Bridgewater Commons Celebrates “Hobbstown: Past, Present and Future” March 31 – April 2

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (March 22, 2023) — Bridgewater Commons and Hobbs Family Union, Inc. will pay tribute to one of the most unique and historical African American communities in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey with “Hobbstown: Past, Present, Future,” a historical and cultural exhibit celebrating the centennial and future of this extraordinary district.

The event will open to the public on Friday, March 31, after a private opening reception on March 30 and will continue through Sunday, April 2.

The free exhibit, located at the Community HUB on the main level next to Verizon Wireless, will feature a vast collection of historical items, heirlooms, photographs and videos collected by the Hobbs Family over multiple generations, as well as interactive family activities and a glimpse into the future of Hobbstown.

“The Hobbstown story is one of pride, growth and dedication,” said Tom Kovacic, Marketing Director at Bridgewater Commons, which is managed by Trademark Property Company. “We’re honored that Hobbs Family Union, Inc. is entrusting us with helping to tell that story, and excited to invite the community to share in in it.”

The center will also host special events in coordination with the exhibit. On Saturday, April 1 at 4 p.m., Bennie Macklin, a host at WIMG-AM 1300, will host a panel discussion on emerging ideas, observations, and questions on the role that cultural heritage and its preservation can and should play in the growth of our communities. On Sunday, April 2 at 10:30 a.m., an Honor and Praise Service will be hosted by Macedonia Baptist Church.

All are celebrating a singularly American story. Amos, General Washington, and Robert Hobbs were emigrees from Georgia early in the Great Migration, eventually settling in rural Bridgewater Township, New Jersey during the 1920s. They founded a community that included their families and friends and called it “Hobbstown”. There, they established a village of fellow travelers all in pursuit of economic and social empowerment. Hobbstown became a source of support, encouragement and pride for generations of families.

Hobbs Family Union, Inc. was organized in 2017 to research, preserve and edify the history of Hobbstown. Its mission is to record and depict the little-known aspects of a community formed by Blacks in the early 20th century as a haven from racism and economic oppression within the larger American story.

"Hobbs Family Union, Inc. is focused on preserving and presenting the story of Hobbstown through an inspiring cultural exhibit – Hobbstown Past, Present, Future,” said Kenneth W. Hobbs, President of Hobbs Family Union, Inc. “We welcomed the opportunity to partner with Bridgewater Commons in creating an engaging and insightful view of a historical Bridgewater community.”

In 2018, Bridgewater Township officially recognized the neighborhood as Hobbstown. The exhibit acknowledges the contributions, the successes, and the legacy of those early settlers and the vision for the continuity of this legacy for future generations.

This tribute could only take place at Bridgewater Commons, which opened in fall 1988, and rapidly became the core of an influential and still-growing community in Somerset County. Located along Interstate 287 at the intersections of Route 22 and Route 202/206, the 1.2 million-square-foot Bridgewater Commons is Somerset County’s largest shopping, dining and entertainment destination. The enclosed center boasts an array of over 150 leading retailers, premier restaurants and service brands, including anchor department stores Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s; iconic retailers including Apple, J. Crew, Lucky Brand Jeans, lululemon athletica, Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma; and a collection of over 30 restaurants and entertainment venues such as Seasons 52, The Cheesecake Factory, Redstone American Grill, AMC Dine-In Theatres and many more.

The complex also includes The Village at Bridgewater Commons, a unique, open-air shopping district with more than 10 retailers and food and beverage locations including LOFT, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Shake Shack and Starbucks.

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