Bridgewater Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Raritan River as seen from Duke Island Park
RWJ Somerset University Hospital
U.S. Route 22
Sri Venkateswara Temple
Bridgewater-Raritan High School
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Census Bureau map of Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
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 Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
Location in Somerset County, New Jersey
Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County | Somerset | |
| Royal charter | April 4, 1749 | |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 | |
| Named for | English town of Bridgwater | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act Mayor-council | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 32.36 sq mi (83.81 km2) | |
| • Land | 31.89 sq mi (82.59 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.47 sq mi (1.23 km2) 1.46% | |
| Area rank | 76th of 565 in state 4th of 21 in county |
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| Elevation | 138 ft (42 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 45,977 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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45,814 | |
| • Rank | 46th of 565 in state 2nd of 21 in county |
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| • Density | 1,441.8/sq mi (556.7/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 342nd of 565 in state 9th of 21 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Codes | ||
| Area code(s) | 732 and 908 | |
| FIPS code | 3403507720 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882171 | |
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Bridgewater Township is a community in Somerset County, New Jersey. It's located in the middle of the Raritan Valley region. Bridgewater is known as a major business area for Somerset County. It's also a suburban town where many people live and travel to work in nearby cities like New York City.
The township was officially created on April 4, 1749. It became one of New Jersey's first 104 townships on February 21, 1798. Over time, some parts of Bridgewater became separate towns. These include Warren Township, Branchburg Township, Somerville, Raritan, and Bound Brook.
In 2020, about 45,977 people lived in Bridgewater. This was a small increase from 2010.
Contents
History
Bridgewater is a large suburban township in the center of Somerset County. The land was first bought from a local Lenape Native American tribe. King George II of Great Britain officially recognized Bridgewater in 1749. It was named after Bridgwater, a town in England.
A special event happened at the Middlebrook encampment in Bridgewater. It's believed that the first official flag of the United States was flown here. This happened after Congress decided on a national flag in 1777. Today, a Thirteen Star Flag flies all day and night at the Washington Camp Ground. Every July 4th, people celebrate this with a flag ceremony and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Until the 1960s, Bridgewater was mostly a farming area. In the 1970s, more people started moving here. They came from bigger cities like Plainfield and Newark. Bridgewater then became popular with people working in medicine and technology. Many people also moved here to travel to New York City. They use the Bridgewater Station or Interstate 78. Today, Bridgewater is a busy suburban community. It is the second-largest town in Somerset County by population.
Geography
Bridgewater Township covers about 32.5 square miles (84.2 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. The township has some flat areas. But the northeastern part is very hilly. The Watchung Mountains pass through this area.
The Raritan River and its smaller rivers form many of Bridgewater's borders. The Raritan River runs along the southern edge of the township. The North Branch of the Raritan River forms the western border. The North Branch and South Branch of the Raritan River meet at the southwest corner of Bridgewater.
Several communities are located within Bridgewater Township. These include Bradley Gardens, Finderne, Green Knoll, and Martinsville. Other smaller areas are Chimney Rock and Milltown.
Bridgewater shares borders with 13 other towns. Some of its longest borders are with Branchburg Township and Somerville. Bridgewater's main ZIP Code is 08807. Martinsville uses 08836. The phone area codes are 908 and 732/848.
Communities in Bridgewater
Bridgewater has many different communities. Here are some of them:
- Bradley Gardens: This area is in southwestern Bridgewater. It has older homes and some new ones. There are also shops along Old York Road.
- North Branch: Most of North Branch is in another town. But a part of it is in Bridgewater, east of the North Branch of the Raritan River.
- Finderne: This area is in southeastern Bridgewater. It has different kinds of homes, plus shops and businesses. TD Bank Ballpark, where the Somerset Patriots play, is here.
- Thomae Park: This is in the far eastern part of Bridgewater. It has a park with a playground, basketball court, and hiking trail.
- Green Knoll: This central area has many homes and big shopping centers. The Bridgewater Commons Mall is here. The town hall and Bridgewater-Raritan High School are also in Green Knoll.
- Country Club/Meadow Road Area: This area is sometimes called "the Van Holten area" after the elementary school. It is mostly residential.
- Milltown/Vanderveer Road Area: This area is mainly residential with many new homes.
- Martinsville: This is a wealthy residential area in northeastern Bridgewater. It has its own shops and post office. It is also very hilly.
- Sunset Lake: This community is built around a lake in the northern part of Bridgewater.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 2,578 | — | |
| 1810 | 2,906 | — | |
| 1820 | 3,147 | 8.3% | |
| 1830 | 3,549 | 12.8% | |
| 1840 | 3,986 | 12.3% | |
| 1850 | 4,070 | * | 2.1% |
| 1860 | 4,947 | 21.5% | |
| 1870 | 2,082 | * | −57.9% |
| 1880 | 1,912 | −8.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,444 | −24.5% | |
| 1900 | 1,601 | 10.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,742 | 8.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,934 | 11.0% | |
| 1930 | 3,352 | 73.3% | |
| 1940 | 4,934 | 47.2% | |
| 1950 | 8,234 | 66.9% | |
| 1960 | 15,789 | 91.8% | |
| 1970 | 30,235 | 91.5% | |
| 1980 | 29,175 | −3.5% | |
| 1990 | 32,509 | 11.4% | |
| 2000 | 42,940 | 32.1% | |
| 2010 | 44,464 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 45,977 | 3.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 45,814 | 3.0% | |
| Population sources: 1790–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
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Bridgewater has a lot of people living there. In 2020, the population was 45,977. It's interesting to know that Bridgewater has a surprisingly high number of twins and triplets!
