Basking Ridge, Commercial district in Somerset Hills region, New Jersey.
Basking Ridge is a place in Somerset County, New Jersey, located in the northern section of Bernards Township. The area includes residential neighborhoods with single-family homes, shops along the main streets, and open land with gentle hills.
Scottish and Northern Irish Presbyterians founded the settlement in the 1720s after acquiring the land from the Lenape in the Raritan Valley. The church and surrounding farms formed the core of the community for decades before additional sections developed in the 19th century.
The Oak Tree Pond park area on the western edge serves residents as a local retreat with walking paths around a small pond. Families bring picnic baskets and use the benches under the trees for afternoon breaks in the greenery.
The Gladstone Branch rail line connects the area to Hoboken Terminal and provides access to Manhattan for commuters. Parking at the station fills during early morning hours, so an early arrival on weekdays is advisable.
The Presbyterian church on the square held a white oak until 2017 that had lived for over six centuries and shaded graves in the churchyard. After the tree had to be removed, its wood was turned into furniture and keepsakes for the community.
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