Salem River
Encyclopedia
The Salem River is a 34.7 miles (55.8 km) tributary
of the Delaware River
in southwestern New Jersey
in the United States
.
The course and watershed of the Salem River are entirely within Salem County
. The river rises in Upper Pittsgrove Township
and flows initially westwardly, through Pilesgrove Township
and the borough of Woodstown
and along the boundaries of Carneys Point
and Mannington
Townships. Near Deepwater
it approaches to within 2 miles (3 km) of the Delaware River, a distance breached by the Deepwater Canal, which connects the two rivers. From there the Salem River turns to the south, flowing along the boundary of Mannington and Pennsville
Townships, where it widens into a meander
ing shallow estuary
and passes the city of Salem
, its head of navigability
. It flows into the Delaware River from the east near the head of Delaware Bay
, on the boundary of Pennsville and Elsinboro
townships, approximately 2 miles (3 km) west of Salem and approximately 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Finns Point
. Its tributaries
include Game Creek, Mannington Creek
, and Fenwick Creek
.
The area of the river was inhabited by Lenape
at the time of European colonization
. Fort Elfsborg
, a settlement of the New Sweden
colony, was constructed along the eastern bank of the river near its mouth in 1642-1643. The fort was later abandoned because of the prevalence of mosquito
es and the construction of Fort Casimir
by the New Netherland Dutch
across the river. The English
later founded the village of Salem in 1675 near the mouth of the river as part of the Fenwick Colony.
According to the Geographic Names Information System
, the river has also been known historically as Firkins Creek, Varkens Kill, and Varkins Kill. The Board on Geographic Names
settled on "Salem River" as the stream's name in 1940.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in southwestern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The course and watershed of the Salem River are entirely within Salem County
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
. The river rises in Upper Pittsgrove Township
Upper Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey
Upper Pittsgrove Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 3,468.Upper Pittsgrove Township was incorporated on March 10, 1846, from portions of Pittsgrove Township...
and flows initially westwardly, through Pilesgrove Township
Pilesgrove Township, New Jersey
Pilesgrove Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 3,923....
and the borough of Woodstown
Woodstown, New Jersey
Woodstown is a Borough in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 3,136.Woodstown was established on July 26, 1882, from portions of Pilesgrove Township based on the results of a referendum held that same day...
and along the boundaries of Carneys Point
Carneys Point Township, New Jersey
Carneys Point Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 8,049....
and Mannington
Mannington Township, New Jersey
Mannington Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 1,559....
Townships. Near Deepwater
Deepwater, New Jersey
Deepwater is a community in Pennsville, in Salem County, New Jersey, lying at the east end of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Deepwater is the location of the United States Postal Service area covering ZIP code 08023...
it approaches to within 2 miles (3 km) of the Delaware River, a distance breached by the Deepwater Canal, which connects the two rivers. From there the Salem River turns to the south, flowing along the boundary of Mannington and Pennsville
Pennsville Township, New Jersey
Pennsville Township is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 13,194. The township is named for William Penn....
Townships, where it widens into a meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
ing shallow estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
and passes the city of Salem
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
, its head of navigability
Navigability
A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and slow enough for a vessel to pass. Preferably there are few obstructions such as rocks or trees to avoid. Bridges must have sufficient clearance. High water speed may make a channel unnavigable. Waters may be...
. It flows into the Delaware River from the east near the head of Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
, on the boundary of Pennsville and Elsinboro
Elsinboro Township, New Jersey
Elsinboro is a Township in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 1,092.Elsinboro's first mention dates back to May 12, 1701, though it was also mentioned in records on November 28, 1676. The details and date of its original...
townships, approximately 2 miles (3 km) west of Salem and approximately 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Finns Point
Finns Point
Finns Point is a small strategic promontory at the southwest corner of the New Jersey peninsula, on the east bank of the Delaware River near its mouth on Delaware Bay. Due to a geographic curiosity, part of the promontory is actually enclosed within the state of Delaware's borders, due to tidal...
. Its tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
include Game Creek, Mannington Creek
Mannington Creek
Mannington Creek is a tributary of the Salem River in southwestern New Jersey in the United States.-References:*Gertler, Edward. Garden State , Seneca Press, 2002. ISBN 0-9605908-8-9...
, and Fenwick Creek
Fenwick Creek
Fenwick Creek is a tributary of the Salem River in southwestern New Jersey in the United States.-References:*Gertler, Edward. Garden State , Seneca Press, 2002. ISBN 0-9605908-8-9...
.
The area of the river was inhabited by Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
at the time of European colonization
European colonization of the Americas
The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492. The first Europeans to reach the Americas were the Vikings during the 11th century, who established several colonies in Greenland and one short-lived settlement in present day Newfoundland...
. Fort Elfsborg
Fort Nya Elfsborg
Fort Nya Elfsborg was a fortification and settlement established as a part of New Sweden. Built in 1643 and named after the Älvsborg Fortress off Gothenburg, Fort Nya Elfsborg was located on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, between present day Salem and Alloway Creek.-History:Fort Nya...
, a settlement of the New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
colony, was constructed along the eastern bank of the river near its mouth in 1642-1643. The fort was later abandoned because of the prevalence of mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
es and the construction of Fort Casimir
Fort Casimir
Fort Casimir was a Dutch settlement in 17th century colonial province of New Netherland. It was located on a no-longer existing barrier island at the end of Chestnut Street in what is now New Castle, Delaware...
by the New Netherland Dutch
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
across the river. The English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
later founded the village of Salem in 1675 near the mouth of the river as part of the Fenwick Colony.
According to the Geographic Names Information System
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
, the river has also been known historically as Firkins Creek, Varkens Kill, and Varkins Kill. The Board on Geographic Names
United States Board on Geographic Names
The United States Board on Geographic Names is a United States federal body whose purpose is to establish and maintain uniform usage of geographic names throughout the U.S. government.-Overview:...
settled on "Salem River" as the stream's name in 1940.