The Latin phrase “Nisi Dominus Frustra” literally means, “if not the master, in vain” which translates to “"Without God, we labor in vain" - Psalm 127 ("Unless the Lord builds the house,those who labor,labor in vain."). The First reformed Church of Hackensack, also known as Church on the Green was founded by Dutch settlers in 1686. For the first ten years, the congregation worshipped in various lo
cations, and in 1696, the first building was constructed on the current site. In 1780, Colonial General Enoch Poor was buried in the cemetery. George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette attended the funeral. The church is the oldest church in Bergen County. The current building was constructed in 1791 to replace the original 1696 church which was in the shape of an octagon, and expansions were added in 1847 and 1869. The east wall of the building incorporates several carved stones from the first church building. These stones bear the monogram of several of the founding families. The church is adjacent to the Hackensack Green, which was originally church land and is one of the oldest public squares in New Jersey.
