Online Sources
NPML Digital Archives include the local newspaper The Independent Press (1966-67,1973,1990,1992-94, and 2006-2009, with gaps), and the New Providence Scrapbook Collection, a digitized collection of clippings and print materials that librarians saved over the years that relate to New Providence or New Jersey history.
HeritageQuest contains Census records for New Providence. Log in with your library card barcode number.
The Independent Press is available in the NPML Digital Archives for the years 1966-67,1973,1990,1992-94, and 2006-2009, with gaps. For the years 2006-2016, visit the Berkeley Heights Public Library in person to access Newsbank.
The Summit Herald often covered news of New Providence. A searchable version is available through the Summit Public Library website for the years 1896-1910, 1914-1932, 1935-36, 1938-1986, and 2004-2006.
The Summit Record also covered New Providence. A searchable version is available through the Summit Public Library website for the years 1883,1889-1892, 1896, 1914, 1916, 1921, 1923.
New Providence Welcome Guide, a borough publication, has a few pages on New Providence's history.
Turkey Tracks is the newsletter of the New Providence Historical Society and has facts about New Providence history.
New Providence Historical Society's Facebook page has posts about various aspects of New Providence history.
Print Materials
For assistance finding any print materials, please ask at the reference desk.
New Providence History
Images of America: New Providence by Joan Gonczlik and Jane Coddington provides information about New Providence's history as well as photographs. The Founders of New Providence, New Jersey by Willis Johnson and This is New Providence, published in 1968 by the League of Women Voters, also provide histories of New Providence.
The library's collection of volumes of the New Providence High School yearbook, The Trail, goes back to 1960. Ask staff to retrieve a yearbook for you.
Early History
In 1869, Summit seceded from New Providence Township. Family Records by John Littell, Summit, New Jersey by Edmund Raftis and Summit's Story by Robin Little are useful for New Providence history up to 1869.
In 1899, the Borough of New Providence split from New Providence Township (now known as Berkeley Heights). From the Passaiack to the Wach Unks, the history of Berkeley Heights edited by Helen Desmond, is useful for New Providence history up until 1899.
The Mason Room
The Mason Room is a treasure trove of local history materials. It is located at the back of the library and is open on Tuesdays 10 AM - 12 PM, and the first Saturday of the month, 11 AM - 1 PM, when members of the New Providence Historical Society are on hand to provide assistance. To contact the Historical Society, call (908) 665-1034, or email the Historical Society.
