On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bogota is more historic than 65% of U.S. towns, #216 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bogota’s overall grade.
New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bogota’s 1.1 sits below most of its state (33% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.6 points). Two sources give 1894.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Bogota’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bogota. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Paterson sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bogota.
The story so far
Bogota, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Bogota yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Bogota is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 8,778, an increase of 591 (+7.2%) from the 2010 census count of 8,187, which in turn reflected a decline of 62 (−0.8%) from the 8,249 counted in the 2000 census. Bogota was formed on November 14, 1894, from portions of Ridgefield Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed during 1894 alone. Portions of Bogota were taken in 1895 to form part of the newly created Township of Teaneck. Bogota was named in honor of …
Bogota was established in 1894. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 8,187 to 8,778 (+7%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Bogota in 1900
Passages that mention Bogota, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Bergen county, New Jersey1900 · page 583Read the page →
Read the text
some of the largest losses known to the insurance companies in the city of New York. Although owning numerous houses in Hoboken and Jersey City, Mr. Cane, lured by the pleasures and privileges incident to country life, sought a home in the village of Bogota. In 1893, from the time of his coming here, he has been an active participant in all movements looking to the public welfare, and to promote healthy and invigorating exercises for the young men of Bogota, Mr. Cane built a boat house and formed a boating association as a means to that end, giving
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Bergen county, New Jersey1900 · page 490Read the page →
Read the text
sels as far up as the nothern boundary of the township. Originally the township of Ridgefield included the villages of Fairview, Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia, Nordhoff, Shady Side, Edgewater, Fort Lee, Taylorsville, Coytesville, Ridgefield Park and Bogota, but now the boroughs of Undercliff, Palisades Park, Bogota, Leonia, Fairview, Ridgefield and the village of Ridgefield Park and Overpeck township have been taken away leaving but a small portion of the original town for the present township. The original township
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Bogota, 1888 to 1918
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1894, according to Wikidata. Bogota’s post office opened in 1895, and the census of 1900 counted 337 people here.
How does Bogota rank for history?
Bogota is more historic than 65% of U.S. towns, #216 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Bogota?
One place: the Bogert House (listed 1983).
How old are the homes in Bogota?
50% of Bogota’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.6 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1938.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (11), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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