Port Jervis, New York
Encyclopedia
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River
in western Orange County
, New York
, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania
face the city across the respective state borders. From late spring to early fall many thousands of travelers and tourists pass through Port Jervis on their way to enjoying rafting, kayaking, canoeing and other activities in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
and the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
and the surrounding area.
Port Jervis is part of the Poughkeepsie
–Newburgh
–Middletown
, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
as well as the larger New York
–Newark
–Bridgeport
, NY-NJ
-CT
-PA
Combined Statistical Area
.
In August 2008, Port Jervis was named one of "Ten Coolest Small Towns" by Budget Travel magazine.
at the point where the Neversink River
– the Delaware's largest tributary
– empties into the larger river, and the Delware begins a right turn to to run south-southwest through the Delaware Water Gap
before continuing on to Trenton, New Jersey
, Philadelphia and Delaware Bay
. The city is connected by bridge across the river to Matamoras, Pennsylvania
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.7 mi2, of which, 2.5 mi2 is land and 0.2 mi2 (6.64%) is water.
US 6
, US 209, NY 42
, and NY 97
(the "Upper Delaware Scenic Byway") pass through Port Jervis. Interstate 84
passes to the south.
Port Jervis is the last stop
on the 95 miles (152.9 km) Port Jervis Line
, which is a commuter railroad service from Hoboken, New Jersey
and New York City
that is contracted to NJ Transit by the Metro-North Railroad
of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
. The track itself continues on to Binghamton
and Buffalo
, but passenger service beyond Port Jervis was discontinued in 1966.
, New Jersey
and Pennsylvania
come together. South of the Laurel Grove Cemetery, under the viaduct for Interstate 84, are two monuments marking the boundaries between the three states.
The larger monument is a granite pillar inscribed "Witness Monument" and dated 1882. It is not on any boundary itself, but instead is a witness for two boundary points. On the north side (New York), it references the corner boundary point between New York and Pennsylvania that is located in the center of the Delaware River 475 feet (144.8 m) due west of the Tri-State Rock. On the south side (New Jersey), it references the Tri-State Rock 27.5 feet (8.4 m) to the south.
The smaller monument, Tri-State Rock, marks both the northwest end of the New Jersey and New York boundary and the north end of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania boundary. It is a small granite block with inscribed lines marking the boundaries of the three states and a bronze National Geodetic Survey marker at the triple point, where you can stand in three states at once. It also marks the northernmost point of New Jersey. The current Tri-State Monument is a replacement for the original monument erected in 1774, which was important in resolving the New York - New Jersey Line War.
by British forces under the command of Joseph Brant
before the Battle of Minisink
in 1779. Over the next two decades, the settlement was rebuilt and more roadways were developed to better connect Mahackamack with the eastern parts of Orange County.
After the Delaware and Hudson Canal was opened in 1828, providing transportation of coal from northeastern Pennsylvania to New York and New England via the Hudson River
, trade brought money and further development to the area. A village was incorporated in 1853, and was renamed Port Jervis in the mid-19th century, after John Bloomfield Jervis
, the D&H Canal's chief engineer. Port Jervis grew steadily into the 1900s, and on July 26, 1907, it became a city.
, on the Hudson River
in Rockland County
, to Lake Erie
. Ground was broken in 1835, but construction was delayed by a nationwide financial panic
, and did not start again until 1838. The line was completed in 1851, and the first passenger train – with President Millard Fillmore
and United States Senator from New York Daniel Webster
on board – came through the city on May 14. The railroad went through a number of name changes, becoming the Erie Railroad
in 1897.
A second railroad, the Port Jervis and Monticello Railroad, later leased to the New York, Ontario and Western Railway
(O&W), opened in 1868, running north out of the city, and eventually connecting to Kingston, New York
, Weehawken, New Jersey
and western connections.
Like the D&H Canal, the railroads brought new prosperity to Port Jervis in the form of increased trade and investment in the community from the outside. However, the competition that the rialroad brought also hastened the decline of the canal, which ceased operation in 1898, and the railroads were the basis of the city's economy for the coming decades. Port Jervis became Erie's division center between Jersey City, New Jersey
and Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, and by 1922, twenty passenger trains went through the city every day, and over 2,500 Erie employees made their homes there.
Unfortunately, the railroads themselves began to decline after the Great Depression
, accelerating after World War II
with the building of the Interstate Highway System
and increased competition from trucking companies. One of the first Class I railroad
to shut down was the O&W, in 1957, leaving Port Jervis totally reliant on the Erie. Only a few years later, in 1960, the Erie, also on a shaky financial footing, merged with Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
to become the Erie-Lackawanna. In 1976, along with a number of other struggling railroads, such as the Penn Central, the Erie-Lackawana became part of Conrail. With the breakup of Conrail, the trackage around Port Jervis is controlled by Norfolk Southern.
