Communipaw Terminal
Encyclopedia
Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, sometimes known as Communipaw Terminal was the Central Railroad of New Jersey
's waterfront passenger terminal
at the mouth of the Hudson River at the Upper New York Bay
in Jersey City, New Jersey
.
The terminal was built in 1889, replacing an earlier one that had been in use since 1864.
It operated until April 30, 1967. The station has been listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places
and National Register of Historic Places
since September 12, 1975. Additionally it is a New Jersey State Historic Site.
, and along with nearby Ellis Island
and Statue of Liberty
recalls the era of massive immigration through the Port of New York and New Jersey
to the United States. It is estimated that around 10.5 million entered the country through the station. The area in which the station is located has long been known by as Communipaw
, which in the Algonquian language
Lenape
means
big landing place at the side of a river . The first stop just west of the station was indeed called called Communipaw, and was located not far from the village that had been established there in 1634 as part of the New Netherland
settlement of Pavonia
. The land on which the extensive yards were built were reclaimed, or filled, in a process than was first begun by the Lehigh Valley Railroad
. The terminal itself is located adjacent to the Morris Canal
Big Basin, which to some degree was made obsolete by the railroads which replaced it. The long cobbled road which ends at the terminal (once called Johnston Avenue
for a president of CNJ) called Audrey Zapp Drive, for the environmentalist active in the creation of the park.
The main building is designed in a Richardsonian Romanesque
style. The intermodal
facility contains more than a dozen platforms and several ferry slips. Arriving passengers would walk to the railhead
concourse and could either pass through its main wating room, by-pass it on either side, and take stairs to the upper level. The ferry slip
s have also been restored though the structure which housed them has been removed, as have the tracks. The Bush-type trainsheds, the largest ever to be constructed and designed by A. Lincoln Bush, were not part of the original construction, but were built in 1914 and have not been restored.
from the mid 19th to the mid 20th century. Of the two still standing, the Hoboken Terminal
is the only one still in use. Lines from the station headed to the southwest. Arriving at the waterfront from the points required overcoming significant natural obstacles including crossing the Hackensack River
and Meadows and Hudson Palisades, and in the case of New Jersey Central, traversing the Newark Bay
. For its mainline, the railroad constructed the Newark Bay Bridge to Elizabeth
. Its Newark branch
cut through Bergen Hill
and crossed two bridges at Kearny Point. Both rights-of-way in Hudson County are now used by the Hudson Bergen Light Rail, one terminating at West Side Avenue
and the other at 8th Street Station
in Bayonne
.
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
, whose Royal Blue was a premier passenger train to Washington, DC. Jersey Central's Blue Comet
provided offered elaborate service to Atlantic City. The railroad's suburban trains, some called clockers, served passengers to the west, and south including the Jersey Shore
. (BENNY
is term used by residents in the coast for daytrippers from Bayonne
, Elizabeth
, Newark
and New York). When the Aldene Plan was implemented in 1967 the system was dismantled or rerouted. The Aldene Connection
connected to the former Lehigh Valley Railroad
right-of-way, and trains were re-routed to Newark Penn Station
on the Northeast Corridor
. Remnants of the network remain. Both the North Jersey Coast Line
and the Raritan Valley Line
, which still uses the Staute of Liberty as its logo, originally originated at the terminal.
, with additional service to 23rd Street
. The B&O's Royal Blue service crossed to Whitehall/South Street
. Until the opening of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge there was also service to Brooklyn
and Staten Island
Other boats, among them the
SS Asbury Park
and SS Sandy Hook, which travelled to the Raritan Bayshore
.
In 1941, Railroad Magazine reported that the CRRNJ ferryboat fleet made 374 one-way crossings of the North River (Hudson River) each day. (Nov., p. 41)
During this time a portion of the movie, Funny Girl
was filmed at the terminal. Following the closure of CNJ shops and engine facilities nearby in the early 1970s, the terminal sat abandoned.
The terminal is one of the main attractions at Liberty State Park
, housing a museum with permanent and rotating exhibitions. Ferries to the Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island
depart daily. Numerous fairs, concerts, and other sponsored events (among them the
Central Jersey Heritage Festival and the All Points West Music & Arts Festival
) take place at the station and its grounds, which is a very popular place from which to view 4 July fireworks.
