Carlstadt Historical Firehouse Museum

Division Avenue & Sixth Street

Carlstadt, NJ  07072

(201) 933-1070

http://www.carlstadt.nj.us/historical.html

https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/discovering-history/cultural-historic-sites

Open: The last Sunday of every month from 2:00pm-4:00pm.

TripAdvisor Review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46344-d13910563-Reviews-Carlstadt_Historical_Society_Museum-Carlstadt_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

The Carlstadt Historical Firehouse Museum at Division & Sixth Street

The Carlstadt Historical Firehouse Museum is run by the Carlstadt Historical Society houses a remarkable collection that includes archival photographs, written documents, new articles, clothing and other items that bring the borough’s colorful history to life. You can find everything from 1930’s era school pennants to early 20th Century fife and drum corps uniforms to a vintage breathalyzer used by the police department. The collection is housed on two floors of the town’s old firehouse from 1919.

The museum’s Pipe & Drum Corps display on the Second Floor Gallery

The first floor of the museum is dedicated to the War effort with memorabilia from residents who fought in WWI and WWII, articles from both the Carlstadt Police and Fire Department, pieces of artwork from buildings around the town and mementos from residents of the town. It also houses a series of collectables that are displayed on the shelves.

The First Floor Gallery with Police, Fire and Military displays

First Floor Collectables display and artwork

The First Floor Gallery with Military displays and collectibles

The second floor is dedicated to the school district with pennants from school graduations and parties (Carlstadt is home to the oldest continuing school picnic in the county), pictures of classes of the schools (I even found my aunt and uncle’s pictures from when they attended school here) and high school yearbooks.

It also displays items from old businesses that were in town and a series of hometown items such as awards and plaques that have been donated to the collection by people in town. There are still boxes of items that have not gotten out on display yet.

The Second Floor Gallery with the schools, businesses and special events of Carlstadt, NJ.

Second Floor Gallery of Fire Department Memorabilia

If you are an alumnus of the school system, you will get a kick out of the second floor of the museum. Not only does it have the school archives but lots of pictures that were donated by alumni of the schools of their experiences. Years of school pennants line the ceiling from the annual picnic that is the oldest continuous school picnic in the United States.

Carlstadt School Exhibit

The museum can be seen in one afternoon but you will spend more time just looking at all the pictures and getting lost in the experience. Don’t miss the displays from the Carlstadt Fire and Police Departments.

Carlstadt Pipe & Drum history

History of Carlstadt, NJ hometown businesses

The Carlstadt Glass Industry display that was once in town.

The Business display has a collection of glass bottles that were once manufactured in the town for local businesses. One of the curators told me that people find them buried in their yards and donate them to the museum. There are also signs, menus and display items from old restaurants and stores that once dotted the town.

There is a vast array of items that cover every aspect of the community of Carlstadt, NJ on the walls and tables of the museum.

Disclaimer: Some of the information was taken from the Bergen County Historical Society and some from my recent trip to the museum. The museum is open only on the 4th Sunday of each month and by appointment only so you need to plan accordingly.