Somerville, New Jersey

[[Image:SomervilleNJ.jpg|thumb|right|300px|9/11 Memorial and Court House,

History

Somerville was settled in colonial times primarily by the English, who gave it its English name. Somerville was originally a sparsely populated farming community, but rapidly grew after the completion of the railroad in the 1850s. Early industry included brick making from the plentiful red clay and shale on which Somerville is built. While much of the town (technically a borough) features distinctive Victorian architecture and row houses, historical structures include the white marble Somerville Court House and the wooden and stone colonial Wallace House (today a museum) where George Washington spent a winter during the American Revolutionary War. Near the Wallace House is the Old Dutch Parsonage, where Reverend Jacob Hardenbergh, a founder of Rutgers University, lived.

Related Topics:
English - Railroad - 1850s - Brick - Shale - Victorian architecture - Marble - Somerville Court House - Wallace House - George Washington - American Revolutionary War - Old Dutch Parsonage - Jacob Hardenbergh - Rutgers University

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Originally the center of local commerce, modern highways today bypass Somerville, while stores, housing, and businesses have followed those highway corridors as the development pushes ever west. Main Street today has most of its historical buildings, although they are now mostly boutique specialty shops. Several of the factories in Somerville were abandoned and replaced with modern office buildings. Somerville today and historically has had an important African American community, a distinguished member of which was Paul Robeson.

Related Topics:
Highway - African American - Paul Robeson

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