- What is the Lawn Party?
- Why is it called Bridgewater?
- What is that steeple that looks so pretty at night?
- What kinds of fish are in the North River?
- What is the best way to “make the most of
Harrisonburg”? - How many students are there at Bridgewater College?
What is the Lawn Party?
Bridgewater’s Lawn Party is a summer celebration that includes
carnival-type rides, lots of good food, an antique car show, the Firemen’s Parade, and
other events. It is held in the heart of Bridgewater, on the Lawn Party Grounds (also
known as Harrison Park). People come from all over for the Bridgewater Lawn Party
experience. It goes on for the better part of a week, and the proceeds go to support the
Bridgewater Fire Department. For more on this year’s Lawn Party, check
out the Lawn Party page on this site.
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Why is it called Bridgewater?
The short answer to this question is that the town is named after
the bridge over the North River. However, it’s a little more complicated than that. Even
before the time of the early settlers, there was a natural crossing point near where
today’s Route 42 crosses the river and becomes Main Street of Bridgewater going north. The
oldest recorded name of this crossing is Magill’s Ford, after the Magill family,
Scotch-Irish immigrants who owned the nearby land. Around 1820 Jacob Dinkle built the
town’s first bridge, and the name of the community was changed to “Bridgeport,”
reflecting the presence of a river port for shipping. When the town was first granted a
charter in 1835, it was under the current name of “Bridgewater.”
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What is that steeple that looks so pretty at
night?
That’s the steeple of Bridgewater College’s Carter
Center for Worship and Music at the
corner of College and Third streets. This building was built as the home of the
Bridgewater Church of the Brethren and served in that capacity until 1998, when the Church
moved into its current building on the hill served by College View Drive. For many years,
visitors assumed that the building was owned by the College because visually it appeared
to be part of the campus. With the transfer of the building to Bridgewater College in
1998, that became correct.
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What kinds of fish are in the North River?
The North River is a typical Eastern U.S. river,
with diverse fish species including largemouth and smallmouth bass, sunfish,
catfish and a variety of bottom-feeding fish such as carp and suckers. Trout
find their way into the North River from tributaries such as Mossy Creek, an
excellent trout stream. Unfortunately, from the viewpoint of local game
fishermen, the water quality of the North River is not high enough to permit
the bass to dominate the other species — and so, to some extent, the carp
have “taken over.” The most common large fish in the river are
carp.
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What is the best way to “make the most of
Harrisonburg”
Answer: Live in Bridgewater.
Actually, that’s a joke, sort of. Bridgewater is to a large
degree a residential community, in that a lot of people live in Bridgewater but work in
other localities including Harrisonburg. However, the town is far more than a bedroom
community for Harrisonburg, with community resources and a flavor all its own.
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How many students are there at Bridgewater
College?
About 1,500. The college is at or near its highest
enrollments in history, but is committed to retaining the small-college
atmosphere.