Hudson County, New Jersey

Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, lies west of the lower Hudson River and New York City. The county 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, Jersey City is its largest city and county seat.

As of 2014, Hudson County's Census-estimated population was 669,115, an increase of 5.5% from the 2010 United States Census, when its population was enumerated at 634,266, in turn an increase of 25,291 (+4.2%) from the 608,975 enumerated in the 2000 Census and making it the fourth-most populous county in the state. Hudson County is the geographically smallest and most densely populated county in New Jersey and the sixth-most densely populated county in the United States, with 13,731.4 residents per square mile of total area in 2010.

Geography and topography

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Municipalities

There are 12 municipalities in Hudson County, listed with area in square miles and 2010 Census data for population and housing. North Hudson and West Hudson each comprise municipalities in their distinct areas.

Landforms and borders

According to the 2010 Census, the county had a total area of 62.31 square miles (161.4Â km²), of which 46.19 square miles (119.6Â km²) of it (74.1%) was land and 16.12 square miles (41.8Â km²) of it (25.9%) was water. 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 the south; Newark Bay and the Hackensack River or the Passaic River to the west; its only land border is shared Bergen County to the north and 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 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 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.

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 wholly part of New York. Largely created through land reclamation, Ellis Island covers a land area of 27.5 acres (11.1Â ha), with the 2.74-acre (1.11Â ha) natural island and contiguous areas comprising an 3.3 acres (1.3Â 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 geographically long narrow peninsula, (sometimes called Bergen Neck), that is a contiguous urban area where it's 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.

Counties adjacent to Hudson are New York County, New York and Kings County, New York to the east; Essex County, New Jersey and Union County, New Jersey to west; Richmond County, New York to the south; and Bergen County, New Jersey, the only one with which it shares a land border, to the north and west. Given its proximity to Manhattan, it is sometimes referred to as New York City's sixth borough.

History

The Lenape and New Netherland

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 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 is named, established 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, Michael Pauw received a land patent, or patroonship and purchased the land between the Hudson and Hackensack Rivers, giving it the Latin-ized 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 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 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 the area in 1664, and the Dutch finally ceded formal control of province to the English in 1674.

The British and early America

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 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, a surprise raid on a British fortification in 1779, was seen as an 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 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 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.

Boundaries

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 the results of a referendum held nine days later.

Soon after the Civil War the idea of uniting all of the town 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. The bill did not include 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:

In Favor/Against

Jersey City: 2220 / 911
Hudson City: 1320 / 220
Bergen: 815 / 108
Hoboken: 176 / 893
Bayonne: 100 / 250
Greenville: 24 / 174
Weehawken: 0 / 44
Town of Union: 123 / 105
West Hoboken: 95 / 256
North Bergen: 80 / 225
Union Township: 140 / 65
Totals: 5,093 / 3,251

While a majority of the voters approved the merger, only Jersey City, Hudson and Bergen could be consolidated since they were the only continuous 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 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.

Urbanization and immigration

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 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 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 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 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 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 "embroidery capital of America". 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 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.

World Wars and New Deal

Upon entry to 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 the region when German agents set off bombs at the munitions depot in New York Bay at Black Tom. The fore-runner 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 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 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, 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 a U.S. military base and remained in operation until 1999.

Post-war years

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" 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 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. 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 Ã©migrÃ©s fleeing the Cuban revolution take up residence. Riots occurred in Jersey City in 1964.

Pre/post-millennium

The county since the mid-1990s has seen much real estate speculation and development and 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 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 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 remain fragmented, due in part to New Jersey's long history of home rule in local government; geographical factors such as Hudson River inlets/canals, 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.

Demographics

Hudson County is the most densely populated county in the state.

The only city in Hudson County among the 100 most populous cities in the United States was Jersey City which was ranked 75th in the United States Census Bureau's rankings based on the 2012 population estimate.
Of municipalities with over 50,000 people, Union City, New Jersey is the most densely populated in the United States.
North Bergen is the city with the second most hills per square mile in the United States behind San Francisco.
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 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.

Advocates for the homeless counted 2,227 people without homes in Hudson County as of January 2008. In 2009, the Hudson County Alliance to End Homelessness counted 1,779 homeless people. The same number was counted in 2010. Three homeless shelters are located in the county: Lucy's Shelter in Jersey City, Palisades Emergency Residence Corp. in Union City and the Hoboken Homeless Shelter in Hoboken.

