Wortendyke, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wortendyke, New Jersey
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Wortendyke Railroad Station
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 Wortendyke, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Wortendyke, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Wortendyke, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Bergen |
| Borough | Midland Park |
| Elevation | 266 ft (81 m) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 201 |
| GNIS feature ID | 881955 |
Wortendyke is a small community in Bergen County, New Jersey. It is a mix of homes and businesses. This area is part of the larger town called Midland Park. Wortendyke is known for its interesting history, especially its old mills and railway.
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History of Wortendyke
Wortendyke was first started in 1796. It had a couple of different names before. First, it was called "Newtown," and then "Godwinville."
In 1805, a Methodist church was created here. This shows that people were building a community.
The Wortendyke Mills
A man named Cornelius Wortendyke opened a cotton mill in 1812. This mill made cloth from cotton. Later, in 1875, his grandson, Cornelius A. Wortendyke, made the mill much bigger. He also added the largest silk mill in all of New Jersey.
These mills were located along a stream called Goffle Brook. They provided jobs for more than 500 people. Many of these workers were immigrants from the Netherlands. The cost of their travel to the United States and their housing was taken out of their pay.
By the early 1880s, Wortendyke was growing. It had the biggest school in the area. About 300 people lived there at that time.
The Railway Connection
When the New Jersey Midland Railway was built in the 1880s, Cornelius A. Wortendyke was in charge. He made sure the railway's main repair shops were built in Wortendyke. The Wortendyke Railroad Station is still in the area today.
Historic Places to See
The Wortendyke-Demund House is a very old building. It was built in 1797. This house is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983. This list includes buildings and places that are important to American history.
People from Wortendyke
Some notable people have lived in or are connected to Wortendyke:
- Isaac Wortendyke: He was a state senator for New Jersey from 1880 to 1883. A state senator is a person who helps make laws for their state.
