National Register of Historic Places listings in Bergen County, New Jersey facts for kids
This page is all about the cool historic places in Bergen County, New Jersey! These places are so special that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Think of it like a national hall of fame for buildings, sites, and objects that tell important stories about America's past.
Bergen County has a lot of history, with 266 different places and areas on this special list. Four of these are even more important and are called National Historic Landmarks. These are places that have played a huge role in the history of the entire country!
Some towns in Bergen County, like Closter, Franklin Lakes, Ridgewood, Saddle River, and Wyckoff, have so many historic places that they have their own separate lists. You can find links to those lists below.
Contents
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places that are worth saving. It's managed by the National Park Service. When a place is added to this list, it means it's recognized as important for its history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. It helps protect these places and makes people more aware of their value.
Historic Places in Bergen County
Bergen County is full of old houses, churches, and other buildings that show us what life was like long ago. Many of these places are from the 1700s and 1800s, built by early settlers. They often have unique Dutch-style architecture, which is common in this part of New Jersey.
Cool Historic Homes
Many of the listings are old houses, often named after the families who built or lived in them. These homes give us a peek into how people lived centuries ago.
- Ackerman-Demarest House in Ho-Ho-Kus: This house was built a long time ago and is a great example of early architecture in the area.
- Ackerman-Hopper House in Glen Rock: Another historic home that shows the style of building from the past.
- Ackerman-Zabriskie-Steuben House in River Edge: This house has a long name because it was owned by several important families over time.
- The Hermitage in Ho-Ho-Kus: This is a very special place! It's one of the four National Historic Landmarks in Bergen County. It's a historic house that played a role during the American Revolutionary War.
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton House in Tenafly: This is another National Historic Landmark. It was the home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a very important leader in the women's rights movement. She worked hard to get women the right to vote!
Historic Churches and Public Buildings
Beyond homes, other types of buildings also hold important history.
- Bergen County Court House Complex in Hackensack: This is where important legal decisions have been made for many years. It's a big, impressive building.
- Church of the Holy Communion in Norwood: A beautiful old church that has been a center for the community for a long time.
- Dutch Reformed Church at Romopock in Mahwah: This church shows the strong Dutch influence in the area's early history.
- Edgewater Borough Hall and Edgewater Public Library in Edgewater: These buildings show how communities grew and provided services for their residents.
Transportation and Industry
Some historic places are important because of how people traveled or worked.
- Binghamton (ferryboat) in Edgewater: Imagine a huge ferryboat that used to carry people and cars across the water! This one is a historic landmark.
- Erie Railroad Signal Tower, Waldwick Yard in Waldwick: This tower was used to control trains on the busy Erie Railroad, showing how important railroads were for travel and trade.
- Hillsdale Station, Oradell Station, Park Ridge Station, Radburn-Fair Lawn Station, and Rutherford Station: These old train stations remind us of a time when trains were the main way to travel between towns.
- Palisades Interstate Parkway and Palisades Interstate Park in Fort Lee: The Palisades are amazing cliffs along the Hudson River. The park and parkway are historic because they were created to protect this beautiful natural area and make it accessible for everyone to enjoy. The Palisades Interstate Park is also a National Historic Landmark!
- New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad ALCO Type S-2 Locomotive in Maywood: This is a historic train engine itself, showing the power and design of old locomotives.
Other Interesting Sites
History isn't just about buildings; it's about places where important events happened or where communities gathered.
- Civil War Drill Hall and Armory in Leonia: This building was used for training soldiers, perhaps even during the American Civil War.
- Gethsemane Cemetery in Little Ferry: Cemeteries are important historic sites because they hold the stories of people who lived long ago.
- Theodore Roosevelt Monument in Tenafly: This monument honors Theodore Roosevelt, a former U.S. President.
- World War I Monument in Rutherford: This monument remembers the soldiers from Rutherford who fought in World War I.
Places No Longer on the List
Sometimes, a historic place might be removed from the National Register. This usually happens if the place is destroyed or changed so much that it no longer looks like it did historically.
- Anderson Street Station in Hackensack: This train station was once on the list but was unfortunately destroyed by a fire in 2009.
- Alcoa Edgewater Works in Edgewater: This industrial site was also demolished.
- Capt. Thomas Blanch House in Norwood: This house was destroyed by fire in 1997.
- Ford Motor Company Edgewater Assembly Plant in Edgewater: This large factory was demolished in 2006.
- Haring-Vervalen House in Norwood: This house was destroyed and replaced in 2013.
- White Tenant House in Waldwick: This house was also demolished.
- Zabriskie Tenant House in Paramus: This house was demolished in 2012.
It's a reminder that we need to work hard to protect our historic places so future generations can learn from them!