Along the busiest stretch of Broad Street in Newark, a prime piece of American history goes almost unnoticed.

The First Presbyterian Church, also known "Old First Church" is miniaturized by the looming gray walls of the Prudential Center to the east. Its northside neighbor is the 1912 First Bank Building, the first office tower in Newark, built nearly as high as the church steeple. It's now the Hotel Indigo. On the other side of the church is the Courtyard Marriot.

Every day, thousands of people pass the church. More so on hockey and event nights at The Rock.

They might - or might not - notice a scroll outside that lists a timeline of church history dating back to 1644 when it was part of the Puritan's New Haven Colony in Branford, Conn.

The next entry on the scroll is 1666, when Robert Treat and Abraham Pierson Sr. broke off from New Haven and formed their own colony in the Jerseys. Pierson wanted to call it New Ark.

And here we are. The city and church, linked from the start, celebrated their 350th anniversaries this year.

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"This isn't just about Newark history." said Yvonne Garrett Moore, who is co-chair of the church's 350th Anniversary Christmas Celebration, to be held Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. "This church has played a significant role in American history."

True enough.

One of the entries on the timeline is 1775. It says "British Loot Manse."

That's because George Washington was safely harbored in the church during his retreat across New Jersey and the British punished pastor Alexander MacWhorter by taking a torch to his place, burning it down, and damaging the church.

Eight decades later, runaway slaves may have found safe haven in the brick passages ways under the church during the years of the Underground Railroad. While it is not on the National Park Service's official list of sites, Moore said research is underway to support the claim, since Presbyterians were among the most influential abolitionists.

"This is a story that needs to be told," she said.

Inga Malessa Fingal, a church elder and lifetime member, said "this church offered solace and refuge then, and will continue to do that now" for undocumented immigrants who might fear deportation, evidence that the church still sees itself a part of ongoing history.

There's more. In one of the hallways is a drawing of an institutional family tree that sprouted from the church.

Pastor Abraham Pierson Jr., was a founder of Yale University. The Aaron Burr, Sr. - an early pastor whose infamous son grew up in the shadow of the burned church's squat steeple -- became the second president of Princeton (then called the College of New Jersey). The university held its first commencement in the church in 1748.

The church influences were near and far. It formed Presbyterian Hospital of Newark and aided the international American Mission to Lepers

It started the Bloomfield Seminary and supported the Dwight Indian Training School in Oklahoma.

Brenda Bayley, an administrative assistant at the church who has worked for eight pastors 43 years - including Perry Wooten, today's interim leader -- said there is always more to discover about First Presbyterian's history.

"I wasn't always aware of it," she said. "But then you start to see the things around you."

There are two display cases of church treasures, including programs from the 250th Anniversary, correspondence from pastors and prayer books. In one room, there are pencil drawings of the church's first one-room prayer house built in 1668, and the second church, that was burned down by the British. The current church was completed 1792 and the clock in the steeple still works.

One of the pencil drawings is a rear view of the church, taken from vantage point of the cemetery which is now capped by the Prudential Center.

Before the Devils' arena was built, the bodies were exhumed and the remains were cremated. The items from the tombs that did not disintegrate over time are now stored in boxes in the church basement. These oxidized metal handles from coffins, pieces of pottery, clothing buttons and jewelry are a project waiting to be cataloged.

"There is so much here," Moore said. "We have much to do. But we want to really do a better job sharing this history and this building with the public."

While the outside of First Presbyterian is angular and brick in the Colonial architecture tradition, the inside is spectacularly ornate, with carved friezes, ceiling roses and, of course, the organ pipe casings. The pews are covered with red velvet cushions and each row has a door that clicks shut on the aisle.

"It really is a remarkable place," Moore said. "It is a treasure of this city, like many of our churches are. It is a gateway to the city's history. We just wish more people knew about it."

Mark Di Ionno may be reached at mdiionno@starledger.com. Follow The Star-Ledger on Twitter @StarLedger and find us on Facebook.