Hackensack, New Jersey

Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, and serves as its county seat. It was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921, though it was informally known as Hackensack. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 43,010, reflecting an increase of 333 (+0.8%) from the 42,677 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 5,628 (+15.2%) from the 37,049 counted in the 1990 Census.

An inner suburb of New York City, Hackensack is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Midtown Manhattan and about 7 miles (11 km) from the George Washington Bridge. From a number of locations, one can see the New York City skyline.

The Metropolitan Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University borders the Hackensack River in both Hackensack and Teaneck. Hackensack is also the home of the New Jersey Naval Museum and the World War II submarine USS Ling. Astronaut Walter Schirra is perhaps Hackensack's most famous native son.

The city is known for a great diversity of neighborhoods and land uses existing in very close proximity to each other. Within its borders are the prominent Hackensack University Medical Center, a trendy high-rise district about a mile long, classic suburban neighborhoods of single-family houses, stately older homes on acre-plus lots, older two-family neighborhoods, large garden apartment complexes, industrial areas, the Bergen County Jail, a tidal river, Hackensack River County Park, Borg's Woods Nature Preserve, various city parks, large office buildings, a major college campus, the Bergen County Court House, a vibrant small-city downtown district, and various small neighborhood business districts.

Geography

Hackensack is located at 40°53′22″N 74°02′45″W (40.889398,-74.045698). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 4.346 square miles (11.256 km²), of which 4.180 square miles (10.826 km²) of it was land and 0.166 square miles (0.430 km², 3.82%) is water.

The city is bordered by Paramus, River Edge, Teaneck, Bogota, Ridgefield Park, Little Ferry, South Hackensack, Hasbrouck Heights, Lodi, and Maywood.

There are many houses of historic value, and some of these were identified in the 1990 Master Plan. The city does not have any registered historic districts, or any restrictions on preserving the historic facade in any portions of the city. Areas considered suburban single-family residential neighborhoods account for about one third of the city's area, mostly along its western side.

North Hackensack is an unincorporated community located within Hackensack.

Demographics

Ethnic diversity

As the initial destination for many immigrants to Bergen County from around the globe, Hackensack's ethnic composition has become exceptionally diverse. As of 2008, approximately 37.2% of the population was foreign-born. In addition, 2.7% was born in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, or abroad to American parents. Over 55% of the population over the age of five speak only English in their household, while 31.3% of the population speaks Spanish at home. The South Asian and East Asian populations have increased most rapidly in Hackensack since 2000, with nearly 2,000 Indian Americans, over 1,000 Filipino Americans, and over 600 Korean Americans represented in the 2010 United States Census. Hackensack's Hispanic population has also risen rapidly, to over 15,000 in 2010. The Black population dropped as a percentage although minimally in absolute numbers between 2000 and 2010. The city lost approximately 10% of its Caucasian population between 2000 and 2010, which has stabilized and resumed growth since 2010 and has remained substantial, at over 20,000 in 2010. The city has also witnessed greatly increasing diversity in its non-Hispanic white segment, with large numbers of Eastern Europeans, Eurasians, Central Asians, and Arabic immigrants offsetting the loss in Hackensack's earlier established Italian American, Irish American, and German American populations.

Census 2010

At the 2010 United States Census, there were 43,010 people, 18,142 households, and 9,706 families residing in the city. The population density was 10,290.0 per square mile (3,973.0/km²). There were 19,375 housing units at an average density of 4,635.4 per square mile (1,789.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.67% (20,072) White, 24.44% (10,511) Black or African American, 0.56% (241) Native American, 10.30% (4,432) Asian, 0.02% (10) Pacific Islander, 13.59% (5,844) from other races, and 4.42% (1,900) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 35.31% (15,186) of the population.

There were 18,142 households, of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.1% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.5% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city, 18.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.5 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $57,676 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,577) and the median family income was $66,911 (+/- $5,433). Males had a median income of $45,880 (+/- $4,012) versus $42,059 (+/- $1,681) for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,036 (+/- $1,809). About 8.9% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples headed 145 households in 2010, an increase from the 112 counted in 2000.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 42,677 people, 18,113 households, and 9,545 families residing in the city. The population density was 10,358.3 people per square mile (3,999.4/km²). There were 18,945 housing units at an average density of 4,598.2 per square mile (1,775.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 52.61% White, 24.65% African American, 0.45% Native American, 7.45% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 9.71% from other races, and 5.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.92% of the population.

