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River Edge NJ, On Saturday afternoon, a woman was fatally struck by an NJ Transit train near the New Bridge Landing station in River Edge.
Continue reading Women Dies After Being Struck By NJ Transit Train in River Edge
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On the chilly and drizzly morning of November 20, 1776, a mere four months following the declaration of independence by the Second Continental Congress, the formidable British army launched an invasion of Bergen County. Their objective was to capture the American garrison stationed at Fort Lee, with the garrison’s sole escape route leading across a small wooden drawbridge at New Bridge Landing, now located in River Edge and New Milford.
Continue reading Bergen County Historical Society: Reenactment of the patriots’ Retreat to Victory
Photo of the Museum Collections Committee recently preparing exhibit.
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River Edge NJ, this year Bergen County Historical Society has an exhibit of 18th document box for the Retreat event at New Bridge. It has the GR King George stamp seal impressed in the leather lid by the handle.
The box has been conserved by Cultural Preservation & Restoration since the last time on exhibit several years ago.
photo courtesy of Bergen County Historical Society
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River Edge NJ, On the cold, drizzly morning of November 20, 1776, a mere four months after the Second Continental Congress declared us to be an independent nation, the mighty British army mounted an invasion of Bergen County. Their goal was the capture of the American garrison at Fort Lee; the garrison’s only means of escape lay across a small wooden drawbridge at New Bridge Landing in what is now River Edge and New Milford.
Continue reading Bergen County Historical Society: Retreat to Victory, Events of November of 1776
photos courtesy of Bergen County Historical Society and the Brigade of the American Revolution
by James McKane BAR Retreat Weekend Committee- lead BAR board member at-large, Co-Inspector Commander, 3rd NJ Grays
Fort Lee NJ, the Brigade of the American Revolution’s (BAR) annual Fort Lee event will take place on Saturday, November 18th. Please plan to arrive at Fort Lee prior to 8:30am to make preparations for the event. Fort Lee will be an accurate representation of the chaos of retreat with the central goal of true interpretation for spectators to understand the sacrifices of 247 years ago. Throughout the whole day, soldiers will work on making last-minute defenses while civilians of both armies will do their best to share stories of the struggles of being behind or on the lines of the fighting. There will be presentations and demos throughout the day on 18th century cricket, coffee making, music, and artillery; plus merchants selling goods and the infamous Civilian Contingent fabric sale inside the museum. Prior to the battle reenactment, a quick parade to the center of the city will again take place to honor those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. General Washington and his staff will also be on site to ensure the retreat goes as planned. The Brigade invites all members attending Fort Lee to also attend the Retreat to New Bridge Landing on Sunday, with that in mind, Fort Lee has generously offered their grounds and visitor center for anyone wishing to stay overnight on Saturday. Continue reading 247th Anniversary Weekend Retreat Fort Lee & New Bridge Landing November 18th -19th
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New Bridge Landing , River Edge NJ, on Sunday morning, the retreat march to Historic New Bridge Landing takes place with the Continentals leading with wagons, wounded, and ragged men while closely pursued by the British and their allies. Once New Bridge is reached, a small skirmish for the bridge occurs, leaving the British to make camp on one side while the retreating rebels make camp on the other. Another tactical demonstration will occur for the bridge as men of the “flying camp” try to fend off the attackers as their comrades continue to retreat to safety.
Continue reading 245th Anniversary of the Retreat From Fort Lee
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Hackensack NJ, a man was killed when he was struck by a NJ Transit commuter train near Hackensack’s Essex Street Station.
from the Bergen County Historical Society
New Bridge landing , The Bergen County Historical Society was established in 1902, charged with preserving and promoting the County’s rich history as a whole. Over the years, the Society has amassed a collection of over 4,000 unique items that tell the story of Bergen’s first peoples to the present day. 2020 has been a year like no other with historic sites and museums across the country feeling the challenges of Covid 19. Yet the Bergen County Historical Society has been resilient during these times, launching a new website with updated resources, participating in a nationwide historic site tour, supporting an Eagle Scout project bake oven on site, ZOOM lecture series and monthly in person tours following all state guidelines.
We are also excited to announce that we have purchased the former PSE&G substation property, which is the last undeveloped property in the historic core of Historic New Bridge Landing. Renamed the Ackerman-Zabriskie Tide Mill site, the past support of our members, allowed for this important piece of history to be preserved as planning gets underway for its future use.
