Riverton: History on the Delaware River

Riverton can be explored from several perspectives: The town borders the Delaware River, has an extensive Historic District, and offers a variety of sports and picnic facilities at Riverton Memorial Park. There are also two walking tours and an annual bicycle race. If you are traveling with family and want to bring together different interests, these themes can shape the focus of your stay.

A Planned Suburb with a History of Its Own

The Riverton Historic District encompasses more than 500 buildings. It includes the core and later expansions of a planned suburb designed in 1851 for the Riverton Improvement Company. The architect, Samuel Sloan, was from Philadelphia. This history of its beginnings gives the district a distinctive focus: Riverton can be viewed not only through a single building, but also through the development of the planned suburb and its expansions.

Visitors interested in local history can make the Historic District an overarching theme for their trip. Its size and the number of buildings offer a different way to experience Riverton than a visit focused solely on a single historic landmark. When planning your vacation, you can consider whether you would like to focus mainly on learning about the town’s history or also set aside time for the park, the river, and outdoor activities.

On the Delaware River

Riverton borders the Delaware River. One notable historic connection to the river is the pier of the Riverton Yacht Club: it is the last remaining steamboat landing on the Delaware River. This links the town’s history to a specific landing on the river, without requiring a single building in the Historic District to be the focus.

The history of the yacht club can also be traced through two dates. The Riverton Yacht Club was founded in 1865. In 1880, it received permission to build its clubhouse at the landing. The founding and the approval mark different stages in the club’s history; the approval specifically concerns the construction of the clubhouse at the landing.

Park, Walking Tours, and Bicycle Race

Riverton Memorial Park covers 12 acres. Its facilities include four baseball fields, a grandstand, two basketball courts, and three hard-surface tennis courts. There are tables, benches, and a lawn for picnics. These are different options to weigh when planning your day: the park’s sports facilities sit alongside designated picnic areas. Which ones shape your stay depends on whether you plan to focus more on sports or on a picnic break.

There are two Riverton Walking Tours to choose from. One has 17 stops, the other 24. Together, they cover an area stretching from Broad Street to the Delaware River. The number of stops gives you a concrete way to compare the two tours; the area between Broad Street and the river also describes their shared geographic span. If you are planning your trip around local history, you can consider the walking tours alongside the Historic District as another theme.

Cycling is also a recurring part of the Riverton experience: the Historic Riverton Criterium is an annual bicycle race sanctioned by USA Cycling. It winds through the tree-lined historic streets of Riverton, New Jersey. Alongside the walking tours, this offers a bicycle race whose route runs specifically through these streets. When planning your trip, the race is a separate occasion to experience the historic streets from a different perspective.

Other Local Pages

Other local pages: Burlington, Southampton, Maple Shade, Moorestown, Bordentown, Pemberton Township, Mt Holly, Mount Laurel.

Back to the main travel overview: Burlington.