Little Ferry offers nature, recreation, and history as distinct aspects of a stay. Losen Slote Creek Park combines protected lowland forest and meadows with a nature trail, seating areas, and facilities in its recreation area. Gethsemane Cemetery offers a different historical perspective: it is a historic African American cemetery that played a significant role in early civil rights legislation in New Jersey. An important colonial-era ferry crossing and the namesake ferry add the history of the Hackensack River to the picture of the town. Programs and a history mural at the Little Ferry Free Public Library also offer their own starting points for planning.
Nature and Recreation at Losen Slote Creek Park
Losen Slote Creek Park is a protected 28-acre lowland forest and meadow area in Little Ferry. The park includes a nature trail and seating areas. Its recreation area includes a two-acre playground, a full-size roller hockey rink, and an educational and recreational area with outdoor classrooms.
The park has two distinct focuses: its protected landscape with a trail and seating areas, and the play, hockey, and learning facilities in the recreation area. The area figures refer to different things: the playground covers two acres, while the park as a whole covers 28 acres. This distinction helps avoid confusing the size of a single recreation facility with that of the entire area. For your visit, you can consider whether you would rather explore the park for its landscape or for the specific facilities in the recreation area.
Ferry History and Gethsemane Cemetery
Gethsemane Cemetery is a historic African American cemetery covering one acre and owned by the county. It is located west of the Hackensack River in Little Ferry. Its listing on the state and national registers of historic places recognizes its significant role in the development of early civil rights legislation in New Jersey.
During the colonial era, Little Ferry was the site of an important ferry crossing between the regional communities of Bergen and Hackensack. The town was named after the rope-operated Little Ferry, which crossed the Hackensack River between 1659 and 1826. These historical connections highlight different aspects: the cemetery’s significance for civil rights legislation, and the ferry’s role in regional connections and river crossings. Together, they offer insight into two different themes in the town’s history.
Library: Programs and Local History
The Little Ferry Free Public Library offers programs for children of all ages, as well as for adults and seniors. The Little Ferry Local History Mural is located in the library’s reference room. If you would like to see the mural specifically, check with the library ahead of time about access to the room.
A wheelchair-accessible ramp is next to the entrance, near the parking lot. Street parking and a municipal parking lot across the street are available at the library. The ramp’s location and the two parking options mentioned offer practical guidance for a library visit.
Discover more destinations: Saddle River, Hasbrouck Heights, East Rutherford, Garfield, South Hackensack Township, Edgewater, Palisades Park, Fort Lee
For the broader travel overview: Bergen.
