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===Incorporation and merger===
===Incorporation and merger===
Jersey City was incorporated as '''The City of Jersey''' in 1820, and reincorporated under its present name in 1838.
Jersey City was incorporated as '''The City of Jersey''' on January 20, 1820, and reincorporated under its present name in 1838.


By 1870 Jersey City’s population and economy had grown so large that it voted to merge into one larger city with its neighbors. Jersey City acquired Bergen, New Jersey along with Hudson City, New Jersey and in 1857 [[Greenville, Jersey City|Greenville]] merged.
By 1870 Jersey City’s population and economy had grown so large that the neighboring towns of Hudson City, New Jersey and Bergen, New Jersey voted to merge into the larger city. The residents of [[Greenville, Jersey City|Greenville]], independant since 1863, voted to merge into Jersey City in 1873 resulting in the current bounderies.


Jersey City was a dock and manufacturing town for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Much like [[New York City]], Jersey City has always been a landing pad for new immigrants to the United States. In its heyday before [[World War II]], [[Germany|German]], [[Irish ethnicity|Irish]], and [[Italians|Italian]] immigrants found work at [[Colgate]], [[Chloro]], or [[Dixon Ticonderoga]]. However, the largest employers at the time were the railroads, whose national networks dead-ended on the [[Hudson River]]. The most significant railroad for Jersey City was the [[Pennsylvania Railroad Company]] whose eastern terminus was in the Downtown area until 1911, when the company built the first tunnel under the river to [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station, New York]]. Before that time, Pennsy rail passengers transferred in Jersey City to ferries headed to Manhattan or to trolleys that fanned out through Hudson County and beyond. The last streetcar was decommissioned in 1949 and today, no passenger heavy rail travels through Jersey City.
Jersey City was a dock and manufacturing town for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Much like [[New York City]], Jersey City has always been a landing pad for new immigrants to the United States. In its heyday before [[World War II]], [[Germany|German]], [[Irish ethnicity|Irish]], and [[Italians|Italian]] immigrants found work at [[Colgate]], [[Chloro]], or [[Dixon Ticonderoga]]. However, the largest employers at the time were the railroads, whose national networks dead-ended on the [[Hudson River]]. The most significant railroad for Jersey City was the [[Pennsylvania Railroad Company]] whose eastern terminus was in the Downtown area until 1911, when the company built the first tunnel under the river to [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station, New York]]. Before that time, Pennsy rail passengers transferred in Jersey City to ferries headed to Manhattan or to trolleys that fanned out through Hudson County and beyond. The last streetcar was decommissioned in 1949 and today, no passenger heavy rail travels through Jersey City.

Revision as of 18:22, 13 June 2006

Jersey City, New Jersey
Flag of Jersey City, New Jersey
Flag
Location of Jersey City within New Jersey.
Location of Jersey City within New Jersey.
CountyHudson
Government
 • MayorJerramiah Healy
Population
 (2004)
 • Total239,079 [1]
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Websitehttp://www.cityofjerseycity.com

Jersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 240,055, making it New Jersey's second-largest city, trailing Newark. It is the county seat of Hudson CountyTemplate:GR.

Jersey City lies on the west bank of the Hudson River across from New York City, and is part of the New York metropolitan area. The second largest city in the state and a commercial and industrial center surpassed only by Newark, it is a port of entry and a manufacturing center. With 11 miles (17.7 km) of waterfront and significant rail connections, Jersey City is an important transportation terminus and distribution center. It has railroad shops, oil refineries, warehouses, and plants that manufacture a diverse assortment of products, such as chemicals, petroleum and electrical goods, textiles, and cosmetics. Jersey City has benefited from its position across the Hudson River from the island of Manhattan, and many of its companies are extensions of businesses headquartered there. Recent developments have included increased housing and shopping areas; other parts of the city, however, remain run-down after years of commercial inactivity.

Jersey City is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the country, with an almost equal mix of non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Asians, and Latinos. Of all cities in the United States, it has one of the largest Arab and Muslim populations and proportions, one of the largest Asian proportions, and one of the largest proportions of various Latino and Hispanic ethnicities outside the southwest. It also has higher-than-average numbers of Jews, Italians, Cubans, Filipinos, Indians, and Irish than most cities in the nation.

