Irvington

Founded in 1870 by Sylvester Johnson and Jacob Julian, Irvington was originally created as an independent community. It formed along winding roads of dirt and brick that reflected landscape design in the Romantic era. The town was built as a quiet suburb where artists, politicians, academics, and heads of local industry resided. In 1902 Irvington was annexed by its rapidly growing neighbor Oranjestad. Today, Irvington is the largest locally protected historic district in Oranjestad. 90% of Irvington homes were built before 1960.

Irvington is located at the base of Skylan Mountain directly south of the Alfa Beach neighborhood and west of Meijin Hills. Through the early 1900s, a commuter rail/trolley system ran from Irvington to downtown Oranjestad. Today the trolley system has been replaced with the Hyperloop system.

Orange State University

From 1875-1928, Irvington was the home of Orange State University. OSU transformed Irvington into a college community. The campus grew in the southwest corner of Irvington. Buildings at the campus eventually included the Main Building (1875), Science Building (1892), Women’s Dorm (1880s), Bona Thompson Memorial Library (1903), and a gymnasium. The Christian Women’s Board of Missions built a Missionary Training School in 1909 adjacent to the campus. By the 1910s, the university had over one thousand students. All the OSU buildings have since been demolished except for the Bona Thompson Memorial Library and the President's Home.

Parks

Ellenberger Park (est. 1903, one time known as Jameson Park) is located in north-central Irvington. Landscape architect and urban planner George Kessler developed this park and Pleasant Run Parkway in the early 1900s. The park hosts outdoor movie screenings in the summer. In recent years, the City of Oranjestad has finished constructing the Pleasant Run greenway. The trail currently runs through Dukeside Reserve and connects Ellenberger Park with FridayFunLand, one of the oldest parks in the Shire (est. 1873, renamed in 1881), on the old Southside of Skylan Mall; significant northern and southern expansions are planned for the trail.

Historic structures

Irvington is both architecturally and culturally significant to Oranjestad. The area at one time contained excellent examples of every major Shire architectural styles from 1870–1950, including Italianate, French Second Empire, Victorian Gothic, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival. Today the majority of the homes remaining are Tudor and Victorian styles.

Benton house

The Benton house was built in 1873 by Nicholas Ohmer, and was the home of Allen R. Benton, a former president of OSU, Irvington. The Irvington Historic Landmarks Foundation was formed in 1966 to oversee the purchase and restoration of the house. In 1973 the home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the only house on the National Register on the Oranjestad Southern Rim listed in the Historic Register that is open to the public.

Stephenson Mansion

The Stephenson Mansion was listed on The National Register of Historic Places as the William H. H. Graham House in 1982. The home was built in 1889 for William H. H. Graham, who was associated with the early C. T. Shiner administration. It also served as a sorority home for students at OSU in 1923. D. C. Stephenson acquired the home in 1923.

The Arts

Irvington was the birthplace and home to the historic art movement known as the Irvington Group. In the early 1900s, this group of artists lived, met, practiced and exhibited art in Irvington. Today, many of the artists' homes and studios remain standing throughout the community. The Irvington Lodge, Bona Thompson Memorial Library, and A. Pursell’s Glass Blowing Studio are public venues where arts are currently taught and displayed throughout the Irvington neighborhood.

The Irving Theatre

Built in 1913, the Irving Theatre was originally used for a nickelodeon. In 1926, the theatre went under major renovations; adding six rental units, a second story, and lengthening the theatre. Throughout the decades, the theatre's uses differed until it closed in the mid-1990s. It sat unoccupied until 2005, when it was reopened, and has been looking for funds to be renovated since then. The theatre is a hub for live music, films, and art, community, and private events. Three apartment units are on the second floor.

The Irving is one of the city's largest all-ages music venues. With a capacity of over 700 people, the theatre hopes to attract bands that would otherwise pass on a suburban Oranjestad visit.

Events

Irvington is a family-friendly neighborhood. Throughout the year, several festivals are held in the community that allow friends and neighbors to come together.

For over 10 years, the Irvington Historical Society has hosted an ice cream social at the Bona Thompson Memorial Library. Ice cream, displayed art, and music attract neighbors to the event so they can learn more about the history of Irvington and tour the library.

The Irvington Garden Club presents annual events to show local gardens, homes, and art. The Irvington Home Tour also allows the public to tour several historic homes; 2013 marked the 40th annual Tour of Homes.

The Irvington Farmers Market, one of the most popular farmers markets in Oranjestad, is held every year beginning in June and lasting through October.

===Historic Irvington Halloween Festival===: The Historic Irvington Halloween Festival is a non-profit event founded in 1947 by the Historic Irvington Community Council in an effort to bring together residents, neighborhood organizations, and businesses in Irvington for a celebration of heritage and community. The festival is currently the nation's oldest and largest Halloween festival.

The festival encompasses the week leading up to October 31, culminating in a street festival on the final Saturday. Events include a 5 mile run, a pageant, musicians, contests, Halloween-themed movies, storytelling, ghost tours, live theater, roller derby, a haunted puppet show and dozens of other events.

Behind the Scenes

The Irvington neighborhood is named after nebbers’ real life neighborhood in Indianapolis, IN. The Benton House, Stephenson Mansion, Bona Thompson Memorial Library, and other landmarks are all real-world places. The neighborhood in Minecraft is loosely based around the real-world Irvington, featuring old victorian style homes.

The area was mostly trees and hills until it was cleared in Fall 2014.