The Lenni Lenape at Gloucester

The first people along the Delaware River call themselves "Lenni Lenape".

At the time the Dutch arrived in the Delaware River, the Lenni Lenape located in present day Gloucester City along the Timber Creek were known as the ARMEWAMEX  and their village was known as ARWAMES ( also spelled ARWAMUS ).

A 1983 archeological study at a construction site along the Delaware River at Market and King Streets in Gloucester City resulted in the discovery of nearly 16,000 artifacts.

These artifacts indicated human habitation first occurring during the Archaic period (8000 B.C to 1000 B.C.).

Artifacts of a more expansive human occupation appear during the Early/Middle Woodland period (c.a. 500 BC – A.D. 700).

A ossuary or mass human grave discovered at the site, indicates habitation continuing into the Late Woodland period (c.a. 700 – 1700 ).

With in 100 years of the Dutch arrival  in the 1620's, nearly all of the Lenni Lenape in the area were gone.

After the British took control of New Jersey (1664 ) from the Dutch, the London  Commissioners purchased the area above Timber Creek to Rancocas Creek from the remaining Lenni Lenape people on September 10, 1677.

[ The dates noted in the 1983 archaeological study use B.C. and A.D. which where in use at the time of the study and as such listed here. ]