Holmdel, New Jersey

In 1687 Bray’s Meeting House – a congregation for Baptists – was established by John Bray at the corner of what today would be Main Street and Holmdel Road in Holmdel.

As the local Baptist population grew, in 1709 Bray donated a portion of his land to the Baptist Church. Through Bray’s donation, The Upper Meeting House was formed, becoming New Jersey’s first Baptist Church.

At that time, Bray’s Meeting House was located in Middletown. There was not yet a Holmdel.

Early in the Eighteenth Century Middletown consisted of territory to the north of the Navesink River and east of Freehold.

For 150 years The Upper Meeting House was located in Middletown. In 1848 Middletown was broken up.

Raritan Township was spun off from Middletown. Raritan Township consisted of what later would become Hazlet, Aberdeen, Union Beach, Keansburg, Keyport, Matawan and Holmdel.

Nine years after Middletown was restructured Holmdel Township was formed through an act of the New Jersey Legislature. The year was 1857.