Old timers living on the Western Slope claim they can smell the scent of coffee in the heat of summer, recalling when coffee grounds from Hoboken’s Maxwell House coffee plant were used to fill in some of the swamps that border Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City.
They also remember the swarms of mosquitoes that hovered over the stone lions and bears at Leonard Gordon Park near Manhattan Avenue and JFK Boulevard. Many still call it Mosquito Park. A draw for many bird species, the area is sometimes called Sparrow Hill. Along the lower western portion of the slope, opossums, skunks, groundhogs, squirrels, and birds can still be seen, but with the spread of new development, many are vanishing. The park also commands stunning views of the Hackensack River valley and the Meadowlands.
Part of the Jersey City Heights, the Western Slope is bounded on the north by Fifth Street (Secaucus Road), on the west by Tonnelle Avenue, on the south by Carlton Avenue (some call it Beach Street), and on the east by Kennedy Boulevard.
The slope forms the western edge of Jersey City’s Palisades, more easily seen from the Hudson River or New York City. Also visible is the very distant Orange Mountain, carved out from retreating prehistoric glaciers.
The Lenni-Lenape stopped over on the Western Slope on their way to hunt and fish in the nearby Meadowlands.
Times Have Changed
When older residents talk about Tippy’s Charcoal Hearth on Kennedy Boulevard, newcomers scratch their heads, since the iconic eatery was replaced two decades ago by a fruit-and-vegetable stand.
Still popular is St. Anne’s Feast at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church on JFK Boulevard, designed by architect Louis Giele with magnificent stained-glass windows.
Equally iconic is the White Mana Diner on the corner of Tonnelle and Manhattan avenues at the foot of the slope. This classic diner features signs boasting of its origins in the 1939 World’s Fair.
In the late 1800s, the Western Slope became a destination for German families; it retains a few small shops along Nelson Avenue owned by descendants of those immigrants. While old timers are German and Italian, many new families are Latino or Indian.
The slope’s real estate has evolved from single-family homes to two- and three-family dwellings and multi-unit residences with a large rental population. The neighborhood has retained much of its character, with pocket parks and playgrounds; kids still play football and soccer on less-busy side streets.
Living on the Western Slope can be a challenge; some streets are so steep the city has installed stairs with handrails to help pedestrians navigate. Extended families live on some of the dead-end streets, looking out for each other as they might have in earlier times.—JCM