Roebling Ramble - walking history tour
Visit the Roebling factory town, museum, gravesite and wireworks, and the newly completed rail trail segment.
Date and time
Location
roebling station
1499 Hornberger Avenue Florence, NJ 08554Refund Policy
About this event
- Event lasts 5 hours 30 minutes
Visit the Roebling factory town, museum, gravesite and wireworks, and the newly completed rail trail segment.
Start: Roebling Light Rail Station
Finish: Trenton Transit Center
Distance: 14mi
Return: RiverLine light rail
Coordinator: Charles Updike
Transit: Transfer from NJTransit or Septa at Trenton to RiverLine light rail across the street.
Optional endpoints:Bordentown light rail, Cass St light rail
A Trail That Bridges History
12 mile walk from Roebling Station to Trenton Transit Center along the Delaware River Heritage Trail
Arrive by 11am to visit the museum.
Walk begins at noon.
Explore the legacy of a man who came to New Jersey with a passion for a peculiar idea that transformed American transportation. Enjoy a rapidly advancing trail through South Jersey. Walk through what remains of Roebling's original plant and through one of its buildings. Attend the largest art show turned block party around and view the work of nearly 2,000 artists. Tap into Trenton's live music scene and food truck cuisine. Be a part of our only FreeWalk of the year in South Jersey and what may be our most vigorously thematic event.
John Augustus Roebling came to Trenton from western Pennsylvania in 1848 as a canal engineer with an idea to replace hemp rope with wire rope in public infrastructure, and gave birth to the age of the modern suspension bridge. He died of injuries suffered during the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, but his family carried on the business expertly, ultimately requiring expansion beyond their Trenton facility to satellite locations including Roebling, NJ.
Our journey begins at the light rail station in Roebling, where you may take a tour at the Roebling Museum across the street from 11am until noon. At noon, we will exit the museum and begin our walk through the factory housing of Roebling and proceed along the Heritage Trail through Crystal Lake Park and historic Bordentown. A wooded trail through Roebling Park takes us past the burial site of John Roebling and into Trenton. There, a walk through Trenton history spelled out at our feet delivers us north to Chambersburg. In Chambersburg, we will visit several of the original Roebling buildings before reaching the train station a few blocks away.
Those travelling south via rail into Trenton will likely have a half-hour layover during which breakfast can be had within the station at Dunkin, McDonalds or Pizza Grill. Exit the south end of the station and cross the street to board the light rail.
Roebling bridges we have walked:
- Brooklyn Bridge
- George Washington Bridge
- Lumberville–Raven Rock Bridge
Highlights
- Roebling Museum tour
- Roebling factory town
- Roebling Carnival
- Crystal Lake Park
- Delaware River Heritage Trail
- Historic Bordentown
- John A Roebling Park
- John A Roebling gravesite
- South River Walk
- Upper Chambersburg
- Roebling's Trenton plant
Schedule:
FOR THOSE ATTENDING MUSEUM
9:46 Southbound train arrives in Trenton
10:14 Depart on light rail to Roebling
10:30 Train arrives in Roebling
10:45 Orientation
11:00 Museum video and tour
FOR THOSE JUST WALKING
10:46 Southbound train arrives in Trenton
11:14 Depart on light rail to Roebling
11:30 Train arrives in Roebling
12:00 Walk to museum, assemble group and depart
2:00 Lunch break option in Bordentown
Partners:
The East Coast Greenway Alliance is a non-profit organization developing a public multi-use 3,000 mile trail from Canada to Key West through New Jersey and New York. Donations and memberships help make this dream trail a reality.
Circuit Trails is 800 miles of interconnected trails in Greater Philadelphia in the making, already one of America's largest trail networks. Once connected, the Circuit Trails will be one of the nation's premier urban trail networks and it will provide multiple benefits to neighborhoods, communities and the region as a whole.
More about FreeWalkers:
Our calendar of walks and hikes | About FreeWalkers | Walker stories | Walking tips
New Jersey walks | Pennsylvania walks | New York City walks
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Frequently asked questions
Fluids(32 to 64 ounces), snacks or a small meal are recommended for most events. Some walks have planned stops for provisions. Depending on weather and route, you may consider a hat, sunscreen, extra socks, rain poncho, umbrella, insect repellent, first aid or foot care.
FreeWalkers mostly works with the weather the day provides, but occasionally an event will be rescheduled or cancelled if there is the expectation of substantial rainfall or dangerous conditions. Registrants will always be emailed of such changes. If no notice is provided, the walk is a go!
FreeWalkers are free to walk as much of the route as they choose. There are often optional endpoints where transit is available. Uber and other options can be considered. If you do leave the walk, it is best to let the walk coordinator know, so the group does not wait or look for you.
Most FreeWalks start and/or end at mass transit points for ease of access and return. If driving to the event, you often may park at the start and return, or park at the end and ride to the start. Check the event description for details.
Generally, yes, but pets and children may be less able to tolerate a longer distance. Walks that include indoor segments will require walkers with pets to wait outside, of course.
No need. You will be checked in at the event by providing your name.