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CHANGING
LAND USE IN
BRIDGEWATER, CT
By planning consultant John Hayes of Redding, Connecticut
Summarized by HVCEO staff
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Natural Setting
and Town Origins
Bridgewater, originally "The Neck" of southern New Milford, due to its peninsular location in the hills above the confluence of the Housatonic and Shepaug Rivers, appears to have received its first settler about 1734. The natural resources of the area had attracted much earlier interest, however, for a trading post had been built at Goodyear's Island, in the Housatonic along Bridgewater's northwest boundary, in 1644 and at least 22 families had settled at New Milford center by 1710.
The land comprising the town's 11,187 acre area is exceptionally hilly. High ridges in the central, northwestern and eastern sections descend abruptly to Lake Lillinonah (formed by a hydroelectric dam on the Housatonic River) along the town's southwest and southeast borders, to the Clatter Valley on the northwest, and tower above the Shepaug Valley along the northeast border.
A number of small, swift flowing streams drain from this upland terrain in various directions, principally Second Hill, Hop, Wewaka, Hitchcock Mill, and Clapboard Oak Brooks. Typical upland soils, derived from glacial till, dominate throughout the Town and therefore there are no major aquifers. Many upland ridges are still open, but forest land predominates.
Fertile upland soils attracted a farming population in the mid-eighteenth century. A small village developed at the present town center, located at a central crossroads on the middle ridge. By 1803 there was a sufficient population to form an ecclesiastical society separate from New Milford, and this privilege was conferred by the General Assembly along with the descriptive name Bridgewater. Incorporation as a separate town was granted by the Assembly in 1856, at which time the population was about 1,000 persons.
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Bridgewater Development:
Beginning to 1950
Despite the hilly terrain, farms were well established in all sections of the town before 1800. Early roads followed paths and later evolved into the irregular topography-dominated network which exists today.
A bridge across the Housatonic at Southville (now under Lake Lillinonah) and several nearby turnpike roads brought an era of agricultural prosperity in the first half of the nineteenth century. Small industries which flourished included shoe and hat shops, saw mills, furniture and blacksmith shops, and tobacco warehouses. Population peaked at 1,048 persons in 1860.
Despite the construction of railroads through neighboring valleys, along the Still River in New Milford in the 1850's and in the Shepaug Valley in the 1870's, Bridgewater, in common with other bypassed hill towns began a long population decline in the 1860's. Steam powered factories were being built along the rail lines, and low-cost agricultural produce from the west began to flood nearby markets; small hill farms and waterpower sites were no longer economic.
For an overview of the extent of land development in Bridgewater, CT near the end of the nineteenth century, a review of 1892-1904
USGS Topographic Maps for Bridgewater will be of interest.
As marginal farmland was abandoned, forests returned to many of the hillsides and the out-migration continued to about 1930, when the town's population stood at 432 persons, a mere 41% of its level 70 years previous. A table of census population by decade for Bridgewater in this period is available.
During the early 1920's, however, paved State roads reached central Newtown, Brookfield and New Milford, and within a decade Route 25 (now Route 133) and 67 had been built through Bridgewater. Although little new building took place during the 1930's, the town's beautiful countryside began to attract new residents and many old homes began to be restored. By 1950, with the era of postwar prosperity in full advance, the town's population had rebounded to 639 and Bridgewater was home to noted artists, writers and other illustrious
persons.
Fortunately some of Bridgewater's
scenic road character from this early era has been formally preserved for the future.
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Bridgewater
Development:
1950 to Present
In 1950 Bridgewater was still a predominantly agricultural town although beginning to attract new home construction. Excluding farms, no more than 250 acres of land, less than 3% of the town's area, had been developed. Except for the Consolidated School, the firehouse, and the library, the village remained much the same as it had been a hundred years before.
However, concern was growing among town residents for protection of the town's unique character in the face of inevitable change. Lake Lillinonah, a hydroelectric impoundment which created a large lake in the Housatonic
and Shepaug valleys, was completed in 1955 along with a new Route 133 bridge into the town from the south. Route 67, crossing the town from west to east, was widened and relocated shortly after.
For an overview of the extent of land development in Bridgewater, CT near 1950, a review of 1949-55
USGS Topographic Maps for Bridgewater will be of interest.
The Bridgewater Fair began, and while preserving an aspect of the town's
rural heritage, introduced more activity in the center. In 1967-68 the Town adopted a Town Plan and new zoning regulations which provided for special protection of the "Town Green" area and for two and four acre residential lot sizes throughout the balance of the town. The Town also grew slightly in area during the 1960's as it annexed 483 acres of land isolated from Southbury by the new lake.
By 1980 the population of the town had reached 1,563 persons and
Bridgewater was now a community in which 35.8% of the employed residents were executives, managers or professionals and only 2.8% were employed in farming. Still, the town's rural character survived, total developed land was about 910 acres, 8% of the town's area.
The town grew more slowly during the next decade, reflecting the recession influenced slowdown of regional growth. In 1990, Bridgewater's population counted 1,654 persons and it remained the smallest town in the Region. Developed land had increased to 1,444 acres, reflecting the large lot
sizes of new homes, 13% of the town's area.
Parallel with the increased developed land, however, has been a significant growth in dedicated open space land, which at 1,461 acres equals the current developed area. Bridgewater remains a rural residential community.
Bridgewater's
population reached 1,824 in 2000, an increase
of 10.2% over 1990. Looking into the twenty
first century, this attractive Town has a
future as a precious rural enclave near a fast
growing suburban region.
To better understand land use features in Bridgewater today, of value are inventories showing the Town's multi-family housing complex and local places of worship.
To look into Bridgewater's future, view the state population projection for Bridgewater. Also of interest, local transportation improvement needs are defined in the Bridgewater section of the Transportation Planning Resource Center. For a logical path for Bridgewater's future land use to follow, the HVCEO Growth Guide Map presents sound advice.
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