Census 2010

At the 2010 United States Census, there were 634,266 people, 246,437 households, and 148,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 13,731.4 per square mile (5,301.7/km²). There were 270,335 housing units at an average density of 5,852.5 per square mile (2,259.7/km²). The racial makeup of the county 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. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 42.23% (267,853) of the population.

There were 246,437 households, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 29.9% of all households 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.

In the county, 20.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 10% from 18 to 24, 36% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.2 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census, the population was 608,975. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. There were 230,546 households and 143,630 families residing in the county. The population density was 13,044 people per square mile (5,036/kmÂ²). It is the sixth-most densely populated county in the United States, trailing only four of New York City's boroughs (all except Staten Island) and San Francisco County, California. There were 240,618 housing units at an average density of 5,154 per squareÂ mile (1,990/kmÂ²). The racial makeup of the county was 55.58% White, 13.48% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 9.35% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 15.48% from other races, and 5.63% from two or more races. 39.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. According to Census 2000, 10.0% were of Italian and 6.7% Irish ancestry, according to Census 2000.

There were 230,546 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,293, and the median income for a family was $44,053. Males had a median income of $36,174 versus $31,037 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,154. About 13.3% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government and administration

The County Executive is elected by a direct vote of the electorate. The executive, together with the Board of Chosen Freeholders in a legislative role, administer all county business. Nine members are elected concurrently to serve three-year terms as Freeholder, each representing a specified district which are equally proportioned based on population. Each year, in January, the Freeholders select one of their nine to serve as Chair and one as Vice Chair for a period of one year.

As of 2014, Hudson County's County Executive is Thomas A. DeGise, whose term of office expires December 31, 2015. Hudson County's Freeholders (all serving concurrent terms that end on December 31, 2014) are:

District 1: Doreen McAndrew DiDomenico, Chairman (Bayonne and parts of Jersey City)
District 2: William O'Dea, Chairman Pro Tempore (western parts of Jersey City)
District 3: Jeffrey Dublin (southeastern parts of Jersey City)
District 4: E. Junior Maldonado (northern parts of Jersey City)
District 5: Anthony Romano (Hoboken and adjoining parts of Jersey City)
District 6: Tilo Rivas, Vice-Chairman (Union City)
District 7: Jose C. MuÃ±oz (West New York, Weehawken, Guttenberg)
District 8: Anthony P. Vainieri Jr. (North Bergen and northern parts of Secaucus)
District 9: Albert Cifelli (East Newark, Harrison, Kearny and southern parts of Secaucus)

Hudson County's Clerk is Barbara A. Netchert, the Sheriff Frank Schillari and the Surrogate is Donald W. De Leo.

The county seat of Hudson County is located near Five Corners on Newark Avenue in Jersey City, northeast of Journal Square. The Hudson County Courthouse, and the adjacent Hudson County Administration Building, at 595 Newark Avenue, are home to various courts, agencies and departments. The Hudson County court system consists of several municipal courts, including the busy Jersey City Court, plus the Hudson County Superior Court.

Many county offices and Hudson County Sheriff's patrol headquarters are located at Hudson County Plaza at 257 Cornelison Avenue in Jersey City. The Hudson County Correctional Facility is located in South Kearny. The Hudson County Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital is on County Avenue, Secaucus.

Three federal Congressional Districts cover the county, including portions of the 8th, 9th and 10th districts. New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District is represented by Albio Sires (D, West New York). New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District is represented by Bill Pascrell (D, Paterson). New Jersey's Tenth Congressional District is represented by Donald Payne, Jr. (D, Newark).

The county is part of the 31st, 32nd and 33rd Districts in the New Jersey Legislature. At 6.4 square miles (17Â km²), the 33rd Legislative District has the smallest land area for a Legislative District.

Politics

Hudson County is very favorable for the Democratic Party. According to The Hudson Reporter, the most conservative town in the county is Secaucus.

