Plumber in Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ with AME Plumbing Heating and Cooling

Giovanni da Verrazzano explored the area known today as Highlands in 1525. During the next two centuries, the Highlands area would welcome English and Dutch settlers. Even by the 20th Century, many immigrants saw the hills of the Highlands of Navesink which were almost 300 feet (91 m) above sea level.

The oldest route to the eastern coast of the United States is the Minisink Trail which started on the upper Delaware River, came through northern New Jersey and ended at the Navesink River. Navesink means “good fishing spot” in the native tongue at the time. The trail was used by Native Americans, such as the Algonquin and Lenni Lenapi tribes. They came from all over New Jersey to spend the summer fishing and finding clams. The Newasunks, Raritans, and Sachem Papomorga (or Lenni Lenapis) were the most prevalent tribes and stayed the longest. These were the tribes which mostly traded with early settlers.

One year after Verrazzano explored the area, Portuguese explorer Estevan Gomez visited the Highlands of Navesink and created the first maps of the area. These were the maps in which Sandy Hook was first drawn and called “Cabo de Arenas” or “Cape of Sands.”