| | | | | |
| | | |  | |
BCHS Dinner, Awards, Election & a Talk
by George B. Kirsch, author Baseball in Blue & Gray: The National Pastime During the Civil War
Monday, June 17, 2013, 6:00 pm Cocktails (cash bar) 6:30 pm Dinner:
We're back at the '76 House, Old Tappan, NY.
PDF Reservation Form, seating limited.
PayPal Reservation. King George III Birthday Celebration
June 1 & 2, 2013, 1:00 to 4:30 pm
Prior to the American Revolution, feasts, fireworks, music and illuminations honored His Majesty King George III on his natal day in June. The Bergen County Historical Society will celebrate its Revolutionary War Loyalist heritage with the third annual celebration of the King’s Birthday at HNBL. Sue Braisted & Niel DeMarino will perform the minuet in the Steuben House each afternoon. At 7:00 PM Saturday Night there will be a presentation by BCHS past president Todd Braisted on the 1781 Battle of Fort Lee, unique in being not only a battle involving only Americans, but the only real battle to occur at that place in the war. On Sunday, Frank McMahon will demonstrate 18th Century beer brewing, the most commonly drunk beverage of the time! Reenactors from the 4th Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers and Hessians will be on hand both days to demonstrate the life and times of the common Crown soldiers of the American Revolution. HNBL, all 3 houses open, exhibits, tavern, gift shop & outkitchen. By donation: $7 adult, $5 children, BCHS members free. Covers both days. Vintage Baseball at New Bridge Landing
Saturday, July 6, 2013, 11:00 am
Love baseball? Love history? Step back into yesteryear when the Bergen County Historical Society hosts an old-time game between the Flemington Neshanock and the Hoboken Nine in the meadow at Historic New Bridge Landing in River Edge. Experience the crack of wood against leather, the cheers and jeers of the crowd, and baseball the way great-grandpa saw it, when these reenactor teams play with 19th century rules, equipment, and uniforms in an open field. A great way for the family to enjoy America's game!
Come to this first big event in The Meadow, make sure to bring a hat, blanket or chair, and sunscreen. Historic New Bridge Landing, 1201 Main Street, River Edge. Suggested donation: $10 adults, $5 children, BCHS members free. More Event Info on Event Page.
PDF of Event Schedule | |
 | |
Saturday, August 24, 2013, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
10 NJ Wineries • Live Music • Food
Pre-Event Ticket $20 - Day of Event $25 - Designated Driver $10
BUY A TICKET
SPONSOR OUR JOURNAL AD
100% of your donation goes to our mission.
| |
| | |  | | |
BCHS Newsletter
Spring 2014 | |
| |  | | | |
 | | | | Crossing at New Bridge, Washington saved his army from its certain defeat in November 1776, inspiring Thomas Paine's American Crisis. "Our first object was to secure the bridge over the Hackensack, which laid up the river between the enemy and us..." New Bridge was a strategic river crossing throughout the American Revolution. Its homes served as military headquarters. Deadly skirmishes echoed about its walls, earthworks were thrown upon its hills, and consuming armies camped upon its fields. Soldiers passed this gateway so often that the Steuben House is said to have seen more of the Revolution than any other house in America. Washington headquartered here in 1780, Thomas Paine, Major General Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben, Major General Marie Joseph du Motier, Marquis de LaFayette, Major General Nathanael Greene, Major General Anthony Wayne, Royal Governor William Franklin, Founding Fathers Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, Lt. Col. Henry Lee, Capt. John Outwater, Major John Andre, Lt. General Sir Henry Clinton, Lieutenant General Charles Lord Cornwallis, Major General Charles Grey, Capt. Patrick Ferguson, Col. Francis Lord Rawdon, Lt. Col. Stephen Kemble, Capt. Johann Ewald, Brigadier General Cortland Skinner, Lt. James Moody were all at New Bridge during the American Revolution. Per Military Historian Todd Braisted.
