Bridgewater, NJ

Bridgewater is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 9,849,[1][2] reflecting an increase of 1,569 (+25.4%) from the 7,906 counted in the 2000 Census.[3]

Bridgewater is located at 40°51′N 74°7′W (40.8019°N -74.1289°W). According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.3 km2), all of it land.[4]

The Borough was originally incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 10th 1894 from portions of Bridgewater Township and Bound Brook Township,[5] based on the results of a referendum held that same day.[6][7][8] The name Bridgewater was chosen in honor of William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland who had donated land for its establishment.[9][10][11] The Borough became an independent municipality on January 1st 1897[12], and changed its name to Bridgewater Township again on March 25th 1905[13]. On November 8th 1951,[14], voters approved incorporation as a borough under its present name.[15]

The history and architecture reflect centuries-old English traditions mixed with influences from other parts of Europe which have created one unique community today known as "The Village at Bridgewater".[16][17][18] Many homes date back to Colonial times while others were built in more recent decades reflecting different architectural styles including Tudor Revival and Dutch Colonial Revival. There are also many contemporary homes available for purchase or rent which reflect today's popular trends such as Mediterranean Revival and Craftsman Style Bungalows. The downtown area offers shoppers plenty of choices including boutiques, restaurants and art galleries along with numerous specialty stores catering to residents' needs such as hardware stores, florists and jewelers. There are also several banks and other financial institutions available for residents' use along with medical facilities including two hospitals - Saint Joseph's Regional Medical Center & Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset Medical Center .[19][20][21]