In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, John Kerry carried the county by a 35.3% margin over George W. Bush, with Kerry carrying the state by 6.7% over Bush.
In 2008, Barack Obama won Hudson County by a 46.3% margin over John McCain.
Democrat Jon Corzine beat Republican Doug Forrester by a 3-to-1 margin in the 2005 gubernatorial race. Both Republican candidates failed to carry even one municipality within the county. United States Senator Bob Menendez is from Hudson County. Former New Jersey governor John Corzine was a resident of Hoboken for many years, including his time in office (2006-2010). In the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election, Corzine received 76,145 votes from Hudson County to Republican Chris Christie's 29,301, but Christie won the state overall, beating Corzine by 3 percentage points statewide.

Education

Colleges and universities are Hudson County Community College (HCCC), New Jersey City University (NJCU), Saint Peter's College, all in Jersey City, and Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. The University of Phoenix and Rutgers University offer classes within the county. The Christ Hospital School of Nursing was established in 1890 and since 1999 has run a cooperative program with HCCC. In 2014 it will merge with the Bayonne Medical Center nursing school.

Each municipality has a public school district. All but two have their own public high schools. East Newark students attend Harrison High School and Guttenberg students attend North Bergen High School. Hudson County Schools of Technology is a public secondary and adult vocational-technical school with locations in North Bergen, Jersey City, Union City and Harrison. There are private and parochial elementary and secondary schools located throughout Hudson, many of which are members of the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Transportation

The confluence of roads and railways of the Northeastern U.S. megalopolis and Northeast Corridor passing through Hudson County make it one of the Northeast's major transportation crossroads and provide access to an extensive network of interstate highways, state freeways and toll roads, and vehicular water crossings. Many long distance trains and buses pass through the county, though Amtrak and the major national bus companies â€" Greyhound Lines and Trailways â€" do not provide service within it. There are many local, intrastate, and Manhattan-bound bus routes, an expanding light rail system, ferries traversing the Hudson, and commuter trains to North Jersey, the Jersey Shore, and Trenton. Much of the rail, surface transit, and ferry system is oriented to commuters traveling to Newark, lower and midtown Manhattan, and the Hudson Waterfront. Public transportation is operated by a variety of public and private corporations, notably New Jersey Transit, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and NY Waterway, each of which charge customers separately for their service. Hudson is the only county in New Jersey where more residents (127,708) used public transportation than who drove (124,772).

Hubs

Hoboken Terminal, Bergenline Avenue at 32nd Street, 48th Street, and Nungessers in North Hudson, and Journal Square Transportation Center and Exchange Place in Jersey City are major public transportation hubs. The Port Authority Bus Terminal and Penn Station in midtown Manhattan, the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, and Newark Penn Station also play important roles within the county's transportation network. Secaucus Junction provides access to eight commuter rail lines.

Rail

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) serves Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, and North Hudson at the Weehawken waterfront, Bergenline Avenue and Tonnelle Avenue.
New Jersey Transit Hoboken Division: Main Line (to Suffern, and in partnership with MTA/Metro-North, express service to Port Jervis), Bergen County Line, and jointly with MTA/Metro-North, Pascack Valley Line, all via Secaucus Junction; Montclair-Boonton Line and Morris and Essex Lines; North Jersey Coast Line (limited service as Waterfront Connection); Raritan Valley Line (limited service), and Meadowlands Rail Line

New Jersey Transit Newark Division: Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line can be reached via Secaucus Junction or PATH
PATH is a 24-hour subway mass transit system serving Newark Penn Station (NWK), Harrison, Journal Square (JSQ), Downtown Jersey City, Hoboken Terminal (HOB), midtown Manhattan (33rd) (along 6th Ave to Herald Square/Pennsylvania Station), and World Trade Center (WTC)

Bus

New Jersey Transit bus routes 120 -129 provide service within Hudson and to Manhattan. New Jersey Transit bus routes 1-89 provide service within the county and to points in North Jersey. Additionally, private bus companies, some of which operate dollar vans (mini-buses or carritos) augment the state agency's surface transport.

Water

Located at the heart of the Port of New York and New Jersey, Hudson has since the 1980s seen the restoration of it once extensive ferry system.

NY Waterway operates ferry service from Weehawken Port Imperial, Hoboken Terminal, and Paulus Hook Ferry Terminal as well as other ferry slips along the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway to West Midtown Ferry Terminal, Battery Park City Ferry Terminal and Pier 11/Wall Street in Manhattan, and to the Raritan Bayshore
Liberty Water Taxi provides service on one route between Liberty State Park, Paulus Hook, and Battery Park City.
Statue Cruises provides service to Ellis Island and Liberty Island
Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne is one of three passenger terminals in the port.
Port Jersey is one of four container shipping terminals in the port.

