Bergen County | US Courthouses

Bergen County is named for part of the province of New Netherland in northeastern New Jersey.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Rockland County, New York

E – Westchester County, New York, Bronx County, New York and New York County, New York

S – Hudson County

W – Essex County and Passaic County

Created: March 1, 1683

County Seat:

Perth Amboy 1683 – 1710

Hackensack 1710 – present

County Courthouse – Hackensack

Location: 10 Main Street / Court Street

Built: 1910 – 1912

Style: American Renaissance

Architect: James Riely Gordon of Gordon, Tracy and Swartwout

Contractor: John T Brady Company.

Description: The building faces north and is a four story structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Hackensack. The north front has a projecting center section with three arched entrances on the first story and six columns rising from the second story to the top of third story with recessed windows. The building is capped by a copper coated dome with cupola, or lantern, surmounted by a statue. The interior dome of the rotunda area of the courthouse is modeled after the Pantheon in Rome and the axial Beaux Arts plan features colossal Corinthian columns of tinos marble, decorative ironwork railings, and a paneled and stained glass dome on the interior. Radiating from the rotunda are corridors with elliptical arches and walls paneled in scagliola. All hall flooring is white colored Italian marble. The numerous courtrooms are essentially intact. Features include Corinthian columns and pilasters, classical ceiling cornices, decorative iron railing, fine woodwork, and recessed spectator galleries. The appeals courtroom has painted panels representing the historical twelve tablets of the Roman law. The Chancery courtroom has numerous murals. In 1956 to 1958, a large five story nondescript masonry wing was constructed connecting to the County Courthouse Annex on the south side. On the east side are the Old County Jail (1910-1912) and the County Justice Center, and to the southeast is the County Administration Building (1958)..

See: The architect James Riely Gordon of San Antonio, Texas

See: National Register of Historic Places – Bergen County Courthouse

County Courthouse Annex – Hackensack

Location: 10 Main Street / Hudson Street

Built: 1929 – 1933

Style: Neo-Classical

Architect: Tilton, Schwanewede and Githens of New York

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces south and is a four story stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Hackensack on the south side of the courthouse. The building is faced with Arkansas limestone. The south front has a central arched entrance with recessed doors. A projecting cornice runs between the second and third stories. The fourth story windows are arched and the roof line is flat. The building was connected on the north side to the courthouse with an addition constructed in 1956 to 1958.

County Justice Center – Hackensack

Location: 10 Main Street / Court Street

Built: 2013 – 2015

Style: Modern

Architect: RSC Architects of Cliffside Park

Contractor: Gilbane Building Company

Description: The building faces north and is a six story stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Hackensack on the east side of the courthouse. The west front has five high arches with a projecting center section. Above is a projecting section with pillars rising to a flat roof. On the north side there are three large arches with a projecting center section. Above are wide and vertical windows. The upper story is recessed.

History: The county was created in 1683 and Perth Amboy in Middlesex County was selected as the provincial seat of East Jersey. The court met in private homes. Hackensack was selected as the county seat in 1710. The first courthouse was built in 1715 in Hackensack and the second courthouse was built in 1734. The third courthouse was a temporary log structure built in Oakland in 1780 during the Revolutionary War. In 1786, the fourth courthouse was built in Hackensack. The fifth courthouse was built in 1822. The sixth and present courthouse was constructed in 1910 to 1912 at a cost of $1,000,000. The County Justice Center was constructed in 2013 to 2015 at a cost of $115,000,000.