Seventh Avenue, Newark, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Seventh Avenue, formerly known as the First Ward, is a neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey
's North Ward. It was famously the heart of the city's large Little Italy
.
In its heyday, Seventh Avenue had a population of thirty thousand, eleven thousand of whom were children, in an area of less than a square mile. The center of life in the neighborhood was St. Lucy's Church, founded by Italian immigrants in 1891. Throughout the year, St. Lucy's and other churches sponsored processions in honor of saints that became community events. The most famous procession was the Feast of St. Gerard, but there were also great feasts for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Our Lady of Snow, the Assumption, and St. Rocco.
Joe DiMaggio
loved the restaurants of Seventh Avenue so much that he would take the New York Yankees
to Newark to show them "real Italian food." Frank Sinatra
had bread from Giordano's Bakery sent to him every week until his death, no matter where in the world he was. New York Yankees
catcher
Rick Cerone
also grew up in the First Ward.
One of the nation's largest Italian newspapers, The Italian Tribune, was founded on Seventh Avenue. Seventh Avenue produced stars such as Joe Pesci
and Frankie Valli
of the Four Seasons
. Congressman Peter Rodino, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee during its impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon was a native of the First Ward as well.
Seventh Avenue was notoriously devastated by urban renewal
efforts during the 1950s. Eighth Avenue was obliterated by the city council, scattering the Italian American residents. Most of its businesses never recovered. The construction of Interstate 280
also served to cut the neighborhood off from the rest of the city.
After the devastating urban renewal, some of the First Ward's Italians stayed in the neighborhood, while others migrated to other Newark neighborhoods like Broadway
, Roseville
, and the Ironbound
.
Seventh Avenue has people of all ethnic groups, with Puerto Ricans being prominent. There is still a large Italian American
population, and there are many signs of the Italian presence in the area; however, next to a vacant lot, Giordano's at 33 Seventh Avenue is now closed. Drugs and prostitution are a big problem in the area. St Lucy's Church, which is now in a beautiful 1925 building, still exists and has a large feast for St. Gerard
every October. The Feast of St. Gerard is a kind of reunion for old First Warders.
By their proximity to I-280, the Christopher Columbus Homes became a highly visible advertisement of Newark's poverty. As residents dwindled away, the Newark Housing Authority took to painting curtains and plants in apartment windows to create the illusion of habitation. Demolition of the projects began in 1994 and is now complete. Townhouses have been built on the former site of the projects, but the old street grid was not restored.
The Seventh Avenue neighborhood lies between the Orange Street
and Broad Street
stations on the Newark Light Rail
. The Seventh Avenue neighborhood is bound by I-280
to the south, Clifton Avenue to the west, Bloomfield Avenue to the north, and Broadway and Broad Street to the east.
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
's North Ward. It was famously the heart of the city's large Little Italy
Little Italy
Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec...
.
In its heyday, Seventh Avenue had a population of thirty thousand, eleven thousand of whom were children, in an area of less than a square mile. The center of life in the neighborhood was St. Lucy's Church, founded by Italian immigrants in 1891. Throughout the year, St. Lucy's and other churches sponsored processions in honor of saints that became community events. The most famous procession was the Feast of St. Gerard, but there were also great feasts for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Our Lady of Snow, the Assumption, and St. Rocco.
Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
loved the restaurants of Seventh Avenue so much that he would take the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
to Newark to show them "real Italian food." Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
had bread from Giordano's Bakery sent to him every week until his death, no matter where in the world he was. New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Rick Cerone
Rick Cerone
Richard Aldo Cerone from Seton Hall University is a former Major League Baseball player from 1975 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Montreal Expos...
also grew up in the First Ward.
One of the nation's largest Italian newspapers, The Italian Tribune, was founded on Seventh Avenue. Seventh Avenue produced stars such as Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
and Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
of the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (group)
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
. Congressman Peter Rodino, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee during its impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon was a native of the First Ward as well.
Seventh Avenue was notoriously devastated by urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
efforts during the 1950s. Eighth Avenue was obliterated by the city council, scattering the Italian American residents. Most of its businesses never recovered. The construction of Interstate 280
Interstate 280 (New Jersey)
Interstate 280 is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morris County to Newark, and I-95 Interstate 280 (abbreviated I-280) is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in...
also served to cut the neighborhood off from the rest of the city.
After the devastating urban renewal, some of the First Ward's Italians stayed in the neighborhood, while others migrated to other Newark neighborhoods like Broadway
Broadway, Newark, New Jersey
Broadway is a neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. It is located on the west bank of the Passaic River, in Newark's North Ward, east of Forest Hill and north of Seventh Avenue. The neighborhood extends from Interstate 280 to Belleville. The term "Broadway" has only come into use recently, most...
, Roseville
Roseville, Newark, New Jersey
Roseville is a neighborhood in northwestern Newark, New Jersey, bordering Bloomfield and East Orange. To the neighborhood's immediate east is the Newark City Subway and Branch Brook Park...
, and the Ironbound
Ironbound
The Ironbound is a large working-class neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. This close-knit, multi-ethnic community covers approximately four square miles . Historically, the area was called "Dutch Neck," "Down Neck," or simply "the Neck," because of the way the Passaic River curved to form what...
.
Seventh Avenue has people of all ethnic groups, with Puerto Ricans being prominent. There is still a large Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
population, and there are many signs of the Italian presence in the area; however, next to a vacant lot, Giordano's at 33 Seventh Avenue is now closed. Drugs and prostitution are a big problem in the area. St Lucy's Church, which is now in a beautiful 1925 building, still exists and has a large feast for St. Gerard
Gerard Majella
Saint Gerard Majella is a Roman Catholic saint. He is the saint whose intercession is requested for children , childbirth, mothers , motherhood, falsely accused people, good confessions, lay brothers and Muro Lucano,...
every October. The Feast of St. Gerard is a kind of reunion for old First Warders.
By their proximity to I-280, the Christopher Columbus Homes became a highly visible advertisement of Newark's poverty. As residents dwindled away, the Newark Housing Authority took to painting curtains and plants in apartment windows to create the illusion of habitation. Demolition of the projects began in 1994 and is now complete. Townhouses have been built on the former site of the projects, but the old street grid was not restored.
The Seventh Avenue neighborhood lies between the Orange Street
Orange Street (NCS station)
Orange Street Station is a surface station on the Newark City Subway Line of the Newark Light Rail system, located on the south side of Orange Street between Duryea and 1 Streets, at street level.-Transfers:...
and Broad Street
Broad Street Station (Newark)
Newark Broad Street is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail station at 25 University Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. Built in 1901-03 on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad main line from Hoboken to Denville, Scranton and Buffalo, the station's historic architecture includes an elegant clock...
stations on the Newark Light Rail
Newark Light Rail
The Newark Light Rail is a light rail system under New Jersey Transit Bus Operations serving Newark, New Jersey. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway, and the extension to Broad Street station...
. The Seventh Avenue neighborhood is bound by I-280
Interstate 280 (New Jersey)
Interstate 280 is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morris County to Newark, and I-95 Interstate 280 (abbreviated I-280) is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in...
to the south, Clifton Avenue to the west, Bloomfield Avenue to the north, and Broadway and Broad Street to the east.