There were 18,113 households out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.3% were non-families. 39.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out with 18.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 38.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $49,316, and the median income for a family was $56,953. Males had a median income of $39,636 versus $32,911 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,856. About 6.8% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Hackensack operates under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law form of New Jersey municipal government. The City Council consists of five members who are elected to four-year terms on a concurrent basis in a non-partisan election held every four years in May. This form of government separates policy making (the work of the mayor and city council) from the execution of policy (the work of the city manager). This maintains professional management and a City-wide perspective through: nonpartisan election, at-large representation, concentration of executive responsibility in the hands of a professional manager accountable to the Mayor and Council, concentration of policy making power in one body: a five-person Mayor and Council. In the several decades in which the City has used the Municipal Manager form of government, Hackensack has had only nine City Managers.

As of 2015, the mayor of the City of Hackensack is John P. Labrosse, Jr., whose term of office as mayor ends June 30, 2017, along with all other councilmembers. Other members of the Hackensack City Council are Deputy Mayor Kathleen Canestrino, Leonardo 'Leo' Battaglia, Rose Greenman and David Sims. John Labrosse, who served as councilman since 2009, and the entire council were elected in May 2013 under the "Citizens for Change" party, which replaced the mayor and three council members who had been supported by the Zisa family. The mayor and deputy mayor will serve four-year terms. In the previous council, mayors and deputy mayors served one-year rotating terms.

In a move to eliminate past Zisa family political influence, the 2013 city council did not reappoint Joseph Zisa, the city attorney; Richard Salkin, the municipal prosecutor; and Scirocco Insurance Group, the city’s insurance broker where former city mayor Jack Zisa is an insurance agent.

City Council candidate Joseph DeFalco, principal of Hackensack High School, died of a heart attack the day of the municipal election in 2005, but was elected despite his death. His running mates agreed to create a rotation under which each of the four surviving members of the New Visions for Hackensack slate would serve for a year as Mayor, creating a series of firsts for the City. Townes took office in 2005 as the city's first black mayor, and Sasso became the first female mayor in 2006. Meneses became Hackensack's first Hispanic mayor when he was sworn in on July 1, 2007, and Melfi took the reins as mayor in 2008. Four of the same five officials were re-elected in 2009 (Townes, Melfi, Sasso, Meneses), along with one opposition candidate, LaBrosse. The city council continued to rotate the mayor's seat, with the exception of Labrosse, and Melfi became mayor again in 2012.

Frank Zisa served as mayor from 1977 to 1981, Fred Cerbo from 1981 to 1989, and John F. "Jack" Zisa (son of Frank Zisa) from 1989 to 2005.

Former Assemblyman Charles "Ken" Zisa served as chief of the Hackensack Police Department from his 1995 appointment to replace John Aletta until May 2010 when he was suspended without pay on charges of official misconduct and insurance fraud. Tomas Padilla was appointed the acting police chief while the police department was being monitored by the Bergen County Prosecutors office. In May 2012, a judge ordered Zisa out of his position as police chief, a decision that cost him his police retirement benefits. In January 2013, Mike Mordaga was appointed the new civilian police director, which replaced the previous position of police chief.

Federal, state and county representation

Hackensack is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Hackensack had been part of the 9th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

The 37th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the General Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2015, the County Executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus; term ends December 31, 2018). The seven freeholders are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year, with a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Chairman Pro Tempore selected from among its members at a reorganization meeting held each January. Bergen County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chairwoman Joan Voss (D, 2017; Fort Lee), Vice Chairman Steve Tanelli (D, 2015; North Arlington) Chairman Pro Tempore John A. Felice (R, 2016; River Edge), David L. Ganz (D, 2017; Fair Lawn), Maura R. DeNicola (R, 2016; Franklin Lakes) Thomas J. Sullivan Jr., (D, Montvale, 2015; serving the unexpired term of office that had been occupied by James Tedesco before he was sworn in as County Executive) and Tracy Silna Zur (D, 2015; Franklin Lakes), with one vacant seat expiring in 2015 that had been occupied by James Tedesco before he was sworn in as County Executive. Countywide constitutional officials are County Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale), Sheriff Michael Saudino (R) and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 19,123 registered voters in Hackensack, of which 8,630 (45.1% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,993 (10.4% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 8,492 (44.4% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered to other parties. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 44.5% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 54.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 11,335 votes (78.6% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,835 votes (19.6% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 113 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 14,428 ballots cast by the city's 20,971 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.8% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 11,711 votes (75.7% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 3,498 votes (22.6% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 102 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 15,461 ballots cast by the city's 20,616 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.0% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 9,815 votes (71.0% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 3,870 votes (28.0% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 88 votes (0.6% vs. 0.7%), among the 13,818 ballots cast by the city's 19,013 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.7% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 59.7% of the vote (4,268 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 39.0% (2,790 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (89 votes), among the 7,327 ballots cast by the city's 19,506 registered voters (180 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 37.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 6,247 ballots cast (70.9% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2,194 votes (24.9% vs. 45.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 288 votes (3.3% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 31 votes (0.4% vs. 0.5%), among the 8,812 ballots cast by the city's 19,819 registered voters, yielding a 44.5% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

