97-609: The Jersey City and Bergen Point Plank Road was a road originally built in the 19th century in Hudson County, New Jersey , United States which ran between Paulus Hook and Bergen Point . The company that built the road received a charter on March 6, 1850 to improve one that had been built in the 18th century. It has subsequently become Grand Street and Garfield Avenue in Jersey City and Broadway in Bayonne . Plank roads were built during
194-517: A "Who's Who" in American industry established a presence, including Colgate , Dixon Ticonderoga , Maxwell House , Standard Oil , and Bethlehem Steel . North Hudson , particularly Union City became the schiffli "embroidery capital of America". The industry included businesses that provided embroidery machines and parts, fabrics, thread, embroidery designs, dying, chemical lace etching, and bleaching. There were hundreds of small shops, each with one or
291-556: A 3.3 acres (1.3 ha) exclave of New York. Shooters Island , in the Kill van Kull , is also shared with New York. Robbins Reef Light sits atop a reef which runs parallel the Bayonne and Jersey City waterfront. Much of the county lies between the Hackensack and Hudson Rivers on a geographically long narrow peninsula, (sometimes called Bergen Neck ), which is a contiguous urban area where it
388-461: A U.S. military base and remained in operation until 1999. After the war maritime and manufacturing industries still dominated the local economy, and union membership provided guarantees of good pay packages. Though some returning servicemen took advantage of GI housing bills and moved to close-by suburbs, many with strong ethnic and familial ties chose to stay. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson made his minor league debut at Roosevelt Stadium and "broke"
485-600: A business, shopping, and entertainment mecca, home to The Jersey Journal , after which it is named, and movie palaces such as Loew's Jersey Theater and The Stanley . Upon entry into World War I , the U.S. government took over control of the Hamburg-American Line piers in Hoboken under eminent domain , and Hudson became the major point of embarkation for more than three million soldiers, known as " doughboys ". In 1916, an act of sabotage literally and figuratively shook
582-414: A canoe party of Lenape. A party of his sailors may have taken on fresh water at a spring called "the watering place" on Staten Island—a monument stands in a tiny park on the corner of Bay Street and Victory Boulevard at the approximate spot—but Verrazzano's descriptions of the geography of the area are a bit ambiguous. It is fairly firmly held by historians that his ship anchored at the approximate location of
679-553: A claim for the area in 1609 when anchoring his ship the Halve Maen ( Half Moon ) at Harsimus Cove and Weehawken Cove . The west bank of the North River (as it was called) and the cliffs, hills, and marshlands abutting and beyond it, were settled by Europeans (Dutch, Flemish, Walloon, Huguenot) from the Lowlands around the same time as New Amsterdam . In 1630, Michiel Pauw received
776-648: A constant phenomenon, although there have been improvements in some areas of the harbor complex in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. A 2019 study of the harbor identifies water quality trends in nine regions of the harbor, using data collected during 1996 to 2017. The Lower New York Bay region has the highest quality, due to frequent exchange of water with the Atlantic Ocean. The poorest regions are those with limited exchange of water flows: Newtown Creek , Flushing Bay and Jamaica Bay . High levels of nutrient pollution (nitrogen and phosphorus) were observed throughout
873-513: A deal with the Lenape to re-purchase the area named Bergen , "by the great rock above Wiehacken," including the whole peninsula from Sikakes south to Bergen Point / Constable Hook . In 1661, a charter was granted the new village/garrison at the site of present-day Bergen Square , establishing what is considered to be the oldest self-governing municipality in New Jersey. The British gained control of
970-515: A female householder with no husband present and 39.8% were non-families. Of all households, 29.9% were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.2. New York Harbor New York Harbor is a bay that covers all of the Upper Bay and an extremely small portion of the Lower Bay . It
1067-496: A few machines, producing a wide array of products. Finished embroidery supplied the garment and home goods industries. Secaucus boasted numerous pig farms and rendering plants. It was during this period that much of the housing stock, namely one and two family homes and low-rise apartment buildings, was built; municipal boundaries finalized, neighborhoods established. Commercial corridors such as Bergenline , Central, Newark and Ocean Avenues came into prominence. Journal Square became
SECTION 10
#17330849227571164-624: A land patent, or patroonship and purchased the land between the Hudson and Hackensack Rivers, giving it the Latinized form of his name, Pavonia . He failed to settle the area and was forced to return his holdings to the Dutch West India Company . Homesteads were established at Communipaw (1633), Harsimus (1634), Paulus Hook (1638), and Hoebuck (1643). Relations were tenuous with the Lenape, and eventually led to Kieft's War , which began as
