Beneath the copper figure “Enlightenment Giving Power”, lies a story etched in stone and sculpted in bronze. This is the Bergen County Courthouse. It is more than just a building. It’s a testament to Bergen County’s history.
The Bergen County Courthouse wasn’t the first. It was actually the sixth built for the county. The first courthouse, built in 1715, also housed a jail. Imagine that. A single building holding both justice and punishment.
But let’s jump ahead. The second courthouse met a fiery end. The British burned it in 1780 during the Revolutionary War. For a time justice was dispensed from a log cabin in Oakland.
Freeholder Peter Zabriskie later donated land for a new courthouse. His home was once called “Washington’s Headquarters”. George Washington was often a guest there.
The current Bergen County Courthouse arose from a design competition. James Riely Gordon, a civil engineer, won. His vision was the American Renaissance style. Construction began in 1910. It was completed in 1912. The price tag was one million dollars.
Look up at the dome of the Bergen County Courthouse. It was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. Inside, a fountain once graced the rotunda’s first floor.
Murals adorn courtrooms 253, 352, and 357. These murals were painted in the 1930s and early 1940s. William Winter, a Teaneck resident, designed them. The murals in room 352 represent the roots of American Law. Those in room 253 depict local historical sights. Room 357 showcases Roman Law.
Stained glass skylights add to the grandeur. Eight trapezoidal sections bear the names of famous jurists. The other skylights display the Bergen County seal. M.J. Lamb crafted the glass.
Vermont marble clads the exterior walls. Johannes Gelert’s copper figure stands atop the dome. Relief panels around the drum depict the first Roman Law. Bronze eagles perch on the building’s corners.
Consider the sculptures on the front of the Bergen County Courthouse. Truth, Justice, Integrity, Honor, Law, and Order. They symbolize the principles upheld within these walls. Statues representing History and Law stand guard at the main steps.
The Administration Building was completed in 1933. Its style is neoclassical. Arkansas limestone forms its exterior. An annex building connects it to the rotunda.
The Bergen County Courthouse even caught Hollywood’s eye. Scenes from movies like “Hackers” and “Devil’s Advocate” were filmed here. This iconic building stands as a symbol of justice. It also stands as a piece of living history.