Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

Township and Town Divisions, New Jersey

Township of Weehawken was set off from the city of Hoboken March 15, 1859.

Township of Union was set off from the township of North Bergen Feb. 28, 1861.

Township of West Hoboken was set off from the township of North Bergen Feb. 28, 1861.

Township of Bayonne was set off from the town of Bergen March 15, 1861, and incorporated as a city March 10, 1869.

Township of Greenville was set off from the town of Bergen March 18, 1863, and consolidated with Jersey City in 1873.

Township of Kearney was set off from the township of Harrison March 14, 1867.

Town Divisions

Considering the rapid absorption of adjacent territory by Jersey City, it is perhaps proper that the names and location of villages and hamlets, as they have existed and do now exist, should be given for preservation. Beginning at Bergen Point, we go northward.

Bayonne is a small village about three-quarters of a mile north of Centreville.

Centre Hill like Claremont and Lafayette, was a name which grew out of a land speculation. It is now quite thickly settled. It lies in the upper part of Jersey City, a little south of the Paterson plank road.

Centreville is a small village about two miles north of Bergen Point.

Claremont was a name given more to a tract of land that was mapped out for sale than to a village. It lies on the heights, north and south of the Newark and New York Railroad.

Greenville was a small, poorly constructed village about three miles from the Jersey City ferry, on the old road leading to Bergen Point, settled mostly by Germans. It finally gave its name to a township, which was annexed to Jersey City in 1873.

Guttenberg is a small village on the heights, a little south of Bull's Ferry, settled and built up by Germans. The name was applied to a tract of land mapped for sale. Incorporated March 9, 1859.

Lafayette was the name given by the owners of the land to that portion of Jersey City which lies south of the Morris canal, in the vicinity of Pacific and Communipaw avenues.

New Durban, is a small hamlet lying at the northerly foot of Weehawken hill, on the Hackensack plank road.

Pamrapo is a village in the northerly part of the city of Bayonne, formerly known as Salterville. All of these places are within the city of Bayonne, and the New Jersey Central Railroad Company has a station at each place.

Town of Union was set off from the township of Union March 29, 1864.

Union Hill is quite a large town on the heights, east of the Hackensack plank road, and about two miles north of Hoboken. It was settled and built up almost exclusively by Germans.

West Hoboken is a thriving village which has given its name to a township. It lies upon the heights, adjoining the north boundary of Jersey City.

West New York lies on the westerly brow of the hill back of Guttenberg.

New Jersey AHGP | Leading Cities of New Jersey

Source: A Brief History of New Jersey, by Edward S. Ellis, A.M. and Henry Snyder, American Book Company, 1910.

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