Map of Bridgewater town, Virginia

Bridgewater is an incorporated town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,596 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Bridgewater town overview:
Name:	Bridgewater town
LSAD Code:	43
LSAD Description:	town (suffix)
State:	Virginia
County:	Rockingham County
Founded:	1835
Elevation:	1,178 ft (359 m)
Total Area:	2.52 sq mi (6.54 km²)
Land Area:	2.52 sq mi (6.53 km²)
Water Area:	0.01 sq mi (0.01 km²)
Total Population:	6,596
Population Density:	2,618.5/sq mi (6,318.7/km²)
ZIP code:	22812
Area code:	540 & 826
FIPS code:	5109656
GNISfeature ID:	1492628

Online Interactive Map

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Bridgewater online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Bridgewater location map. Where is Bridgewater town?

Bridgewater location on the U.S. Map. Where is Bridgewater town. — Bridgewater location on the U.S. Map.

Bridgewater location on the Virginia map. Where is Bridgewater town. — Location of Bridgewater in Virginia.

History

William Magill first settled along the North River in 1746, and the area became known as Magill’s Ford. The first bridge across the North River was built in 1820, and for a time the young community was known as Bridgeport. The Town received its charter from the Virginia General Assembly on February 7, 1835, then incorporated as Bridgewater. Every February 7, the Town holds an annual Charter Day celebration to commemorate the granting of the charter.

Bridgewater College is located within the Town, and was first established in 1880. The college has grown along with the Town, now enrolling more than 1,800 students.

Since the creation of the Town in 1835, Bridgewater has endured six major floods, including a devastating flood in 1949 that claimed two lives. As a result, the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed a long earthen levee to protect large portions of the Town against future flooding.

Since the mid-1990s, the Town has held a “Summer’s End Celebration” on Labor Day each year. The event has grown to include a 5k race, carnival rides, and live music, and is attended by thousands of people.

Bridgewater Road Map

Bridgewater city Satellite Map

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.52 sq mi (6.5 km), nearly all of it being land. Most of the town is located within a bend of the North River. Floods have wrecked the town occasionally. The northern areas are partly shielded from flooding with an Army Corps of Engineers dam. The wooded monadnock called Round Hill (elevation approx. 1750 feet) dominates the town’s western skyline.