Bergen County · Northern Valley · Old Tappan Road · Central Avenue · 07675
Old Tappan, New Jersey
Old Tappan is a residential Northern Valley borough known for spacious neighborhoods, strong public schools, a municipal golf course, community parks and a direct connection to the early history of the Tappan Patent and northern Bergen County.
Old Tappan Road, Central Avenue, DeWolf Road and Orangeburgh Road tie together the borough's civic center, schools, recreation areas, houses of worship and small commercial districts, while the New York state line sits just to the north.
Old Tappan at a glance
Old Tappan's population has grown noticeably since the 2020 Census while the borough has retained its low-density residential character and strong Northern Valley identity.
Borough Hall: 227 Old Tappan Road · Old Tappan, NJ 07675 · 201-664-1849. Mayor Thomas Gallagher leads the borough government in 2026.
Explore Old Tappan
Business & ShoppingOld Tappan Road, Bi-State Plaza, healthcare, professional services, personal care, automotive and local trades.
Food & DrinkRestaurants, pizza, cafés, takeout and researched GF/DF options where supported.
Real EstateHomes, taxes, zoning, permits, resale requirements, schools and commuting.
Visiting & LodgingParks, golf, history, nearby attractions, transportation and realistic lodging options.
ClassifiedsLocal items, garage sales, wanted/free posts, lost & found and community notices.
JobsSchools, borough work, retail, healthcare, professional services and regional employment.
Historic Old Tappan
Old Tappan's history reaches back well before municipal incorporation and is closely tied to the Lenape, Dutch settlement, the Tappan Patent and the creation of the New Jersey–New York boundary.
Land in the region was purchased from Lenape representatives by Dutch-associated patentees, forming the basis of early European settlement in the wider Tappan area.
The New York–New Jersey boundary settlement placed what is now Old Tappan on the New Jersey side and separated it from its former Orange County connection.
Old Tappan was incorporated on October 18, 1894 from portions of Harrington Township during Bergen County's borough-formation era.
Additional territory was annexed from Harrington Township as the borough's modern municipal form took shape.
Name: Old Tappan's name derives from the Tappan Lenape people whose homeland included this part of the lower Hudson and northern New Jersey region.
Business areas
The main local commercial corridor, with restaurants, professional offices, personal services, houses of worship and neighborhood businesses.
A compact shopping center near the New York line with retail, services and dining serving both Old Tappan and nearby communities.
Home to civic, residential, school and park uses, with additional local services nearby.
Restaurants and other food-service businesses are maintained on the dedicated Food & Drink page rather than duplicated in Business & Shopping.
Parks, recreation & golf
Old Tappan's primary active-recreation complex, supporting youth sports, playground use, seasonal programs and community events.
Central Avenue · Old Tappan
A landscaped neighborhood park and gathering place known for summer concerts and other community events.
Little League and recreation field near the school complex, named for former Mayor Edward J. Gallagher.
83 DeWolf Road · 201-767-1199
Borough-owned nine-hole golf course built in 1969, with annual passes and public daily-fee tee times under current operating policies.
Old Tappan operates dedicated pickleball courts with open-play rules and an optional resident reservation program.
Borough planning documents identify Memorial Park, Borough Hall Park, Chestnut Street Park, Lewe B. Stanaland Memorial Park and other neighborhood recreation lands.
Schools
1 School Street · Old Tappan · 201-664-7176
Elementary school serving Old Tappan's younger students.
275 Old Tappan Road · Old Tappan · 201-664-1475
Middle school serving the borough's upper elementary/middle grades.
140 Central Avenue · Old Tappan · 201-784-1600
The correct regional high school for Old Tappan students, located within the borough.
277 Old Tappan Road · 201-664-1421
District administration and Board of Education offices.
Old Tappan Free Public Library
Old Tappan, NJ 07675 · 201-664-3499.
Residents can use the Bergen County Cooperative Library System for shared borrowing and digital resources.
Books, digital media, research help, children's and adult programming, computers and community activities.
Transportation & commuting
Current NJ TRANSIT service includes Old Hook Road stops serving the Old Tappan/Westwood area with New York-oriented trips. Check the live timetable before relying on a specific departure.
Coach USA still identifies Old Tappan as part of the Route 14 corridor, but currently marks Route 14 as no service until further notice.
Old Tappan has no in-borough passenger rail station. Nearby Pascack Valley Line stations include Westwood, Hillsdale, Park Ridge and Montvale.
Important east-west local links toward River Vale, Westwood, Northvale and the New York state line.
Local roads connect Old Tappan to Northvale, Norwood, Harrington Park, River Vale and Tappan, New York.
Most daily errands and regional trips remain automobile-oriented despite available bus and nearby rail options.
Community, faith & memorial resources
Places of worship, cemeteries and funeral homes are included here as community institutions and local resources rather than ordinary commercial listings.
Places of worship
236 Old Tappan Road · Old Tappan · 201-358-9028
106 Orangeburgh Road · Old Tappan · 201-768-8691
213 Old Tappan Road · Old Tappan · 201-358-8610
268 Old Tappan Road · Old Tappan · 201-664-0913
292 Old Tappan Road · Old Tappan · 201-664-5904
Historic cemeteries
84 DeWolf Avenue · Old Tappan
Small historic family burial ground connected to the Haring and DeWolf families, with graves of early residents and veterans.
Historic family cemetery documented in Bergen County genealogical and cemetery records.
Old Tappan's small family cemeteries are remnants of the farm-based settlement pattern that predates modern municipal development.
Funeral homes serving Old Tappan
120 Paris Avenue · Northvale, NJ 07647 · 201-767-3050
Nearby full-service funeral home serving Northern Valley communities.
348 Closter Dock Road · Closter, NJ 07624 · 201-768-4200
Nearby Bergen County funeral home serving Closter and surrounding towns.
98 Route 303 South · Tappan, NY 10983 · 845-359-0890
Nearby Rockland County location just north of the state line.
In-town status: NJTGO's September 2026 review did not confirm a conventional funeral-home facility operating inside Old Tappan itself.
Borough government & official resources
Borough of Old TappanGovernment, public notices, tax information, recreation, meetings and resident services.
Mayor & CouncilCurrent governing body, agendas, meeting documents and videos.
Historical CommitteeOld Tappan history, preservation material, historic documents and local research.
Mayor & Council: Old Tappan uses New Jersey's Borough form of government with a mayor and six council members. Meetings are generally held in Borough Council Chambers at 227 Old Tappan Road.
Nearby communities
Immediately northeast, with additional shopping, dining and services along Livingston Street and Tappan Road.
Neighboring Northern Valley borough with local dining, parks and community services.
Residential neighbor to the south with parks, schools and Broadway-area connections.
Western neighbor with Pascack Valley access, parks and connections toward Westwood.
Historic Rockland County community just across the state line, known for Revolutionary War history.
Small nearby borough with historic properties, open space and institutional/corporate uses.
Explore Old Tappan on NJTGO
Use the complete seven-page Old Tappan guide for local businesses, restaurants, real estate, visitor planning, community classifieds and employment.
Advertising & Enhanced ListingsInformation was reviewed in September 2026. Government contacts, school information, transit schedules, programs, recreation policies and community resources can change; verify time-sensitive details with the responsible organization.