The decline of the railroads was an economic blow to Port Jervis, one it is still, as of 2011, recovering from.
's 1898 novella The Monster
.
In the mid 1920's the Ku Klux Klan
was active in the area, burning crosses on Point Peter, the mountain peak that overlooks the city.
in 1955 a flood-related rumor started a panic that was later studied in a 1958 report issued by the National Research Council
called "The Effects of a Threatening Rumor on a Disaster-Stricken Community".
In addition to having flooded during periods of heavy rainfall, at times ice jams have effectively dammed the Delaware, and in 1875 floes destroyed the existing bridge to Matamoras. In 1981 when a large ice floe resulted in the highest water crest measured to date at the National Weather Service
's Matamoras river gage 26.6 feet (8.1 m).
On July 14, 2007, a large parade was held in Port Jervis to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city's founding. Fire departments and marching bands from the surrounding area marched in the parade. The Fireman's Day Parade, one of the city's longest and most popularly celebrated traditions, is an annual event held every second Saturday in the month of July.
In 2011 The Port Jervis Soap Box Derby officially became the largest local soap box derby in the world.
of 2000, there were 8,860 people, 3,533 households, and 2,158 families residing in the city. The population density
was . There were 3,851 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.4% White, 10.2% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.19% from other races
, and 2.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population.
There were 3,533 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,241, and the median income for a family was $35,481. Males had a median income of $31,851 versus $22,274 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,525. About 14.2% of families and 24.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.5% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in western Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania
Matamoras, Pennsylvania
Matamoras is a borough in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,469 at the 2010 census. It is the easternmost town in Pennsylvania.-History:...
face the city across the respective state borders. From late spring to early fall many thousands of travelers and tourists pass through Port Jervis on their way to enjoying rafting, kayaking, canoeing and other activities in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service, preserves almost of land along the Delaware River's New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores, stretching from the Delaware Water Gap northward almost to the New York state line...
and the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is located near Narrowsburg, New York, and Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware River. It includes parts of five counties along this section of the river: Delaware, Orange, and Sullivan in New York, and Pike and Wayne in Pennsylvania.The site...
and the surrounding area.
Port Jervis is part of the Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
–Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
–Middletown
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area
The Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in New York's Hudson Valley, with the cities of Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Middletown, and the Arlington census-designated place as...
as well as the larger New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
–Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
–Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, NY-NJ
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
-CT
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
-PA
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Combined Statistical Area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
.
In August 2008, Port Jervis was named one of "Ten Coolest Small Towns" by Budget Travel magazine.
Geography and transportation
Port Jervis is located on the north bank of the Delaware RiverDelaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
at the point where the Neversink River
Neversink River
The Neversink River is a tributary of the Delaware River in southeastern New York in the United States...
– the Delaware's largest tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
– empties into the larger river, and the Delware begins a right turn to to run south-southwest through the Delaware Water Gap
Delaware Water Gap
The Delaware Water Gap is on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains...
before continuing on to Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, Philadelphia and Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
. The city is connected by bridge across the river to Matamoras, Pennsylvania
Matamoras, Pennsylvania
Matamoras is a borough in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,469 at the 2010 census. It is the easternmost town in Pennsylvania.-History:...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.7 mi2, of which, 2.5 mi2 is land and 0.2 mi2 (6.64%) is water.
US 6
U.S. Route 6 in New York
U.S. Route 6 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In New York, US 6 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
, US 209, NY 42
New York State Route 42
New York State Route 42 is a north–south, discontinuous state highway in the Catskill Mountains region of New York in the United States. The southernmost of the highway's two segments begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 6 and US 209 in Port Jervis and ends at a junction with...
, and NY 97
New York State Route 97
New York State Route 97 is a north–south scenic route in southern New York, United States. It runs from U.S. Route 6 and US 209 in Port Jervis to NY 17 in Hancock. Its most famous feature is the Hawk's Nest, a tightly winding section of the road along the Delaware River,...
(the "Upper Delaware Scenic Byway") pass through Port Jervis. Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in New York
Interstate 84 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the Eastern United States. In New York, I-84 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
passes to the south.
Port Jervis is the last stop
Port Jervis (Metro-North station)
The Port Jervis Metro-North station serves the residents of that city and surrounding communities. It is the western terminus of the Port Jervis Line, with trains taking New York City-bound passengers there via Hoboken and Secaucus Junction...
on the 95 miles (152.9 km) Port Jervis Line
Port Jervis Line (Metro-North)
The Metro-North Railroad Port Jervis Line is a predominantly single-track commuter rail line running from Suffern, New York to Port Jervis. At Suffern, the line continues south into New Jersey as NJ Transit's Main Line....
