Bloomfield, township (town), Essex county, northern New Jersey, U.S. It is a northwestern suburb of Newark. Settled in 1660 by Puritans, it was known as Wardsesson (then a ward of Newark) until 1796, when it was renamed for the American Revolutionary general Joseph Bloomfield. During the revolution it served as a supply point for both sides. Large quantities of cloth for Union Army uniforms were produced there during the American Civil War. The town of Monclair to the west was part of Bloomfield until 1812, when it became a separate community.

The town’s diversified modern industries include automobile assembly and the manufacture of textiles, drugs, chemicals, aluminum, plastics, and electrical products. Bloomfield College (Presbyterian) was founded in 1868. Inc. 1812. Pop. (2000) 47,683; (2010) 47,315.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
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