Monday, November 26, 2012

For Interesting Walking Tours New Brunswick Will Suit Your Needs

By Tamera Keith


A new city is always best explored on foot. In a car or tour bus, you miss out on the sounds, smells and small things that define the city's character. On foot, however, you not only get to engage all of your senses, but you can stop and take a break where you want to, when you want to. If you love walking tours New Brunswick in New Jersey will definitely suit you.

The first people who lived in the area along the Raritan River were Lenape people. Europeans started settling here in 1681 and founded a village that they called Prigmore's Swamp. Later known for a while as Inian's Ferry, in 1714 the settlement got the name by which it is known today. In 1730 it officially became a town and by 1784 it was a city.

The third time that the Declaration of Independence was read in public, it was done in Albany Street, near the intersection with Nelson Street. Inhabitants of the city were called to the site by the bells of Christ Church two blocks away. You can still visit both these sites today and imagine what it was like to hear the words 'We hold these truths to be self-evident' for the first time in 1776.

Ten years earlier, in 1766, the city became home to a new school. Queen's College later became known as Rutgers University, today one of America's most prestigious universities. Much of New Brunswick's identity is centered around this institution and its museums and other facilities. If you're a science buff, you will enjoy the Geology Museum, while art lovers should pay a visit to the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum.

New Brunswick has several nicknames, one of which is The Healthcare City. The reason for this moniker is the abundance of medical facilities, often connected to the university in some way. The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and University Hospital are just two of these institutions. The brothers Johnson started their bandage-making business here too and the city still hosts the headquarters of Johnson & Johnson.

The manufacturing industry needed people to work in the factories, so immigrants from all over moved to the city through the years. Today French Street is the center of businesses owned by a large Hispanic community. One of the major immigrant communities in the city is the people who originally came from Hungary. The Hungarian Heritage Center and several landmarks in the city will tell you more about Magyar culture and the history of this interesting community.

The ethnic diversity has brought with it a plethora of places of worship. There are several beautiful churches and synagogues that will especially appeal to you if you're interested in architecture. Since they're mostly contained in a small area downtown, it is easy to explore them on foot.

You have a choice of ways to explore the downtown area. For instance, there are tourist maps available online that will help you design a tour tailor-made for your needs. If you would rather go on organized walking tours New Brunswick has guides who will show you around and tell you everything you may want to know about this fascinating city.




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