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Founded in 1922, the Madison, NJ Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving and sharing Madison’s rich history. Thank you for your interest in sharing this journey with us.

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Portrait of the Rose City: A History of Madison, New Jersey
Jan 15
Portrait of the Rose City: A History of Madison, New Jersey

The Madison Historical Society and the Madison Public Library have updated The Madison Heritage Trail: An Intimate History of a Community in Transition written in 1985 as part of the 1776 Bicentennial Celebration.  The new book, Portrait of the Rose City: A History of Madison, New Jersey will be available in January of 2025 in time for the 250th Celebration of the Revolution.   The new book was written by the same author, Dr. Frank Esposito that wrote The Madison Heritage Trail, along with a committee of local experts.  Through stories you will find out how Madison played an integral role in some of the most important moments in the country’s history.  You will come to understand how Madison has grown and thrived through the years by the belief of its residents that people working together can accomplish virtually anything.

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Mayor of Madison and “Father of the Skyscraper”
Mayor of Madison and “Father of the Skyscraper”

            For two years, 1920-1922, William Aiken Starrett, Jr. served as Mayor of the Borough of Madison.  He and his wife Eloise, his daughter Helen Ruth, and his son, David, lived in a five-bedroom Tudor home in Madison. That was one side of Starrett’s life. The other side was his enormous body of work as an architect and builder with his crowning achievement being the construction of the Empire State Building, at the time the tallest building in the world.

            William A. Starrett, Jr. was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1877.  Early in his life the family moved to Chicago.  His father, William A. Starrett Sr. was a minister.  His mother, Helen Martha Starrett, was an author of many books and founder of the Starrett School for Girls in Chicago. In 1893, he entered the University of Michigan.  But before he could finish, he had to drop out and help his family that was financially strapped. In 1917, Michigan retroactively awarded Starrett his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

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A Founding Father of Orthopedic Surgery in the United States
A Founding Father of Orthopedic Surgery in the United States
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