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Paulus Hook Ferry
Early in 1764 a new Post route was established between
New York and Philadelphia, and Abraham Messier, who
owned a wharf at the foot of Cortlandt street, New York, and
Michael Cornelissen made arrangements with Cornelius Van
Vorst for a landing at Paulus Hook (foot of Grand street.) he
boats were two periaugers, which made the trips across the
river "as the wind served." he Ferry Company was to keep
in repair the causeway leading out to the road to Bergen. he
new Post route to Philadelphia was by way of Bergen Point
and Staten Island. Formerly travellers from New York to the
south had gone by boat to Amboy, thence by stages to
Philadelphia and other points. Just when the Post route was changed I have been
unable to ascertain, but in 1715 commissioners were appointed
to lay out a road across the meadows, intersecting the Bergen
Point road, with ferries across the Hackensack and Passaic.
The road was nearly the same as the one since known as the
Newark plank road. Mr. Thomas Brown, one of the
commissioners, owned the land from New York Bay to
Newark Bay. He owned what is known as the Gautier house,
and on his land on Newark Bay side built the ferry known as
Brown's ferry. After the completion of this road and ferries
the Post route came by the mill and church road to Bergen,
thence by the road across the meadows. The stages stopped
over night at Princeton.
Van Vorst laid out a small park, semi-circular, in shape, at
what is now the foot of Grand street. Michael Cornelisen built
a tavern just north of Grand street, near the water, a low
frame house about forty feet in length, with a porch in front
over which projected the extended Dutch roof. In 1800 this
house, used as a tavern and ferry-house, with several spacious
barns, stables and a store-house, were the only buildings on the
Hoeck. In 1769 Van Vorst laid out a race course one, mile
long around the sand hills and along the edge of the upland;
this was in use, except during the war, until the founding of
Jersey City in 1804. This was the only race course in Jersey
City until the Beacon Race Course was established on the Hill
in what was later Hudson City, about 1837-38, and
discontinued about 1845. It was located southeast of where
the reservoir now stands and was the scene of some very
celebrated races. It was here on August 1, 1839, that Dutchman, trotting against time, made three miles in seven
minutes, thirty-two and a half seconds. Hiram Woodruff
claimed that he could h ave done it in seven minutes, twenty-
seven seconds, or better; this record was not beaten until by
Huntress at Prospect Park, September 21, 1872.
The ferry was leased to several different parties. In 1771
Abraham Messier obtained a lease for three years
this was renewed in 1774 and as he died soon after his widow
remained in charge, probably during the war subject to military
control. Soon after the war her name is connected with the
ferry, and in 1786 she petitioned for repairs to the ferry stairs
on the New York side.
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P.O. Box 3362
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