Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource (New Jersey)
# Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource (New Jersey)

The Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource is a list of 53 New Jersey Transit stations in New Jersey entered into the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and National Register of Historic Places in 1984 for their architectural, historical, and cultural merit.

## History

### 19th century

Rail service began in New Jersey in 1834. Over the course of the next century, an expansive system operated by competing private companies crisscrossed the state, providing freight, long-distance and commuter passenger service.

### 20th century

By the mid 1970s most were financially troubled. Amtrak began operations on May 1, 1971 after having taken over long-distance passenger service considered to be in the nation's best interest, including the Northeast Corridor in New Jersey. Statewide commuter services came under the auspices of the New Jersey Department of Transportation and were operated under contract by Conrail, which had been established in 1976.

New Jersey Transit Rail Operations (NJTRO) was established by 1983 when New Jersey Transit (NJT) took over operations.

New Jersey Transit, in conjunction with State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), commissioned a field study concluded in 1981 of 112 train station buildings, or head houses, under its jurisdiction that had been built before World War II and were still in operation, which culminated in a report The Operating Railroad Stations of New Jersey: A Historical Survey. After a process of elimination over the next years the SHPO recommended that 53 stations be included in a multiple property submission (MPS) thematic nomination (TN); several had been previously designated, some as contributing properties to historic districts.

The NJRHP designation took place on March 17, 1984 (#5080). The MPS submission was made on May 8, 1984. Forty of the stations were entered into the NRHP on June 22, 1984 and the remainder were entered as part of the completed TN on September 29, 1984 (#64000496). Many stations were along former lines that had become part of NJTRO, one of which is used by Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

The oldest station building, the Long-a-Coming Depot, built in 1856, and the oldest active station building, Ramsey-Main Street Station, built in 1868, were not listed. Also not included in the TN were two significant individually-listed historic operating stations, Newark Pennsylvania Station and Hoboken Terminal, both of which are major rail hubs that also serve as terminals for light rail, PATH subway trains, and in the case of Hoboken, ferries across the Hudson River.

Another former intermodal station, the inactive Communipaw Terminal on the Upper New York Bay, had also been previously listed. There are other stations which have also been listed on the state and federal register, such as Mountain Lakes and Demarest which were not part of the TN since they were inactive at the time, were not considered sufficiently significant, or were not part of the NJT system.

