Abbott Marshlands encompasses 3,000 acres of forests, ponds, and wetlands within one of the most populated regions of the United States. Named for naturalist and archaeologist Charles Conrad Abbott, it gained worldwide attention in the late 1800s because of his controversial theory about prehistoric people in America. Over its long history, the land supported Native Americans, European settlers, and an exiled king, drawn by diverse habitats rich in plant and wildlife species. Today its tidal wetlands are among New Jersey's most valuable yet threatened ecosystems. The marshlands also contain remnants of the Delaware & Raritan Canal, built in the 1830s, including mile markers, bollards where barges were tied up, and sunken barges.
