Old Bergen Church Explained

Old Bergen Church
Location:Bergen and Highland Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey
Coordinates:40.7269°N -74.0694°W
Built:1841
Architect:William H. Kirk and Company, Clark and Van Nest
Architecture:Greek Revival
Added:August 14, 1973
Refnum:73001103[1]
Designated Other1 Name:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Abbr:NJRHP
Designated Other1 Link:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Date:June 13, 1973
Designated Other1 Number:1520[2]
Designated Other1 Num Position:bottom
Designated Other1 Color:
  1. ffc94b

The Old Bergen Church is a historic church congregation in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Established in 1660 in what was then the Dutch colony of New Netherland, it is the oldest continuous religious congregation in what is today the State of New Jersey. The congregation is jointly affiliated with the Reformed Church in America and the Presbyterian Church (USA).[3] The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 14, 1973. The original church building was constructed in 1680 and the current edifice was built in 1841.[4]

History

The congregation was formed in the Dutch colonial village of Bergen in 1660, located across the Hudson River from the town of New Amsterdam in what is today Lower Manhattan.[5] The first services were held in a log schoolhouse.[6] In 1680 an octagonal, sandstone church was built by William Day. The church was located on Vroom Street, between Bergen and Tuers Avenues. The congregation outgrew the original church and a second church was erected in 1773. This church was also made of sandstone and was located at the corner of Bergen Avenue and Vroom Street. The third and current church was built in 1841 by William H. Kirk and Company and Clark and Van Nest.[5]

Notable burials

The Old Bergen Church Cemetery and the Speer Cemetery are affiliated with the church.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Listings. 2010-02-25.
  2. Web site: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Hudson County . New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office . 7 . July 7, 2009 . February 25, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100705114811/http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/1identify/lists/hudson.pdf . July 5, 2010 .
  3. Web site: Old Bergen Church . January 4, 2009 . oldbergenchurch.com.
  4. Web site: Jersey City Past and Present | New Jersey City University . www.njcu.edu . November 28, 2008.
  5. http://oldbergenchurch.org/history.html Accessed January 4, 2009.
  6. Web site: Jersey City History – Old Bergen – Chapter XXXV . www.cityofjerseycity.org . January 4, 2009.