Old Bergen Church

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]

Old Bergen Church
Old Bergen Church in 2020
LocationBergen and Highland Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey
Coordinates40°43′37″N 74°4′10″W
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1841
ArchitectWilliam H. Kirk and Company, Clark and Van Nest
Architectural styleGreek Revival
NRHP reference No.73001103[1]
NJRHP No.1520[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPAugust 14, 1973
Designated NJRHPJune 13, 1973

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.[7]

  • Front of the Old Bergen Church in 1938.
  • Original church from 1680.

See also

References
  1. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  2. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Hudson County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. July 7, 2009. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2010. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
  3. http://oldbergenchurch.org/ Accessed January 4, 2009.
  4. http://www.njcu.edu/programs/jchistory/Pages/O_Pages/Old_Bergen_Church.htm Accessed November 28, 2008.
  5. http://oldbergenchurch.org/history.html Archived 2009-08-03 at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 4, 2009.
  6. http://www.cityofjerseycity.org/oldberg/chapter35.shtml Accessed January 4, 2009.
  7. Sarapin, Janice Kohl (1994), Old Burial Grounds of New Jersey: A Guide, Rutgers University Press, ISBN 0-8135-2111-4
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