New Bridge served as a battleground, fort, encampment ground, military headquarters, and intelligence-gathering post in every year of the American Revolution. The Steuben House is the only extant building from the 1776 Retreat through Bergen County. For 2 weeks in 1780, the Steuben House was Washington's HQ and it has been the Bergen County Historical Society's HQ since 1939. New Jersey gifted him the Steuben House in appreciation for his contributions to the American Cause.

Major-General Baron von Steuben "thoroughly rebuilt" the war-damaged stone house on Main Street, River Edge, that now bears his name, forever marking his association with one of New Jersey's most beloved landmarks. This is largely the house you see today and is the only extant house he owned.