Finished hatboxes are piled high in the Schiffenhaus plant, 1899. Photo courtesy Schiffenhaus Packaging Corp.

A New Jersey Snapshot: The Schiffenhaus Packaging Corp.

The Schiffenhaus Packaging Corporation is a Newark box manufacturing firm that was founded in 1895 by two Russian immigrant brothers. Still owned and operated by the Schiffenhaus family, it remains in Newark long after much of the city's former industrial base has disappeared. It is a rare surviving example of the continuity of family business tradition, and for that reason was chosen as a focal point by the New Jersey Historical Society to document changes in New Jersey industry between 1899 and 1999. The Society's goal was twofold: to expose contemporary audiences to an important facet of life in New Jersey today, and to assemble archival and collections material that could be utilized by future researchers. Because Schiffenhaus has kept a strong sense of its own history, the project utilizes many of the company's own records. These include a videotape and ten photographs, accompanied by the Society's narrative text.

Originally submitted by: Frank Lautenberg, Senator.

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The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.

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