Westfield, NJ

Westfield is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 21,924, reflecting an increase of 1,898 (+14.5%) from the 19,711 counted in the 2000 Census.

Westfield was founded as a small farming community on the Raritan River in 1690 by Dutch settlers and named after West Flanders in Belgium. The area was first settled by English Quakers who purchased land from the Dutch and built mills along the river to produce textiles for export to Europe. The town prospered as a center of trade and commerce during colonial times and became known as "the Manchester of America" because of its high concentration of textile mills. In 1851 Westfield became part of Middlesex County when that county was formed from portions of Somerset County and Union County.

The borough's economy has been based largely on its role as a center for manufacturing and distribution since colonial times; today it is home to several major corporations including AT&T Corporation (formerly Bell Laboratories), Johnson & Johnson, Prudential Financial Inc., Kimberly- Clark Corporation (formerly Huggins Manufacturing Company), 3M Company (formerly Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company), Abbott Laboratories (formerly American Biscuit Company) and Colgate-Palmolive Co.. In addition to these traditional businesses, Westfield is also home to Rutgers University– New Brunswick campus which employs over 10,000 people in downtown areas adjacent to Rutgers' main academic buildings.

The borough has undergone significant redevelopment over the past two decades with new residential neighborhoods being constructed near downtown along with new commercial development along Route 22 and Interstate 287 corridors leading into town from neighboring communities such as Livingston and Woodbridge Township. This redevelopment has resulted in increased property values throughout Westfield while preserving much of its historic character; recent additions to the National Register include portions of Main Street between High Street and Church Road (#1010)and Washington Avenue between Market Street and Bound Brook Road (#1021).