History of
Liberty State Park The
Statue of Liberty and
Ellis
Island Photos On the New York Harbor, less than 2,000 feet from the Statue of Liberty,
Liberty State Park has served a vital role in the development of New Jersey's
metropolitan region and the history of the nation.
Today, Liberty State Park continues to serve a vital role in the New York
Harbor area. As the railroads and industry declined, the land was abandoned
and became a desolate dump site. With the development of Liberty State Park
came a renaissance of the waterfront. Land with decaying buildings, overgrown
tracks and piles of debris was transformed into a modern urban state park. The
park was formerly opened on Flag Day, June 14, 1976, as New Jersey's
bicentennial gift to the nation. Most of this 1,122 acre park is open space
with approximately 300 acres developed for public recreation.
STATUE OF LIBERTY PHOTOS ELLIS
ISLAND GREAT HALL PHOTOS HOME LOOKING DOWN & UP AT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
During the 19th and early 20th centuries the area that is now Liberty State
Park was a major waterfront industrial area with an extensive freight and
passenger transportation network. This network became the lifeline of New York
City and the harbor area. The heart of this transportation network was the
Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (CRRNJ), located in the northern
portion of the park. The CRRNJ Terminal stands with the Statue of Liberty and
Ellis Island to unfold one of this nation's most dramatic stories: the
immigration of northern, southern, and eastern Europeans into the United
States. After being greeted by the Statue of Liberty and processed at Ellis
Island, these immigrants purchased tickets and boarded trains, at the CRRNJ
Terminal, that took them to their new homes throughout the United States. The
Terminal served these immigrants as the gateway to the realization of their
hopes and dreams of a new life in America.