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Newark. 1 City (1990 pop. 37,861), Alameda co., W Calif., on the east side of San Francisco Bay; inc. 1955. Its population has grown with the local development of the San Francisco area in the 1970s and 80s.
2 City (1990 pop. 25,098), New Castle co., NW Del.; settled before 1700, inc. 1852. The second largest city in the state, it is the seat of the Univ. of Delaware. It has an automobile assembly plant, several research laboratories, and a variety of light manufactures. The only Revolutionary battle on Delaware soil was fought (Sept., 1777) at nearby Cooch's bridge.
3 City (1990 pop. 275,221), seat of Essex co., NE N.J., on the Passaic River and Newark Bay; settled 1666, inc. as a city 1836. It is a port of entry and the largest city in the state. Located only 8 mi (13 km) W of New York City, Newark is a transportation, industrial, commercial, and manufacturing center. Its leather industry dates from the 17th cent., and its still-significant jewelry manufactures and insurance businesses began in the early 19th cent. Among the city's many other products are beer, cutlery, electronic equipment, textiles, pharmaceuticals, fabricated metal items, paints, and canned goods. Newark International Airport is one of the nation's busiest, and the important seaport is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The city has a large minority population; over 50% of its residents are African Americans. Newark's educational institutions include Rutgers Univ. in Newark, Newark College of Engineering, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Essex County College, the Univ. of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and a preparatory academy founded in 1774.
Landmarks include Trinity Cathedral (1810, with the spire of a church built in 1743); the Sacred Heart Cathedral (begun 1899, completed 1954); the First Presbyterian Church (1791); the Newark Public Library (founded 1888); the Newark Museum (1909); and the county courthouse (1906), with Gutzon Borglum's statue of Lincoln in front. Other points of interest include Borglum's large group Wars of America (1926) in Military Park (a Revolutionary War drilling ground and a Civil War tenting area) and many historic homes. Aaron Burr and Stephen Crane were born in Newark.
The city was settled (1666) by Puritans from Connecticut under Robert Treat. It was the scene of Revolutionary skirmishes. Industrial growth began after the American Revolution, aided by the development of transportation facilities. The Morris Canal was opened in 1832, and the railroads arrived in 1834 and 1835. A flourishing shipping business resulted, and Newark became the area's industrial center. In the late 19th cent. its industry was further developed, especially through the efforts of such men as Seth Boyden and J. W. Hyatt. Newark Port opened in 1915, and the city's shipbuilding played an important role in World War I.
During the latter half of the 20th cent., Newark's economy and living standards greatly declined. Many residents fled to the suburbs, which were marked by a boom in corporate development, shopping center growth, and housing construction. Poverty and unemployment plagued Newark, which in July, 1967, was the scene of a major race riot. Two bright spots have been the port, which since 1985 has had a steady increase in volume of exports of containerized cargo, and Newark International Airport, which has expanded greatly. As part of an effort to revitalize the downtown, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center opened in 1997.
See A. S. Rice, Newark: A Chronological & Documentary History (1977).
4 City (1990 pop. 44,389), seat of Licking co., central Ohio, on the Licking River, in a livestock area; inc. 1826. It is a farm trade and processing center, a transportation hub, and an industrial city. Manufactures include glass, aluminum products, automobile parts, and plastics. The city's Native American mounds attract many visitors. The Newark Earthworks State Memorials include three locations within the city's limits: the Great Circle; the Octagon Mound, with smaller mounds inside the octagon; and the Wright Earthworks. A museum of Native American art is there, as is a campus of the Ohio State Univ.
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