1261-466: A massive complex built in the Art Deco Style. During this era, the "Hudson County Democratic Machine", known for its cronyism and corruption, with Jersey City mayor Frank Hague at its head was at its most powerful. Industries in Hudson were crucial to the war effort during WWII, including the manufacture PT boats by Elco in Bayonne. Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY) was opened in 1942 as
1358-676: A place to evacuate to, many residents who worked there lost their jobs (or their lives), and many companies sought office space across the river. Re-zoning, the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, and New Jersey State land-use policy of transit villages have further spurred construction. Though very urban and with some of the highest residential densities in the United States, the Hudson communities have remained fragmented, due in part to New Jersey's long history of home rule in local government; geographical factors such as Hudson River inlets/canals,
1455-477: A population increase, as many new residents purchase existing housing stock as well as condominiums in high- and mid-rise developments, many along the waterfront. What had started as a gentrification in the 1980s became a full-blown "redevelopment" of the area as many suburbanites, transplanted Americans, internationals, and immigrants (most focused on opportunities in NY/NJ region and proximity to Manhattan) began to make
1552-773: A rate exceeding those of the other U.S. forces. Bright city lights made it easier for German U-boats to spot targets at night, but local officials resisted suggestions that they follow London 's lead and blackout the lights of coastal cities. However, some lights were darkened, including those of the amusement parks in Coney Island , Brooklyn , and the Coney Island Light , and Sandy Hook Lighthouse . The Harbor reached its peak activity in March 1943 during World War II, with 543 ships at anchor awaiting assignment to convoy or berthing (with as many as 426 seagoing vessel already at one of
1649-517: A record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.21 inches (82 mm) in February to 4.60 inches (117 mm) in July. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 62.35 square miles (161.5 km ), of which 46.19 square miles (119.6 km ) was land (74.1%) and 16.15 square miles (41.8 km )
1746-586: A similar suit was brought against the International Longshoremen's Association local. In March 2006, the Port passenger facility was to be transferred to Dubai Ports World . There was considerable security controversy over the ownership by a foreign corporation, particularly Arabic, of a U.S. port operation, this in spite of the fact the current operator was the British-based P&;O Ports , and
1843-482: A slaughter by the Dutch at Communipaw and is considered to be one of the first genocides of Native Americans by Europeans. A series of raids and reprisals across the province lasted two years and ended in an uneasy truce. Other homesteads were established at Constable Hook (1646), Awiehaken (1647), and other lands at Achter Col on Bergen Neck . In 1658, Director-General Peter Stuyvesant of New Netherland negotiated
1940-507: A small strait from Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty , played a crucial role in the massive immigration of the period, with many newly arrived departing the station to embark on their lives in America. Many, though, decided to stay, taking jobs on the docks, the railroads, the factories, the refineries, and in the sweatshops and skyscrapers of Manhattan. Many manufacturers, whose names read as
2037-400: A surprise raid on a British fortification in 1779, was seen as a victory and morale booster for revolutionary forces. Many downtown Jersey City streets bear the name of military figures Mercer , Greene , Wayne , and Varick among them. Weehawken became notorious for duels, including the nation's most famous between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in 1804. Border conflicts for control of
SECTION 20
#17330849227572134-619: A toll was collected. It then ran parallel to the Morris Canal through Greenville to Curries Woods ., passing through Bayview – New York Bay Cemetery . Crossing the canal at Pamrapo , it proceeded south into Saltersville and Centerville ending at Bergen Point . Transfer to ferries to Elizabethport across Newark Bay and to Staten Island across Kill van Kull were possible. 40°43′02″N 74°03′42″W / 40.717119°N 74.061574°W / 40.717119; -74.061574 Hudson County, New Jersey Hudson County
2231-594: A very diverse population of marine species, allowing for recreational fishing, most commonly for striped bass and bluefish. The original population of the 16th century New York Harbor, the Lenape , used the waterways for fishing and travel. In 1524 Giovanni da Verrazzano anchored in what is now called the Narrows , the strait between Staten Island and Long Island that connects the Upper and Lower New York Bay , where he received
2328-500: Is New Jersey's geographically smallest and most densely populated county. Hudson County shares extensive mass transit connections with Manhattan , located across the Hudson River, as well as with most of Northern and Central New Jersey . The average temperature of Hudson County is 51.89 °F, which is approximately the same as the state average of 51.93 °F, and lower than the national average of 54.45 °F. The county
