Lawrence Brook is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the

Raritan River Raritan River is a major river of New Jersey. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. History Geologists assert that the lower Raritan provided t ...

Middlesex County, New Jersey Middlesex County is located in central New Jersey, United States, extending inland from the Raritan Valley region to the northern portion of the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 United States Census, the county's population was enumerated at 863, ...

, in the United States.

Course

Originally a stream, its course now includes man-made lakes created by dams built in the 19th and 20th centuries: Deans Pond ( South Brunswick), Davidsons Mill Pond (South Brunswick), Farrington Lake (South Brunswick, North Brunswick and

East Brunswick East Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The suburban bedroom community is part of the New York City metropolitan area and is located on the southern shore of the Raritan River, directly adjacent to the city ...

), Mill Pond (Milltown), and

Westons Mill Pond The Westons Mill Pond is a dammed section of the Lawrence Brook located in the Westons Mills section of East Brunswick East Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The suburban bedroom community is part of t ...

( Milltown, East Brunswick, North Brunswick and New Brunswick). Its lowest section, near the Raritan River, is tidal; it hosts marine wildlife and is regarded as a coastal area. Its

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

, the Lawrence Brook watershed, is a area, identified by the

USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...

code ''HUC 02030105130''. At the stretch at Weston's Mill Pond, Lawrence Brook crosses

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...

's Cook Campus, along the vegetable research farm, the equine research farm,

Rutgers Gardens Rutgers Gardens (130 acres) is the official botanic garden of Rutgers University, located on the outskirts of Cook Campus, at 112 Ryders Lane, North Brunswick, New Jersey. The grounds include 60 acres of designed beds, specialty gardens, tree and ...

, and Helyar forest. Lawrence Brook is a wildlife corridor, a bird migration area and a highly sensitive body of water. Power boats, except with an electric motor, are not permitted on the brook.

History

*This stream was called Piscopeek by the Unami Lenni

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory inclu ...

Indians. Its current name comes from Mr.Thomas Lawrence, a New York City baker, who acquired its surrounding land in the 17th century.Indian bill of sale, Trenton Museum Some historical maps show the spelling ''Lawrence's Brook''. *In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Farrington Lake area served as a resort area, with a trolley line running from New Brunswick through Milltown then turning south to eventually end at the State Fair Grounds in Trenton. The lake (named for a mayor of New Brunswick who died during WWI) was formed by a dam built above a lower working dam that powered a snuff mill built in the mid 19th century.

Pictures

File:Lawrence Brook-East Brunswick N.J..JPG, Lawrence Brook in East Brunswick File:Lawrence Brook-East Brunswick N.J. 2.JPG, Lawrence Brook in East Brunswick File:Lawrence Brook-East Brunswick N.J. 3.JPG, Lawrence Brook in East Brunswick File:Lawrence Brook-East Brunswick N.J. 4.JPG, Lawrence Brook in East Brunswick File:Lawrence Brook-East Brunswick N.J. 5.JPG, Lawrence Brook in East Brunswick File:Lawrence Brook-Milltown N.J..JPG, Lawrence Brook in Milltown File:Lawrence Brook-Milltown N.J. 2.JPG, Lawrence Brook in Milltown File:Lawrence_Brook_in_South_Brunswick.jpg, Lawrence Brook in South Brunswick

Succession and pathway of Lawrence Brook

The Lawrence Brook, a 30-mile inland waterway (New Jersey), connects from the Raritan Bay to the lesser known end; splitting apart into two branches in South Brunswick, this is a list of important landmarks in Central New Jersey where the Lawrence Brook is present (sometimes in larger water-body forms). * Atlantic Ocean (Starts Here, near the Raritan Bay) * Raritan Bay to the Mouth of Raritan River (Near Perth Amboy, NJ and passes under the Governor Alfred E. Driscoll Bridge) * Raritan River (Continues for about 3-5 Miles; it splits into a smaller branch of the

that passes to the left of

Basilone Bridge The Basilone Memorial Bridge is a bridge on the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) in the U.S. state of New Jersey spanning the Raritan River. The bridge connects Edison on the north with New Brunswick on the south. The bridge, which opened along with ...

) * Raritan River (Turns Left Near the Weston's Mills Subdivision and passes near the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tower Center) * Westons Mills Pond (Continues South and intersects Ryders Lane in East Brunswick; nea
Rutgers Vegetable Garden
* Lawrence Brook (Connects Westons Mills Pond to the Farrington Lake) * Farrington Lake (This is the longest stretch of the Lawrence Brook Farrington_Lake.html" ;"title="n the form of Farrington Lake">n the form of Farrington Lakeand passes through

North Brunswick, NJ North Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is centrally located in the Raritan Valley region within the New York Metropolitan area. At the 2020 United States census, the population was 43,905, reflectin ...

) * Lawrence Brook (At the Intersection of Riva Avenue and Davidson's Mill Road, Lawrence Brook connects Farrington Lake t
Davidson's Mill Pond
in Deans, South Brunswick, NJ) * Davidson's Mill Pond (Goes underneath US-130, and continually reduces in width; continues to Deans Pond North of the Deans Pond Crossing Subdivision eans Pond- Marsh; seasonally flooded * Lawrence Brook (Continues North and Northwest from th
Crossroads Middle School
has been artificially drained under the Northeast Corridor Train Track and near the Southridge Woods Apartment Complex. Continues, during flooded seasons, approximately parallel to Freedom Trail in South Brunswick.) * Lawrence Brook (Continues through South Brunswick, perpendicularly crosses the Northeast Corridor Train Track (drained) and then enters into a marsh) * Lawrence Brook (Continues through the Marsh (Off Of New Road) and splits into two branches: * ''1: Intersects New Road, Continues Roughly Parallel to The Grande Subdivision, and connects with the

Devils Brook Devils Brook is a tributary of the Millstone River in central New Jersey in the United States. It is a moderately large brook with numerous unnamed tributaries. Course The Devils Brook starts at , near exit 8A on the New Jersey Turnpike. ...

into Lake McCormac
Audubon’s Plainsboro Preserve
' * ''2: Continues Through Marsh, enters Forested Areas, and Ends North of the Tall Timbers Cricket Park in a Smaller Marsh.''

Parks along Lawrence Brook

*Davidsons Mill Pond County Park (South Brunswick) *Ireland Brook County Park (South Brunswick and East Brunswick) *Bicentennial Park (East Brunswick) *North Brunswick Memorial Park (North Brunswick) *Brook Park (Milltown) *Mill Pond Park (Milltown) *

and Helyar Woods (Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey)

Main tributaries

*Brook from the beaver pond to Davidsons Mill Pond * Ireland Brook * Oakeys Brook **

Cow Yard Brook The Cow Yard Brook is a small tributary of the Oakeys Brook, in central South Brunswick, New Jersey in the United States. Course The Cow Yard Brook starts at near the intersection of Beekman Road, Northumberland Way, and US Route 1 U.S ...

, a branch of the Oakeys Brook * Beaverdam Brook * Sucker Brook * Sawmill Brook *Brook in

(along the bamboo forest), sometimes called ''Doc Brook'' *Brook in Rutgers' Helyar Woods (with a small waterfall), sometimes called ''Helyar Brook'' * Terhune Run * Great Ditch

References

External links

The Scenic Lawrence Brook (pictures)
* ttp://waterdata.usgs.gov/nj/nwis/current/?type=flow U.S. Geological Survey: NJ stream gaging stationsbr>Davidsons Mill Pond Park
{{authority control Rivers of Middlesex County, New Jersey Tributaries of the Raritan River Rivers of New Jersey