FAMOUS FACES OF NEW BRIDGE: | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Thomas Gordon wrote in 1834, “There are few spots in New Jersey presenting more pleasing attractions than this country above the Hackensack, and on the highlands on each side of the river. The houses, built in the ancient Dutch cottage form, of one full story, with its projecting pent houses, and dormitories within the slopes of the roof, are sometimes large, always painted white, and surrounded with verdant lawns, shrubbery, and well-cultivated gardens. And we may here remark, that the taste for horticulture and ornamental shrubberies, appears more general in the central and northern parts of New Jersey, than in the southern parts, or in the state of Pennsylvania.”
Gordon wrote A Gazetteer of the History of New Jersey, A General View of Its Physical and Moral Condition. | | | | | |  | | | Aycrigg House, Paramus (now gone) | | | In 1982, 195 of the surviving Jersey Dutch sandstone houses were listed through a Thematic Nomination of Early Stone Houses of Bergen County in the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. BCHS trustee emeritus Claire K. Tholl completed the field work for the survey. The houses are found throughout Bergen County and most are still privately owned. Many have a BCHS Blue Marker. Unfortunately we lost one of the Paramus sandstone houses in July 2012.
For more news. l received an email (Jan 2013) that the Haring-Vervalen House in Norwood was also demolished. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| On August 1, 2012, Sen. Weinberg, Sen. Cardinale, Sen. Gordon, Asw. Holly Schepisi, County Executive Kathleen Donovan and other area representatives met in agreement on the importance on getting the Steuben House (a State Historic Site) open and coming up with a creative funding source. Patch River Edge Article NJ.com Article NorthJersey.com Article
HNBLP Commissioner Mary Donohue announced that in the past year BCHS has raised over $100,000 in private donations to build a museum building on BCHS land at Historic New Bridge Landing. Most of it was from individuals at $100 each.
| | | |
| |
| The Bergen County Historical Society is raising $350,000 to construct a first-rate museum building and library on the Society’s property at Historic New Bridge Landing. Why donate to BCHS?
We do not seek public operating grants, instead we rely on private donations, membership and volunteer efforts. Donate a George for a George. Larry Bauer, Bauer Printing, representing the Teaneck Chamber of Commerce, presents a donation to BCHS President Mike Trepicchio, at the Bergen Leads First Friday, on March, 22, 2013 at the Stoney Hill Inn. Pictured here, Mike, Larry Bauer, Sue Braisted, and Niel DeMarino. | | | | | | |
| | | |
Historic New Bridge Landing: Can We Profit from the Past Through Heritage Tourism?
Sometimes a simple question has a simple answer: What heritage tourist attraction—other than the Baron von Steuben House at Historic New Bridge Landing—holds even equal potential to put River Edge, New Milford, Teaneck and Hackensack on the map and to attract a steady flow of local, regional, national and international visitors, not only to the site itself, but to local businesses? If I owned a fine or fast food restaurant, a shop or gas station, or even property within easy traveling distance of New Bridge, I’d be shouting for its success.
Click here to see BLOG post. | | | |
 | |
| | |
|
BCHS Mobile Phone Walking Tour of HNBL now available!