History

Jersey City at night, from the Towers of America; ISO Building at center, Newport Tower at left.

The land comprising what is now known as Jersey City was wilderness inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Native Americans in 1609 when Henry Hudson, seeking an alternate route to East Asia and failing in that mission, anchored his small vessel in Sandy Hook. After spending nine days surveying the area and meeting its inhabitants, he returned to Holland. The Dutch organized the United New Netherlands Company to manage this new territory and named it New Netherlands. In June of 1623, New Netherlands became a Dutch province. Soon after, Michael Reyniersz Pauw, Lord of Achtienhoven, a burgemeester of Amsterdam and a director of the West India Company, received a grant as patroon on the condition that he would plant a colony in New Netherlands of not fewer than fifty persons, within four years. He chose the west bank of the Hudson River and purchased the land from the Indians. This land grant is dated November 22, 1630 and is the earliest known conveyance for what are now Hoboken and Jersey City. However, Michael Pauw neglected to settle on his lands and was obliged to sell his holdings back to the Company in 1633.[2].

The first settlement was at Communipaw, an area adjacent to present-day Liberty State Park. A house was built here in 1633 for Jan Evertsen Bout, superintendent of the colony, which was then called Pavonia (the Latinized form of Pauw's name).[3]. Shortly after, another house was built at Harsimus Cove (near the present-day corner of Fourth Street and Marin Boulevard). This second house became the home of Cornelius Van Vorst, who succeeded Bout as superintendent. These were the first two houses in Jersey City. Relations with the Lenni Lenape deteriorated, and war parties virtually destroyed the settlement of Pavonia in 1643 and again in 1655.

Scattered communities of farmsteads characterized the Dutch settlements in what would become Jersey City: Pavonia, Communipaw, Harsimus, Paulus Hook and to the north, Bergen Township, later the town of Hudson, and incorporated into Jersey City in 1870 [2]. The first Jersey City village settlement was Bergen Township, established on what is now Bergen Square in 1660. The oldest surviving house in Jersey City is the stone Van Vorst house of 1742.

During the American Revolutionary War the town was in the hands of the British who controlled New York, until Paulus Hook was captured by Major Light Horse Harry Lee on August 19, 1779.

Incorporation and merger

Jersey City was incorporated as The City of Jersey on January 20, 1820, and reincorporated under its present name in 1838.

By 1870 Jersey City’s population and economy had grown so large that the neighboring towns of Hudson City, New Jersey and Bergen, New Jersey voted to merge into the larger city. The residents of Greenville, independant since 1863, voted to merge into Jersey City in 1873 resulting in the current bounderies.

Jersey City was a dock and manufacturing town for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Much like New York City, Jersey City has always been a landing pad for new immigrants to the United States. In its heyday before World War II, German, Irish, and Italian immigrants found work at Colgate, Chloro, or Dixon Ticonderoga. However, the largest employers at the time were the railroads, whose national networks dead-ended on the Hudson River. The most significant railroad for Jersey City was the Pennsylvania Railroad Company whose eastern terminus was in the Downtown area until 1911, when the company built the first tunnel under the river to Penn Station, New York. Before that time, Pennsy rail passengers transferred in Jersey City to ferries headed to Manhattan or to trolleys that fanned out through Hudson County and beyond. The last streetcar was decommissioned in 1949 and today, no passenger heavy rail travels through Jersey City.

Frank Hague

From 1917 to 1947, Jersey City was ruled by Mayor Frank Hague. The Jersey City History Web Site states that "His name is synonymous with the early 20th century urban American blend of political favoritism and social welfare known as bossism." "Hanky-Panky," as he was known then, ruled the city with an iron fist while, at the same time, molding governors, United States senators, and judges to his whims. He was known to be loud and vulgar, and would often dismiss his enemies as "reds" or "commies." Citizens of Jersey City dared not speak out against him for fear of being harassed by Hague's police or being ostracized or publicly embarrassed in some way. Remarkably, Hague lived like a millionaire, despite having an average annual salary of $8,000. He was able to maintain a fourteen-room duplex apartment in Jersey City, a suite at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, and a palatial summer home in Deal, New Jersey, and he traveled to Europe yearly in the royal suites of the best liners.

The immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks as seen from across the Hudson River in Jersey City. Many people were evacuated by ferry to Jersey City in the wake of the attacks.

The city developed a reputation for corruption, even after Hague left office. By the 1970s, it was caught up in a wave of urban decline that saw many of its wealthy residents fleeing to the suburbs, and led to an influx of working class citizens scarred by rising crime, civil unrest, political corruption, and economic hardship. From 1950 to 1980, Jersey City lost 75,000 residents, and from 1975 to 1982, it lost 5,000 jobs, or 9% of its workforce. [3] The city experienced a surge of violent crime during this period. New immigrants sought refuge in Jersey City because of its low housing costs, despite the decline in many of its neighborhoods due to decay, abandonment, or neglect.

Renaissance

Many formerly abandoned buildings are being renovated, and the light rail line from Weehawken through Hoboken extends through eastern Jersey City, with branches to the western reaches of the city and south to Bayonne. As the waterfront continues to grow, Jersey City's downtown neighborhoods are experiencing rapid gentrification as professionals working in Manhattan are beginning to move in. The downtown area has a significant number of Victorian brownstones, and at prices that are far lower than one would find, for a similar home, in Manhattan, or even Brooklyn.

Also, many financial corporations including Goldman Sachs, Chase Manhattan Bank, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and the investment firm Charles Schwab have relocated from New York City to Jersey City or expanded their offices in Jersey City since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Government

Local government

Jersey City is currently governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.

The current mayor of Jersey City is Jerramiah Healy. Members of the City Council are Mariano Vega, Jr., Council President; Willie Flood, Councilwoman-at-Large; Peter Brennan, Councilman-at-Large; Michael Sottolano, Ward A Councilman; Mary Spinello, Ward B Councilwoman; Steve Lipski, Ward C Councilman; William Gaughan, Ward D Councilman; Steven Fulop, Ward E Councilman; and Viola Richardson, Ward F Councilwoman.

Federal, state and county representation

Jersey City is in the Ninth, Tenth and Thirteenth Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 31st, 32nd and 33rd Legislative Districts.

For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 9th congressional district is represented by Bill Pascrell (D, Paterson).[4][5] For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 10th congressional district is represented by Donald Payne Jr. (D, Newark).[6][7] New Jersey's 13th congressional district is represented by Albio Sires (D, West New York). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027)[8] and Bob Menendez (Englewood Cliffs, term ends 2025).[9][10]

For the 2024-2025 session, the 31st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Angela V. McKnight (D, Jersey City) and in the General Assembly by Barbara McCann Stamato (D, Jersey City) and William Sampson (D, Bayonne).[11] For the 2024-2025 session, the 32nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Raj Mukherji (D, Jersey City) and in the General Assembly by John Allen (D, Hoboken) and Jessica Ramirez (D, Jersey City).[12] For the 2024–2025 session, the 33rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Brian P. Stack (D, Union City) and in the General Assembly by Julio Marenco (D, North Bergen) and Gabe Rodriguez (D, West New York).[13] Template:NJ Governor

Hudson County is governed by a directly elected County Executive and by a Board of County Commissioners, which serves as the county's legislative body. As of 2024, Hudson County's County Executive is Craig Guy (D, Jersey City), whose term of office expires December 31, 2027.[14] Hudson County's Commissioners are:[15][16][17]

Kenneth Kopacz (D, District 1-- Bayonne and parts of Jersey City; 2026, Bayonne),[18][19] William O'Dea (D, District 2-- western parts of Jersey City; 2026, Jersey City),[20][21] Vice Chair Jerry Walker (D, District 3-- southeastern parts of Jersey City; 2026, Jersey City),[22][23] Yraida Aponte-Lipski (D, District 4-- northeastern parts of Jersey City; 2026, Jersey City),[24][25] Chair Anthony L. Romano Jr. (D, District 5-- Hoboken and adjoining parts of Jersey City; 2026, Hoboken),[26][27] Fanny J.Cedeno (D, District 6-- Union City; 2026, Union City),[28][29] Caridad Rodriguez (D, District 7-- West New York (part), Weehawken, Guttenberg; 2026, West New York),[30][31] Robert Baselice (D, District 8-- North Bergen, West New York (part), Seacaucus (part); 2026, North Bergen),[32][33] and Albert Cifelli (D, District 9-- East Newark, Harrison, Kearny, and Secaucus (part); 2026, Harrison).[34][35]

