Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Bridgewater is a town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada. The LaHave River runs through the town. Bridgewater is the largest town in the South Shore region. A lot of the South Shore's economy is based on tourism. Bridgewater is also a commercial and industrial center. One of the main employers is a Michelin tire plant. The town was named after the bridge built over the LaHave River.

Bridgewater
Town
A postcard showing King Street
Nickname:  Main Street of the South Shore
Bridgewater Location of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
Coordinates: 44°22′12″N 64°31′12″W
Country	Canada
Province	Nova Scotia
County	Lunenburg County
Founded	1812
Incorporated	13 February 1899
Government
• Body	Bridgewater Town Council
• Mayor	David Mitchell
• CAO	Tammy Crowder
• MLA	Becky Druhan (PC)
• MP	Rick Perkins (C)
Area  (2021)[1]
• Total	13.63 km2 (5.26 sq mi)
Elevation	22.11 m (72.54 ft)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	8,790
• Density	644.9/km2 (1,670/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−3 (ADT)
Postal code	B4V
Area code	902 & 782
Telephone Exchange	212, 298, 521, 523, 527, 529, 530, 541, 543, 553
Highways	Hwy 103 Trunk 3 Trunk 10 Route 331 Route 325
Median Earnings*	$57,200
NTS Map	21A7 Bridgewater
GNBC Code	CAFBR[2]
Website	www.bridgewater.ca
Median household income, 2020 ($) (all households)

Picture of the 1899 Bridgewater fire

The first house in Bridgewater was built in 1812 by Ralph Hotchkiss.^[3] The town was incorporated in 1899.^[4] This was shortly after a fire in Bridgewater which burned the entire downtown area. For much of the 20th century, the town's economy depended on forestry. There was a large wood mill in the center of town. The Nova Scotia Central Railway and later the Halifax and Southwestern Railway had a central hub at Bridgewater. The "Acadia Marine Engine Company" was based in Bridgewater. It made engines for fishing boats.