| Yet ....... another piece of history torn down in the name of progress |
| Beer bottle Jersey City Brewery |
1700's Grist Wheel
Pre-1820 Bricks
19th century china
19th century Medicine bottles
Late 1800's stove
| Under the shadows of the Pulaski Skyway in Jersey City NJ lie the streets of Larch, Covert and Dey . What makes them unique is the fact that some of the homes date to mid to low 1800's. Perhaps I'm getting ahead of my self . European influence established it's residence in the way of farming by the 1660's. Most were long narrow lots used for farming and cattle usage, these tracts were owned by: John Van Buskirk and Cornelious Van Winkle. Little or no structures were built and the area was undeveloped until the 1800's. With the advance of the Newark Turnpike (Today Newark Ave.) which went from the Paulis Hook area site of shipping and a grist mill, to a new bridge which spanned the Hackensack River into Bergen County, residences seemed to sprout up overnight. By the 1840's it developed into a tiny community, with the advance of the Patterson and Hudson River Railroad. That community grew even larger when the city of Jersey City was established. The main hub and seat of city government was Five Corners (today still named). Gradually the Dutch influence was replaced by pockets of immigrants, some parcels were even given to freed slaves but most parcels were mostly owned by German family's. During the Civil War the area along the Hudson River east of Five Corners was used as a central gathering place for troops and supplies. It was an ideal place as it was the hub of: shipping, rail lines and start of the Morris Canal which connected other main waterways to bays and other canals. Parcels in the lower area near the Hackensack River and railroad lines were used as an artillery depot for shipments south to the army of the Potomic. Originally the area was then owned by the Hudson Land Association (north of todays St. Paul's Ave between tonnele and James Aves.) Although largely undeveloped at the time, they soon had their own power and gas plant (Peoples Gas Works), a school house on (Todays Tonnele Ave) and industry. The Inhabitants were a general mix of German and Irish. Major Highways soon developed and became expanded during the 1920's (US 1&9). As so often the case, the expansion of arterial highways through Jersey City has been at the expense of urban neighborhoods. Over the years the area became isolated and a dumping ground for low income families, unwanted pets, livestock and household goods It wasn't long before residents in the surrounding area called it: "Dogpatch" There was much history in this little area (Dogpatch) as evident by a study, done in the early 2000's, by the State Historical Society prior to the by-pass of US 1&9 to connect to a new bridge (Now under construction) They found more then enough artifacts to declare it a Historical landmark but construction will take precedence over history All this, brings me full circle to the present at this writing . With permission of former land owners (before they surrendered their homes to DOT) myself and another historically interested person explored the area and homes finding many interesting past furnishings and items many of which can be seen in my finds. They included: Cast Iron stoves, period heaters, dated coins, old Railroad locks, Medicine lab bottles (They made their own medicine and perfume), old bottles, stove parts, farming tools and various bits of pottery and china. One of the owners Mrs Nickels, a charming woman in her late 90's remembered her home a beautiful Victorian style home built around the mid 1840's. It was attached to a smaller structure erected in the 1820's, as evidenced by the style and brick work. Originally a single story, simple residence it was converted by the owners uncle into a two story structure in the early 1900's. She recalled as a child walking to the train depot to feed bread to the troops leaving for the camps during WW 1and how beautiful and serene the area was until it all fell apart with time. She also recalled how her home was the first on the block to have indoor plumbing , as most homes had privies. That woman was a wealth of history it was as if we were talking to a history book. She now resides in Bayonne NJ in a retirement community. Ah yes progress much in Jersey City is being lost to it many interested party's but no actual movement to save any of it. Lost to progress is the historical battlefield in Paulis Hook (now luxury condos) the Apple Tree House will be restored but not available to the public, Morris canal now buried underneath highways and industry, and finally Dogpatch--------------------that last hold out of urban life in a growing city. |
mid 1800's door lock box
