Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1822.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Newark’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Newark is more historic than 86% of U.S. towns, #339 of 758 in New York. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Newark’s overall grade.
New York towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New York town has 12.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Newark’s 5.6 sits near the middle of its state (37% of New York towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.4 points). Two sources give 1819.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Newark’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Newark. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1899Palmyra sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Newark.
People over time
Newark, census by census
Peaked at 12,868 in 1960; 9,017 people lived here in 2020.
16 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Newark’s Wikipedia page.
Every building
Newark, building by building, 1885–1912
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
The current village includes the former "Miller's Basin" and "Lockville" prior to its own incorporation in 1839. The Village of Newark was incorporated in 1853. It was in Newark, New York that Jackson & Perkins Company, famous for its roses, was founded in 1872 by Albert Jackson and his son-in law Charles H. Perkins. The Perkins mansion is now listed on the historic register.
Passages that mention Newark, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of the city of Newark, New Jersey1913 · page 751Read the page →
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By 1850, with Newark's population now close to 40,000, it began to be apparent that the school system was rapidly being outgrown, and in that year a new law was made, entitled "An Act to Establish Public Schools in the City of Newark." Although Newark had had public schools for several years, as we have seen, the new law gave the city greater and much needed powers. Three years later came another law, "An Act to Incorporate the Board of Education of the City of Newark," which had really been established
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of the city of Newark, New Jersey1913 · page 753Read the page →
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In 1885 Newark's summer schools, the first in the United States, were started. In 1912 Newark ranked fifth in evening school attendance in the United States. Newark had kindergarten classes in its German-English schools as early as 1861. (See the chapters on the Germans in Newark for other facts about the schools of Newark.) Newark was one of the first American cities to supply free text-books.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The industrial interests of Newark, N. J., containing an historical sketch of the city, also a complete summary of the origin, growth and present condition of Newark's industries. Including the location and description of all the manufacturing establishme1874Read the page →
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passed laws to promote the manufacture of leather. In the colony of New Haven, the mdustry was promuient, and here the size stick was first used in makmg shoes. It appears that tannmg was introduced in New Jersey about the time of the settlement of Newark, by the people from Connecticut, who laid the foundation of the City of Newark, introduced the process tanning and the various manufactures of leather, which have continually grown and prospered until now Newark is one of the most important leather manufacturing cities in the Union. The industrial records show that the first shoemaker in Newark
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey ..1898 · page 434Read the page →
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town line, running between New York and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and on the ist of July, 1869, he was appointed station master for the Central Railroad at Newark, entering upon his duties on the ist of August. At present he is general agent for the Jersey Central Railroad at Newark, in which capacity he has given entire satisfac-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Newark, 1819 to 1965
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1819, according to Wikidata. Newark’s post office opened in 1822, and the census of 1870 counted 2,248 people here.
How does Newark rank for history?
Newark is more historic than 86% of U.S. towns, #339 of 758 in New York. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Newark?
35% of Newark’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.4 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1956.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (2), the Library of Congress (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1905![Buildings designed by Gilbert and others.] [Elevations; sketch renderings](https://images.townratings.com/story/11854/0cab18777d1258c4b093-s.jpg)
1905
