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NewArk arose from the crossroads of two Lenni Lenape Indian trails which spanned the peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River, and connected the lower peninsula with the northern hills of later-day Pennsylvania. As Europeans - mainly English, Welsh, and Scots-Irish - came to the area in the early eighteenth century, the same intersecting crossroads gradually matured into a village, with brickyards, mills, and tanneries developing in the vicinity.
Newark was first chartered on April 13, 1758, by King George II of England, when he granted permission for the growing village to hold a weekly market and a semi-annual fair. Though still considered a small town in 2008 with a permanent population under 30,000, Newark's history of growth and change since 1758 is a reflection of significant developments in the history of many American cities over the last 250 years.
The curators of this exhibition have selected several hundred items to illustrate Newark's history. This exhibition was on display in the Special Collections Gallery February 19-June 20, 2008.
Tags: Newark (Del.); Delaware--History; Local history
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