NJ, USA

New Bridge Landing Historic Park

Landmark

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.

What Happened Here

New Bridge Landing was the critical crossing point during Washington's November 1776 retreat from Fort Lee. The Continental Army's passage over the Hackensack River at this point preserved the army from destruction and allowed the retreat to continue south toward Trenton. The Steuben House at the site was confiscated from Loyalist Jan Zabriskie and awarded to Baron Friedrich von Steuben after the war, symbolizing the transfer of property and power that accompanied the Revolution in Bergen County.