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Plainfield is a city of about 54,000 people in Union County, New Jersey, roughly 30 miles southwest of New York City. Settled by Quakers in the 1680s and nicknamed the Queen City, it grew into a prosperous railroad suburb in the late 1800s, when wealthy commuters built grand Victorian and Colonial Revival homes along its leafy streets.
That heritage survives in several historic districts, including the Crescent Area, Van Wyck Brooks and Netherwood Heights districts, which are lined with large period houses. The Drake House Museum, run by the Historical Society of Plainfield, tells the story of the city from colonial times, and the 1788 Friends Meeting House recalls its Quaker founders. Plainfield also has a place in music history as the hometown of George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic.
Olmsted-designed Cedar Brook Park and Green Brook Park offer shaded paths, ball fields and a rare Shakespeare Garden. Plainfield and Netherwood stations on NJ Transit make the city an easy day trip from New York or Newark.
An 18th-century house operated by the Historical Society of Plainfield, linked by local tradition to George Washington during the 1777 Battle of Short Hills. Period rooms and exhibits trace the city's history from Quaker farmland to Victorian suburb. Opening hours are limited, so check before visiting.
A large county park designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm, with lawns along Cedar Brook, shady paths, ball fields, playgrounds and a pond. It is a pleasant spot for a long walk or a picnic. The park's famous Shakespeare Garden is in one corner and makes a nice destination for a stroll.
An Olmsted-designed Union County park along the Green Brook on the border with North Plainfield, with wooded paths, a stream, a pond, tennis courts and a playground. It is a quiet place for an easy walk under old trees, and the paths along the brook are lovely in autumn when the leaves turn.
A garden in Cedar Brook Park first planted in 1927 with flowers, herbs and shrubs mentioned in Shakespeare's plays, laid out in formal beds. Volunteers still maintain it, and small signs quote the lines that name each plant. It is at its best from May through June and is free to visit.
A historic district of large Victorian, Queen Anne and Italianate houses built for wealthy commuters in the late 1800s, arranged around curving streets near the center of Plainfield. It is best explored on foot. Look for the Swain Galleries building and the ornate porches and towers along Crescent Avenue.
A residential historic district named after the literary critic Van Wyck Brooks, who grew up in Plainfield. Its tree-lined streets hold large late 19th and early 20th century homes in Colonial Revival, Tudor and Shingle styles. A slow walk or bike ride is the best way to see the architecture.
An early planned suburb on the hill around Netherwood station, developed from the 1880s with large houses on generous wooded lots. It shows how the railroad shaped Plainfield as a commuter town. Combine a walk here with a look at the historic Netherwood station building nearby.
A simple stone meeting house built in 1788 by the Quakers who founded the area, still used for worship and set beside an old burial ground. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Visitors are welcome to view it from the grounds, and the quiet setting is a reminder of Plainfield's beginnings.
The city library, known for its strong local history collection with photographs, maps and records of Plainfield and Union County. It is a useful stop for anyone researching family history or old homes. The building also offers reading rooms, children's programs and public computers.
A historic NJ Transit station on the Raritan Valley Line that served the Netherwood Heights suburb from the 1890s. The station building reflects the era when Plainfield was a commuter town for New York. Trains still stop here, making it an easy way to arrive for a walk through the nearby historic streets.
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Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Famartin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Famartin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Famartin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Famartin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Famartin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dreamyunicorn123, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dreamyunicorn123, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dreamyunicorn123, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Dreamyunicorn123, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Zeete, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Adam Moss, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
