NJ, USA

First Dutch Reformed Church

Church

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.

What Happened Here

The First Dutch Reformed Church was the focal point of patriot organizing in Hackensack. Its congregation included many of the town's leading patriot families, and its ministers preached in support of independence. During the British occupation, the church was desecrated and converted to military use — an act that deepened the bitterness between patriot and Loyalist factions in the community. The church's restoration after the war symbolized the resilience of the patriot cause.