Port Jervis was part of early industrial history, a point for shipping coal to major markets to the southeast by canal and later by railroads. Its residents had long-distance passenger service by railroad until 1970. The restructuring of railroads resulted in a decline in the city's business and economy.[2]
The first fully developed European settlement in the area was established by Dutch and English colonists c.1690, and a land grant of 1,200 acres (490 ha) was formalized on October 14, 1697. The settlement was originally known as Mahackamack, after a Lenape word. It was raided and burned in 1779 during the American Revolutionary War, by British and Mohawk forces under the command of Mohawk leader Joseph Brant before the Battle of Minisink. Over the next two decades, residents rebuilt the settlement. They developed more roadways to better connect Mahackamack with the eastern parts of Orange County.
After the Delaware and Hudson Canal was opened in 1828, providing transportation of coal from northeastern Pennsylvania to New York and New England via the Hudson River, trade attracted money and further development to the area.[4] A village was incorporated on May 11, 1853.[2] It was renamed as Port Jervis in the mid-19th century, after John Bloomfield Jervis, chief engineer of the D&H Canal. Port Jervis grew steadily into the 1900s, and on July 26, 1907, it became a city.
The Erie Depot, built in 1892, was the largest station on the Erie Railroad's Delaware Division. The Erie ceased long-distance passenger service in 1970. The depot was recently restored and houses some retail shops.
Like the D&H Canal, the railroads brought new prosperity to Port Jervis in the form of increased trade and investment in the community from the outside. However, the competition by the railroad, which could deliver products faster, hastened the decline of the canal, which ceased operation in 1898. The railroads were the basis of the city's economy for the coming decades. Port Jervis became Erie's division center between Jersey City, New Jersey and Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, and by 1922, 20 passenger trains went through the city every day. More than 2,500 Erie RR employees made their homes there.[6]
The railroads began to decline after the Great Depression.[6] A shift in transportation accelerated after World War II with the federal subsidy of the Interstate Highway System and increased competition from trucking companies. One of the first Class I railroads to shut down was the O&W, on March 29, 1957, leaving Port Jervis totally reliant on the Erie. A few years later, in 1960, the Erie, also on a shaky financial footing, merged with Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to become the Erie Lackawanna. Railroad restructuring continued and in 1976, the Erie Lackawana became part of Conrail, along with a number of other struggling railroads, such as the Penn Central.[5] Since the breakup of Conrail, the trackage around Port Jervis has been controlled by Norfolk Southern. The decline of the railroads was an economic blow to Port Jervis. The city has struggled to find a new economic basis.
Lynching and Racist incidents
On June 2, 1892, Robert Lewis, an African American, was lynched, hanged on Main Street in Port Jervis by a mob after being accused of participation in an assault on a white woman.[7][8] A grand jury indicted nine people for assault and rioting rather than Lewis's lynching.[9] Some literary critics argue that this event influenced Stephen Crane's 1898 novella The Monster. Crane lived in Port Jervis from 1878 until 1883 and frequently visited the area from 1891 to 1897.[10]
In the mid-1920s some residents in the area formed a Ku Klux Klan chapter, in the period of the KKK's early 20th-century revival. They burned crosses on Point Peter, the mountain peak that overlooks the city.[11]
The city's location at the confluence of the Delaware and Neversink rivers has made it subject to occasional flooding. There was flooding during the 1955 Hurricane Diane, and a flood-related rumor started a panic in the population. This incident was studied and a 1958 report issued by the National Research Council: "The Effects of a Threatening Rumor on a Disaster-Stricken Community".[12]
In addition to the rivers having flooded during periods of heavy rainfall, at times ice jams have effectively dammed the Delaware, also causing flooding. In 1875 ice floes destroyed the bridge to Matamoras, Pennsylvania.[6] In 1981 a large ice floe resulted in the highest water crest measured to date at the National Weather Service's Matamorasriver gauge 26.6 feet (8.1 m).[13]
Port Jervis is also home to the tri-point between New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2), of which 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (6.64%) is water.
