Monica Pajdak

It takes a trained eye and a genuine interest in Newark’s history for one to fully appreciate this city. Among those with such facilities and motivation is Jeffrey Bennett, a graduate of the University of Chicago, and a native to the area. Bennett kicked off the 2010 Colloquium series this past Wednesday when he delivered his presentation: Newark’s History as Microcosm as seen through the Built Environment.

Newark is a city with a lot to offer. You can take a journey down to the Central Business District, where either the Prudential Center or NJPAC will remind you of Newark’s current potential, its industrial status, and its budding arts scene. On campus, Central High and Eberhardt Hall will remind you of Newark’s rich architectural history. Yet even with all these outstanding markers surrounding us, Newark’s conceptions and – even more so – legacies go unnoticed.

In this discussion, Bennett emphasized two major points. First, Newark has an extensive and diverse history, reaching far back in time and encompassing several peaks and declines. Second, we can find evidence of these historical variations in physical settings. Uniting these two concepts in the same context, Bennett essentially states that by studying Newark, we are studying both its history and that of our nation along with it.

Newark’s timeline extends as far back as 1666, at which time it was a frontier city firmly established on conservative Puritan principles. The city progressed through the centuries that followed, experiencing a break in theocracy as Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Jews, Catholics, and Baptists established themselves in the area.

This religious diversification occurred along with the ethnic diversification that resulted from an industrial increase, which attracted many different ethnic groups, including southern African Americans moving north during the Great Migration.

The diversification that ensued is the basis of Bennett’s second observation: that Newark is a sort of palimpsest, a parchment that has been reused such that the old writing is either still present or incompletely erased. This analogy lies in his observation that many of Newark’s buildings are being used in ways that they were not intended for.

One example, which we should all be familiar with, is Eberhardt Hall, which was originally built as an orphanage, but now is home to NJIT’s Office of Alumni Relations.  Another example that Bennett gives is that of the former Ballantine Brewery, which was eventually used as part of Rutgers School of Law , and still later used as Science Park High School.

Newark has been home to industries that produced metal works, leather products, beers, candies, electronics, and even jewelry. In fact, Tiffany & Co. has its roots in the city of Newark, and still has an operational facility in the city. Going along with the palimpsest idea, Bennett notes that the buildings all around us still hold signs of hidden histories, and this is precisely where the trained eye comes into play.

In the community of Weequahic there is a synagogue, clearly marked with inscriptions and symbols of the faith practiced there. Yet closer observation of the edifice shows that it once served another purpose. In faded white lettering on the side of the building, one can still make out the name of a German newspaper whose offices resided in the building prior to its conversion to a synagogue. You will find – if you explore the city – that examples like these abound in Newark.

In addition to discussing architecture and industry, Bennett also described much of Newark’s history in terms of economics and politics. He mentioned the names of key local figures, such as Franklin Murphy and Gottfried Krueger, and provided a truly informative, content-rich account of Newark’s past that would make one consider Newark in a different way. One thing is certain, the next time I go over to Rutgers, on my way up to class in Boyden Hall,  I will most certainly be thinking of Seth Boyden, the Newarkian whom Thomas Edison himself called “one of America’s greatest inventors.”

If you would like to learn more about the city of Newark and its hidden history, you can visit Mr. Bennett’s website: www.newarkhistory.com, where you can learn about local cemeteries, churches, parks, streets, and statues. There will also be other opportunities to experience the city including study tours and an inside look at the Prudential Center as part of the Spring 2010 colloquium series.

Monica Pajdak is a sophomore biology major and can be reached at mpajdak@njitvector.com.