| Bergen County, New Jersey, at around one million | | | | forces. |
| residents, is one of the top 20 highest income counties | | | | The commander of the 3rd Continental Light |
| in the nation with the 18th highest (as of 2006) personal | | | | Dragoons, Colonel George Baylor, received a bayonet |
| per capita income. With that kind of money floating | | | | injury to the lung and was taken prisoner. Despite the |
| around, Bergen County real estate is considered | | | | injury, he recovered to later rejoin the Continental |
| premium land. | | | | Army in their fight. |
| Bergen County's history goes back to the 17th century | | | | Post-War Development |
| when it was included in the same district as Essex, | | | | In the mid 19th century, the Erie Railroad began running |
| Monmouth, and Middlesex counties. Each was | | | | services from Jersey City to points in Bergen County. |
| considered an independent colony where individual land | | | | In the early 20th century, Camp Merritt became a |
| owners were able to retain their rights rather than | | | | staging area for troops being deployed to Europe |
| giving up the land to the state. | | | | during World War I. George Washington Bridge, |
| Area wise, Bergen County was originally much larger, | | | | completed in 1931, connected Fort Lee to Manhattan |
| including the real estate where Hudson and Passaic | | | | and helped to spur post World War II development. |
| counties now sit, but lost that land to the respective | | | | During the 1950's, a missile station was built to help |
| counties when they were formed in the early to mid | | | | protect the New York Metropolitan area from |
| 19th century. | | | | strategic bombers, although the site was closed in 1971. |
| Bergen County's Role in the American Revolution | | | | In 2004, Forbes magazine ranked Bergen County as |
| Fort Lee, located opposite of Fort Washington in | | | | the second most overpriced place in the nation. |
| Manhattan, was an important strategic point. After the | | | | However, that ranking dropped the seventh by 2005. |
| capture of Fort Washington by the British, General | | | | High property taxes -- the fourth highest of any county |
| Charles Cornwallis -- considered by many historians to | | | | in the nation behind two New York counties and |
| have been a master military strategist -- was given | | | | Hunterdon County of New Jersey -- help to maintain |
| independent command of British forces and used it to | | | | and ensure a wealthy citizenry, and a wealthy citizenry |
| capture Fort Lee in November of 1776. | | | | tends to have expensive tastes in homes. |
| River Vale, New Jersey, a township of Bergen County, | | | | High-end homes are one of the least affected areas |
| is site of the Baylor Massacre in which 15 members of | | | | of the downturn in the housing market, thereby making |
| the Continental Army's 3rd Regiment of Light | | | | Bergen County real estate a great place to buy a |
| Dragoons, unarmed and sleeping, were killed by British | | | | home that will retain its value better than most. |