The Jersey City news., 1902-02-05
oh MY !!
HOW GRAND
Quaint Old Bergen Mansion
Appears in a New
Spring Dress.
HOME OF The PARK FAMILY
Interesting Facts About the
First Quarters of the
Carteret Club.

On the southeast corner Of Bergen
Square stands an old but stately mali
/ sion, which In tho past few weeks hsts
attracted considerable attention by per-
sons who frequently pass that way For
years the passerby has noticed on this
spot a gray stone dwelling. not the least
attractive save to an occasional admirer.
of It's quaint style of architecture or one
familiar with its history.
But now decided change has taken,
place The solemn gray which so long
concealed the walls of the old mansion
has been replaced by fiery Indian red
with white and brown trimmings end the
ancient structure stands today like q
pretty maid in a gaudy dress the centre
of attraction.
Few persons can pass it by without
casting glance upon it and among those
who live in the section it is an object OF
admiration.
There it is unused an old resident as
he gazed on the newly painted walls
Who would believe that was one of our
old timers built away back in George
Washdngton's days 1t looks though
it was raised from the dead anc had
decided to take its old Place in society
My. what a figure It cutsi If it was only
on the Boulevard, eh? Mr. E. F. e.
Young's palace would be s.np.y showed
under But 1t is better off for 1t rests on
tine soil where the first settlers of Bergen
built their huts in 1860, and kept the In
dams at bay when this hill was a wilder
ness"
The credit of restoring the venerable
NJ
the present owner who resides on Sip
avenue. The house was originally the
home of the Park family Its last occu-
pant of that name was MerseIes Park,
who died some forty or more years ago
The date of its erection is not known.
but it was evidently in the days of the
Revolution or thereabouts. Mr.. Jones
purchased the property in 1885 from Smith
Garrabrandt, who had bought it from the
Park family some years previous Mr.
Garrabrandt was a wealthy New York
merchant He spent considerable money
renovating the Park dwelling and lived
in it with his family. He also bought
other old estates on the HILL
Shortly after Mr.. Jones purchased the
house number of prominent men on the
Heights decided to start a club and it
was in the Park mansion that they met
and organized what Is now the Carteret
Club. The club had its headquarters In
the house for about four years. From
that time on the building has been known
among the charter members Of the Car
teret Club as the Club House"
Mr. Jones had the house painted and
renovated two weeks ago The colors
which he selected are appropriate. They
have transformed the aged building into
one of the prettiest dwellings on Bergen
avenue.
The structure is built of stone and has
two stories. Like most Of the homes of
the early Dutch Inhabitants, the roof is
low and Is broken by a row of dormer
windows.
The plot on which the house is located
is part of the original village of Bergen.
which was laid out in 1880 The centre of
the village was the present Bergen
Square The village was surrunded by
palisades built about on line with New
kirk street. Tuers avenue, Vroom street
and Van Reypen street. The palisades
were necessary to secure the settlers and
their families from the attacks of the In
dians The village well was located where
the hagpole IN the square now stands.
Remnants of the old well were unearthed
when the pole was erected The village
school stood on the site of the present
Public School No. il. 1t was replaced
later by what was known as the Bergen
Columbia Academy