On September 11, 2001 its parking lot was the staging area for dozens of ambulances that were mobilized to transport victims of the attack. There are proposals to build a trolley line to the terminal building and other points in the park from the Liberty State Park Station
of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail, which is also served by
NJT Bus 6
Central Railroad of New Jersey
The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States...
's waterfront passenger terminal
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
at the mouth of the Hudson River at the Upper New York Bay
Upper New York Bay
Upper New York Bay, or Upper Bay, is the traditional heart of the Port of New York and New Jersey, and often called New York Harbor. It 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.It...
in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
.
Designation
It operated until April 30, 1967. The station has been listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The program is administered by the Historic Preservation Office of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.The register was...
and National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since September 12, 1975. Additionally it is a New Jersey State Historic Site.
Site
Today, the terminal is part of Liberty State ParkLiberty State Park
Liberty State Park is located on Upper New York Bay in Jersey City, New Jersey, opposite the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The park opened in 1976 to coincide with bicentennial celebrations and is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.-Geography and...
, and along with nearby Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
and Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
recalls the era of massive immigration through the Port of New York and New Jersey
Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey comprises the waterways in the estuary of the New York-Newark metropolitan area with a port district encompassing an approximate area within a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument...
to the United States. It is estimated that around 10.5 million entered the country through the station. The area in which the station is located has long been known by as Communipaw
Communipaw
Communipaw is a section of Jersey City, New Jersey west of Liberty State Park and east of Bergen Hill, and site of one the earliest European settlements in North America. It gives its name to the historic avenue which runs from its eastern end near LSP Station through the neighborhoods of...
, which in the Algonquian language
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
means
big landing place at the side of a river . The first stop just west of the station was indeed called called Communipaw, and was located not far from the village that had been established there in 1634 as part of the New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
settlement of Pavonia
Pavonia, New Netherland
Pavonia was the first European settlement on the west bank of the North River that was part of the 17th century province of New Netherland in what would become today's Hudson County, New Jersey.-Hudson and the Hackensack:...
. The land on which the extensive yards were built were reclaimed, or filled, in a process than was first begun by the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
. The terminal itself is located adjacent to the Morris Canal
Morris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
Big Basin, which to some degree was made obsolete by the railroads which replaced it. The long cobbled road which ends at the terminal (once called Johnston Avenue
Johnston Avenue
Johnston Avenue in lower Jersey City, carries the designation Hudson County Route 614 for a section of its length. Johnston Avenue begins in the west at the foot of Bergen Hill close to Communipaw Junction and ends at the Liberty State Park Station of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail. The street...
for a president of CNJ) called Audrey Zapp Drive, for the environmentalist active in the creation of the park.
Description
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
style. The intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
facility contains more than a dozen platforms and several ferry slips. Arriving passengers would walk to the railhead
Railhead
The word railhead is a railway term with two distinct meanings, depending upon its context.Sometimes, particularly in the context of modern freight terminals, the word is used to denote a terminus of a railway line, especially if the line is not yet finished, or if the terminus interfaces with...
concourse and could either pass through its main wating room, by-pass it on either side, and take stairs to the upper level. The ferry slip
Ferry slip
A ferry slip is a specialized docking facility that receives a ferryboat or train ferry. A similar structure called a barge slip receives a barge or car float that is used to carry wheeled vehicles across a body of water....
s have also been restored though the structure which housed them has been removed, as have the tracks. The Bush-type trainsheds, the largest ever to be constructed and designed by A. Lincoln Bush, were not part of the original construction, but were built in 1914 and have not been restored.
Trackage
The terminal, along with its docks and yards, was one of several massive complexes that dominated the western waterfront of the New York HarborPort of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey comprises the waterways in the estuary of the New York-Newark metropolitan area with a port district encompassing an approximate area within a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument...
from the mid 19th to the mid 20th century. Of the two still standing, the Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
is the only one still in use. Lines from the station headed to the southwest. Arriving at the waterfront from the points required overcoming significant natural obstacles including crossing the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
and Meadows and Hudson Palisades, and in the case of New Jersey Central, traversing the Newark Bay
Newark Bay
Newark Bay is a tidal bay at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers in northeastern New Jersey. It is home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the largest container shipping facility in Port of New York and New Jersey, 3rd largest and one of busiest in the United States...
