Newark, NJ

The city of Newark, New Jersey was founded in 1666, and first incorporated in 1796. In 2006, the population of was estimated at roughly 281,000, making it New Jersey's largest city. Though the crime rate has dropped considerably since it reached record highs in the mid-1990s, Newark still has an unfortunate reputation as one of America's most dangerous cities.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Historically, Newark is a poor city, notorious for its low median incomes and high unemployment. Despite the rise in construction and initiatives taken by state and local government, a sizable percentage of the population still lives below the poverty line.

• The airport is Newark's major employer, with a work force of more than 20,000. Continental Airlines, for which Newark is a hub airport, employs roughly 11,000.
• Port Newark is a major Atlantic shipping hub for Newark and the surrounding area.
• Newark is also the third-largest insurance center in the nation, ranked behind New York City and Hartford, Connecticut. Prudential Financial is headquartered in Newark. The city is also home to a growing telecom market. IDT's headquarters are in Newark and Verizon has a major office there.
• Starting with the opening of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in 1997, Newark has undergone some economic revival. Since then, downtown Newark has seen the construction of a minor league baseball stadium, Riverfront Stadium, hockey arena, Prudential Center, and a light-rail link to Newark Liberty Airport.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Traditionally, Newark has been divided into five political wards. Though use of the wards when referring to neighborhoods is increasingly uncommon among residents, each ward remains fairly distinct.

• The predominantly African-American Central Ward is the site of much of the city's original history.
• The West Ward is known for the Vailsburg neighborhood and Ivy Hill Park. Once an Irish-American neighborhood, its primary ethnic groups today are African-American and Haitian.
• The South Ward, with neighborhoods including Weequahic and Clinton Hill, was once a Jewish enclave, but now the population is primarily African-American and Spanish. Beth Israel Medical Center is located in the South Ward.
• The East Ward, which includes the Ironbound and Dayton neighborhoods, as well as the Downtown commercial district, is distinctive for its Portuguese-speaking population. .
• The diverse North Ward is home to the acclaimed Branch Brook Park, as well as the Roseville and Forrest Hills neighborhoods.

GETTING AROUND

Like nearby New York City and Jersey City, Newark relies heavily on mass transit. The city ranks only behind New York in percentage of households that don't own cars.

• Newark Penn Station, not to be confused with New York's Penn Station, is a major train and bus station just east of downtown, built in 1935. New Jersey Transit commuter rail trains, Amtrak and the PATH, a subway linking Newark to Manhattan, all make stops at Penn Station.
• Newark Broad Street Station, served by two NJ Transit lines, is situated just one mile north. Newark Light Rail links the two stations and also provides service to Newark's northernmost communities. AirTrain Newark connects the airport to Newark Penn Station and NJ Transit's Northeast corridor line.
• Highways serving Newark including the New Jersey Turnpike, which is also Interstate 95, the Garden State Parkway, Interstate 280, Interstate 78 as well as U.S. Routes 1, 9 and 22. The Pulaski Skyway connects Newark to the Holland Tunnel and New York City.
• Newark also has an extensive city bus system, run by NJ Transit.
• Newark Liberty International Airport opened in 1928, making it the first major airport to serve the New York metropolitan area. It is currently among the 10th busiest airport in the United States.

EDUCATION

• Newark is the home of the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
• Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey all have campuses in Newark.
• Barringer School, with an enrollment of slightly greater than 2,000, is the largest of Newark's nine public high schools.

BEST BETS

• Many classic architectural styles endure in downtown Newark, including examples of Beaux-Arts, found at the Newark Museum, the state's largest museum, and the Newark Public Library, the largest library in New Jersey.
• Gothic structures, such as Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, one of the largest gothic cathedrals in the country, are also prominent.
• Important examples of Art Deco design include Newark Penn Station and the National Newark Building.
• The Jewish Museum of New Jersey opened in 2007 and is housed at Congregation Ahavas Sholom, the last synagogue still in operation in Newark.

SPORTS TEAMS

Newark is home to the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils, who play in the Prudential Center. The team has won three Stanley Cup championships, though none since moving to Newark from East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 2007.

Though it's never had a major league team, Newark has been a long-time host to professional baseball. Their current home team is the Newark Bears, an independent minor-league franchise.

LOCAL MEDIA

Newark is the home of New Jersey's largest newspaper, The Star-Ledger, which was founded in 1832. WBGO 88.5, a jazz station and National Public Radio affiliate, is located in downtown Newark. WNET, channel 13, the country's most-viewed PBS station, is licensed to Newark.