The home of Colonel John Stevens III at Castle Point on "Hobuck Island" was once a popular destination for wealthy and fashionable New Yorkers. Stevens developed one of the first steamboats, the Phœnix, as well as the first steam locomotive in the country, which was built in 1825 and operated on a circular track on his property for the entertainment of his visitors. The house and grounds were later incorporated into the Stevens Institute of Technology, founded by the Colonel’s brother, Edwin Stevens.

The view on this plate is based on an etching by the Philadelphia artist William Birch and remains faithful to the original, the only addition being some shrubbery in the foreground. Another version exists with the addition of four sheep, a dog, and another poplar tree. The border of eagles with spread wings amid scrolls and flowers appears on all of Stubbs’ ceramics destined for the American market.