Downtown Jersey City in Hudson County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Morris Canal Big Basin
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 14, 2024
1. The Morris Canal Big Basin Marker
Inscription.
The Morris Canal Big Basin. . By the late 1850s, the original canal basin (the "Little Basin") proved to small to handle the growing canal traffic. To the south of it, the Big Basin was constructed in 1859. Canal traffic continued to increase during the Civil War years and peaked in 1866, declining rapidly thereafter. By 1871 the Lehigh Valley Railroad leased all Morris Canal property mainly to obtain the valuable terminals in Jersey City and Phillipsburg. The railroad then built its own separate rail line across New Jersey between those terminals. The canal itself never made a profit for its new owners; the State of New Jersey acquired it in 1923 and abandoned it the following year.
By the late 1850s, the original canal basin (the "Little Basin") proved to small to handle the growing canal traffic. To the south of it, the Big Basin was constructed in 1859. Canal traffic continued to increase during the Civil War years and peaked in 1866, declining rapidly thereafter. By 1871 the Lehigh Valley Railroad leased all Morris Canal property mainly to obtain the valuable terminals in Jersey City and Phillipsburg. The railroad then built its own separate rail line across New Jersey between those terminals. The canal itself never made a profit for its new owners; the State of New Jersey acquired it in 1923 and abandoned it the following year.
Location. 40° 42.704′ N, 74° 2.252′ W. Marker is in Jersey City, New Jersey, in Hudson County. It is in Downtown Jersey City. Marker can be reached from Washington Street, 0.1 miles south of Dudley Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Washington St, Jersey City NJ 07302, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 14, 2024
2. The Morris Canal Big Basin Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 15, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 58 times since then. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 15, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
