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Jersey City, New Jersey

"America's Golden Door"

Standing on the Hudson across from Manhattan's skyline, Jersey City welcomed millions of immigrants through Ellis Island and has reinvented itself as one of the most diverse and fastest-growing cities on the East Coast.

Founded 1630 | Population 308,256 | Peak 316,715 (1930) | County Hudson County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Jersey City, New Jersey

1892Ellis Island Opens: The immigration station in Jersey City's waters became the gateway for 12 million immigrants over six decades. Jersey City's neighborhoods directly absorbed many new arrivals.

1916Black Tom Explosion: German agents detonated munitions on the Black Tom peninsula, creating an explosion equivalent to an earthquake up to 5.5 on the Richter scale. It damaged the Statue of Liberty and killed several people.

2000Waterfront Transformation: The former industrial waterfront along the Hudson River transformed into a wall of gleaming towers, making Jersey City a major financial center and bedroom community for Manhattan.

1630Dutch Settlement at Paulus Hook: The Dutch West India Company established one of the earliest European trading posts in North America at Paulus Hook, beginning three centuries of continuous settlement.

1834Jersey City Incorporated: Jersey City incorporated and grew rapidly as a transportation hub, with railroads and ferries connecting it to Manhattan and the interior.

1869Railroad Terminal Hub: Jersey City became the terminus for major railroads, with grand terminals at Exchange Place and Communipaw serving passengers bound for Manhattan via ferry.

1910Peak Immigration Era: Jersey City absorbed waves of Irish, Italian, Polish, and Jewish immigrants, creating the dense ethnic neighborhoods that defined the city for generations.

2001September 11 Impact: Jersey City's waterfront provided a direct view of the World Trade Center attacks. The city became a staging area for rescue operations and lost several residents.

1976Exchange Place Revival Begins: The first new office towers at Exchange Place signaled the beginning of Jersey City's waterfront revival from abandoned rail yards to financial center.

2019Jersey City Shooting: A targeted attack at a kosher market killed three civilians and a detective, highlighting antisemitic violence and shaking the community.

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Population Over Time

Complete Historical Timeline

1630 Government

Dutch establish trading post at Paulus Hook

1779 Government

Battle of Paulus Hook during Revolutionary War

1834 Government

Jersey City incorporated

1869 Transport

Major railroad terminals established

1892 Social

Ellis Island opens in city's waters

1910 Social

Peak immigration reshapes city demographics

1916 Disaster

Black Tom explosion from German sabotage

1950 Industry

Post-war industrial decline begins

1976 Architecture

Exchange Place waterfront revival starts

2001 Disaster

September 11 impacts waterfront community

2004 Transport

PATH train expansion improves Manhattan access

2010 Social

City becomes one of most diverse in America

2019 Crime

Kosher market shooting kills four

2024 Government

Population approaches pre-1930 peak

Did You Know?

Ellis Island, which processed 12 million immigrants, is actually located in Jersey City's waters — the Supreme Court confirmed in 1998 that most of the island belongs to New Jersey, not New York.

The 1916 Black Tom explosion was so powerful it shattered windows in Times Square and was felt as far as Philadelphia.

Jersey City is now one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States, with no single racial or ethnic group forming a majority of the population.

Famous People from Jersey City, New Jersey

Nancy Sinatra

Actor, Disc Jockey · Born Jun 8, 1940 · Age 85

Martha Stewart

Writer, Businessperson · Born Aug 3, 1941 · Age 84

Nathan Lane

Actor, Writer · Born Feb 3, 1956 · Age 70

Christina Milian

Actor, Composer · Born Sep 26, 1981 · Age 44

Al Di Meola

Composer, Guitarist · Born Jul 22, 1954 · Age 71

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