Jersey City in Hudson County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Historic Trilogy
The term “Historic Trilogy” is used to represent the role the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) Terminal, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty played in American history. It was these three historic structures that greeted most of the immigrants arriving to the New York Harbor area during the wave of immigration of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Statue of Liberty, dedicated in 1886, was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. Its original intent was to symbolize a common belief in democracy. It quickly became a universal symbol of hope and freedom, especially to those immigrants fleeing political and religious persecution in Europe and the Soviet Union.
The Ellis Island Immigration Station opened in 1892 to process the 12 million immigrants pouring into the New York Harbor area. These people supplied the labor, and in some cases the expertise, which fueled the industrial revolution in this country. Today, over half of the people living in the U.S. can trace their ancestry back to those immigrants.
Completing the trilogy is the CRRNJ Terminal. Constructed in 1889, it was expanded to its current dimension in 1914, due to increased rail and ferry traffic. Besides transporting hundreds of thousands of commuters to New York City, the Terminal was used by about two thirds of the immigrants processed on Ellis Island, finding their way to a new life.
The CRRNJ Terminal, the cornerstone of Liberty State Park, provides us with a concrete connection to the past. Listed on both the State and National Register of Historic Places, its association with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remind us of our distinctive past.
Erected by New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.
Location. 40° 42.445′ N, 74° 2.071′ W. Marker is in Jersey City, New Jersey, in Hudson County. Marker can be reached from Audrey Zapp Road, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located in Liberty State Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jersey City NJ 07304, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) Terminal (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named The Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) Terminal (within shouting distance of this marker); The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (within shouting distance of this marker); Central Railroad of NJ Employees (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Empty Sky: New Jersey (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named The Historic Trilogy (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Morris Canal Big Basin (approx. 0.3 miles away); Korean War Veterans of Hudson County (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jersey City.
More about this marker. Pictures of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island Immigration Center and the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal appear at the top of the marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 9, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 586 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 9, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.