"Good Mountain"

What does it mean to be a good neighbor? Being neighborly is something my father instilled in myself and my brother at a young age. The act of being companionable is somewhat of a North Bergen trait. You can witness it in some form on every street in town. You can even witness it with our  relationships with neighboring towns, especially that of Guttenberg. This relationship is most evident in North Bergen High School, where Guttenberg students have attended and received their secondary education for the last several decades. I am often asked by students when discussing local history, Why is Guttenberg so small?  Why is it called Guttenberg? or, Why is Guttenberg even a town? The only answer I could respond is actually based in myth. So in the interest of being neighborly I decided to examine how Guttenberg came to be, and where that origin myth came from.

Bergenline Ave. from 26 Street looing South, Guttenberg N.J. Circa 1900

Courtesy of Lenny DiBrango

The land that Guttenberg now comprises was once the properties of William Cooper, William Holden, and Joseph Cozens (Boulevard East to Bergenline), Henry Westerfield, Jacob Danielson, Peter Sip, and James Earle (Bergenline to Kenned Boulevard). The area was largely undeveloped until William Cooper began to purchase his neighbors property. William Cooper's home and main farm was located today between Park Avenue and Boulevard East. The Cooper farm was well manicured and produced seasonal vegetables during the spring, summer and fall. The farm was also home to a large orchard of regional fruit trees. The area during this time was known to locals as Slonga, Gaelic for slate. Nevertheless, Cooper and the other land owners would sell their properties to the Weehawken Land & Ferry Association in the early 1850s.

Park Ave. looking North from 26th St. Guttenberg, N.J. Circa 1900

Courtesy of Christopher Soto

The Weehawken Land & Ferry Association was comprised of New York investors looking to develop the virtually untouched landscape of northern Hudson County. They initially began operations along the Hudson River and established ferry stations which were already established and added some which are still used today. The lots of land that would eventually become Guttenberg were sold for $140 with a mortgage of $5 a month. The lots were sold faster then they were mapped. Investors from New York as well as wealthy residents of Hudson County rushed to purchase land. That said, Guttenberg still needed time to develop into a town that would be recognizable by those today. Between 1853 and 1880, the town grew in population and dwellings. The town itself is the second oldest town in North Hudson County, after North Bergen. Guttenberg would be an incorporated as part of North Bergen until merging with Union Township in 1861. She would become a fully independent town by 1878.

Park Ave. looking North Guttenburg Circa 1915

Courtesy of Christopher Soto

Guttenberg like most of North Hudson County was settled by German immigrants. Such could be derived from the name of the town, however the origin of the name is up for  some debate. Some believe that the town was named for the inventor of the printing press, Johann Gutenberg. This is based on the fact that early German immigrants were from the city of Mainz, Gutenberg's place of birth. The other theory is the name Guttenberg was taken from the German, guter berg, good mountain which eventually lead to the creation of the name, Guttenberg. Thus far we've been able to answer several of the proposed questions; the original of the town, why Guttenberg is so small and where the name originates, but what about the myth?

F.W. Hermann Co. Hardware Store circa 1895
Present day 69th Street & Park Avenue
Courtesy of Lenny DiBrango

The myth surrounding the creation of Guttenberg is quite old, yet not often known. Again, we will call it a myth as there is no evidence outside of the oral historical account. The parable is that the town of Guttenberg was created in response to a Blue Law, banning the sale of alcohol on Sundays, passed by the town of North Bergen. This myth however is substantiated by another myth about North Bergen. Henry Nungesser's hotel crossed the town line into Fairview. It is said that he did so to fight a Blue Law passed and was able to sell alcohol to those visiting the infamous Little Coney Island. The coupling of the Nungesser's story added validity to that of Guttneberg's origin. However, the truth is the lore is based on stereotyping. Again, the town of Guttenberg was inhabited by Germans from its founding and up until the 1920s. With the onset of World War I there was resounding growth anti-German sentiment, pair this with the fact the Guttenberg was home to two breweries and countless bars, one number claimed there was bar for every half acre that made up the town and for the record, Guttenberg is roughly 155 acres.

Public School No. 1 circa 1918
Current day occupied by Anna L. Klien
Courtesy of Christopher Soto

 So back to my students' questions, Why is Guttenberg so small?  Why is it called Guttenberg? or, Why is Guttenberg even a town? My answer to them is that the history of our neighboring town cannot be fully recounted. We can only assume that it was named after the inventor Gutenburg or that it was created after the Blue Law. Their questions may not fully be resolved for now but I am always proud to see when young adults are this enthusiastic about our local history. Hopefully, their intrigue will lead them to research the true answer, as well as to continue to preserve our shared history.

Stinson, R. and Rieser, R. (1915). Hudson County Today. Union, N.J.: Hudson Dispatch.

Feldra, R. (1917). HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY. Union, N.J.: Michel & Rank.

The Jersey Jounral (1971). Guttenberg Is Trying to Retain Spirit of Gentler, Calmer Days.