Bergen County Old Jail - Hackensack, NJ
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 40° 52.734 W 074° 02.603
18T E 580600 N 4525754
This marker is next to another (WMAZ0E) for the Bergen County Court House at the intersection of Court Street and Moore Street.
Waymark Code: WMAZRQ
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 03/17/2011
Views: 5
The Old Bergen County Jail is actually attached to the Bergen County Courthouse and the buildings were constructed simultaneously in 1912.
The jail was decommissioned in 1993.
This website has a photo of the building unobstructed: (
visit link)
See text of the historical marker below.
Marker Name: Bergen County Old Jail
Marker Type: Local? Unofficial
Marker text:
"Bergen County Old Jail
Architect James Riely Gordon designed the jail in the fortified Medieval Revival style. This style of architecture incorporates fortress-like elements such as turrets, parapets and slit windows related to imprisonment in ancient castles and dungeons. The building’s cross-shaped plan has wings radiating out from a central octagonal tower surmounted by a domed skylight filled with decorative glass.
This tower, used for ventilation, allowed for a few guards to oversee many prisoners held in the detention cells. The cells were the latest prefabricated design with locking devices and other control mechanisms. The east wing was devoted to the Sheriff’s residence. Constructed simultaneously with the Court House, the jail was completed in 1912 at a cost of $250,000. It was decommissioned as an active jail in 1993."
Dedication Date: 01/01/2006
City: Hackensack
County: Bergen County
Group responsible for placement: Bergen County Historical Society
Web Link: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
A photo of the 'Marker' or 'Plaque' is required to identify the location, plus a picture of the 'Historic Site', please ALSO provide a detailed description of your visit so we can form a 'mental image'