Hackensack Plank Road facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hackensack Plank Road |
|
|---|---|
| Lua error in Module:Infobox_road/map at line 15: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Route information | |
| Existed | 1802–present |
| Component highways |
 CR 691 from Hoboken to North Hudson US 1-9 CR 124 from Fairview to Hackensack |
| Major junctions | |
| South end | Hoboken, NJ |
| North end | Hackensack, NJ |
| Highway system | |
| New Jersey State Highway Routes Interstate and US |
|
The Hackensack Plank Road was an important old road in New Jersey. It connected the cities of Hoboken and Hackensack. This road was also known as the Bergen Turnpike.
Like other roads of its time, it crossed Bergen Hill and the Hackensack Meadows. It stretched from the Hudson River waterfront to Hackensack. This road was first built as a colonial turnpike. A turnpike is a road where you pay a fee, called a toll, to use it.
In the 1800s, many roads like this were built by private companies. They often used wooden boards, or "planks," on the road. This helped horse-drawn carriages and wagons travel over soft, wet ground without getting stuck. The company that built this road got its official permission on November 30, 1802. Parts of the route still exist today, often called Bergen Turnpike.
Contents
Exploring the Road: Hoboken and North Hudson
Today, you won't see much of the original plank road in Hoboken. The city has grown and built over the old marshlands. The road used to run through what are now busy city streets.
In North Hudson, the road starts in Weehawken. It begins near the town line and the Hudson Bergen Light Rail tracks. A short street connects it to Willow Avenue. This area is a local entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel.
Climbing the Palisades: The High Road
The only part still called Hackensack Plank Road is in Weehawken. Locals call it the "High Road." This section climbs up the steep side of the Hudson Palisades. Once it reaches the top, it becomes County Route 691.
This road travels diagonally through Union City. It goes over the Lincoln Tunnel Approach and Helix. It also crosses Bergenline Avenue and marks the end of Summit Avenue.
Journey Through North Bergen
The road then crosses Kennedy Boulevard near Schuetzen Park. It then enters North Bergen, New Jersey. Here, it's called Bergen Turnpike and goes downhill. It passes Weehawken Cemetery and Palisade Cemetery.
Near the historic Three Pigeons site, it joins Tonnelle Avenue. From there, the route heads north. It runs between the western side of the Palisades and the New Jersey Meadowlands District.
The Hackensack Plank Road is one of the few roads that climb the Hudson Palisades. Other similar roads include the Paterson Plank Road and Pershing Road. About halfway along this section, you'll find Shippen Street. Some people call it the "Lombard Street of the East Coast." It has a double hairpin turn that winds down to the plank road.
In 1854, two men, Nicholas Goelz and Peter Melcher, changed their stagecoach route. They started from Union Hill instead of West Hoboken. This was to serve the growing community in Union Hill. They used the Hackensack Plank Road to reach the Hoboken ferry.
Fairview and the Ridgefields
When the road crosses into Bergen County at the Fairview Cemetery, its name changes. It becomes County Route S124 and is called Broad Avenue.
In Ridgefield, the route turns west onto Hendricks Causeway. This part of the road was built in the 1930s. It runs next to Edgewater Avenue, which was the original Bergen Turnpike. A short road, Motel Avenue, connects to Bergen Turnpike. This road crosses Overpeck Creek into Ridgefield Park. It ends at the river where a ferry landing and bridge once stood. These no longer exist today.
Little Ferry and Hackensack
The town of Little Ferry got its name from an old ferry crossing. This ferry crossed the Hackensack River long ago. In 1828, the first bridge was built over the Hackensack River here. It was a wooden bridge. Around 1900, a new bridge replaced it. The current bridge was built later.
People had to pay tolls to use both the bridge and the Bergen Turnpike. This continued until the start of World War I. In 1915, the local government took over the entire road from Fairview to Main Street in Hackensack. A company called Public Service later owned the bridge. They also kept the right to use the turnpike for their trolleys.
In 1934, the old historic bridge was taken down. This happened even though local people wanted it to stay. Through Little Ferry, the road is still called Bergen Turnpike. It is also known as County Route 124.
At the city line, the road becomes Hudson Street. It continues north into downtown Hackensack. The road ends at the Bergen County Court House. Nearby is The Green, a historic area. It is home to the colonial First Reformed Dutch Church. This was the center of the colonial city.
