Press Release

For Immediate Release	Contact: Caryl Lucas
April 6, 2006	Phone: 609-292-4302

TRENTON - On Thursday, April 6th, Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells joined Supreme Court Justice Deborah Poritz and Supreme Court Clerk Stephen W. Townsend for the public unveiling of the remains of a structure built in 1796 to house New Jersey’s colonial and early state archives.

The discovery occurred when a security enhancement project outside the State House required the demolition and excavation of the concrete sidewalk, handicapped access ramps and curbing in front of the capitol. The remains of the historic structure began to emerge inches below the existing grade, just east of the State House’s front entrance on West State Street.

“This is the foundation of the original archives building and the office of my predecessor, John Beatty. How amazing is that,” Secretary Wells said. “As we stand on this historic ground, we realize the importance of our commitment not only to preserve our historical records and treasures, but to ensure that we and our children today understand their significance for us.”

Secretary Wells’ office overlooks the site, near the foundation of the modern State House. The building occupied the northeast corner of the original State House grounds. “As I look out, I see a very significant place in the history of my office and of this state,” Secretary Wells said. “For ten years my distinguished predecessor preserved and protected New Jersey’s precious colonial and early State archives right over there.” Beatty served as Secretary of State from 1795 to 1805.

“This building once held documentary treasures now comprising the core collection of the modern State Archives, located just yards away at 225 West State Street,” said Karl J. Niederer, Director of the State Archives. “The original capitol contained chambers for the legislature, the Supreme Court, and the Governor. It was conceived as a parliamentary, court, and office building—not as an archive,” he added.

Other speakers at the press conference were Supreme Court Clerk Steven W, Townsend, Ian Burrow, a Hunter research archaeologist, and Senator Leonard Lance.

Prior to Trenton’s designation as state capital in 1790, New Jersey had twin capitals—Perth Amboy and Burlington—vestiges of the colony’s 1676 division into East and West Jersey, according to Niederer. After the State House opened, the legislature acted in 1795 to relocate the state’s vital records to Trenton as soon as possible.

The original construction specifications for the building confirmed for archaeologists of the Trenton firm of Hunter Research, Inc. that they had located the correct building. The building remained in use for about fifty years, until the State House was in 1845.

“The Colonial history of Trenton is preserved beneath the ground and not far below the ground,” said Ian Burrow, a Hunter Research archaelogist. “An astonishing thing is the layers of soil of the past. If we keep digging, we would find more remains of this building and artifacts of the Lenni Lenape Indians, who also thought this was a nice place to be,” he added.

The Treasury Department’s Division of Property Management and Construction oversees the security enhancement project and the archaeological work at the State House. Aware of the significance of the 1796 archives building, DPMC has committed to preserve the integrity of the structure’s remains when they are sealed at the project’s conclusion later this spring.

Secretary Wells expressed hope that the footprint of the 1796 archives building will be marked at ground level for future visitors to the State House. “In housing the history of New Jersey, the building itself became an important part of our state’s history,” said Wells. “We must honor that.”

###