"The Waldorf"

The name Waldorf habitually will cause people to think of the the luxurious Waldorf-Astoria located in New York City. Oddly enough the building situated at 301 Park Avenue may have some bearing on the topic of this article. Today's there is an area of Kennedy Boulevard West that best known to locals as Nungesser's, specifically at the intersection of Bergenline. Around the turn of the 20th century when it was simply known as Hudson Boulevard West, the area was the heartbeat of the town. It reputation, for better or worse, was directed by the action at the Guttenberg Racetrack as well as Little Coney Island. With the area causing such a draw it would only be natural that a hotel would be constructed near by, that hotel was the Waldorf.

Courtesy of Lenny DiBrango

Built around the time of the Waldorf in New York City, North Bergen's own Waldorf was built towards the tail end of 1890s. The hotel was formerly established between present day 91st Street and Third Avenue on Kennedy Boulevard. The hotel most likely stole the identity of the Waldorf after the newly completed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Nevertheless, the hotel was the grandest guest house on Hudson Boulevard. The hotel had everything a guest could want, whether they stayed for the day or as an overnight patron. The inn had the saloon with the finest spirits of the day as well as a variety of lagers from local breweries. There was also a bowling alley built behind the structure itself which hosted tournaments for a variety of local societies. The Waldorf would also add another separate pavilion paid for and operated by William Peter Brewery of Union Hill for outdoor entertainment in the spring and summer seasons. 

There is not a lot of available information on the old Waldorf: owners, patron records, blueprints and so on. However, one of the exciting things about documenting history through the use of photos is sometimes a key detail is given. Such detail could be seen in the old postcard above. The postcard not only gives us the imagery of the hotel but the proprietor of the property, Mr. Louis Kuhle (as well as one of the rides near the Guttenberg Racetrack dubbed The Racer). Kuhle was not a native North Bergenite, nor the constructor of the hotel, but from 1900 to 1902 Kuhle was the operator of the Waldorf.

1900 Sanborn Insurance Map
Courtesy of Princeton University

Kuhle was born (October 1859) and migrated from Pennsylvania sometime around 1890 with his wife Emma and son Frederick. The family would settle in Hoboken before moving to North Bergen around the fall 1900. Kuhle was an excellent proprietor who capitalized on the traffic that crossed paths with the hotel. His major cliental were weekenders from New York City visiting Little Coney Island down the road. He also took in those travelling from Bergen and Essex county as the Waldorf was the first hotel along Hudson Boulevard from the north. Kuhle also welcomed the North Bergen locals hosting clam bakes with a slue of entertainment. He even went as far as to have clam eating contests with a prize for whomever could consume the largest amount. 

Kuhle was an prominent member of the area as well living with his family near present day 81st Street and Bergenline Avenue. He ran amongst other well to do business owners of North Bergen, including the owner of his competitor, hotel owner Henry Nungesser. Kuhle was also a close friend with former Mayor Charles Dietz whose brother Conrad operated the Dietz Hotel in the area of present day 21st Street and Kennedy Boulevard. Kuhle himself was a well known and respected hotel manager but also amongst the horse racing community sponsoring several horses when the Guttenberg Racetrack was operational. Kuhle was the last successful operator of the hotel, continuing to handsomely profit after the draw of horse racing was gone. He was eventually bought out in April 1902 by Michael Mulvaney and Cris Intemann.

1910 Sanborn Insurance Map
Courtesy of Princeton University

Kuhle was the last true hotelier to own the Waldorf. Mulvaney and Intemann had a grand vision of rebirth for the old racetrack but their plan never came to fruition and their ownership, as well as their business methods were often questioned by the locals as well as authorities. The Waldorf itself stood until the early 1940s ultimately being replaced with the apartment building currently on site. The heyday of that area of North Bergen drifted into the history books as the last pieces of the Waldorf were demolished. For the residents then it was the last reminder of the "Gut" and Little Coney Island, both long gone during at the time. But such is change, and change has often been the story of North Bergen as the town continues to look towards the future.