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Hamden, New Jersey facts for kids

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Hamden, New Jersey
Captain Jacob Gearhart House
Captain Jacob Gearhart House
Hamden, New Jersey is located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hamden, New Jersey
Hamden, New Jersey
Location in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hamden, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
Hamden, New Jersey
Hamden, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Hamden, New Jersey is located in the United States
Hamden, New Jersey
Hamden, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Hunterdon
Township Clinton
Elevation
51 m (167 ft)
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (EDT)
GNIS feature ID 876902

Hamden is a small place in New Jersey, United States. It's not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it's an "unincorporated community." This means it's part of a larger area called Clinton Township. Hamden is located in Hunterdon County.

This community is found just east of the South Branch Raritan River. It's about 3 miles west of the Round Valley Reservoir. Hamden is also about 3 miles south-southeast of the Spruce Run Reservoir. These are both large bodies of water.

Discovering Hamden's Past

Hamden has a long and interesting history. It was once a busy area with mills and shops.

Early Beginnings of Hamden

Back in 1759, two brothers named Phillip and John Grandin bought a very large piece of land. It was about 1,000 acres, which is like 750 football fields! This land became known as the Hamden Tract.

On this land, the Grandin brothers built important businesses. They had a grist mill, which ground grain into flour. They also had a fulling mill, which was used to clean and thicken wool cloth. There was even a blacksmith shop where metal items were made. A place called Abbott's Tavern was also located here, which was like an inn or restaurant.

Famous People and Structures

The farmhouse of Jacob Gearhart is also nearby. He was an important person who lived from 1735 to 1813. Jacob Gearhart was a captain in the American Revolutionary War. This war was when the United States fought for its independence.

DETAIL VIEW, ENDPOST LOKING EAST - Fink Through-Truss Bridge, Hunterdon County Government Complex (moved to), Flemington, Hunterdon County, NJ HAER NJ,10-CLIN.V,1-7
The Hamden Bridge, before it collapsed.

Hamden was also home to a special bridge. It was called the Fink Through-Truss Bridge, or simply the Hamden Bridge. This bridge was built in 1858. It was so important that it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes buildings and places that are important to American history. Sadly, the bridge collapsed in 1978.

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