Harriet Tubman Square

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Harriet Tubman Square (formerly known as Washington Park) is a city square in Downtown Newark, New Jersey. [1]

Contents

It is the northernmost of the three colonial era downtown parks in the city, along with Lincoln Park and Military Park. [2] The triangular park is bounded by Broad Street, Washington Street, and Washington Place at the end of Halsey Street. It is home to several public monuments and is surrounded by historic civic and commercial buildings. In a ceremony on Juneteenth 2022, the city re-named the park in honor of Harriet Tubman. [3] [4]

Skyline of Washington Park buildings such as IDT, North Reformed Church, 33 Washington St, American Insurance Company Building, Cablevision, 1 Washington Park, and Riverfront Stadium as seen from Passaic River in 2015 NewarkWashParkskyline.JPG
Skyline of Washington Park buildings such as IDT, North Reformed Church, 33 Washington St, American Insurance Company Building, Cablevision, 1 Washington Park, and Riverfront Stadium as seen from Passaic River in 2015

District

James Street Commons Historic District
Location map of Essex County, New Jersey.svg
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Coordinates 40°44′41″N74°10′14″W / 40.74459°N 74.17067°W / 40.74459; -74.17067
NRHP reference No. 78001758 [5]
NJRHP No.1275 [6]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJanuary 9, 1978
Designated NJRHPFebruary 10, 1977

Originally known as the North Common or the Upper Green, [7] the park is a contributing property to the James Street Commons Historic District and is surrounded by notable landmarks. It forms the northern end of the city's central business district.

The North Reformed Church was built in 1857-59 without the use of ore, iron, or steel.[ citation needed ] The Ballantine House, a National Historic Landmark, was built by the brewer of Ballantine beer, John Ballantine, in 1885. It is part of the Newark Museum. The main Newark Public Library was built in 1903. Residential brownstones are found along James Street.

Among the office buildings located in the district are the American Insurance Company Building, One Washington Park, IDT Corporation, 550 Broad Street, 33 Washington Street, and the Cablevision Call Center. Several facilities of Rutgers-Newark and the headquarters of Audible are on the park. [8]

Statues

George Washington taking leave of troops at Rocky Hill. JMRWashington.jpg
George Washington taking leave of troops at Rocky Hill.
Christopher Columbus statue removed in June 2020 Columbus in Washington Pk jeh.jpg
Christopher Columbus statue removed in June 2020

Several commemorative statues and tablets are in the park: [2] [9]

Wednesdays at Washington Park

Since 2009, a weekly green market and outdoor concert is held at the park from June to October. [19] [20] [21]

Transportation

The Newark Light Rail Washington Park station lies along the Broad Street side of the park. Riverfront Stadium station is a block away. The Newark Broad Street Station, served by New Jersey Transit (NJT), is two blocks north. Numerous buses serve Newark and environs, including Newark Liberty International Airport. [22]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newark Public Schools</span> School district in Essex County, New Jersey, US

Newark Board of Education is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in the city of Newark in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The state took over the district in 1995—the third takeover statewide—and returned control in 2018, after 22 years. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harriet Tubman Square station</span>

Harriet Tubman Square station is a light rail station on the Newark Light Rail's Broad Street Extension. It is located in Downtown Newark, New Jersey, United States, on the southbound side of Broad Street between Bridge and Lombardy Streets adjacent to Washington Park. The station only serves trains in the southbound direction, the nearby Atlantic Street station is served by northbound trains. It is directly across from the headquarters of IDT Corporation and 1 Washington Park and during the afternoon rush hour carries many outgoing commuters from these buildings to Newark Penn Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic Street station</span>

Atlantic Street station is a light rail station in Newark, New Jersey on the Newark Light Rail system. The station is located in Downtown Newark, next to Atlantic Street, between the headquarters of IDT Corporation and its parking garage. The station only serves trains in the northbound direction, the nearby Harriet Tubman Square station is served by southbound trains. The station is in a business district near Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium. The Washington Park post office is also located near this station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Park (Newark)</span> Public park in Newark, New Jersey, US

Military Park is a 6-acre (24,000 m2) city park in Downtown Newark in Newark, New Jersey. Along with Lincoln Park and Washington Park, it makes up the three downtown parks in Newark that were laid out in the colonial era. It is a nearly triangular park located between Park Place, Rector Street and Broad Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Street Commons Historic District</span> Historic district in New Jersey, United States

The James Street Commons Historic District is a 65-acre (26 ha) historic district located in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 9, 1978, for its significance in architecture, art, community planning and development, education, industry, and social history. There was a small boundary increase on September 22, 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Washington Park</span> Skyscraper

One Washington Park is a high rise office building located on Harriet Tubman Square at 1 Washington Street in Newark, New Jersey. Among the tallest buildings in the city, it is best known as the home of Rutgers Business School, Amazon's Audible.com, and Newark Venture Partners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halsey Street (Newark)</span>

Halsey Street is a north-south street in Downtown Newark, New Jersey, which runs between and parallel to Broad Street and Washington Street. Halsey Street passes through the four of city's historic districts: James Street Commons at the north, the abutting Military Park and Four Corners and, after a two block break, Lincoln Park at the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus Monument (New York City)</span> Monument in Manhattan, New York, U.S.

