Events

June 14, 2008

Speaker: Cynthia Harris, Director of the New Jersey Room at the Jersey City Free Public Library will provide an in-depth tour of what is available in the New Jersey Room. Located on the third floor of the main Jersey City Library at the corner of Jersey Avenue and Montgomery Street, the New Jersey Room has been the one bright spot in Hudson County, NJ for genealogical research. Under past leadership of Joan Doherty Lovera, Patrick Shalhoub, Ken French, and now Cynthia Harris, a HCGS member and active genealogist, the New Jersey Room has consistently enlarged it’s holdings of genealogical records. Many of these records are only available in the New Jersey room. After our business meeting Cynthia will highlight the vast holdings of the library and demonstrate their value to the family genealogist.

We will also be taking nominations for the elections of officers at the October Annual Meeting.

Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location:
The New Jersey Room, 3rd Floor
The Jersey City Free Public Library
472 Jersey Avenue at Montgomery, Jersey City, NJ

The meeting will start promptly at 11:00 am. Refreshments will be served. Since the parking availability is always questionable, car-pooling or drop-offs for locals is advised. Also, for detailed directions and to use the Hudson Light Rail.

Directions:
Mapquest

Approaching from the West on NJ Turnpike Extension
(Eastbound, toward Holland Tunnel on Route 78):

1. After paying the toll take the second exit on the right marked Columbus Dr - Jersey City. Keep to your right down the ramp.
2. The traffic light at the bottom of the ramp is Montgomery Street. Continue straight across Montgomery Street keeping right.
3. Follow Columbus Drive as it bears to the right. (Ahead of you will see the old railroad embankment which gave Columbus Drive it's original name, Railroad Avenue.)After paying the toll t
4. Make a right turn at the fourth traffic light (Jersey Avenue). The library is three blocks down on the left.

Parking in the area is always tight but is generally better on Saturdays as there is not alternate side of the street parking or zoned parking regulations in effect but do make sure to park legally.

Alternative Transportation

An alternate to driving to the library is taking the Light Rail from Liberty State Park. That way you can park in the lot at the park.

To take the train get off the Liberty State Park/Science Center exit on the turnpike (the first exit after the toll) and follow the road down the ramp to the end where it bears left and park in the daily parking lot.

The way the light rail works is that you pay for your parking by entering your park spot number into a vending machine. You can also purchase your train ticket at the machine. After getting your ticket you must have the ticket time stamped in another machine. The ticket is then good for 90 minutes.

Take the Hoboken train and get off at the first stop, Jersey Avenue. The library is a short walk (four blocks) north from the train stop. If you come early you can have breakfast at the Brownstone Diner on the corner of Jersey Avenue. (Bob Murgittroyd recommends the banana walnut pancakes.)

If you are coming from the north you can also park at the light rail station at 52th Street and Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen and take the West Side Avenue Train to Jersey Avenue.

If you are interested in making a day of it on Saturday, the Hamilton Park Association is having their festival at Hamilton Park about &Mac178; of a mile north of the library the same day. There are usually vendors selling items of historic interest such as vintage Hudson County post cards.

More Information

> The Jersey City Free Public Library