The town of Bergen officially started on September 5, 1661, is regarded as New Jacket’s first irreversible settlement as well as the state’s initial local civil government. It is now part of the City of Jacket City.

Started by the Dutch in 1660, the Bergen was laid out in a walled area of about 800-foot square. A palisade of tall pointed wooden stakes, with a gate on each side, surrounded the land that was designed around two intersecting main streets, creating four quarters. A road south from the intersection led to the Kill van Kull at Bergen Point and a road east led to Communipaw. Eight plots were then drawn out in each of the quarters. The town’s palisade lines are still visible in modern maps of Jacket City by situating Bergen Square and complying with the arrangement produced by Tuers Avenue (Southeast), Newkirk Road (Northeast), Van Reypen Street (Northwest), as well as Vroom Road (Southwest). Today Bergen Square, the headquarters of the municipality, is 3 blocks south of Journal Square.

The founding of Bergen Township may be credited to Peter Stuyvesant, Director-General of New Netherland. After the cessation of Indian hostilities in 1655, Stuyvesant negotiated with the Indian chiefs in the area for the repurchase of lands “between the Hackensack and North (Hudson) rivers from Weehawken and Secaucus to the Kill van Kull”. At his request, the Council of New Amsterdam approved a hilltop site for a garrison-style town or village. Settlers from throughout the Pavonia area were to move to the fort where they could defend themselves with a militia against the Indians.

In 1661, Stuyvesant granted Bergen limited powers of self-government and a Court of Inferior Justice. Bergen may also claim the state’s first established congregation, the Dutch Reformed Church/ Old Bergen Church, and the first elementary school; Englebert Steenhuysen, the church clerk, became the school’s first schoolmaster in 1662.

Only a handful of landmarks remain to connect contemporary Jersey City with its Dutch origins. These historic sites today include the Apple Tree House, the former Summit House, and the Old Bergen Church and Cemetery. The former village of Bergen is now in the Journal Square area. The name Bergen is kept in Jersey City with the neighborhood’s Old Bergen Road, Bergen Opportunity as well as Bergen Square.

Bergen Township, which included the former village of Bergen, was founded in October 1693, during the period of English colonization in America. Bergen Township was later part of the incorporation of the City of Jersey City in 1873 and the name was discontinued. Bergen Square offers data recovering such as Bergen Square Data Recovery. You don’t have to take long in restoring your deleted data as long as you’ll contact us. We will be pleased to help you in times of your trouble. Bergen Square has many activities to offer you. Don’t forget to check us.