The Ironbound

The Ironbound was an industrial neighborhood in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The neighborhood was home to Hensler's Beer Brewery, P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company (in 1954 Newark's largest employer) and the Feigenspan Brewery.[7] Balbach Smelting & Refining Company, now the location of Riverbank Park, was the second largest metal processing enterprise in the United States until its closure in the 1920s.[8] Other large industrial buildings included Murphy Varnish Works.[9]

The Ironbound has experienced several waves of immigration.[8] The first wave, starting in the 1830s, came from the German states. Wrote historian Charles Cummings, "Overnight, whole sections of the Ironbound became Irish and German".[8] Polish and Italian immigrants arrived in the latter half of the 19th century, followed by Portuguese and Spanish starting in the 1910s.[8][10] By 1921 there was a large enough Portuguese population to found Sport Club Portuguese,[11] the first of over twenty Portuguese social clubs that would call the Ironbound home.[12]

Former Firehouse 8 on Ferry Street

The following sites in the Ironbound are on the National Register of Historic Places:

• Murphy Varnish Works
• Pennsylvania Station (Newark)
• Riverbank Park
• St. Casimir's Roman Catholic Church (Newark, New Jersey)
• St. Stephan's Church (Ironbound, Newark, New Jersey)

Today, the Ironbound is known for being a Portuguese neighborhood.[14] TAP Air Portugal has its corporate office in the neighborhood. Ironbound Volunteer Ambulance Squad has been serving the community since 1952.[15] Ironbound also has its own newspaper. Many Portuguese still live in the Ironbound, but many are moving out to other neighborhoods in New Jersey, Including South River, Livingston, Clark, Westfield, Watchung, Old Bridge, etc.

A small sitting park east of Penn Station is named in honor of Peter Francisco, a Portuguese-born patriot of the American War of Independence. An obelisk in Francisco's memory was raised in the park by the Portuguese community in 1976. Peter Francisco Park also features a memorial to Portuguese-American war veterans dedicated in 2018 as well as the Ironbound Immigrants Memorial, dedicated in 2019.

Every year, people flock to the annual Portuguese Parade & Festival, known as Portugal Day, "Dia de Portugal" (typically held the first or second weekend in June), an enormous celebration of Portuguese culture.[16]

During Portugal Day Weekend, many people come out to celebrate Portuguese-American culture.[16] Ferry Street is also the location for most soccer fans to come and celebrate.[17][18][19][20] Fans walk up and down the street while others decorate their cars and celebrate the victory of their soccer team[17][18][19][20]..

Typically held in the first or second weekend of August, the Ecuadorian Day Parade & festival take place in Ferry Street.[21] In this event various businesses and politicians attend the parade and support the Ecuadorian culture in a statewide recognized festivity.[21]

Typically held in the first or second weekend of September, the Brazilian day festival takes place also in Ferry Street.[22] Various street vendors, musical concerts, and restaurants show support for Brazilian culture.[22]

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the Ironbound's first Italian parish, holds an annual Italian festival.[23][24]

This park is in the Ironbound district.[27][28] Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the Ironbound's first Italian parish, faces the park. The church holds an annual Italian festival which attracts Italian-American people that live in the neighborhood, and Italians who moved out of the Ironbound.[29][30]

Orange Boardwalk and Jackson Street Bridge

A chain of parkland along the Passaic River, especially along the downward "curve" in the river that gave the Ironbound neighborhood its nickname of "Down Neck," offers waterfront recreation in the city. Kayaking and riverboat tours of the city are offered in the summer months.[31][32] From east to west along the downward "neck" of the Passaic, parkland includes:

• Riverfront Park, which stretches along the Passaic River offering the "Orange Boardwalk" walkway paths with views of the water.[33][34][35] Red Bull Arena may be seen looking north across the river to the Harrison bank.
• Riverbank Park[36] in the Ironbound along the Passaic River.[37][38]
• Peter Francisco Park is a small park near Penn Station in honor of the Portuguese-born Revolution-era patriot.

The Newark Public Schools operates six elementary and K-8 schools in the area. Schools serving Ironbound include Wilson Avenue School, Hawkins Street School, Lafayette Street School and Oliver Street School. In addition is Ann Street School, which is considered by many to be one of the best elementary schools in the city and the K-5 South Street School. In fact, Ann Street School received the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence from the US Department of Education. This competitive award had not been awarded to a Newark Public School before. In addition, the award prompted then Vice President of the US, Al Gore, to visit Ann Street to promote the importance of the upcoming 2000 US Census.[39][40] East Side High School serves Ironbound high school students. As of 2004 most of the elementary schools were built over 100 years prior to the time. In the 2000s, an increase in housing lead to an overcrowding of Ironbound-area schools. At the time the school district planned to replace several of the elementary schools and build a new East Side High School in the former Ballantine brewery site.[1]

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark operates the Ironbound Catholic Academy, a PK-8 school in Ironbound.[1][41][42] As of 2004 many residents of Ironbound send their children to parochial schools.[1] Ironbound used to have three other Catholic elementary schools, including Academy of St. Benedict, a PreK-8 school, St. James, both elementary and high school, and St. Lucy Filippini Academy.[1][43] In 2005 the archdiocese announced that St. Casimir, St. Benedict, and St. Lucy Filippini would merge into the Ironbound Catholic Academy on the St. Casimir site.[43] There is also the Our Lady of Fatima Nursery, a Pre-K institution and one Portuguese Language School known at Escola Luis de Camões.

Newark Public Library's Van Buren Branch Library serves the Ironbound neighborhood. The library opened on September 23, 1923. A renovated and expanded branch opened on November 19, 1997.[44]