Historic New Bridge Landing

1. Steuben House

2. Old New Bridge (1888-89)

3. New Bridge Landing

4. Site of Zabriskie Tidemill

5. Demarest House Museum

6. Campbell-Christie House

7. Westervelt-Thomas Barn

8. Out-kitchen

9. Port-A-Johns & Water

10. Public Parking at River Edge Train Lot

11. Brett Park - Location of Battle

12. New Bridge (1954)
Be sure to visit:
1. Steuben House. Built 1752. Described in 1784 as a “Large Mansion House containing twelve rooms built with stone, with Outhouses consisting of a Bake House, Smoke House, Coach House, and two large Barns, and a Garden, Forty Acres of Land consisting of Meadow Land and two Orchards.” Owned and maintained by State of New Jersey. Recently Restored and Open for this Event.

2. Old New Bridge. A “New Bridge” with sliding draw was built here in 1744. The present Pratt-type Low Truss Swing Bridge, installed by the King Iron Bridge Co. of Cleveland using channel iron made by the Phoenix Iron Co. of Philadelphia, opened February 2, 1889. Joseph W. Stagg built the sandstone abutments. Closed to automobile traffic in 1956. Listed on NJ and National Registers as the oldest highway swing-bridge in State.

3. New Bridge Landing. A narrow mill landing, built of log cribbing in 1744, could accommodate 50-ton sloops. Iron was brought here from Ringwood and Long Pond for transshipment. Present bulkhead built shortly after completion of present bridge in 1889.

4. Zabriskie’s Mills. A gristmill, 40 ft by 20 ft, containing two pairs of grinding stones was constructed in 1744. High tide was trapped in Cole's Brook behind a dam, creating an artificial pond to run the waterwheel during ebb tide. The mill burned down in 1852.

5. Demarest House Museum. 18th c. two-room sandstone dwelling with double front doors and distinctive spring-eave on front. Removed from original site beside French Burial Ground in New Milford in 1955-56. Displays collection of Demarest family and Bergen Dutch artifacts. Open for this event. Troops camped on grounds. Owned by Blauvelt-Demarest Foundation.

6. Campbell-Christie House. Gambrel, center-hall sandstone dwelling erected on River Road and Henley Ave., New Milford, by Jacob Campbell, a mason, in 1774. Note paneled reveals and Dutch stoop at front entrance. John Christie, blacksmith, purchased this house in 1795 and continued its operation as a tavern. Moved to River Edge in 1977 by County Freeholders, it is owned by the County of Bergen and operated by the Bergen County Historical Society. Gift Shop OPEN selling Retreat
t-shirts and Retreat buttons. Demonstration of 18th c. crafts, needlework, quilting, calligraphy, Children’s games, 18th c. Country Dance Demonstrations. Cider and donuts for sale in Tavern.

7. Westervelt-Thomas Barn. Built 1889 by Peter J. Westervelt on his farm on Ridgewood Road, Washington Township. Henry Thomas purchased farm in 1906. Donated to BCHS and relocated in 1958.

8. Out-Kitchen. Out-kitchen built by BCHS in 1990, using antique materials, replicating John R. Demarest Out-Kitchen in Demarest. Includes beehive oven & smoke room. Open-hearth demonstrations for event.

9. Temporary lavatories and water

10. Public Parking for this event – one block away

11. Brett Park – Site of Battle
12. New Bridge (1954) built to divert road around HNBL.

Houses open Sat & Sun, Dance & Crafts in CC House Sat Only. Kevin Wright lectures on “Historic New Bridge: The First Crossing” on the American Retreat of November 20, 1776 and the place earned in history by the small riverside hamlet of New Bridge and the Bridge That Saved A Nation, as immortalized by Thomas Paine’s American Crisis Sunday, Nov. 18th, 2001, 4:00 pm. at the Steuben House.

Saturday, November 17th, 2001 - See Schedule Page for a complete listing for county
2:15 US Forces arrive at HNBL.

2:45 Crown Forces arrive at HNBL. Battle at Brett Park (No.11 on Map) on East side of the Hackensack River.

3:15 Battle ends. US Forces withdraw to West side of river, followed by Crown Forces.

3:30 Closing ceremonies & guest speakers. In front of Demarest House (No.5 on Map)

 Historic New Bridge Landing, located in River Edge, will open at noon on Saturday. There will be artillery demonstrations, a hospital exhibition, an 18th Century women’s fashion show and open historic houses.

 Sunday, November 18th, 2001
 11:00 – 1:00 Take the King’s Shilling! The raising of Bergen County’s Loyalist troops at Historic New Bridge Landing.

4:00 A lecture by the noted historian Kevin Wright— “Historic New Bridge: The First Crossing.” Lecture held in the Steuben House (No.1 on Map).

Directions to Site
New Bridge Landing is located on the west bank of the Hackensack River at the dead-end (east) of Main Street, River Edge, NJ. Nearby streets are marked with brown Historic New Bridge Landing signs.

From Exit 161 on the Garden State Parkway North or Rt. 17, travel about 2 miles on Route 4 East, taking the exit for Hackensack Avenue North. Proceed through 2 traffic lights, then take the exit for Main Street, River Edge. Turn right onto Main Street. New Bridge Landing is located on the left side of street.

From Route 4 West, take the exit for River Edge and proceed north on Hackensack Ave through 2 traffic lights and turn right onto Main St, River Edge. New Bridge Landing is located on the left side of street.

From S. Washington Ave / Teaneck Rd, take New Bridge Road West. After crossing the Hackensack River, make a left onto Main Street. New Bridge Landing is located on the left side of street.