Bridgewater Mining Company Share 1838
It wouldn’t come as a surprise to most people that mining is the most prevalent industrial sector in Somerset County. According to mining database, “thediggings.com,” there have been 17 separate mining companies in Somerset County since the founding of our nation. Arguably, the most important of these mines towards our nation’s history is inactive. The site of the Bridgewater/American Mining Company is buried deep within a residential neighborhood between Stella Drive and Starview Way in Bridgewater. The Bridgewater/American Mining Company’s rich history is not due to the amount of ore deposits collected, but rather the stories behind its existence. Let’s dig in.
The site of the Bridgewater/American Mining Company falls in the geological area known as the Piedmont province. The Piedmont province is mapped from geological processes such as lava flows and continental shifts dating back to the Late Triassic Period. During this period, New Jersey shared a border with modern day Morocco. These processes created the rock and mineral makeup in Somerset County that became present during the time of human settlement. The minerals mined by European colonists include iron, copper, and zinc.