The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal
This terminal was completed in June, 1889 and became fully operational on October 6, 1889. For almost 80 years it served as the main passenger terminal for the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey at this strategic Jersey City waterfront location.
The terminal is the second to be located here. The first was a wooden structure which opened July 29, 1864 when the railroad was completed between Elizabethport and Jersey City, following the construction of a bridge across NewarkBay.
Prior to the late 1850’s, the land comprising Liberty State Park was Communipaw Bay, and extended from the waterfront to near the present location of the New Jersey Turnpike. It was filled in by the Central Railroad over a period of more than 50 years.
Between 1912 and 1914 the passenger terminal underwent a major expansion, which included the construction of the present Bush type train shed and the massive concourse between the shed and the depot. During its peak period of operation in 1929, more than 65,000 people a day passed through the terminal riding on more than 350 trains that required over 850 train movements each day.
As a result of a long, slow decline in business, passenger service was diverted inland to Newark. In 1966, the extensive passenger and freight facilities of the railroad were sold to the State of New Jersey. On April 30, 1967 the terminal ceased passenger operations. It was the end of an era.
The terminal complex eventually became part of the newly developed Liberty State Park. It is administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, which has undertaken the restoration of this historic railroad terminal.
This historic marker is erected to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of this terminal by the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey Employees Association on September 30, 1989.
Marker can be reached from Audrey Zapp Drive, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
