Harbortown, Perth Amboy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harbortown
|
|
|---|---|
Harbortown on the Arthur Kill between the traditional waterfront and tank farm
|
|
 Harbortown
Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Middlesex |
| City | Perth Amboy |
| Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
| Area code(s) | 732 |
Harbortown is a special neighborhood in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. It's called a planned community because it was carefully designed and built. You can find it in Middlesex County, New Jersey.
Harbortown is located south of the Outerbridge Crossing. This is a large bridge that connects New Jersey and New York. The neighborhood sits along the Arthur Kill, which is a waterway. It's nestled between the older part of Perth Amboy's waterfront and a big fuel storage area called the Kinder Morgan terminal.
Contents
What Was Harbortown Before?
Harbortown wasn't always a neighborhood with homes. It used to be a very busy industrial area. This land, about 135 acres, belonged to the Lehigh Valley Railroad (LVRR).
The Lehigh Valley Railroad's Role
The Lehigh Valley Railroad had a special part of its railway here. It was called the Easton and Amboy Railroad's marshaling yard. A marshaling yard is like a huge parking lot for train cars.
How Coal Was Moved
At this yard, coal was brought in by train. Workers would then load the coal onto large boats called barges. These barges would carry the coal away on the water. This was a very important way to transport coal for many years.
End of an Era
The Lehigh Valley Railroad eventually went out of business. This happened in 1976. After that, the land was no longer used for loading coal. This opened the way for Harbortown to be built as a new community starting in 1987.