2425-461: Is about 86 degrees, and its winter low in January is 25. On average, there are 219 sunny days per year in the county, compared with the national average of 205. Average temperatures in the county seat of Jersey City have ranged from a low of 27 °F (−3 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −15 °F (−26 °C) was recorded in February 1934 and
2522-739: Is at the mouth of the Hudson River where it empties into New York/New Jersey Bight near the East River tidal estuary , and then into the Atlantic Ocean on the East Coast of the United States . New York Harbor is also known as Upper New York Bay , which is enclosed by the New York City boroughs of Manhattan , Brooklyn , and Staten Island and the Hudson County, New Jersey municipalities of Jersey City and Bayonne . The name may also refer to
2619-534: Is coastal and flat. The western region, around the Hackensack and Passaic is part of the New Jersey Meadowlands . Much of the land along the county's extensive shoreline and littoral zone was created by land reclamation . The highest point, at 260 feet (79 m) above sea level, is in West New York; the lowest point is at sea level. North Bergen is the city with the second most hills per square mile in
2716-565: Is consolidated for easier automated transfer to land conveyance. As a consequence, the waterfront industries of the Harbor experienced a decline leading to diverse plans for revitalization, though important maritime uses remain at Red Hook , Port Jersey , MOTBY , Constable Hook , and parts of the Staten Island shore. Liberty State Park opened in 1976. In recent years, it has become a popular site for recreation sailing and kayaking . The harbor
2813-689: Is located on the U.S. East Coast , approximately halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, which results in climate that is influenced by wet, dry, hot, and cold airstreams, and highly variable daily weather. Of New Jersey's five distinct climate regions, Hudson County is located in the Central region, which runs from New York Harbor and the Lower Hudson River to the great bend of the Delaware River near
2910-409: Is much healthier than it was 30 years ago." The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest oil importing port and third largest container port in the nation. The commercial activity of the port of New York City, including the waterfronts of the five boroughs and nearby cities in New Jersey, since 1921 has been formalized under a single bi-state Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . Since
3007-671: Is named after the explorer Henry Hudson who charted much of the region. At the time of European contact in the 17th century, Hudson County was the territory of the Lenape (or Lenni-Lenape ), namely the bands (or family groups) known as the Hackensack , the Tappan , the Raritan , and the Manhattan . They were a seasonally migrational people who practiced small-scale agriculture ( companion planting ) augmented by hunting and gathering which likely, given
Bergen Point Plank Road - Misplaced Pages Continue
3104-416: Is often difficult to know when one's crossed a civic boundary. These boundaries and the topography-including many hills and inlets-create very distinct neighborhoods. Kennedy Boulevard runs the entire length of the peninsula. Numerous cuts for rail and vehicular traffic cross Bergen Hill . Given its proximity to Manhattan, it is sometimes referred to as New York City's sixth borough . Hudson County
3201-629: Is part of the North Jersey region of the state. As of the 2020 United States census , the county was the state's fourth-most-populous and fastest-growing county in the previous decade, with a population of 724,854, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 90,588 (+14.3%) from the 2010 census count of 634,266, which in turn reflected an increase of 25,291 (+4.2%) from the 2000 census population of 608,975. Home to 15,693 residents per square mile (6,130/km2) in 2020 and covering 46.19 square miles (119.6 km ) of land, Hudson County
3298-411: Is the most densely populated municipality in the United States. North Hudson has the second-largest Cuban American population in the United States behind Miami . Jersey City is the 21st-most ethnically diverse city in the United States and the most ethnically diverse on the East Coast of the United States . Hudson has three communities on the list of the 100 cities (population 5,000 and up) with
3395-704: Is the responsibility of the bi-state Waterfront Commission . The commission was set up in 1953 (a year before the movie On the Waterfront ), to combat labor racketeering . It is held that the Gambino crime family controlled the New York waterfront and the Genovese crime family controlled the New Jersey side. In 1984 the Teamsters local was put under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) trusteeship, and in 2005
3492-460: Is the smallest and most densely populated county in the U.S. state of New Jersey . It lies west of the lower Hudson River , which was named for Henry Hudson , the sea captain who explored the area in 1609. Part of New Jersey's Gateway Region in the New York metropolitan area , the county seat is Jersey City , which is the county's largest city in terms of both population and area. The county
