by Mary-Ellen Mess
Red Bank’s location on the Navesink (aka the North Shrewsbury River) has always been the most notable feature of the town, providing commerce and recreation options for visitors and entrepreneurs since the 1800s. The North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club claims to be the oldest existing iceboat clubhouse in the world and the Globe Hotel provided accommodations and victuals for those arriving in Red Bank by steamboat from New York City.
After the railroad arrived, Red Bank became the site of the world’s largest manufacturer of uniforms, the Eisner Uniform Company. Sigmund Eisner was both a successful businessman and a philanthropist who left his mark by erecting buildings throughout Red Bank in the early 20th Century.
Today, the railroad attracts residents who commute to NYC. Residential and commercial development has dramatically changed the character of Red Bank but you can still find a few important historic sites here if you know where to look.
The guided walking tours offered by the Red Bank Public Library have been suspended for now, but there is an interactive Historic Red Bank Walking Tour guide on the library website. As development threatens to erase much of Red Bank’s unique past, use this map and legend of notable sites around town to learn how much is worth preserving.
Working at the RBPL is a second career for Mary-Ellen, who spent 30 years managing youth programs in Newark, NJ. In anticipation of her retirement from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ, Mary-Ellen returned to school and earned a MLIS in 2013. A part-time Reference Librarian at RBPL, she resides in Red Bank with her husband. Mary-Ellen considers herself fortunate to have raised two sons in Red Bank, a diverse community with great public schools.