Bridgewater

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Once the site of a historic Revolutionary War moment, Bridgewater is a quiet community that offers a number of amiable indoor and outdoor attractions that appeal to locals and visitors alike.

Washington slept here, on what is now known as the Middlebrook Trail. Most famously, while the Continental Army was bunked down here on June 14, 1777, Betsey Ross’s flag made its debut and flew over Washington and his army at Middlebrook Camp.

The Washington Camp Ground Association holds a commemorative ceremony every July 4 near the eastern end of the trail.

Middlebrook Trail is popular with hikers and birdwatchers and especially with Eagle Scouts, whose projects help improve the area.

For other outdoor pursuits, Duke Island Park, on the Raritan Power Canal, is where you’ll find softball fields, short walking trails and playgrounds.

A popular summer concert series – with everything from blues to bluegrass – is held every Sunday.

Don’t Miss:

• Bridgewater Commons mall for great shopping

• Commerce Bank Ballpark, home of the Atlantic League’s Somerset Patriots minor league baseball club

Insider Tip: Somerset County, where Bridgewater is located, contains a fabulous secret: a nearly 500-acre leafy retreat known as Natirar (Raritan spelled backwards – for the river that runs through it). The rolling green land was bequeathed by the late King Hassan II of Morocco to the local community. At its heart is a 1912 Tudor mansion, which, along with two cottages and a carriage house, will one day house the Virgin Hotel & Spa, operated by Sir Richard Branson.

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