Built-in 1889 to replace an outdated terminal, the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) terminal was constructed mostly on landfill from New York City and ballast from ocean-going vessels. The three-story building joined twelve Railroad tracks with six platforms to the ferry slips at Jersey City’s water’s edge. By the turn of the century, the CRRNJ complex was the largest in the New York Harbor, accommodating 30,000-50,000 people per day. Then, with the opening of the Immigration Station on Ellis Island, it is estimated that two-thirds of the incoming immigrants processed through Ellis Island, welcomed by the Statue of Liberty, and continued to their new lives via the CRRNJ terminal.

In 1967 the terminal ceased passenger operations, and the CRRNJ declared bankruptcy. It was many years later that a cleanup and preservation campaign took place. At that point, the CRRNJ terminal and its adjacent acreage fell into complete ruin after years of abandonment and neglect. 

Now listed on both the State and National Register of Historic Places, the terminal offers present-day visitors the opportunity to experience both the history and the renaissance of this incredible landmark.