Public schools

The Hackensack Public Schools serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's six schools had an enrollment of 5,166 students and 391.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentâ€"teacher ratio of 13.21:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are four Kâ€"4 elementary schools â€" Fairmount Elementary School (633 students), Fanny Meyer Hillers School (549), Jackson Avenue School (451), and Nellie K. Parker School (501) â€" while Hackensack Middle School serves grades 5-8 (1,292) and Hackensack High School serves students in grades 9â€"12 (1,740).

Hackensack High School serves high school students living in neighboring communities as part of sending/receiving relationships with the respective districts, including about 250 from Maywood, 120 from Rochelle Park and 250 from South Hackensack as of 2012. In addition, Teterboro residents had been able to choose between Hackensack High School and Hasbrouck Heights School District's Hasbrouck Heights High School.

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Private schools

The First Baptist Church runs Hackensack Christian School, a K-12 school that was established in 1973 and is located at Union Street and Conklin Place.

The YCS George Washington School is a nonprofit private school for classified students ages 5â€"14 in grades K-8 who are experiencing behavioral and/or emotional difficulties. Its population consists of students who reside at the YCS Holley Child Care and Development Center in Hackensack and students within the surrounding communities whose needs cannot be adequately met in special education programs within their districts.

Padre Pio Academy is a defunct K-8 school that had operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark until its closure at the end of the 2012-13 school year in the wake of declining enrollment and a deficit approaching $350,000. The school had been formed in 2009 by the diocese through the merger of St. Francis of Assisi School with Holy Trinity.

Colleges and universities

The Metropolitan Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University straddles the Hackensack River in both Hackensack and Teaneck.

Bergen Community College has a location in Hackensack. The Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center, is located at 355 Main Street at the corner of Passaic Street.

Eastwick College is located at 250 Moore Street.

Transportation

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the city had a total of 79.69 miles (128.25 km) of roadways, of which 62.10 miles (99.94 km) were maintained by the municipality, 15.10 miles (24.30 km) by Bergen County and 2.49 miles (4.01 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Interstate 80, Route 17, Route 4, and County Route 503 cross Hackensack, while there are many other main roads in Hackensack. Several bridges, including the Court Street Bridge, span the Hackensack River.

Public transportation

The city is served by three train stations on New Jersey Transit's Pascack Valley Line, two of them in Hackensack, providing service to Hoboken Terminal, with connecting service to Penn Station New York and other NJ Transit service at Secaucus Junction. Anderson Street station serves central Hackensack while Essex Street station serves southern portions of the city. The New Bridge Landing station, located adjacent to the city line in River Edge also serves the northernmost parts of Hackensack, including The Shops at Riverside.

New Jersey Transit buses include lines 144, 157, 162, 163, 164, 165 and 168 serving the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 175, 178 and 182 to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station; the 76 to Newark; the 83 route to Jersey City; and local service on the 709, 712, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 762, 770, 772 and 780 lines. Many of the bus routes stop, originate and terminate at the Hackensack Bus Terminal, a regional transit hub. Route 1X jitney of Fordham Transit originates/terminates at the bus terminal with service Inwood, Manhattan via Fort Lee Road.

The Passaic-Bergen Rail Line is a planned light-rail system that will have two stops in Hackensack.

