Ceremonies Mark 350th Anniversary of Founding of New Jersey
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- Bet you didn't know this is New Jersey's 350th anniversary. Most people in the Garden State don't.
But it was no mistake that a fife-and-drum corps showed up just before today's gubernatorial bill signing on the steps of the state capitol in Trenton (see related story).
It was June 24th, 1664, that Mother England made a land grant to Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret -- land that eventually became New Jersey.
Many on hand for today's bill-signing didn't expect the noontime performance put together by the state historical society.
"Oh, I think the younger people get it better than the older people do, because they learn about it in fourth grade," noted Joseph Klent, director of the New Jersey State Archives. "It's getting the older folks to remember their history."
There are events across the state all week to mark the anniversary.