The Rahway Room at the Rahway Public Library

The Rahway Room at the Rahway Public Library Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Rahway Room at the Rahway Public Library, Library, 2 City Hall Plaza, Rahway, NJ.

The Rahway Room is the history room located on the second floor at the Rahway Public Library containing a special collection of books, ledgers, images, maps, files, and more documenting and preserving the local history for the city of Rahway.

Happy Preservation Week — we’re excited to share our latest preservation progress! 🎉 Over the past six months, a contrac...
05/01/2026

Happy Preservation Week — we’re excited to share our latest preservation progress! 🎉

Over the past six months, a contracted archivist—working alongside Mr. Shipley and our dedicated volunteers—processed approximately 43.5 cubic feet of archival materials. Our Rahway history collections were carefully rehoused into acid-free folders and archival-quality boxes designed for long-term preservation.

These archival boxes play a critical role in protecting materials. Made from acid-free, lignin-free materials, they shield contents from light, dust, and environmental fluctuations while slowing the natural deterioration of paper and other fragile items. This helps ensure that the records in our care remain stable, usable, and accessible well into the future.

Alongside this work, detailed finding aids were created for these collections. These guides provide essential context and organization, making it easier for researchers and the public to discover and navigate the materials housed within each box.

We’re proud of this progress and excited to continue expanding access while keeping our collections safe for the future.



As students across Rahway have returned to the classroom, we’re taking a moment to reflect on another exciting back-to-s...
09/26/2025

As students across Rahway have returned to the classroom, we’re taking a moment to reflect on another exciting back-to-school season from our city’s past—one marked by significant growth and transformation in local education.

While exploring our archives, we recently uncovered a brochure from the dedication ceremony for the new Franklin School, held on the evening of November 24, 1922.

Constructed between 1921 and 1922 at a cost of $250,000, the new building was a major upgrade from the original Franklin School on Union Street (between Ludlow & Church Streets), which had been built in 1851 for just $6,000.

The new Franklin School officially opened to students on September 11, 1922. It marked a pivotal moment in Rahway’s educational journey. The original school could no longer accommodate the city’s growing student population, prompting the construction of a larger, more modern facility.

Articles from The Rahway Record in September 1922—available for viewing in our digitized newspaper archives on our library’s website—highlight the city’s surge in school enrollment. That year, Rahway ranked fourth in Union County for student enrollment, growing from 2,140 students in 1921 to 2,298 in 1922.

Today, that same spirit of growth and progress lives on in every classroom. During the 2023–2024 school year, Rahway Public Schools reported an enrollment of 4,275 students—nearly double the number from a century ago.

We hope all of our students have a great school year ahead!

📰 “Rahway is Fourth in Pupils Enrolled: Increase of 158 over 1921 Is Shown In County School Heads Report 1922,” The Rahway Record, September 1, 1922, Vol. XII No. 1341, p. 4.

📰 “More School Pupils Noted: Opening Enrollment Shows Big Increase Over 1921. Record Attendance: Plan Franklin Building Opening On Monday,” The Rahway Record, September 8, 1922, Vol. XII No. 1343, p. 1.

📰 “New Franklin School Opened For Classes,” The Rahway Record, September 12, 1922, Vol. XII No. 1344, p. 1.

 

📚✨ Join us in celebrating ! ✨📚 Step back in time and explore the rich history of Rahway’s library through our special H...
04/08/2025

📚✨ Join us in celebrating ! ✨📚 Step back in time and explore the rich history of Rahway’s library through our special History Room! 🏛️

Our collection features blueprints of past library buildings, offering a fascinating look at the architectural evolution of our cherished public library. 🖋️📏 From the earliest designs to the modern spaces we enjoy today, these blueprints reveal how our library has grown alongside the community it serves. Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast or simply curious, it’s a journey you won’t want to miss.

In the History Room, we also honor the wealth of local history housed within our library. With everything from historical documents to treasured photographs, these spaces are more than just rooms—they’re windows into the past, filled with stories, inspiration, and a deep connection to our heritage.

Let’s take a moment to recognize the dedicated staff, the invaluable resources we often overlook, and the power of knowledge that shapes our future. Whether you’re diving into a new book, rediscovering old documents, or simply enjoying the quiet wisdom of these spaces, we encourage you to give a heartfelt THANK YOU! 🙏

1️⃣: Rahway Library architecture blueprints for the building at the intersection of Irving and Seminary Ave., circa 1860s.
2️⃣: Rahway Library architecture blueprints for the building at the corner of Central and St. George Ave., circa 1960s.



Take me out to the ball game! ⚾️In celebration of and the start of the baseball season, we dug into our Newspaper Arch...
03/28/2025

Take me out to the ball game! ⚾️

In celebration of and the start of the baseball season, we dug into our Newspaper Archives and unearthed a fun slice of local baseball history from 1888!

