Tour Historic New Bridge Landing

The Bergen County Historical Society presents a New Color Walking Tour Brochure available at the 2 kiosks. 

Experience history in one of the storied places where it was made.

This unique location has a pre history story (objects as old as 5,000 years have been found right here), a house that saw more of the American Revolution then any other home in America and Washington's headquarters for 16 days in 1780 (The Steuben House), Battleground in the American Revolution, a collection of distinctive Bergen County artifacts & architecture including 3 sandstone houses and one of the last unspoiled vistas in the central valley, home to many birds and critters. 

The Zabriskie family has a compelling story to tell. Jan and Annetje (Ackerman) Zabriskie bought property here in 1745, the same year the wooden drawbridge was built directly in front of the house. How they prospered! The bridge was the first bridge above Newark Bay, all stagecoach and wagon traffic passed in front of house. The Zabriskies built the stone house in 1752, enlarged it in 1767, had a tide mill where area farmers brought grain to be ground, a ship landing for goods to go city markets and a store to sell items brought back from the city markets. The BCHS website has the store inventory, see how extensive it is. 

At the time of the American Revolution, the Zabriskies sided with the Crown and fled to British-held Manhattan. They bought their confiscated house back in 1788 from General Steuben. Steuben restored the war damaged house during the 6 years he owned it. The family survived the terrible years of war only to see Jan Zabriskie, Jr.  crushed trying to free the New Bridge tide mill wheel (family tradition imparts) at only 25 years of age in 1793. He lies buried in the French Burying ground in what is now New Milford (See his tombstone on a BCHS tour in the fall). 

Find out more about the Zabriskie-Steuben House.

BCHS Walking Tour & Lecture:  Led by historian Kevin Wright, Sunday, August 12, 2012, 1:00 - 3:00 pm. The tour begins at the Steuben House and ends at the Campbell-Christie House where refreshments and gift shop are available. The parking lot is on Hackensack Ave. and Main St., River Edge. Or take the train to the New Bridge Landing train station on the Pascack Valley line from Secaucus, NJ/Spring Valley, NY. Rain or shine. Adults $7.00, Children $5.00, BCHS members free. 

Location: Historic New Bridge Landing, 1201 Main Street, River Edge, NJ.

ALL PROGRAMMING ONLY POSSIBLE BY DONATIONS & MEMBERSHIP. 100% goes to our mission and is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The Steuben House, a state historic site, has been closed to the public since 2007. The Bergen County Historical Society opens it for special events.

The Walking Tour Color Brochure is available at the 2 kiosks at the site. QR code to the Mobile App Walking Tour is also at the kiosks, the app works on any smart phone.

The color brochure is funded by the Bergen County Historical Society: Non-profit • All volunteer • Largest land-owner at HNBL • Other responsibilities include over 4,000 object collection, not including library & rare document collection.

Fundraising continues: 

Our goal is to build a museum for BCHS collection and library at Historic New Bridge Landing. We've raised $100,00 in one year!!, almost entirely by individuals donating $100 to $1,000 at a time. Be a part of history.

For more info or to sign up for event email blasts: www.bergencountyhistory.org

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