Jersey City
City and port in northeastern New Jersey, USA, on a peninsula bordered by the Hudson and Hackensack rivers to the north, and by New York and Newark bays to the south; seat of Hudson County; population (2000 est) 240,100. Jersey City is separated from New York by 2 km/1.2 mi of river, and connected with Manhattan Island via the Hudson River tunnels. It is the eastern terminus of many railways, and has spacious docks along its 20 km/12 mi of waterfront. It is the second-largest city in the state and a major industrial centre; its products include pharmaceuticals, steel and metal products, electrical equipment, and chemicals.
History
The area was settled by Dutch trappers from 1618. The British seized Jersey City in 1664, briefly, then returned it to the Dutch, but took it back in 1674. It was incorporated as a city in 1820 but only separated from the township of Bergen in 1838. It was the building of the railroads and the old Morris Canal in the 1830s that stimulated growth – a growth which has continued as industry and commerce have spread outwards from the narrow confines of nearby Manhattan Island.
Features The city is the seat of Saint Peter's College (1872) and Jersey City State College (1927). The Liberty Science Centre opened in 1993. The city has 25 entries on the national register of historic places including a power house, the county courthouse, and the YMCA. |