Hudson County's constitutional officers are: Clerk E. Junior Maldonado (D, Jersey City, 2027),[36][37] Sheriff Frank Schillari, (D, Jersey City, 2025)[38] Surrogate Tilo E. Rivas, (D, Jersey City, 2024)[39][40] and Register Jeffery Dublin (D, Jersey City, 2024).[41][40]

Education

Colleges and universities

Jersey City is home to the New Jersey City University (NJCU) and Saint Peter's College, both of which are located in the city's West Side district. It is also home to Hudson County Community College, which is located in Journal Square. The University of Phoenix has a small location at Newport, and Rutgers University offers MBA classes at Harborside Center.

Public schools

The Jersey City Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. JCPS is an Abbott District.

Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School [4], the most recently founded public school in Jersey City, was previously ranked as the top high school in New Jersey according to New Jersey Monthly magazine. In contrast, William L. Dickinson High School, located near Jersey City's downtown area, is the oldest high school in the city. It is also one of the largest schools in Hudson County, in terms of student population. Opened in 1906 as the Jersey City High School, it is one of the oldest sites in Jersey City. It is a three-story Beaux-Arts structure located on a hilltop facing the Hudson River. Other public high schools in Jersey City are James J. Ferris High School, the Hudson County Schools of Technology (which also has campuses in North Bergen and Secaucus), Liberty High School, Lincoln High School and Henry Snyder High School.

Private schools

St. Peter's Preparatory High School is a private high school founded in 1872 by the Society of Jesus. With an average enrollment of just under 1,000, the school is an "independent college preparatory school for young men." Hudson Catholic Regional High School, a regional high school established in 1964 for young men of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, serves around 550 young men and is run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

Other private high schools in Jersey City include the Academy of St. Aloysius, Kenmare High School for Women, St. Anthony High School, Saint Aloysius High School, Saint Dominic Academy and St. Mary High School.


There are many choices for grade school, Catholic Parochial Schools serve every area of the City, some of the City's public schools have drasticaly improved over the last few years, and a number of charter and private schools are also available.

Neighborhoods

Jersey City is a city of neighborhoods, each with a different aesthetic and architectural style, to some degree. Downtown Jersey City includes the Waterfront (including Newport, Paulus Hook, and Exchange Place), Hamilton Park, Grove Street, Harsimus Cove, and Van Vorst Park. Neighborhoods farther from downtown include Liberty State Park, Jersey City Heights (or, simply, "The Heights"), Western Slope, Journal Square, West Bergen / Lincoln Park, West Side, Bergen, Greenville, Lafayette and Marion. These designations are unofficial and, to some degree, subjective.

Downtown Jersey City

File:Burke-MaryMargaret 02.jpg
Atlantic Avenue in Jersey City in 1895
File:Freudenberg-Naida 02.jpg
Public School in Jersey City in 1920

Downtown Jersey City is the area from the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 78) and the New Jersey Palisades east to the Hudson River, bounded by Hoboken to the north and Liberty State Park to the south.

Newport and Exchange Place are the redeveloped waterfront areas comprised mostly of residential towers, hotels and office buildings. Newport is a planned mixed-use community, built on the old Erie Lackawanna railyards, made up of residential rental towers, condominiums, office buildings, a marina, schools, restaurants, hotels, Newport Centre Mall, waterfront walkway, transportation facilities, and on-site parking for more than 15,000 vehicles. Newport had a hand in the renaissance of Jersey City, though much of the downtown area had already started a steady climb ( much like Hoboken) before ground was broken. Some critics have derided the Newport development, which is cut off from the rest of Jersey City by the Newport Centre Mall and other big box retail, for its isolation from the rest of the city.

Exchange Place, the first part of Jersey City to redevelop, was built on the grounds of the old Jersey City Penn Station, ferry and shipping terminals. It is now a bustling business and financial district.

