History
EARLY DAYS
On October 28, 1664, the Native Americans of Staten Island sold a tract of land lying between the Raritan River and the Passaic River, extending westward from Newark Bay, to John Bailey, Daniel Denton and Luke Watson. It included what is now the City of Elizabeth.
This new settlement became the first permanent English community in the state. First known as Elizabethtown, Governor Sir Philip Carteret made it the first capital of New Jersey for a short period of time. Home to influential early Americans such as Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, Elizabethtown was the scene of many key revolutionary battles and the hub of colonial political activity during the 1700s. In fact, three Elizabeth residents—Stephen Crane, William Livingston and Jonathan Dayton—made up the majority of the state’s five delegates to the First Continental Congress in 1775. (Of interesting note, both Livingston and Dayton were signers of the U.S. Constitution.)
As the town began to flourish, the first railroad was welcomed through Elizabeth in 1836. The Elizabeth and Somerville Railroad (later the Central Railroad of New Jersey) was established in 1839, providing regular passenger service and opening the lines of connection needed for further growth and development.
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
During the later part of the 19th century and into the 20th century, Elizabeth was at the forefront of the industrial revolution. Companies like the Singer Manufacturing Company (sewing machines) built huge factories here and employed tens of thousands of workers. Industries at the time included shipbuilding, automobile plants, iron works, breweries, machinery manufacturers and oil refining.
In the later part of the century, the City was able to transform itself into even more of a transportation hub with the development of Newark Airport, the Goethals’ Bridge and the New Jersey Turnpike. Its seaport evolved into the one of the world’s largest shipping concerns with the development of containerization. Meanwhile, because of its location, Elizabeth grew into a major retail destination.
A PLACE WHERE HISTORY LIVES
Spend a day in Elizabeth and see the history of the United States come to life. There are numerous historic markers, locations and buildings, which are registered with the State and Federal governments.
The Historic Midtown and Elizabeth Avenue districts offer a startling array of historical sites, which bring the Colonial history of the City to life. Among the most impressive is Boxwood Hall (circa 1760), home of Elias Boudinot, president of the Continental Congress, and of Jonathan Dayton, the youngest signer of the Constitution. The house, restored and decorated with period pieces, is a State historic site and open for free tours. A few doors down the block on East Jersey Street is the Bonnell House, Elizabeth’s oldest house, built in 1682. Directly across the street is the Georgian-style Belcher Ogden Mansion (1680), residence of the Royal Governor Jonathan Belcher (1751).
The First Presbyterian Church on Broad Street was the site of important colonial activities. It was the site of the City’s first church, built in 1668, and also the site of the first Princeton University. Adjoining the church on Broad Street is the startling Union County Courthouse (1903) and then the Elizabeth Public Library, built in 1912, a gift from Andrew Carnegie. Nearby, the dark, towering masterpiece that is St. John’s Episcopal Church (current structure) opened in 1860. A church has stood at the site since 1706. Down the block on Elizabeth Avenue in the Union Square area stands the Minute Man Statue in tribute to another important colonial battle. The Liberty Hall Museum shares a border between Elizabeth and Union, across from Kean University. It is where generations of the Livingston and Kean families lived for 225 years, until 1995.
ELIZABETH MILESTONES
• The first English-speaking community in New Jersey.
• The first capitol of New Jersey.
• The first home of Princeton University.
• The first ice cream soda.
• The first submarine.
• The first assembly line automobile producer in the state.
• The home of New Jersey’s first Governor, Phillip Carteret.
• Home to Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr.
• The home of the first Colonial Assembly and Council meeting.
• The home of the first Governor of the State after the Declaration of Independence, William Livingston.
• The site where the first British ship was sunk by Americans after the Declaration of Independence.
• The home of the first President of Congress after the Peace Treaty with the English, Elias Boudinot.
• The Singer sewing machine.
• The home of one of the country’s great military leaders, Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey.
• The home of James P. Mitchell, the Secretary of Labor under President Eisenhower, after whom our Board of Education Administrative Building is named.
• The home of the creator of “Tom Swift” and the “Bobsey Twins,” as well as authors Judy Blume and “Mickey” Spillane.
• The birthplace of dianetics.
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