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Get to know Closter

Historic Closter is a charming borough of Bergen County known for its incredible architecture, scenic landscape, and its close proximity to Manhattan, where residents have commuted with ease since the first wood-burning locomotive arrived back in 1859. Once part of New York State, the area was well-settled by the 18th century and assumed its present name by 1721—an Anglicized derivation of the Dutch word “klooster,” meaning “cloister” or “quiet place.” Today, Closter is a community of just over 8,000 residents, represented by a Mayor and a borough council. There’s a charming downtown centered around the railroad tracks with vintage blocks of merchants and eateries, along with a large shopping plaza catering to most every errand. Notable places to visit include the Closter Nature Center, Belskie Museum of Art & Science, and the Harold Hess Lustron House, a Mid-Century Modern concept house of the future. You’ll even find a farm or two.

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Living in Bergen County

Home to just shy of one million residents, Bergen County—New Jersey’s most populous—offers nearly as many lifestyles. It’s located across the Hudson River from Manhattan, the Bronx, and lower Westchester County with elements of overlap from all three, from the soaring co-op towers of Guttenberg and Fort Lee to grand several-acre estates in towns like Alpine, Saddle River, and Ridgewood. There’s little you won’t find along Route 17 in Paramus, a prime retail corridor with just about every big-box store and three indoor malls, the Garden State Plaza reigning supreme. NJ Transit’s Bergen, Main, and Pascack Valley Lines reach several area communities with direct service to Hoboken Terminal, and Penn Station via Secaucus. And while many locals commute to New York City by train and the George Washington Bridge, countless Fortune 500 companies have offices right in Bergen County: BMW North America, KPMG, and Unilever, just to name a few.