24 DID YOU KNOW

Grandson of firefighting trailblazer reaches new heights

Mayor Steven Fulop congratulates Dwayne Taylor as he is promoted to battalion chief.

Dwayne and seven other firefighters were promoted by the Jersey City Fire Department in a ceremony on Jan. 13.

By Daniel Israel

Photos courtesy of City of Jersey City

The grandson of Jersey City’s fi rst Black fi refi ghter received a promotion to battalion chief in January. He and seven other fi refi ghters were promoted by the Jersey City Fire Department in a ceremony on Jan. 13.

Dwayne Taylor is a third-generation fi refi ghter in Jersey City. Thomas Gerald Taylor, his grandfather, made history in 1950 when he was hired by the JCFD. Through years of hard work and dedication, he rose to the rank of captain.

Taylor also served as the president of the Jersey City branch of the NAACP, and cofounded a civic organization for Black and minority firefighters from northern New Jersey municipalities known as the Vulcan Pioneers.

“I share this proud day with my family and community,” said Battalion Chief Dwayne Taylor back in January.

Thomas Gerald Taylor made history in 1950 when he was hired by the JCFD.

“It started with my grandfather breaking through boundaries as the fi rst Black fi refi ghter in one of New Jersey’s largest cities, and it continues today with me being promoted to Battalion Chief. It’s something my grandfather likely never imagined would happen 60 years later. I’m grateful for the opportunity to carry on my grandfather’s and father’s legacies by serving this great community.”

“One of our promoted Battalion Chiefs is the grandson of Jersey City’s fi rst African American fi refi ghter, Thomas Gerald Taylor,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “This speaks volumes about the progress we’ve made, especially since we prioritized diversity recruitment over the past eight years. In fact, six of the eight fi refi ghters promoted represent minority populations. I think it’s safe to say Firefi ghter Taylor would be very proud to see how far his grandson and Jersey City as a whole have come.”

“As we continue to strengthen our department with the best fi refi ghters in the state, we need to include quality leadership throughout our fi rehouses citywide,” said Jersey City Fire Department Chief Steven McGill. “These new Captains and Battalion Chiefs have worked hard to get to where they are, and we appreciate their commitment to serving Jersey City and keeping the community safe.”— JCM

Despite the passage of time, the Colgate Clock still ticks.

The original clock now sits atop a Colgate-Palmolive facility in Clarksville, Indiana. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress.

By Daniel Israel

When thinking of historical landmarks visible along the Hudson River, many may think of the obvious: the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island or maybe even one of the nearby bridges. On the Jersey City side of the Hudson, another landmark is visibly present: the Colgate Clock.

The historic clock lights up each night in red, positioned along the Jersey City waterfront. Colgate, originally called Colgate Soap and Perfumery Works, was fi rst founded in 1806 in New York City by William Colgate, making small candles, soap and starch. By 1820, the company, then known as William Colgate and Company, moved across the Hudson to the Paulus

The clock sits at ground level on land that is leased to Colgate-Palmolive. It is maintained by Goldman Sachs. Photo by James Andrews1/Shutterstock.com

Hook area of Jersey City where it fl ourished.

In Jersey City, the company opened a large industrial complex that chemically manufactured perfume and soaps established in the city by 1847. In 1873, Colgate began selling the fi rst iteration of what it is arguably most famous for now, toothpaste, leading to further success of the company, having moved away from perfumes and starch.

For the centennial of Colgate in 1906, the famous clock was commissioned. The Colgate Clock was designed by engineer Warren Day and constructed by Seth Thomas Clock Company. The clock’s shape was an ode to the fi rst soap product sold by Colgate, the Octagon Soap. Nearly 38 feet in diameter, the steel clock was often touted as the largest in the world.

Two years after its construction, the clock was mounted on the roof of an eight-story Colgate Warehouse in 1908. Colgate established its headquarters in Jersey City in 1910, before merging some years later with the Palmolive-Peet Company.

The famous clock stood on top of the warehouse near the corner of York and Hudson streets until 1924, when the original clock was taken down and replaced with the current clock by then-Mayor Frank Hague. The old clock now sits atop a Colgate-Palmolive facility in Clarksville, Indiana.

The new clock ran until 1955, after over three decades of operation, until it broke down due to exposure to the elements. However, a quick repair of the clock’s hands meant it was back in action by the next month. It stood atop the Colgate building in Jersey City until the company relocated its headquarters in 1985.

In 1988, the clock was set at ground level. It sat there for years on the property, before becoming a local landmark after Goldman Sachs redeveloped the site in the early ‘90s. The Colgate Clock was fi tted with LED lights in 2013, and a new foundation was installed beneath it. While Goldman Sachs maintains the clock, the land it sits on is ceremoniously leased to Colgate-Palmolive by the state.—JCM