Emergency services

Fire department

The City of Hackensack is protected by a force of 99 paid, professional firefighters of the city of Hackensack Fire Department (HFD). The HFD was first established on April 1, 1871 as Bergen Hook & Ladder Co. 1. In 1911, the full-time fire department was organized. The Hackensack Fire Department responds to, approximately, 5,600 emergency calls annually.

The Hackensack Ford dealership fire on July 1, 1988, resulted in the deaths of five firefighters after a bowstring truss roof collapsed. A message issued a minute before the collapse ordering firefighters out was never received due to defective communications equipment and two firefighters who had survived the initial collapse could not be rescued as their calls for help were not received.

Nine firefighters from Hackensack have died in the line of duty.

The Hackensack Fire Department currently operates out of four Fire Stations, located throughout the city, under the command of a Deputy Chief/Tour Commander per shift. The HFD also operates a fire apparatus fleet of four Engines, one Ladder, one Rescue, one Collapse Shoring Unit, three Special Operations Units, one Mask Service Unit, two fireboats, one Fire Alarm Maintenance Bucket Truck, two Reserve Engines, one Reserve Ladder, a Reserve Rescue, as well as several other special and support units.

Fire station locations and apparatus

Ambulance

The Hackensack Volunteer Ambulance Corps provides emergency medical services to Hackensack and other nearby towns through mutual aid agreements. The Corps operates nightly from 6pm to 6am, and 24 hours on Saturday and Sundays. Daytime EMS is provided seven days a week by the Hackensack University Medical Center's ambulance service, overlapping volunteer coverage on weekends. Both the Hackensack University Medical Center and Hackensack Volunteer Ambulance Corps are dispatched by MICCOM, the Northern New Jersey Mobile Intensive Care Communications. MICCOM provides dispatch and emergency medical call taking with pre-arrival instructions and updates.

History

The first inhabitants of the area were the Lenni Lenape, an Algonquian people (later known as the Delaware Indians) who lived along the valley of what they called the Achinigeu-hach, or "Ackingsah-sack", meaning stony ground (today the Hackensack River). A representation of Chief Oratam of the Achkinhenhcky appears on the Hackensack municipal seal.

Settlement by the Dutch West India Company in New Netherland on west banks of the North River (Hudson River) across from New Amsterdam (present-day lower Manhattan) began in the 1630s at Pavonia, eventually leading to the establishment of Bergen (at today's Bergen Square in Jersey City) in 1660.

Oratam, sachem of the Lenni Lenape, deeded the land along mid-Hackensack River to the Dutch in 1665. The area was soon taken by the English in 1667, but kept its Dutch name. Philip Cartaret, governor of what became the proprietary colony of East Jersey granted land to Captain John Berry in the area of Achter Kol and soon after took up residence and called it "New Barbadoes," after having resided on the island of Barbadoes. In 1669, a deed was confirmed for the 2,260 acres (9.1 km²) tract that had been given earlier by Oratem to Sarah Kiersted in gratitude for her work as emissary and interpreter. Other grants were given at the English Neighborhood.

In 1675, the East Jersey Legislature established the administrative districts: (Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, and Monmouth). In 1683, Bergen (along with the three other counties) was officially recognized as an independent county by the Provincial Assembly. The seal of Bergen County bearing this date includes an image of an agreement between the settlers and the natives.

New Barbadoes Township, together with Acquackanonk Township, were formed by Royal charter on October 31, 1693.

In 1700, the village of Hackensack was little more than the area around Main Street from the Courthouse to around Anderson Street. New Barbadoes Township included what is now Maywood, Rochelle Park, Paramus and River Edge, along with those portions of Oradell that are west of the Hackensack River. These areas were all very sparsely populated and consisted of farm fields, woods and swamplands. The few roads that existed then included the streets now known as Kinderkamack Road, Paramus Road/Passaic Street and Essex Street. The southernmost portions of what is now Hackensack were not part of New Barbadoes Township at that time.

The neighborhood that came to be known as the village of Hackensack (today the area encompassing Bergen County's municipal buildings in Hackensack) was a part of Essex County until 1710, when Bergen County, by royal decree of Queen Anne of Great Britain, was enlarged and the Township of New Barbadoes was removed from Essex County and added to Bergen County.

In 1710, the village of Hackensack in the newly formed Township of New Barbadoes was designated as being more centrally located and more easily reached by the majority of the Bergen County’s inhabitants, and hence was chosen as the county seat of Bergen County, as it remains today. The earliest records of the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders date back to 1715, at which time agreement was made to build a courthouse and jail complex, which was completed in 1716.