To the west lay three brownstone neighborhoods with "historic" protected districts — Hamilton Park, Van Vorst Park, and Harsimus Cove — separated from the waterfront by a legacy of older infrastructure, big-box development, and old warehouses still awaiting re-use.

Paulus Hook is another neighborhood with a historic designated zone that borders Exchange Place and Liberty State Park on the waterfront, and blends older brownstone streets with newer luxury developments. The Essex Street stop on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail cuts through the southern portion of the neighborhood. The area has become increasingly more active with the development to the east and the construction of the light rail and many of the streets are lined with shops and restaurants with outdoor seating.

Other neighborhoods

The Jersey City Heights is a neighborhood atop the New Jersey Palisades overlooking Hoboken. Central Avenue is its primary commercial strip, with residential districts flanking the street on both sides. The Heights area is comprised mostly of two- and three-family houses, and remains traditionally middle-class. Six blocks to the east, and parallel to Central Avenue, are Palisade and Ogden Avenues, both of which offer breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. Many stately Victorian and Edwardian homes contribute to the attractiveness of the Heights, particularly along Summit Avenue and Sherman Place. The Palisade, a condominium on Palisade Avenue at Fleet Street, is one of the few Art Deco buildings in the city. Pershing Field is a park in the center of this district, offering green space, baseball fields, a swimming pool and ice skating rink. Two lakes (former reservoirs) lie within the park; one may be redeveloped as a ball field or housing.

Parts of this neighborhood are experiencing gentrification, largely due to the relative affordability of housing and the variety of transportation options, including the recently installed "light rail elevator" at Congress Street that connects to the 9th Street-Congress Street station of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. The "Western Slope" area is on the side of the Heights that faces away from Manhattan and overlooks the marshes of the Meadowlands.

Once the commercial heart of Jersey City, Journal Square has become rather derelict in recent years, but is in the process of rehabilitation, in part because of the efforts of the Journal Square Restoration Corporation (JSRC) and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC). Here, Kennedy Boulevard and Bergen Avenue, main thoroughfares in the city, are at their widest, lined on both sides by brick houses and medium-density apartment complexes. The Stanley Theater and Loews Theatre on Kennedy Boulevard are among the city's most noted landmarks, and two of the best preserved movie palaces in the Tri-State area. Directly across Kennedy Boulevard from the Loews is the Journal Square Transportation Center (JSTC), which houses the Journal Square PATH railway station and the city's largest bus terminal. Buses from the JSTC connect Jersey City to communities throughout Hudson County, as well as to Manhattan. Saint Peter's College is located about 10 blocks south of Journal Square. To the north of the square on Newark Ave lies one of the larger and livelier Indian neighborhoods in New Jersey.

The West Bergen/Lincoln Park area is the area south of Montgomery Street and north of Communipaw Avenue, from Bergen Avenue on the east to West Side Avenue on the west. These neighborhoods are dominated by detached single-family houses with some of the best preserved Victorian and early 20th Century mansions in the city. Lincoln Park, one of the largest parks in the area, is a county park which includes recreational facilities (tennis, track, athletic fields, golf range, biking, running) and picnicing areas.

Jersey City's West Side is very ethnically diverse. Many ethnic grocery shops (Filipino, Indian, West Indian) line West Side Avenue. It runs from west of Broadway near Route 440 to Danforth Avenue.

The Greenville section runs from about 10 blocks south of Communipaw Avenue to the Bayonne City Line. It includes some of the most depressed areas in the city, but is slowly being revitalized, particularly along the light rail line. The crime rate is higher here than in any other part of Jersey City and many streets are lined with abandoned homes, but municipal aid over the past few years has helped in rebuilding many of them and in bringing life back to many of Greenville's neglected streets.

Port Liberté used to be one of the many ports on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. It was filled with industrial buildings until 1990 when developers began to transform the neighborhood into an upscale residential complex. It was not a smooth ride, but Port Liberté has emerged from bankruptcy to become Venice on the Hudson. The only golf course (Liberty National Golf Course) that is within a 15 minute ride from Manhattan is scheduled to open here in the summer of 2006.

