In 1852, the old gristmill on Cole’s Brook was destroyed by fire. River traffic peaked during the Civil War (1861-1865). After the building of the New York Railroad along the west banks of the river, watercraft on the river declined, and by the end of the 19th century, the commercial importance of New Bridge Landing had faded away. The wooden drawbridge was replaced with an iron swing bridge, opened in 1889.

The Steuben House Commission was created in March 1926 to acquire Baron Steuben's Jersey Estate at New Bridge. During the Sesquicentennial of the United States in 1926, the State Legislature appropriated money to purchase the Steuben House as a shrine of historic significance. The State of New Jersey took possession of the historic mansion and one acre of ground for $9,000 on June 27, 1928.

Since its restoration in 1939, the house has been open for tours. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1970. In recognition of the site’s significance, the New Jersey State Legislature created the Historic New Bridge Landing Park Commission in November 1995. Its purpose is to plan and carry out the preservation and restoration of Historic New Bridge Landing, including the state-owned Steuben House and buildings on neighboring property owned by the Bergen County Historical Society, such as the Blauvelt-Demarest Foundation’s Demarest House and the County of Bergen’s Campbell-Christie House.