Contact the NJ State Archives
Mailing Address:
NJ State Archives
P.O. Box 307
Trenton, NJ 08625-0307

Office Address:
225 West State Street - 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ

Contact Information

Email: Feedback@sos.nj.gov

Special Projects and Commemorations

The conservation, arrangement, description and digitization of some of New Jersey State Archives’ most precious collections has been made possible by generous support from constituent historical organizations and/or local and federal grant programs. The pages linked below celebrate a few of these efforts in recent years.

Projects

In 2008, the New Jersey State Archives and the West Jersey Proprietors sought out a grant from the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey. The West Jersey documents proposed for conservation are among the most ancient and most historically significant manuscripts in the State Archives.
Search and copy fees collected in connection with New Jersey’s earliest state-level birth, marriage and death records are earmarked for the conservation and re-microfilming of invaluable genealogical documents.
Thanks to funding through the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association (NJCWHA), in 2009 the State Archives was able to complete the arrangement and description of the records of the 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.
In 2006, the State Archives celebrated a milestone with the digitization of its original Ratification of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The electronic imaging adventure took place at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia’s Regional Digital Imaging Center.
In connection with the 225th anniversary of the American Revolution, during 2005-2009 the State Archives conserved over 5,000 leaves of Revolutionary War manuscripts through federal and state funding. New Jersey’s application received the top score of the 2004 conservation proposals submitted to the Save America’s Treasures program.

Commemorations and Events

The State Archives sponsors occasional lectures, exhibitions and commemorative events. The pages linked below feature several past events of special significance. Aside from the detailsof the event, they typically also include information, images and press coverage of the State Archives’ programs, collections and services.

April 2010 -
The New Jersey State Archives celebrated the tenth anniversary of its relocation to 225 West State Street from its former quarters in the State Library. The Archives officially opened its doors to the public in the current facility on April 25, 2000.
June 2009 -
On June 24, 1664, the name "New Jersey" first appeared as the designation for the territory that now comprises our state. On this 345th anniversary, we saluted our state’s history as a key element in our classrooms, our cultural life, and our tourism industry.
February 2009 -
To observe the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial, the State Archives presented a selection of digitized documents from its collection relating to the 1860 election, Lincoln's 1861 visit to Trenton, and his posthumous journey through New Jersey.
October 2008 -
The County Archives and Records Management Association of New Jersey (CARMA/NJ) and New Jersey's Division of Archives and Records Management (NJDARM) co-hosted a statewide conference at the Lafayette Yard Marriott in Trenton on October 6, 2008. The conference commemorated DARM's 25th anniverary, looking at the past, present and future of archives and records management in New Jersey.
April 2006 -
Excavations in front of the State House exposed the ancient stone foundations of a fireproof building designed for the preservation of the State’s most valuable public records. The pages linked highlight our press conference held at the site and contain historical documentation and images relative to the 1796 structure.
December 2005 -
The Council of Proprietors of West New Jersey formally deposited its vast collection of land surveys, minute and account books, and maps with the State Archives. We celebrated this monumental historical development with a press event and exhibition.

September 2005 -
The State Archives purchased eleven lots of unique or extremely rare, colonial New Jersey manuscripts and imprints. Included were the record books and maps of Robert Barclay, proprietary governor of East New Jersey. The pages linked celebrate our press event and exhibition, and include images of selected items.
April 2003 -
The State Archives celebrated two major donations, including over thirty manuscript laws from the colonial period and early statehood. The donors were Michael Bernstein and George Sang, the latter donation coming through Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. The pages linked feature images of the documents.