The Surprising Origins of Five Essex County Parks NEW

Why does a parcel of land become a park? Sometimes they emerge from land deemed "undesirable" to build on, sometimes they are created because the marginalized inhabitants--Black, Native American, or impoverished whites--are more easily displaced. The Essex County Park System recently commissioned a study of the origins of five parks, with surprising results, reflecting the history of the area. Join Maressa MacFarlane, the archivist of the Essex County Parks, as she traces their histories from early indigenous peoples to the famed landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. She'll be covering Independence Park and Weequahic Park in Newark, Monte Irvin Orange Park in Orange,  Verona Park and Hilltop Reservation in Cedar Grove.