Climate
Port Jervis has a Humid Continental Climate (KöppenDfb) with relatively hot summers and cold winters. It receives approximately 47.18 inches (1,198 mm) of precipitation per year, most of which occurs in the late spring in early summer. Extremes range from −26 °F (−32 °C) on January 14, 1912, to 105 °F (40.5 °C) on July 9, 1936.
Climate data for Port Jervis, New York 1991–2022 normals, extremes 1893–present
As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 8,860 people, 3,533 households, and 2,158 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,500/sq mi (1,300/km2). There were 3,851 housing units at an average density of 1,500/sq mi (590/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 82.4% White, 8.2% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.19% from other races, and 2.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population.
There were 3,533 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.15.
The Deerpark Reformed Church on East Main Street was originally organized in 1737, making it the oldest congregation in the area. The current building dates from 1838.[18]
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,241, and the median income for a family was $35,481. Males had a median income of $31,851 versus $22,274 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,525. About 14.2% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.5% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Overlooking the Tri-States Monument at the confluence of the Delaware and Neversink rivers from the Witness Monument
Port Jervis lies near the points where the states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania come together. South of the Laurel Grove Cemetery, under the viaduct for Interstate 84, are two monuments marking the boundaries between the three states.[19]
The larger monument is a granite pillar inscribed "Witness Monument". It is not on any boundary itself, but instead is a witness for two boundary points. On the north side (New York), it references the corner boundary point between New York and Pennsylvania that is located in the center of the Delaware River 475 feet (145 m) due west of the Tri-State Rock. On the south side (New Jersey), it references the Tri-State Rock 72.25 feet (22.02 m) to the south.
The smaller monument, the Tri-States Monument, also known as the Tri-State Rock, marks both the northwest end of the New Jersey and New York boundary and the north end of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania boundary.[20] It is a small granite block with inscribed lines marking the boundaries of the three states and a bronze United States Coast and Geodetic Survey marker.[21] Both monuments were erected in 1882.[19]
Transportation
Port Jervis station, which serves as the terminus of Metro-North Railroad's Port Jervis Line
Port Jervis is governed by a mayor and a city council under a mayor–council government system. The city council has nine members: a councilman-at-large and eight members elected from wards. The city comprises four wards, residents of which elect two council members each for two year terms.[24] The mayor and councilman-at-large are elected at large for two year terms. Elections are held in odd number years. Terms of office begin on January 1.
Port Jervis Middle School, in the Port Jervis city limits
Education
Port Jervis City School District operates public schools serving Port Jervis.[25] The area elementary school, Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School, is in Deerpark but with a Port Jervis postal address.[26] Port Jervis Middle School is in Port Jervis.[27]Port Jervis High School is also in Deerpark but with a Port Jervis postal address.[28] Kuhl and Port Jervis High are on the same property.[29]
Recreation
The Port Jervis Recreation department maintains thirteen parks and squares. The city's largest parks are Elks-Brox Park and Riverside Park. Elks-Brox Park, which includes Skyline Drive, the Elks-Brox Campground and the overlook at Point Peter, backs up to the much larger Port Jervis Watershed Park and Recreation Area, which together include more than sixty miles of hiking and biking trails. Riverside Park is home to the Riverside Disc Golf Course, the Port Jervis Pump Track, trails, playground equipment, basketball courts, and other facilities. Riverside Park is also home to a summer concert series, as well as movies in the park. The smaller Farnum Park at the end of Ulster Place is also home to a summer concert series and a playground and a basketball court. Basketball Courts can also be found at Church Street Park and West End Beach. West End Beach is a park along the Delaware River that has a bathing beach in the summer, a boat launch, volleyball and basketball and also serves as the city's sledding hill in the winter. Playground equipment is also located at Barkley Street Park (Tri-States) and John Glenn Park on Cahoonzie Street. Other parks and squares in the city are Skinners Park, Orange Square/Veterans Memorial Park, Mothers Park, West End Memorial Park, Chris Marion Park, and Farmer's Market Square.
