Hackensack

The Green

Landmark · The Green, Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601

The Green is the historic central common of Hackensack, a public open space that has served as the town's civic, commercial, and military gathering point since the colonial period. During the Revolution, it functioned as the primary mustering ground for Bergen County militia, where local men assembled under arms before marching to defend the region against British and Loyalist incursions. The Green witnessed the passage of Washington's retreating army in November 1776 and served as a staging area for foraging expeditions, militia drills, and public announcements throughout the war years. Today the Green remains a public park at the center of Hackensack, surrounded by commercial buildings and accessible to visitors. Markers and monuments on or near the Green commemorate the town's Revolutionary heritage.

New Bridge Landing Historic Park

Landmark · 1201-1209 Main Street, River Edge, NJ 07661

New Bridge Landing, located at the historic crossing of the Hackensack River between present-day River Edge and New Milford, is one of the most significant Revolutionary War sites in Bergen County. The bridge here was the point where Washington's retreating army crossed the Hackensack River on November 20-21, 1776, in the desperate withdrawal from Fort Lee that nearly ended the Revolution. The site includes the Steuben House, a colonial Dutch sandstone house that served as Washington's headquarters during the crossing and was later confiscated from its Loyalist owner and presented to Baron von Steuben by the State of New Jersey after the war. The park encompasses several historic buildings, a reconstructed bridge, and interpretive trails along the Hackensack River. It is managed by the Bergen County Historical Society and is open to the public.

First Dutch Reformed Church

Church · 42 Court Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601

The First Dutch Reformed Church of Hackensack, established in 1686, was the religious and political center of the patriot movement in Bergen County. The congregation was overwhelmingly supportive of independence, and its ministers — including Reverend Dirck Romeyn — used the pulpit to advocate for the patriot cause. During the British occupation of Bergen County, the church building was seized by British forces and used as a military prison and hospital. The building suffered significant damage during the war and was rebuilt afterward. The current church structure, while not the original Revolutionary-era building, occupies the same site on the Green and continues the congregation's unbroken history. The churchyard contains graves dating to the colonial period.

The Hermitage

Historic House · 335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423

The Hermitage is a National Historic Landmark located in Ho-Ho-Kus, just north of Hackensack, that served as a headquarters for George Washington in July 1778 during the Continental Army's march through northern New Jersey following the Battle of Monmouth. The estate was the home of Theodosia Prevost, wife of British Lieutenant Colonel Jacques Marcus Prevost, who hosted American officers despite her husband's service with the British army. It was here that Theodosia met Aaron Burr, whom she would marry in 1782. The house has been preserved as a museum and is open for guided tours. The grounds and architecture reflect the domestic life of the colonial gentry in Bergen County. The Hermitage is one of the few surviving sites where the personal, social, and military dimensions of the Revolution in Bergen County converge in a single location.

Bergen County Courthouse (Historic Site)

Government · 10 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601

Hackensack has served as the county seat of Bergen County since the colonial period, and the courthouse has been the center of governmental authority throughout. During the Revolution, the courthouse and its surroundings were the administrative hub of the patriot government in Bergen County. The Committee of Safety met here, militia officers received their commissions, and Loyalist suspects were examined and tried. The courthouse represented the legitimacy of the patriot cause — an assertion that the revolutionary government, not the British Crown, held lawful authority in Bergen County. The current courthouse complex is a modern facility, but it occupies the same general area where colonial-era governance was conducted. The continuity of governmental function on this site connects present-day Hackensack to its Revolutionary origins.