During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington headquartered in the village of Hackensack in November 1776 during the retreat from Fort Lee via New Bridge Landing and camped on 'The Green' across from the First Dutch Reformed Church on November 20, 1776. A raid by British forces against Hackensack on March 23, 1780, resulted in the destruction by fire of the original courthouse structure.

The Hackensack Improvement Commission was incorporated by an Act of the state legislature approved on April 1, 1868, within New Barbadoes township and including the village of Hackensack, with authority to develop sewers and other improvements in Hackensack.

The New Jersey Legislature passed the Township School Act in 1894, under which each village, borough, town, or city in New Jersey was delegated responsibility for its own public schools through the office of the county superintendent. Hackensack established a local board of education in 1894, as required by the new law, which took over operation of schools located in the township and established Hackensack High School. The 1894 act allowed local residents, by petition, to change municipal boundaries at will, setting off fearsome political battles statewide.

Portions of the township had been taken to form Harrington Township (June 22, 1775), Lodi Township (March 1, 1826), Midland Township (March 7, 1871) and Little Ferry (September 20, 1894). After these departures, secessions, and de-annexations, all that was left of New Barbadoes Township was the village of Hackensack and its surrounding neighborhoods of Fairmount, Red Hill and Cherry Hill. In 1896, New Barbadoes acquired a portion of Lodi Township covering an area south of Essex Street from the bend of Essex Street to the Maywood border. That same year the Hackensack Improvement commission was abolished and the City of Hackensack and New Barbadoes Township became coterminous.

The final parcel lost by New Barbadoes Township was the northeastern corner of what is now Little Ferry, which was incorporated in September 1894.

An act of the State Legislature incorporated the Fairmount section of New Barbadoes with the Hackensack Improvement Commission, and eliminated New Barbadoes Township as a political entity. On November 21, 1921, based on the results of a referendum held on November 8, 1921, New Barbadoes Township received its charter to incorporate as a city and officially took on its name “Hackensack,” a name derived from its original inhabitants, the Lenni Lenape, who named it "Ackingsah-sack".

In 1933, Hackensack adopted the Manager form of government under the terms of the 1923 Municipal Manager Law, with five Council persons all elected at-large and a mayor selected by the council from among its members.

Points of interest

The city historian is Albert Dib. Walking tours are conducted of historic markers in downtown Hackensack, in and around The Green and lower Main Street, and a virtual historic walking tour is available as far north as the Pascack Valley Line crossing at Main Street.

The First Dutch Reformed Church (“Church on The Green”) was built in 1696. In 1696 Major Berry donated land for the First Dutch Reformed Church, erected in that same year, which still stands in Hackensack today as the oldest church in Bergen County and the second oldest church in New Jersey. The following is list of notable people buried in the Church's adjoining cemetery:

• Enoch Poor, one of George Washington’s officers.
• Richard Varick, former mayor of the city of New York and former New York Attorney General
• Interment records for First Dutch Reformed Churchyard

Bergen County's largest newspaper, The Record, a publication of the North Jersey Media Group, had called Hackensack its home until moving to Woodland Park. Its 19.7-acre (8.0 ha) campus is largely abandoned and has been sold to be redeveloped for a mixed-use commercial project that would include 500 residential apartments and a hotel, in associated with the river walkway project.

The New Jersey Naval Museum is home to the World War II submarine USS Ling, a Balao class submarine, and several smaller water vessels and artifacts. The museum is open select weekdays for group tours.

The Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, located at 39 Broadway, is the city's leading theater arts institution and houses many local arts groups such as the Teaneck Theater Company and the Hackensack Theater Company. The facility also serves as the summer indoor location for the Hudson Shakespeare Company in case of rain. Otherwise, the group performs outdoors at Staib Park, with two "Shakespeare Wednesdays" per month for each month of the summer.

The Shops at Riverside (formerly known as Riverside Square Mall), is an upscale shopping center located at the intersection of Route 4 and Hackensack Avenue at the northern edge of the city along the Hackensack River near its border with River Edge to the north and with Teaneck across the river. The mall, which has undergone a significant expansion, is anchored by a number of high-end department stores and restaurants, including Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., Pottery Barn and Barnes & Noble, offering a Gross Leasable Area of 674,416 square feet (62,655.3 m²). The mall is known for its marble floors, and attracts a great many upper income shoppers from Manhattan and Northern Bergen County.