## List

| | Station | Service | Locale Municipality County | Former railroad service | Construction date of station house | Designation | Status |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Ampere | | East Orange Essex | Lackawanna Montclair Branch | 1908 | NJRHP#1073 March 1984 NRHP#84002628 June 22, 1984 (TR) delisted October 30, 1990 | Inactive. Service discontinued April 7, 1991 Station building demolished 1991 |
| 2 | Anderson Street | Pascack Valley Line | Hackensack Bergen | Erie | 1869 | NJRHP#519 March 17, 1984 delisted March 30, 2011 NRHP #84002520 June 22, 1984 (TR) delisted May 2011 | Active Listed station building destroyed by fire 2009 and replaced |
| 3 | Bernardsville | Gladstone Branch | Bernardsville Somerset | Lackawanna | 1901 | NJRHP#247 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002786 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 4 | Bloomfield | Montclair-Boonton Line | Bloomfield Essex | Lackawanna | 1912 | NJRHP#1065 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002631 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active Listed building privately owned |
| 5 | Boonton | Montclair-Boonton Line | Boonton Morris | Lackawanna | 1905 | NJRHP#2089 October 19, 1976 NRHP#77000889 July 13, 1977 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 6 | Bound Brook | Raritan Valley Line | Bound Brook Somerset | Jersey Central | 1913 replaced 1847 Elizabethtown & Somerville Railroad Depot | NJRHP#2481 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002787 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active station. Station house (1913) converted to restaurant |
| 7 | Bradley Beach | North Jersey Coast Line | Bradley Beach Monmouth | Jersey Central | 1912 | NJRHP#1963 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002749 (TR) | Active |
| 8 | Brick Church | Morristown Line Gladstone Branch | East Orange Essex | Lackawanna | 1923 replaced former 1878 Depot | NJRHP#1074 March 17, 194 NRHP#840032 636 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 9 | Dover | Morristown Line Montclair-Boonton Line | Dover Morris | Lackawanna | 1902 replaced 1848 M&E station | NJRHP#2109 February 1, 1980 NRHP:80002511 May 23, 1980 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 10 | East Orange | Morristown Line Gladstone Branch | East Orange Essex | Lackawanna | 1923 replaced original 1836 depot | NJRHP: # NRHP:84002638 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 11 | Elberon | North Jersey Coast Line | Elberon Long Branch Monmouth | Jersey Central | 1899 | NJRHP#2007 December 19, 1977 NRHP#78001777 June 9, 1978 September 29, 1984 (TR) delisted October 17 & October 30, 1990 | Active Listed station building lost to fire and replaced |
| 12 | Elizabeth Station | | Elizabeth Union | Jersey Central Mainline | 1863 | NJRHP#2661 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002825 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Inactive, 1976 but included in nomination Adjacent to former PRR station Elizabeth (NJT station) (NEC) Proposed incorporation into Elizabeth Midtown Station |
| 13 | Fanwood | Raritan Valley Line | Fanwood Union | Jersey Central | 1874 | NJRHP#2680# November 7, 1979 NRHP#80002521 July 17, 1980 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 14 | Far Hills | Gladstone Branch | Far Hills Somerset | Lackawanna | 1914 | NJRHP#2489 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002789 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 15 | Gladstone | Gladstone Branch | Gladstone Somerset | Lackawanna | 1891 | NJRHP#2577 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002792 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 16 | Glen Ridge (Montclair Branch) | Montclair-Boonton Line | Glen Ridge Essex | Lackawanna | 1912 | Glen Ridge Historic District (CP) NJRHP #1087 October 3, 1980 NRHP #82004784 August 9, 1982 NJRH: #3712 March 17, 1984 NRHP: June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 17 | Glen Ridge (Boontoon Line) | | Glen Ridge Essex | Erie NYGL Boonton Line NJT | 1883 | Glen Ridge Historic District (CP) NJRHP #1087 October 3, 1980 NRHP #82004784 August 9, 1982 NJRHP: #4075 March 17, 1984 NRHP: September 29, 1984 (TR) | Renamed Benson Street by NJT Inactive since 2002 Listed station building sold by NJT and converted to private home |
| 18 | Hillsdale | Pascack Valley Line | Hillsdale Bergen | Erie | 1869 | NJRHP#537 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002566 June 22, 9184 (TR) | Active |
| 19 | Hopewell | | Hopewell Mercer | Reading | 1876 former D&BB station closed in 1982 | NJRHP: #1673 March 17, 1984 NRHP: #84002728 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Inactive Proposed station on West Trenton Line (NJ Transit) |
| 20 | Little Silver | North Jersey Coast Line | Little Silver Monmouth | Jersey Central | 1890 | NJRHP#1999 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002754 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 21 | Lyons | Gladstone Branch | Liberty Corner Somerset | Lackawanna | 1931 | NJRHP#2477 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002805 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 22 | Madison | Morristown Line | Madison Morris | Lackawanna | 1916 | NJRHP#2141 March 17, 1984 NRHP 84002764 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 23 | Matawan | North Jersey Coast Line | Matawan | Monmouth | Jersey Central | NJRHP#2017 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002756 June 22, 1987 (TR) | Active Renamed Aberdeen-Matawan by NJT Listed building not in use since 1982 |
| 24 | Millington | Gladstone Branch | Millington Long Hill Township Morris | Lackawanna | 1901 replaced early-1870s-built M&E Depot | NJRHP#2138 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002767 June 22, 1984 | Active |
| 25 | Montclair Lackawanna Terminal | | Montclair Essex | Lackawanna Montclair Branch | 1913 | NJRHP#1155 August 7, 1972 NRHP#73001092 January 8, 1973 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Inactive since 1981; converted to shopping center |
| 26 | Morris Plains | Morristown Line | Morris Plains Morris | Lackawanna | 1915 | NJRHP#2170 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002780 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 27 | Morristown | Morristown Line Morristown | Morris | Lackawanna | 1913 | NJRHP#2186 October 16, 1979 NRHP#84003514 March 11, 1908 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 28 | Mountain Avenue | Montclair-Boonton Line | Montclair Essex | Erie | 1893 replaced former 1873-built Montclair Railway Depot | NJRHP#1160 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002654 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 29 | Mountain Station | Morristown Line Gladstone Branch | South Orange Essex | Lackawanna | 1914 | NJRHP#1361 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002656 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 30 | Murray Hill | Gladstone Branch | Murray Hill New Providence Union | Lackawanna | 1891 | NJRH#2692 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002826 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 31 | Netherwood | Raritan Valley Line | Plainfield Union | Jersey Central | 1894 | NJRHP#2700 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002830 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 32 | New Brunswick | Northeast Corridor Line | New Brunswick Middlesex | Pennsylvania | 1903 | NJRH#1875 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002732 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active; serves NJT and Amtrak |
| 33 | Newark Broad Street Station | Montclair-Boonton Line Morristown Line Gladstone Branch | Newark Essex | Lackawanna | 1903 replaced 1836-built M&E Depot | NJRHP#1217 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002662 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active Terminus Newark Light Rail branch since 2006 |
| 34 | Ocean City Tenth Street Station | Ocean City Transportation Center | Ocean City Cape May | Atlantic City Railroad Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines | 1898 | NJRHP#1010 March 17, 1984 NRHP84002611 June 22, 1984 | Service discontinued 1981 Active as bus terminal |
| 35 | Ocean City 34th Street Station | | Ocean City Cape May | Atlantic City Railroad Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines | circa 1885 | NJRHP#1011 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002613 June 22, 1984 | Service discontinued 1981 Listed station building struck by truck and later demolished |
| 36 | Oradell | Pascack Valley Line | Oradell Bergen | Erie | 1891 | NJRHP#612 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002575 June 22, 1984 | Active |
| 37 | Orange | Morristown Line Gladstone Branch | Orange Essex | Lackawanna | 1918 | NJRHP#1335 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002665 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 38 | Park Ridge | Pascack Valley Line | Park Ridge Bergen | Erie | 1872 | NJRHP#627 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002577 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 39 | Perth Amboy | North Jersey Coast Line | Perth Amboy Middlesex | Jersey Central | 1923 | NJRHP#1899 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002735 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 40 | Plainfield | Raritan Valley Line | Plainfield Union | Jersey Central | 1902 | NJRHP#2791 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002837 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 41 | Princeton | | Princeton Mercer | Pennsylvania | 1918 replaced 1865-built UNJ&C Depot | NJRHP#1742 March 17, 1984 NRHP September 29, 1984 (TR) | Inactive New station house opened 2014 on shortened Princeton Branch |
| 42 | Radburn | Bergen County Line | Radburn Fairlawn Bergen | Erie | 1930 | NJRHP#483 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002580 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 43 | Raritan | Raritan Valley Line | Raritan Somerset | Jersey Central | 1890 | NJRHP#2579 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002824 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 44 | Red Bank | North Jersey Coast Line | Red Bank Monmouth | Jersey Central | 1876 | NJRNP#2048 January 7, 1976 NRHP#76001172 May 28, 1976 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 45 | Ridgewood | Main Line Bergen County Line | Ridgewood Bergen | Erie | 1916 | NJRHP#647 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002582 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 46 | Rutherford | Bergen County Line | Rutherford Bergen | Erie | 1898 replaced an 1862-built NY&E Depot | NJRHP#667 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002584 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 47 | South Orange | Morristown Line Gladstone Branch | South Orange Essex | Lackawanna | 1915 | NJRHP#1362 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002669 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 48 | Tuckahoe | | Upper Township Cape May | Atlantic City Railroad Philadelphia and Reading Railway Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines | 1894–95 1906 | NJRHP#1016 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002626 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Inactive Cape May Seashore Lines Seasonal excursion train suspended 2012 |
| 49 | Upper Montclair | Montclair-Boonton Line | Upper Montclair Montclair Essex | Erie | 1892 replaced 1873-built Montclair Railway station | NJRHP#1191 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002673 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 50 | Waldwick | Main Line Bergen County Line | Waldwick Bergen | Erie | 1886 | NJRHP#716 August 27, 1977 NRHP#78001742 August 27, 1977 September 29, 1984 (TR) | Active Listed station building not in use by NJT leased to historical society since 2009 |
| 51 | Watchung Avenue | Montclair-Boonton Line | Montclair Essex | Erie | 1904 replaced 1873-built Montclair Railway station | NJRHP#1198 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002674 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |
| 52 | West Trenton | West Trenton Line (SEPTA) | West Trenton Ewing Mercer | Reading | 1929 | NJRHP#1650 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84004031 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active Proposed station on West Trenton Line (NJ Transit) |
| 53 | White House | Raritan Valley Line | Whitehouse Station Readington Township Hunterdon | Jersey Central Rockaway Valley Railroad | 1892 | NJRHP#1628 March 17, 1984 NRHP#84002726 June 22, 1984 (TR) | Active |

