Old Bridge (unincorporated community), New Jersey

Old Bridge, also known as the Historic Village of Old Bridge, is an unincorporated community located within East Brunswick in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[1][2] It is on the South River, a tributary of the Raritan River.[3] The community is named after the first bridge built here to cross the river, the South River Bridge. After other bridges were built crossing the river, it became known as the Old Bridge.[4] The Old Bridge Historic District, encompassing much of the village, is listed on the state and national registers of historic places.

This article is about the community. For the township, see Old Bridge Township, New Jersey. For the census-designated place, see Old Bridge (CDP), New Jersey.

Old Bridge, New Jersey
Unincorporated community
Victorian house on Main Street
Victorian house on Main Street
Old Bridge is located in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Old Bridge
Old Bridge
Old Bridge is located in New Jersey
Old Bridge
Old Bridge
Old Bridge is located in the United States
Old Bridge
Old Bridge
Coordinates: 40°24′53″N 74°21′56″W[1]
Country United States
State New Jersey
CountyMiddlesex
TownshipEast Brunswick
Elevation
[1]
13 ft (4 m)
GNIS feature ID878951[1]

History

Located at the head of navigation of the South River, Old Bridge was at the junction of several trade routes. Settlers came to area as early as 1685. The Bordentown and South Amboy Turnpike, a stagecoach route, went through here in 1740. A freight station was built in 1832 on the Camden and Amboy Railroad, which ran through the community.[5] It had a tavern and several houses.[6] On August 9, 1853, there was a major head-on collision between two trains near the station, resulting in several deaths.[7] From c. 1906 to 1921, the Brookfield Glass Company operated a plant here producing bottles and jars.[8][9]

Historic district
Old Bridge Historic District
James Crawford Thom House on Kossman Street
LocationRiver Road; Kossman, Pine, Chestnut, Main, Everson, Squire, Maple, and Oak streets; Rutgers Place
Area108 acres (44 ha)
Architectural styleGreek Revival, Italianate
NRHP reference No.77000882[10]
NJRHP No.1835[11]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJune 29, 1977
Designated NJRHPSeptember 26, 1975

The Old Bridge Historic District is a 108-acre (44 ha) historic district located along several streets in the community. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 1977 for its significance in art, education, and industry. The district includes 78 contributing buildings.[5]

The artist James Crawford Thom lived at an Italianate style house at 10 Kossman Street from c. 1870 to his death in 1898. The Old Bridge Baptist Church at 21 Kossman Street was built in 1844 and features a gothic arched double door entrance.[5] It was originally known as the Independent Bethel Baptist Church of Washington and Herbertsville.[12] The Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church at 16 Maple Street was built in 1860 and named after Bishop Matthew Simpson.[5] It was purchased in 1977 by the township to be used as the East Brunswick Museum.[13] General Obadiah Herbert (1775–1856), businessman and entrepreneur, lived at 146 Main Street, starting in 1810. For a while, the village was known as Herbertsville in his honor.[5] His son, Jacob V. W. Herbert (1812–1899), was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly representing Monmouth County in 1855. The Alice Appleby Devoe Memorial Library is located at 166 Main Street.[5]

  • Historic Village of Old Bridge sign
    Historic Village of Old Bridge sign
  • Old Bridge Baptist Church
    Old Bridge Baptist Church
  • Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church
    Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church
  • General Obadiah Herbert House
    General Obadiah Herbert House
  • Alice Appleby Devoe Memorial Library
    Alice Appleby Devoe Memorial Library

Transportation
General Obadiah Herbert House at the intersection of CR 527 and CR 615

There are several main roads in the community. County Route 527 (Old Bridge Turnpike, Old Bridge–Matawan Road) runs north-south[14] and intersects with County Route 615 (Main Street), which runs east-west.[15] County Route 677 (River Road) runs north from CR 615 near the South River.[16] New Jersey Route 18 can be accessed from CR 615.[17]

Points of interest

Located to the north on Old Bridge Turnpike, the nearby Chestnut Hill Cemetery, also known as the Old Bridge Cemetery, has the remains of many of the families from the community.[4][18] Tours of the cemetery have been organized by the New Jersey Cultural Alliance.[19]

South of Main Street and along the South River, Keystone Park offers hiking and natural areas.[20]

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Old Bridge include:

See also

References
  1. "Old Bridge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. "Locality Search". State of New Jersey.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1894). Bulletin 118: A Geographic Dictionary of New Jersey (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 89. doi:10.3133/b118. Old Bridge; village in East Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, on South River, and on Camden and Amboy Branch Pennsylvania R. R.
  4. "History". East Brunswick, New Jersey.
  5. Karschner, Terry (July 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Old Bridge Historic District". National Park Service. With accompanying 18 photos
  6. Gordon, Thomas F. (1834). "Old Bridge". A Gazetteer of the State of New Jersey. Trenton, New Jersey. p. 201. ISBN 9780608422114. on the turnpike-road, from Bordentown to South Amboy; contains a tavern, and some half dozen dwelling houses; surrounded by a sandy and light soil.
  7. Staff (August 10, 1853). "Another Railroad Tragedy. Collision on the Camden and Amboy Railroad. Five Persons Killed—Others Dying,—Twenty or Thirty Injured". The New York Times.
  8. "Brookfield Glass Company (Bushwick Glass Works)". Glass Bottle Marks.
  9. Garrison, Winton C. (1909). The Industrial Directory of New Jersey. New Jersey Bureau of Industrial Statistics. p. 330.
  10. "National Register Information System – (#77000882)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  11. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Middlesex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. March 23, 2021. p. 2.
  12. "Our History". Old Bridge Baptist Church.
  13. "Mission Statement". East Brunswick Museum.
  14. "County Route 527 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. p. 15.
  15. "Middlesex County Route 615 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. p. 9.
  16. "Middlesex County Route 677 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. p. 1.
  17. "New Jersey Route 18 straight line diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. p. 10.
  18. "Chestnut Hill Cemetery". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior., Variant name: Old Bridge Cemetery
  19. James, George (October 25, 1998). "Putting an Ear to the Ground". The New York Times.
  20. "Keystone Park". East Brunswick, New Jersey.
  21. Theodore Frank Appleby, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  22. Shultise, Walter S. (December 16, 1945). "The Brasnos, Midget Trio of East Brunswick, Now in Musical on Broadway". The Sunday Times. New Brunswick, New Jersey. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
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