CITY OF HACKENSACK, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

 

 

Hackensack was home to the Achkinheshcky tribe of the Lenni Lenape Indians that lived along the banks of the Hackensack River.  Hackensack means “mouth of a river.”

1577  --  Lenni Lenape Chief Oratam born. 

1639  --  Hackensack settled as a trading post by the Dutch.  It was later occupied by French Huguenots.

by the mid-1600’s  --  the British arrive in the Hackensack area and there begins an era of unrest with the Indians until the end of the American Revolutionary War.  

1664  --  Chief Oratam deeded the land to early settlers.

Governor Philip Cartaret of East Jersey gave land to Captain John Berry in the area of Bergen.  Berry took up residence and called the area "New Barbadoes."  He has lived previously on the island of Barbadoes. 

1672-1673  --  John Berry Governor of New Jersey. 

1688  --  British dominate in the township of New Barbadoes (the future Hackensack).

late 1600's  --  Barbadian planter Captain John Berry gave The Green to the city's residents.

1689 or 1690  --  death of Gov. John Berry. 

1693  --  arrival of the Dutch in the future Bergen County.  They had good relations with the Chief of Hackensack, Oratam. 

1696  --  Dutch Reformed Church built. 

1764  --  first inter-country transportation system. 

1752  --  the future Von Steuben house built. 

1769  --  establishment of the school system.

1775-1783  --  American Revolutionary War.  Hackensack was a small village centered around The Green.

1776 (November)  --  Washington headquartered in Hackensack.  He surveyed the local roads and bridges.

1776 (November 20)  --  Washington's army camped on The Hackensack Green.  He decided to continue the retreat across New Jersey, chased by the British and Hessian forces all the way to Pennsylvania.  (Washington countered with a victory at the Battle of Trenton.)

1780 (September)  -- death of American Revolutionary War General Enoch Poor.  A statue of him was later set up on The Green.

1791  -- rebuilding of the Dutch Reformed Church.  (It is the oldest in Bergen County and the second oldest in New Jersey.)

1850  --  Northern Valley Railroad established.

1871  --  first fire department.

1894  -- the state legislature passes the 1894 Act.  One result locally was the formation of Hackensack High School. 

1896  --  first police department.
 
1900’s  --  numerous manufacturing companies established.
 
1911  --   famous write F. Scott Fitzgerald went to the Hackensack prep school, the Newman School.
 
1921  --  Hackensack received its charter.
 
1931  --  George Washington Bridge opened.
 
1942  --  the future Fairleigh Dickinson University established. 
 
1956  --  Fairleigh Dickinson University actually became a university this year.
 
1972  --  the submarine USS Ling (launched in 1943) was donated to the Submarine Memorial Association, a non-profit organization.  The submarine is the centerpiece of the New Jersey Naval Museum, 78 River St, Hackensack.
 
1990’s  -- flood and redevelopment plans started.
 
2000  --  population of Hackensack: 43,000.

Mayor Karen Sasso. 

 

Sources:

http://www.hackensack.org/content/64/853/default.aspx

http://www.hackensack.org/content/70/default.aspx