This was a good idea that didn't float. The first submarine was built in 1878 by John Holland of Passaic County. It's now on display in the Public Museum in Paterson. First copper mine Back in 1640, Dutch settlers opened the first copper mine in America in the Kittatinny Mountains. Copper was an important metal to make materials for the early settlers.
First ferry Commuting to New York City is a time-honored New Jersey tradition.
In fact, the first ferry service in the United States began in 1811, shuttling between Hoboken and Manhattan. In 1642, the first brewery in America opened in Hoboken. Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, designed the first American flag in 1777.