Independence Park

Independence Park is located in the eastern section of Essex County, in an area of Newark, New Jersey known as the "Ironbound" or "Down Neck" section. The park spans 12.69 acres and is bordered by Walnut Street on the north, Oliver Street on the south, and Adams & Van Buren Streets to the west and east.

Designed by the Olmsted Brothers in 1895, Independence Park was part of the original park system created to fulfill the Commission's pledge to build "neighborhood parks" in densely settled areas. The park's design is characterized by a bandstand at the center, surrounded by a formal layout with symmetrically flanked winding walkways and tree-lined promenades.

Independence Park serves as a crucial green space for the Ironbound, one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Newark. Given that the area's housing stock consists primarily of multi-story tenements and rowhouses without individual backyards, the park provides a vital outlet for residents seeking outdoor recreation and relaxation.

The park caters to various recreational needs of the community. It hosts three official soccer leagues, representing over 42 teams and 750 players. The high demand for field space sometimes necessitates dividing a single field into three or four sections to accommodate all the practices.

Adjacent to the park on Oliver Street are two notable churches: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, an Italian Renaissance structure completed in 1955, and St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Church, a pleasing 1910 edifice that unfortunately held its last service in March 2013.