Original Boundaries

The purchase from the Indians in 1666 did not define a west line. The corrected deed of sale in 1677—78 specifies "that it is meant, agreed and intended that their bounds shall reach or goe to the top of the said Great Mountaine and that Wee, the said Indians, will marke out the same."
The Town Patent or Charter was not given till 1718, and has a complete boundary. It specifies the land "Purchased from ye Indians, now known by ye name Name of Newarke, Bounded easterly by a great creek that runs from Hackingsack Bay, through ye Salt Meadow Called by the Indians Wequahick, and now Known by ye Name of Bound Creek, and continuing from the head of ye Said Creek to the head of a Cove to a Markt Tree; from thence it Extended Westerly upon a Straight Line, by Computation Seven Miles be the Same more or Less, to the End or foot of the Great Mountain, and to the Ridge thereof, called by the Indians Wachung, Near where Runs a branch of Rahway River; from thence extending on a Northerly Course along the Ridge of the Said Mountain to a heap of Stones, Erected to Ascertain the Boundary between the s’d Town of Newark and the Town of Achquickatnunck; front thence Running a South-east course by Achquickatnunck Bound Line to where the brook or Rivalet Called by the Indians Yantokah, but now Known by the Naune of the Third River, Emptieth itself into Pasayack River, and from thence Continuing Down along by the said Pasaiack River and Hacklngsack Bay to the mouth of the said Bound Creek." (East Jersey Records, liber A A A, folio 145.)

This gives us the west and north and east line of what became afterwards Bloomfield.(click on map to enlarge) For one hundred and thirty years, however, before Bloomfield received its name the territory was identified with the Newark township, and it was not until one hundred and forty-six years from the first settlement that it received a separate town charter.