Roads and highways

As of 2010, the county had a total of 616.81 miles (992.66Â km) of roadways, of which 515.38 miles (829.42Â km) are maintained by the local municipality, 47.31 miles (76.14Â km) by Hudson County, 33.23 miles (53.48Â km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 20.89 miles (33.62Â km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Major highways include New Jersey Routes 3, 7, 139, 185, 440, 495, Interstates 78, 95, and 280, and U.S. Routes 1 and 9, as well as the New Jersey Turnpike and the Pulaski Skyway. Automobile access to New York City is available through the Lincoln Tunnel (via Weehawken to midtown Manhattan) and the Holland Tunnel (via Jersey City to lower Manhattan), and over the Bayonne Bridge to Staten Island. County Route 501 runs the length of Hudson as Kennedy Boulevard.

In 2013, two main thoroughfares in Hudson County, Kennedy Boulevard and U.S. Route 1/9, were included among the Tri-State Transportation Campaign's list of the top ten most dangerous roads for pedestrians in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Kennedy Boulevard was ranked #6 for the six pedestrian fatalities that occurred on it from 2009 to 2011, while Route 1/9 was tied for the #10 place on the list for the five pedestrian deaths during the same period. Route 1/9 is monitored by state police, while Kennedy Boulevard is patrolled by the respective municipalities through which that road runs. In total, 37 pedestrians â€" 12 in 2009, 14 in 2010 and 11 in 2011 â€" were killed on Hudson County roads. According to state police statistics there were nine pedestrian fatalities in the county in 2012, which was not included in the study. From 2010 through 2012, 25 people were killed each year in Hudson County motor vehicle accidents.

Air

Most airports which serve Hudson County are operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), 12.8 miles (20.6Â km) away in Newark, is the closest airport with scheduled passenger service
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is 12.8 miles (20.6Â km) away in Flushing, Queens
John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) is 19 miles (31Â km) away on Jamaica Bay in Queens
Teterboro Airport, in the Hackensack Meadowlands, serves private and corporate planes
Essex County Airport, in Caldwell, is a general aviation airport serving the region

Parks, promenades, and open spaces

Hudson has many county parks, including Hudson County Park, Mercer Park, Lincoln Park, Washington Park, Columbus Park, and North Hudson Park, West Hudson Park and the newest, Laurel Hill.

There are many municipal parks and plazas, some of which were developed as "city squares" during the 19th century, such as Hamilton Park, Church Square Park and Ellsworth (locally known as Pigeon) Park.

The German-American Volksfest has taken place annually since 1874 at Schuetzen Park This private park and the many nearby cemeteries-Flower Hill Cemetery, Grove Church Cemetery, Hoboken Cemetery, Macphelah Cemetery and Weehawken Cemetery that characterize the western slope create the "green lung" of North Hudson County.

Jersey City Reservoir No.3 and Pershing Field constitute one of the largest "green spaces" in the county. The reservoir, no longer in use, is site of a passive recreation area/nature preserve. Hackensack Number Two, the other remaining reservoir in Weehawken Heights, is not accessible to the public. Extensive athletic fields opened in 2009 in Weehawken and Union City, the latter on the site of the former Roosevelt Stadium.

Promenades are being developed along the rivers. The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway and Hackensack RiverWalk. Sections of the Secaucus Greenway are in place and eventually will connect different districts of the town including the North End, site Schmidts Woods (which contains an original hard wood forest) and Mill Creek Point Park, and Harmon Meadow Plaza. Kearny Riverbank Park runs along the Passaic River. The future of the Harsimus Stem Embankment is uncertain, though many community groups hope the landmark will be opened to the public as elevated greenway, possibly as part of East Coast Greenway.

Liberty State Park, the county's largest, is sited on land that had once been part of a vast oyster bed, was filled in for industrial, rail, and maritime uses, and was reclaimed in the 1970s. Ellis Island and Liberty Island, a national protected area and home to the Statue of Liberty National Monument, lie entirely within Hudson's waters across from Liberty State Park, from which ferry service is available.

The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission has designated several areas within its jurisdiction as wetlands preservation zones including the Riverbend Wetlands Preserve, Eastern Brackish Marsh, and Kearny Marsh, an extension of De Korte Park, home of the Meadowlands Environment Center.

