By Andrea Frucci

Old Bridge Township is a mix of land and lifestyles, combining suburban neighborhoods and farmland with 2.25 miles of beachfront along the Raritan Bay.

"I think we'd probably be classified as 'suburban,' but we still have some very rural areas," says Mayor Barbara Cannon. "We have a lot of the amenities of suburbia, but we also have a lot of undeveloped areas, especially in the southern section of town. We still have a number of working farms."

"It is a very family-oriented town, and we have a lot of volunteer organizations," she continues. "We're also very service-oriented." Cannon cites a group called Township with a Heart, an independent organization that raises money for families in need who aren't able to receive assistance from the usual sources.

Old Bridge was incorporated in 1869 as Madison Township before being renamed to its current moniker in 1976. During the town's early years, access to waterways for shipping gave rise to such industries as paper mills and shipyards, while potteries found the water to be a source of valuable potter's clay.

Today, one of the town's largest employers is Blonder Tongue Laboratories Inc., a designer, manufacturer and supplier of electronics and systems equipment for the cable television industry. Raritan Center and Metro Park, which are about 15 to 20 minutes away, provide more work opportunities close to home. Several million square feet of office space houses such major employers as Prudential, UPS, AT&T, Proctor & Gamble, Siemens and Engelhard Corp.

For those who must travel a bit further to their jobs, Routes 9, 18, 34 and 35 cross Old Bridge, providing quick access to the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway and I-287. NJ Transit trains from the nearby Matawan-Aberdeen station arrive at New York's Penn Station in about 60 minutes.

While its central Middlesex County locale is a big draw for new residents, Old Bridge also is desirable for its diverse array of recreational opportunities-from shopping and hiking to rock-and-roll and drag racing.

If shopping is your sport of choice, the Old Bridge area doesn't disappoint: Residents enjoy a plethora of nearby shopping centers and malls. The renovated Brunswick Square Mall, located on Route 18 at Rues Lane in East Brunswick, is anchored by Macy's and JCPenney, and features a Barnes & Noble superstore, plus a multi-screen movie theater. Woodbridge Center, at the juncture of Routes 1 & 9, offers Macy's, Sears, Lord & Taylor, JCPenney and Fortunoff, in addition to more than 200 other shops. Freehold Raceway Mall and Monmouth Mall, both in neighboring Monmouth County, are other area destinations, in addition to the many popular retail stores along the Route 9 corridor, including Kmart, Home Depot, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Pier 1 Imports and Toys "R" Us.

On weekends, bargain-hunters head to the Englishtown Auction, an indoor, year-round flea market featuring more than 300 vendors selling everything from new merchandise to antiques and collectibles, plus specialty food vendors such as butchers, bakers and produce farmers.

More shopping is planned for the future: "We're in the process of creating a town center in the area of the municipal complex," Cannon explains. "We're looking to attract some retail outfits, offices, also some park area, to create a hub for the community to identify with Old Bridge." She says this "mini-downtown" will be pedestrian-oriented, a place where residents can come to walk around, shop, grab a bite to eat and utilize the facilities at the municipal complex, which include tennis courts, an ice arena and a senior center.

For nature-lovers, there are several parks in Old Bridge with a variety of facilities for outdoor recreation, the largest being Cheesequake State Park. This park is unique because it lies in a transitional zone between two different ecosystems. Open fields, salt water and freshwater marshes, a white cedar swamp, Pine Barrens and a northeastern hardwood forest are its main characteristics. Exhibits at an on-site Interpretive Center trace the evolution of the area since the early 17th century. There's also campsites; hiking, biking and nature trails; picnic facilities; and Hooks Creek Lake for swimming and canoeing.

Other areas for recreation include Central Park Playground, Higgins Soccer Fields, Cliffwood Beach, Geick Park, Veteran's Park and Raritan Bayfront, which offers a recreation center, plus a boardwalk, basketball and handball courts, a playground and a fishing jetty.

Since it opened in 1965, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park has been one of drag racing's premier facilities. Open from March to November, the facility presents a variety of motorsport events, including the annual Matco Tools Supernationals in May. In addition to the main track, there's a 1-mile motocross track, a second drag strip and motocross practice tracks. A new 1.35-mile road course with approximately 13 turns is under way and expected to be completed by Spring.

The Birch Hill Nightclub on Route 9 has long been a favorite haunt for rock-and-roll fans. Over the years, the club has hosted such popular bands as Skid Row, Warrant, Cheap Trick, W.A.S.P. and Eddie Money. In October, the facility was leased to Red Bank-based concert promoter Concerts East and has been turned into a concert hall. Boston rockers American Hi-Fi are scheduled to perform tonight. Also tonight, Stingrays at The Birch Hill hosts a teen foam party. Dress to get wet.

Life in Old Bridge is not all fun and games, however. A fine educational system is another advantage residents enjoy.

The Old Bridge School District includes 12 elementary schools for kindergarten through grade 5, two middle schools for grades 6 through 8, and Old Bridge High School; students in grades 9 and 10 attend the East Campus, while grades 11 and 12 attend the West Campus.

The total student population at Old Bridge High exceeds 2,700. In 1999-00, the average class size was 27, and the student-to-teacher ratio was 11.8-to-1. Students who took the SAT earned an average score of 1,015. Seventy-seven percent of students in the graduating class of 2000 planned to continue their education at two- and four-year colleges and universities.

The high school offers more than 150 courses, ranging from English, history and calculus to auto repair, beauty culture and woodworking. Fourteen Advanced Placement (AP) courses include comparative government and politics, biology, computer science, French and Spanish.