Pavonia was one of five passenger railroad terminals that lined the western shore of the Hudson Waterfront from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries, along with those at Weehawken, Hoboken, Exchange Place, and Communipaw, with Hoboken being the only one still in service.
History
The Erie began developing the waterfront site in 1856.[3]
The intermodal complex was open December 4, 1887.[4] Across the river-facing facade was New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad, the name of the entity that built it, though it was also called Jersey City Terminal Station[5] or Erie Railroad Station The colloquial name is taken from the 17th century European settlement of Pavonia, New Netherland,[6] which began in the area and the ferry that served it. It has been described as "a brightly colored Victorian eclectic three story terminal located at the foot of Pavonia Avenue to serve a twelve track" station. It was designed by George E. Archer.[7] The end of track was at about 40.7266 N 74.0304 W. Besides the railroad, the complex was served by ferries, streetcars and the rapid transitHudson and Manhattan Railroad (now PATH). The terminal was also used by New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway trains.[8] Long distance and suburban passenger trains reached the terminal by travelling through Bergen Hill via the Long Dock Tunnel and later under the Bergen Arches.[9]
An undated photograph of an Erie-owned ferryboat named the "Susquehanna" docked at the Pavonia Ferry Terminal
The Pavonia Ferry began running in 1851,[15] along a route that had been established some decades earlier as Budd's Ferry. It was taken over by the Erie[16] and sold to the Pavonia Ferry Company of Jersey City[17] for what was considered a low price of $9,050, at New York City Hall, in February 1854.[6][18] In February 1859 Nathaniel Marsh of the Erie Railroad Company purchased the lease on behalf of the Pavonia Ferry Company. He started a ferry which ran from Chambers Street (Manhattan) to the foot Pavonia Avenue on the other side of the Hudson River. Legal problems had prevented the Pavonia Ferry Company from establishing a ferry along this route. The New York and Erie Railroad paid an annual rent of $9,050 to transport passengers back and forth.[19] Eventually the railroad constructed its Pavonia Terminal on the land-filled Harsimus Cove. Suburban and long distance travelers would transfer from trains to boats for the passage across the river.
Originally named "Erie", the PATH's Newport station, originally built by the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (H&M), still bears the letter "E" engraved on its pillars. Opened on August 2, 1909,[24] the station was built with only the island platform. The side platform was added around 1914 to handle the heavier passenger volume. It was closed in 1954 in order for the bankrupt railroad to reduce costs. The side platform remained dormant for nearly 50 years.[25] The northernmost stairway exit from the two platforms led to a steep passageway, which originally went directly to the Erie Railroad terminal. In the 1920s, a second passageway and mezzanine area was built over the existing platforms and northbound trackway. This second passageway and mezzanine area were also closed in 1954 (as was also the entrance to/from Henderson Street), but was reopened in the late 1980s/early 1990s after the station was renovated. Also in 1954, the first moving sidewalk, or travellator, in the United States was installed. Named the "Speedwalk" and built by Goodyear, it was 277 feet (84 m) long and moved up a 10-percent grade at a speed of 1.5 miles per hour (2.4 km/h).[26] The walkway was removed a few years later when traffic patterns at the station changed.
Site of former terminal across the Long Slip. The ventilation tower is part of Holland Tunnel, which contributed to the demise of terminals along the west bank of the North River.
The complex was built on the northern portion of landfilled Harsimus Cove. The southern part was the Pennsylvania Railroadabattoir and freight yard. A narrow slip kept that name, while another called the Long Slip was created and separated it from Hoboken Terminal. The only visible trace of the Erie's waterfront complex that remains today is part of the right of way/viaduct which carried trains from the foot of the Palisades escarpment to the waterfront. Part of it runs parallel to Boyle Plaza (the toll plaza for the Holland Tunnel) and is used for motor vehicular traffic to the Newport district of Jersey City.[27]
