Year

Event

Photo
or Map

Sidebars
These may link to other sites.

1666

Native Americans "sell" land to Robert Treat.

Robert Treat
Chief Oraton

1678

Land that will become East Orange is "purchased" from Native Americans.

Mountain Society

1679

Daniel Dodd settles on land near Watsessing Plain.

The Dodd Family

1712

New York Slave Revolt

1718

John Dodd finds copper on his farm.

1719

Samuel Pierson builds the first Meeting House

1720

Samuel Dodd builds a saw mill on the banks of the Second River.

Where is the Second River today?

1723

The first recorded burial at the "Old Burial Ground" in Orange.

Interactive Map of the Old Burying Grounds

1727

Samuel Harrison builds a saw mill on the banks of Wigwam Brook.

Samuel Harrison

Where is Wigwam Brook today?

The Williams Family History

1735

John Dodd builds a grist mill on the banks of the Second River.

What's a Grist Mill?

Where is the Second River today?

1744

Fire destroys Jonathan Pierson's House and deed to land.

1745

English Proprietors jail Samuel Baldwin for not paying property tax.

1756

New Jersey Quaker John Woolman begins his Anti-Slavery Journal

Excerpts from The Journal
Complete Journal

1756

4:00 PM, June 22, 1756, Hurricane hits the Newark Mountain

1763

William Franklin (son of Benjamin Franklin) becomes the Royal Governor of New Jersey

William Franklin Biography

1772

Jemima Condict (or Condit) begins her diary

Jemima Condict's Diary
Condit Family Memorial
Jemima Condict Harrison's Memorial

1775

The Mountain Society votes to join the Revolutionary War.

Tory Corner

1776

Battle of Peck's Hill.

Whiskey Lane

1777

Battle of Watsessing on the Second River.

Revolutionary War Sites

  1780

"Newark Mountain" renamed "Orange."

  1798

First Store in the Oranges

Stephen D. Day

John Morris Lindsley

  1806

 Township of Orange separates from Newark.

  1814

Why we have so many shade trees in the Oranges today.

  Daniel Babbit(t)

  1825

 Franklin School begins classes.

  Franklin School (Whitney Houston Academy) Today (2009)

  1831

 Brick Church is completed.

  Virtual Church Tour

  1837

 Great Depression closes many businesses and starts up new ones.

First Baptist Church of Orange is dedicated.

  Virtual Church Tour

  1850

 Several large fires set the stage for a separation of Orange from the "Eastenders."

  1857

Alice Stone Blackwell is born.

Alice Stone Blackwell Biography

  1860

 The NJ State Legislature divides Orange into three wards.

  1861

 South Orange separates from Orange.

  1862

 West Orange separates from Orange.

  West Orange History Site

  1863

 East Orange separates from Orange.

  1863

 First East Orange Township Meeting.

  1864

 East Orange participates in its first presidental election for Abe Lincoln.

Munn Avenue Presbyterian Church is dedicated.

  Virtual Church Tour

Residence for J.H. Hart, 1885

  1890

 East Orange High School Building Completed

Graduating Class of 1897

  1892

 Columbian School Dedicated

First Grade Class of 1955

Architect's drawing of the Residence of D.S. Walton- 1892

Architect's drawing of Roof Trusses for Trinity Church - 1893

  1894

 The famous Cable Car ride up and down South Mountain

  1896

Architect's Plan for the first East Orange Town Hall, on Main Street.

  1899

 East Orange elects its first mayor.

  1899

 Boycott of Segregated School

  1903

 Dedication of Carnegie Library

  1905

 Boycott of Segregated School

Stockton School Opens

Stockton School 

  1907

 Centennial of the Oranges

Report on the Ransley Company from 1907

  1909

 East Orange Incorporates as a City

  1909

 East Orange supports women's suffrage.

  1911

 "New" East Orange High School Building Completed

The First Apartment Building in East Orange

Dedication of Lincoln Statue

  1912

 President Taft visits East Orange

President William Howard Taft
Lincoln Statue

  1913

 East Orange celebrates its Semi-Centennial

  1915

 East Orange supports women's suffrage.