. For its mainline, the railroad constructed the Newark Bay Bridge to Elizabeth
Elizabeth
Elizabeth or Elisabeth is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name Elisheva, meaning "God's promise," "oath of God," or "I am God’s daughter." Elizabeth and Elisabeth are the parent unit names of Lisa, Lilly, Beth, Betty, and Ella; Elsa, Isabel, and Isabella are etymologically related...
. Its Newark branch
Newark and New York Railroad
The Newark and New York Railroad was a passenger rail line that ran between Downtown Newark and the Communipaw Terminal at the mouth of the North River in Jersey City, bridging the Hackensack River and Passaic River just north of their mouths at the Newark Bay in northeastern New...
cut through Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill refers to the lower Hudson Palisades in New Jersey, USA, where they emerge on Bergen Neck, which in turn is the peninsula between the Hackensack and Hudson River, and their bays. In Hudson County, it reaches a height of 260 feet.-Rail:...
and crossed two bridges at Kearny Point. Both rights-of-way in Hudson County are now used by the Hudson Bergen Light Rail, one terminating at West Side Avenue
West Side Avenue (HBLR station)
-External links:*...
and the other at 8th Street Station
8th Street (HBLR station)
8th Street is a station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail located at Avenue C and East 8th Street in Bayonne, New Jersey. It is the southern terminus for the route traveling northbound towards Hoboken Terminal.-History:...
in Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
.
Railroad lines
The terminal was also used by the Reading CompanyReading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
, whose Royal Blue was a premier passenger train to Washington, DC. Jersey Central's Blue Comet
Blue Comet
thumb|right|New Jersey Southern RR and connectionsThe Blue Comet was a named passenger train operated by Central Railroad of New Jersey from 1929 to 1941 between the New York metropolitan area and Atlantic City. Designed by Central Railroad of New Jersey president R.B...
provided offered elaborate service to Atlantic City. The railroad's suburban trains, some called clockers, served passengers to the west, and south including the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
. (BENNY
Benny (slang)
Benny is a derogatory term used by year-round residents of the Jersey Shore to describe rude, flashy, loud, tourists from northern New Jersey and New York. While local residents appreciate the tourists' economic contribution, the term "Benny" specifically refers to only those unpleasant tourists...
is term used by residents in the coast for daytrippers from Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
, Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
, Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
and New York). When the Aldene Plan was implemented in 1967 the system was dismantled or rerouted. The Aldene Connection
Aldene Connection
The Aldene Connection is a connection between two railroad lines in Roselle Park, New Jersey, United States, one formerly belonging to the Central Railroad of New Jersey , the other formerly of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, allowing trains on the New Jersey Transit Raritan Valley Line to travel from...
connected to the former Lehigh Valley Railroad
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
right-of-way, and trains were re-routed to Newark Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (Newark)
Pennsylvania Station is a major transportation hub in Newark, New Jersey. Located at Raymond Plaza, between Market Street and Raymond Boulevard, Newark Penn Station is served by the Newark Light Rail, New Jersey Transit commuter rail, Amtrak long distance trains, the PATH rapid transit system, and...
on the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
. Remnants of the network remain. Both the North Jersey Coast Line
North Jersey Coast Line
The North Jersey Coast Line is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail service operating between New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal and Bay Head, New Jersey...
and the Raritan Valley Line
Raritan Valley Line
The Raritan Valley Line is a diesel-engine-powered commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit , originating out of Pennsylvania Station, located in Newark, New Jersey, with most trains terminating at the Raritan station, located in Raritan, New Jersey.Some weekday trains continue further...
, which still uses the Staute of Liberty as its logo, originally originated at the terminal.
