Here’s where things get surprising. New Jersey was an industrial powerhouse in a farming world. It had something truly valuable: iron ore. Bog iron (found in swamps and rivers) was melted down in furnaces to make pots, pans, nails, and even cannonballs.
These ironworks were like the tech startups of their day. Places like Batsto Village and Ringwood Manor became booming little towns where people didn’t just grow food—they made stuff. A single iron forge could employ dozens of families, and the products were shipped all the way to England.
Next time you hold a metal skillet, remember: Colonial New Jerseyans were the ones hammering out the kitchen tools that made cooking possible. They were the original DIY economy.
PPT - New Jersey PowerPoint Presentation, free download - ID:403794
