The natural resources of the area had attracted much earlier interest, however, for a trading post had been built at Goodyear's Island, in the Housatonic along Bridgewater's northwest boundary, in 1644 and at least 22 families had settled at New Milford center by 1710. The land comprising the town's 11,187 acre area is exceptionally hilly. A number of small, swift flowing streams drain from this upland terrain in various directions, principally Second Hill, Hop, Wewaka, Hitchcock Mill, and Clapboard Oak Brooks. Typical upland soils, derived from glacial till, dominate throughout the Town and therefore there are no major aquifers.
Many upland ridges are still open, but forest land predominates.
Fertile upland soils attracted a farming population in the mid-eighteenth century. A small village developed at the present town center, located at a central crossroads on the middle ridge. By 1803 there was a sufficient population to form an ecclesiastical society separate from New Milford, and this privilege was conferred by the General Assembly along with the descriptive name Bridgewater. Incorporation as a separate town was granted by the Assembly in 1856, at which time the population was about 1,000 persons. Beginning to 1950 Despite the hilly terrain, farms were well established in all sections of the town before 1800.