Harsimus is an area in Downtown Jersey City and the name of a nearby cove along the Hudson River. It is north of Grove Street and Newark Avenue, east of The Village and south of Hamilton Park. Harsimus is part of the district which for many years was called the Horseshoe, due to the shape of the railroad tracks which en compassed it and gerrymandering in the late 19th century.
At the time of European settlement in the seventeenth century Harsimus was the site of an encampment of the Hackensack Indians. They, along with the Raritan, Tappan, Wappani, Canarsee and other seasonally migrational groups in the region were collectively known as the River Indians by the immigrating population. This phratry of the Lenape spoke the Unami dialect and had as their totem a turtle. [1]
Harismus is a derivative of a Lenape phrase, possibly meaning Crow's Marsh. Spellings include: Aharsimus, [2]Ahasimus, [3][4]Hasymes, [5] Haassemus, Hahassemes, Hasimus, Horseemes, Hasseme [6], Horsimus [7] Contemporary: ahas meaning crow [8]
In 1630, Harismus was purchased by Michael Reyniersz Pauw as part of a patroonship to which he gave the Latinized form of his name, Pavonia. In 1634, a homestead was built there for his superintendent, Cornelius Van Vorst (who lends his name to the nearby Van Vorst Park). Pauw failed to fulfill the conditions set forth by the Dutch West India Company, and in 1636 was required to sell his holdings back to it the company. This homestead, and that at Communipaw to the south, were part of the province of New Netherland, and part of the Commonality of New Amsterdam, it's capital. In 1661, it became part of Bergen when a new village was founded at Bergen Square and granted its own charter. This municipality encampassed all of Bergen Neck and was the fore-runner of Bergen Township.
The Harsimus Cove Station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail takes its name from the cove. Harsimus Cove Historic District, designated December 9, 1987, is roughly bounded by Grove Dr., Bay & First Sts., Jersey Ave., Second, & Coles Sts.
40°43′24″N 74°2′41″W / 40.72333°N 74.04472°W
See also
| New Netherland series | |
|---|---|
| Exploration | |
| Fortifications: | |
| Settlements: | |
| The Patroon System |
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| Directors of New Netherland: Cornelius Jacobsen Mey (1620-1625) |
|
| People of New Netherland New Netherlander |
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| Flushing Remonstrance |
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- Bergen village
- Bergen
- Communipaw
- Grace Church Van Vorst
- Harsimus Stem Embankment
- Harsimus Cove (HBLR station)
- Harsimus Branch
- Horseshoe, Jersey City
- Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse
- Ironbound
- Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery
- Pavonia Terminal
- Pavonia
- List of Registered Historic Places in Hudson County, New Jersey
- New Netherland
- New Netherland settlements
- Van Vorst Township
References
- ^ Ruttenber,E.M.,Indian Tribes of Hudson's River, ISBN 0-910746-98-2 (Hope Farm Press, 3rd ed, 2001)
- ^ http://www.cityofjerseycity.org/oldberg/chapter7.shtml
- ^ http://www.hiddenhistory.com/PAGE3/swsts/nujers-1.HTM#Delaware
- ^ http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/delaware/delawarevillages.htm
- ^ http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/Dutch-Colonies/2002-03/1015788155
- ^ www.nj.gov/state/darm/links/pdf/pasevensettledtowns.pdf
- ^ http://files.usgwarchives.org/nj/bergen/land/deed-s.txt
- ^ http://www.talk-lenape.org/spelling.php
External links
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