Columbus Hall, Orange, New Jersey
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| Columbus Hall | |
|---|---|
 Columbus Hall, Orange, New Jersey. Jeremiah O'Rourke, 1894. | |
 Interactive map of the Columbus Hall area | |
| General information | |
| Location | 455 White Street, Orange, New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 40°46′36″N 74°13′57″W / 40.77667°N 74.23250°W |
| Construction started | 1892 |
| Completed | 1894 |
| Owner | Archdiocese of Newark |
Columbus Hall, located in Orange, New Jersey, US, is a historic building which housed both a school and a theatre. Designed by Jeremiah O'Rourke of Newark, the building was named to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus in the new world. The cornerstone was laid by Newark Bishop Winand Wigger on April 9, 1893, and construction was completed in December 1894.[1]
Columbus Hall stands on one of the most commanding spots in the city, directly opposite St. John's Church (also designed by O’Rourke) at White and Ridge Streets. It most notably housed the parish school, St. John's School, an institution that had been established 32 years earlier in 1862.[2]
Built in a generally neo-Renaissance style, the building measures 150 feet (46 m) wide and 76 feet (23 m) deep and is constructed of buff-colored brick with stone belt courses and ornamental terra cotta trimmings. The main entrance of the building is reached by matching stone staircases, one on each side. Along the front of the first story of the main building, over the windows and doors, is a row of massive arches of cut stone: the central arch, over the entrance, bears the inscription, "Columbus Hall."[3]
The building features a dome which was originally surmounted by a large gilded statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, approximately 25 feet (7.6 m) tall and with its arms extended. For many decades the statue was floodlit at night, making it visible for miles around. The statue was knocked over by a windstorm in September 2012, and subsequently removed. The refurbished statue was restored to the cupola in October 2025. [2] A large bronze statue of Christopher Columbus stood at the main entrance of the building until about 1970, when it was vandalized and replaced by a smaller marble statue.