  1918

 Charles H. Martens is elected mayor (Republican).

Charles Martens
Mayor from 1918- 1952

  1936

 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Clifford J. Scott passes away

Dr. Clifford J. Scott Biography

  1945-46

 City Planning Board Report
on Schools & Recreation in East Orange

This publication was scanned in March of 2011.

1957

Challenge of racially segregated School Districts in Orange, NJ

Ernest Thompson
Mindy Thompson Fullilove
Citizens for Representative Government

  1963

Centennial Celebration of East Orange

Click here to order Centennial History Reprint.

1965

This Is East Orange - booklet published by the League of Women Voters of East Orange.

This publication was scanned in March, 2010

1967

How East Orange views the world in 1967

Newark, NJ Riots

Newark Evening News Reports

The Kerner Report on the Riots

Other Reports

Plainfield, NJ Riots

1975

Eagle Flight Squadron Begins

Reverend Russell White
Eagle Flight Squadron, Inc.

1997 - Franklin School renamed to Whitney Houston Academy

  2005

Demolition of East Orange High School and Groundbreaking for new Cicely Tyson School Complex

Cicely Tyson

Mayor Robert Bowser

  2008

Stained Glass Window Restoration Project
of
Christ Episcopal Church, Main Street, East Orange

History of
Christ Episcopal Church
in East Orange

  2009

Centennial of the Incorporation of the City of East Orange
1909 - 2009

East Orange
Past, Present and Future

1- Municipal Buildings and Mayors

2 - Religious Congregations & Buildings

3 - Schools, Old and New

  2009

Dedication of the New Cicely Tyson Community School, 10/24/09

Cicely Tyson

Click HERE to order a Souvenir Program from Lulu.com

  2009

Opening of Senior Center (11/03/09)

  2009

East Orange Unified Marching Band Finally receives new uniforms. (November/December 2009)

East Orange Record Article 12/17/09

Band Parent Archives

  2009

First Major Theatrical Production at Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts (12/18/09)

Pit Band Photos at the Band Parent Association Web site

  2010

Inauguration of Robert L. Bowser for a fourth term as Mayor of East Orange. (01/01/10)

CTS Music Honor Society Band plays at the Reception (01/01/10)

  2010

East Orange Tax Day Tea Party (04/15/10)

  2010

How East Orange Celebrated Earth Day 2010 (04/22/10)

Clock Garden 2010

East Orange Gardens 2010

  2010

Friendly Rivalry between Orange and East Orange Bands (04/24/10)

  2010

Memorial Day 5/31/10

  Historic Video

  2010

100th Anniversary Celebrations of
Holy Name School and Church

1910-2010

Celebrations from 6/6/10 to 6/6/11

  Stained Glass Windows

  2010

100th Birthday Celebration of
John O. Gerrish
(August 31, 1910- November 29, 2010)

Historic Photos

Birthday Party Photos

  2010

Passing of Rev. Arthur S. Jones
(August 8, 1923 - August 17, 2010)

More Information

  2010

East Orange Democrats flirt
with Communists and Socialists
in Washington DC Rally
10/02/10

  2010

State Report on East Orange Schools
for School Year 2010-2011

Opening of Benjamin Banneker Academy
10/04/10

  Benneker Academy Opens - LocalTalk

  2010

Food Price "Snapshot"
November 2010
The beginning of Hyper-Inflation?
You decide!

  2010

The Legacy of Junior Walker
11/16/10

  2011

Mayor Bowser meets with President Obama
02/08/11

  National Conference of Black Mayors

  2011

Earth Day / Johnny Appleseed Day
04/22/11

 
Photo Poems of Spring - March 2011

  2011

Veteran's Memorial Day Ceremony
05/30/11

 
Veteran's Day, 11/11/11

  2011

Parks Reconstruction
June - November 2011

Rowley Park Grand Re-Opening - 11/05/11

Rowley Park

Elmwood Park

  2011

Fourth of July Celebration
July 1, 2011

  2011

Hurricane Irene passes through
East Orange
August 27-28, 2011