For use on any "smart phone". QR code for BCHS Mobile App Walking Tour of HNBL Introducing the new handy Historic New Bridge Landing Walking Tour Mobile App -- for use on any smart phone. The tour begins with the HNBL Map image (numbered) with corresponding numbered link list: Prehistory, Steuben Hs, New Bridge, New Bridge Landing, Tidemill, Demarest Hs Museum, Campbell-Christie Hs, Barn, Brett Park, Out Kitchen, The Meadow, Museum & Library, I Spy Hunt for Kids. I've included a short history, photos & images of each important site feature at HNBL. Additional history links are at the bottom of each page. For example; "The Steuben Hs in the Rev War" or "Did Steuben really live here?" This the first NJ historic site mobile app walking tour. The code I used advertised it had "enabled assistive technologies." If anyone has ability to test on such software please advise on how well works. I can update as needed, no printing costs. It is estimated by one tech watcher that 70% of US will have a "smart phone" by 2014. A QR code (s short-cut web link for mobile phones via bar code) is now on HNBL site kiosks and BCHS website. To scan a QR code you need to first download the QR code app reader on to your phone. The reader I use was free through iTunes. -- D. Powell
Patch article on this App, includes more info. | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|  | | Walking Tour of Historic New Bridge Landing
Updated Map and history of HNBL, BCHS collections. 688k file size pdf. Brochure available at the 2 kiosks at HNBL. Made possible by BCHS members. | | |  | | | | | | | |
| | | |
| | |
| History of Baron von Steuben at New Bridge
Baron von Steuben "thoroughly rebuilt" the large stone house on Main street, River Edge, that now bears his name, forever marking his association with one of New Jersey's most beloved landmarks. The Steuben House is the only extant 18th century building that Steuben owned.
| |
| | |
| | |  | The BCHS purchased the land between the Steuben House and north of Main St. in 1944 to buffer and protect the Steuben House from the c.1930s auto parts junkyard.
The end of the junkyard began in January 2000 when HNBL Park Commission secured a $1.1 million Federal grant to buy & clean the junkyard thru Sen. Torrecelli.
BCHS was able to persuade County officials to divert the planned 1956 bridge & 4-lane road expansion to the north of site by donating BCHS land, thus saving the Steuben House and one-lane 1889 swing bridge from being eclipsed and obliterated by a highway. | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | The Bergen County Historical Society (BCHS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization, promotes preservation, study and appreciation of civil, political, military and the general history of the United States of America, particularly of Bergen County. Beginning in 1939, our museum collections were displayed at the Steuben House, a State Historic Site. The house is now open for special events. Membership Application. The Campbell-Christie & Demarest Houses and Barn are located on Bergen County Historical Society land. BCHS operates the historic house museum and provides programing at Historic New Bridge Landing. Other activities include placement of informative roadside historic BLUE markers, educational events, museum exhibits, monthly lectures, and a library collection. We are not a government agency and do not receive public operating grants or funds, we rely on private donations and membership. For a more complete description of BCHS.
Are you a member? Here's how to join. BCHS Board 2012-2013. HNBLPC is an example of public/private stewardship and continues the protection of this NJ cultural landmark/resource. BCHS is proud to be a member and the lead force for preservation. | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |  | | | | The Bergen Dutch were an agricultural community who settled and farmed the valleys of the Hackensack, Saddle and Passaic Rivers, beginning in 1640. The Steuben House, Campbell-Christie and Demarest Houses display a small part of the BCHS collections (objects made or used in Bergen County from 1680 to 1860) which span folk art, ladderback chairs, Hackensack cupboards, kasten (Dutch cupboards), redware pottery, coverlets, quilts and spoonboards. Shown here: This is 1760's era French Musket, probably of Charleville manufacture, confirmed by Don Troiani, military expert and artist. The musket was pulled out of the Hackensack River in 1903 by a nine year old boy who was fishing from the New Bridge 1889 bridge. It is full-cocked, ready for firing. The gun measures 57". Now on display at the Steuben House. Thousands of these guns were shipped to the colonies, obtained from the French in support of the American Cause. Todd Briasted provided advice and contact to Don Troiani. | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | The BCHS message board is an online forum for queries, discussions, and alerts about Bergen County history. Enter your event or look for an activity in the Calendar. List your BC history-related website in History Links. Anyone can browse the forums, but you must register to post messages. Don't miss this important BCHS resource!