The Youth Community Center on Pike Street provides after-school activities throughout the year, as well as summer programming.
The Dog Yard, located near the Erie Turntable, is a free dog park open to residents by application.
The Lynx at River Bend Golf Club is located just past city limits on the other side of the Neversink River.
Media
On July 4, 1953, WDLC at 1490 on the AM dial signed-on. Co-owned.[clarification needed] The station also can receive WSPK-FM K104.7 and WRRV on 92.7.
Notable people
Notable current and former residents of Port Jervis include:
Frank Abbott, Mayor of Port Jervis from 1874 to 1876
Stefanie Dolson, basketball player for the New York Liberty and formerly of the Connecticut Huskies Women's Basketball team, was born in Port Jervis. She was a high school standout at nearby Minisink Valley High School, where she was a McDonald's All-American and won multiple National Championships with Connecticut.
E. Arthur Gray (1925–2006) was the longest-serving mayor of Port Jervis and was later a New York State Senator. The Port Jervis United States Post Office building is dedicated in his name.[34]
Benjamin Hafner (March 24, 1821–spring 1899), known as "The Flying Dutchman" and "Uncle Ben", was an American locomotive engineer who worked for the Erie Railway.
Bucky Harris, Baseball player/manager and Hall of Famer; born in Port Jervis.
The Kalin Twins, Hal (1934–2005) and Herbie (1934–2006), were one hit wonders whose record "When" made the top 5 in the U.S. and was number one for five weeks in the U.K. in 1958.
Amar'e Stoudemire (1982–), former professional basketball player for the New York Knicks. Lived in Port Jervis for a duration of grade school and middle school. It is said that this is where he played basketball at local parks and first fell in love with the sport of basketball.
^Weyandt, Kimberly. "Flooding is old news". The River Reporter (September 30 – October 6, 2004). Retrieved March 5, 2011.
However, the NWS' list of "Historical Crests" for the river at Matamoras/Port Jervis shows a peak of 25.5 feet (7.8 m) in 1904, and no record peak in 1981 at all.
^"Home". Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School. Retrieved January 18, 2022. 10 Route 209 Port Jervis, New York 12771 - Despite the "Port Jervis" postal address, the school is physically in Deerpark.
Compare full address to the zoning map of Deerpark: "Zoning Map"(PDF). Town of Deerpark. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
^"Home". Port Jervis Middle School. Retrieved January 18, 2022. 118 E Main Street Port Jervis, New York 12771
^"Home". Port Jervis High School. Retrieved January 18, 2022. 10 Route 209 Port Jervis, New York 12771 - Despite the "Port Jervis" postal address, the school is physically in Deerpark.
Compare full address to the zoning map of Deerpark: "Zoning Map"(PDF). Town of Deerpark. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
^Rimer, Sara. "Port Jervis Celebrates Its Conquering Heroes", New York Times, September 3, 1984. Accessed October 10, 2007. "The Banach boys, as everyone knows them here, came back home this weekend, and as the townspeople celebrated their own Olympic gold medalists with a day of marching bands, waving flags and heartfelt speeches, all the hard times and disasters Port Jervis had endured seemed at last forgotten."
^Wertheim, Stanley and Paul Sorrentino. 1994. The Crane Log: A Documentary Life of Stephen Crane, 1871–1900. pp. 13–30, 54, 65, 71, 108, et al to 240, New York: G. K. Hall & Co. ISBN0-8161-7292-7.
^"Gus Oberg: Recording The Strokes' Angles". Sound on Sound. Retrieved November 11, 2020. [In 2007-2008]... Albert and I needed a place to work, so we started to build what's now his One Way Studios, which is located one and a half hours' drive from Manhattan, in the Catskill Mountains. Albert and I designed the studio together. We had a building constructed from scratch...
