The courthouse was used as the primary seat of government for Hudson County from its opening on September 20, 1910 until the construction of the Hudson County Administration Building in 1966. The courthouse was vacant for many years and was scheduled for demolition. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1970. Restoration began in the mid-1970s, and the building was reopened in 1985. In 1984, the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders renamed the building in honor of Supreme Court JusticeWilliam J. Brennan Jr. The restoration of the courthouse was acknowledged by a Victorian Society in America Preservation Award in 1988.
As of 2011, the courthouse has seven working courtrooms and also houses the offices of the County Executive and the Hudson County Bar Association; in the past it has been used in a number of television programs and movies, including scenes in the television series Law & Order, and for commercials.
Image 21Modern map which approximates the relative size and location of the settled areas of New Netherland and New Sweden. (from History of New Jersey)
Image 22Nassau Hall at Princeton University, an Ivy League university and one of the world's most prominent research institutions, served briefly as the U.S. Capitol in the 18th century. (from New Jersey)
Image 27Paterson, sometimes known as Silk City, has become a prime destination for an internationally diverse pool of immigrants, with at least 52 distinct ethnic groups. (from New Jersey)
Image 28New Brunswick, nicknamed the Hub city and the Healthcare City, is a focus city for academia, healthcare, and culture in New Jersey. (from New Jersey)
Image 29The Province of New Jersey, Divided into East and West, commonly called The Jerseys, 1777 map by William Faden (from History of New Jersey)
Image 35Map of New Jersey's major transportation networks and cities (from New Jersey)
Image 36The Atlantic City boardwalk, as seen from Caesars Atlantic City, opened in 1870, as the world's first boardwalk. At 5+1⁄2 miles (8.9 km) long, it is also the world's longest and busiest boardwalk. New Jersey is home to the world's highest concentration of boardwalks.
Image 40Ethnic origins in New Jersey (from New Jersey)
Image 41The original provinces of West and East New Jersey are shown in yellow and green respectively. The Keith Line is shown in red, and the Coxe and Barclay Line is shown in orange. (from History of New Jersey)