The county seat of Bergen County which straddles the Hackensack River, was initially settled by Dutch coming in from what was then New Amsterdam.  Establishing a trading post on the Hackensack River about 4 miles west, their settlement was called New Barbados. For 274 years, the name, as well as the architecture of some buildings and & institutions, retained the Dutch stamp. Not until 1921, did New Barbados become Hackensack an Indian term meaning "Place of Sharp Ground".  The city also serves as home for the Hackensack University Medical Center.

In 2002, Hudson Shakespeare ventured into Bergen County with its Summer Shakespeare Festival in the Parks program and, in association with the Hackensack Recreation and Cultural Department, presented two showings of its production of King Lear at Anderson St. Park and Columbus Park.  In 2003, HSC presented its first indoor showing at the Hackensack Cultural Arts Center with a production of Taming of the Shrew.  Please click on the park links on the left for information, directions and show information for each of the Hackensack venues.

Top picture the Bergen County courthouse with its distinctive dome and Greco-Roman facade, located in the heart of Hackensack.  Directly across the street is the city green (pictured above), which is filled with several memorials to past wars.   

For further information regarding Hackensack please click here.

For more information on Hackensack's history click here.

To view accompanying articles on our events at in Hackensack click on the links below:

 Midsummer in Hackensack - 2004, Run for Your Wife in Hackensack - 2004

Summer Happenings in Hackensack - 2003, Dracula comes to the Arts Center - 2003,

To view our Hackensack Venues:

Anderson St. Park   Baldwin Park   Columbus Park    Memorial Park    Staib Park 

Hackensack Cultural Arts Center

To view other HSC Venues:   

Send mail to jciccarelli@hudsonshakespeare.org with questions or comments about this web site.

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