History on the Hudson: 250 Years of Hudson County History

The Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, in conjunction with the New Jersey Room of the Jersey City Free Public Library, presents a lecture series in celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. For five months across the Spring and Summer of 2026, we will spend the first Thursday evening with a speaker on a wide range of Hudson County topics across our nations first 250 years. Next up, on June 4, John Beekman presents: The Revolutionary Generation and the Roots of Jersey City: A Look Back on William H. Richardsons TheFederalistFathersand the Founding of Jersey City (1927) In 1927, businessman turned historian William H. Richardson presented a paper to the Historical Society of Hudson County on the Associates of the Jersey Company, notably Richard Varick and their lawyer Alexander Hamilton, whose project to found a city on the west bank of the Hudson River would ultimately become Jersey City. In doing so he also critically discussed prior historians work. Following his example we will consider the historiography (history of history) of the region and take a close look at the Richardsons career before taking an updated look at the Revolutionary generations influence on the founding of Jersey City.