Editing Plainfield, New Jersey (section)

==History==
[[File:McGreevyPlainfieldHouse.jpg|thumb|right|Home of former Governor [[Jim McGreevey]]]]

Plainfield was settled in 1684 by [[Quakers]],<ref>Dudley, William L. [http://www.plainfieldquakers.org/history/dudley.asp "Friendly Families: The Shotwells"], in ''The Story of the Friends in Plainfield Including A History of Early Quaker Families'', Rahway & Plainfield Friends (Quaker) Meeting, March 29, 1929. Accessed May 21, 2013.</ref> and incorporated as a city in 1869. Formerly a bedroom suburb in the [[New York metropolitan area]], it has become the urban center of 10 closely allied municipalities, with diversified industries, including printing and the manufacture of [[chemical]]s, [[clothing]], [[electronics|electronic]] equipment, and [[vehicle|vehicular]] parts. Among the several 18th-century buildings remaining are a Friends' meetinghouse (1788),<ref>Nutt, Bill. [https://archive.today/20130712024642/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/mycentraljersey/access/1821464661.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+03,+2003&author=Bill+Nutt&pub=Courier+-+News&desc=Plainfield+places&pqatl=google "Plainfield places"], ''[[Courier News]]'', September 3, 2003. Accessed July 11, 2013. "The Society of Friends Meeting House, an apparently unassuming structure on Watchung Avenue in the North Avenue Commercial Historic District, is the oldest continuously used house of worship in the city."</ref> the Martine house (1717), and the [[Nathaniel Drake House]] (1746), known as [[George Washington]]'s headquarters during the [[Battle of Short Hills]] in June 1777.<ref>[http://chhistoricalarchitects.com/fp018.htm Nathaniel Drake House] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226215607/http://chhistoricalarchitects.com/fp018.htm |date=February 26, 2014 }}, Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects. Accessed July 11, 2013. "The Nathaniel Drake House was constructed for Nathaniel Drake and his new wife circa 1746, and remained in the Drake family until c. 1860 when Daniel Drake sold the property to John S. Harberger of New York City.... The Nathaniel Drake House is significant for its architecture and how the evolution of the building reflects the changes within Plainfield from an early colonial settlement to a modern suburb, its association with the Drake family, who were prominent early settlers in the region, as well as its association with General George Washington during the Battle of Short Hills."</ref><ref>[http://www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org/ Home Page], Drake House Museum. Accessed July 11, 2013. "It was at the Drake House that George Washington consulted with his officers during and after the Battle of Short Hills fought over the entire Plainfield area on June 25–27, 1777."</ref> Nearby [[Washington Rock]] is a prominent point of the [[Watchung Mountains]] and is reputed to be the vantage point from which Washington watched British troop movements.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/washrock.html Washington Rock State Park], [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]]. Accessed July 11, 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org/index.php/collection/washington-rock Washington Rock] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202122530/http://www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org/index.php/collection/washington-rock |date=February 2, 2014 }}, Drake House Museum. Accessed July 11, 2013.</ref>

The "Queen City" moniker arose in the second half of the 19th century. Plainfield had been developing a reputation during this period as featuring a climate that was beneficial for respiratory ailments. In 1886, in an effort to publicize the climate, local newspaper publisher Thomas W. Morrison began to use the slogan "Colorado of the East" to promote Plainfield. As Denver, Colorado, was known as the "Queen City of the Plains," the slogan for Plainfield eventually became abbreviated to "The Queen City."<ref>[http://www.westfieldnj.com/whs/history/Counties/UnionCounty/plainfield.htm Plainfield, Past and Present], WestfieldNJ.com. Accessed August 26, 2018.</ref><ref>Staff. [https://www.nj.com/news/ loindex.ssf/2012/04/1940_census_release_causes_cra.html "1940 census release causes a craze among geneaologists, offers a peek into the past"], ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', April 3, 2012. Accessed August 26, 2018. "In the 19th century Plainfield was called the 'Colorado of the East,' and as the sister city of Denver, which was known as the 'Queen City of the Plains,' was known simply as 'Queen City.'"</ref>

In 1902, the New Jersey Legislature approved measures that would have allowed the borough of [[North Plainfield, New Jersey|North Plainfield]] to become part of [[Union County, New Jersey|Union County]] (a measure repealed in 1903) and to allow for a merger of North Plainfield with the City of Plainfield subject to the approval of a referendum by voters in both municipalities.<ref>Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. [https://books.google.com/books?id=nOkkAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA208 ''Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed : and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period''], p. 208. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed September 20, 2015.</ref><ref>Staff. [https://www.nytimes.com/1902/04/15/archives/north-plainfield-annexation-bills.html "North Plainfield Annexation Bills."], ''[[The New York Times]]'', April 15, 1902. Accessed August 26, 2018.</ref>

Plainfield is the birthplace of [[P-Funk]]. [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] founded [[The Parliaments]] while working in a Plainfield barber shop. [[Parliament-Funkadelic]] was inducted in the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1997. Plainfield has been home to former New Jersey governor [[James McGreevey]].<ref name=McGreevey/>

