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2011 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 514
 
Commending the Town of Bridgewater on the occasion of its 175th anniversary.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 14, 2011
Agreed to by the Senate, January 20, 2011

 

WHEREAS, the Town of Bridgewater and its citizens festively celebrated the town’s 175th anniversary in 2010; and

WHEREAS, the first recorded settler in the Town of Bridgewater was William Magill, Sr., who settled along the North River; the location, near present-day Bridgewater, became known as Magill’s Ford; and

WHEREAS, in 1779 Rockingham County Court authorized a new road to “James Magill’s Ford on the North River,” which was the forerunner to Route 42; and

WHEREAS, in 1794 Daniel Dinkle (spelled Dinkel today) came to Bridgewater and purchased land on the north bank of the North River; and

WHEREAS, in 1820 Daniel Dinkle’s son, Jacob, built the first bridge across the North River at present-day Bridgewater and the area became known as “Bridgeport”; and

WHEREAS, both of Daniel’s sons, Jacob and John, are considered the fathers of the Town of Bridgewater for their contributions to the area; and

WHEREAS, from 1820 to 1850, the area around the Town of Bridgewater was a major river port from which produce such as pig iron, hemp, farm produce, beeswax, feathers, and other items were sent to Harpers Ferry on flat boats; and

WHEREAS, on February 7, 1835, the Virginia General Assembly granted a charter changing the name of the town from Bridgeport to Bridgewater; and

WHEREAS, during the Civil War, the Town of Bridgewater and the surrounding area was the site of numerous altercations between the northern and southern forces; and

WHEREAS, the Chesapeake and Western Railroad came to Bridgewater in 1895 and the Town continued to grow and prosper during the 20th century; and

WHEREAS, today Bridgewater is the largest town in Rockingham County with four of Rockingham County’s top 25 employers located in the town; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Bridgewater celebrated its 175th anniversary September 3 - 6, 2010, with citizens and area residents participating in a variety of activities; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Bridgewater remains an attractive and friendly community of residences and shops, churches, a school, eateries, and town offices amidst productive agricultural farmland that provides residents with a good quality of life; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend the Town of Bridgewater on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Hallie Dinkel, mayor of the Town of Bridgewater, as an expression of the General Assembly’s recognition of the town’s rich history and best wishes for a bright and prosperous future for its citizens.