One of the oldest sites in Bergen County, this pre-revolutionary sandstone house is officially listed on the New Jersey State and the United States National Register of Historic Places.  This living Dutch farm museum, located at 4-02 River Road, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, sponsors activities involving restoration, preservation, historic digs, compilation of local history and folklore, educational programming, colonial agriculture, horticulture and crafts.

        Garretson Farm is owned by Bergen County and is administered by volunteers of the Garretson Forge and Farm Restoration, Inc.

The history of the Garretson family in America began with the emigration of Gerrit Gerritse, his wife Annetje Hermansse and their son Gerrit from Wageningen, Gelderland, in 1660.

The junior Gerrit, purchased the Slooterdam Patent from David Daniellse in 1719.   This tract of land extended from the Passaic to the Saddle Rivers.   The house was built shortly afterwards by Gerrit's son, Peter.   Six generations of the Garretson family resided on the farm.

The Garretson Homestead

The Garretson homestead is on what was once an extensive farm, but through the years the land was sold off. The present site consists of 1.84 acres along River Road. Archeologists believe that the property was once the site of an Indian encampment due to the numerous artifacts found along the Passaic River.

The kitchen wing, the older section of the house, is built of rubble and undressed stone. On a late 19th century photograph of the house, remnants of a brick beehive oven can be seen on the outer wall and thus has been restored.  The main section of the house, added in 1760,  was built using dressed stone. The sandstone blocks are held together with a mortar made of river mud, mixed with straw and hog's hair. It was under this section that the fragments of clay pipes (c. 1720) and other artifacts were uncovered.

Extensive changes were made in the house in 1902.   The present gambrel roof replaced a steep gable roof; a second front door was replaced with a window. An inner stairway to the basement replaced cellar hatches and a stairway to the second floor was built. The large pillared porch was also added.

A mid-nineteenth century carriage house still stands on the property along with several other out - buildings.