## Other historic designations

Among the others stations in the state, most of which of are inactive, listed in the state and federal registers are Allenhurst (NJT) (station building demolished), Butler (NYSW), Cary (CNJ), Demarest (Erie Northern Branch), Great Meadows (L&HR), Long-a-Coming Depot, Maywood (NYSW), Mountain Lakes, North Pemberton (C&A), Pennington (Reading), Pompton Plains (Erie), Rio Grande (WJ), Tenafly (Erie Northern Branch), and Washington (DL&W) (demolished).

## Abbreviations

* C&A=Camden and Amboy
* CNJ=Central Railroad of New Jersey
* CP=contributing property
* DL&W=Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
* Erie=Erie Railroad
* L&HR=Lehigh and Hudson River Railway
* M&E=Morris and Essex Railroad
* N&E=New York and Erie Railroad
* NEC=Northeast Corridor
* NYGL=New York and Greenwood Lake Railway
* NRHP=National Register of Historic Places
* NJDOT=New Jersey Department of Transportation
* NJRHP=New Jersey Register of Historic Places
* NJT=NJ Transit
* NYS&W=New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
* NS=Norfolk Southern Railway
* PATH=PATH rail system
* PRR=Pennsylvania Railroad
* PS=Public service railway
* SEPTA=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
* SHPO=State Historic Preservation Office
* TN=thematic nomination
* TR=thematic resource
* WJ=West Jersey and Seashore Railroad