The Columbus Monument is a 76-foot (23 m) column in the center of Columbus Circle in New York City honoring the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, who first made an expedition to the New World in 1492. The monument was created by Italian sculptor Gaetano Russo in 1892.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Christopher Columbus (Buffalo, New York)</span>

A statue of Christopher Columbus by the sculptor Giovanni Polizzi formerly stood in Columbus Park, in Buffalo, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Christopher Columbus (Newark, New Jersey)</span>

A statue of Christopher Columbus was a memorial in Washington Park in Newark, New Jersey, within the James Street Commons Historic District. It was made in Rome by Giuseppe Ciochetti and presented to the city by Newark's Italians in 1927. The statue was removed by the city in June 2020 to prevent its toppling in a Black Lives Matter protest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harriet Tubman Museum</span>

The Harriet Tubman Museum is located at 632 Lafayette Street in the city of Cape May, New Jersey. It features the life and work of American abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman in the state.

There are two statues of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Newark, New Jersey. Both are located on the Essex County Government Complex at its newest addition, the Martin Luther King Justice Building.

There are three sculptures of Christopher Columbus in Hudson County, New Jersey created by Archimedes Giacomantonio. The tributes to Columbus become contentious around 2020 when there were calls for removal and subsequent rebuttals of their retention. Archimedes Aristedes Michael Giacomantonio, also known as Jock Manton, a corruption of his surname. was a native Jersey City

Shadow of a Face is a monument to abolitionist Harriet Tubman in Newark, New Jersey's Harriet Tubman Square designed by architect and artist Nina Cooke John. It was unveiled on March 9, 2023. It replaced a monument to Christopher Columbus in the same location which was removed in 2020 by the city to prevent its toppling in a Black Lives Matter protest. Several other monuments are in the park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legacy of Harriet Tubman</span> Cultural influence of the African-American abolitionist

Harriet Tubman (1822–1913) was an American abolitionist and social activist. After escaping slavery, Tubman made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people, including her family and friends, using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. During the American Civil War, she served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army. In her later years, Tubman was an activist in the movement for women's suffrage.

References

  1. "TAPinto".
  2. 1 2 Jean-Rae Turner; Richard T. Koles; Charles F. Cummings (2003), Newark: The Golden Age, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN   9780738512143
  3. "Newark to rename Washington Park to honor Harriet Tubman, replace Columbus statue with hers". October 8, 2020.
  4. Strunsky, Steve (June 20, 2022). "On Juneteenth holiday, Newark renames Washington Park as Harriet Tubman Square". NJ.com. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  6. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Essex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. January 10, 2010. p. 3. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  7. "Walking Tour 1: Newark History" (PDF). www.newarktours. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  8. NJ.com, Dan Ivers | NJ Advance Media for (January 11, 2016). "Audible to expand operation into historic Newark church". nj. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 Federal Writers' Project (2013), The WPA Guide to New Jersey, Trinity University Press, ISBN   9781595342287 , retrieved November 3, 2015
  10. "George Washington, (sculpture)". siris-artinventories.si.edu.
  11. "Newark - Christopher Columbus Statue in Washington Park". vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  12. "Newark's Christopher Columbus". newarkhistory.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  13. "Newark - Christopher Columbus Statue in Washington Park". statues.vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  14. NJ.com, Rebecca Panico | NJ Advance Media for (June 26, 2020). "Another Christopher Columbus statue removed from N.J. city park". nj. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  15. NJ.com, Rebecca Panico | NJ Advance Media for (June 26, 2020). "Another Christopher Columbus statue removed from N.J. city park". nj. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  16. Panico, Rebecca (October 9, 2020). "City said Columbus statue it took down was in storage. It's outside, in a vacant lot, on the ground". nj.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  17. "Seth Boyden Statue". www.newarkhistory.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  18. https://www.nj.com/news/2023/03/harriet-tubman-monument-unveiled-in-newark-honors-underground-railroad-conductor.html
  19. "Wednesdays at Washington Park". www.newarkpulse.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  20. ""WEDNESDAYS AT WASHINGTON PARK" - Glocally Newark". glocallynewark.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  21. "Wednesdays at Washington Park in Newark New Jersey profile at farmers market online". farmersmarketonline.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  22. "New Jersey Transit". njtransit.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2015.

40°44′34″N74°10′18″W / 40.742651°N 74.171779°W / 40.742651; -74.171779