Hackensack's Main Street is devoted to shopping and includes some of the city's iconic landmarks, including the United Jersey Bank headquarters building and the former Woolworth site that is now a housewares store. The only remaining major store on Hackensack's Main Street is Sears Roebuck and Co. The historic Sears building is located on the corner of Main and Anderson Street and is still in operation today. The site is close to the Anderson Street train station, and has been open since the 1930s.

Bergen County Jail is a detention center for both sentenced and unsentenced prisoners. It is located on South River Street. The County is in the process of moving the County Police from the northern end of the city to a new site across from the Jail. The former site will be redeveloped as a "transit village" complex associated with the New Bridge Landing rail station in adjoining River Edge.

The city's Johnson Public Library at 274 Main Street is a member of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System. The library opened in 1901 using a gift from State Senator William M. Johnson.

Ice House is a complex with four full-sized skating rink that opened in 1996, which is home to the New Jersey Avalanche mainstreamed and special needs hockey teams and several high school hockey teams, in addition to being the home rink of gold medalists Sarah Hughes, Elena Bereznaia and Anton Sikharulidze.

Other points of interest within the city include the Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack River County Park, Bowler City Bowling Lanes, Borg's Woods Nature Preserve and the Bergen County Court House, and the Bergen Museum of Art & Science.

Local media

Radio station WNYM at 970 AM, is licensed to Hackensack and has its transmitter in the city. The station is currently owned by Salem Communications with a Conservative Talk format. During the 1970s, it played a Top 40 music radio format for several years, competing (unsuccessfully) with Top 40 powerhouse 77 WABC (AM).

Popular culture

Hackensack has been mentioned in the lyrics of songs by several musical artists, many of whom have lived in New Jersey or New York City. The town was home to the original Van Gelder recording studio at 25 Prospect Avenue where the jazz musicians Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk recorded some of their landmark work. Monk recorded a tribute to Rudy Van Gelder entitled "Hackensack". Other notable examples of Hackensack in songs include:

• "Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More" by Steely Dan from their 1975 album Katy Lied includes the rhyme "Driving like a fool out to Hackensack / Drinking his dinner from a paper sack".
• Fountains of Wayne, "Hackensack" (Welcome Interstate Managers, 2003) was remade by Katy Perry, 2009.
• Johnny Cash, "I've Been Everywhere" (Unchained) a 1996 cover of a number 1 hit in Country Music in November 1962 in the United States by Hank Snow
• Peter Schickele (under the pseudonym P.D.Q. Bach), "O Little Town of Hackensack", a parody of the traditional carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem".
• "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" by Billy Joel includes the lines "Who needs a house out in Hackensack? Is that all you get for your money?"

• "Lost In Hollywood" by System Of A Down includes the lines "The lines in the letter said, "We have gone to Hackensack"

Hackensack also appears in movies, books and television.

• In the 1978 film Superman: The Movie, Hackensack was to have been ground zero for a nuclear missile launched by Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), as Superman (Christopher Reeve) is slowly dying from exposure to kryptonite.
• In the 1954 film Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock, L.B. Jefferies' (Jimmy Stewart) maid, Stella (Thelma Ritter), muses that she had handled enough rhodium tri-eckonol pills to "put everybody in Hackensack to sleep for the winter." She makes the statement while she and Jefferies spy on his neighbors, one of which was laying out on a table a set of pills in an apparent contemplation of suicide.
• F. Scott Fitzgerald went to the prep school, the Newman School, in Hackensack in 1911.
• The 1985 film Brewster's Millions starred Richard Pryor, who played a pitcher for the Hackensack Bulls, a fictional minor-league baseball team (the outfield had a railroad track across it)
• In the 1998 film Bride of Chucky, Chucky's human body is said to be buried in a fictional Hackensack cemetery.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hackensack include:

