Harriet Tubman Square (formerly known as Washington Park) is a city square in Downtown Newark, New Jersey.[1]
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]
District
editJames Street Commons Historic District | |
    | |
| Coordinates | 40°44′41″N 74°10′14″W / 40.74459°N 74.17067°W |
|---|---|
| NRHP reference No. | 78001758[5] |
| NJRHP No. | 1275[6] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 9, 1978 |
| Designated NJRHP | February 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
edit
Several commemorative statues and tablets are in the park:[2][9]
- Indian and the Puritan (1916), one of four public works^ by sculptor Gutzon Borglum in Newark.
- George Washington (1912), an A J. Massey Rhind work, depicts the general taking leave from his troops at Rockingham.[9][10]
- A statue of Christopher Columbus was made in Rome by Giuseppe Ciochetti and presented to the city by Newark's Italians in 1927.[11][12][13] It was removed by the city (with pedestal left in place) in June 2020 to prevent its possible toppling in a Black Lives Matter protest.[14][15] The plinth was removed in 2022. The statue was in a vacant city lot, as of October 2020.[16]
- A work by Karl Gerhardt of Seth Boyden, who was one of Newark's leading citizens, captain of industry in the 19th century, an inventor of patent leather and innovation for train locomotives.[9][17]
- Shadow of a Face by Nina Cooke John is a memorial to Harriet Tubman installed in 2023.[18] It replaced the monument to Columbus.
Wednesdays at Washington Park
editSince 2009, a weekly green market and outdoor concert is held at the park from June to October.[19][20][21]
Transportation
editThe 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
editReferences
edit- ^ "TAPinto".
- ^ a b Jean-Rae Turner; Richard T. Koles; Charles F. Cummings (2003), Newark: The Golden Age, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 9780738512143
- ^ "Newark to rename Washington Park to honor Harriet Tubman, replace Columbus statue with hers". October 8, 2020.
- ^ Strunsky, Steve (June 20, 2022). "On Juneteenth holiday, Newark renames Washington Park as Harriet Tubman Square". NJ.com. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Walking Tour 1: Newark History" (PDF). www.newarktours. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ NJ.com, Dan Ivers | NJ Advance Media for (January 11, 2016). "Audible to expand operation into historic Newark church". nj. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c Federal Writers' Project (2013), The WPA Guide to New Jersey, Trinity University Press, ISBN 9781595342287, retrieved November 3, 2015
- ^ "George Washington, (sculpture)". siris-artinventories.si.edu.
- ^ "Newark - Christopher Columbus Statue in Washington Park". vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ "Newark's Christopher Columbus". newarkhistory.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ "Newark - Christopher Columbus Statue in Washington Park". statues.vanderkrogt.net. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Seth Boyden Statue". www.newarkhistory.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Newark unveils Harriet Tubman monument honoring Underground Railroad conductor". March 9, 2023.
- ^ "Wednesdays at Washington Park". www.newarkpulse.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ ""WEDNESDAYS AT WASHINGTON PARK" - Glocally Newark". glocallynewark.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ "Wednesdays at Washington Park in Newark New Jersey profile at farmers market online". farmersmarketonline.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ "New Jersey Transit". njtransit.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2015.