My Day at Undercliff Picnic & Beach areas
Published on September 10, 2014
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Staying within the same state park, Palisades Interstate Park, I was now about 7 or 8 miles north of the George Washington Bridge, at the Undercliff Picnic & Beach area. Yes I said beach, for those of you familiar with the Hudson River. Back in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s over 1 million bathers came to the park every year from NY City and the surrounding areas of NJ to go swimming in the Hudson River. Those from NYC came by way of ferry boats.
Then after the George Washington Bridge was built in 1933, the ferry traffic dropped by about 50% and so did the park's attendance. Because of the bridge and more NY City pools being opened to the public, less and less people from NYC came across the river to NJ to go swimming in the Hudson at the 3 beaches within the park. Eventually in 1941 the Undercliff beach and bath house closed down.
The bath house itself was built in 1922 and it was the middle one of 3 bath houses that were within the park, with the northern one at Alpine boat basin and the southern one at Englewood boat basin. The Undercliff bath house along with the one at Englewood had a stone lower level and the second floor and roof was made of all wood. Eventually the upper wooden structures decayed over the years and collapsed leaving only the stone ruins.
LOOKING SOUTH ABOUT 8 MILES NORTH OF THE GW BRIDGE
WHAT IS LEFT OF THE UNDERCLIFF BATH HOUSE
FROM ON TOP OF ONE OF THE STAIRWAYS LOOKING DOWN INTO RUINS
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LOOKING OUT OF ONE OF THE MANY WINDOW OPENINGS
INSIDE THE FIRST FLOOR RUINS
WHAT THE BATH HOUSE AND BEACH LOOKED LIKE IN 1932
A LONE SUNFLOWER ON WHAT IS LEFT OF THE BEACH
ANOTHER SECTION OF THE UNDERCLIFF BEACH
MY CROSSOVER SUV CHEVY EQUINOX AT THE PICNIC AREA
Where some like to lay on the beach, take a cruise, stay at a resort, or visit some far off exotic location, I prefer to explore the local history of this area of the United States. Too often people go to far away places for vacation and ignore all of the wonders that are close by. That is not me. I enjoy the beautiful spots that I can drive to. - Til' Next Time, Robert
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