Hudson County is home to the Bayonne Golf Club and Liberty National Golf Club, both located on Upper New York Bay.

Business

Various businesses and industries are headquartered or had their start in Hudson County. Secaucus is home to My Network TV's flagship station WWOR-TV, Red Bull New York, MLB Network, NBA Entertainment, Goya Foods, The Children's Place and Hartz Mountain. Jersey City is home to Verisk Analytics and WFMU 91.1FM (WMFU 90.1FM in the Hudson Valley), the longest running freeform radio station in the United States. Hoboken is the birthplace of the first Blimpie restaurant, and home to one of the headquarters of publisher John Wiley & Sons. In the 20th century, Union City was the "embroidery capital of the United States", the trademark of that industry appearing on that city's seal. North Bergen is home to The Vitamin Shoppe's headquarters. Weehawken is home to the headquarters of NY Waterway, as well as offices for Swatch Group USA, UBS and Hartz Mountain.

Television producers had long held an attraction for New Jersey, and Hudson County in particular, due to the tax credits afforded such various productions. The HBO prison drama Oz was filmed in an old warehouse in Bayonne, with much of the series filmed around the now-defunct Military Ocean Terminal Base. The NBC drama Law and Order: Special Victims Unit filmed police station and courtroom scenes at NBC's Central Archives building in North Bergen, and filmed other scenes throughout the county, such as a 2010 episode filmed at the Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus. The short-lived hospital drama Mercy filmed at a warehouse in Secaucus, a private residence in Weehawken and a public school in Jersey City. The Law and Order and Mercy productions left New Jersey for New York in 2010 after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie suspended the tax credits for film and television production for the Fiscal Year 2011 to close budget gaps.

Landmarks and historic places

See Historic districts in Hudson County, New Jersey
See Odonyms in Hudson County, New Jersey
See List of cemeteries in Hudson County, New Jersey
See List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
See List of bridges, tunnels, and cuts in Hudson County, New Jersey

Museums, galleries, exhibitions

There are several museums and other exhibitions spaces throughout the county, some of which maintain permanent collections. Other are focused on local culture, history, or the environment. There are events throughout the year where architecture, local artists or ethnic culture are highlighted. There are also private galleries. The venues include:

Afro-American Historical and Cultural Society Museum
Bayonne Community Museum
Bayonne Firefighter's Museum
Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal
Cultural Thread/El Hilo, history, diversity and craft of embroidery
Danforth Avenue Station, excavated objects
Dixon Mills, site of former Joseph Dixon Crucible Company
Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Five Corners Branch Library Gallery specializes in music and fine arts.
Hoboken Artists Studio Tour
Hoboken Fire Department Museum
Hoboken Historical Museum history and local contemporary artists
Hoboken House Tour private and public buildings shown annually in October
Hoboken Public Library, local history and local artists
Hudson County Courthouse permanent murals depicting early history and contemporary work
Hudson River Waterfront Walkway displays, plaques, panels of history of environment and development
Kearny Museum
Hudson County YAM
Jersey City Artists Studio Tour
Jersey City Museum
Liberty Science Center Science education, environment, health, invention
Liberty State Park Interpretive Center, nature and urban environment
Museum of Russian Art
New Jersey Room of Jersey City Public Library Main Branch, public archives including historical documents and photos
Mana Contemporary
Martin Luther King Station memorial to civil rights leader and movement
Meadowlands Exposition Center, trade shows and cultural fairs
Monroe Center
New Jersey City University
- Lemmerman Gallery
- Visual Arts Gallery
- Sculpture Garden
Saints Peter's College Art Gallery
Statue of Liberty National Monument
William V. Musto Cultural Center

Climate and weather

Average temperatures in the county seat of Jersey City have ranged from a low of 27Â Â°F (âˆ'3Â Â°C) in January to a high of 84Â Â°F (29Â Â°C) in July, although a record low of âˆ'15Â Â°F (âˆ'26Â Â°C) was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of 106Â Â°F (41Â Â°C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.21 inches (82Â mm) in February to 4.60 inches (117Â mm) in July.

References

External links

Hudson County Government
Hudson Historic Sites and Districts
Hudson County Bus Circulation and Infrastructure
Hudson County Directory 2004â€"2005

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