Aiming to bring Hightstown Borough’s history to life through its historic buildings, Downtown Hightstown and the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society are launching a series of walking tours of the one-square-mile town.
The Hightstown Historic Walking Tour kicks off on May 18 at 6 p.m. at the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society’s headquarters at 164 N. Main St. Additional walking tours are set for June 15, July 27 and Aug. 17.
Tickets cost $18 and are available through the two groups’ Facebook page and at Eventbrite.com. Parking is free, and is available next to the historical society’s headquarters or in the municipal lot next to Peddie Lake.
The 90-minute tours will cover much of the downtown area, which offers shops and restaurants. Many of the businesses are located in buildings that date back to the late 1800’s.
“We are thrilled to work with Downtown Hightstown to bring this series of walking tours to Hightstown,” said Cappy Stults, president of the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society.
Downtown Hightstown is an all-volunteer group of business owners and residents that seeks to promote the businesses in the town. It is not associated with Hightstown Borough municipal government.
Hightstown is named for John and Mary Hight, who bought 3,000 acres of land around 1721 and who were among the earliest settlers in the area. They bought the land from William Penn, who wanted to settle the land with Quakers who were being persecuted in England and New England.
Hightstown Borough was created about 150 years later in 1853. It had been part of East Windsor Township, which was created by an act of the State Legislature in 1797.
Hightstown came into its own when the Camden and Amboy Railroad was built in 1833. The railroad transformed Hightstown Borough into a prosperous commercial center. There is no rail service in Hightstown now.
Brent Rivenburgh, president of Downtown Hightstown, said the group is excited to work with the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society on the walking tours.
“It is a great way to experience our little town in person, all while learning about Hightstown’s yesteryears,” Rivenburgh said, adding that “it made sense” to work with the historical society on the project.
“The Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society is the expert about our town’s rich history. It has done a wonderful job throughout the years celebrating and preserving Hightstown’s past,” he said.