Trenton

Trenton, the capital of New Jersey, is on the Delaware River, at the head of tide-water and of steam-navigation, 57 miles by rail from New York and 34 from Philadelphia. It is a handsome city, divided into Trenton and South Trenton by Assanpink Creek, and with wide, straight streets, in the residence portions delightfully shaded. The public buildings include a commodious state-house, federal buildings, a county court-house, city hall, and state lunatic asylum, arsenal, penitentiary, reform school, and normal school. The Delaware, which is crossed by two fine bridges, is largely utilised for water-power. The industry chiefly identified with Trenton is the production of crockery and pottery, of which it is the principal centre in the United States; but there are other manufactures of scarcely less importance, including iron, steel, and zinc, rubber goods, fire-bricks, &c. On December 26, 1776, Washington here surprised 1500 Hessians, and captured nearly 1000, after crossing the Delaware during the night, amid blocks of floating ice and in the face of a fierce snow-storm. Pop. (1880) 29,910; (1890) 57,458.