The Plainfields are a group of three municipalities spanning the convergence of
Somerset
Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
,
Union, and
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
Counties in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, all of which have the word ''Plainfield'' in their name. They are the
Borough of North Plainfield (Somerset County),
City of Plainfield (Union County), and the
Borough of South Plainfield (Middlesex County). The towns of
Scotch Plains and
Fanwood are nearby.
The region was part of the colonial era
Elizabethtown Tract The Elizabethtown Tract was a property that was purchased on October 28, 1664, by John Baily, Daniel Denton and Luke Watson from the Native Americans that is in the area of (and surrounding) present-day Elizabeth, New Jersey. The Native American w ...
and later part of
Piscataway Piscataway may refer to:
*Maryland (place)
**Piscataway, Maryland, an unincorporated community
** Piscataway Creek, Maryland
** Piscataway Park, historical park at the mouth of Piscataway Creek
** Siege of Piscataway, siege of Susquehannock fort sou ...
settled by Scottish
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...
in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Among them, was John Laing, whose holdings were known as
Plainfield Plantation. It is not certain whether the name derives from the plain clothing worn by the founders or is a reference to the landscape.
While each community has its own independent government, and the three municipalities have no shared governance even at the county level, the term is often used to refer to the area, including on highway exit signs. Signage for Exit 40 on
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 (I-78) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Northeastern United States that runs from I-81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown to western and North Jersey, terminating at the Holland Tunnel entra ...
, for example, refers to "The Plainfields" as a destination.
See also
For other groups of similarly named municipalities in New Jersey, see:
*
The Amboys
The Amboys are a pair of municipalities in Middlesex County, New Jersey, both of which have the word ''Amboy'' in their name. The two municipalities are the City of Perth Amboy and the City of South Amboy, located opposite each other on the Ra ...
*
The Brunswicks
*
The Caldwells
The Caldwells are a group of three municipalities in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, New Jersey, all of which have the word ''Caldwell'' in their name. All of these communities are named after the Reverend James Caldwell (clergyman), James ...
*
The Chathams
*
The Oranges
The Oranges () are a group of four municipality, municipalities in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, New Jersey, all of which have the word ''Orange'' in their name. The four municipalities are Orange, New Jersey, Orange, East Orange, New ...
*
The Ridgefields
The Ridgefields are a pair of municipalities in Bergen County, New Jersey, both of which have the word ''Ridgefield'' in their name. The two municipalities are the Borough of Ridgefield and the Village of Ridgefield Park.
Both municipalities ha ...
*
The Wildwoods
The Wildwoods are a group of five communities (four distinct municipalities and one census-designated place) in Cape May County, New Jersey. These are situated on the Island of Five Mile Beach, a barrier island facing the Atlantic Ocean. These Jer ...
References
{{Raritan River
Scottish-American culture in New Jersey