, which is a commuter railroad service from Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
that is contracted to NJ Transit by the Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
. The track itself continues on to Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
and Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, but passenger service beyond Port Jervis was discontinued in 1966.
State line monuments
Port Jervis lies near the points where the states of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
come together. South of the Laurel Grove Cemetery, under the viaduct for Interstate 84, are two monuments marking the boundaries between the three states.
The larger monument is a granite pillar inscribed "Witness Monument" and dated 1882. It is not on any boundary itself, but instead is a witness for two boundary points. On the north side (New York), it references the corner boundary point between New York and Pennsylvania that is located in the center of the Delaware River 475 feet (144.8 m) due west of the Tri-State Rock. On the south side (New Jersey), it references the Tri-State Rock 27.5 feet (8.4 m) to the south.
The smaller monument, Tri-State Rock, marks both the northwest end of the New Jersey and New York boundary and the north end of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania boundary. It is a small granite block with inscribed lines marking the boundaries of the three states and a bronze National Geodetic Survey marker at the triple point, where you can stand in three states at once. It also marks the northernmost point of New Jersey. The current Tri-State Monument is a replacement for the original monument erected in 1774, which was important in resolving the New York - New Jersey Line War.
History
The first fully developed European settlement in the area was established c.1690, and a land grant of 1200 acres (4.9 km²) was formalized on October 14, 1697. The settlement was originally known as Mahackamack, which was its name when it was raided and burned in the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
by British forces under the command of Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant
Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant was a Mohawk military and political leader, based in present-day New York, who was closely associated with Great Britain during and after the American Revolution. He was perhaps the most well-known American Indian of his generation...
before the Battle of Minisink
Battle of Minisink
The Battle of Minisink was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought at Minisink Ford, New York, on July 22, 1779. It was the only major skirmish of the Revolutionary War fought in the northern Delaware Valley...
in 1779. Over the next two decades, the settlement was rebuilt and more roadways were developed to better connect Mahackamack with the eastern parts of Orange County.
After the Delaware and Hudson Canal was opened in 1828, providing transportation of coal from northeastern Pennsylvania to New York and New England via the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, trade brought money and further development to the area. A village was incorporated in 1853, and was renamed Port Jervis in the mid-19th century, after John Bloomfield Jervis
John B. Jervis
John Bloomfield Jervis was an American civil engineer. He was America's leading consulting engineer of the antebellum era . Jervis was a pioneer in the development of canals and railroads for the expanding United States...
, the D&H Canal's chief engineer. Port Jervis grew steadily into the 1900s, and on July 26, 1907, it became a city.
Coming of the railroad
The first rail line to run through Port Jervis was the New York & Erie Railroad, which in 1832 was chartered to run from Piermont, New YorkPiermont, New York
Piermont is a village in Rockland County, New York, United States. Piermont is in the town of Orangetown, located north of the hamlet of Palisades; east of Sparkill and south of Grand View-on-Hudson, on the west bank of the Hudson River. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census.The village's...
, on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
, to Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. Ground was broken in 1835, but construction was delayed by a nationwide financial panic
Panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis or market correction in the United States built on a speculative fever. The end of the Second Bank of the United States had produced a period of runaway inflation, but on May 10, 1837 in New York City, every bank began to accept payment only in specie ,...
, and did not start again until 1838. The line was completed in 1851, and the first passenger train – with President Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
and United States Senator from New York Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
on board – came through the city on May 14. The railroad went through a number of name changes, becoming 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...
in 1897.
A second railroad, the Port Jervis and Monticello Railroad, later leased to the New York, Ontario and Western Railway
New York, Ontario and Western Railway
The New York, Ontario and Western Railway, more commonly known as the O&W or NYO&W, was a regional railroad with origins in 1868, lasting until March 29, 1957 when it was ordered liquidated by a US bankruptcy judge. The O&W holds the distinction of being the first major U.S...
(O&W), opened in 1868, running north out of the city, and eventually connecting to Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, Weehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...
and western connections.
Like the D&H Canal, the railroads brought new prosperity to Port Jervis in the form of increased trade and investment in the community from the outside. However, the competition that the rialroad brought also hastened the decline of the canal, which ceased operation in 1898, and the railroads were the basis of the city's economy for the coming decades. Port Jervis became Erie's division center between Jersey City, New Jersey
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...
and Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, and by 1922, twenty passenger trains went through the city every day, and over 2,500 Erie employees made their homes there.
Unfortunately, the railroads themselves began to decline after the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, accelerating after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the building of the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
and increased competition from trucking companies. One of the first Class I railroad
Class I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
to shut down was the O&W, in 1957, leaving Port Jervis totally reliant on the Erie. Only a few years later, in 1960, the Erie, also on a shaky financial footing, merged with Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
to become the Erie-Lackawanna. In 1976, along with a number of other struggling railroads, such as the Penn Central, the Erie-Lackawana became part of Conrail. With the breakup of Conrail, the trackage around Port Jervis is controlled by Norfolk Southern.