Ferries and Ships
The main ferry from the terminal crossed the river to Pier 39 at Liberty Street and West Street in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, with additional service to 23rd Street
23rd Street (Manhattan)
23rd Street is a broad thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is one of few two-way streets in the gridiron of the borough. As with Manhattan's other "crosstown" streets, it is divided at Fifth Avenue, in this case at Madison Square Park, into its east and west sections. Since...
. The B&O's Royal Blue service crossed to Whitehall/South Street
South Street (Manhattan)
South Street is a street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, located immediately adjacent to the East River.It runs from Whitehall Street near the southern tip of Manhattan to Jackson Street near the Williamsburg Bridge. The Franklin D...
. Until the opening of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge there was also service to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
Other boats, among them the
SS Asbury Park
SS Asbury Park
Asbury Park was a high-speed coastal steamer built in Philadelphia, PA, and intended to transport well-to-do persons from New York to summer homes on the New Jersey shore. This vessel was sold to West Coast interests in 1918, and later converted to an automobile ferry, serving on various routes...
and SS Sandy Hook, which travelled to the Raritan Bayshore
Raritan Bayshore
The Raritan Bayshore region of New Jersey is the area around Raritan Bay from The Amboys to Sandy Hook, mostly in Monmouth County, including the towns from Keyport, New Jersey, "Pearl of the Bayshore", to Highlands, New Jersey. At Keansburg is a traditional amusement park while at Sandy Hook are...
.
In 1941, Railroad Magazine reported that the CRRNJ ferryboat fleet made 374 one-way crossings of the North River (Hudson River) each day. (Nov., p. 41)
Current uses
Following the Aldene Plan the terminal sat unused but maintained and guarded by the Central Railroad of New Jersey.During this time a portion of the movie, Funny Girl
Funny Girl
Funny Girl is a musical with a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of Broadway, film star and comedienne Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein...
was filmed at the terminal. Following the closure of CNJ shops and engine facilities nearby in the early 1970s, the terminal sat abandoned.
The terminal is one of the main attractions at Liberty State Park
Liberty State Park
Liberty State Park is located on Upper New York Bay in Jersey City, New Jersey, opposite the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The park opened in 1976 to coincide with bicentennial celebrations and is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.-Geography and...
, housing a museum with permanent and rotating exhibitions. Ferries to the Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island
Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island and Liberty Island
Statue of Liberty National Monument is a national monument comprising Liberty Island and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. It includes the Statue of Liberty, situated on Liberty Island , and the former immigration depot on Ellis Island . The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886...
depart daily. Numerous fairs, concerts, and other sponsored events (among them the
Central Jersey Heritage Festival and the All Points West Music & Arts Festival
All Points West Music & Arts Festival
The All Points West Music & Arts Festival was an annual music and arts festival held at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. First held in August 2008, it is hosted by Goldenvoice/AEG Live events, the same company that hosts the similar annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival...
) take place at the station and its grounds, which is a very popular place from which to view 4 July fireworks.
On September 11, 2001 its parking lot was the staging area for dozens of ambulances that were mobilized to transport victims of the attack. There are proposals to build a trolley line to the terminal building and other points in the park from the Liberty State Park Station
Liberty State Park (HBLR station)
Liberty State Park is a station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail located between Communipaw and Johnston Avenues in Jersey City, New Jersey. The station opened on April 15, 2000....
of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail, which is also served by
NJT Bus 6
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hudson County, New Jersey
- Timeline of Jersey City area railroadsTimeline of Jersey City area railroadsFor the purposes of this article, the Jersey City area goes north to Edgewater , south to Bayonne, and includes Kearny Junction and Harrison but not Newark...
- List of ferries across the Hudson River in New York City
- List of stations on the Central Railroad of New Jersey
- National LimitedNational LimitedThe National Limited was the premier train of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad on its route between New York City and St. Louis, Missouri, with major station stops in Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati, Ohio. The all-Pullman version of the National Limited was introduced by the B&O on April 26,...
- Central Railroad of New Jersey Freight StationCentral Railroad of New Jersey Freight StationThe Central Railroad of New Jersey Freight Station in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States was the western terminus of the Central Railroad of New Jersey line, 192 miles from the other end in Jersey City, New Jersey...
- Newark Bay, New Jersey rail accident
- Newark and New York Railroad Bridge