3589-535: Is traversed by the Staten Island Ferry , which runs between Whitehall Street at the southernmost tip of Manhattan near Battery Park ( South Ferry ) and St. George Ferry Terminal on Richmond Terrace in Staten Island near Richmond County Borough Hall and Richmond County Supreme Court. NY Waterway operates routes across the bay and through The Narrows to locations near Sandy Hook . The harbor supports
3686-556: The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to replace the previous one, is the only one of five major rail/ferry terminals that once dotted the waterfront still in operation. West Shore Railroad Terminal in Weehawken, Erie Railroad's Pavonia Terminal and Pennsylvania Railroad 's Exchange Place in Jersey City were all razed. Central Railroad of New Jersey 's Communipaw Terminal, across
3783-517: The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1878) discovered a new, deeper channel through the Narrows into New York Harbor. Previously, the passage was complex and shallow enough that loaded ships would wait outside the harbor until high tide, to avoid running into the huge sandbar, which was interrupted in a number of places by channels of fairly shallow depth: 21 feet (6.4 m) at low tide and 33 feet (10 m) at high tide. Because of
3880-573: The War Board labor ruling and ended on April 20, 1919 after new terms had been offered by both public and private port employers. After the United States entered World War II , the German navy's Operation Drumbeat set the top U-boat aces loose against the merchant fleet in U.S. territorial waters in January 1942, starting the Second happy time . The U-boat captains were able to silhouette target ships against
3977-485: The "Jersey" side of the Hudson their home, and the "real-estate boom" of the era encouraged many to seek investment opportunities. The exploitation of certain parts of the waterfront and other brownfields led to commercial development as well, especially along former rail yards. Hudson felt the short- and long-term impact of the destruction of the World Trade Center intensely: its proximity to lower Manhattan made it
Bergen Point Plank Road - Misplaced Pages Continue
4074-499: The 100 most populous cities in the United States was Jersey City , which was ranked 77th in the United States Census Bureau 's rankings based on the 2016 population estimate . Of municipalities with over 50,000 people, Union City is the most densely populated in the United States , while several Hudson County municipalities are among the most densely populated in the United States as well as worldwide . Guttenburg
4171-651: The 1950s, the New York and Brooklyn commercial port has been almost completely eclipsed by the container ship facility at nearby Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal in Newark Bay , which is the largest such port on the Eastern Seaboard . The port has diminished in importance to passenger travel, but the Port Authority operates all three major airports, La Guardia (built 1939) and JFK/Idlewild (built 1948) in New York, and Newark (built 1928) in New Jersey. The harbor
4268-416: The 19th century, often by private companies as turnpike roads , in this case with a tollgate at Communipaw Junction . As the name suggests, wooden boards were laid on a roadbed in order to prevent horse-drawn carriages and wagons from sinking into softer ground on the portions of the road. The road traveled from the waterfront of North River (Hudson River) at Paulus Hook to Communipaw Junction , where
4365-409: The 750 piers or docks). Eleven hundred warehouses with nearly 1.5 square miles (3.9 km ) of enclosed space served freight along with 575 tugboats and 39 active shipyards , the largest being Brooklyn Navy Yard . With a large inventory of heavy equipment, this made New York Harbor the busiest in the world. Deterrence and investigation of criminal activity, especially relating to organized crime,
4462-509: The Central Zone is often the boundary between freezing and non-freezing precipitation in the winter, and between comfortable and comfortable sleeping conditions in the summer. Hudson County experiences precipitation an average of 116 days a year, during which it receives an annual average of 48 inches of rain, compared to the national average of 38, and 26 inches of snow, compared to the national average of 28. The summer high temperature in July
4559-518: The Cuban revolution take up residence. Unlike other urban industrial areas of comparable size, age and density, North Hudson did not experience marked urban decay or a crime wave during the late 20th century, its population and economic base remaining basically stable, in part, because of its good housing stock, tightly knit neighborhoods and satisfactory schools systems. The county since the mid-1990s has seen much real estate speculation and development and
4656-476: The United States behind San Francisco . Ellis Island and Liberty Island , opposite Liberty State Park , lie entirely within Hudson County's waters, which extend to the New York state line. Liberty Island is part of New York. Largely created through land reclamation, Ellis Island covers a land area of 27.5 acres (11.1 ha), with the 2.74-acre (1.11 ha) natural island and contiguous areas comprising
4753-400: The United States. The freight was ferried across by the competing railroads with small fleets of towboats , barges, and 323 car floats , specially designed barges with rails so cars could be rolled on. New York subsidized this service which undercut rival ports. Major road improvements allowing for trucking and containerization diminished the need. The harbor saw major federal investment at
