History of Bridgewater Township

     Bridgewater Township is located in the northeastern quarter of Rice County.  It was located directly on the prairie-forest border that ran through Rice County, so its landscape consisted of both prairie and forested areas.  This township's soil is based upon a combination of Trenton limestone, St. Peter sandstone, Shakopee limestone, and morainic till. The Cannon River flows through this township, and many little streams feed into it, including Wolf and Heath Creeks. The first settlers in Bridgewater Township were from New York, and they came to this area in 1852.  Most of the early settlers in this area were from New England, but Norwegian and German settlers came into this township later on.  Little Prairie Methodist Church was founded in 1858 by Jacob Emery.  The two principal towns that were founded in Bridgewater Township, Dundas and Northfield, are still in existence today.  In 1858, both towns opened grist mills, which saved the local farmers from having to drive all the way to Hastings to have their grain processed.  Today, Bridgewater still consists largely of agricultural land, with a large emphasis on dairy cattle.

Bridgewater Township Crop and Livestock Census Data