On July 5th, a friendly game between lawyers and doctors took place on Seminary Avenue, with all proceeds going to the Athletics Association. The doctors emerged victorious, beating the lawyers 33-15.

But here’s the best part—while the baseball editor couldn’t attend, the newspaper’s artist was on hand to sketch the action!

Here’s a look at the fun illustrations in the article on the game’s coverage!

1️⃣📰: National Democrat, “Doctors vs Lawyers”, Rahway, NJ, July 6, 1888, Vol. XLVIII No. 42, pg. 2.
2️⃣📰: National Democrat, “Doctors vs Lawyers”, Rahway, NJ, July 13, 1888, Vol. XLVIII No. 43, pg. 2.



🔍 Sometimes, the best discoveries take time.Research can be a challenge. But patience pays off, and every bit of effort ...
03/14/2025

🔍 Sometimes, the best discoveries take time.

Research can be a challenge. But patience pays off, and every bit of effort brings us closer to something special.

We recently uncovered additional information about this notecard! Back in December 2024, we discovered it taped to the back cover of one of the minute books from the Rahway Home Reading Club, which operated for 76 years (1885-1961). Thanks to our extensive collection of historical newspapers available online through our library’s website, we were browsing through them last week and found a news article that corresponds with the information on the notecard. Now, we can assign a circa date to the information — 1926!

An article from the Rahway Record, highlights the club being the fourth oldest women’s club in New Jersey and the second oldest in the 5th Congressional District — with them being a chartered member of the New Jersey Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC. It details how the club celebrated its 41st anniversary the previous Friday night, noting that it was their 1,362nd meeting. Since we have a complete collection of minute books, totaling 9 volumes and an impressive 3,190 meetings during the club’s active years, we will be able to search through them and share the minutes from that 1,362nd meeting at a later date!



📰: “Home Reading Club Has Enviable Record”, The Rahway Record, Rahway, Union County, NJ, Tuesday Afternoon, October 12, 1926, Vol. XVI, Serial No. 1770, p. 8.

🎉 We found quite an interesting find tucked among the Rahway Library Association collection, and we’re so excited to sha...
02/28/2025

🎉 We found quite an interesting find tucked among the Rahway Library Association collection, and we’re so excited to share this unique piece of Rahway history with you!

This 152-year-old letter might seem like just another old document, but it’s so much more. It’s tied to Rahway’s rich library history. Let’s dive into a couple of cool facts we discovered because of this letter:

1️⃣ Mrs. J. L. Woodruff, who penned this formal resignation letter, was one of the originating founders of the Rahway Library Association. It shows us her tenured service as a trustee spanned from its very beginning in 1858 and all the way to 1872, a remarkable 14 years!

2️⃣ Further research work uncovered another gem that is not a widely publicized fact— Mrs. Woodruff was the grandmother of Carolyn Wells! After graduating from Rahway High School in 1879, Carolyn became a librarian in Rahway, eventually rising to the position of Head Librarian in 1890, a role she held for 12 years before embarking on her career as a renowned mystery writer.

Bonus fun fact: Both these Rahway women are buried right here in the Rahway Cemetery!



This 💘Valentine’s Day💘, we’re taking a stroll down memory lane with this charming print ad from one of Rahway’s former n...
02/14/2025

This 💘Valentine’s Day💘, we’re taking a stroll down memory lane with this charming print ad from one of Rahway’s former newspapers. 🗞️✨ It offers a fascinating glimpse into the past, showcasing a special gift sale on perfumes for your sweethearts on St. Valentines Day — brought to you by one of Rahway’s previous business establishments, Kierseins Pharmacy, once located on Cherry Street in downtown Rahway.

Did you know that the Rahway Public Library offers FREE access to a collection of historical newspapers on our website? It’s the perfect place to uncover more stories from the past and explore how Rahway’s history unfolded.

Check it out and discover the stories that shaped our community. ❤️ You can find a link to our Newspaper Archive in our bio, or under the “Resources” tab on our website.

📰: Rahway Record, Tuesday, Afternoon, February 1, 1921, page 4.



We’ve been diligently working among the stacks as of late! Here’s a peek—a little “shelfie” view from some of our reposi...
02/07/2025

We’ve been diligently working among the stacks as of late! Here’s a peek—a little “shelfie” view from some of our repository. 📚

If you missed us during our monthly hours this past Monday, don’t worry! Join us next month on Monday, March 3rd, 2025, from 3:30 to 7:30 PM. 🗓️⏰ Our historian, Mr. Al Shipley, will be here to help with inquiries that are Rahway history-related. See you then!



01/31/2025

Did you check out our latest reel post about the Rahway boardgame?🎲♟️✨ Out of the 35 Rahway businesses and institutions listed for gameplay, can you name the 4 that still exist today? Comment your thoughts below‼️👇

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Rahway, NJ
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