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377 ELKWOOD AVENUE
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ 07974
908-665-0311

Local History

This pathfinder to local history information about New Providence is organized by the location of the material. 

Online Sources

Newspapers

1) Independent Press:

  • New Providence Archives has the Berkeley Heights-New Providence edition for the years 1966-67,1973, 1989, 1992-94, and 2006-2009, with gaps. 
  • Berkeley Heights Public Library has access to the full text of articles for the years 2009-2016. (No images or ads.)  Visit BHPL in person to use the Newsbank database on their public PCs.  

2) The Dispatch

  • This Berkeley Heights-New Providence paper is coming to the New Providence Archives in early 2025 and will include 1950-52, 1955-2007. In the meantime, you can search PDF copies of The Dispatch on the desktop of the library's computers.

3) Summit newspapers often covered New Providence. The Summit Library's collection of digital historic newspapers include the Summit Record and the Summit Herald.

4) Newark Evening News (1883-1931) is online through the Newark Public Library and has some coverage of New Providence.

Other Online Sources

Print Materials

For assistance finding any print materials, please ask at the reference desk. These materials may be viewed in the library during regular hours.  

New Providence General 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, provide histories of New Providence. 
  • The New Providence High School yearbook, The Trail, has volumes dating back to 1960.  Ask staff to retrieve a yearbook for you from storage. 

Early New Providence History

  • What is now New Providence was formerly part of Springfield from 1794 until 1809, when New Providence Township was formed. See volume II of The History of Union County, New Jersey by Abraham Honeyman and chapter 26 of The History of Elizabeth, New Jersey by Edwin Hatfield (as Springfield was part of Elizabethtown before 1794).
  • 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 (which is now known as Berkeley Heights). From the Passaiack to the Wach Unks, the history of Berkeley Heights edited by Helen Desmond, covers New Providence history up until 1899. 

Maps

Ask at the reference desk to see the library's historical maps of New Providence and Union County. They date from 1938 to 2005. 

Newspapers

  • The Herald Dispatch is available 2006-2007 in PDF format, to search or browse on the New Providence Library public PCs.
  • The Independent Press is available from March 1997-2006, 2009-May 2015 with gaps. These are the original newspapers. If you wish to view them, please contact the reference department in advance at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call ahead at (908) 655-0311 x4 so staff have sufficient time to take them out of storage.  

Mason Room Archives

The Mason Room is located at the back of the library. It is open on Tuesdays 10 AM - 12 PM, and the second Saturday of the month, 11 AM - 1 PM, when members of the New Providence Historical Society are on hand to provide assistance. It is also available by appointment. Call (908) 665-1034, or email the Historical Society.

The Mason Room contains an extensive collection of historic photographs, maps, newspapers, maps, official minutes, audio tapes and other records. Of special interest are binders of newspaper clippings and photographs organized by topic/organization, and the local telephone directory from the days when you could look someone up by their name or address.

Mason Room vertical

Discover, Collaborate, Connect

Your Library is the place to be!

We love seeing so many people in our thriving New Providence community using the Library. Our numbers have never been higher! Whether you come to the library to sit and read, stay and work, attend programs, discuss great books, listen to author talks, meet with special interest groups, borrow materials, or shop in our bookstore, we love seeing you here!

It is clear that our library provides so many things for different groups of people. We appreciate every child, student, teen, adult, and senior who comes through our door and becomes part of our library family. We hope you'll join us!

~ Stacey Maisch, Library Director