The NJ/NY “Border War”

December 14, 2024: A New Jersey map reveals an interesting detail from the early colonial history of America. The state has three natural water boundaries: the Hudson River and Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Delaware Bay to the south, and the Delaware River to the west. Then there is the northern border with New York, an arbitrary straight line that runs northwest for about 48 miles from the Hudson River to where the Neversink River connects to the Delaware River.

The Duke of York, James Stuart, was granted the territory that would become the states of New Jersey and New York by his brother, King Charles II of England, in 1664. In that year, the Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the English, and the territory was renamed New York, an official colony, in honor of the Duke, who was given control over the area. To manage the land, he appointed a trusted friend, Philip Carteret, as the first governor. The name “New Jersey” originates from the British island of Jersey, the birthplace of Carteret, who brought the name with him to North America.

Carteret played a vital role in encouraging new settlements and overseeing land distribution in his newly acquired territory. The Duke of York, however, remained the ultimate proprietor of the territory and had the final say over governance and granting land ownership rights to individuals.

Here’s where things get messy. The Duke of York’s original grant included lands that overlapped with territories claimed by various previous proprietors of New Jersey. The land grants did not clearly delineate the boundaries between the New York colony and New Jersey; surveying was new and not always done, which led to confusion and conflict over land ownership and jurisdiction. The border disputes included various claims by settlers, particularly over resources like land, water, and access to trade routes, and who often found themselves on the wrong side of an unclear boundary. Disputes often escalated into violence, with accusations of land theft and illegal settlement.

There were frequent skirmishes and violent confrontations between militia groups from New Jersey and New York. New Jersey was officially made a royal colony in 1703, which helped clarify some of the territorial disputes, but tensions remained for years. The “border war” continued until it was finally resolved in 1769 when a formal survey established the boundary between New York and New Jersey. The resolution was essential for the further settlement of the two colonies and for the state border today.

The New Jersey colony became a state in December of 1787 when it ratified the United States Constitution, and the New York colony did the same in July of 1788.

Take the Palisades Interstate Parkway to Exit 2 to reach Palisades Interstate Park. Along the Long Path, you’ll find a historic granite marker that denotes the “border war” with New Jersey to the south and New York to the north.

“Good fences make good neighbors” From Mending Wall by Robert Frost.