Hamilton - Trenton Marsh

The Hamilton - Trenton Marsh is 1250 acres in size and located downstream from the state capital of New Jersey. This urban wetland was not as severely polluted as the Meadowlands, and is a fresh-water marsh -- fed by the tides in the Delaware River. The tides raise and lower the water level six to eight feet twice a day. They also bring in a great variety of seeds and create a dynamic environment that constantly changes.

While the Marsh is small in size, it has a great diversity of plants and animals. More than 800 plant species have been identified in the Hamilton - Trenton Marsh. These include rare plants like Torrey’s Rush and Yellow Giant Hyssop. The Marsh is an important source of food and shelter for more than 230 species of birds including the endangered Bald Eagle. Fifty species of fish and 18 species of mammals also spend time in the Marsh which is home to a resident population of beaver.

The Marsh has a long history of being a favorite place for humans to live, too. More than 10,000 years ago Native Americans hunted and fished in the area and eventually settled here. The bluffs along the Marsh were also home to some celebrated residents including Joseph Bonaparte, the elder brother of Napoleon, who came to live here while in exile from Europe. Bonaparte acquired vast land holdings and called his estate Point Breeze, where he resided for nearly twenty years before returning to Europe.

Today, people can explore the Hamilton - Trenton Marsh by visiting the John A. Roebling Memorial Park. The local citizen’s group, Friends for the Marsh, offers guided hikes and canoe trips to discover the history and beauty of this urban wetland.

Traveling the Hamilton - Trenton Marsh with Mary Leck (6:08)
Dr. Mary Allessio Leck, from Rider University, often takes people into the Hamilton - Trenton Marsh for an eye-opening tour from water-level, with the help of Friends for the Marsh and the Outdoor Club of South Jersey. NJN took the canoe trip with Mary in September, 2005, and many of the scenes in Turning the Tide were from this trip. Included in the video are scenes not in the film, where Mary points out the amazing plant productivity and diversity in a tidal freshwater marsh.

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