Forest Hill, Newark, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Forest Hill Historic District
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"The Castle" in Forest Hill
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 Location in Essex County, New Jersey
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Verona Avenue, Mt. Prospect Avenue, 2nd Avenue and Branch Brook Park, Newark, New Jersey |
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| Area | 256 acres (104 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001193 |
| Added to NRHP | August 3, 1990 |
Forest Hill is a neighborhood in the city of Newark in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a pre-World War II neighborhood in the North Ward. It is bounded on the west by Branch Brook Park, on the south by Bloomfield Avenue (some maps place the southern limit at 2nd Avenue), and on the east by both Summer and Mt. Prospect Avenues, the neighborhood of Broadway. The neighborhood's ZIP code is 07104.
Forest Hill is located on a ridge between the Passaic River and the valley of the Branch Brook. It was first developed by Elias Heller, who owned a file factory in North Newark, on the Belleville border. Heller Parkway is named in his honor. From the 1870s to the 1920s, generations of wealthy Newarkers built hundreds of stately homes in the area in various styles, including Beaux-Arts, Victorian, Colonial Revival, Gothic Revival, and Spanish Revival. Along with their mansions, the wealthy of Forest Hill also developed scores of social and literary clubs. Other than the homes, landmarks include the old Tiffany factory. The North End branch of the Newark Public Library serves the neighborhood.
The neighborhood is well preserved and maintained, and few of the historic homes have been torn down, renovated into apartments, or transferred to institutional use. The northern part of the neighborhood is part of an official historic district. During special times throughout the year, there are special tours made possible by the New Jersey Historical Society where homeowners open their homes to visitors.
The Sydenham House located on "The Old Road to Bloomfield" (east of Branch Brook Park) and built in 1712 is the city's oldest private residence. It was later expanded in the early 19th Century. D.J. and Elizabeth Henderson restored it in the 1950s.
Transportation
The Bloomfield Avenue, Davenport Avenue and Branch Brook Park stations of the Newark Light Rail system are all located nearby.
Notable people
Notable current and former residents of Forest Hill include:
- Robert Altenkirch, President of the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
- Peter Ballantine (1791–1883), founder of Newark's Patterson & Ballantine Brewing Company in 1840.
- Maria Jeritza (1887-1982), opera singer.
- Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933), artist and designer best known for his work in stained glass.
- William Hayes Ward (1835-1916) clergyman, editor of The Independent, a leading Abolitionist newspaper.
