Page 87 - nyc

On the New York Harbor, less than 2,000 feet from the Statue of Liberty,
Liberty State Park has served a vital role in the development of New

Jersey's metropolitan region and the history of the nation.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries the area that is now Liberty State

Park was a major waterfront industrial area with an extensive freight and
passenger transportation network. This network became the lifeline of New
York City and the harbor area. The heart of this transportation network was
the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (CRRNJ), located in the

northern portion of the park. The CRRNJ Terminal stands with the Statue
of Liberty and Ellis Island to unfold one of this nation's most dramatic
stories: the immigration of northern, southern, and eastern Europeans into

the United States. After being greeted by the Statue of Liberty and proc-
essed at Ellis Island, these immigrants purchased tickets and boarded
trains, at the CRRNJ Terminal, that took them to their new homes through-
out the United States. The Terminal served these immigrants as the

gateway to the realization of their hopes and dreams of a new life in
America.

Today, Liberty State Park continues to serve a vital role in the New York

Harbor area. Most of this 1,122 acre park is open space with approximate-
ly 300 acres developed for public recreation.