Babbitt, North Bergen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Babbitt, North Bergen
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 Babbitt, North Bergen
Location in Hudson County, New Jersey
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Hudson |
| Township | North Bergen |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 874439 |
Babbitt is a neighborhood located in North Bergen Township. It is part of Hudson County in the state of New Jersey. This area is found west of Tonnelle Avenue, within the New Jersey Meadowlands District. Babbitt is home to light manufacturing, warehouses, and transportation facilities. It also includes a part of the special wetlands preservation area known as the Eastern Brackish Marsh.
Contents
The Story of Babbitt's Best Soap
The name "Babbitt" comes from a famous company. This company made a product called Babbitt's Best Soap. It was named after its founder, Benjamin T. Babbitt.
In 1904, the soap company bought a large piece of land. It was about 87 acres (35 hectares) big. The company then moved its soap factory there in 1907. Before this, their factory was in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The new factory in Babbitt became one of the biggest soap-making plants in the world at that time.
Trains and Railroads in Babbitt
Babbitt was an important place for trains. Several railroad lines passed through the area. These included the West Shore Railroad, the Erie Railroad's Northern Branch, and the New York, Susquehanna and Western (NYSW). All these tracks ran side-by-side.
Granton Junction: A Busy Train Hub
Near 83rd Street, both the Erie and NYSW railroads had small stations. Granton Junction was just south of these stations. This is where the NYSW and Erie lines joined together. For a while, Granton was a very busy railroad junction. The Erie and NYSW railroads shared tracks and stations here. One of these was the Susquehanna Transfer.
The name Granton came from an old quarry nearby. Later, an important fossil of a phytosaur was found at this quarry site.
Railroad Changes and Modern Lines
Over time, the railroad operations changed. The West Shore Railroad eventually became part of Conrail's River Line. Today, it is known as the CSX River Subdivision. This line starts nearby at North Bergen Yard. Road access to the Little Ferry Yard is also found in Babbitt.
Future Plans for Light Rail
There are plans to extend the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail into eastern Bergen County. This project is called the Northern Branch Corridor Project. As part of this plan, the train crossing at 83rd Street will close. A new crossing will be built at 85th Street. There are also plans for a new train station called 91st Street (HBLR station) in the future.
Images for kids
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A train station in Babbitt around 1910.
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A view looking east at the NYSW and Northern Branch train tracks near 83rd Street.
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The Northern Branch Corridor passing under the CSX River Division tracks.
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