4850-563: The area in 1664, and the Dutch finally ceded formal control of the province to the English in 1674. By 1675, the Treaty of Westminster finalized the transfer and the area became part of the British colony of East Jersey , in the administrative district of Bergen Township . The county's seat was transferred to Hackensack in 1709, after Bergen County was expanded west. Small villages and farms supplied
4947-461: The baseball color line. Much of Hudson County experienced the phenomenon of ethnic/economic groups leaving and being replaced by others, as was typical of most urban communities of the New York Bay region. When the big businesses decided to follow them or vice versa, Hudson County's socioeconomic differences became more profound. Old economic underpinnings disintegrated. Attempts were made to stabilize
SECTION 50
#17330849227575044-602: The burgeoning city of New York , across the river, notably with oysters from the vast beds in the Upper New York Bay, and fresh produce, sold at Weehawken Street , in Manhattan. During the American Revolutionary War, the area was under British control which included garrisons at Bulls Ferry and the fort at Bergen Neck . Colonialist troops used the heights to observe enemy movements. The Battle of Paulus Hook ,
5141-484: The cliffs of the New Jersey Palisades and rail lines; and ethnic/demographic differences in the population. As the county sees more development this traditional perception is challenged. Hudson County is the most densely populated county in New Jersey and the fifth-most densely populated county in the United States, with 15,693 residents per square mile (6,130/km ) as of 2020. The only city in Hudson County among
5238-568: The completion in 1825 of the Erie Canal New York became the most important transshipping port between Europe and the interior of the United States, as well as coastwise destinations. By about 1840, more passengers and a greater tonnage of cargo came through the port of New York than all other major harbors in the country combined and by 1900 it was one of the great international ports. The Morris Canal carried anthracite and freight from Pennsylvania through New Jersey to its terminus at
5335-710: The creation of Union City in 1925. The City of Jersey was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 28, 1820, from portions of Bergen Township. The city was reincorporated on January 23, 1829, and again on February 22, 1838, at which time it became completely independent of Bergen Township and was given its present name. On February 22, 1840, it became part of the newly created Hudson County. As Jersey City grew, several neighboring communities were annexed: Van Vorst Township (March 18, 1851), Bergen City and Hudson City (both on May 2, 1870), and Greenville Township (February 4, 1873). North Bergen
5432-423: The difficulty of the navigation required, since 1694, New York had required all ships to be guided into the harbor by an experienced pilot. The new channel Gedney discovered was 2 feet (0.61 m) deeper, enough of an added margin that fully laden ships could come into the harbor even at slack tide. Gedney's Channel, as it came to be called, was also shorter than the previous channel, another benefit appreciated by
5529-504: The end of the 19th century, when the beds succumbed to pollution. Historically, it has played an extremely important role in the commerce of the New York metropolitan area . The Statue of Liberty National Monument recalls the immigrant experience during the late 19th and early 20th century. Since the 1950s, container ship traffic has been primarily routed through the Kill Van Kull to Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal , where it
5626-616: The end of the century when Congress passed the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 . Over $ 1.2 million of initial funding was appropriated for the dredging of 40-foot-deep (12.2 m) channels at Bay Ridge , Red Hook , and Sandy Hook . The Statue of Liberty ( Liberty Enlightening the World ) stands on Liberty Island in the harbor, while the nearby main port of entry at Ellis Island processed 12 million arrivals from 1892 to 1954. The Statue of Liberty National Monument , encompassing both islands, recalls
5723-537: The entirety of New York Bay including Lower New York Bay . The harbor is fed by the waters of the Hudson River (historically called the North River as it passes Manhattan ), as well as the Gowanus Canal . It is connected to Lower New York Bay by the Narrows , to Newark Bay by the Kill Van Kull , and to Long Island Sound by the East River , which, despite its name, is actually a tidal strait . It provides
5820-582: The fact that Orient Overseas Investment Limited , a company dominated by a Chinese Communist official, has the operating contract for Howland Hook Marine Terminal . An additional concern is the U.S. Customs "green lane" program, in which trusted shippers have fewer containers inspected, providing easier access for contraband material. The water quality in New York Harbor has been affected by centuries of shipping activity, industrial development and urbanization . Water pollution from these sources has been
