Council Working to Save Historic Building from Demolition

Rambo's Hotel, one of Fort Lee's oldest buildings and a landmark of the early film industry, could be turned into a duplex without action from the borough to acquire the property.

Standing in the midst of modern highways and high-rises is “Rambo’s Hotel,” the setting of stagecoach chase scenes and Old Western duels during Fort Lee’s heyday in the early twentieth century film industry, and the building that the borough council and historical society are attempting to save from demolition. After its previous owner passed away, the First Street property was purchased by developer Joseph Romano, who intends to demolish the building to construct a duplex on the site. “This is what happens with a lot of historical houses. The family wants to sell, and that’s their right,” film commission director Tom Meyers said, adding that redevelopments over the years have left few remaining historical buildings in the borough. From …

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Historic Committee Submits Advisory Letter to Zoning Board to Save Rambo's

Letter asks that Zoning Board not grant variances to developer to save the last building of historical significance to Fort Lee's place in the early film industry.

The Fort Lee Historic Site, Structure, Cultural & Landmark Committee, a committee within The Fort Lee Historical Society created by ordinance by the Mayor and Council of Fort Lee, submitted an advisory letter to the Zoning Board of Adjustment requesting that the board not grant the variances required by the developer to demolish 'Rambo's Saloon' located at 2423 First Street. According to the Historical Society executive board, that unamimously voted in support of this letter, the Historic Site committee is charged by the Mayor and Council with the responsibility to advise the Zoning Board of the historic significance of any property that is in jeopardy of being demolished. Because of its prominent role as a site location in the early film …

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Zoning Board, Board of Education and more in the Week Ahead in Fort Lee

Se what's going on in Fort Lee this week.

The Planning Board will be meeting Monday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers of Borough Hall. The Zoning Board of Adjustment will meeting Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers of Borough Hall. The meeting is scheduled to include the introduction of the plans seeking variances for the demolition of the house known as "Rambo's Hotel" on First Street. Since the filing of those plans, The Fort Lee Historical Society is petitioning to save the house based on its historic role in the early film industry in Fort Lee. The developer is seeking variances needed to erect a two-family house on that property. There will be a Special Public Work Session of the Fort Lee Board of Education Wednesday, March 20 at 7:30 pm to …

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Budget Introduction, Tax Hike, A Piece of Film History This Week in Fort Lee

Catch up on all the stories that dominated Fort Lee last week.

Tentative tax increase due to unforseen expenses brought on by Hurricane Sandy and a 20 percent increase from the BCUA. At Budget introduction, Borough Auditor says unexpected costs of Sandy and the BCUA's increase push taxes up. Fort Lee's 19 percent increase from the BCUA is four to five times higher than any other town's increase. Fort Lee Police charge four men with possession of marijuana and intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a school. The Fort Lee Police Department hits the streets to raise awareness on pedestrian safety. Rambo's Saloon, better known to locals as Gus Becker's, faces demolition. Due to the absence of the former Superintendent, and inclement weather, the district's 2012-2013 goals will be a modified version. …

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The Fort Lee Historical Society Creates Petition Against Demolition of Saloon

Rambo's Saloon, better known to locals as Gus Becker's, faces demolition.

The Fort Lee Historical Society met Tuesday to discuss petitioning the Mayor and Council and the Fort Lee Zoning Board of Adjustment to save Rambo's Saloon, a house dating back to the Civil War era, from demolition. Rambo's, better known to locals as Gus Becker's, is located on First Street in the Coytesville section of Fort Lee. Because of its prominent role as a site location in the early film industry that once dominated Fort Lee, the saloon is listed on the Bergen County Register of Historic Buildings. However, according to Tom Meyers, founder and Executive Director of the Fort Lee Film Commission and founder of The Fort Lee Historic Committee and member of The Fort Lee Historical Society, that designation offers no real protection …

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Schools Closed Monday, Mayor and Council Work Session and More, This Week in Fort Lee

