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Courthouse domes, Dutch sandstone and onion-griddled sliders: Hackensack packs more history into a few blocks than most of Bergen County. The city grew from a Dutch and Huguenot settlement on the west bank of the Hackensack River, took its name from the Lenape word for the area, and has served as the Bergen County seat for centuries. Today about 46,000 people live here, and the city is home to one of New Jersey's largest hospitals.
The heart of old Hackensack is The Green, laid out in the colonial era. In November 1776 George Washington's army retreated through the town after the fall of Fort Lee, and Revolutionary War general Enoch Poor lies buried in the churchyard of the Church on the Green, rebuilt in sandstone in 1791. Across the lawn rises the Bergen County Courthouse, a domed Beaux-Arts landmark completed in 1912.
Main Street has been reviving with new apartments, cafes and restaurants, while River Street is home to the tiny White Manna burger counter. Historic New Bridge Landing, where Washington crossed the river, is just upstream, and Manhattan is about 12 miles east.
The grandest building in Hackensack, a Beaux-Arts courthouse completed in 1912 with a tall dome, columned portico and a painted rotunda. It still houses county courts, so expect a security check if you step inside on a weekday. The best photos are from The Green across Main Street.
Founded by Dutch settlers in 1696 and rebuilt in local sandstone in 1791, this is one of the oldest church buildings in Bergen County. Its graveyard holds Revolutionary War general Enoch Poor and early Dutch families. Look for carved initials of the founders on the stone walls outside.
Just upstream on the River Edge side, this state historic site preserves Dutch sandstone houses and the iron swing bridge at the spot where Washington's army crossed the Hackensack River in 1776. The Steuben House is open on scheduled days, and the grounds are free to walk.
A tiny vintage burger joint on River Street where cooks press sliders onto a griddle piled with onions while you wait at the counter that wraps around it. Seating is limited to a handful of stools, so lines form at lunch. Order a few at a time with cheese and eat them hot.
Main Street runs north from The Green past new apartment blocks, older storefronts and a growing mix of cafes, bakeries and family restaurants with cooking from around the world. It is busiest on weekday lunchtimes and summer evenings. Metered parking and municipal lots sit behind the street.
The original town green, framed by the courthouse, the old church and county buildings, with monuments to local veterans and shady lawns. Washington's troops passed through here during the 1776 retreat. Walk it in a loop, then continue a block west to the shops on Main Street.
An upscale indoor mall on Hackensack Avenue near Route 4, known for designer boutiques, a department store and sit-down restaurants in a calmer setting than the big Paramus malls. Parking is free. Note that most Bergen County stores, malls included, stay closed on Sundays under local blue laws.
The Salem Street Midtown Bridge crosses the tidal Hackensack River between Hackensack and Bogota, with views of the water, the old rail bridge of the New York, Susquehanna and Western and the city's riverside edge. The sidewalk gives the best angle at sunset. Watch for traffic when crossing.
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