Here, etched in stone and timber stands the Newkirk House. It is Jersey City’s oldest surviving structure. Let’s step back in time to uncover its story.
The Newkirk House dates back to 1690. Imagine this Dutch Colonial building when New Jersey was still New Netherland. The Newkirk House began as a humble one-story dwelling. Its outer walls were built with two feet of stone. Lime and mortar held everything together. Look closely. You can almost see the craftsmanship of early settlers. Beams in the basement measure six by twelve inches. Those on the second floor are four by six inches. They are spaced four feet apart. Instead of nails, eight-inch wood pegs were used.
Mattheus Cornelissen Newkirk and his brother Gerrit arrived in New Amsterdam in 1659. Their surname meant “from new church”. Mattheus moved to Bergen in 1665. His family acquired land and built this homestead. The Newkirk House became a family hub.
During the American Revolution, Bergen was under British control. However, the Americans often ventured into the area. The Newkirk House sat near Five Corners. This was a vital crossroads. Summit Avenue led north into the Bergen Woods. The house appeared on British military maps drawn in 1781. General Henry Clinton himself might have studied those maps.
The Newkirk family owned the house until 1899. Later, the Queen’s Daughters Day Nursery Association used it. Then, retail businesses occupied the space. In 1912, the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad opened a station nearby. The area around Bergen Square was redeveloped. Many homesteads were torn down for new buildings.
In 1928, Summit Avenue was rerouted. This affected the Newkirk House property line. The front of the house was altered. New windows were added along its side. Can you spot the changes?
In 1979, the Newkirk House was listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. It became a restaurant named the Summit House. Renovations revealed that it was originally a one-story building. Later, it became Sanai’s. NBA star Terry Dehere owned it. The building sits between the Journal Square Transportation Center and The Hilltop neighborhood.
In 2012, a development proposal planned a 42-story residential tower next to the Newkirk House. The building was bought by a land preservation group for $1.2 million. It remains empty since the restaurant closed. Efforts are underway to preserve this historic treasure. The Newkirk House stands as a reminder of Jersey City’s rich past. It connects us to the early Dutch settlers and their enduring legacy.