National Register of Historic Places

Hudson County Courthouse

Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey
Listed
August 24, 1970
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
70000385

About this property

The Hudson County Courthouse or Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Courthouse is located in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. The six-story structure was originally built between 1906 and 1910 at a cost of $3,328,016.56. It is considered to be an outstanding example of the Beaux-Arts architectural style in the United States. The courthouse was used as the primary seat of government for Hudson County from its opening on September 20, 1910 until the construction of the Hudson County Administration Building in 1966. The courthouse was vacant for many years and was scheduled for demolition. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1970. Restoration began in the mid-1970s, and the building was reopened in 1985. In 1984, the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders renamed the building in honor of Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. The restoration of the courthouse was acknowledged by a Victorian Society in America Preservation Award in 1988. As of 2019 the courthouse has eight working courtrooms and also houses the offices of the County Executive, the Hudson County Surrogate and the Hudson County Bar Association; in the past it has been used in a number of television programs and movies, including scenes in the television series Law & Order and the movie Joker, as well as in commercials.

Location

Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey
40.73154, -74.05767

Categories

ARTLAWPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Hudson County Courthouse

This page lists Hudson County Courthouse. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Hudson County Courthouse report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Jersey City High School
Industrial
0.2 mi
Labor Bank Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Van Wagenen House
Industrial
0.4 mi
St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church
Industrial
0.5 mi
Reservoir No. 3
Listed
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Hudson County Courthouse listed on the National Register?

Hudson County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Hudson County Courthouse?

Hudson County Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hudson County Courthouse?

The period of significance for Hudson County Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Hudson County Courthouse?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Hudson County Courthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hudson County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hudson County.

Explore HudsonCounty ›

More historic places in New Jersey

Browse all historic places in New Jersey.

View New Jerseyhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

New Jersey history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

New Jerseyhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Hudson County Courthouse will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report