The Powerhouse in WALDO

WALDO is a neighborhood in downtown Jersey City that has been transitioned from a purely industrial zone to include more residences. Half of the buildings in the eight block neighborhood must go to artists. The name itself is an acronym for the ordinance responsible for the formation of this artists' district. The name stands for Work And Live District Overlay. This area is sometimes referred to as the Powerhouse Arts District (after the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse). In addition to the attempts to bring in more housing and studios for artists, the area is also planning to make the area more pedestrian friendly and bringing in art schools or museums. There have also been proposals to turn the Powerhouse into residences, shops, galleries, and museum space.

Croxton is an industrial neighborhood that borders Marion to the north and Western Slope to the east. Its shares its northern and western borders with Jersey City's border and its bounded on the east by Tonelle Ave and the south by U.S. Route 1&9 and the Newark-Jersey City Expressway. It is home to the Croxton Yards train depot.

Geography

Image of Jersey City taken by NASA. (The red line demarcates the municipal boundaries of Jersey City.)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 54.7 km² (21.1 mi²). 38.6 km² (14.9 mi²) of it is land and 16.1 km² (6.2 mi²) of it is water. It has the smallest land area of the 100 largest cities in America. The total area is 29.37% water. Jersey City is bordered to the east by the Hudson River, to the north by Union City and Hoboken, to the west by Kearny and Newark, and to the south by Bayonne.

Demographics

Jersey City
Population (1880-2004)[42]
1880 120,722
1890 163,003
1900 206,433
1910 267,779
1920 298,103
1930 316,715
1940 301,173
1950 299,017
1960 276,101
1970 260,350
1980 223,532
1990 228,537
2000 240,055
2004 239,079 (est.)

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 240,055 people, 88,632 households, and 55,660 families residing in the city. The United States Census Bureau has estimated the 2004 population at 239,079. The population density was 6195.2/km² (16,045.6/mi²). There were 93,648 housing units at an average density of 2,423.4/km² (6,278.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 34.01% White, 28.32% African American, 0.45% Native American, 16.20% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 15.11% from other races, and 5.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.31% of the population.

Of all households, 31.1% have children under the age of 18 living there, 36.4% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.37.

The age distribution is spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 35.1% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income of its households is $37,862, and the median income of its families is $41,639. Males had a median income of $35,119 versus $30,494 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,410. About 16.4% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Jersey City is served by a number of highways including the New Jersey Turnpike, Interstate 78, U.S. Route 1 and 9, and New Jersey Routes 139 and 440.

The Holland Tunnel, which carries Interstate 78, connects Jersey City to Manhattan.

8.17% of Jersey City commuters walk to work, and 40.26% take public transit to work. This is the second highest percentage of public transit riders of any 100,000+ city in the United States, behind only New York City and ahead of Washington, D.C. The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, which connects Bayonne to North Bergen, has 13 stations in Jersey City. The PATH system, connecting to Newark and Manhattan, has four stations in Jersey City: Exchange Place, Pavonia-Newport, Grove Street, and Journal Square. Finally, ferry lines operate between Jersey City (Newport, Liberty Harbor, Harborside, Colgate, Port Liberté) and Manhattan (Midtown, the World Financial Center, and Pier 11). Ferries are operated by NY Waterway and New York Water Taxi.

The Journal Square Transportation Center houses the Journal Square station, and numerous bus lines traveling intracity and to points throughout the state of New Jersey, including the 99 S bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.

Street alignments

Unlike most cities in America, a majority of the streets in Jersey City are named streets, with Downtown the only district with numbered streets - in an East-West alignment.