• Enzo Amore (born 1986), professional wrestler in the WWE developmental territory NXT.
• Phil Arnold (1909-1968), actor.
• Carol Arthur (born 1935), actress who played a number of supporting roles in films by Mel Brooks.
• Pete Athas (born 1947), cornerback who played for the New York Giants during his six NFL seasons.
• Barton Lidice BeneÅ¡ (1942-2012), artist.
• Ellsworth P. Bertholf (1866-1921), Commandant of the Coast Guard from 1915-1919.
• James Black (1800-1872), blacksmith who is credited with creating the Bowie knife.
• Debby Boone (born 1956), singer.
• Warren Boroson (born 1935), author and journalist.
• Adam Boyd (1746â€"1835), represented New Jersey in Congress from 1803 to 1805, and again from 1808 to 1813.
• Cody Calafiore, Big Brother 16 houseguest.
• Philip Carey (1925â€"2009), actor who starred in One Life to Live.
• George Cassedy (1783-1842), member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey who served from 1821-1827.
• Vinny Ciurciu (born 1980), linebacker who has played in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
• Dave Davis (born 1942), professional ten-pin bowler; 1967 PBA Player of the Year and PBA Hall of Famer.
• Anthony DiCosmo (born 1977), gridiron football player.
• Harold Dow (1947-2010), correspondent on 48 Hours.
• John Fenn (1917-2010), chemist who was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002 for his work in mass spectrometry.
• Jim Finn (born 1976), New York Giants fullback.
• Dave Fiore (born 1974), offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins.
• Percy Keese Fitzhugh (1876â€"1950), author of many popular children's books.
• Silvia Fontana (born 1976), figure skater who represented Italy at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
• Chet Forte (1935-1996), television director and sports radio talk show host.
• Bob Franks (1951-2010), represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district from 1993-2001.
• Mike Fratello (born 1947), NBA coach and TV commentator.
• Dean Gallo (1935-1994), represented New Jersey's 11th congressional district from 1995 until his death.
• Elene Gedevanishvili (born 1990), figure skater who represented the nation of Georgia at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
• Doug Glanville (born 1970), Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and the Texas Rangers; writer and broadcaster
• Junior Glymph (born 1980), linebacker who played in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys.
• David Grisman (born 1945), mandolin player.
• Harry Harper (1895-1963), Major League Baseball pitcher from 1913 to 1923.
• Archibald C. Hart (1873â€"1935), represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district from 1912â€"1913 and 1913-1917.
• Matt Herr (born 1976), ice hockey forward who played for parts of four NHL seasons.
• John Huyler (1808â€"1870), represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1857-1859.
• Mark Ingram, Jr. (born 1989), Heisman Trophy winning running back and BCS National Champion at Alabama, currently plays for the New Orleans Saints.
• Eric Karros (born 1967), Major League Baseball player and TV commentator.
• James McEachin (born 1930), actor and author.
• Earl Schenck Miers (1910-1972), historian who wrote extensively about the American Civil War.
• Dan Oates (born 1955), police chief of Aurora, Colorado, site of the 2012 Aurora shooting in which 12 moviegoers were killed.
• Frederick Albion Ober (1849â€"1913), naturalist and writer.
• Hatch Rosdahl (1941-2004), football player who played for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
• Jason Rullo (born 1972), professional drummer, one of the founding members of progressive metal band Symphony X.
• Wally Schirra (1923â€"2007), NASA astronaut, one of the original seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury
• Dave Scott (born 1953), offensive lineman who played for the Atlanta Falcons.
• Rudy Van Gelder (born 1924), recording engineer who taped many jazz albums for Blue Note Records in his Hackensack recording studio in the 1950s.
• Douglas Watt (1914â€"2009), theater critic for the Daily News.
• Teresa Weatherspoon (born 1965), professional basketball player, formerly with WNBA's New York Liberty.
• Bill Willoughby (born 1957), basketball player who, along with Darryl Dawkins, were the first high school players drafted by the NBA after they graduated in 1975.

References

Sources

• Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties) prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.
• Clayton, W. Woodford; and Nelson, Nelson. History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1882.
• Harvey, Cornelius Burnham (ed.), Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Co., 1900.
• Lark, Terry (editor), Hackensack - Heritage to Horizons, The Hackensack Bicentennial Committee, The City of Hackensack, 1976
• Van Valen, James M. History of Bergen County, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Publishing and Engraving Co., 1900.
• Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858-1942, History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1923.

External links

• Hackensack official website
• Borg's Woods Nature Preserve
• Hackensack, New Jersey, at City-Data
• Hackensack Community Profile and Resource Links, NJ HomeTownLocator
• U.S. Census Bureau - State & County QuickFacts for Hackensack

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