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The Newark Preservation &
Landmarks Committee Saving a City's Heritage
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Starting and Staying the Course The first official meeting of
the Landmarks Committee was held November 26, 1973, at the Plume House,
one of the oldest buildings in Newark. The formation of the group grew out
of a series of small, informal meetings organized by Donald T. Dust, a
former newspaper reporter who was then the editor of the Greater Newark
Chamber of Commerce magazine. The committee picked up where an earlier
effort, known as the Historic Sites and Buildings Committee and based at
the Newark Public Library, had left off in the early 1960s. The original NPLC board
consisted of 11 trustees, some appointed by Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson and
the Chamber of Commerce. Dust was the first chairman of the board. The
other members of the original executive committee and their positions at
that time were Samuel Miller,
director of The Newark Museum; Bernard Schein, director of the
Newark Public Library; in 1974 Alfred Schapiro, director of city planning;
Bernard Grad, partner in a Newark architectural firm; Joseph Aramanda,
president of a real estate and mortgage company; Rev. Joseph Jaremczuk of
St. James Roman Catholic Church; William M. Ashby, a retired social
worker; Dr. E. Alma Flagg, an assistant superintendent of schools; Rev.
Doris Belcher of St. Stephan's United Church; and Harlyn Thompson, first dean of the
School of Architecture at Newark College of Engineering. Several of the founders are now
deceased or gone from Newark. Dr. Flagg served the l After becoming incorporated as
a private, nonprofit organization in 1974, the Committee became fully
independent of city government and the business community. Later the board
was reorganized and all the trustees were elected by dues-paying general
members. Since Dust, the other heads of the board have been Edward Nebb, a bank executive; Elizabeth Del Tufo, a community activist and tour leader; Douglas Eldridge, a newspaper reporter and city official; Victoria Snoy, an advertising official of Prudential Insurance Co.; Rose Spears, a retired federal official; and William Mikesell, an architect. At various times the organization has employed four directors: Margaret Manhardt, Anthony Vacca, Dust, and Eldridge. Much of the work has been carried out by volunteers and consultants, particularly Ulana Zakalak, an architectural historian. This nonprofit citizens' group
has weathered many strains and is still the only private organization
devoted entirely to saving and promoting Newark's past. Supported by dues
from more than 200 members, contributions from foundations and businesses,
and gifts and bequests, the Committee pursues its work through a tiny
staff, volunteers, and consultants. The most important, most
persistent work has been the nomination of significant sites for the New
Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Thanks largely to the
efforts of NPLC, six different districts and more than 60 individual
places -- houses, churches, factories, statues, parks, and cemeteries --
are now on the official registers. Two dozen of them display the
Committee's plaques, which quickly inform passersby about their
importance. As the Landmarks Committee moves into
its fourth decade, it is looking forward as well as backward -- planning
more nominations, plaques, and projects, and always preparing for new
battles to save endangered buildings or neighborhoods.
Lincoln Park is one of the historic districts created by NPLC Winning and Losing During its first quarter-century the Newark
Preservation & Landmarks Committee has scored some noteworthy
victories, but also suffered some bruising defeats.
Through the committee's
efforts the city's grandest mansion, its smallest County park, and its
oldest synagogue have been saved from demolition. Historic designations
arranged by the Committee have opened the door to several million dollars
of State restoration grants, and spurred the sale and rehabilitation of
fine old homes. Thanks to a long campaign by
the Committee, the City has established its own commission to help
identify and safeguard landmarks. Members of NPLC have spoken out at
public hearings and taken to the streets to try to stop the wrecking ball.
Seemingly inevitable plans to demolish irreplaceable buildings and erase a
precious park have been thwarted. Unfortunately, however, splendid old
churches and other buildings have been razed, and author Stephen Crane's
birthplace memorial was bulldozed. Worse still, the Committee could not
save the only landmark it ever owned, the Lloyd Houses. But the city might
have even fewer great buildings and even more parking lots if NPLC had
never been formed and gone into action.
The 1884 Oheb Shalom synagogue was saved by NPLC The Newark Preservation & Landmarks Committee has
handed out many honors and staged many events to encourage efforts to save
and enhance the city's most valuable places. Recognition Awards have been
given out every year since 1975 to individuals and organizations that have
advanced the cause of preservation. Tours through the entire city and
various neighborhoods have given thousands of people new awareness of the
beautiful and distinctive structures and areas in our city.
Exhibits, forums, meetings and
receptions have been held to help educate the public about the importance
of landmarks in our lives -- and just to give the varied people in this
common cause a chance to get together for good talk and good times. Through a special project sponsored by
the Committee at the New Jersey Historical Society, children at local
public schools gained a fresh appreciation of the historical features of
their neighborhoods.
Recognition Awards are given in an annual ceremony by NPLC
Spreading the Word During the last 30 years the Newark Preservation
& Landmarks Committee has issued a variety of publications -- from
hard-cover books to bumper stickers -- to help spread knowledge and
appreciation of the city's historic treasures. The Committee's newsletter,
"Yesterday's News," has evolved greatly in format as it chronicled the
varied fates of local landmarks. A series of tour guides has described the
major buildings and sites in James Street Commons, Lincoln Park, Forest
Hill, and the Ironbound. Holiday greeting cards
depicted city scenes through the 1890s drawings of C. Durand Chapman. New
note cards published for NPLC's 25th anniversary in 1978 featured
brand-new sketches of six local landmarks by Richard La Rovere. NPLC
helped sponsor a handsome map of Branch Brook Park.
But the Committee is proudest of its biggest publishing venture -- "Tales Without Hate," the memoirs of William Ashby. He founded the Urban League in 1917, and chronicled the development of Newark's African-American community through much of the 20th century. Revered as "A Living Landmark," he died in 1991 at the age of 101. .
The memoirs of William Ashby were published by NPLC The book was published first in 1981 in paperback, and reissued in an expanded hardcover edition in 1996. In more than 200 pages of
vivid memoirs, Ashby chronicles the development of Newark's
African-American community through the first half of the 20th century. His
stories are sometimes rollicking and sometimes grim, but always
engrossing. The noted historian, Dr. Clement A. Price, has written that
Ashby wrote about his experiences "with an eloquence and sophistication
that are virtually unparalleled in New Jersey historical literature." Copies of the illustrated book can still be ordered for $15, including postage and handling. Checks can be made payable to "Landmarks Committee" and sent to P.O. Box 1066, Newark, NJ 07101. In addition, a flyer with pictures and an order form for the Committee's other publications is available from the same address.
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