Racetrack Section, North Bergen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Racetrack, North Bergen
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![]() Nungesser's, at the intersection of Bergenline Avenue and Woodcliff Avenue
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Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
County | Hudson |
Township | North Bergen |
Elevation | 217 ft (66 m) |
Area code(s) | 201 |
GNIS feature ID | 882893 |
The Racetrack Section, also known as Hudson Heights, is a cool neighborhood in North Bergen Township. It is located in Hudson County, in the state of New Jersey. This area is mostly for homes and sits between Bergenline and Kennedy Boulevard.
The streets here are numbered like other towns in North Hudson. Its north-south streets are called avenues, like First, Second, and Third. This neighborhood is on a high area called the Hudson Palisades. It has many one and two-family homes. People living here enjoy good public transportation and are close to places like the North Bergen Public Library and North Bergen High School. It is also near North Hudson Park and Woodcliff.
Contents
A Neighborhood with a Racing Past
The Racetrack Section gets its name from an old horse racing track. It was called Nungesser's Guttenberg Racetrack. This track was very popular in the late 1800s. Many people from New York City would visit it. They traveled by streetcar from the ferry.
From Races to Fun Parks
Horse racing was a big deal here until 1893. That's when New Jersey made gambling illegal. Even though the races stopped, the area stayed a fun place. It became an amusement park known as Little Coney Island. This "pleasure resort" was famous for attracting lively crowds. The ice cream cone, a new invention at the time, became very popular at this park.
Later, the old racetrack was used as a place for cars to stop. This was before the clubhouse burned down in 1910. The site also became a known spot for early airplane pilots to land.
Modern Development and Landmarks
The land where the racetrack used to be was divided into smaller pieces in 1919. Homes and other buildings were then built there. This created the neighborhood we see today. A White Castle restaurant has been in the neighborhood for a long time. It was one of the first drive-in fast-food chains.
The area is still sometimes called Hudson Heights. Another name, Nungesser's, is often used for a busy intersection. This intersection is a transportation hub at the northwest corner of North Hudson Park. It is right on the border with Fairview in Bergen County.