Continue reading Bergen County Historical Society 2020 Year End Fundraising Appeal
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New Bridge Landing NJ, Are the days too frigid and the nights too long for you at this time of year? Is darkness depressing and the cold’s in your bones? One solution is a trip to the tropics, but if that doesn’t fit your schedule, come celebrate Brigid’s Day and Candlemas at Historic New Bridge Landing along the Hackensack River in River Edge on Sunday, January 26, from 1 to 5 p.m.
Escape the winter blues as people did for over a thousand years in celebrations of warmth, light, and music. Sit in the main room of the 267-year-old Steuben House and tap your feet to Irish music played by The Racket River Girls. With fiddle, guitar, concertina, and harmonious vocals, they’ll transport you back to old Ireland; you’ll swear you smell the peat fire! (Performances are at 1:30 and 3:30).
Continue reading Bergen County Historical Society Celebrate Brigid’s Day and Candlemas
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New Bridge Landing NJ, The book historian Kevin Wright was working on when he passed away October 2016, The Bridge That Saved a Nation, Bergen County, New Bridge, and the Hackensack Valley is just about to be released (10/28/19) and scheduled to be for sale Sunday. I’m giving an illustrated talk on the book that takes place in the Steuben House at 1:30 pm at Harvest Homecoming, 10/27/19. The books have not been delivered, so far.
Continue reading Bergen Historical Society: “The Bridge That Saved a Nation”
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Pearl River NY, Pascack Valley line once again hit by tragedy. This past Sunday two teen passengers inside a Porsche SUV died after the car burst into flames on NJ Transit’s Pascack Valley Line. A two-car collision sent a Porsche SUV plummeting off an overpass onto train tracks below, where it burst into flames, killing two teenagers and sending a third to a hospital with serious injuries.
Continue reading Pascack Valley line hit by tragedy again
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New Bridge Landing NJ, “THE HUDSON WOODPILE “ is a “roots” music band composed of local multi instrumental acoustic musicians . The core musicians are Steve Kelman on guitar and mandolin. Ken Miller on Banjo ,Fiddle. and mandolin . Periodically ,Andy Steimle plays on the upright bass. Assorted other singers and musicians regularly appear . Steve has decades of performing. Ken Miller spent 7 years playing along with Pete Seeger in Beacon ,NY.“ Roots “ music is played on acoustic instruments . Some people call it “wooden music” .It is a collection of “old Timey” ,”Bluegrass”, “Blues”,”Folk”, “Folkrock” ,”Irish”,” Scottish “and “Western”. We thoroughly enjoy singing and playing these songs and tunes, and so will you.
Continue reading Hudson Woodpile will be providing music for the September 21, 2019 Baronfest
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New Bridge Landing NJ, Join the Bergen County Historical Society School of Interpretation Event!
The Bergen Dutch, A Lasting Legacy
Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at 7:30 pm at Steuben House, River Edge, NJ
August 2,2018
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River Edge NJ, Bergen County Historical Society will Celebrate Revolutionary War hero Major-General Baron von Steuben’s birthday and greet the Baron in person! Enjoy the finest that regional craft breweries Brix City and Alementary have to offer together with delicious food in a historic village. Relax to music by Long Hill String Band and thrill to Mott’s Artillery demonstrations in The Meadow. Tour three 18th century houses, barn and outkitchen, and stroll the grounds of Historic New Bridge Landing in River Edge where Washington, Lafayette, and, of course, the Baron once walked.
As one past festival visitor remarked, “I feel like I’m on a farm in upstate New York!” but we’re only 7 miles from the George Washington Bridge!
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand Steuben, also referred to as Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian and later an American military officer. He served as Inspector General and a Major General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is credited with being one of the fathers of the Continental Army in teaching them the essentials of military drills, tactics, and disciplines. He wrote Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, the book that served as the standard United States drill manual until the War of 1812. He served as General George Washington’s chief of staff in the final years of the war.
Help us raise funds for a Hall of History Museum celebrating Bergen County’s storied past. Family-friendly event, games for kids. Book sale. No rain date. Free parking.
Baronfest, a day of music, beer, and food at Historic New Bridge Landing
Sept 29, 2018, Saturday, 1-5 pm