Category: Exploring Teaneck NJ

Galleries at Fairleigh Dickinson University-University Hall 1000 River Road Teaneck, NJ 07666

Galleries at Fairleigh Dickinson University-University Hall 1000 River Road Teaneck, NJ 07666

Galleries at Fairleigh Dickinson University-University Hall

1000 River Road

Teaneck, NJ 07666

(201) 692-2801

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm

Admission: Free but donations accepted

My review on TripAdvisor:

University Hall on the Fairleigh Dickinson Campus 1000 River Road

The entrance to the museum

The entrance to the Art Gallery

I recently visited the Galleries at Fairleigh Dickinson University and I walked through the new exhibition of being featured by artists Cordelia Barney and Makenna Savnik who are local artists to New Jersey. This was an interesting gallery with walls lined with whimsical art.

The Galleries Museum is located on the first floor of the University Building next to the art Department.

The works by the artists lined the walls

The history of the Arts Department at Fairleigh Dickinson University:

(from the University website)

In September 2018, Fairleigh Dickinson University inaugurated the School of the Arts, a robust center of learning for students who seek arts training grounded in a real-world framework. Today, the School of the Arts is a thriving and exciting community fostering talented students and faculty who are dedicated to a wide variety of artistic expression. 

School of the Arts students participate in an innovative curriculum that combines a strong liberal arts education, hands-on creative work, valuable opportunities for internships, and an integrated new approach to arts entrepreneurship.

Outstanding and nationally recognized artists and authors empower our students to reach their full creative potential through speaking engagements, workshops, art shows, and performances. School of the arts students are connected to a network of professional mentors and colleagues who help jump-start their careers. Our Florham Campus features a beautiful and inspiring landscape where students can collaborate across disciplines and flourish while the Metro Campus is located closely to Manhattan. Graduates will be equipped to thrive in today’s — and tomorrow’s — complex interconnected world.

The works by Cordelia Barnet

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordelia-barnet-1b70a4222/

The art works by artist Cordelia Barnet were whimsical and fun with bright colors and inviting patterns. These were the works that stood out in her part of the exhibition.

‘The Flags that Represent Us’ by artist Cordelia Barnet

The sign for the art

The work ‘How would Botticelli See Me?’

The sign for the art

Cordelia Barnet also did an interesting collection of works with Cats as a theme. These were the ones that stood out to me.

The work ‘Hold up the Pinnacle’

The sign for the event

The work ‘Sleeping with the Fishes’

The sign for the work

The works on the other side of the Gallery were by artist Makenna Savnik. Her works were interesting in the repeated symbols and characters she created.

The works by artist Makenna Savnik

https://art.kunstmatrix.com/en/artwork/1232822/makenna-savnik/makenna-savnik

These were the works that stood out from her exhibition:

The work ‘Autumn Trees #2’

The sign for the work

The work ‘Lion # 3’

The sign for the work

The work ‘Sad Clown Bear with Yellow Stars’

The sign for the work

Future shows will be a combination of both professional and student shows. It is a very interesting little gallery with unique art.

It will be interesting to see what future shows the college’s art department will do next.

The Latin Cultural Mask Exhibition outside the gallery

The exhibition of masks

The historic Banta House on the campus

The historic marker

The historic marker of the Banta House

Teaneck, NJ Historic Burial Ground 622 Pomander Walk Road Teaneck, NJ 07666

Teaneck, NJ Historic Burial Ground 622 Pomander Walk Road Teaneck, NJ 07666

Teaneck, NJ Historical Burial Ground

622 Pomander Walk Road

Teaneck, NJ  07666

The Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs

(201) 336-7267

http://www.co.bergen.nj.us

https://www.teanecknj.gov/events/39326/

http://www.afrigeneas.com/forum-cemeteries/index.cgi/md/read/id/1803/sbj/slave-native-american-burial-in-teaneck-nj/

My review on TripAdvisor:

The historic marker for the Teaneck Historic Burial Ground for slaves in Bergen County.

Located on Pomander Walk Road near the Hackensack River, this land was in use as a burial ground by the Native Americans prior to the arrival of the European settlers. This site might have been used for hundreds of years as a burial site for the Native peoples.

African slaves, who worked the farmland of the early European settlers, like the Zabriskie’s who owned the 125 acre farm that surrounded it, were subsequently buried at this location as were some of the early settlers. In 1663, the great elder, Oratam, was the Chief Sachem for the Ackingsacks, who lived along the Hackensack River. Oratam promised to give Sarah Kiersted a parcel of land between the Hackensack River and Overpeck’s Creek called “Neck of Land”.

The location of the site on the side of the Hackensack River

The site of the graveyard in Teaneck, NJ

It consisted of 2,260 acres which included Teaneck, Bogota and Ridgefield Park. The  original patent was dated October 21, 1667. On March 25, 1685, the East Jersey Proprietors conveyed 183 acres of this patent, located on the Hackensack River in what is now Teaneck, to Albert Sabboresco (Zabriskie) of Bergen, a planter/farmer.

The Zabriskie House on Cadmus Street one block over is not open to visitors (privately owned)

The Zabriskie Homestead in Teaneck, NJ

Albert Zabriskie, his descendant and later Henry Kip, owned the enslaved African American men, who were used to work the farmland and build the early colonial sandstone houses. Even though slavery was outlawed in 1804, the last slaves were not freed until 1865 making New Jersey the last of the Northern States to abolish slavery.

The Zabriskie-Kipp Homestead in Teaneck, NJ is not open to the public. The historic Zabriskie-Kip Farmhouse (now a private residence) is located around the corner from the site on a buff on River Road facing the Hackensack River.

The site is right by a cove in the Hackensack River

To prevent the loss of this sacred ground, the ‘Coalition to Preserve Teaneck’s Native American/African Slave/Settler Cemetery’, was organized. With the Coalition’s encouragement, in 2006 Teaneck bought this open parcel of land on the banks of the Hackensack River. It can be visited during daylight hours and is designated with a Blue Historic Marker erected by the town of Teaneck, NJ.

The historic site by the Hackensack River in Teaneck, NJ.

The gravesite today along the Hackensack River

Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the handout from the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs. There is no fee for this site but be warned, there is not much to see. There will be plantings and a small memorial is being planned (the above plaque from the town of Teaneck, NJ).

 The burial site in Teaneck, NJ