Myers-Masker House – Van Iderstine House

The Myers-Masker House, also known as the Van Iderstine House, represents an important example of early American residential architecture in Midland Park, New Jersey, constructed in 1795 during the formative decades of the young American nation. The house was built during a period when Midland Park and the surrounding Bergen County region were transitioning from agricultural frontier to increasingly developed communities, with the structure itself reflecting the building practices and architectural preferences of the late eighteenth century. The house was recognized for its historical significance and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, acknowledging its value as a preserved example of colonial-era residential construction and its role in documenting the community's historical development. The physical structure has survived over two centuries of environmental exposure, structural stress, and the inevitable wear that accompanies such longevity, maintaining sufficient integrity to support its status as a protected historic property. Beyond its architectural and historical significance, the Myers-Masker House has gained attention for the persistent paranormal phenomena reported within and around the building, suggesting that the passage of time and historical designation have not diminished whatever supernatural forces may inhabit the property.

The paranormal phenomena associated with the Myers-Masker House have become increasingly documented and verified through witness accounts and paranormal investigation, with the staircase within the house emerging as the primary focus of reported activity. Witnesses and investigators have documented the sound of unexplained footsteps ascending and descending the staircase at various times, with the footfalls described as deliberate and purposeful, suggesting an intelligent entity moving through the space rather than mere building creaks or environmental noise. These auditory phenomena have been reported multiple times by independent observers, creating a consistent pattern that establishes the staircase as a genuine paranormal hotspot within the building. The footsteps often occur when the house is empty or when observers are in other areas of the building, making it unlikely that the sounds result from identifiable persons moving through the space. The consistent focus of paranormal activity on the staircase suggests a particular attachment to or significant event associated with that location.

The paranormal history of the Myers-Masker House has become intertwined with local tradition and folklore regarding Hessian prisoners detained in the area during the American Revolutionary War. Historical records document that Hessian soldiers, German troops who served with the British forces during the Revolutionary conflict, were held as prisoners in various locations throughout New Jersey, including in the immediate vicinity of Midland Park. The tradition holds that Hessian prisoners who died in captivity remain spiritually connected to locations where they were held or where they suffered, and some paranormal researchers have theorized that the spirits of Hessian prisoners may be responsible for the phenomena documented at the Myers-Masker House. The footsteps on the staircase have been interpreted by some investigators as manifestations of Hessian soldiers ascending and descending the stairs, possibly reenacting movements from life or expressing some form of restless spiritual condition. The connection between the documented paranormal activity and the historical presence of Hessian prisoners remains speculative, yet the temporal and geographical proximity of the Revolutionary War history to the building's construction date provides a plausible framework for understanding the paranormal phenomena within a historical context.

The Myers-Masker House continues to stand as a private residential property in Midland Park, maintaining its presence on the National Register of Historic Places while simultaneously serving as a location of interest for paranormal researchers investigating colonial-era hauntings and Revolutionary War-era spiritual phenomena. The building's historical documentation as a structure built in 1795, combined with its architectural significance and preservation status, provides credible historical context for paranormal investigations at the location. The consistent reports of unexplained footsteps from multiple independent witnesses have established the Myers-Masker House as a documented paranormal location worthy of research and investigation.