Upon entry to World War I , the U.S. government took over control of the Hamburg-American Line piers in Hoboken under eminent domain , and Hudson became the major point of embarkation for more than three million soldiers , known as " doughboys " . In 1916 , an act of sabotage literally and figuratively shook the region when German agents set off bombs at the munitions depot in New York Bay at Black Tom . The fore-runner of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was established on April 30 , 1921 . Huge transportation projects opened between the wars : The Holland Tunnel in 1927 , The Bayonne Bridge in 1931 , and The Lincoln Tunnel in 1937 , allowing vehicular travel between New Jersey and New York City to bypass the waterfront . Hackensack River crossings , notably the Pulaski Skyway , were also built . What was to become New Jersey City University opened . Major Works Progress Administration projects included construction of stadiums in Jersey City and Union City . Both were named for President Franklin D. Roosevelt , who attended the opening of the largest project of them all , The Jersey City Medical Center , a massive complex built in the Art Deco Style . During this era the " Hudson County Democratic Machine " , known for its cronyism and corruption , with Jersey City mayor Frank Hague at its head was at its most powerful . Industries in Hudson were crucial to the war effort during WWII , including the manufacture PT boats by Elco in Bayonne . Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne ( MOTBY ) was opened in 1942 as a U.S. military base and remained in operation until 1999
Black Tom
Black Tom explosion
Hudson County, New Jersey