PARK RIDGE—You might soon be able to visit perhaps the oldest home still standing in town, at 12 Pascack Road. The borough hopes to purchase the property shortly so that we and future generations can experience what a homestead was like here nearly 300 years ago.
Events at the site would be put back into resources exploring and celebrating local history.
First, though, much restoration must take place on the site, which was owned by Frederick Wortendyke Jr. To help reimburse acquisition costs, officials are applying for a $116,000 state Green Acres grant.
Mayor Keith Misciagna told residents in a recent update the original house, a window in the borough’s settlement, was built about 1750–1755 by Frederick Wortendyke Jr. on the south half of 465 acres purchased by his father, Frederick Wortendyke Sr., in 1735.
He explained the Wortendyke Barn, across the street, is a historical site under the auspices of Bergen County. “An agricultural museum operates there, along with various special events held seasonally.”
He welcomed the public to attend a hearing to learn more about the proposal and to ask questions or offer comments on the proposed plan: Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. at the council chambers, 53 Park Ave. as part of the regularly scheduled council meeting. Comments on the proposed application also may be directed, ahead of the hearing, to the town administrator at mgiandomenico@parkridgeboro.com.
Misciagna told Pascack Press, “With the 250th anniversary of our nation coming in 2026, the council and I felt the timing was right to preserve such a significant symbol of our past. This purchase and preservation will allow the next generation. and future generations, to learn and celebrate our past.”
Misciagna said, “It is one of the oldest homes, if not the oldest, in the Pascack Valley. The property it sits on was purchased in 1730 and the existing home built approximately 1750. When the home went on the market there was a lot of interest but it became clear that those interested parties intended on tearing down the home to build a new home on the site.”
He added, “The family of late owner George Otto reached out to the town and the Pascack Historical Society stating their father wanted it to remain as a historic site if the town was interested.”
A donation of more than $60,000 was made by the Clinton D. and Grace A. Carlough Foundation toward the purchase of the home. “That, along with the Park Ridge Open Space Trust Fund, made the purchase possible. The home will be paid for by those vehicles and we anticipate that we will be eligible for a matching grant as well. We are in the process of applying,” he said.
He added, “The home will be refurbished and restored and used as a learning museum and host historical events to support the Pascack Historical Society.”
The mayor said the borough hoped to open the house up several times yearly, possibly in conjunction with Wortendyke Barn concerts, holiday events, and fall harvest gatherings.
In December, the Borough Council unanimously appropriated $592,000 — mostly in bonds — to purchase the nearly 300-year-old home, a move backed by local officials and the board of the Pascack Historical Society, based at its John C. Storms Museum at Leach Chapel and Ellen Berdais Hall, at 19 Ridge Road. The total purchase price was $580,000.
Kristin Beuscher, president of the Pascack Historical Society — and this newspaper’s “Back in Time” columnist — told us, “As the oldest house in Park Ridge, and one of the oldest in the Pascack Valley, the Wortendyke Homestead paints a picture of the bravery and ingenuity of the region’s earliest settlers. Imagine a small sandstone cottage surrounded by hundreds of acres of untamed wilderness. There were no neighbors, no stores, no roads as we know them, no medical care, no safety nets.”
She added, “Think of the courage and fortitude it must have taken to carve out a life here in the 1750s. Not only did they survive and even thrive, but their home is still standing 275 years later. It’s a story that should be told.”
Beuscher said she and society treasurer Ralph Donnell, who also is Park Ridge’s historian, met with the governing body this past fall to discuss the importance of preserving the Wortendyke homestead. She said Bergen County, which owns the Wortendyke Barn across from the house, was not interested in preserving the homestead.
She said “A common misconception is that a house is protected if it has a blue marker or is on the National or State Register of Historic Places. The markers are for informational purposes and provide no legal protection. Similarly, being on the National or State Register is not enough—the listings themselves do not place limitations on private property owners. In reality, 275 years of history could be wiped off the map by a redeveloper. Park Ridge buying the property will ensure this important piece of local history is protected.”
Added Misciagna, “Park Ridge has a rich history and this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a significant connection to our past. I’d like the public to know this important home was saved from the wrecking ball by the council and is a great example of why the open space trust fund is worthwhile. Without it matching open space grants cannot happen.”
He added, “We should remember that home has seen and witnessed English rule, the American Revolution, the Civil War, two world wars, the Korean War, Vietnam and others where many of our local young men perished for our nation. It’s a worthy investment for our community and I hope when it’s restored it will be enjoyed by generations to come.”
As part of their presentation to the council, Beuscher and Donnell noted:
- The Wortendykes were part of the Dutch population that settled in NYC and started moving into Bergen County in the early 1700s.
- Pascack Road runs through the Wortendyke land. It is a narrow dirt farm lane that had originally been an Indian hunting trail. In terms of government, this section falls under the township of New Barbadoes, which includes all the land between the Saddle River and Hackensack River.
- Frederick Wortendyke Sr. devised the land in his will to his son, Frederick Jr., on Nov. 25, 1747.
- The following April, Frederick Jr. married Sarah Durie at the Reformed Church in Schraalenburgh (still standing). The couple set up a homestead on the family land at Pascack and built the house circa 1750. It is a small building of locally sourced sandstone, just two rooms with fireplaces on either side and a garret above.
- Frederick Wortendyke Jr. is the father of at least 14 children between 1749 and 1774. The family speaks Dutch and attends the Reformed Church at Paramus. There are no commercial establishments here yet. They farm the land and hunt for food.
- Frederick Wortendyke Jr. died in 1797 and passed the land, then consisting of the house and 90 acres, to his youngest son, 23-year-old John.
- In 1850 Washington Township broke off from the western half of Harrington. The Wortendykes are now Washington Township residents. During this era, the house passes from John Wortendyke to his son, Peter, in 1844.
- Peter sold his inheritance out of the Wortendyke family to one Benjamin Hill on April 7, 1851. Hill paid $2,800 for the house and 40 acres on both sides of the road, including the barn.
- Around this time the house was remodeled and enlarged. (The depth increases by one room and instead of continuing the sandstone walls all around, the west side is constructed of wood.) A frame second story was added to allow for upstairs bedrooms. A porch and outside entrance were added to the east.
- Benjamin Hill’s daughter, Margaret, married Albert J. Terhune. The kitchen wing at the northeast corner was enlarged to accommodate his cobbler’s shop.
- Benjamin Hill died in 1885 and his son, Thomas, inherited the homestead and lived there until his death in 1924. In the meantime, in 1894, the Borough of Park Ridge was created.
- Over the 20th century the property dwindled to its current size.
About the Pascack Historical Society
Founded in 1942 by local historian John C. Storms and a group of dedicated residents, the Pascack Historical Society has been committed to preserving the area’s rich history.
The Society found its permanent home in 1952 at 19 Ridge Ave., a historic former chapel built in 1873 that once served as the First Congregational Church of Park Ridge.
The all-volunteer organization offers free admission, hosts lectures and educational programs, and welcomes visitors every Wednesday and Sunday.