The State We're In

by Michele S. Byers

Executive Director

New Jersey Conservation Foundation



It's New Jersey's 350th anniversary, and a surprising and fascinating event celebrating this milestone is happening right now! Mount Holly resident Bill Bolger is hiking 150 miles along the historic line that once split the Garden State in two.



Bill set out in Holgate on Long Beach Island on Sept. 26, catching an oyster boat across Little Egg Harbor to the mainland before heading into the vast expanse of the Pine Barrens.



He's following the so-called "Keith Line," also known as the Province Line, all the way to the Delaware River in Warren County, a journey that should take about three and a half weeks.



The Keith Line once divided East Jersey from West Jersey and is named for surveyor George Keith. The boundary was created after the British monarchy – which overthrew Dutch colonial rule in New Jersey in 1664 - gave the territory to loyal friends Sir George Carteret and John, Lord Berkeley.



Keith's line didn't last, because it was discovered during the course of the survey that it angled too far west, favoring East Jersey at the expense of West Jersey. But it's historically significant because it was the first surveyed boundary of the two Jerseys. And remnants of the line can still be seen in present-day boundaries between Ocean and Burlington counties, and Hunterdon and Somerset counties!



Bill's goal in "walking the line" is to draw attention to this colonial-era event while sampling its diverse sights and cultures. He's covering about seven miles a day, a pace that allows him time to soak in the scenery and chat with people along the way.



"This is a case where an old geezer wanders out from behind his desk and tries to do something he should have done 20 years earlier," jokes Bill, 63, who works for the National Park Service.

Because there's no direct route along the Keith Line, Bill pieced together a patchwork of public roads and trails, "mapping it inch-by-inch on Google Earth." Although he's zig-zagging, he's trying to stay within a mile of the actual province line.



One of the coolest aspects of Bill's journey is that it allows him to highlight New Jersey's preserved lands – national wildlife refuges, state parks and forests, the Pine Barrens, private nature preserves, historic sites, preserved farms, and county and local parks.



"It's just an amazing mosaic of conservation efforts. It's incredible what has been preserved – we have a lot to be proud of," he said.



One breathtaking sight in the early part of Bill's journey was the cranberry harvest in Whitesbog, located within Brendan Byrne State Forest. "It's one of the great sights of New Jersey - cranberries floating on the water," he marvels.



Bill's hike is especially timely, given that New Jerseyans will vote Nov. 4 on a ballot question to create a dedicated, long-term state funding source for land preservation. Without a steady funding source, New Jersey won't be able to keep preserving its natural areas, farms, historic sites and other special places like the ones along Bill's route. What voters do on Nov. 4 will impact the state's next 350 years!



Bill's "Keith Line Expedition" is being sponsored by Richard Stockton State College and its South Jersey Culture & History Center. To read updates and see photos, check out the culture and history center's blog at https://blogs.stockton.edu/sjchc.

And to learn more about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org.