as well until it was taken over by the English in 1664.
Possession of the island changed hands several times during the ensuing few
years until the English gained temporary control of all of New Netherlands in
1664 and final control in 1675. In 1682, with the help of Burlington resident
Robert Stacy, the West Jersey Assembly passed an act granting the island to
Burlington to be rented for farming. The legislation directed the rent
collected would aid in paying for educating the children of Burlington. Since
that act in 1682, the title to the island, even though challenged by
Pennsylvania down through the years, has remained with the City of Burlington.
In 1852 the state legislature chartered a board titled, “Managers and
Treasurers of the Fund for the Education of the Youth in the City of
Burlington.” This board remains active to this day.
Shortly after the state chartered the board, Burlington citizens permitted the
managers put the lower half of the island—about 100 acres—up for sale. The
Burlington Island Land Association purchased the island property for
$20,100.00. For many years, this association agitated for the construction of a
bridge across the back channel to the island so they could sell building lots.
Of course, this never happened and in the late 1880s, the association gave up
and sold the land to others. In 1900, the owner of the lower section of the
island, Mark Bassler, developed it as a family picnic resort. He erected a
pier, tables and a large open pavilion. He also had sand deposited upriver from
the pier to form a beach. At the north end of his property, the city erected a
wire fence. At this location, the resort managers built a large bath house and
an ice cream stand. Reportedly 4,000 people visited the island in a single day
during the 1902 season. By 1907, the park owners convinced George Potts, owner
of Rancocas Park in Mount Laurel (where Rancocas Woods now stands) to move his
better amusement rides to the island to enhance his revenue stream. Meanwhile,
park management erected some swings to entertain the daily guests. As the park
developed and management introduced better rides, Potts removed his amusements
back to his park in Mount Laurel.
In 1917, the owner sold the island property and amusement park. The new owners
moved quickly to erect “Island Beach Park,” an elaborate amusement park
complete with a large wooden roller coaster called the Greyhound. The park even
featured a miniature railroad complete with replica Reading R.R. camelback
locomotives. This new park became the toast of the river excursion crowd,
attracting thousands. At times, the river pier would have six and seven steamers
waiting to unload its human cargo. Still others came by train and would take
the little ferryboat, the “William E. Doron,” to the island. In 1928 a
disastrous fire all but destroyed the amusement park. A second fire in 1934
finished the job. Although one ride still survives: the restored carousel at
Seaside Heights. After the 1928 fire, a physician purchased the carousel and
its shelter and had it moved from the island and shipped to become a new
amusement for visitors to Seaside Heights. But this ride, still enjoyed by many
today, began amusing folks on Burlington Island.
After the 1928 fire, the destroyed amusement park owners sold the lower half of
the island to the Hainesport Mining and Transportation Company, part of the Van
Sciver Corporation, for sand mining. It April 1929, when the Warner Sand
Company bought out the Van Sciver firm for $10 million, they received title to
this land. In 1955 Warner began dredging operations, which they completed in
1969. After removing the sand from the island, it left a large lagoon. Warner
returned title to this lagoon and the land surrounding back to the City of
Burlington instead of the Board of Island Managers. In 1971, the city had the
mouth of this basin closed off from the river.
Until recently the north half of the island was owned by the Board of
Island Managers and the City of Burlington owned the south half which led to
friction about future of the island. It
is now controlled by the BOIM who is leasing the south end from the city.
Tidbits…..
Sand-mining destroyed most of the artifacts and sites from the Dutch and early English occupation of the island. Author, naturalist, and early archaeologist Charles Conrad Abbott made several sojourns on the island and gathered many artifacts from the Dutch period which he presented to the Peabody Museum at Harvard.
The Dutch established their habitation on the lower end of the island so they could observe any threats coming up the Delaware River.
For many years, for around $20 a year people could rent a small lot and build little houses on the north end of the island which was owned by the Board Of Island Managers. All that came to a halt in the early seventies, when all the "shacks" were destroyed.
News item in the Bucks County
Gazette of Aug 1909 "Bristol’s Champion Swimmer"
If there is any young man in the towns along the Delaware river who
believes that he is a champion long distance swimmer we would like to know his
name and match him against a modest Bristol youngster, whom we believe is the
sturdiest swimmer in this section. We have reference to Andrew Clark, son of
Robert Clark, of Radcliffe street.
Last Saturday afternoon Andrew proved his ability as a human fish by swimming
around Burlington Island, one-half of the stretch being a battle with the strong
tide.
The feat was a remarkable one, the distance traveled being about five miles and
was accomplished without a stop in two hours and forty-five minutes.
New Jersey’s first record of an African presence notes slaves of a Dutch colonial official who lived on the island.
The first murder in
recorded New Jersey history took place on this island in the 1670s when two
Indians murdered two Dutchmen.
Total Area: 396 Acres
Lake: 97 Acres
Land: 299 Acres
20 Miles by water from Trenton.
14 Miles by water from Philadelphia.
Elevation: varies from an Average of 14 ft to about 35 ft.
Pictures …..
Present Day
Ariel View Showing Amusement Park, Picnic Grove, Roller Coaster &
Mini-railway
All visitors to Island Beach Amusement Park had to arrive by boat, either a
river steamer or the little ferryboat called the William E. Doron
Here is a view of the excursion steamer Columbia and the William E. Doron in
her ferry slip in Bristol
William E. Doron Ferry – Smaller Boat Which Carried People From Bristol
To The Island
William E. Doron – Circa 1915
One of the early amusements rides on the island came from George Potts’
Rancocas Park in Mount Laurel
Crowds visited the island regularly
A beach scene on the island
One of two tree-lined thoroughfares in the park
The Scenic Railway or Roller Coaster called the Greyhound
The miniature railway
A view of the island from Bristol