Intensive-Level Architectural Survey of Selected Properties within the St. Cloud Neighborhood and Main Street Corridor in the Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, Volume 1

Haley, Alison; Harshbarger, Patrick

From management summary: "This report presents the results of an intensive-level historic architectural survey of 102 properties in the Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey. It was designed to identify potentially historic resources in two study areas designated the St. Cloud neighborhood and the Main Street corridor. Each of these areas represents an important facet of West Orange’s history. The St. Cloud neighborhood originated in the middle decades of the 19th century as an exclusive setting for suburban “country” homes. This survey evaluated 35 St. Cloud properties comprising 32 dwellings, three (3) churches and a mineral spring, ranging in dates from pre-1800 to the mid-1950s. The survey recommends that 20 of the properties individually meet the National Register of Historic Places Criteria for Evaluation and are potentially eligible for the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places and as West Orange Township Historic Landmarks... The 1.3-mile-long Main Street corridor has served as West Orange’s civic and commercial center for more than 100 years. Evolving from a rural road, known originally as Valley Road, the Main Street corridor transitioned in the last half of the 19th century from a rural character to a varied suburban character of residences mixed with commercial, institutional and industrial properties. Along the corridor are several very prominent historic resources including the Edison National Historical Park and the Llewellyn Park Historic District. This survey looked at 67 properties comprising 32 commercial buildings, 31 residences, two (2) schools, a church and a municipal building. It is a recommended that eight (8) of the properties individually meet the National Register of Historic Places Criteria for Evaluation and are potentially eligible for the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places and as West Orange Township Historic Landmarks... The potential Edison Workers’ Housing Historic District is in the vicinity of blocks bounded by Main Street, Park Avenue, Ashland Avenue, Charles Street and Lakeside Avenue. These dwellings were built in a brief period of time from circa 1905 to 1909 to fulfill the need to house Thomas Edison’s growing industrial workforce. They represent a distinctive type of West Orange neighborhood that contrasts with the grander houses of adjacent Llewellyn Park, but these buildings were no less essential to the fabric of the West Orange community.This survey identifies 22 potentially contributing properties in the Edison Worker’s Housing Historic District and recommends additional work to survey and evaluate all properties within the boundaries of the proposed district. The potential Tory Corner Historic District is West Orange’s most intact late 19th to early 20th century commercial district. The district is distinguished by one to four-story commercial buildings representing a range of early to mid-20th-century styles including Tudor Revival, late Renaissance Revival and Neo-Classical. This survey identifies 16 potentially contributing properties in the Tory Corner Historic District. Additional work will be required to survey and evaluate all properties within the boundaries of the proposed district." Funding for this project was provided in part through a fiscal year 2013 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the City of West Orange (project number NJ-13-104) administered by the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office (grant number P14AF00007) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. West Orange, New Jersey is a Certified Local Government.

Intensive-Level Architectural Survey of Selected Properties within the St. Cloud Neighborhood and Main Street Corridor in the Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, Volume 1

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