5917-497: The first group of 104 townships formed in New Jersey, while the area was still a part of Bergen County . As originally constituted, Bergen Township included the area between the Hudson River on the east, the Hackensack River to the west, south to Constable Hook / Bergen Point and north to the present-day Hudson-Bergen border. For the next 127 years civic borders within the county took many forms, until they were finalized with
SECTION 60
#17330849227576014-405: The glow of city lights, and attacked with relative impunity, in spite of U.S. naval concentrations within the Harbor. Casualties included the tankers Coimbria off Sandy Hook and Norness off Long Island. New York Harbor, as the major convoy embarkation point for the U.S., was effectively a staging area in the Battle of the Atlantic , with the U.S. Merchant Marine losses of 1 of 26 mariners,
6111-407: The green isles which rise from its bosom, like guardian centinels of the fair city, the setting sun stretched his horizontal beams farther and farther at each moment, as if to point out to us some new glory in the landscape. In 1824 the first American drydock was completed on the East River. Because of its location and depth, the Port grew rapidly with the introduction of steamships ; and then with
6208-503: The highest percent of foreign-born residents: West New York (65.2%), Union City (58.7%), and Guttenberg (48.7%) Hudson County has the smallest proportion of persons over age 65 in New Jersey. As of the 2020 census , the county had 724,854 people, 266,664 households, and 160,697 families. The population density was 15,692.9 inhabitants per square mile (6,059.1/km ). There were 312,706 housing units at an average density of 6,770 per square mile (2,613.9/km ). The county's racial makeup
6305-423: The kind more beautiful than the harbour of New York. Various and lovely are the objects which meet the eye on every side, but the naming them would only be to give a list of words, without conveying the faintest idea of the scene. I doubt if ever the pencil of Turner could do it justice, bright and glorious as it rose upon us. We seemed to enter the harbour of New York upon waves of liquid gold, and as we darted past
6402-407: The main passage for the waters of the Hudson River as it empties through the Narrows. The channel of the Hudson as it passes through the harbor is called the Anchorage Channel and is approximately 50 feet deep in the midpoint of the harbor. A project to replace two water mains between Brooklyn and Staten Island, which will eventually allow for dredging of the channel to nearly 100 feet (30 m),
6499-403: The modern Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge 's approach viaduct in Brooklyn. He also observed what he believed to be a large freshwater lake to the north (apparently Upper New York Bay). He apparently did not travel north to observe the existence of the Hudson River. In 1609 Henry Hudson entered the Harbor and explored a stretch of the river that now bears his name. His journey prompted others to explore
6596-460: The mouth of the Hudson in Jersey City . Portions in the harbor are now part of Liberty State Park . In 1870, the city established the Department of Docks to systematize waterfront development, with George B. McClellan as the first engineer in chief. By the turn of the 20th century numerous railroad terminals lined the western banks of the North River (Hudson River) in Hudson County, New Jersey , transporting passengers and freight from all over
6693-411: The only contiguous approving towns. Both the Town of Union and Union Township could not be included due to the dissenting vote of West Hoboken which lay between them and Hudson City. On March 17, 1870, Jersey City, Hudson City, and Bergen merged into Jersey City. Only three years later the present outline of Jersey City was completed when Greenville agreed to merge into the Greater Jersey City. Union City
6790-401: The opening, in 1910, of the Pennsylvania Railroad 's North River Tunnels under the Hudson, trains terminated on the west bank of the river, requiring passengers and cargo to travel by ferry or barge to New York. Transfer to the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad tubes (now PATH ) became possible upon its opening in 1908. Hoboken Terminal , a national historic landmark originally built in 1907 by
6887-486: The period of massive immigration to the United States at the turn of the 20th century While many stayed in the region, others spread across America, with more than 10 million leaving from the nearby Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal . After the war, the 1919 New York City Harbor Strike by the Marine Workers Union shut down the port for weeks. It started on January 9 and was paused on January 13 for arbitration. The strike resumed March 4 after workers rejected
6984-413: The population by demolishing so-called slums and build subsidized middle-income housing and the pockets of so-called "good neighborhoods" came in conflict with those that went into decline. Riots occurred in Jersey City in 1964. Lower property values allowed the next wave of immigrants, many from Latin America, to rent or buy in the county. North Hudson , particularly Union City, saw many émigrés fleeing
