The harbor-fronting train station at Liberty State Park had begun to be built in 1860. Earth being removed for construction in Manhattan was shipped across the harbor to New Jersey to provide the undersurface for the station. The original terminal was completed in 1864. Ferries could bring troops, civilians, and supplies across from New York, there trains awaited to bring them south and into the interior.
In 1889, a new terminal was built. [The three-story terminal had twelve tracks with six platforms that ran almost to the water’s edge. According to the State of New Jersey, “Service and repair facilities float bridges, barges and thawing sheds combined to make this complex the largest in the New York Harbor at the turn of the century.” In 1892, Ellis Island, not far offshore from the terminal, opened and ferries brought many immigrants here after they cleared inspection. According to the same source, the “Terminal accommodated between 30,000-50,000 people per day on 128 ferry runs and 300 trains. By 1914, the train and ferry sheds were enlarged to accommodate the growing numbers of commuters. The Bush train shed, still standing today, housing 20 tracks, was the largest one ever built.”
During the Civil War, many New England and New York regiments crossed over at this spot and boarded trains heading to Baltimore and further South. The illustration above shows the 6th Massachusetts in the first month of the war arriving at this terminal. The regiment would later be attacked by a mob in Baltimore.
Although the Civil War and Reconstruction terminal is no longer on the landing, the 1889 terminal has been restored and can be visited. The importance of the location for rail traffic between 1860 and the mid-20th Century is obvious to any visitor.
Tourists typically view this site when visiting the Liberty Science Center
The park has great views of Manhattan and New York Harbor. If you are travelling with kids, take them over to the Liberty Science Center right next door.
