Remember the name Gemonepan. This was the summer village of the Hackensack Native Americans. Now it is called Communipaw. We stand on land rich with history. It is a place where different worlds collided.
Communipaw’s story stretches back to the earliest days of European settlement. The Dutch West India Company established New Netherland in the 17th century. This settlement brought familiar locations and place names. Pavonia, Harsimus, and Paulus Hook are among them. Communipaw became one of these locations.
Henry Hudson sailed into Communipaw in 1609. He was commissioned by the Dutch East India Company. Hudson explored the Upper New York Bay and the Hudson Valley. His mate, Robert Juet, wrote of Communipaw. He noted it was a very good and pleasant land.
The Dutch built a house in Communipaw in 1633. This was one of the first two houses in the vast area. The Dutch West India Company controlled this area. Jan Evertse Bout occupied the house. He was also known as Jan de Lacher. In 1634, Bout named the area after himself. It became Jan de Lacher’s Hoeck at the Communipaw Bay. This is now South Cove in the Lafayette section. It is near Phillips Street.
Bout oversaw Michiel Pauw’s land claim. Dutch settlement grew along the shoreline. Houses were built along present-day Phillips Street. A ferry service connected Communipaw and New Amsterdam.
In the 1660s, Communipaw was fortified. Homes were surrounded by a wooden palisade. This was similar to Bergen Square. Communipaw was located on New York Bay. It served as a harbor for settlers of Bergen Township. The Dutch families Van Horne, Garrabrant, and Brinkerhoff settled here. They farmed the land and sold goods in New York City.
The name Communipaw has evolved. It comes from the Algonquian language Lenape. Early spellings included Gamoenapa and Gemonepan. Most sources say it means “big landing-place from the other side of the river”.
Washington Irving visited Communipaw often. He sought inspiration for his writing. He referred to Communipaw as a stronghold of Dutch culture. James Fenimore Cooper and Herman Melville also mentioned Communipaw.
During the 19th century, Communipaw’s shoreline was extended. It stretched a mile into New York Bay. This was done with landfill. The Central Railroad of New Jersey filled in Communipaw Bay.
The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal was a major transportation hub. It was built next to Communipaw Cove. The terminal saw over 65,000 passengers daily in 1929. Passenger service ended in 1967. The terminal is now part of Liberty State Park. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, you can visit a small museum here. It tells the history of the area. You can also take a ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Communipaw stands as a testament to time. From Native American village to Dutch settlement, it is a place of layered history. It is a reminder of New York’s diverse past. The echoes of the past resonate. They remind us of the many stories that have shaped this land.