Please join us. The more participants, the better! To contact BCHS, email us to below address.
contact@bergencountyhistory.org | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | |  | | | | | | | The Society's Library collection comprises family genealogy, diaries, and manuscripts; church, cemetery, and bible records; books, clippings, and on local and county history, the Revolutionary War, and historic architecture; postcards, photos, videos, atlases, and maps. Our Library Collection is all in storage. Contact: thebchslibrary@gmail.com Check back here the latest & greatest updates. We have a new research policy, please see the library webpage for more info.
Research articles of interest - Please remember to obey US copyright laws. The articles below have been previously published in BCHS newsletters. | | | |  | | | | | | | | | BCHS Newsletter – Fall 2012-13
561k (pdf) Download for free here. Hard copy mailed to BCHS members. | | | | BCHS Newsletter – Fall 2011
561k (pdf) BCHS Newsletter – Fall 2010
1.1 mg (pdf) BCHS Newsletter February 2010
Demarest House Museum History, Demarests at New Bridge, 1781, Historic Flag Project, A Century Ago, Charles Livingston Bull, 907k pdf BCHS Newsletter – Spring/Summer 2009
1.1 mg (pdf) BCHS Newsletter – Early Winter 2008
1.1 mg pdf BCHS Newsletter – Spring 2008 (pdf) HNBL Train Stop, Outhouse History, Bergen Trolley, A Century Ago, Colonial-era Broadside BCHS Newsletter – Winter 2006-2007 (pdf) Modern Steuben House history, Haworth House, Marginalia From Ancient Almanacs, Zabriskie Mystery, Franklin Lakes’ Contribution to The Battle of the Atlantic BCHS Newsletter - Winter 2006 (pdf)
Article on Tenafly, Frank A. Morrison Indian Artifact Collection and a Century Ago BCHS Newsletter - Spring 2005 (pdf)
articles on Rev War Massacre at the Steuben House, 1780 events at New Bridge, Hackensack Raid in 1780 and a Century Ago BCHS Newsletter - Fall 2004 (pdf)
articles on Indian Castle at New Bridge, Nike Base NY & Dear Friends by Ruth Paci and a Century Ago | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| BCHS has some great books to purchase. Click here for a complete listing and order form that you can print out and mail us. Sorry, no orders via the internet. Includes postcards of New Bridge Landing and other sites in Bergen County. | | | |  | | | | How to get to us and when we're open | | |  | | | | Publication Available!
Bergen County saw much of the American Revolution from its own doorstep. Close to British-occupied NYC, this corner of NJ was divided by the Revolution. Some people were staunch Loyalists or Patriots, in disagreement with their families and neighbors; others wavered or remained neutral; while still others changed their minds as was expedient. In the end, the years of hostilities led to massive damage and upheaval within the community as men either left home or stayed nearby to fight for or against secession from Great Britain. After the war, their pension applications allow glimpses into their experiences. By Past President Todd Braisted. Signed copies available in our gift shop. | | | | Many Bergen County homes are listed and described in the BCHS Historic Site Markers booklet. Click here for a description of the Marker Program and a pdf of the booklet. | | |  | Historic New Bridge Landing Location | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |  | |
 | |
Website created and maintained by Deborah Powell, contact: contactBCHS@bergencountyhistory.org
I will forward questions to be answered by all-volunteer organization. This site updated 05/18/2013
Albert Dib created and maintains the BCHS message board.
Painting of site by L.Feigel. Painting of Retreat by B.Spencer Newman.
All text by Kevin Wright and D. Powell unless otherwise noted. All photos by D. Powell unless otherwise noted. This website was first created in 1996 and is made possible by donations to BCHS. Bergen County Historical Society
P.O. Box 55, River Edge, New Jersey 07661 • www.bergencountyhistory.org
(201) 343-9492 | |
| | | | | | | | |
 | |
| Counter by www.digits.com | |
| | | BCHS voucher form | | |
| BCHS Facebook Page | |
| Please use Google to search our site. See below. Make sure to scroll down TO SEE search results.
Also check the Message Board search function, the graphics may display better. | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