See what's going on this week in Fort Lee

All Fort Lee Public Schools will be closed Monday in observance of President's Day. The Mayor and Council will be holding their work session Thursday at 7 pm in the Executive Conference Room, #201, on the second floor of Borough Hall. On Saturday, the Fort Lee Historical Society in conjunction with NJ section of the Palisades Interstate Park, is presenting an illustrated lecture and book signing, "Bergen County Voices of the American Revolution" at 2 pm at the Fort Lee Historic Park. Authors Todd Braisted adn Don Hagist have made a specialty of uncovering the hidden history of the American Revolution as seen through the eyes of the common soldier who lived and fought through that tumultuous time. The program is free and open to the public…

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From the Archives

Palisades Amusement Park Exhibit: A Book, a Pool and a Centennial

Upcoming Palisades Amusement Park exhibit at the Fort Lee Museum to celebrate the centennial of the world's largest outdoor saltwater pool and the publication of a new book, "Palisades Park."

Palisades has the rides... Palisades has the fun… Come On Over. Shows and dancing are free... so's the parking, so gee... Come On Over. Palisades from coast to coast, where a dime buys the most. Palisades Amusement Park. Swings all day and after dark. (bumm, baa, dumm, bumm, bummmm) Ride the coaster...Get cool...In the waves in the pool. You’ll have fun... so...Come On Over..(dumm de dum da dum... dum) So goes the song Come on Over that was heard over all the New York metropolitan area radio stations and seen on TV commericials in the 1960s. This song, lodged in the recesses of millions of baby boomers’ brains, is an introduction of sorts for all of you readers to come on over to the Fort Lee Museum from March 2 through Sept. 9 this year …

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Tom Meyers

2:38 pm on Sunday, January 13, 2013

Tracy, Yes people in the past have identified themselves in images we have placed on display in the Fort Lee Museum re Palisades Amusement Park - that is always a lot of un - similar situations have happened with, for example, exhibits on Fort Lee's Riviers Nightclub. This has led many to donate or loan some of their own personal collections to the Fort Lee Museum.   more ›

Revolutionary War Re-enactors March in Washington’s Historic Footsteps

Fort Lee's annual "Retreat to Victory" festivities took place at Fort Lee Historic Park and Monument Park on Saturday and Sunday.

The Fort Lee Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs sponsored Fort Lee’s annual “Retreat to Victory” event Saturday and Sunday, celebrating the 236th anniversary of Washington’s 1776 retreat from Fort Lee. The event, which took place mostly at Fort Lee Historic Park, included a parade to Monument Park; music, infantry and artillery demonstrations; a battle reenactment and more. Photographer Donna Brennan provided these images of what has become a Fort Lee tradition.

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Arya F. Jenkins

9:45 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012

Nice to see you get the kudos you deserve, Donna!   more ›

From the Archives

Fort Lee's House of History

Where the present meets the past.

Fort Lee history is housed in a wonderful 1922 Palisade bluestone exterior building between Parker and Palisade Avenues and adjacent to historic Monument Park. Every season seems to bring new and different beauty to the unique architecture of this borough gem. The Fort Lee Historic Site Committee is currently at work with the Mayor & Council on getting a local landmark status for this structure. This is the first step in making sure future generations will enjoy the treasures of its exterior but also the treasure chest of history hidden and stored away in its alcoves and corridors.  This history rushes through this edifice as it truly is the building’s lifeblood. This history is preserved and archived by the Fort Lee Historical Society, a …

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From the Archives

Facebook Fort Lee: Images of Past Through Technology of Today

The Fort Lee Historical Society hopes to collect high-resolution images of Fort Lee’s past from Facebook users to create a Fall 2013 Fort Lee Museum exhibit.

The Fort Lee Museum houses the Fort Lee Historical Society and Fort Lee Film Commission archives, and from these archival photos, documents and artifacts we create about four exhibits a year in our museum on Palisade Avenue. But we are always in search of additions to the collections to create new exhibits and to preserve our collective past.  Thus, we have trolled the seas of eBay, visited countless antique stores, including our friend Jim Episale’s wonderful Unshredded Nostalgia in Barnegat, NJ, and searched through the attics and basements of homes in Fort Lee when invited to do so by their owners.  Among the many additions we have acquired over the past few years is a pre-Civil War hope chest of Eliza Ann Rutter, who lived in Fort Lee …

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