  • The numbered streets go from 1 to 18 and cover only half of Downtown. Some numbered streets are discontinuous, being interupted at various points by buildings. Second Street is the only numbered street in the city that runs from the Palisades to the edge of the Hudson River without obstruction.
  • Many streets are named for Jersey City families who owned land in the city. Examples; Van Vorst Street (The Van Vorst Family) and Monmouth Street (The Monmouth Family).
  • Many avenues are named after cities or other locations, whether in or out of New Jersey. Examples; Newark Avenue, Communipaw Avenue, New York Avenue, and Palisades Avenue.
  • All boulevards are named after famous people in history and cross city lines. Examples; Luis Munoz Marin Boulevard (First Governor of Puerto Rico) that crosses the Hoboken city line, and John F. Kennedy Boulevard - County Route 501.
  • All drives are named after people in city and world history and are wholy contained within a district. Examples; Martin Luther King Drive in Bergen/Lafeyette, Christopher Columbus Drive in Downtown, and Audrey Zapp Drive in Libery State Park.
  • Jersey City has small residential streets called Parkways. They feature a street island, and are commonly found in the Greenville District. Examples; Stegman Parkway, and Wegman Parkway.
  • The only known "roads" in Jersey City are Old Bergen Road and Caven Point Road.
  • The names of many residential streets in Jersey City change along their route. One notable continuity change is Grove Street. It is named Grove Street between the Hoboken border and Boyle Plaza, Manila Avenue between 12th Street and 1st Street, then Grove Street again between 1st Street and Grand Street.

Noteworthy residents

Trivia

File:Colgate clock front.jpg
Colgate Clock in the Paulus Hook area

Notes

  1. ^ 2004 population estimate for Jersey City, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau, accessed May 10, 2006
  2. ^ Jersey City Past and Present: Pavonia, accessed May 10, 2006
  3. ^ A Virtual Tour of New Netherland, accessed May 10, 2006
  4. ^ Directory of Representatives: New Jersey, United States House of Representatives. Accessed January 3, 2019.
  5. ^ Biography, Congressman Bill Pascrell. Accessed January 3, 2019. "A native son of Paterson, N.J., Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. has built a life of public service upon the principles he learned while growing up on the south side of the Silk City."
  6. ^ Directory of Representatives: New Jersey, United States House of Representatives. Accessed January 3, 2019.
  7. ^ Biography, Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. Accessed January 3, 2019. "U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr. is a lifelong resident of Newark, New Jersey."
  8. ^ U.S. Sen. Cory Booker cruises past Republican challenger Rik Mehta in New Jersey, PhillyVoice. Accessed April 30, 2021. "He now owns a home and lives in Newark's Central Ward community."
  9. ^ Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
  10. ^ Home, sweet home: Bob Menendez back in Hudson County. nj.com. Accessed April 30, 2021. "Booker, Cory A. - (D - NJ) Class II; Menendez, Robert - (D - NJ) Class I"
  11. ^ Legislative Roster for District 31, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 20, 2024.
  12. ^ Legislative Roster for District 32, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 20, 2024.
  13. ^ Legislative Roster for District 33, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 20, 2024.
  14. ^ Thomas A. DeGise, Hudson County Executive, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  15. ^ Message From The Chair, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  16. ^ County Officials, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  17. ^ 2017 County Data Sheet, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  18. ^ Freeholder District 1, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  19. ^ Kenneth Kopacz, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  20. ^ Freeholder District 2, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  21. ^ William O'Dea, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  22. ^ Freeholder District 3, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  23. ^ Gerard M. Balmir Jr., Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  24. ^ Freeholder District 4, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  25. ^ E. Junior Maldonado, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  26. ^ Freeholder District 5, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  27. ^ Anthony L. Romano, Jr., Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  28. ^ Freeholder District 6, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  29. ^ Tilo Rivas, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  30. ^ Freeholder District 7, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  31. ^ Caridad Rodriguez, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  32. ^ Freeholder District 8, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  33. ^ Anthony P. Vainieri Jr., Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  34. ^ Freeholder District 9, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  35. ^ Albert J. Cifelli, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  36. ^ E. Junior Maldonado Archived September 2, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Hudson County Clerk. Accessed January 30, 2018.
  37. ^ Members List: Clerks Archived October 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed January 30, 2018.
  38. ^ Home page, Hudson County Sheriff's Office. Accessed August 17, 2017.
  39. ^ Hudson County Surrogate, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed March 26, 2021.
  40. ^ a b "Surrogates | COANJ". Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  41. ^ [1], Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed March 26, 2021.
  42. ^ Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990, United States Census Bureau, accessed May 14, 2006
  43. ^ Why do people call Jersey City 'Chilltown?': Residents shed light on origin of rap nickname, Hudson Reporter, April 10, 2005
  44. ^ States fight over New York landmark, BBC News, January 12, 1998

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jersey City, New Jersey.

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