There are four historical neighborhoods in downtown Jersey City: Paulus Hook, Harsimus Cove, Van Vorst Park and Hamilton Park. Historical designations of an area or a neighborhood offer a transformation to another time and provide insight into the lifestyle of those living often over a century ago. These four neighborhoods have been placed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
Historical Jersey City Brownstones
The effort to designate these four neighborhoods as historical districts in Jersey City took place between 1970 and 1980 when many developers were coming in and tearing down these beautiful buildings in an effort to replace them with standard condo complexes. The Brownstone Revival Committee worked with others to push for the special designation. A big part of the reason was to preserve the beautiful Jersey City brownstones found throughout these neighborhoods.
The Jersey City brownstones are considered part of the Hummelstown Brownstone era. This style of brownstone was popular along the East Coast of the United States. The stone used in these buildings, including Jersey City brownstones, came from the Hummelstown Quarry in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. The Hummelstown Quarry was the largest provider of brownstone building materials throughout the East Coast and was often delivered via the Erie Canal. Originally known as the Pennsylvania Brown Free Stone Company, from 1863 until 1929, the quarry employed approximately 500 men, including skilled stone masons at its height of production. The quarries of the Hummelstown Brownstone Company are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Turn of the Century Jersey City Brownstones
During the period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New York City neighborhoods like Park Slope, Fort Greene, Cobble Hill, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn Heights and Bed-Stye and Jersey City brownstones were the quintessential living space. Famous for their front stair cases and stoops, curved entranceways and, of course, that dark brown façade, these buildings have been highly sought-after since their first appearance in the New York City and Jersey City neighborhoods.
Now, many architects are building new Jersey City brownstones in the classic style. This is due to the love of the architectural style as well as the want to “fit in” with the surrounding buildings when living in the classic brownstones in the nearby neighborhoods.