7081-485: The region and engage in trade with the local population. The first permanent European settlement was started on Governors Island in 1624, and in Brooklyn eight years after that; soon these were connected by ferry operation. The colonial Dutch Director-General of New Netherland , Peter Stuyvesant , ordered construction of the first wharf on the Manhattan bank of the lower East River sheltered from winds and ice, which
7178-418: The region when German agents set off bombs at the munitions depot in New York Bay at Black Tom . The forerunner of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was established on April 30, 1921. Huge transportation projects opened between the wars: The Holland Tunnel in 1927, The Bayonne Bridge in 1931, and The Lincoln Tunnel in 1937, allowing vehicular travel between New Jersey and New York City to bypass
7275-509: The results of a referendum held nine days later. Soon after the Civil War the idea of uniting all of the towns of Hudson County in one municipality of Jersey City began to gain favor. In 1868 a bill for submitting the question of consolidation of all of Hudson County to the voters was presented to the Board of Chosen Freeholders (now known as the Board of County Commissioners). The bill did not include
7372-469: The ship owners and the merchants they sold to. Gedney received the praise of the city, as well as an expensive silver service . In her 1832 book Domestic Manners of the Americans , Fanny Trollope wrote of her impressions upon entering New York Harbor for the first time: I have never seen the bay of Naples , I can therefore make no comparison, but my imagination is incapable of conceiving any thing of
7469-478: The shoreline with landfill ) fueled much of the development. European immigration, notably German-language speakers and Irish (many fleeing famine) initiated a population boom that would last for several decades. Neighborhoods grew as farms, estates, and other holdings were sub-divided for housing, civic and religious architecture. Streets (some with trolley lines) were laid out. Stevens Institute of Technology and Saint Peter's University were established. Before
7566-465: The south; Newark Bay and the Hackensack River or the Passaic River to the west; its only land borders are shared with Bergen County to the north and Essex County to the west. The topography is marked by the New Jersey Palisades in the north with cliffs overlooking the Hudson to the east and less severe cuesta , or slope, to the west. They gradually level off to the southern peninsula, which
7663-448: The state capital of Trenton . The high number of urban areas in this region are characterized by a high volume of industry and vehicular traffic that produce large amounts of pollutants. These substances, along with the large amounts of asphalt, brick, and concrete that compose buildings in the area, retain more atmospheric heat, which make it a regularly warmer " heat island " than surrounding suburban and rural areas. The northern border of
7760-402: The topography of the area, included much (shell) fishing and trapping. These groups had early and frequent trading contact with Europeans. Their Algonquian language can still be inferred in many local place names such as Communipaw , Harsimus , Hackensack , Hoboken , Weehawken , Secaucus , and Pamrapo . Henry Hudson , for whom the county and river on which it sits are named, established
7857-455: The township was ceded to Hoboken in 1874. Additional territory was annexed in 1879 from West Hoboken . West New York was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on July 8, 1898, replacing Union Township , based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier. Kearny was originally formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1867, from portions of Harrison Township . Portions of
7954-418: The township were taken on July 3, 1895, to form East Newark . Kearny was incorporated as a town on January 19, 1899, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. Bayonne was originally formed as a township on April 1, 1861, from portions of Bergen Township . Bayonne was reincorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 10, 1869, replacing Bayonne Township, subject to
8051-479: The various harbor regions, although there has been a general lowering trend in total nitrogen, and some other indicator parameters show improvements. The implementation of the Clean Water Act and related pollution control laws, along with cleanup programs and conservation measures throughout the region, have begun to yield some improvements since the 1970s. The study authors state that "the New York Harbor ecosystem
8148-405: The waterfront with New York (which claimed jurisdiction to the high water line and the granting of ferry concessions) restricted development though some urbanization took place in at Paulus Hook and Hoboken, which became a vacation spot for well-off New Yorkers. The Morris Canal , early steam railroads, and the development of the harbor stimulated further growth. In September 1840, Hudson County
8245-468: The waterfront. Hackensack River crossings, notably the Pulaski Skyway , were also built. What was to become New Jersey City University opened. Major Works Progress Administration projects included the construction of stadiums in Jersey City and Union City. Both were named for President Franklin D. Roosevelt , who attended the opening of the largest project of them all, The Jersey City Medical Center ,