In sports history, Plainfield is the birthplace and/or home of several current and former athletes, including professionals and well-known amateurs. Included in their number are [[Milt Campbell]], the 1956 [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] [[Decathlon]] gold medalist (the first African-American to earn this title),<ref name=Campbell/> Joe Black, the first African-American pitcher to win a [[World Series]] game, Jeff Torborg, former MLB player, coach and manager, former Duke University and Chicago Bull basketball player Jay Williams, and Vic Washington, NFL player.<ref name=Black/>

Plainfield's history as a place to call home for the 19th and 20th century wealthy has led to a significant and preserved suburban architectural legacy. An influx of Wall Street money led to the creation of what was called Millionaires' Row after the opening of the railway in the 19th century.<ref name="njmonthly">Payne, Lauren. [https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/history-lesson/ "History Lesson: Preserving An Achitectural{{sic|hide=y}} Treasure in Plainfield A Plainfield couple prove that preserving an architectural treasure—while challenging, time-consuming and, yes, costly—is well worth the effort."], ''[[New Jersey Monthly]]'', October 16, 2012. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref>

There are numerous sites, including homes, parks, and districts in the city that are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Union County, New Jersey|National Register of Historic Places]]. While not listed, the [[Plainfield Armory]], a prominent landmark completed in 1932, was sold by the state in 2013 as surplus property.<ref>[http://www.njnavy.com/plainfield.htm The Plainfield Armory] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021119143103/http://www.njnavy.com/plainfield.htm |date=November 19, 2002 }}, The New Jersey Naval Militia Foundation. Accessed July 11, 2013. "The armory at Plainfield was constructed between 1931 and 1932 to house the Headquarters Company of the 44th Division."</ref>

Plainfield's wealthy northeast corner, known as the "Sleepy Hollow" section of the city, was and still is characterized by its array of finely landscaped streets and neighborhoods with homes defined by a broad array of architectural styles, most built during the first half of the twentieth century. From the tree-lines neighborhoods, it can be seen that the lot sizes vary, but the stateliness and distinction of each house is evident, whether a stately Queen Anne mansion or gingerbread cottage. Most lots are nicely landscaped and semi or fully private.<ref>Cheslow, Jerry. [https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/09/realestate/if-you-re-thinking-of-living-in-plainfield.html "If You're Thinking of Living in: Plainfield"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', May 9, 1993. Accessed July 29, 2016. "Although some neighborhoods, such as the Sleepy Hollow area on the east side of town, with its winding, tree-lined streets and large, custom houses, remain well-manicured, many formerly gracious streets near the center of town, like West Fourth, are blighted, with boarded-up buildings and shards of auto glass on the streets."</ref>

Plainfield was affected by the [[1967 Plainfield riots|Plainfield Rebellion]] in July 1967. This [[civil disturbance]] occurred in the wake of the larger [[1967 Newark riots|Newark riots]]. A Plainfield police officer was killed, about fifty people were injured, and several hundred thousand dollars of property was damaged by looting and arson. The [[New Jersey National Guard]] restored order after three days of unrest.<ref name="Riot">"Plainfield Burning: Black Rebellion in the Suburban North", Thomas J. Sugrue and Andrew M. Goodman, Journal of Urban History, vol. 33 (May 2007), pp. 368–401.</ref> This civil unrest caused a massive [[white flight]], characterized by the percentage of Black residents rising from 40% in 1970 to 60% a decade later.<ref>Dreier, Peter. [http://www.thenation.com/article/riot-and-reunion-forty-years-later "Riot and Reunion: Forty Years Later"], ''[[The Nation]]'', July 30, 2007. Accessed April 10, 2012. "In 1971, after more protests and litigation, the school district initiated a desegregation plan. But because white flight had dramatically accelerated, real school integration between Blacks and whites was difficult to achieve. Between 1970 and 1980, blacks' share of Plainfield's population grew from 40 percent to 60 percent."</ref>

Author and Plainfield native Isaiah Tremaine published ''Insurrection'' in 2017 as a mournful accounting of the Plainfield riots—and subsequent racial tensions at Plainfield High School—from his perspective as a Black teenager living in the city with both white and Black friends at the time.<ref>Tremaine, Isaiah; and Pottackal, Joseph. [https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/history/new-jersey/2017/07/14/recalling-1967-plainfield-riots/464715001/ "Recalling the 1967 Plainfield riots"], ''[[Courier News]]'', July 16, 2017. Accessed April 25, 2021.</ref><ref name="isaiahtremainebooks">{{cite web|url=http://www.isaiahtremainebooks.com/insurrection.html|title=INSURRECTION|website=Isaiah Tremaine Books|access-date=April 18, 2018|archive-date=March 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330080239/http://www.isaiahtremainebooks.com/insurrection.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Prior to the rebellion, Plainfield was a regional shopping and entertainment center. Residents of nearby Union, Middlesex and Somerset counties would drive to shop and explore the business districts of Plainfield. Other than during the holidays, peak shopping times Plainfield were Thursday nights and Saturday, when Front Street and the areas around it bustled.<ref>Id.</ref>

Plainfield had several entertainment venues at that time. At the peak, there were four operating movie theaters: the Strand, the Liberty, the Paramount and the Oxford theaters.

Manufacturers of heavy goods included Chelsea Fan Corp., Mack Truck and National Starch and Chemical Corp. Plainfield Iron and Metal maintained a large scrapyard in the West End.