Was Little Ferry Yard truly little? The name might suggest a modest size but its impact on the region was anything but small. Let’s step back in time and uncover the story of this place.
Little Ferry Yard sits in a borough with a fitting name. Little Ferry got its start as part of New Barbados. It later became part of Lodi Township in 1825. The borough we know today was officially formed in 1894. It earned its name from a rope-drawn ferry. This ferry connected the area across the Hackensack River between 1659 and 1826.
Before the railways and before the yard, Little Ferry was mostly farmland. That changed thanks to one woman. Elizabeth Sutliff Dufler, a freed slave, purchased 10 acres of land near the river in 1847. Dufler sold clay to potteries in Newark and Jersey City.
The clay soon transformed the economy. The first brickyard opened its doors in 1872. Cole and Showers were the owners. Then came the Mehrhof brothers. They expanded the yard and the business boomed. By 1882, Mehrhof’s Brickyards became the second largest in the country. They churned out over 2.2 million bricks each year.
An old map from 1876 even shows Little Ferry as “Freiburg.” This was likely due to the large German population that flocked to the area for work. By 1904, eight brickyards were operating in Little Ferry. Little Ferry was a major industrial hub.
The abundance of clay led to the creation of Little Ferry Yard. The Yard facilitated the transport of the bricks. Barges floated down the Hackensack River. Horse-drawn vehicles trundled along roads. Little Ferry Yard became a vital hub connecting production with distribution.
The Yard facilitated more than just bricks. It became a center for commerce and trade. The Yard employed many. The borough grew. Little Ferry’s population increased.
But as the saying goes, all good things must end. After World War I, Little Ferry’s brick industry declined. Cheaper materials and changing construction methods took their toll. By 1923, only four yards remained. The last yard burned down in 1956. Little Ferry Yard was no longer needed for bricks.
Today, you won’t find bustling brickyards. The only evidence of this era is the three lakes. Willow Lake, Indian Lake, and the pond at the end of Mehrhof Road now mark old clay pits. Little Ferry Yard still operates today. The CSX operates it.
Though the brickyards are silent, Little Ferry Yard remains. It’s a reminder of the industry that shaped this borough. It shows how one resource can transform a community. As we move on, remember the story of Little Ferry Yard. Remember the bricks, the barges, and the people who built a town.