Somerset County, Administrative county in New Jersey, United States
Somerset County is an administrative district in north-central New Jersey, roughly 32 miles (52 km) southwest of New York City. The landscape includes rolling hills along the Raritan River, open fields in the western sections, and densely settled communities in the east, with small town centers preserving 18th and 19th century buildings.
The district was created in 1688 from parts of Middlesex County and named after an English shire. During the Revolutionary War, troops from both sides crossed the area repeatedly, and Washington used the high ground at Middlebrook as a winter encampment for his army in two separate seasons.
The region takes its name from Somerset in England and now shows a mix of historic villages and modern suburbs. Visitors often see wide green spaces between residential areas and find farmers markets where local growers sell their produce and families shop on weekends.
Most services and offices are located in the county administration building in Somerville, where visitors can obtain maps and information about parks and public facilities. Drivers reach the main towns via several highways that cross the area and link with larger cities nearby.
The area hosts one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the state, drawing visitors for more than a century. Some of the western towns still preserve fields and orchards that have been farmed by the same families for generations, showing the agricultural past of the region.
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