Olivia Fisher 
Bergen County is home to a variety of historic sites, many of which have not withstood the test of time. Those that remain provide invaluable insight into both local and national history. From Revolutionary War encampments to homes of women’s rights advocates, the county’s rich heritage lives on in these preserved buildings. Whether it’s a centuries-old church, a one-room schoolhouse turned library, or the home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, these locations provide a glimpse into the lives and legacies of those who shaped the area. Read on for a guide to 15 historic locations in Bergen County and learn about what is in your backyard.
Breslin Building | 41 Main Street, Hackensack
The Bank of Bergen Co. was constructed in 1874 and is currently known as the Breslin Building. Before the bank was constructed, Archibald Campbell’s tavern sat at this site, and during the American Revolution, George Washington dined here.
Read More: Famous ‘First’ Occurrences That Happened in Bergen County, New Jersey
Derrick Banta House | 180 Washington Avenue, Dumont
Dumont’s public library is a testament to local history, adaptive reuse, and historic preservation. During the Revolutionary War, Derick Banta served as a private in Bergen County Militia. He lived in Schraalenburgh (now Dumont) and grew up at what is now 180 Washington Avenue. In 1778, Loyalists burned his home and barn, forcing him to rebuild. In 1792, Derrick’s wife, Elizabeth, sold the home to Jacob Quackenbush. It stayed in the Quackenbush family until 1862, when it was sold to Isaac Dixon. Isaac’s son Robert was the 4th mayor of Dumont’s and his daughter Sarah Ann left the home to the Dumont community. Thus, since 1926, this historic spot has been used as the Dixon Homestead Library.
District No. 45 Schoolhouse | 650 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood
District No. 45 Schoolhouse was built in 1872 near the Old Paramus Reformed Church. In 1894, it became Public School No. 2. In 1909, the community gave the building to the church, which has used it for events like sewing groups and refreshment spaces. In the early 1950s, the Paramus Historical Society, now the Ridgewood Historical Society, was formed and began leasing the building from the church for its Schoolhouse Museum.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton House | 135 Highwood Avenue, Tenafly
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an American women’s rights activist and the main force behind the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention. This was the first convention for the sole purpose of discussing women’s rights. Elizabeth was born in New York in 1815 to Margaret Livingston and Daniel Cady, who was a member of the House of Representatives. Fellow women’s rights activist Susan B. Anthony was a frequent visitor to Elizabeth’s New Jersey residence. Elizabeth purchased the home a 135 Highwood Avenue, Tenafly, in 1868. The home was built at some point between 1845 and 1868. She lived here when she attempted to vote in 1880, but was turned away at the polls.
First Reformed Church of Hackensack | 42 Court Street, Hackensack
The First Reformed Church of Hackensack is the oldest extant church in Bergen County. The current structure was erected in 1791, using some stones from the original building. Dutch settlers in the area formed the congregation in 1686 and broke ground on their first building in 1696. In 1780, General Enoch Poor died during the American Revolution. George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette attended the funeral.
George Washington School, District No. 43 | 5-01 Bergen Avenue, Fair Lawn
Built in 1853, this schoolhouse at 5-01 Bergen Avenue originally fit 50 children and was later enlarged to accommodate more. At the time of its construction, it was part of Saddle River, but is now in Fair Lawn and serves as the community’s Board of Education’s Transportation building.
Historic New Bridge Landing | 1209 Main Street, River Edge
The Historic New Bridge Landing preserves a compelling and scenic fragment of the Jersey Dutch countryside. Through education, preservation, and interpretation, the site preserves stories of national and local significance in the American Revolution and its legacy. A notable site here is the Ackerman–Zabriskie–Steuben House, built in 1745. During the American Revolution, it was confiscated by the state from Loyalist Jan Zabriskie and used as a military headquarters. After the war, it was given to Major General Baron von Steuben, a German-born American army officer. He lived here from 1783 to 1788. Other sites at the Historic New Bridge Landing include the Campbell-Christie House, Wright Museum, the Demarest House, and the Westervelt-Thomas Barn, several of which were moved here from their original locations to save them from demolition and preserve them.
Hopper-Goetschius House | 363 East Saddle River, Upper Saddle River
The Hopper-Goetschius House is Upper Saddle River’s oldest surviving home. Built in 1739, it is a Dutch sandstone and has remained in the Goetschius family for 150 years. Since about 1980, the home has been used by the Upper Saddle River Historical Society. It is open for visitors every Sunday in July and August from 2PM to 4PM.
Leonia Slave Cemetery | Lakeview Avenue + Broad Avenue, Lodi
The former site of the Leonia Slave Cemetery is located at the corner of Lakeview Avenue and Broad Avenue in Lodi. During the colonial era, the site functioned as a burial ground for the enslaved, who comprised about one-fourth of the population in the area. Today, all that remains is a sign about the site.
Madonna Church | Hoefley’s Lane, Fort Lee
Built in 1854, Madonna Church in Fort Lee is the oldest surviving Catholic church building in Bergen County and one of the oldest in the state. It was designed by Henry James Anderson, who is buried beneath the church’s floor with his wife and son.
Maywood Station Museum | 269 Maywood Avenue, Maywood
The Maywood Station Museum was built in 1872. It was owned by the New Jersey Midland Railway and the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad. It closed in 1966. From 2002 to 2004, the station underwent an extensive restoration done by the Maywood Station Historical Committee. Since then, it has functioned as a volunteer-run museum open to the public periodically.
Midland School | 239 West Midland Avenue, Paramus
The Midland School is a historic schoolhouse built in 1876. It served as School No. 26 for Midland Township, which no longer exists. The space is preserved and has been adaptively reused. In 1922, it became a borough hall for the then-newly formed Paramus, and since 1959, has been the Charles E. Reid branch of the Paramus Public Library.
The Hermitage | 335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus
The Hermitage is a staple in Ho-Ho-Kus history, dating back to about 1760. During the Revolutionary War, it was the home of British officer Lieutenant Colonel James Marcus Prevost and his wife, Theodosia. Theodosia was friendly to American soldiers, and in July 1778, she invited George Washington to use her home as a headquarters. James died in 1781 and Theodosia remarried the following year to Aaron Burr, a future US Vice President.
River Road School | 400 Riverside Avenue, Lyndhurst
The River Road school was built in the early 1890s. In 1804, Jacob Van Winkle donated land for the construction of a school, and it was built that year. In 1849, it was replaced with a two-story frame building, and finally, the third and final building seen today was built in 1893. It was used by the school system until 1980. Today, the Lyndhurst Historical Society operates the building as the Little Red Schoolhouse, a museum of local history. Visitors can check it out on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month from 2PM to 4PM. The school isn’t the only surviving structure linked to Jacob Van Winkle. Just down the street, his 1797 home still stands at 316 Riverside Avenue and is the oldest house in Lyndhurst.
See More: 14 Historical Places in Northern New Jersey With Ties to America’s History
Woodcliff Middle School | 134 Woodcliff Avenue, Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Middle School, originally Woodcliff School, is the oldest continuously operating school in Bergen County. It was designed in 1895 by architect and Woodcliff resident S. Burrage Reed, who also drew up plans for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Montvale.
