Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse, Washington Boulevard. The Powerhouse is a Romanesque revival industrial masterpiece built between 1906 and 1908. The Powerhouse was designed by architect John Oakman, an alumnus of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. The Powerhouse allowed the operation of the the first trans-Hudson subway, the direct predecessor of today's PATH. It ceased operation as a power generating station in 1929. After years of neglect, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 after it was nominated by the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy, an all volunteer not-for-profit organization. The city has designated the Powerhouse a developer, the Cordish company, which has renovated a similar power plant in Baltimore's Harbor. �
Jersey City City Hall, 280 Grove Street. Completed in 1896, this imposing granite and marble municipal structure was designed by Lewis Broome, who also designed the Trenton Statehouse. A bronze memorial monument by Philip Martiny stands in the small plaza in front of the City Hall entrance. The memorial bears the inscription: "Erected by the People of Hudson County to Commemorate the Valor of the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the Civil War." The statue is of the Goddess of Victory in a seated pose. Although she has lain aside her shield, her hand rests in readiness upon her sword, though she offers the olive branch of peace. �
Justice William Brennan Courthouse, 583 Newark Avenue, . This stunning Beaux-Arts style building is a glimpse into the county's rich and storied history. Be sure to check out its stained glass dome and detailed murals. Guided tours are available on weekdays. �
Colgate Clock, 2 Hudson Street. Dating back to 1924, the Colgate clock is a reminder of the numerous industries which once dominated the city. Manhattan residents still glance across the Hudson to tell the time from this iconic clock. �
Liberty State Park, Morris Pesin Drive, ☎ +1 201 915-3440, . Liberty State Park is as large as New York's Central Park but is far less developed. Nonetheless, it gets some 4 million visitors a year, drawn to the waterfront to see unsurpassed views of Manhattan, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Don't miss fireworks displays over the water in the Fourth of July! Most tourists see the Statue of Liberty from Manhattan, but if you're coming by car, it's easier to do so from the Park. Make your reservations on-line ahead of time. Admission to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are technically free, but you need to buy a ferry ticket to make it to both sites. The ferry is first-come, first-served, but your advance reservation will guarantee you a particular window of time in which to visit the Statue. Tickets are sold in the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) terminal. While you are waiting for the ferry to depart, be sure to admire its early 20th century ironwork and architecture. For immigrants heading west to places like Chicago and Pittsburgh after processing at Ellis Island, this is where their overland rail journeys began. (Note that it's difficult to walk to Liberty State Park; you can either walk down Jersey Avenue and across the foot-bridge into the park, or take the light-rail which stops outside the park and then take the shuttle bus which will take you in.) �
Liberty Science Center, in Liberty State Park, . The Science Center is open, after a $109 million, 22-month expansion project. It features six major new exhibition areas and the nation's largest IMAX Dome theater.
Paulus Hook. Between Grand Street and the Morris Canal that Divides Downtown Jersey City from Liberty State Park is an area known as Paulus Hook. Today, Paulus Hook is a charming neighborhood of Brownstone Row Houses with an excellent view of New York city, serviced by a light rail. Originally a small peninsula surrounded by marsh, it connected the mainland by a causeway that was passable only at low tide, and was the main landing point before the revolutionary war for travelers going into Bergen County from New York City, it has since been backfilled and Paulus Hook is no longer a hook. Paulus Hook was the site of British fortifications during the revolution that caused serious problems for the local revolutionary government- it was used as a base for loyalist raids into Bergen County. Major Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee (father of the later confederate General Robert E. Lee) took the fortifications by a night assault carried out during low tide on August 19th, 1779.
Jersey City Museum, 350 Montgomery Street, .
Loew's Jersey Theatre, 54 Journal Square, . One of the five Loew's "Wonder Palaces," the Loew's Jersey was one of New York City's flagship movie palaces. The interior of the theater is surprisingly intricate and detailed; one person remarked that standing in the lobby of the Loew's is like standing inside a Faberge egg. It is being lovingly restored by a local group, and often hosts live events and screens movie revivals.
Lincoln Park.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Jersey City
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Jersey City - updated May 2024
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Jersey City Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
