Elizabeth is a city of “firsts.” It was the first English-speaking community in New Jersey, and the first capital of the state. It was the first site of Princeton University, home of the first Colonial Assembly and Council meeting, and it was at the foot of Elizabeth Avenue that the first British ship was sunk by American forces after the Declaration of Independence.

Historically and architecturally, Elizabeth is a treasure, and many pre-Revolutionary farmhouses and small city dwellings still survive in surrounding Union County, sharing common characteristics such as high-end chimneys, stepped-down roofs, and small-paned windows.

The oldest house in Elizabeth is Bonnell House, erected prior to 1682. The Belcher-Odgen Mansion was constructed between 1680 and 1720. Its solidly-massed bricks, elaborate doorways, and elegant classical detailing make it an excellent example of Georgian architecture.

Elizabeth’s population of 110,000 and its strategic position just south of Newark International Airport, combined with its deepwater port on Newark Bay, make the city an important rail and shipping center, with extensive facilities for handling containerized cargo. Elizabeth is to the east of the New Jersey Turnpike at the intersection of US-278.