Sunday, May 16, 2010

Ogden Avenue

My favorite street in The Heights is probably Ogden Avenue, which is a charming mix of historic buildings, pictured above and below, new development, and the downright quirky.

The rowhouses, above, constitute one of my favorite blocks on Ogden Avenue. This evening, when making my rounds, I also discovered a little plaque tied to a tree, below.

The dedication, written in French, is for a one-month old baby girl who passed away in 2005.

Ogden Avenue is located on the edge of The Palisades cliff, literally one block away from already gentrified Hoboken. The views of New York City from Ogden are phenomenal. Since it is so close to Hoboken, it is the first street in The Heights that is being gentrified in a hurry. New construction, above and below, is a familiar sight.

The Heights does retain some of its quirkyness. The house below certainly looks like it belongs in the Hollywood Hills instead of Jersey City Heights.

And what about the Pink House below? I can't find any other explanation for the owners of this house painting it pink except that they were totally off their rockers.

There is a lot of history on Ogden Avenue, as witnessed by Pohlmann's Hall, pictured below. This 1874 building was originally a German athletics and social club. It has now been converted into condos. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

The English writer Pamela Windo, author of “Zohra's Ladder,” lives in this building. She says in the Spring 2010 edition of Jersey City Magazine that Pohlmann's Hall “was exactly what [she] was looking for” when she moved to The Heights more than 10 years ago.

The Ogden-Conrad House, above and below, is located on 248 Ogden Avenue. The house was built in 1760. That's a Model T Ford in front of the house, circa 1920s.

The house is named after former New Jersey Governor Aaron Ogden, who was elected governor in 1812. It was also the home of Theodore Conrad, who was well-known for his 1960s and 1970s activism to save architectural landmarks in Jersey City. He died in 1994.

Despite all the neat buildings on Ogden Avenue, my favorite block of rowhouses is probably the ones pictured above. I don't know their place in Heights history, but there is something about them that I found intriguing. Since I am a sucker for American colonial history, perhaps it is their resemblance of 1776 Philadelphia that I find irresistable?

9 comments:

  1. The brick row houses you like are from 1877 (ish). I live in the one on the left. Nice picture

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  2. dear cindylouz, i lived in the last house on our left from '58-'85.#260 ogden ave. i'm on face book or ed_keens@yahoo.com. thanks

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    1. Keens, Eddie? I'm Bob's daughter, Tom and John's niece. Hello!! Michele Lavelle

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  3. I lived at 410 Ogden Ave. It was once a coffin factory before being converted to apts. Not sure what year that was

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  5. I am looking to move to that block. Does anyone know of any sales by owners? If so, be so kind as to advise?

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  6. Thank you for documenting all this; are you still living in the Heights? It's a totally different place since I first move here in 1987.

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  7. I lived at 334 Ogden Ave from 73 to 79 Appx. Appx is only because I can't remember much more since I was born in 69.
    I remember Playing Wiffle ball with My friends on Ogden Ave above Holland street and having to then squeeze though the fence to access the stairs to retrieve foul balls along Holland St. Eventually they welded bars in-between so we had then then climb over it. this was around 76/77. I'm guessing the stairs were fenced off sometime earlier. Does anyone know why they were fenced off??? Ahh Don't forget going under the bridge in the winter time to collect Magnificent Icicles.. Driving down the bumpy Holland street to Hoboken and back with my Parents.

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  8. Loved reading this history and seeing all the old photos! My dad grew up in Jersey City and my daughter lives in the Heights now.

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