8342-583: The western towns of Harrison and Kearny but included all towns east of the Hackensack River. The bill was approved by the State legislature on April 2, 1869, and the special election was scheduled for October 5, 1869. An element of the bill provided that only contiguous towns could be consolidated. The results of the election were as follows: While a majority of the voters approved the merger, only Jersey City, Hudson and Bergen could be consolidated since they were
8439-487: Was $ 78,808, and the median family income was $ 76,019. About 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over. The 2010 United States census counted 634,266 people, 246,437 households, and 148,355 families in the county. The population density was 13,731.4 per square mile (5,301.7/km ). There were 270,335 housing units at an average density of 5,852.5 per square mile (2,259.7/km ). The racial makeup
8536-553: Was 28.49% White , 9.84% African American , 0.14% Native American , 17.02% Asian , and 2.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.4% of the population. Of the 266,664 households, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 30.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 21.3% had a male householder with no wife present and 39.73% were non-families. 68.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who
8633-441: Was 54.05% (342,792) White , 13.23% (83,925) Black or African American , 0.64% (4,081) Native American , 13.39% (84,924) Asian , 0.05% (344) Pacific Islander , 14.25% (90,373) from other races , and 4.39% (27,827) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 42.23% (267,853) of the population. Of the 246,437 households, 27.6% had children under the age of 18; 37.8% were married couples living together; 16.4% had
8730-431: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.11. About 20.3% of the county's population was under age 18, 7.7% was from age 18 to 24, 47.6% was from age 15 to 44, and 12.2% was age 65 or older. The median age was 35.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 49.76% male and 50.23% female. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. The county's median household income
8827-597: Was begun in April 2012. The harbor contains several islands including Governors Island , near the mouth of the East River, as well Ellis Island , Liberty Island , and Robbins Reef which are supported by a large underwater reef on the New Jersey side of the harbor. The reef was historically one of the largest oyster beds in the world and provided a staple for the diet of all classes of citizens both locally and regionally until
8924-650: Was completed late in 1648 and called Schreyers Hook Dock (near what is now Pearl and Broad Streets). This prepared New York as a leading port for the British colonies and then within the newly independent United States . In 1686, the British colonial officials gave the municipality control over the waterfront. In 1835, Lieutenant Thomas Gedney of the Survey of the Coast (renamed the United States Coast Survey in 1836 and
9021-520: Was created by separation from Bergen County and annexation of some Essex County lands, namely New Barbadoes Neck . During the 19th century, Hudson played an integral role in the Underground Railroad , with four routes converging in Jersey City. Most of Hudson County, apart from West Hudson , was part of Bergen Township , which dates back to 1661 and was formally created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of
9118-509: Was established in 1804, and formed as a township on April 9, 1849, from portions of North Bergen Township and incorporated as a full-fledged city, and in a referendum held on March 29, 1855, ratified an Act of the New Jersey Legislature signed the previous day, and the City of Hoboken was born. Weehawken was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1859, from portions of Hoboken and North Bergen . A portion of
9215-442: Was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 1, 1925, replacing both Union Hill and West Hoboken Township . During the latter half of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries, Hudson experienced intense industrial, commercial and residential growth. Construction, first of ports, and later railroad terminals, in Jersey City , Bayonne , Hoboken , and Weehawken (which significantly altered
9312-660: Was incorporated as a township on April 10, 1843, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature , from Bergen Township . Portions of the township have been taken to form Hoboken Township (April 9, 1849, now the City of Hoboken ), Hudson Town (April 12, 1852, later part of Hudson City), Hudson City (April 11, 1855, later annexed by Jersey City ), Guttenberg (formed within the township on March 9, 1859, and set off as an independent municipality on April 1, 1878), Weehawken (March 15, 1859), Union Township and West Hoboken Township (both created on February 28, 1861), Union Hill town (March 29, 1864), and Secaucus (March 12, 1900). Hoboken
9409-404: Was water (25.9%). Based on land area, it is the smallest of New Jersey's 21 counties, less than half the size of the next smallest ( Union County ) and the eighth-smallest of all counties in the United States . Hudson is located in the heart of New York metropolitan area in northeastern New Jersey . It is bordered by the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay to the east; Kill Van Kull to
#756243