| Elizabeth, New Jersey Then and Now |
The McManus Bros. furniture store was originally located on First St. at the corner of Livingston St. This
was a wood frame building destroyed by fire on December 19, 1896 along with virtually all the buildings
and stores that lined the block between Livingston and East Jersey Streets. McManus reopened in a
new brick building at the same location, shown in the 1903 photo at bottom left. This building remains
today. Around 1918 McManus moved the furniture business uptown to a larger building on East Jersey
St. near the Ritz theater.
Sources: City of Elizabeth Official Fire Alarm and Street Directory, 1893 (online Internet Archive);
Elizabeth, N.J. (Elizabethport), Campbell Art Co., 1903 (online Internet Archive); Google Street View
was a wood frame building destroyed by fire on December 19, 1896 along with virtually all the buildings
and stores that lined the block between Livingston and East Jersey Streets. McManus reopened in a
new brick building at the same location, shown in the 1903 photo at bottom left. This building remains
today. Around 1918 McManus moved the furniture business uptown to a larger building on East Jersey
St. near the Ritz theater.
Sources: City of Elizabeth Official Fire Alarm and Street Directory, 1893 (online Internet Archive);
Elizabeth, N.J. (Elizabethport), Campbell Art Co., 1903 (online Internet Archive); Google Street View
| Elizabeth, New Jersey Then and Now An Illustrated History by Robert J. Baptista |
The top photo is an early 1900s view looking west on Westfield Ave. between Cherry and Chilton
Streets. The large home in the center, at no. 139, reflects the Queen Anne Victorian style of
architecture, and is one of the most distinctive homes in Elizabeth with stone construction, first and
second story porches, and dramatic roof lines. Sometime after 1921, August F. Schmidt moved his
funeral home from 649 Elizabeth Ave., near Union Square, to this location. The home just west of the
funeral home was demolished between 1979 and 1987 for a parking lot.
The home on the right of the 1905 photo was later remodeled into a rooming house with the loss of
some of the fine architectural features in the front. The entrance foyer was impressive with a tall
ceiling and a beautiful wood staircase to the second floor.
Sources: The Suburbanite, Feb. 1908 (online at Internet Archive); Google Street View
Streets. The large home in the center, at no. 139, reflects the Queen Anne Victorian style of
architecture, and is one of the most distinctive homes in Elizabeth with stone construction, first and
second story porches, and dramatic roof lines. Sometime after 1921, August F. Schmidt moved his
funeral home from 649 Elizabeth Ave., near Union Square, to this location. The home just west of the
funeral home was demolished between 1979 and 1987 for a parking lot.
The home on the right of the 1905 photo was later remodeled into a rooming house with the loss of
some of the fine architectural features in the front. The entrance foyer was impressive with a tall
ceiling and a beautiful wood staircase to the second floor.
Sources: The Suburbanite, Feb. 1908 (online at Internet Archive); Google Street View
Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Baptista. All Rights Reserved.
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