History

As I walked through Broad Street on my way home with presents and giftwrap in hand, I found myself longing for a memory that now has become a rose-tinted fantasy. The nostalgia of a time and a city that bejeweled itself in Christmas merriment, and streetscapes as alive as a postcard by Currier and Ives.

These tales I’m about to share are real, as legend goes that is… these are the stories that only a few of us know and wish to continue to pass for future generations. And what is most befitting is that they come from one particularly famous place in Newark… a final resting place.

Judge Stephen Garretson’s former home is believed to be the oldest building in Hamilton Park, Jersey City.

A plan to build a municipal recycling center threatens the serenity of a historically significant 18th-century home called the Samuel P. Paul House.

Last month, members of the public got a peek inside the Krueger-Scott Mansion in its almost-finished state to see what three years and $10 million could accomplish.

Despite the recent rapid growth of Newark, the neighborhood around the historic Mount Pleasant Cemetery has remained somewhat desolate. Now, two new developments could bring two hundred residents to formerly abandoned properties. 

L. Bamberger & Co.’s flagship store in Newark at its peak was the the 6th largest department store in the United States, but as trends changed towards the suburbs, the city’s temple to consumerism was left behind.

Whether you prefer a modern showstopper or historic estate, these New Jersey castles are easy to find and just waiting for you to discover.

The Forest Hill House & Garden Tour is returning to Newark this Saturday, giving history lovers a chance to peek inside the oldest and most opulent homes owned by prominent Gilded Age families and turn-of-the-century captains of industry.

Newark was at one point the center for culture and arts in New Jersey and has many once grand theaters to show for it. Now, however, when a Newarker wants to go see a movie or play, they are relegated to traveling to the suburbs or crossing the Hudson River.