Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater (named after Bridgwater in Somerset, England) is located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.2 square miles, of which 27.5 square miles is land and 0.7 square miles (2.62%) is water. The city is bordered by West Bridgewater to the northwest, East Bridgewater to the northeast, Halifax to the east, Middleborough to the south and Raynham to the west. Bridgewater is approximately seven miles south of Brockton, ten miles northeast of Taunton, and 27 miles south of Boston.

Neighborhoods in Bridgewater include Stanley, Scotland, Pratt Town (Paper Mill Village) and South Bridgewater. Bridgewater lies along the Taunton River, with several other rivers and brooks branching off of the main waterway. There are also several ponds, the largest of which is Lake Nippenicket, along the western edge of the city. There is a state forest, a town forest, several conservation areas and a large portion of the Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area, in the western part of town.

The Middleborough-Lakeville line of the MBTA’s commuter rail passes through the town, with a stop at the southern end of Bridgewater State University’s campus. The stop is just south of the university’s main parking lots. The nearest national air service can be found at T. F. Green Airport outside Providence and at Logan International Airport in Boston.