Bridgewater, Massachusetts facts for kids

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Bridgewater, Massachusetts

City

Town of Bridgewater

Bridgewater Central Square

Flag

Seal

Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Location in the United States

United States

Settled

1650

Incorporated

1656

Government

• Type

Town Council

Area

• Total

28.2 sq mi (73.1 km²)

• Land

27.5 sq mi (71.2 km²)

• Water

0.7 sq mi (1.9 km²)

Elevation

104 ft (32 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

28,633

• Density

1,015.4/sq mi (391.70/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (Eastern)

ZIP code

02324, 02325

Area code(s)

508 / 774

FIPS code

25-08085

GNIS feature ID

0619466

Website

www.bridgewaterma.org

Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. As of 2020, about 28,633 people lived there. Bridgewater is located about 25 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts. It is also about 35 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island.

Bridgewater used to be called a "census-designated place" (CDP). But in 2010, it became a city. Even though it's a city, it still uses "Town of Bridgewater" in its official name. This is true for 12 other places in Massachusetts.

History of Bridgewater
Geography and Nature
- Neighboring Towns
- Local Areas and Waterways
People of Bridgewater
Economy and Jobs
Education in Bridgewater
- Local Schools
- Higher Education
Transportation
- Public Transport
Famous People from Bridgewater
Media and News
Images for kids
See also

History of Bridgewater

This area was first settled in 1645. It was bought from Native Americans by 54 people from Duxbury. Most of these people did not actually move there.

Bridgewater officially became a Township on June 3, 1656. It was part of Plymouth Colony. In 1685, it became part of Plymouth County. For a short time, from 1686 to 1689, it was part of the Dominion of New England.

The town grew bigger between 1662 and 1798. Its final borders were set in 1846. Bridgewater is still in Plymouth County today.

Geography and Nature

Bridgewater covers about 28.2 square miles. Most of this area (27.5 square miles) is land. About 0.7 square miles (2.62%) is water. Bridgewater is the 99th largest community in Massachusetts by land area. It is the eighth largest in Plymouth County.

Neighboring Towns

Bridgewater shares borders with several towns:

West Bridgewater to the northwest
East Bridgewater to the northeast
Halifax to the east
Middleborough to the south
Raynham to the west

Bridgewater is also close to bigger cities. It is about five miles south of Brockton. It is 10 miles northeast of Taunton. And it is about 25 miles south of Boston.

Local Areas and Waterways

Some neighborhoods in Bridgewater include Stanley, Scotland Park, and Pratt Town. The Taunton River flows through Bridgewater. Many smaller rivers and brooks branch off from it.

There are also several ponds. The biggest one is Lake Nippenicket. It is located along the western edge of town. Bridgewater has a state forest and a town forest. It also has conservation areas. A large part of the Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area is in the western part of town.

Some people believe parts of this swamp are in the "Bridgewater Triangle". This is an area where strange things are reported. These reports include sightings of Bigfoot and mysterious black panthers. People have also reported UFO sightings. This idea was made popular by author Loren Coleman.

People of Bridgewater

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1765	3,942	—
1776	4,364	+10.7%
1790	4,975	+14.0%
1800	5,200	+4.5%
1810	5,157	−0.8%
1820	1,700	−67.0%
1830	1,855	+9.1%
1840	2,131	+14.9%
1850	2,790	+30.9%
1855	3,363	+20.5%
1860	3,761	+11.8%
1870	3,660	−2.7%
1880	3,620	−1.1%
1890	4,249	+17.4%
1900	5,806	+36.6%
1910	7,688	+32.4%
1920	8,438	+9.8%
1930	9,055	+7.3%
1940	8,902	−1.7%
1950	9,512	+6.9%
1960	10,276	+8.0%
1970	12,911	+25.6%
1980	17,202	+33.2%
1990	21,249	+23.5%
2000	25,185	+18.5%
2010	26,563	+5.5%
2020	28,633	+7.8%
2022*	28,780	+0.5%
* = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

In 2000, there were 25,185 people living in Bridgewater. There were 7,526 households. About 38.6% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.81 people. The average family had 3.27 people.

The population was spread out by age:

22.9% were under 18
14.7% were 18 to 24
32.9% were 25 to 44
20.9% were 45 to 64
8.6% were 65 or older

The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were about 110.7 males.

The median income for a household was $65,318. For a family, it was $73,953. About 3.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 2.6% of those under 18.

Bridgewater is the 71st largest town in Massachusetts by population. It ranks third in population within Plymouth County.

Economy and Jobs

For much of the 1800s and early 1900s, Bridgewater's economy relied on factories. The town was famous for its iron works factories. One of them, Bridgewater Iron Works, is a historical site. Most of this factory was taken down in 1994. It became Ironworks Park. Several iron works companies still operate in Bridgewater today.

The town also had many paper mills and sawmills. There was also a boot and shoe factory. This factory building still stands today near Broad Street. It is next to the MBTA Commuter Train tracks. While it no longer makes shoes, it houses many businesses and storage units.

Education in Bridgewater

Boyden Hall, on the Bridgewater State University campus

Bridgewater shares its school district with Raynham. Both towns have their own elementary and middle schools. Students from both towns attend the same high school.

Local Schools

George H. Mitchell Elementary School: For students from kindergarten to second grade.
M.G. Williams Intermediate School: For third, fourth, and fifth graders.
Bridgewater Middle School: For sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.
Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School: Located in Bridgewater. Its sports teams are called the "Trojans." Their colors are red and white. The middle school teams are called the "Spartans."

In 2015, the roof of Mitchell Elementary school collapsed due to heavy snow. Students had to move to other schools temporarily.

Higher Education

Bridgewater Academy building. Built 1868.

Bridgewater was once home to the important Bridgewater Academy. This was a private high school in the 1800s. Many young men attended it, including Enoch Pratt. He later became a famous businessman and helped start one of America's first free public library systems.

The town is also home to Bridgewater State University. This is a public liberal arts university. It started in 1840 as a "normal school," which trained teachers. It is the largest state university in Massachusetts outside of the University of Massachusetts system. In 2022, about 8,000 undergraduate students and 1,500 postgraduate students were enrolled there.

Transportation

Bridgewater is where Interstate 495 and Mass. Route 24 meet. A small part of I-495 runs through the town. Along Mass. Route 24, there are two large rest areas. They have restaurants and gas stations. These are the only full-service rest areas on highways in Southeastern Massachusetts.

At the center of town, Mass. Route 18, Mass. Route 28, and Mass. Route 104 all meet.

Public Transport

The Middleborough-Lakeville line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail goes through Bridgewater. There is a train stop at the southern end of Bridgewater State University's campus.

For air travel, there is a small airport in nearby Taunton. Larger airports are T. F. Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island, and Logan International Airport in Boston.

Famous People from Bridgewater

Nathaniel Ames (1708–1764): Born in Bridgewater, he published America's first annual almanac.
George Leonard Andrews (1828–1899): Born in Bridgewater, he was a noted U.S. Army officer and educator.
Drew Bledsoe: Former NFL quarterback for the New England Patriots, lived in Bridgewater.
Love Brewster: A passenger on the Mayflower and one of Bridgewater's founders.
Mickey Cochrane (1903–1962): A Baseball Hall of Fame catcher, born in Bridgewater.
Marc Colombo: Former NFL player, lived in Bridgewater.
Enoch Pratt (1808–1896): A businessman and giver, important in Baltimore, Maryland.
Louise Dickinson Rich (1903–1991): An author who wrote about her childhood in Bridgewater.
Neil Cicierega (born 1986): An American filmmaker, YouTuber, animator, and musician.