Trenton is the capital of New Jersey, named for landowner William Trent.
William Trent purchased land along the Delaware River in 1719 and developed a settlement there. The community was first known as Trent’s Town, later shortened to Trenton.
Trenton became New Jersey’s capital in 1790, replacing Perth Amboy and serving as the state’s permanent governmental center. It is located in Mercer County, near the state’s western border with Pennsylvania.
The city is also associated with the American Revolutionary War. George Washington crossed the Delaware River and defeated Hessian troops at the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776. Trenton is sometimes confused with Newark, New Jersey’s largest city, but Newark is not the state capital.