Horseshoe, Jersey City
Encyclopedia
The Horseshoe section of Jersey City, New Jersey
was the second ward, and was the home of the immigrants, tenement
s, and tavern
s. The Republican
-controlled Legislature
gerrymandered
the district in 1871 to concentrate and isolate Democratic
, and mostly Catholic, votes, thus preserving Republican dominance in the rest of the state. It was named after its shape.
The shape also corresponds to the rail infrastructure that dominated the area, and can still be seen on contemporary maps.
As competing railroads built cuts
through Bergen Hill
, they also built viaduct
s from the foot of the cliff which passed through residential districts to the waterfront. The district is often associated with the name Pavonia
encompassing Harsimus Cove, Hamilton
, Powerhouse
and the former site of the Erie Railroad
's Hudson waterfront Pavonia Terminal
and the Pavonia Ferry
, which since the 1980s it has been redeveloped as Newport
.
Frank Hague
was born in The Horseshoe,
and used it as his power base to become mayor of Jersey City and influential local, state, and national politics.
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
was the second ward, and was the home of the immigrants, tenement
Tenement
A tenement is, in most English-speaking areas, a substandard multi-family dwelling, usually old, occupied by the poor.-History:Originally the term tenement referred to tenancy and therefore to any rented accommodation...
s, and tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
s. The Republican
History of the United States Republican Party
The United States Republican Party is the second oldest currently existing political party in the United States after its great rival, the Democratic Party. It emerged in 1854 to combat the Kansas Nebraska Act which threatened to extend slavery into the territories, and to promote more vigorous...
-controlled Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
gerrymandered
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
the district in 1871 to concentrate and isolate Democratic
History of the United States Democratic Party
The history of the Democratic Party of the United States is an account of the oldest political party in the United States and arguably the oldest democratic party in the world....
, and mostly Catholic, votes, thus preserving Republican dominance in the rest of the state. It was named after its shape.
The shape also corresponds to the rail infrastructure that dominated the area, and can still be seen on contemporary maps.
As competing railroads built cuts
Cut (earthmoving)
In civil engineering, a cut or cutting is where soil or rock material from a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a canal, road or railway line....
through Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill refers to the lower Hudson Palisades in New Jersey, USA, where they emerge on Bergen Neck, which in turn is the peninsula between the Hackensack and Hudson River, and their bays. In Hudson County, it reaches a height of 260 feet.-Rail:...
, they also built viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
s from the foot of the cliff which passed through residential districts to the waterfront. The district is often associated with the name Pavonia
Pavonia, New Netherland
Pavonia was the first European settlement on the west bank of the North River that was part of the 17th century province of New Netherland in what would become today's Hudson County, New Jersey.-Hudson and the Hackensack:...
encompassing Harsimus Cove, Hamilton
Hamilton Park, Jersey City
Hamilton Park is a neighborhood in Historic Downtown in Jersey City, centered around a park with the same name. Hamilton Park is located west of Newport, north of Harsimus Cove, north and east of The Village and south of Boyle Plaza. The Victorian age park is located between Eighth Street and...
, Powerhouse
Powerhouse Arts District, Jersey City
The Powerhouse Arts District is a historic warehouse district in Downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, which takes its name from the unused generating station Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse currently undergoing an extensive stabilization effort...
and the former site of the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
's Hudson waterfront Pavonia Terminal
Pavonia Terminal
Pavonia Terminal was the Erie Railroad terminal on the Hudson River situated on the landfilled Harsimus Cove in Jersey City, New Jersey.-History:The Erie began developing the waterfront site in 1856.The intermodal complex was built between 1886 and 1889...
and the Pavonia Ferry
Pavonia Ferry
The Pavonia Ferry was a ferry service which conveyed passengers between New York City and Jersey City. It was launched in 1854. It was sold to the Pavonia Ferry Company of Jersey City for what was considered a low price of $9,050, at New York City Hall, in February 1854.In February 1859 Nathaniel...
, which since the 1980s it has been redeveloped as Newport
Newport, Jersey City
Newport is a master-planned mixed use community in Jersey City, New Jersey, consisting of retail, residential, office, and entertainment facilities. Located on Jersey City's Hudson River waterfront, the new development is located opposite the World Financial Center in lower Manhattan. ...
.
Frank Hague
Frank Hague
Frank Hague was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1917 to 1947, Democratic National Committeeman from New Jersey from 1922 until 1949, and Vice-Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1924 until 1949.Hague has a widely-known...
was born in The Horseshoe,
and used it as his power base to become mayor of Jersey City and influential local, state, and national politics.