The decline of the railroads was an economic blow to Port Jervis, one it is still, as of 2011, recovering from.
Racial incidents
On June 2, 1892, Robert Lewis, an African American, was lynched on Main Street in Port Jervis after being accused of participation in an assault on a white woman. A grand jury indicted nine people in connection with the lynching. This event would serve as inspiration for one-time Port Jervis resident and author Stephen CraneStephen Crane
Stephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
's 1898 novella The Monster
The Monster (novella)
The Monster is an 1898 novella by American author Stephen Crane . Taking place in the small, fictional town of Whilomville, New York, the novella tells the story of Henry Johnson, an African American coachman employed by the town's physician, Dr. Trescott, whose face becomes horribly disfigured...
.
In the mid 1920's the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
was active in the area, burning crosses on Point Peter, the mountain peak that overlooks the city.
Recent history
Being situated at the confluence of the Delaware and Neversink Rivers has sometimes led to flooding problems. In one such instance associated with Hurricane DianeHurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier...
in 1955 a flood-related rumor started a panic that was later studied in a 1958 report issued by the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
called "The Effects of a Threatening Rumor on a Disaster-Stricken Community".
In addition to having flooded during periods of heavy rainfall, at times ice jams have effectively dammed the Delaware, and in 1875 floes destroyed the existing bridge to Matamoras. In 1981 when a large ice floe resulted in the highest water crest measured to date at the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
's Matamoras river gage 26.6 feet (8.1 m).
On July 14, 2007, a large parade was held in Port Jervis to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city's founding. Fire departments and marching bands from the surrounding area marched in the parade. The Fireman's Day Parade, one of the city's longest and most popularly celebrated traditions, is an annual event held every second Saturday in the month of July.
In 2011 The Port Jervis Soap Box Derby officially became the largest local soap box derby in the world.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,860 people, 3,533 households, and 2,158 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was . There were 3,851 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.4% White, 10.2% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population.
There were 3,533 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,241, and the median income for a family was $35,481. Males had a median income of $31,851 versus $22,274 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,525. About 14.2% of families and 24.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.5% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Port Jervis include:- Ed and Lou Banachi, 1984 Summer Olympics1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
wrestling Medalists lived in Port Jervis and graduated from Port Jervis Senior High School. - Theodora Cohen (1968–1988) Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
student and Pan Am 103 victim. - Stephen CraneStephen CraneStephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
(1871–1900) 19th century American author of The Red Badge of CourageThe Red Badge of CourageThe Red Badge of Courage is a war novel by American author Stephen Crane . Taking place during the American Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Overcome with shame, he longs for a wound—a "red badge of courage"—to...
. According to an historical marker at Orange Square, Crane interviewed members of the 124th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment124th New York Volunteer Infantry RegimentThe 124th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the Orange Blossoms, was a volunteer regiment from Orange County, New York, during the American Civil War. Formed in Goshen during the summer of 1862, The unit was officially mustered into United States Service on September 5, 1862,...
(the "Orange Blossoms") in the park to gather material for the book. - Samuel FowlerSamuel Fowler (1851-1919)Samuel Fowler was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district in the U.S...
(1851–1919), represented New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
's 4th congressional districtNew Jersey's 4th congressional districtNew Jersey's 4th Congressional District elects one member of congress by the first past the post method, it is currently represented by Republican Chris Smith. He has represented the district since 1981....
in the U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1893-1895. - E. Arthur Gray (1925–2006) was the longest serving Mayor of Port Jervis and was later a New York State Senator. The Port Jervis United States Post Office building is dedicated to his name.
- The city is the birthplace of Baseball Hall of Famer Bucky HarrisBucky HarrisStanley Raymond "Bucky" Harris was a Major League Baseball player, manager and executive. In 1975, the Veterans Committee elected Harris, as a manager, to the Baseball Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
. - The Kalin TwinsKalin TwinsThe Kalin Twins were a pop music recording duo, comprising twin brothers Hal and Herbie Kalin .-Career:...
, Hal (1934–2005) and Herbie (1934–2006), were one hit wonders whose record When made the top 5 in the U.S. and was number one for five weeks in the U.K. in 1958.
External links
- City of Port Jervis Website
- Port Jervis City Code
- Port Jervis Police Department
- Port Jervis Fire Department
- Port Jervis Ambulance Corp.
- Port Jervis School District
- Port Jervis Educational Foundation
- Port Jervis Recreation Department
- Port Jervis Council for the Arts
- Humane Society of Port Jervis & Deerpark
- Port Jervis Free Library
- Port Jervis Athletics - Home of the Raiders
- Port Jervis Youth Football League
- Port Jervis Soap Box Derby