Dixon Homestead Library
🏢 Bergen County Cooperative Library System · Dumont, New Jersey
Dixon Homestead Library
The Dixon Homestead Library occupies a historic Dutch Colonial stone structure at 180 Washington Avenue in Dumont — a Bergen County landmark on both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Built between 1780 and 1790 by Revolutionary War soldier Derick Banta and bequeathed to the borough as a public library in 1929 by Sarah Dixon, it is one of the most distinctive public library buildings in New Jersey.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 180 Washington Avenue, Dumont, NJ 07628
Phone: (201) 384-2030
Website: dumontlibrary.org
Plus Code: 87G8W2R4+PG (Dumont, NJ)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Dixon Homestead Library
The Dixon Homestead Library traces its origins to 1917, when the Girls' Patriotic League collected books for troops stationed at Camp Merritt. The collection grew to 150 volumes, moved through several locations, and in 1918 the Dumont Library Association was formally organized. A public referendum in 1925 established the library as a municipal institution. The turning point came in 1929, when Sarah Dixon bequeathed the historic homestead at 180 Washington Avenue — a Dutch Colonial stone building erected between 1780 and 1790 by Revolutionary War soldier Derick Banta — to the Borough of Dumont for use as a public library. The homestead passed through several owners after Banta, including Jacob Quackenbush (1792) and Isaac Dixon (1862), whose daughter Sarah ultimately donated it. Two major additions expanded the building — a Children's Wing (1957) and the Alfred W. Heath Wing (1982) — and restoration work from 2008 to 2016 preserved the historic stone structure with Bergen County funding. The library was listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in 1980 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Today it belongs to the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS), giving Dumont cardholders access to holdings across Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic County libraries.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Listed on both the New Jersey Register of Historic Places (1980) and the National Register of Historic Places (1983)
- Occupies a Dutch Colonial stone homestead built 1780–1790 by Revolutionary War soldier Derick Banta — one of NJ's oldest surviving library buildings
- Named for Sarah Dixon, who bequeathed the family homestead to Dumont in 1929 to serve as a free public library
- BCCLS member: cardholders can borrow from libraries across Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties
- Open until 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for evening access
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Dixon Homestead Library cardholders can access the BCCLS digital collection and statewide New Jersey resources:
📚 Services
- Museum passes to local cultural institutions (borrow through BCCLS)
- Public computers, Wi-Fi, printing, copying and wireless printing
- Library of Things borrowing program
- Research assistance and reader's advisory
- ESL classes
- Technology assistance
🎸 Programs
- Children's and young adult events and storytimes
- Adult programs and community events
- Summer reading program
- Library of Things activities
📍 Nearby Libraries in Bergen County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the Dixon Homestead Library?
The library is named after the historic Dutch Colonial homestead building it occupies. Sarah Dixon, whose family had owned the property since 1862, bequeathed it to the Borough of Dumont in 1929 specifically to serve as a public library. The stone structure itself dates to between 1780 and 1790, built by Revolutionary War soldier Derick Banta.
Is the Dixon Homestead Library building a historic landmark?
Yes. The building was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in 1980 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It is one of the oldest surviving public library buildings in the state, and a multi-phase restoration from 2008 to 2016 preserved the original stone structure with Bergen County Historic Preservation funding.
What evenings is the Dixon Homestead Library open late?
The library is open until 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday and Friday hours run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed in July and August), and Sunday is closed. Call (201) 384-2030 for current hours.
Can I borrow from other Bergen County libraries with a Dumont card?
Yes. The Dixon Homestead Library is a member of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS), which serves libraries across Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties. Your Dumont card lets you borrow from and return materials to any BCCLS member library, and search the shared catalog at dumt.search.bccls.org.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.