In 2010, the average income for families in Bridgewater was quite high. This shows that many people living here have good jobs.
Economy
Bridgewater is a center for many businesses. It has many pharmaceutical companies, which make medicines. Some big companies like Sanofi have their US headquarters here. Many other large companies in software and finance also have offices in Bridgewater.
Bridgewater Commons is a very big shopping mall. It has major stores like Bloomingdale's and Macy's. There are also other large shopping areas in Bridgewater, such as Bridgewater Promenade.
Parks and Recreation
Bridgewater offers many places for fun and outdoor activities.
- Washington Camp Ground is a historic site. It's where George Washington's army stayed during the winter of 1778–1779.
- Washington Valley Park is another great place to visit.
Sports
TD Bank Ballpark is a popular place in Bridgewater. It's the home stadium for the Somerset Patriots baseball team. The stadium can hold 6,100 fans. The Patriots started playing in 1998. In 2021, they became a Double-A team for the New York Yankees.
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
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| Somerset Patriots | Double-A Northeast, Baseball | TD Bank Ballpark | 1998 | 6 (Atlantic League)
1 (Eastern League) |
Education
Bridgewater is part of the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District. This district serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade. Students come from both Bridgewater and Raritan Borough. It is one of the largest school districts in Somerset County.
The district has 11 schools. These include seven primary schools (PreK-4), two intermediate schools (5-6), one middle school (7-8), and Bridgewater-Raritan High School (9-12). Most of the schools are in Bridgewater.
In 1999–2000, Bridgewater-Raritan High School received the Blue Ribbon School Award. This is a very high honor for schools in the United States.
Bridgewater is also home to the Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School. This school helps students learn job skills and academics. The main office for the Somerset County Library System is also in Bridgewater.
Infrastructure
Emergency Services
Bridgewater has a special center that handles all emergency calls. This center sends help from police, fire, and rescue teams.
Fire Departments
Bridgewater has six volunteer fire companies. They help put out fires and assist with car accidents and rescues.
- Country Hills Fire Company
- Green Knoll Fire Company
- North Branch Fire Company
- Bradley Gardens Fire Company
- Finderne Fire Company
- Martinsville Fire Company
EMS/Rescue Squads
Five volunteer rescue squads serve Bridgewater. They provide basic medical help and assist with rescues. Paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - Somerset also help when needed.
- Martinsville Rescue Squad
- Green Knoll Rescue Squad
- Finderne First Aid & Rescue Squad
- Bradley Gardens First Aid & Rescue Squad
- Bound Brook First Aid Squad
Transportation
Bridgewater has many major roads and highways. Interstate 287 runs through the township. Interstate 78 also passes through the northern part. U.S. Route 22 and Route 28 run east-west. Route 202-206 run north-south.
For public transportation, NJ Transit trains serve the Bridgewater station. Buses also go to places like Midtown Manhattan and Newark.
There are also three local airports nearby. These airports offer charter flights and flight training. For bigger flights, people use Newark Liberty International Airport, which is about 25 miles away.
Healthcare
Bridgewater is served by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset. This hospital is located in the nearby town of Somerville. It is a large hospital that provides medical care for the whole area.
Points of Interest
- Van Horne House was built around 1750. It was used as a headquarters during the American Revolutionary War.
- Van Veghten House was built around 1725. It also served as a headquarters during the Revolutionary War. It is known as one of the few remaining old mansions along the Raritan River.
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Van Horne House, 2013
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Van Veghten House, 2018
Bridgewater also has many places of worship. These include churches, a Jewish synagogue, a Hindu temple, and a Sikh temple.
Community
Mosque Settlement
In 2011, a group wanted to build the first mosque in Bridgewater. The town council passed a rule that houses of worship could only be built near major roads. This rule affected the mosque's plan. After a lawsuit, the town and the group reached an agreement in 2014. The town bought a piece of land for the mosque to build on.
Notable People
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Bridgewater Township. Here are a few:
- Hank Beenders (1916–2003), an early professional basketball player.
- Barbara Cohen (1932–1992), an author of many children's books.
- Elena Kampouris (born 1997), an actress in movies and TV shows.
- Geraldine Laybourne (born 1947), who helped create Nickelodeon TV channel.
- Eric Murdock (born 1968), a former professional basketball player in the NBA.
- Casey Murphy (born 1996), a professional soccer goalkeeper.
- Scott Schwartz (born 1968), a former child actor from movies like A Christmas Story.
- Upton Sinclair (1878–1968), a famous author who wrote The Jungle.
- David Wiesner (born 1956), an author and illustrator of children's books.
See also
In Spanish: Bridgewater (Nueva Jersey) para niños
