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The Plainfields are a group of three municipalities spanning the convergence of Somerset, Union, and Middlesex Counties in New Jersey, all of which have the word Plainfield in their name. They are the Borough of North Plainfield (Somerset County), City of Plainfield (Union County), and the Borough of South Plainfield (Middlesex County). The towns of Scotch Plains and Fanwood are nearby.

The region was part of the colonial era Elizabethtown Tract and later part of Piscataway settled by Scottish Quakers in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Among them, was John Laing, whose holdings were known as Plainfield Plantation. It is not certain whether the name derives from the plain clothing worn by the founders or is a reference to the landscape.

While each community has its own independent government, and the three municipalities have no shared governance even at the county level, the term is often used to refer to the area, including on highway exit signs. Signage for Exit 40 on Interstate 78, for example, refers to "The Plainfields" as a destination.

See also

For other groups of similarly named municipalities in New Jersey, see:

• The Amboys
• The Brunswicks
• The Caldwells
• The Chathams
• The Oranges
• The Ridgefields
• The Wildwoods

References

1. "National Register off Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
2. Veit, Richard F. (2001), South Plainfield, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7385-1111-5

v t e Raritan Valley
Geography Raritan River North Branch Raritan River South Branch Raritan River Millstone River Green Brook Lawrence Brook South River Raritan Bay Raritan Bayshore
Central communities The Amboys Perth Amboy South Amboy The Brunswicks East Brunswick New Brunswick North Brunswick South Brunswick Bedminster Branchburg Clinton Flemington Green Brook Matawan Middletown Millstone Borough Millstone Township The Plainfields Plainfield North Plainfield South Plainfield Raritan Borough Raritan Township South River
Larger-sized communities (over 25,000 in 2020) Bernardsville Bridgewater East Windsor Edison Franklin Township Freehold Township Hillsborough Lawrenceville Manalapan Marlboro Monroe Mount Olive Old Bridge Piscataway Princeton Sayreville West Windsor Woodbridge
Smaller-sized communities (10,000 to 25,000 in 2020) Aberdeen Berkeley Heights Bound Brook Clinton Township Freehold Borough Hazlet Highland Park Holmdel Hopewell Township Manville Metuchen Middlesex Montgomery Plainsboro Readington Scotch Plains Somerville Springfield Summit Warren
Counties Hunterdon Mercer Middlesex Monmouth Morris Somerset Union History Lenape Raritans Navesinks Colonial history of New Jersey Elizabethtown Tract Monmouth Tract King's Highway Nassau Hall Queen's College American Revolution Battle of Princeton Battle of Millstone Battle of Monmouth Village Inn Middlebrook encampment Jockey Hollow Rockingham Washington Rock Ross Hall Delaware and Raritan Canal Knox–Porter Resolution Gateway National Recreation Area Fort Hancock Sandy Hook Naval Weapons Station Earle Donald Trump's 'Summer White House' in Bedminster

• The Plainfields, New Jersey
• Scottish-American culture in New Jersey