West Hudson, New Jersey facts for kids
West Hudson is a special area in the western part of Hudson County, New Jersey. It includes three towns that are next to each other: Kearny, Harrison, and East Newark. This area is on a piece of land that sticks out, like a small peninsula. It's located between two rivers, the Hackensack River and the Passaic River.
The Passaic River separates West Hudson from cities like Newark and Belleville. The Hackensack River separates it from Jersey City, which is the main city of Hudson County, and Secaucus. Many homes and shops are found along the Passaic River, including the area called Arlington. You can also find Kearny Riverbank Park there. Kearny Point is an area with more factories and businesses. Some parts of West Hudson are natural wetlands called the Kearny Meadows or Kearny Marsh. These are part of the larger New Jersey Meadowlands area. West Hudson Park is a county park where people can relax and play.
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Discover the History of West Hudson
The land of West Hudson has a long and interesting history.
Early People and Names
Long ago, the Hackensack tribe of the Lenape people lived here. They called the area Meghgectecock. This name meant "where May-apples grow," referring to a plant with edible yellow berries. It described the land between the Hackensack and Passaic rivers, right before they meet Newark Bay.
In the 1600s, Dutch settlers from the province of New Netherland called this area Achter Col. Later, British colonists named it New Barbadoes Neck.
How West Hudson Became Part of Hudson County
Originally, all of West Hudson was part of Essex County. It was managed by the city of Newark. In 1710, it became part of New Barbadoes Township and was moved to Bergen County.
The towns of West Hudson were once part of a larger area called Harrison Township. This township was created by the New Jersey Legislature on April 13, 1840. Just before that, on February 22, 1840, Hudson County was formed from parts of Bergen County. Over time, the towns separated and reformed their borders to create the towns we know today.
Sports and Transportation in West Hudson
West Hudson's Soccer Tradition
The towns of West Hudson, especially Kearny, have a strong history with soccer. This tradition started in the mid-1870s when many people from Scotland and Ireland moved to the area. Kearny is even nicknamed "Soccer Town, USA" because of this. Many famous soccer teams played here, like the Newark Portuguese, Clark A.A., Harrison S.C., and West Hudson A.A.. Today, the Red Bulls Stadium, a major soccer stadium, is located in Harrison.
Trains and Travel in the Area
A part of the old Morris Canal used to run through Kearny Point, and you can still see some unused sections today. The West Hudson area is crisscrossed with many train tracks for both passengers and freight. These include lines used by Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and PATH. The PATH train still has a station in Harrison, but Amtrak and NJ Transit no longer stop there.
This area was also home to the former Manhattan Transfer, a very important train station in the past. The Kearny Connection and Waterfront Connection are key places where different passenger train lines meet. There are also plans for a new high-speed rail line called the Gateway Project. This project will go through West Hudson and includes replacing important bridges like the Portal Bridge and the Sawtooth Bridges.
Community and Government
The West Hudson towns celebrate together with their annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade. This parade passes through all three towns: Kearny, Harrison, and East Newark.
Since the 1970s, these three communities have always been part of the same political area, known as the 29th Legislative District. This means they are represented by the same elected officials in the state government.
